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Yaghmaeian Salmani B, Lahti L, Gillberg L, Jacobsen JK, Mantas I, Svenningsson P, Perlmann T. Transcriptomic atlas of midbrain dopamine neurons uncovers differential vulnerability in a Parkinsonism lesion model. eLife 2024; 12:RP89482. [PMID: 38587883 PMCID: PMC11001297 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89482] [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] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons comprise diverse cells with unique innervation targets and functions. This is illustrated by the selective sensitivity of mDA neurons of the substantia nigra compacta (SNc) in patients with Parkinson's disease, while those in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are relatively spared. Here, we used single nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of approximately 70,000 mouse midbrain cells to build a high-resolution atlas of mouse mDA neuron diversity at the molecular level. The results showed that differences between mDA neuron groups could best be understood as a continuum without sharp differences between subtypes. Thus, we assigned mDA neurons to several 'territories' and 'neighborhoods' within a shifting gene expression landscape where boundaries are gradual rather than discrete. Based on the enriched gene expression patterns of these territories and neighborhoods, we were able to localize them in the adult mouse midbrain. Moreover, because the underlying mechanisms for the variable sensitivities of diverse mDA neurons to pathological insults are not well understood, we analyzed surviving neurons after partial 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions to unravel gene expression patterns that correlate with mDA neuron vulnerability and resilience. Together, this atlas provides a basis for further studies on the neurophysiological role of mDA neurons in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Lahti
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Linda Gillberg
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Jesper Kjaer Jacobsen
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- Department of Neurology, Karolinska University HospitalStockholmSweden
| | - Ioannis Mantas
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Per Svenningsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Thomas Perlmann
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
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Seiler JL, Zhuang X, Nelson AB, Lerner TN. Dopamine across timescales and cell types: Relevance for phenotypes in Parkinson's disease progression. Exp Neurol 2024; 374:114693. [PMID: 38242300 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114693] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) synthesize and release dopamine, a critical neurotransmitter for movement and learning. SNc dopamine neurons degenerate in Parkinson's Disease (PD), causing a host of motor and non-motor symptoms. Here, we review recent conceptual advances in our basic understanding of the dopamine system - including our rapidly advancing knowledge of dopamine neuron heterogeneity - with special attention to their importance for understanding PD. In PD patients, dopamine neuron degeneration progresses from lateral SNc to medial SNc, suggesting clinically relevant heterogeneity in dopamine neurons. With technical advances in dopamine system interrogation, we can understand the relevance of this heterogeneity for PD progression and harness it to develop new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian L Seiler
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Xiaowen Zhuang
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Alexandra B Nelson
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
| | - Talia N Lerner
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (NUIN), Evanston, IL, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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3
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Zhang D, Hua Z, Li Z. The role of glutamate and glutamine metabolism and related transporters in nerve cells. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14617. [PMID: 38358002 PMCID: PMC10867874 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14617] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glutamate and glutamine are the most abundant amino acids in the blood and play a crucial role in cell survival in the nervous system. Various transporters found in cell and mitochondrial membranes, such as the solute carriers (SLCs) superfamily, are responsible for maintaining the balance of glutamate and glutamine in the synaptic cleft and within cells. This balance affects the metabolism of glutamate and glutamine as non-essential amino acids. AIMS This review aims to provide an overview of the transporters and enzymes associated with glutamate and glutamine in neuronal cells. DISCUSSION We delve into the function of glutamate and glutamine in the nervous system by discussing the transporters involved in the glutamate-glutamine cycle and the key enzymes responsible for their mutual conversion. Additionally, we highlight the role of glutamate and glutamine as carbon and nitrogen donors, as well as their significance as precursors for the synthesis of reduced glutathione (GSH). CONCLUSION Glutamate and glutamine play a crucial role in the brain due to their special effects. It is essential to focus on understanding glutamate and glutamine metabolism to comprehend the physiological behavior of nerve cells and to treat nervous system disorders and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyang Zhang
- Department of PediatricsShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoningChina
- Medical Research Center, Liaoning Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Animal Models for Environment and Metabolic DiseasesShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoningChina
| | - Zhongyan Hua
- Department of PediatricsShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoningChina
- Medical Research Center, Liaoning Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Animal Models for Environment and Metabolic DiseasesShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoningChina
| | - Zhijie Li
- Department of PediatricsShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoningChina
- Medical Research Center, Liaoning Key Laboratory of Research and Application of Animal Models for Environment and Metabolic DiseasesShengjing Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoningChina
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Barcomb K, Ford CP. Alterations in neurotransmitter co-release in Parkinson's disease. Exp Neurol 2023; 370:114562. [PMID: 37802381 PMCID: PMC10842357 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114562] [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: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder characterized by degeneration of midbrain dopamine neurons, which results in numerous adaptations in basal ganglia circuits. Research over the past twenty-five years has identified that midbrain dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) co-release multiple other transmitters including glutamate and GABA, in addition to their canonical transmitter, dopamine. This review summarizes previous work characterizing neurotransmitter co-release from dopamine neurons, work examining potential changes in co-release dynamics that result in animal models of Parkinson's disease, and future opportunities for determining how dysfunction in co-release may contribute to circuit dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Barcomb
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| | - Christopher P Ford
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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Becchi S, Chieng B, Bradfield LA, Capellán R, Leung BK, Balleine BW. Cognitive effects of thalamostriatal degeneration are ameliorated by normalizing striatal cholinergic activity. Sci Adv 2023; 9:eade8247. [PMID: 37352346 PMCID: PMC10289650 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade8247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
The loss of neurons in parafascicular thalamus (Pf) and their inputs to dorsomedial striatum (DMS) in Lewy body disease (LBD) and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) have been linked to the effects of neuroinflammation. We found that, in rats, these inputs were necessary for both the function of striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs) and the flexible encoding of the action-outcome (AO) associations necessary for goal-directed action, producing a burst-pause pattern of CIN firing but only during the remapping elicited by a shift in AO contingency. Neuroinflammation in the Pf abolished these changes in CIN activity and goal-directed control after the shift in contingency. However, both effects were rescued by either the peripheral or the intra-DMS administration of selegiline, a monoamine oxidase B inhibitor that we found also enhances adenosine triphosphatase activity in CINs. These findings suggest a potential treatment for the cognitive deficits associated with neuroinflammation affecting the function of the Pf and related structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Becchi
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Billy Chieng
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Laura A. Bradfield
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Roberto Capellán
- School of Psychology, Department of Psychobiology, National University for Distance Learning, Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatrice K. Leung
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Bernard W. Balleine
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Caridade-Silva R, Araújo B, Martins-Macedo J, Teixeira FG. N-Acetylcysteine Treatment May Compensate Motor Impairments through Dopaminergic Transmission Modulation in a Striatal 6-Hydroxydopamine Parkinson's Disease Rat Model. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1257. [PMID: 37371987 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12061257] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Preventing degeneration and the loss of dopaminergic neurons (DAn) in the brain while mitigating motor symptoms remains a challenge in Parkinson's Disease (PD) treatment development. In light of this, developing or repositioning potential disease-modifying approaches is imperative to achieve meaningful translational gains in PD research. Under this concept, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has revealed promising perspectives in preserving the dopaminergic system capability and modulating PD mechanisms. Although NAC has been shown to act as an antioxidant and (neuro)protector of the brain, it has yet to be acknowledged how this repurposed drug can improve motor symptomatology and provide disease-modifying properties in PD. Therefore, in the present work, we assessed the impact of NAC on motor and histological deficits in a striatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat model of PD. The results revealed that NAC enhanced DAn viability, as we found that it could restore dopamine transporter (DAT) levels compared to the untreated 6-OHDA group. Such findings were positively correlated with a significant amelioration in the motor outcomes of the 6-OHDA-treated animals, demonstrating that NAC may, somehow, be a modulator of PD degenerative mechanisms. Overall, we postulated a proof-of-concept milestone concerning the therapeutic application of NAC. Nevertheless, it is extremely important to understand the complexity of this drug and how its therapeutical properties interact with the cellular and molecular PD mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Caridade-Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057/4805-017 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- I3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research, School of Health, Polytechnic University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Bruna Araújo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057/4805-017 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- I3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research, School of Health, Polytechnic University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Martins-Macedo
- I3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research, School of Health, Polytechnic University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Fábio G Teixeira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057/4805-017 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- I3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research, School of Health, Polytechnic University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Zhao C, Wang C, Zhang H, Yan W. A mini-review of the role of vesicular glutamate transporters in Parkinson's disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1118078. [PMID: 37251642 PMCID: PMC10211467 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1118078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease implicated in multiple interacting neurotransmitter pathways. Glutamate is the central excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and plays critical influence in the control of neuronal activity. Impaired Glutamate homeostasis has been shown to be closely associated with PD. Glutamate is synthesized in the cytoplasm and stored in synaptic vesicles by vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs). Following its exocytotic release, Glutamate activates Glutamate receptors (GluRs) and mediates excitatory neurotransmission. While Glutamate is quickly removed by excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) to maintain its relatively low extracellular concentration and prevent excitotoxicity. The involvement of GluRs and EAATs in the pathophysiology of PD has been widely studied, but little is known about the role of VGLUTs in the PD. In this review, we highlight the role of VGLUTs in neurotransmitter and synaptic communication, as well as the massive alterations in Glutamate transmission and VGLUTs levels in PD. Among them, adaptive changes in the expression level and function of VGLUTs may exert a crucial role in excitatory damage in PD, and VGLUTs are considered as novel potential therapeutic targets for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhao
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hainan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Weiqian Yan
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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8
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Adamson A, Buck SA, Freyberg Z, De Miranda BR. Sex Differences in Dopaminergic Vulnerability to Environmental Toxicants - Implications for Parkinson's Disease. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:563-73. [PMID: 36201109 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00380-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Sex dimorphism in Parkinson's disease (PD) is an ostensible feature of the neurological disorder, particularly as men are 1.5-2 times more likely to develop PD than women. Clinical features of the disease, such as presentation at onset, most prevalent symptoms, and response to treatment, are also affected by sex. Despite these well-known sex differences in PD risk and phenotype, the mechanisms that impart sex dimorphisms in PD remain poorly understood. RECENT FINDINGS As PD incidence is influenced by environmental factors, an intriguing pattern has recently emerged in research studies suggesting a male-specific vulnerability to dopaminergic neurodegeneration caused by neurotoxicant exposure, with relative protection in females. These new experimental data have uncovered potential mechanisms that provide clues to the source of sex differences in dopaminergic neurodegeneration and other PD pathology such as alpha-synuclein toxicity. In this review, we discuss the emerging evidence of increased male sensitivity to neurodegeneration from environmental exposures. We examine mechanisms underlying dopaminergic neurodegeneration and PD-related pathologies with evidence supporting the roles of estrogen, SRY expression, the vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT2, and the microbiome as prospective catalysts for male vulnerability. We also highlight the importance of including sex as a biological variable, particularly when evaluating dopaminergic neurotoxicity in the context of PD.
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Nishimura K, Yang S, Lee KW, Ásgrímsdóttir ES, Nikouei K, Paslawski W, Gnodde S, Lyu G, Hu L, Saltó C, Svenningsson P, Hjerling-Leffler J, Linnarsson S, Arenas E. Single-cell transcriptomics reveals correct developmental dynamics and high-quality midbrain cell types by improved hESC differentiation. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 18:337-353. [PMID: 36400027 PMCID: PMC9860082 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cell technologies provide new opportunities for modeling cells in health and disease and for regenerative medicine. In both cases, developmental knowledge and defining the molecular properties and quality of the cell types is essential. In this study, we identify developmental factors important for the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into functional midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons. We found that laminin-511, and dual canonical and non-canonical WNT activation followed by GSK3β inhibition plus FGF8b, improved midbrain patterning. In addition, neurogenesis and differentiation were enhanced by activation of liver X receptors and inhibition of fibroblast growth factor signaling. Moreover, single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis revealed a developmental dynamics similar to that of the endogenous human ventral midbrain and the emergence of high-quality molecularly defined midbrain cell types, including mDA neurons. Our study identifies novel factors important for human midbrain development and opens the door for a future application of molecularly defined hESC-derived cell types in Parkinson disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaneyasu Nishimura
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shanzheng Yang
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ka Wai Lee
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emilía Sif Ásgrímsdóttir
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kasra Nikouei
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wojciech Paslawski
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sabine Gnodde
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Guochang Lyu
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lijuan Hu
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carmen Saltó
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per Svenningsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jens Hjerling-Leffler
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sten Linnarsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ernest Arenas
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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10
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Kochmanski J, Kuhn NC, Bernstein AI. Parkinson's disease-associated, sex-specific changes in DNA methylation at PARK7 (DJ-1), SLC17A6 (VGLUT2), PTPRN2 (IA-2β), and NR4A2 (NURR1) in cortical neurons. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2022; 8:120. [PMID: 36151217 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-022-00355-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence for epigenetic regulation playing a role in Parkinson's disease (PD) is growing, particularly for DNA methylation. Approximately 90% of PD cases are due to a complex interaction between age, genes, and environmental factors, and epigenetic marks are thought to mediate the relationship between aging, genetics, the environment, and disease risk. To date, there are a small number of published genome-wide studies of DNA methylation in PD, but none accounted for cell type or sex in their analyses. Given the heterogeneity of bulk brain tissue samples and known sex differences in PD risk, progression, and severity, these are critical variables to account for. In this genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in an enriched neuronal population from PD postmortem parietal cortex, we report sex-specific PD-associated methylation changes in PARK7 (DJ-1), SLC17A6 (VGLUT2), PTPRN2 (IA-2β), NR4A2 (NURR1), and other genes involved in developmental pathways, neurotransmitter packaging and release, and axon and neuron projection guidance.
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11
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Buck SA, Quincy Erickson-Oberg M, Logan RW, Freyberg Z. Relevance of interactions between dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3583-91. [PMID: 35681081 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01649-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) and glutamate neurotransmission are strongly implicated in schizophrenia pathophysiology. While most studies focus on contributions of neurons that release only DA or glutamate, neither DA nor glutamate models alone recapitulate the full spectrum of schizophrenia pathophysiology. Similarly, therapeutic strategies limited to either system cannot effectively treat all three major symptom domains of schizophrenia: positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Increasing evidence suggests extensive interactions between the DA and glutamate systems and more effective treatments may therefore require the targeting of both DA and glutamate signaling. This offers the possibility that disrupting DA-glutamate circuitry between these two systems, particularly in the striatum and forebrain, culminate in schizophrenia pathophysiology. Yet, the mechanisms behind these interactions and their contributions to schizophrenia remain unclear. In addition to circuit- or system-level interactions between neurons that solely release either DA or glutamate, here we posit that functional alterations involving a subpopulation of neurons that co-release both DA and glutamate provide a novel point of integration between DA and glutamate systems, offering a key missing link in our understanding of schizophrenia pathophysiology. Better understanding of mechanisms underlying DA/glutamate co-release from these neurons may therefore shed new light on schizophrenia pathophysiology and lead to more effective therapeutics.
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12
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Kim MJ, Kaang BK. Distinct cell populations of ventral tegmental area process motivated behavior. Korean J Physiol Pharmacol 2022; 26:307-312. [PMID: 36039731 PMCID: PMC9437368 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2022.26.5.307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Min Jung Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Bong-Kiun Kaang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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13
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Steinkellner T, Conrad WS, Kovacs I, Rissman RA, Lee EB, Trojanowski JQ, Freyberg Z, Roy S, Luk KC, Lee VM, Hnasko TS. Dopamine neurons exhibit emergent glutamatergic identity in Parkinson's disease. Brain 2022; 145:879-886. [PMID: 35258081 PMCID: PMC9050538 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [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: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Loss of midbrain dopamine neurons causes the cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease. However, not all dopamine neurons are equally vulnerable and a better understanding of the cell-type specific properties relating to selective dopamine neuron degeneration is needed. Most midbrain dopamine neurons express the vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT2 during development and a subset continue to express low levels of VGLUT2 in adulthood, enabling the co-release of glutamate. Moreover, VGLUT2 expression in dopamine neurons can be neuroprotective since its genetic disruption was shown to sensitize dopamine neurons to neurotoxins. Here, we show that in response to toxic insult, and in two distinct models of alpha-synuclein stress, VGLUT2 dopamine neurons were resilient to degeneration. Dopamine neurons expressing VGLUT2 were enriched whether or not insult induced dopamine neuron loss, suggesting that while VGLUT2 dopamine neurons are more resilient, VGLUT2 expression can also be transcriptionally upregulated by injury. Finally, we observed that VGLUT2 expression was enhanced in surviving dopamine neurons from post-mortem Parkinson's disease individuals. These data indicate that emergence of a glutamatergic identity in dopamine neurons may be part of a neuroprotective response in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Steinkellner
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Institute of Pharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - William S Conrad
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Imre Kovacs
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert A Rissman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Edward B Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zachary Freyberg
- Departments of Psychiatry and Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Subhojit Roy
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kelvin C Luk
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Virginia M Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Thomas S Hnasko
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
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14
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Buck SA, Erickson-Oberg MQ, Bhatte SH, McKellar CD, Ramanathan VP, Rubin SA, Freyberg Z. Roles of VGLUT2 and Dopamine/Glutamate Co-Transmission in Selective Vulnerability to Dopamine Neurodegeneration. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:187-193. [PMID: 34994539 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00741] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence has established that a subset of dopamine (DA) neurons co-release glutamate and express vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2). VGLUT2 expression in DA neurons plays a key role in selective vulnerability to DA neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). In this review, we summarize recent findings on impacts of VGLUT2 expression and glutamate co-release from DA neurons on selective DA neuron vulnerability. We present evidence that DA neuron VGLUT2 expression may be neuroprotective, boosting DA neuron resilience in the context of ongoing neurodegenerative processes in PD. We highlight genetic and pesticide models of PD that have provided mechanistic insights into selective DA neuron vulnerability. Finally, we discuss potential neuroprotective mechanisms, focusing on roles of VGLUT2 and glutamate in promoting mitochondrial health and diminishing oxidative stress and excitotoxicity. Elucidating these mechanisms may ultimately lead to more effective treatments to boost DA neuron resilience that can slow or even prevent DA neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silas A. Buck
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - M. Quincy Erickson-Oberg
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Sai H. Bhatte
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Chase D. McKellar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Vishan P. Ramanathan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Sophie A. Rubin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Zachary Freyberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
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15
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Earley AM, Burbulla LF, Krainc D, Awatramani R. Identification of ASCL1 as a determinant for human iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22257. [PMID: 34782629 PMCID: PMC8593045 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01366-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
During cellular specification, transcription factors orchestrate cellular decisions through gene regulation. By hijacking these transcriptional networks, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can be specialized into neurons with different molecular identities for the purposes of regenerative medicine and disease modeling. However, molecular fine tuning cell types to match their in vivo counterparts remains a challenge. Directing cell fates often result in blended or incomplete neuron identities. A better understanding of hPSC to neuron gene regulation is needed. Here, we used single cell RNA sequencing to resolve some of these graded molecular identities during human neurogenesis from hPSCs. Differentiation platforms were established to model neural induction from stem cells, and we characterized these differentiated cell types by 10x single cell RNA sequencing. Using single cell trajectory and co-expression analyses, we identified a co-regulated transcription factor module expressing achaete-scute family basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 1 (ASCL1) and neuronal differentiation 1 (NEUROD1). We then tested the function of these transcription factors in neuron subtype differentiation by gene knockout in a novel human system that reports the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate limiting enzyme in dopamine synthesis. ASCL1 was identified as a necessary transcription factor for regulating dopaminergic neurotransmitter selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Earley
- Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Lena F Burbulla
- Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
- Metabolic Biochemistry, Biomedical Center (BMC), Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Dimitri Krainc
- Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Rajeshwar Awatramani
- Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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16
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Pereira Luppi M, Azcorra M, Caronia-Brown G, Poulin JF, Gaertner Z, Gatica S, Moreno-Ramos OA, Nouri N, Dubois M, Ma YC, Ramakrishnan C, Fenno L, Kim YS, Deisseroth K, Cicchetti F, Dombeck DA, Awatramani R. Sox6 expression distinguishes dorsally and ventrally biased dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra with distinctive properties and embryonic origins. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109975. [PMID: 34758317 PMCID: PMC8607753 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tier of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) degenerate prominently in Parkinson's disease, while those in the dorsal tier are relatively spared. Defining the molecular, functional, and developmental characteristics of each SNc tier is crucial to understand their distinct susceptibility. We demonstrate that Sox6 expression distinguishes ventrally and dorsally biased DA neuron populations in the SNc. The Sox6+ population in the ventral SNc includes an Aldh1a1+ subset and is enriched in gene pathways that underpin vulnerability. Sox6+ neurons project to the dorsal striatum and show activity correlated with acceleration. Sox6- neurons project to the medial, ventral, and caudal striatum and respond to rewards. Moreover, we show that this adult division is encoded early in development. Overall, our work demonstrates a dual origin of the SNc that results in DA neuron cohorts with distinct molecular profiles, projections, and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milagros Pereira Luppi
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Maite Azcorra
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Giuliana Caronia-Brown
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jean-Francois Poulin
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Zachary Gaertner
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Serafin Gatica
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Navid Nouri
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Marilyn Dubois
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Yongchao C Ma
- Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Charu Ramakrishnan
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lief Fenno
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yoon Seok Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel A Dombeck
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| | - Rajeshwar Awatramani
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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17
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Islam KUS, Meli N, Blaess S. The Development of the Mesoprefrontal Dopaminergic System in Health and Disease. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:746582. [PMID: 34712123 PMCID: PMC8546303 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.746582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Midbrain dopaminergic neurons located in the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area are the main source of dopamine in the brain. They send out projections to a variety of forebrain structures, including dorsal striatum, nucleus accumbens, and prefrontal cortex (PFC), establishing the nigrostriatal, mesolimbic, and mesoprefrontal pathways, respectively. The dopaminergic input to the PFC is essential for the performance of higher cognitive functions such as working memory, attention, planning, and decision making. The gradual maturation of these cognitive skills during postnatal development correlates with the maturation of PFC local circuits, which undergo a lengthy functional remodeling process during the neonatal and adolescence stage. During this period, the mesoprefrontal dopaminergic innervation also matures: the fibers are rather sparse at prenatal stages and slowly increase in density during postnatal development to finally reach a stable pattern in early adulthood. Despite the prominent role of dopamine in the regulation of PFC function, relatively little is known about how the dopaminergic innervation is established in the PFC, whether and how it influences the maturation of local circuits and how exactly it facilitates cognitive functions in the PFC. In this review, we provide an overview of the development of the mesoprefrontal dopaminergic system in rodents and primates and discuss the role of altered dopaminergic signaling in neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Ushna S Islam
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Norisa Meli
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sandra Blaess
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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18
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Li X, Wang W, Yan J, Zeng F. Glutamic Acid Transporters: Targets for Neuroprotective Therapies in Parkinson's Disease. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:678154. [PMID: 34220434 PMCID: PMC8242205 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.678154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease in middle-aged and elderly individuals. At present, no effective drug has been developed to treat PD. Although a variety of drugs exist for the symptomatic treatment of PD, they all have strong side effects. Most studies on PD mainly focus on dopaminergic neurons. This review highlights the function of glutamic acid transporters (GLTs), including excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) and vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs), during the development of PD. In addition, using bioinformatics, we compared the expression of different types of glutamate transporter genes in the cingulate gyrus of PD patients and healthy controls. More importantly, we suggest that the functional roles of glutamate transporters may prove beneficial in the treatment of PD. In summary, VGLUTs and EAATs may be potential targets in the treatment of PD. VGLUTs and EAATs can be used as clinical drug targets to achieve better efficacy. Through this review article, we hope to enable future researchers to improve the condition of PD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Wenjun Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Institute for Cancer Medicine and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jianghong Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Fancai Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Science, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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19
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Buck SA, De Miranda BR, Logan RW, Fish KN, Greenamyre JT, Freyberg Z. VGLUT2 Is a Determinant of Dopamine Neuron Resilience in a Rotenone Model of Dopamine Neurodegeneration. J Neurosci 2021; 41:4937-4947. [PMID: 33893220 PMCID: PMC8260163 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2770-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by progressive dopamine (DA) neuron loss in the SNc. In contrast, DA neurons in the VTA are relatively protected from neurodegeneration, but the underlying mechanisms for this resilience remain poorly understood. Recent work suggests that expression of the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) selectively impacts midbrain DA neuron vulnerability. We investigated whether altered DA neuron VGLUT2 expression determines neuronal resilience in rats exposed to rotenone, a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor and toxicant model of PD. We discovered that VTA/SNc DA neurons that expressed VGLUT2 are more resilient to rotenone-induced DA neurodegeneration. Surprisingly, the density of neurons with detectable VGLUT2 expression in the VTA and SNc increases in response to rotenone. Furthermore, dopaminergic terminals within the NAc, where the majority of VGLUT2-expressing DA neurons project, exhibit greater resilience compared with DA terminals in the caudate/putamen. More broadly, VGLUT2-expressing terminals are protected throughout the striatum from rotenone-induced degeneration. Together, our data demonstrate that a distinct subpopulation of VGLUT2-expressing DA neurons are relatively protected from rotenone neurotoxicity. Rotenone-induced upregulation of the glutamatergic machinery in VTA and SNc neurons and their projections may be part of a broader neuroprotective mechanism. These findings offer a putative new target for neuronal resilience that can be manipulated to prevent toxicant-induced DA neurodegeneration in PD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Environmental exposures to pesticides contribute significantly to pathologic processes that culminate in Parkinson's disease (PD). The pesticide rotenone has been used to generate a PD model that replicates key features of the illness, including dopamine neurodegeneration. To date, longstanding questions remain: are there dopamine neuron subpopulations resilient to rotenone; and if so, what are the molecular determinants of this resilience? Here we show that the subpopulation of midbrain dopaminergic neurons that express the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) are more resilient to rotenone-induced neurodegeneration. Rotenone also upregulates VGLUT2 more broadly in the midbrain, suggesting that VGLUT2 expression generally confers increased resilience to rotenone. VGLUT2 may therefore be a new target for boosting neuronal resilience to prevent toxicant-induced DA neurodegeneration in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silas A Buck
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
| | - Briana R De Miranda
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294
| | - Ryan W Logan
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, 02118
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609
| | - Kenneth N Fish
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
| | - J Timothy Greenamyre
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260
| | - Zachary Freyberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
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20
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Eskenazi D, Malave L, Mingote S, Yetnikoff L, Ztaou S, Velicu V, Rayport S, Chuhma N. Dopamine Neurons That Cotransmit Glutamate, From Synapses to Circuits to Behavior. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:665386. [PMID: 34093138 PMCID: PMC8170480 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.665386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Discovered just over 20 years ago, dopamine neurons have the ability to cotransmit both dopamine and glutamate. Yet, the functional roles of dopamine neuron glutamate cotransmission and their implications for therapeutic use are just emerging. This review article encompasses the current body of evidence investigating the functions of dopamine neurons of the ventral midbrain that cotransmit glutamate. Since its discovery in dopamine neuron cultures, further work in vivo confirmed dopamine neuron glutamate cotransmission across species. From there, growing interest has led to research related to neural functioning including roles in synaptic signaling, development, and behavior. Functional connectome mapping reveals robust connections in multiple forebrain regions to various cell types, most notably to cholinergic interneurons in both the medial shell of the nucleus accumbens and the lateral dorsal striatum. Glutamate markers in dopamine neurons reach peak levels during embryonic development and increase in response to various toxins, suggesting dopamine neuron glutamate cotransmission may serve neuroprotective roles. Findings from behavioral analyses reveal prominent roles for dopamine neuron glutamate cotransmission in responses to psychostimulants, in positive valence and cognitive systems and for subtle roles in negative valence systems. Insight into dopamine neuron glutamate cotransmission informs the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders such as addiction, schizophrenia and Parkinson Disease, with therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Eskenazi
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lauren Malave
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Susana Mingote
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
- Neuroscience Initiative, Advanced Science Research Center, Graduate Center of The City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Leora Yetnikoff
- Department of Psychology, College of Staten Island, City University of New York, Staten Island, NY, United States
- CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Samira Ztaou
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Vlad Velicu
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Stephen Rayport
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Nao Chuhma
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
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21
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Buck SA, Steinkellner T, Aslanoglou D, Villeneuve M, Bhatte SH, Childers VC, Rubin SA, De Miranda BR, O'Leary EI, Neureiter EG, Fogle KJ, Palladino MJ, Logan RW, Glausier JR, Fish KN, Lewis DA, Greenamyre JT, McCabe BD, Cheetham CEJ, Hnasko TS, Freyberg Z. Vesicular glutamate transporter modulates sex differences in dopamine neuron vulnerability to age-related neurodegeneration. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13365. [PMID: 33909313 PMCID: PMC8135008 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Age is the greatest risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD) which causes progressive loss of dopamine (DA) neurons, with males at greater risk than females. Intriguingly, some DA neurons are more resilient to degeneration than others. Increasing evidence suggests that vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) expression in DA neurons plays a role in this selective vulnerability. We investigated the role of DA neuron VGLUT in sex- and age-related differences in DA neuron vulnerability using the genetically tractable Drosophila model. We found sex differences in age-related DA neurodegeneration and its associated locomotor behavior, where males exhibit significantly greater decreases in both DA neuron number and locomotion during aging compared with females. We discovered that dynamic changes in DA neuron VGLUT expression mediate these age- and sex-related differences, as a potential compensatory mechanism for diminished DA neurotransmission during aging. Importantly, female Drosophila possess higher levels of VGLUT expression in DA neurons compared with males, and this finding is conserved across flies, rodents, and humans. Moreover, we showed that diminishing VGLUT expression in DA neurons eliminates females' greater resilience to DA neuron loss across aging. This offers a new mechanism for sex differences in selective DA neuron vulnerability to age-related DA neurodegeneration. Finally, in mice, we showed that the ability of DA neurons to achieve optimal control over VGLUT expression is essential for DA neuron survival. These findings lay the groundwork for the manipulation of DA neuron VGLUT expression as a novel therapeutic strategy to boost DA neuron resilience to age- and PD-related neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silas A. Buck
- Center for NeuroscienceUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA,Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Thomas Steinkellner
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of California, San DiegoLa JollaCAUSA,Institute of PharmacologyCenter for Physiology and PharmacologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | | | | | - Sai H. Bhatte
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
| | | | - Sophie A. Rubin
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Briana R. De Miranda
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA,Present address:
Department of NeurologyCenter for Neurodegeneration and Experimental TherapeuticsUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamALUSA
| | - Emma I. O'Leary
- Center for NeuroscienceUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Elizabeth G. Neureiter
- Center for NeuroscienceUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA,Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Keri J. Fogle
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical BiologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA,Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Michael J. Palladino
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical BiologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA,Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Ryan W. Logan
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental TherapeuticsBoston University School of MedicineBostonMAUSA,Center for Systems Neurogenetics of AddictionThe Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMEUSA
| | | | - Kenneth N. Fish
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
| | - David A. Lewis
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
| | - J. Timothy Greenamyre
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA,Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative DiseasesUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA,Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical CenterVA Pittsburgh Healthcare SystemPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Brian D. McCabe
- Brain Mind InstituteSwiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | | | - Thomas S. Hnasko
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of California, San DiegoLa JollaCAUSA,Research ServiceVA San Diego Healthcare SystemSan DiegoCAUSA
| | - Zachary Freyberg
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA,Department of Cell BiologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPAUSA
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22
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Zell V, Steinkellner T, Hollon NG, Warlow SM, Souter E, Faget L, Hunker AC, Jin X, Zweifel LS, Hnasko TS. VTA Glutamate Neuron Activity Drives Positive Reinforcement Absent Dopamine Co-release. Neuron 2020; 107:864-873.e4. [PMID: 32610039 PMCID: PMC7780844 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [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: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Like ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons, VTA glutamate neuron activity can support positive reinforcement. However, a subset of VTA neurons co-release DA and glutamate, and DA release might be responsible for behavioral reinforcement induced by VTA glutamate neuron activity. To test this, we used optogenetics to stimulate VTA glutamate neurons in which tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and thus DA biosynthesis, was conditionally ablated using either floxed Th mice or viral-based CRISPR/Cas9. Both approaches led to loss of TH expression in VTA glutamate neurons and loss of DA release from their distal terminals in nucleus accumbens (NAc). Despite loss of the DA signal, optogenetic activation of VTA glutamate cell bodies or axon terminals in NAc was sufficient to support reinforcement. These results suggest that glutamate release from VTA is sufficient to promote reinforcement independent of concomitant DA co-release, establishing a non-DA mechanism by which VTA activity can support reward-seeking behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivien Zell
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Thomas Steinkellner
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nick G Hollon
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Shelley M Warlow
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Elizabeth Souter
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Lauren Faget
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Avery C Hunker
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Xin Jin
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Larry S Zweifel
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Thomas S Hnasko
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Research Service VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA.
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