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Umeda K, Tanaka K, Chowdhury G, Nasu K, Kuroyanagi Y, Yamasu K. Evolutionarily conserved roles of foxg1a in the developing subpallium of zebrafish embryos. Dev Growth Differ 2024; 66:219-234. [PMID: 38378191 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The vertebrate telencephalic lobes consist of the pallium (dorsal) and subpallium (ventral). The subpallium gives rise to the basal ganglia, encompassing the pallidum and striatum. The development of this region is believed to depend on Foxg1/Foxg1a functions in both mice and zebrafish. This study aims to elucidate the genetic regulatory network controlled by foxg1a in subpallium development using zebrafish as a model. The expression gradient of foxg1a within the developing telencephalon was examined semi-quantitatively in initial investigations. Utilizing the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, we subsequently established a foxg1a mutant line and observed the resultant phenotypes. Morphological assessment revealed that foxg1a mutants exhibit a thin telencephalon together with a misshapen preoptic area (POA). Notably, accumulation of apoptotic cells was identified in this region. In mutants at 24 h postfertilization, the expression of pallium markers expanded ventrally, while that of subpallium markers was markedly suppressed. Concurrently, the expression of fgf8a, vax2, and six3b was shifted ventrally, causing anomalous expression in regions typical of POA formation in wild-type embryos. Consequently, the foxg1a mutation led to expansion of the pallium and disrupted the subpallium and POA. This highlights a pivotal role of foxg1a in directing the dorsoventral patterning of the telencephalon, particularly in subpallium differentiation, mirroring observations in mice. Additionally, reduced expression of neural progenitor maintenance genes was detected in mutants, suggesting the necessity of foxg1a in preserving neural progenitors. Collectively, these findings underscore evolutionarily conserved functions of foxg1 in the development of the subpallium in vertebrate embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koto Umeda
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kaiho Tanaka
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Gazlima Chowdhury
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Aquatic Environment and Resource Management, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kouhei Nasu
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yuri Kuroyanagi
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kyo Yamasu
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
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2
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Sarrafha L, Neavin DR, Parfitt GM, Kruglikov IA, Whitney K, Reyes R, Coccia E, Kareva T, Goldman C, Tipon R, Croft G, Crary JF, Powell JE, Blanchard J, Ahfeldt T. Novel human pluripotent stem cell-derived hypothalamus organoids demonstrate cellular diversity. iScience 2023; 26:107525. [PMID: 37646018 PMCID: PMC10460991 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus is a region of the brain that plays an important role in regulating body functions and behaviors. There is a growing interest in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) for modeling diseases that affect the hypothalamus. Here, we established an hPSC-derived hypothalamus organoid differentiation protocol to model the cellular diversity of this brain region. Using an hPSC line with a tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-TdTomato reporter for dopaminergic neurons (DNs) and other TH-expressing cells, we interrogated DN-specific pathways and functions in electrophysiologically active hypothalamus organoids. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) revealed diverse neuronal and non-neuronal cell types in mature hypothalamus organoids. We identified several molecularly distinct hypothalamic DN subtypes that demonstrated different developmental maturities. Our in vitro 3D hypothalamus differentiation protocol can be used to study the development of this critical brain structure and can be applied to disease modeling to generate novel therapeutic approaches for disorders centered around the hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily Sarrafha
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Drew R. Neavin
- Garvan-Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Gustavo M. Parfitt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | | | - Kristen Whitney
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ricardo Reyes
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Elena Coccia
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Tatyana Kareva
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Camille Goldman
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Regine Tipon
- New York Stem Cell Foundation, New York, NY 10019, USA
| | - Gist Croft
- New York Stem Cell Foundation, New York, NY 10019, USA
| | - John F. Crary
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Joseph E. Powell
- Garvan-Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- UNSW Cellular Genomics Futures Institute, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Joel Blanchard
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Tim Ahfeldt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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3
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Cao G, Sun C, Shen H, Qu D, Shen C, Lu H. Conditional Deletion of Foxg1 Delayed Myelination during Early Postnatal Brain Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13921. [PMID: 37762220 PMCID: PMC10530892 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
FOXG1 (forkhead box G1) syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by variants in the Foxg1 gene that affect brain structure and function. Individuals affected by FOXG1 syndrome frequently exhibit delayed myelination in neuroimaging studies, which may impair the rapid conduction of nerve impulses. To date, the specific effects of FOXG1 on oligodendrocyte lineage progression and myelination during early postnatal development remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of Foxg1 deficiency on myelin development in the mouse brain by conditional deletion of Foxg1 in neural progenitors using NestinCreER;Foxg1fl/fl mice and tamoxifen induction at postnatal day 0 (P0). We found that Foxg1 deficiency resulted in a transient delay in myelination, evidenced by decreased myelin formation within the first two weeks after birth, but ultimately recovered to the control levels by P30. We also found that Foxg1 deletion prevented the timely attenuation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) signaling and reduced the cell cycle exit of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), leading to their excessive proliferation and delayed maturation. Additionally, Foxg1 deletion increased the expression of Hes5, a myelin formation inhibitor, as well as Olig2 and Sox10, two promoters of OPC differentiation. Our results reveal the important role of Foxg1 in myelin development and provide new clues for further exploring the pathological mechanisms of FOXG1 syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangliang Cao
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (G.C.); (H.S.); (D.Q.)
| | - Congli Sun
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China;
| | - Hualin Shen
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (G.C.); (H.S.); (D.Q.)
| | - Dewei Qu
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (G.C.); (H.S.); (D.Q.)
| | - Chuanlu Shen
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China;
| | - Haiqin Lu
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China; (G.C.); (H.S.); (D.Q.)
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4
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Schäffner I, Wittmann MT, Vogel T, Lie DC. Differential vulnerability of adult neurogenic niches to dosage of the neurodevelopmental-disorder linked gene Foxg1. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:497-514. [PMID: 35318461 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01497-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor FOXG1 serves pleiotropic functions in brain development ranging from the regulation of precursor proliferation to the control of cortical circuit formation. Loss-of-function mutations and duplications of FOXG1 are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in humans illustrating the importance of FOXG1 dosage for brain development. Aberrant FOXG1 dosage has been found to disrupt the balanced activity of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We report that FOXG1 is expressed in the main adult neurogenic niches in mice, i.e. the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the subependymal zone/olfactory bulb system, where neurogenesis of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons persists into adulthood. These niches displayed differential vulnerability to increased FOXG1 dosage: high FOXG1 levels severely compromised survival and glutamatergic dentate granule neuron fate acquisition in the hippocampal neurogenic niche, but left neurogenesis of GABAergic neurons in the subependymal zone/olfactory bulb system unaffected. Comparative transcriptomic analyses revealed a significantly higher expression of the apoptosis-linked nuclear receptor Nr4a1 in FOXG1-overexpressing hippocampal neural precursors. Strikingly, pharmacological interference with NR4A1 function rescued FOXG1-dependent death of hippocampal progenitors. Our results reveal differential vulnerability of neuronal subtypes to increased FOXG1 dosage and suggest that activity of a FOXG1/NR4A1 axis contributes to such subtype-specific response.
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5
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Liu J, Yang M, Su M, Liu B, Zhou K, Sun C, Ba R, Yu B, Zhang B, Zhang Z, Fan W, Wang K, Zhong M, Han J, Zhao C. FOXG1 sequentially orchestrates subtype specification of postmitotic cortical projection neurons. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabh3568. [PMID: 35613274 PMCID: PMC9132448 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh3568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian neocortex is a highly organized six-layered structure with four major cortical neuron subtypes: corticothalamic projection neurons (CThPNs), subcerebral projection neurons (SCPNs), deep callosal projection neurons (CPNs), and superficial CPNs. Here, careful examination of multiple conditional knockout model mouse lines showed that the transcription factor FOXG1 functions as a master regulator of postmitotic cortical neuron specification and found that mice lacking functional FOXG1 exhibited projection deficits. Before embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5), FOXG1 enforces deep CPN identity in postmitotic neurons by activating Satb2 but repressing Bcl11b and Tbr1. After E14.5, FOXG1 exerts specification functions in distinct layers via differential regulation of Bcl11b and Tbr1, including specification of superficial versus deep CPNs and enforcement of CThPN identity. FOXG1 controls CThPN versus SCPN fate by fine-tuning Fezf2 levels through diverse interactions with multiple SOX family proteins. Thus, our study supports a developmental model to explain the postmitotic specification of four cortical projection neuron subtypes and sheds light on neuropathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Mengjie Yang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Mingzhao Su
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Kaixing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Congli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ru Ba
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Baocong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Baoshen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Wenxin Fan
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology,
Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Min Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Junhai Han
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology,
Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Chunjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human
Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University,
Nanjing 210009, China
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Ni Y, Liu B, Wu X, Liu J, Ba R, Zhao C. FOXG1 Directly Suppresses Wnt5a During the Development of the Hippocampus. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:298-310. [PMID: 33389683 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-020-00618-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway plays key roles in various developmental processes. Wnt5a, which activates the non-canonical pathway, has been shown to be particularly important for axon guidance and outgrowth as well as dendrite morphogenesis. However, the mechanism underlying the regulation of Wnt5a remains unclear. Here, through conditional disruption of Foxg1 in hippocampal progenitors and postmitotic neurons achieved by crossing Foxg1fl/fl with Emx1-Cre and Nex-Cre, respectively, we found that Wnt5a rather than Wnt3a/Wnt2b was markedly upregulated. Overexpression of Foxg1 had the opposite effects along with decreased dendritic complexity and reduced mossy fibers in the hippocampus. We further demonstrated that FOXG1 directly repressed Wnt5a by binding to its promoter and one enhancer site. These results expand our knowledge of the interaction between Foxg1 and Wnt signaling and help elucidate the mechanisms underlying hippocampal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Ni
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xiaojing Wu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Junhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Ru Ba
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Chunjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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7
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Yu B, Liu J, Su M, Wang C, Chen H, Zhao C. Disruption of Foxg1 impairs neural plasticity leading to social and cognitive behavioral defects. Mol Brain 2019; 12:63. [PMID: 31253171 PMCID: PMC6599246 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-019-0484-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor Foxg1 is known to be continuously expressed at a high level in mature neurons in the telencephalon, but little is known about its role in neural plasticity. Mutations in human FOXG1 cause deficiencies in learning and memory and limit social ability, which is defined as FOXG1 syndrome, but its pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. To examine the role of Foxg1 in adults, we crossed Camk2a-CreER with Foxg1fl/fl mice and conditionally disrupted Foxg1 with tamoxifen in mature neurons. We found that spatial learning and memory were significantly impaired when examined by the Morris water maze test. The cKO mice also showed a significant reduction in freezing time during the contextual and cued fear conditioning test, indicating that fear conditioning memory was affected. A remarkable reduction in Schaffer-collateral long-term potentiation was also recorded. Morphologically, the dendritic arborization and spine densities of hippocampal pyramidal neurons were significantly reduced. Primary cell culture further confirmed altered dendritic complexity after Foxg1 deletion. Our results indicated that Foxg1 plays an important role in maintaining the neural plasticity, which is vital to high-grade function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baocong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Junhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Mingzhao Su
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Chunlian Wang
- Key Lab of Cognition and Personality, MOE, School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Huanxin Chen
- Key Lab of Cognition and Personality, MOE, School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Chunjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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8
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Chen D, Wang C, Li M, She X, Yuan Y, Chen H, Zhang W, Zhao C. Loss of Foxg1 Impairs the Development of Cortical SST-Interneurons Leading to Abnormal Emotional and Social Behaviors. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:3666-3682. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
FOXG1 syndrome is a severe encephalopathy that exhibit intellectual disability, emotional disorder, and limited social communication. To elucidate the contribution of somatostatin-expressing interneurons (SST-INs) to the cellular basis underlying FOXG1 syndrome, here, by crossing SST-cre with a Foxg1fl/fl line, we selectively ablated Foxg1. Loss of Foxg1 resulted in an obvious reduction in the number of SST-INs, accompanied by an altered ratio of subtypes. Foxg1-deficient SST-INs exhibited decreased membrane excitability and a changed ratio of electrophysiological firing patterns, which subsequently led to an excitatory/inhibitory imbalance. Moreover, cognitive defects, limited social interactions, and depression-like behaviors were detected in Foxg1 cKO mice. Treatment with low-dose of clonazepam effectively alleviated the defects. These results identify a link of SST-IN development to the aberrant emotion, cognition, and social capacities in patients. Our findings identify a novel role of Foxg1 in SST-IN development and put new insights into the cellular basis of FOXG1 syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongsheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chunlian Wang
- Key Lab of Cognition and Personality, MOE, School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Meiyi Li
- Key Lab of Cognition and Personality, MOE, School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyu She
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yonggui Yuan
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, ZhongDa Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Huanxin Chen
- Key Lab of Cognition and Personality, MOE, School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Weining Zhang
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, ZhenJiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chunjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
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9
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Grinblat Y, Lipinski RJ. A forebrain undivided: Unleashing model organisms to solve the mysteries of holoprosencephaly. Dev Dyn 2019; 248:626-633. [PMID: 30993762 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary conservation and experimental tractability have made animal model systems invaluable tools in our quest to understand human embryogenesis, both normal and abnormal. Standard genetic approaches, particularly useful in understanding monogenic diseases, are no longer sufficient as research attention shifts toward multifactorial outcomes. Here, we examine this progression through the lens of holoprosencephaly (HPE), a common human malformation involving incomplete forebrain division, and a classic example of an etiologically complex outcome. We relate the basic underpinning of HPE pathogenesis to critical cell-cell interactions and signaling molecules discovered through embryological and genetic approaches in multiple model organisms, and discuss the role of the mouse model in functional examination of HPE-linked genes. We then outline the most critical remaining gaps to understanding human HPE, including the conundrum of incomplete penetrance/expressivity and the role of gene-environment interactions. To tackle these challenges, we outline a strategy that leverages new and emerging technologies in multiple model systems to solve the puzzle of HPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yevgenya Grinblat
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Robert J Lipinski
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
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