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Mattioni L, Barbieri A, Grigoli A, Balasco L, Bozzi Y, Provenzano G. Alterations of Perineuronal Net Expression and Abnormal Social Behavior and Whisker-dependent Texture Discrimination in Mice Lacking the Autism Candidate Gene Engrailed 2. Neuroscience 2024; 546:63-74. [PMID: 38537894 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
GABAergic interneurons and perineuronal nets (PNNs) are important regulators of plasticity throughout life and their dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several neuropsychiatric conditions, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). PNNs are condensed portions of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that are crucial for neural development and proper formation of synaptic connections. We previously showed a reduced expression of GABAergic interneuron markers in the hippocampus and somatosensory cortex of adult mice lacking the Engrailed2 gene (En2-/- mice), a mouse model of ASD. Since alterations in PNNs have been proposed as a possible pathogenic mechanism in ASD, we hypothesized that the PNN dysfunction may contribute to the neural and behavioral abnormalities of En2-/- mice. Here, we show an increase in the PNN fluorescence intensity, evaluated by Wisteria floribunda agglutinin, in brain regions involved in social behavior and somatosensory processing. In addition, we found that En2-/- mice exhibit altered texture discrimination through whiskers and display a marked decrease in the preference for social novelty. Our results raise the possibility that altered expression of PNNs, together with defects of GABAergic interneurons, might contribute to the pathogenesis of social and sensory behavioral abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Mattioni
- Department of Cellular, Computational, and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy.
| | - Anna Barbieri
- Department of Cellular, Computational, and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Andrea Grigoli
- Department of Cellular, Computational, and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Luigi Balasco
- CIMeC - Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, Trento, Italy
| | - Yuri Bozzi
- CIMeC - Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, Trento, Italy; CNR Neuroscience Institute, via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Provenzano
- Department of Cellular, Computational, and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy.
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2
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Cakar ME, Okada NJ, Cummings KK, Jung J, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M, Green SA. Functional connectivity of the sensorimotor cerebellum in autism: associations with sensory over-responsivity. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1337921. [PMID: 38590791 PMCID: PMC10999625 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1337921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has been consistently shown to be atypical in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, despite its known role in sensorimotor function, there is limited research on its association with sensory over-responsivity (SOR), a common and impairing feature of ASD. Thus, this study sought to examine functional connectivity of the sensorimotor cerebellum in ASD compared to typically developing (TD) youth and investigate whether cerebellar connectivity is associated with SOR. Resting-state functional connectivity of the sensorimotor cerebellum was examined in 54 ASD and 43 TD youth aged 8-18 years. Using a seed-based approach, connectivity of each sensorimotor cerebellar region (defined as lobules I-IV, V-VI and VIIIA&B) with the whole brain was examined in ASD compared to TD youth, and correlated with parent-reported SOR severity. Across all participants, the sensorimotor cerebellum was functionally connected with sensorimotor and visual regions, though the three seed regions showed distinct connectivity with limbic and higher-order sensory regions. ASD youth showed differences in connectivity including atypical connectivity within the cerebellum and increased connectivity with hippocampus and thalamus compared to TD youth. More severe SOR was associated with stronger connectivity with cortical regions involved in sensory and motor processes and weaker connectivity with cognitive and socio-emotional regions, particularly prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that atypical cerebellum function in ASD may play a role in sensory challenges in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis E. Cakar
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Nana J. Okada
- Department of Psychology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kaitlin K. Cummings
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jiwon Jung
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Susan Y. Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Shulamite A. Green
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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3
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Siegler PN, Shaughnessy EK, Horman B, Vierling TT, King DH, Patisaul HB, Huhman KL, Alexander GM, Dudek SM. Identification of hippocampal area CA2 in hamster and vole brain. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25603. [PMID: 38497661 PMCID: PMC10950058 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and Syrian, or golden, hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) are closely related to mice (Mus musculus) and are commonly used in studies of social behavior including social interaction, social memory, and aggression. Hippocampal area CA2 is known to play a key role in these behaviors in mice and responds to social stimuli in rats, but CA2 has yet to be characterized in hamsters or voles, which are also used in studies of social behaviors. Here, we used immunofluorescence to determine whether CA2 could be molecularly identified in tissue from voles and hamsters. We found that staining for many CA2 markers was similar in these three species, with labeling seen in neurons at the distal end of the mossy fibers . In contrast, although perineuronal nets (PNNs) surround CA2 cells in mice, PNN staining differed across species. In voles, both CA2 and CA3 were labeled, whereas in hamsters, labeling was seen primarily in CA3. These results demonstrate that CA2 can be molecularly distinguished from neighboring CA1 and CA3 areas in voles and hamsters with several antibodies commonly used in mice. However, PNN staining is not useful for identifying CA2 in voles or hamsters, suggestive of differing roles for either PNNs or for the hippocampal subregions in social behavior. These findings reveal commonalities across species in the molecular profile of CA2 and should facilitate future studies of CA2 in these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preston Nicole Siegler
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | | | - Brian Horman
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Tia T. Vierling
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
| | - Darron H. King
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
| | - Heather B. Patisaul
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Kim L. Huhman
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Georgia M. Alexander
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
| | - Serena M. Dudek
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
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4
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Severino L, Kim J, Nam MH, McHugh TJ. From synapses to circuits: What mouse models have taught us about how autism spectrum disorder impacts hippocampal function. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 158:105559. [PMID: 38246230 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts a variety of cognitive and behavioral domains. While a genetic component of ASD has been well-established, none of the numerous syndromic genes identified in humans accounts for more than 1% of the clinical patients. Due to this large number of target genes, numerous mouse models of the disorder have been generated. However, the focus on distinct brain circuits, behavioral phenotypes and diverse experimental approaches has made it difficult to synthesize the overwhelming number of model animal studies into concrete throughlines that connect the data across levels of investigation. Here we chose to focus on one circuit, the hippocampus, and one hypothesis, a shift in excitatory/inhibitory balance, to examine, from the level of the tripartite synapse up to the level of in vivo circuit activity, the key commonalities across disparate models that can illustrate a path towards a better mechanistic understanding of ASD's impact on hippocampal circuit function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandra Severino
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea; Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST-School, University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jinhyun Kim
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea; Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST-School, University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Min-Ho Nam
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea; Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST-School, University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Thomas J McHugh
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea; Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi Saitama, Japan.
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5
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Siegler PN, Shaughnessy EK, Horman B, Vierling TT, King DH, Patisaul HB, Huhman KL, Alexander GM, Dudek SM. Identification of hippocampal area CA2 in hamster and vole brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.12.579957. [PMID: 38405991 PMCID: PMC10888814 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.12.579957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and Syrian, or golden, hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) are closely related to mice (Mus musculus) and rats (Rattus norvegicus, for example) and are commonly used in studies of social behavior including social interaction, social memory, and aggression. The CA2 region of the hippocampus is known to play a key role in social memory and aggression in mice and responds to social stimuli in rats, likely owing to its high expression of oxytocin and vasopressin 1b receptors. However, CA2 has yet to be identified and characterized in hamsters or voles. In this study, we sought to determine whether CA2 could be identified molecularly in vole and hamster. To do this, we used immunofluorescence with primary antibodies raised against known molecular markers of CA2 in mice and rats to stain hippocampal sections from voles and hamsters in parallel with those from mice. Here, we report that, like in mouse and rat, staining for many CA2 proteins in vole and hamster hippocampus reveals a population of neurons that express regulator of G protein signaling 14 (RGS14), Purkinje cell protein 4 (PCP4) and striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP), which together delineate the borders with CA3 and CA1. These cells were located at the distal end of the mossy fiber projections, marked by the presence of Zinc Transporter 3 (ZnT-3) and calbindin in all three species. In addition to staining the mossy fibers, calbindin also labeled a layer of CA1 pyramidal cells in mouse and hamster but not in vole. However, Wolframin ER transmembrane glycoprotein (WFS1) immunofluorescence, which marks all CA1 neurons, was present in all three species and abutted the distal end of CA2, marked by RGS14 immunofluorescence. Staining for two stress hormone receptors-the glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptors-was also similar in all three species, with GR staining found primarily in CA1 and MR staining enriched in CA2. Interestingly, although perineuronal nets (PNNs) are known to surround CA2 cells in mouse and rat, we found that staining for PNNs differed across species in that both CA2 and CA3 showed staining in voles and primarily CA3 in hamsters with only some neurons in proximal CA2 showing staining. These results demonstrate that, like in mouse, CA2 in voles and hamsters can be molecularly distinguished from neighboring CA1 and CA3 areas, but PNN staining is less useful for identifying CA2 in the latter two species. These findings reveal commonalities across species in molecular profile of CA2, which will facilitate future studies of CA2 in these species. Yet to be determined is how differences in PNNs might relate to differences in social behavior across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preston Nicole Siegler
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | | | - Brian Horman
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Tia T. Vierling
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
| | - Darron H. King
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
| | - Heather B. Patisaul
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Kim L. Huhman
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Georgia M. Alexander
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
| | - Serena M. Dudek
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
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6
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Pizzarelli R, Pimpinella D, Jacobs C, Tartacca A, Kullolli U, Monyer H, Alberini CM, Griguoli M. Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) rescues social deficits in NLG3 -/y mouse model of ASDs. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1332179. [PMID: 38298376 PMCID: PMC10827848 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1332179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) comprise developmental disabilities characterized by impairments of social interaction and repetitive behavior, often associated with cognitive deficits. There is no current treatment that can ameliorate most of the ASDs symptomatology; thus, identifying novel therapies is urgently needed. Here, we used the Neuroligin 3 knockout mouse (NLG3-/y), a model that recapitulates the social deficits reported in ASDs patients, to test the effects of systemic administration of IGF-2, a polypeptide that crosses the blood-brain barrier and acts as a cognitive enhancer. We show that systemic IGF-2 treatment reverses the typical defects in social interaction and social novelty discrimination reflective of ASDs-like phenotypes. This effect was not accompanied by any change in spontaneous glutamatergic synaptic transmission in CA2 hippocampal region, a mechanism found to be crucial for social novelty discrimination. However, in both NLG3+/y and NLG3-/y mice IGF-2 increased cell excitability. Although further investigation is needed to clarify the cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning IGF-2 effect on social behavior, our findings highlight IGF-2 as a potential pharmacological tool for the treatment of social dysfunctions associated with ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Hannah Monyer
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Rome, Italy
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology at the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Marilena Griguoli
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Rome, Italy
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology of the National Council of Research (IBPM-CNR), Rome, Italy
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7
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Kassraian P, Bigler SK, Gilly DM, Shrotri N, Siegelbaum SA. A neural mechanism for discriminating social threat from social safety. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.04.547723. [PMID: 37461518 PMCID: PMC10350012 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.04.547723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
The ability to distinguish a threatening from non-threatening conspecific based on past experience is critical for adaptive social behaviors. Although recent progress has been made in identifying the neural circuits that contribute to different types of positive and negative social interactions, the neural mechanisms that enable the discrimination of individuals based on past aversive experiences remain unknown. Here, we developed a modified social fear conditioning paradigm that induced in both sexes robust behavioral discrimination of a conspecific associated with a footshock (CS+) from a non-reinforced interaction partner (CS-). Strikingly, chemogenetic or optogenetic silencing of hippocampal CA2 pyramidal neurons, which have been previously implicated in social novelty recognition memory, resulted in generalized avoidance fear behavior towards the equally familiar CS-and CS+. One-photon calcium imaging revealed that the accuracy with which CA2 representations discriminate the CS+ from the CS-animal was enhanced following social fear conditioning and strongly correlated with behavioral discrimination. Moreover the CA2 representations incorporated a generalized or abstract representation of social valence irrespective of conspecific identity and location. Thus, our results demonstrate, for the first time, that the same hippocampal CA2 subregion mediates social memories based on conspecific familiarity and social threat, through the incorporation of a representation of social valence into an initial representation of social identity.
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8
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Modi B, Guardamagna M, Stella F, Griguoli M, Cherubini E, Battaglia FP. State-dependent coupling of hippocampal oscillations. eLife 2023; 12:e80263. [PMID: 37462671 PMCID: PMC10411970 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Oscillations occurring simultaneously in a given area represent a physiological unit of brain states. They allow for temporal segmentation of spikes and support distinct behaviors. To establish how multiple oscillatory components co-vary simultaneously and influence neuronal firing during sleep and wakefulness in mice, we describe a multivariate analytical framework for constructing the state space of hippocampal oscillations. Examining the co-occurrence patterns of oscillations on the state space, across species, uncovered the presence of network constraints and distinct set of cross-frequency interactions during wakefulness compared to sleep. We demonstrated how the state space can be used as a canvas to map the neural firing and found that distinct neurons during navigation were tuned to different sets of simultaneously occurring oscillations during sleep. This multivariate analytical framework provides a window to move beyond classical bivariate pipelines for investigating oscillations and neuronal firing, thereby allowing to factor-in the complexity of oscillation-population interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matteo Guardamagna
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Federico Stella
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Marilena Griguoli
- European Brain Research InstituteRomeItaly
- CNR, Institute of Molecular Biology and PathologyRomeItaly
| | | | - Francesco P Battaglia
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
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9
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Takeuchi Y, Yamashiro K, Noguchi A, Liu J, Mitsui S, Ikegaya Y, Matsumoto N. Machine learning-based segmentation of the rodent hippocampal CA2 area from Nissl-stained sections. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1172512. [PMID: 37449243 PMCID: PMC10336234 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1172512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is a center of learning, memory, and spatial navigation. This region is divided into the CA1, CA2, and CA3 areas, which are anatomically different from each other. Among these divisions, the CA2 area is unique in terms of functional relevance to sociality. The CA2 area is often manually detected based on the size, shape, and density of neurons in the hippocampal pyramidal cell layer, but this manual segmentation relying on cytoarchitecture is impractical to apply to a large number of samples and dependent on experimenters' proficiency. Moreover, the CA2 area has been defined based on expression pattern of molecular marker proteins, but it generally takes days to complete immunostaining for such proteins. Thus, we asked whether the CA2 area can be systematically segmented based on cytoarchitecture alone. Since the expression pattern of regulator of G-protein signaling 14 (RGS14) signifies the CA2 area, we visualized the CA2 area in the mouse hippocampus by RGS14-immunostaining and Nissl-counterstaining and manually delineated the CA2 area. We then established "CAseg," a machine learning-based automated algorithm to segment the CA2 area with the F1-score of approximately 0.8 solely from Nissl-counterstained images that visualized cytoarchitecture. CAseg was extended to the segmentation of the prairie vole CA2 area, which raises the possibility that the use of this algorithm can be expanded to other species. Thus, CAseg will be beneficial for investigating unique properties of the hippocampal CA2 area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Takeuchi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Yamashiro
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Asako Noguchi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jiayan Liu
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinichi Mitsui
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Yuji Ikegaya
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nobuyoshi Matsumoto
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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10
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Cope EC, Wang SH, Waters RC, Gore IR, Vasquez B, Laham BJ, Gould E. Activation of the CA2-ventral CA1 pathway reverses social discrimination dysfunction in Shank3B knockout mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1750. [PMID: 36991001 PMCID: PMC10060401 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37248-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutation or deletion of the SHANK3 gene, which encodes a synaptic scaffolding protein, is linked to autism spectrum disorder and Phelan-McDermid syndrome, conditions associated with social memory impairments. Shank3B knockout mice also exhibit social memory deficits. The CA2 region of the hippocampus integrates numerous inputs and sends a major output to the ventral CA1 (vCA1). Despite finding few differences in excitatory afferents to the CA2 in Shank3B knockout mice, we found that activation of CA2 neurons as well as the CA2-vCA1 pathway restored social recognition function to wildtype levels. vCA1 neuronal oscillations have been linked to social memory, but we observed no differences in these measures between wildtype and Shank3B knockout mice. However, activation of the CA2 enhanced vCA1 theta power in Shank3B knockout mice, concurrent with behavioral improvements. These findings suggest that stimulating adult circuitry in a mouse model with neurodevelopmental impairments can invoke latent social memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise C Cope
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Samantha H Wang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Renée C Waters
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Isha R Gore
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Betsy Vasquez
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Blake J Laham
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gould
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
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11
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Froula JM, Hastings SD, Krook-Magnuson E. The little brain and the seahorse: Cerebellar-hippocampal interactions. Front Syst Neurosci 2023; 17:1158492. [PMID: 37034014 PMCID: PMC10076554 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2023.1158492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a growing appreciation for the cerebellum beyond its role in motor function and accumulating evidence that the cerebellum and hippocampus interact across a range of brain states and behaviors. Acute and chronic manipulations, simultaneous recordings, and imaging studies together indicate coordinated coactivation and a bidirectional functional connectivity relevant for various physiological functions, including spatiotemporal processing. This bidirectional functional connectivity is likely supported by multiple circuit paths. It is also important in temporal lobe epilepsy: the cerebellum is impacted by seizures and epilepsy, and modulation of cerebellar circuitry can be an effective strategy to inhibit hippocampal seizures. This review highlights some of the recent key hippobellum literature.
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12
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Piskorowski RA, Chevaleyre V. Hippocampal area CA2: interneuron disfunction during pathological states. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1181032. [PMID: 37180763 PMCID: PMC10174260 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1181032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Hippocampal area CA2 plays a critical role in social recognition memory and has unique cellular and molecular properties that distinguish it from areas CA1 and CA3. In addition to having a particularly high density of interneurons, the inhibitory transmission in this region displays two distinct forms of long-term synaptic plasticity. Early studies on human hippocampal tissue have reported unique alteration in area CA2 with several pathologies and psychiatric disorders. In this review, we present recent studies revealing changes in inhibitory transmission and plasticity of area CA2 in mouse models of multiple sclerosis, autism spectrum disorder, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and propose how these changes could underly deficits in social cognition observed during these pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Piskorowski
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMRS 1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Paris, France
- Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Rebecca A. Piskorowski,
| | - Vivien Chevaleyre
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMRS 1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Paris, France
- Institute of Biology Paris Seine, Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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13
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Impaired synaptic plasticity in an animal model of autism exhibiting early hippocampal GABAergic-BDNF/TrkB signaling alterations. iScience 2022; 26:105728. [PMID: 36582822 PMCID: PMC9793278 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In Neurodevelopmental Disorders, alterations of synaptic plasticity may trigger structural changes in neuronal circuits involved in cognitive functions. This hypothesis was tested in mice carrying the human R451C mutation of Nlgn3 gene (NLG3R451C KI), found in some families with autistic children. To this aim, the spike time dependent plasticity (STDP) protocol was applied to immature GABAergic Mossy Fibers (MF)-CA3 connections in hippocampal slices from NLG3R451C KI mice. These animals failed to exhibit STD-LTP, an effect that persisted in adulthood when these synapses became glutamatergic. Similar results were obtained in mice lacking the Nlgn3 gene (NLG3 KO mice), suggesting a loss of function. The loss of STD-LTP was associated with a premature shift of GABA from the depolarizing to the hyperpolarizing direction, a reduced BDNF availability and TrkB phosphorylation at potentiated synapses. These effects may constitute a general mechanism underlying cognitive deficits in those forms of Autism caused by synaptic dysfunctions.
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14
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Oliva A. CA2 physiology underlying social memory. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 77:102642. [PMID: 36215845 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, convergent evidence has emerged in support of the idea of social brain networks, specific brain regions that are interconnected and support social behaviors. One of these regions is the CA2 area of the hippocampus, a small region strongly connected with cortical and subcortical areas implicated in social behaviors. Furthermore, CA2 area is enriched in receptors for several neuromodulators that are related to various aspects of social behaviors, suggesting that this area could be a key component of social information processing in the brain. In this review, recent findings related to the physiological mechanisms underlying the role of CA2 in social memory are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azahara Oliva
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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15
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Griguoli M, Pimpinella D. Medial septum: relevance for social memory. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:965172. [PMID: 36082110 PMCID: PMC9445153 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.965172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal species are named social when they develop the capability of complex behaviors based on interactions with conspecifics that include communication, aggression, mating and parental behavior, crucial for well-being and survival. The underpinning of such complex behaviors is social memory, namely the capacity to discriminate between familiar and novel individuals. The Medial Septum (MS), a region localized in the basal forebrain, is part of the brain network involved in social memory formation. MS receives several cortical and subcortical synaptic and neuromodulatory inputs that make it an important hub in processing social information relevant for social memory. Particular attention is paid to synaptic inputs that control both the MS and the CA2 region of the hippocampus, one of the major MS output, that has been causally linked to social memory. In this review article, we will provide an overview of local and long range connectivity that allows MS to integrate and process social information. Furthermore, we will summarize previous strategies used to determine how MS controls social memory in different animal species. Finally, we will discuss the impact of an altered MS signaling on social memory in animal models and patients affected by neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, including autism and Alzheimer’s Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Griguoli
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology of the National Council of Research (IBPM-CNR), Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Marilena Griguoli
| | - Domenico Pimpinella
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
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16
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Anstey NJ, Kapgal V, Tiwari S, Watson TC, Toft AKH, Dando OR, Inkpen FH, Baxter PS, Kozić Z, Jackson AD, He X, Nawaz MS, Kayenaat A, Bhattacharya A, Wyllie DJA, Chattarji S, Wood ER, Hardt O, Kind PC. Imbalance of flight-freeze responses and their cellular correlates in the Nlgn3 -/y rat model of autism. Mol Autism 2022; 13:34. [PMID: 35850732 PMCID: PMC9290228 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00511-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations in the postsynaptic transmembrane protein neuroligin-3 are highly correlative with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and intellectual disabilities (IDs). Fear learning is well studied in models of these disorders, however differences in fear response behaviours are often overlooked. We aim to examine fear behaviour and its cellular underpinnings in a rat model of ASD/ID lacking Nlgn3. METHODS This study uses a range of behavioural tests to understand differences in fear response behaviour in Nlgn3-/y rats. Following this, we examined the physiological underpinnings of this in neurons of the periaqueductal grey (PAG), a midbrain area involved in flight-or-freeze responses. We used whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from ex vivo PAG slices, in addition to in vivo local-field potential recordings and electrical stimulation of the PAG in wildtype and Nlgn3-/y rats. We analysed behavioural data with two- and three-way ANOVAS and electrophysiological data with generalised linear mixed modelling (GLMM). RESULTS We observed that, unlike the wildtype, Nlgn3-/y rats are more likely to response with flight rather than freezing in threatening situations. Electrophysiological findings were in agreement with these behavioural outcomes. We found in ex vivo slices from Nlgn3-/y rats that neurons in dorsal PAG (dPAG) showed intrinsic hyperexcitability compared to wildtype. Similarly, stimulating dPAG in vivo revealed that lower magnitudes sufficed to evoke flight behaviour in Nlgn3-/y than wildtype rats, indicating the functional impact of the increased cellular excitability. LIMITATIONS Our findings do not examine what specific cell type in the PAG is likely responsible for these phenotypes. Furthermore, we have focussed on phenotypes in young adult animals, whilst the human condition associated with NLGN3 mutations appears during the first few years of life. CONCLUSIONS We describe altered fear responses in Nlgn3-/y rats and provide evidence that this is the result of a circuit bias that predisposes flight over freeze responses. Additionally, we demonstrate the first link between PAG dysfunction and ASD/ID. This study provides new insight into potential pathophysiologies leading to anxiety disorders and changes to fear responses in individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha J Anstey
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Vijayakumar Kapgal
- Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India.,The University of Transdisciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Shashank Tiwari
- Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Thomas C Watson
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Anna K H Toft
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Owen R Dando
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India.,Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Felicity H Inkpen
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Paul S Baxter
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Zrinko Kozić
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Adam D Jackson
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Xin He
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Mohammad Sarfaraz Nawaz
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Aiman Kayenaat
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India.,The University of Transdisciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Aditi Bhattacharya
- Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - David J A Wyllie
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India.,Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Sumantra Chattarji
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Emma R Wood
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
| | - Oliver Hardt
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India.,Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Peter C Kind
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 5 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK. .,Centre for Brain Development and Repair, InStem, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India.
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17
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Loisy M, Bouisset G, Lopez S, Muller M, Spitsyn A, Duval J, Piskorowski RA, Verret L, Chevaleyre V. Sequential inhibitory plasticities in hippocampal area CA2 and social memory formation. Neuron 2022; 110:2854-2866.e4. [PMID: 35858622 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Area CA2 is a critical region for diverse hippocampal functions including social recognition memory. This region has unique properties and connectivity. Notably, intra-hippocampal excitatory inputs to CA2 lack canonical long-term plasticity, but inhibitory transmission expresses a long-term depression mediated by Delta-opioid receptors (DOR-iLTDs). Evidence indicates that DOR-iLTDs are insufficient to underlie social coding. Here, we report a novel inhibitory plasticity mediated by cannabinoid type 1 receptor activation (CB1R-iLTD). Surprisingly, CB1R-iLTD requires previous induction of DOR-iLTDs, indicating a permissive role for DOR plasticity. Blockade of CB1Rs in CA2 completely prevents social memory formation. Furthermore, the sequentiality of DOR- and CB1R-mediated plasticity occurs in vivo during successive social interactions. Finally, CB1R-iLTD is altered in a mouse model of schizophrenia with impaired social cognition but is rescued by a manipulation that also rescues social memory. Altogether, our data reveal a unique interplay between two inhibitory plasticities and a novel mechanism for social memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maïthé Loisy
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Bouisset
- Research Center on Animal Cognition, Center for Integrative Biology, Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Sébastien Lopez
- Research Center on Animal Cognition, Center for Integrative Biology, Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Maud Muller
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Alena Spitsyn
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Jeanne Duval
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Rebecca Ann Piskorowski
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, 75014 Paris, France; GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, France
| | - Laure Verret
- Research Center on Animal Cognition, Center for Integrative Biology, Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Vivien Chevaleyre
- Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, 75014 Paris, France; GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, France.
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18
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Neuroligins in neurodevelopmental conditions: how mouse models of de novo mutations can help us link synaptic function to social behavior. Neuronal Signal 2022; 6:NS20210030. [PMID: 35601025 PMCID: PMC9093077 DOI: 10.1042/ns20210030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental conditions (or neurodevelopmental disorders, NDDs) are highly heterogeneous with overlapping characteristics and shared genetic etiology. The large symptom variability and etiological heterogeneity have made it challenging to understand the biological mechanisms underpinning NDDs. To accommodate this individual variability, one approach is to move away from diagnostic criteria and focus on distinct dimensions with relevance to multiple NDDs. This domain approach is well suited to preclinical research, where genetically modified animal models can be used to link genetic variability to neurobiological mechanisms and behavioral traits. Genetic factors associated with NDDs can be grouped functionally into common biological pathways, with one prominent functional group being genes associated with the synapse. These include the neuroligins (Nlgns), a family of postsynaptic transmembrane proteins that are key modulators of synaptic function. Here, we review how research using Nlgn mouse models has provided insight into how synaptic proteins contribute to behavioral traits associated with NDDs. We focus on how mutations in different Nlgns affect social behaviors, as differences in social interaction and communication are a common feature of most NDDs. Importantly, mice carrying distinct mutations in Nlgns share some neurobiological and behavioral phenotypes with other synaptic gene mutations. Comparing the functional implications of mutations in multiple synaptic proteins is a first step towards identifying convergent neurobiological pathways in multiple brain regions and circuits.
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19
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Neuroligin-3 Regulates Excitatory Synaptic Transmission and EPSP-Spike Coupling in the Dentate Gyrus In Vivo. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 59:1098-1111. [PMID: 34845591 PMCID: PMC8857112 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02663-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Neuroligin-3 (Nlgn3), a neuronal adhesion protein implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is expressed at excitatory and inhibitory postsynapses and hence may regulate neuronal excitation/inhibition balance. To test this hypothesis, we recorded field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in the dentate gyrus of Nlgn3 knockout (KO) and wild-type mice. Synaptic transmission evoked by perforant path stimulation was reduced in KO mice, but coupling of the fEPSP to the population spike was increased, suggesting a compensatory change in granule cell excitability. These findings closely resemble those in neuroligin-1 (Nlgn1) KO mice and could be partially explained by the reduction in Nlgn1 levels we observed in hippocampal synaptosomes from Nlgn3 KO mice. However, unlike Nlgn1, Nlgn3 is not necessary for long-term potentiation. We conclude that while Nlgn1 and Nlgn3 have distinct functions, both are required for intact synaptic transmission in the mouse dentate gyrus. Our results indicate that interactions between neuroligins may play an important role in regulating synaptic transmission and that ASD-related neuroligin mutations may also affect the synaptic availability of other neuroligins.
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20
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Pimpinella D, Mastrorilli V, Giorgi C, Coemans S, Lecca S, Lalive AL, Ostermann H, Fuchs EC, Monyer H, Mele A, Cherubini E, Griguoli M. Septal cholinergic input to CA2 hippocampal region controls social novelty discrimination via nicotinic receptor-mediated disinhibition. eLife 2021; 10:65580. [PMID: 34696824 PMCID: PMC8547952 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine (ACh), released in the hippocampus from fibers originating in the medial septum/diagonal band of Broca (MSDB) complex, is crucial for learning and memory. The CA2 region of the hippocampus has received increasing attention in the context of social memory. However, the contribution of ACh to this process remains unclear. Here, we show that in mice, ACh controls social memory. Specifically, MSDB cholinergic neurons inhibition impairs social novelty discrimination, meaning the propensity of a mouse to interact with a novel rather than a familiar conspecific. This effect is mimicked by a selective antagonist of nicotinic AChRs delivered in CA2. Ex vivo recordings from hippocampal slices provide insight into the underlying mechanism, as activation of nAChRs by nicotine increases the excitatory drive to CA2 principal cells via disinhibition. In line with this observation, optogenetic activation of cholinergic neurons in MSDB increases the firing of CA2 principal cells in vivo. These results point to nAChRs as essential players in social novelty discrimination by controlling inhibition in the CA2 region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Pimpinella
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Mastrorilli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'C. Darwin', Center for Research in Neurobiology 'D. Bovet', Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Corinna Giorgi
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology of the National Council of Research (IBPM-CNR), Roma, Italy
| | - Silke Coemans
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Lecca
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Arnaud L Lalive
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hannah Ostermann
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology of the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Elke C Fuchs
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology of the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hannah Monyer
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology of the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrea Mele
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'C. Darwin', Center for Research in Neurobiology 'D. Bovet', Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Cherubini
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Marilena Griguoli
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI), Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy.,Institute of Neuroscience of the National Research Council (IN-CNR), Pisa, Italy
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21
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Uchigashima M, Cheung A, Futai K. Neuroligin-3: A Circuit-Specific Synapse Organizer That Shapes Normal Function and Autism Spectrum Disorder-Associated Dysfunction. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:749164. [PMID: 34690695 PMCID: PMC8526735 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.749164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical synapses provide a vital foundation for neuron-neuron communication and overall brain function. By tethering closely apposed molecular machinery for presynaptic neurotransmitter release and postsynaptic signal transduction, circuit- and context- specific synaptic properties can drive neuronal computations for animal behavior. Trans-synaptic signaling via synaptic cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) serves as a promising mechanism to generate the molecular diversity of chemical synapses. Neuroligins (Nlgns) were discovered as postsynaptic CAMs that can bind to presynaptic CAMs like Neurexins (Nrxns) at the synaptic cleft. Among the four (Nlgn1-4) or five (Nlgn1-3, Nlgn4X, and Nlgn4Y) isoforms in rodents or humans, respectively, Nlgn3 has a heterogeneous expression and function at particular subsets of chemical synapses and strong association with non-syndromic autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Several lines of evidence have suggested that the unique expression and function of Nlgn3 protein underlie circuit-specific dysfunction characteristic of non-syndromic ASD caused by the disruption of Nlgn3 gene. Furthermore, recent studies have uncovered the molecular mechanism underlying input cell-dependent expression of Nlgn3 protein at hippocampal inhibitory synapses, in which trans-synaptic signaling of specific alternatively spliced isoforms of Nlgn3 and Nrxn plays a critical role. In this review article, we overview the molecular, anatomical, and physiological knowledge about Nlgn3, focusing on the circuit-specific function of mammalian Nlgn3 and its underlying molecular mechanism. This will provide not only new insight into specific Nlgn3-mediated trans-synaptic interactions as molecular codes for synapse specification but also a better understanding of the pathophysiological basis for non-syndromic ASD associated with functional impairment in Nlgn3 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motokazu Uchigashima
- Department of Cellular Neuropathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Amy Cheung
- Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Kensuke Futai
- Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
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22
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RGS14 Regulation of Post-Synaptic Signaling and Spine Plasticity in Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136823. [PMID: 34201943 PMCID: PMC8268017 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The regulator of G-protein signaling 14 (RGS14) is a multifunctional signaling protein that regulates post synaptic plasticity in neurons. RGS14 is expressed in the brain regions essential for learning, memory, emotion, and stimulus-induced behaviors, including the basal ganglia, limbic system, and cortex. Behaviorally, RGS14 regulates spatial and object memory, female-specific responses to cued fear conditioning, and environmental- and psychostimulant-induced locomotion. At the cellular level, RGS14 acts as a scaffolding protein that integrates G protein, Ras/ERK, and calcium/calmodulin signaling pathways essential for spine plasticity and cell signaling, allowing RGS14 to naturally suppress long-term potentiation (LTP) and structural plasticity in hippocampal area CA2 pyramidal cells. Recent proteomics findings indicate that RGS14 also engages the actomyosin system in the brain, perhaps to impact spine morphogenesis. Of note, RGS14 is also a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein, where its role in the nucleus remains uncertain. Balanced nuclear import/export and dendritic spine localization are likely essential for RGS14 neuronal functions as a regulator of synaptic plasticity. Supporting this idea, human genetic variants disrupting RGS14 localization also disrupt RGS14’s effects on plasticity. This review will focus on the known and unexplored roles of RGS14 in cell signaling, physiology, disease and behavior.
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23
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Robert V, Therreau L, Davatolhagh MF, Bernardo-Garcia FJ, Clements KN, Chevaleyre V, Piskorowski RA. The mechanisms shaping CA2 pyramidal neuron action potential bursting induced by muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activation. J Gen Physiol 2021; 152:133812. [PMID: 32069351 PMCID: PMC7141590 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201912462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that hippocampal area CA2 plays an important role in hippocampal network function. Disruption of this region has been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders. It is well appreciated that cholinergic input to the hippocampus plays an important role in learning and memory. While the effect of elevated cholinergic tone has been well studied in areas CA1 and CA3, it remains unclear how changes in cholinergic tone impact synaptic transmission and the intrinsic properties of neurons in area CA2. In this study, we applied the cholinergic agonist carbachol and performed on-cell, whole-cell, and extracellular recordings in area CA2. We observed that under conditions of high cholinergic tone, CA2 pyramidal neurons depolarized and rhythmically fired bursts of action potentials. This depolarization depended on the activation of M1 and M3 cholinergic receptors. Furthermore, we examined how the intrinsic properties and action-potential firing were altered in CA2 pyramidal neurons treated with 10 µM carbachol. While this intrinsic burst firing persisted in the absence of synaptic transmission, bursts were shaped by synaptic inputs in the intact network. We found that both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission were reduced upon carbachol treatment. Finally, we examined the contribution of different channels to the cholinergic-induced changes in neuronal properties. We found that a conductance from Kv7 channels partially contributed to carbachol-induced changes in resting membrane potential and membrane resistance. We also found that D-type potassium currents contributed to controlling several properties of the bursts, including firing rate and burst kinetics. Furthermore, we determined that T-type calcium channels and small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels play a role in regulating bursting activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Robert
- Université Paris Descartes, Inserm UMR1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, Team Synaptic Plasticity and Neural Networks, Paris, France
| | - Ludivine Therreau
- Université Paris Descartes, Inserm UMR1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, Team Synaptic Plasticity and Neural Networks, Paris, France
| | - M Felicia Davatolhagh
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - F Javier Bernardo-Garcia
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | | | - Vivien Chevaleyre
- Université Paris Descartes, Inserm UMR1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, Team Synaptic Plasticity and Neural Networks, Paris, France
| | - Rebecca A Piskorowski
- Université Paris Descartes, Inserm UMR1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, Team Synaptic Plasticity and Neural Networks, Paris, France
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24
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Gandhi T, Lee CC. Neural Mechanisms Underlying Repetitive Behaviors in Rodent Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:592710. [PMID: 33519379 PMCID: PMC7840495 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.592710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is comprised of several conditions characterized by alterations in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the heterogeneous development of ASD behaviors. Several rodent models display ASD-like phenotypes, including repetitive behaviors. In this review article, we discuss the potential neural mechanisms involved in repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD and related neuropsychiatric disorders. We review signaling pathways, neural circuits, and anatomical alterations in rodent models that display robust stereotypic behaviors. Understanding the mechanisms and circuit alterations underlying repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD will inform translational research and provide useful insight into therapeutic strategies for the treatment of repetitive behaviors in ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Gandhi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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25
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Filice F, Janickova L, Henzi T, Bilella A, Schwaller B. The Parvalbumin Hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:577525. [PMID: 33390904 PMCID: PMC7775315 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.577525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-a type of neurodevelopmental disorder-is increasing and is around 2% in North America, Asia, and Europe. Besides the known genetic link, environmental, epigenetic, and metabolic factors have been implicated in ASD etiology. Although highly heterogeneous at the behavioral level, ASD comprises a set of core symptoms including impaired communication and social interaction skills as well as stereotyped and repetitive behaviors. This has led to the suggestion that a large part of the ASD phenotype is caused by changes in a few and common set of signaling pathways, the identification of which is a fundamental aim of autism research. Using advanced bioinformatics tools and the abundantly available genetic data, it is possible to classify the large number of ASD-associated genes according to cellular function and pathways. Cellular processes known to be impaired in ASD include gene regulation, synaptic transmission affecting the excitation/inhibition balance, neuronal Ca2+ signaling, development of short-/long-range connectivity (circuits and networks), and mitochondrial function. Such alterations often occur during early postnatal neurodevelopment. Among the neurons most affected in ASD as well as in schizophrenia are those expressing the Ca2+-binding protein parvalbumin (PV). These mainly inhibitory interneurons present in many different brain regions in humans and rodents are characterized by rapid, non-adaptive firing and have a high energy requirement. PV expression is often reduced at both messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in human ASD brain samples and mouse ASD (and schizophrenia) models. Although the human PVALB gene is not a high-ranking susceptibility/risk gene for either disorder and is currently only listed in the SFARI Gene Archive, we propose and present supporting evidence for the Parvalbumin Hypothesis, which posits that decreased PV level is causally related to the etiology of ASD (and possibly schizophrenia).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Beat Schwaller
- Section of Medicine, Anatomy, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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26
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Trobiani L, Meringolo M, Diamanti T, Bourne Y, Marchot P, Martella G, Dini L, Pisani A, De Jaco A, Bonsi P. The neuroligins and the synaptic pathway in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 119:37-51. [PMID: 32991906 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The genetics underlying autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is complex and heterogeneous, and de novo variants are found in genes converging in functional biological processes. Neuronal communication, including trans-synaptic signaling involving two families of cell-adhesion proteins, the presynaptic neurexins and the postsynaptic neuroligins, is one of the most recurrently affected pathways in ASD. Given the role of these proteins in determining synaptic function, abnormal synaptic plasticity and failure to establish proper synaptic contacts might represent mechanisms underlying risk of ASD. More than 30 mutations have been found in the neuroligin genes. Most of the resulting residue substitutions map in the extracellular, cholinesterase-like domain of the protein, and impair protein folding and trafficking. Conversely, the stalk and intracellular domains are less affected. Accordingly, several genetic animal models of ASD have been generated, showing behavioral and synaptic alterations. The aim of this review is to discuss the current knowledge on ASD-linked mutations in the neuroligin proteins and their effect on synaptic function, in various brain areas and circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Trobiani
- Dept. Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Meringolo
- Lab. Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy; Dept. Systems Medicine, University Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Tamara Diamanti
- Dept. Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Yves Bourne
- Lab. "Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques", CNRS/Aix Marseille Univ, Faculté des Sciences - Campus Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France
| | - Pascale Marchot
- Lab. "Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques", CNRS/Aix Marseille Univ, Faculté des Sciences - Campus Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France
| | - Giuseppina Martella
- Lab. Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy; Dept. Systems Medicine, University Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Luciana Dini
- Dept. Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Pisani
- Lab. Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy; Dept. Systems Medicine, University Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella De Jaco
- Dept. Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola Bonsi
- Lab. Neurophysiology and Plasticity, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy.
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27
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Rescue of oxytocin response and social behaviour in a mouse model of autism. Nature 2020; 584:252-256. [PMID: 32760004 PMCID: PMC7116741 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2563-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
One of the most fundamental challenges in developing treatments for autism-spectrum disorders is the heterogeneity of the condition. More than one hundred genetic mutations confer high risk for autism, with each individual mutation accounting for only a small fraction of autism cases1–3. Subsets of risk genes can be grouped into functionally-related pathways, most prominently synaptic proteins, translational regulation, and chromatin modifications. To possibly circumvent this genetic complexity, recent therapeutic strategies have focused on the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin4–6 which regulate aspects of social behavior in mammals7. However, whether genetic risk factors might predispose to autism due to modification of oxytocinergic signaling remains largely unknown. Here, we report that an autism-associated mutation in the synaptic adhesion molecule neuroligin-3 (Nlgn3) results in impaired oxytocin signaling in dopaminergic neurons and in altered social novelty responses in mice. Surprisingly, loss of Nlgn3 is accompanied by a disruption of translation homeostasis in the ventral tegmental area. Treatment of Nlgn3KO mice with a novel, highly specific, brain-penetrant inhibitor of MAP-kinase interacting kinases resets mRNA translation and restores oxytocin and social novelty responses. Thus, this work identifies an unexpected convergence between the genetic autism risk factor Nlgn3, translational regulation, and oxytocinergic signaling. Focus on such common core plasticity elements might provide a pragmatic approach to reduce the heterogeneity of autism. Ultimately, this would allow for mechanism-based stratification of patient populations to increase the success of therapeutic interventions.
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Altered Expression of GABAergic Markers in the Forebrain of Young and Adult Engrailed-2 Knockout Mice. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11040384. [PMID: 32244845 PMCID: PMC7231099 DOI: 10.3390/genes11040384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired function of GABAergic interneurons, and the subsequent alteration of excitation/inhibition balance, is thought to contribute to autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Altered numbers of GABAergic interneurons and reduced expression of GABA receptors has been detected in the brain of ASD subjects and mouse models of ASD. We previously showed a reduced expression of GABAergic interneuron markers parvalbumin (PV) and somatostatin (SST) in the forebrain of adult mice lacking the Engrailed2 gene (En2-/- mice). Here, we extended this analysis to postnatal day (P) 30 by using in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative RT-PCR to study the expression of GABAergic interneuron markers in the hippocampus and somatosensory cortex of En2-/- and wild type (WT) mice. In addition, GABA receptor subunit mRNA expression was investigated by quantitative RT-PCR in the same brain regions of P30 and adult En2-/- and WT mice. As observed in adult animals, PV and SST expression was decreased in En2-/- forebrain of P30 mice. The expression of GABA receptor subunits (including the ASD-relevant Gabrb3) was also altered in young and adult En2-/- forebrain. Our results suggest that GABAergic neurotransmission deficits are already evident at P30, confirming that neurodevelopmental defects of GABAergic interneurons occur in the En2 mouse model of ASD.
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29
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Anam MB, Ahmad SAI, Kudo M, Istiaq A, Felemban AAM, Ito N, Ohta K. Akhirin regulates the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells/progenitor cells at neurogenic niches in mouse brain. Dev Growth Differ 2020; 62:97-107. [DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Badrul Anam
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- HIGO Program Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- Stem Cell‐Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
| | - Shah Adil Ishtiyaq Ahmad
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- Stem Cell‐Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University Tangail Bangladesh
| | - Mikiko Kudo
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- Stem Cell‐Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
| | - Arif Istiaq
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- HIGO Program Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- Stem Cell‐Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
| | - Athary Abdulhaleem M. Felemban
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- Department of Biology Faculty of Applied Science Umm Al‐Qura University Makkah Saudi Arabia
| | - Naofumi Ito
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- Stem Cell‐Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
| | - Kunimasa Ohta
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Faculty of Life Sciences Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- HIGO Program Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- Stem Cell‐Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit Kumamoto University Kumamoto Japan
- AMED Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (AMED‐CREST) Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) Tokyo Japan
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