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Iwasaki M, Lefevre A, Althammer F, Clauss Creusot E, Łąpieś O, Petitjean H, Hilfiger L, Kerspern D, Melchior M, Küppers S, Krabichler Q, Patwell R, Kania A, Gruber T, Kirchner MK, Wimmer M, Fröhlich H, Dötsch L, Schimmer J, Herpertz SC, Ditzen B, Schaaf CP, Schönig K, Bartsch D, Gugula A, Trenk A, Blasiak A, Stern JE, Darbon P, Grinevich V, Charlet A. An analgesic pathway from parvocellular oxytocin neurons to the periaqueductal gray in rats. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1066. [PMID: 36828816 PMCID: PMC9958129 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36641-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) exerts prominent analgesic effects via central and peripheral action. However, the precise analgesic pathways recruited by OT are largely elusive. Here we discovered a subset of OT neurons whose projections preferentially terminate on OT receptor (OTR)-expressing neurons in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG). Using a newly generated line of transgenic rats (OTR-IRES-Cre), we determined that most of the vlPAG OTR expressing cells targeted by OT projections are GABAergic. Ex vivo stimulation of parvocellular OT axons in the vlPAG induced local OT release, as measured with OT sensor GRAB. In vivo, optogenetically-evoked axonal OT release in the vlPAG of as well as chemogenetic activation of OTR vlPAG neurons resulted in a long-lasting increase of vlPAG neuronal activity. This lead to an indirect suppression of sensory neuron activity in the spinal cord and strong analgesia in both female and male rats. Altogether, we describe an OT-vlPAG-spinal cord circuit that is critical for analgesia in both inflammatory and neuropathic pain models.
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Grants
- R01 HL090948 NHLBI NIH HHS
- R01 NS094640 NINDS NIH HHS
- This work was supported by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique contract UPR3212, the Université de Strasbourg contract UPR3212; the University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS) fellowship 2014-15, Fyssen Foundation research grant 2015, NARSAD Young Investigator Grant 24821, Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR, French Research Foundation) grants n° 19-CE16-0011-0 and n° 20-CE18-0031 (to AC); the Graduate School of Pain EURIDOL, ANR-17-EURE-0022 (to AC and ECC); ANR-DFG grant GR 3619/701, PHC PROCOPE and PICS07882 grants (to AC and VG); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) grants GR 3619/15-1, GR 3619/16-1(to VG); SFB Consortium 1158-2 (to VG, SH and BD); French Japanese governments fellowship B-16012 JM/NH and Subsidy from Nukada Institute for Medical and Biological Research (to MI); Fyssen Foundation fellowship (to AL); Région Grand Est fellowship (to DK); DFG Postdoc Fellowship AL 2466/1-1 (to FA); the Foundation of Prader-Willi Research post-doctoral fellowship (to CPS and FA); DAAD Postdoc Short term research grant 57552337 (to RP); DFG Walter Benjamin Position – Projektnummer 459051339 (to QK). National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Grant NIH HL090948, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Grant NIH NS094640, and funding provided by the Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases (CNCD) at Georgia State University (to JES). The authors thank Prof. Yulong Li for providing the GRABOTR plasmid, Drs. Romain Goutagny and Vincent Douchamps for in vivo electrophysiology advices, the Chronobiotron UMS 3415 for all animal care and the technical plateau ComptOpt UPR 3212 for behavior technical assistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Iwasaki
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Arthur Lefevre
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Ferdinand Althammer
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Etienne Clauss Creusot
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Olga Łąpieś
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Hugues Petitjean
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Louis Hilfiger
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Damien Kerspern
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Meggane Melchior
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Stephanie Küppers
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
| | - Quirin Krabichler
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
| | - Ryan Patwell
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
| | - Alan Kania
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
| | - Tim Gruber
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Matthew K Kirchner
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Moritz Wimmer
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henning Fröhlich
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laura Dötsch
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonas Schimmer
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
| | - Sabine C Herpertz
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beate Ditzen
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
- Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian P Schaaf
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Ruprecht-Karls University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
| | - Anna Gugula
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, 30-387, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Trenk
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, 30-387, Poland
| | - Anna Blasiak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, 30-387, Poland
| | - Javier E Stern
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Pascal Darbon
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, 68159, Germany.
- Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA.
| | - Alexandre Charlet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University of Strasbourg, Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, 67000, Strasbourg, France.
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2
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Grimm E, van der Hoeven F, Sardella D, Willig KI, Engel U, Veits N, Engel R, Cavalcanti-Adam EA, Bestvater F, Bordoni L, Jennemann R, Schönig K, Schiessl IM, Sandhoff R. A Clathrin light chain A reporter mouse for in vivo imaging of endocytosis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273660. [PMID: 36149863 PMCID: PMC9506643 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273660] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is one of the best studied cellular uptake pathways and its contributions to nutrient uptake, receptor signaling, and maintenance of the lipid membrane homeostasis have been already elucidated. Today, we still have a lack of understanding how the different components of this pathway cooperate dynamically in vivo. Therefore, we generated a reporter mouse model for CME by fusing eGFP endogenously in frame to clathrin light chain a (Clta) to track endocytosis in living mice. The fusion protein is expressed in all tissues, but in a cell specific manner, and can be visualized using fluorescence microscopy. Recruitment to nanobeads recorded by TIRF microscopy validated the functionality of the Clta-eGFP reporter. With this reporter model we were able to track the dynamics of Alexa594-BSA uptake in kidneys of anesthetized mice using intravital 2-photon microscopy. This reporter mouse model is not only a suitable and powerful tool to track CME in vivo in genetic or disease mouse models it can also help to shed light into the differential roles of the two clathrin light chain isoforms in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Grimm
- Lipid Pathobiochemistry Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- * E-mail: (EG); (RS)
| | | | - Donato Sardella
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Katrin I. Willig
- Optical Nanoscopy in Neuroscience, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Engel
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Nikon Imaging Center at Heidelberg University and Centre of Organismal Studies (COS), Bioquant, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nisha Veits
- Department of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robert Engel
- Lipid Pathobiochemistry Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Felix Bestvater
- Light Microscopy Core Facility, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luca Bordoni
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Richard Jennemann
- Lipid Pathobiochemistry Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Roger Sandhoff
- Lipid Pathobiochemistry Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- * E-mail: (EG); (RS)
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3
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Sommerkamp P, Sommerkamp AC, Zeisberger P, Eiben PL, Narr A, Korkmaz A, Przybylla A, Sohn M, van der Hoeven F, Schönig K, Trumpp A. CRISPR-Cas9 mediated generation of a conditional poly(A) binding protein nuclear 1 (Pabpn1) mouse model reveals an essential role for hematopoietic stem cells. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7181. [PMID: 35504940 PMCID: PMC9065150 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11203-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly(A) binding protein nuclear 1 (PABPN1) is known for its role in poly(A) tail addition and regulation of poly(A) tail length. In addition, it has been shown to be involved in alternative polyadenylation (APA). APA is a process regulating differential selection of polyadenylation sites, thereby influencing protein isoform expression and 3ʹ-UTR make-up. In this study, we generated an inducible Pabpn1flox/flox mouse model using crRNA-tracrRNA:Cas9 complexes targeting upstream and downstream genomic regions, respectively, in combination with a long single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) template. We performed extensive in vitro testing of various guide RNAs (gRNAs) to optimize recombination efficiency for in vivo application. Pabpn1flox/flox mice were generated and crossed to MxCre mice for validation experiments, allowing the induction of Cre expression in the bone marrow (BM) by poly(I:C) (pIC) injections. Validation experiments revealed successful deletion of Pabpn1 and absence of PABPN1 protein. Functionally, knockout (KO) of Pabpn1 led to a rapid and robust depletion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) as well as myeloid cells, suggesting an essential role of Pabpn1 in the hematopoietic lineage. Overall, the mouse model allows an inducible in-depth in vivo analysis of the role of PABPN1 and APA regulation in different tissues and disease settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Sommerkamp
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander C Sommerkamp
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Pediatric Glioma Research Group, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Petra Zeisberger
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paula Leonie Eiben
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Narr
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aylin Korkmaz
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Adriana Przybylla
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Sohn
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Franciscus van der Hoeven
- Transgenic Service, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Central Institute for Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas Trumpp
- Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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4
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Meinhardt MW, Pfarr S, Fouquet G, Rohleder C, Meinhardt ML, Barroso-Flores J, Hoffmann R, Jeanblanc J, Paul E, Wagner K, Hansson AC, Köhr G, Meier N, von Bohlen und Halbach O, Bell RL, Endepols H, Neumaier B, Schönig K, Bartsch D, Naassila M, Spanagel R, Sommer WH. Psilocybin targets a common molecular mechanism for cognitive impairment and increased craving in alcoholism. Sci Adv 2021; 7:eabh2399. [PMID: 34788104 PMCID: PMC8598005 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh2399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol-dependent patients commonly show impairments in executive functions that facilitate craving and can lead to relapse. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to executive dysfunction in alcoholism are poorly understood, and new effective pharmacological treatments are desired. Here, using a bidirectional neuromodulation approach, we demonstrate a causal link between reduced prefrontal mGluR2 function and both impaired executive control and alcohol craving. A neuron-specific prefrontal mGluR2 knockdown in rats generated a phenotype of reduced cognitive flexibility and excessive alcohol seeking. Conversely, virally restoring prefrontal mGluR2 levels in alcohol-dependent rats rescued these pathological behaviors. In the search for a pharmacological intervention with high translational potential, psilocybin was capable of restoring mGluR2 expression and reducing relapse behavior. Last, we propose a FDG-PET biomarker strategy to identify mGluR2 treatment-responsive individuals. In conclusion, we identified a common molecular pathological mechanism for both executive dysfunction and alcohol craving and provided a personalized mGluR2 mechanism-based intervention strategy for medication development for alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus W. Meinhardt
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Corresponding author. (M.W.M.); (W.H.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Simone Pfarr
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Grégory Fouquet
- Université de Picardie Jules Verne, INSERM UMRS, 1247 Amiens, France
| | - Cathrin Rohleder
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Multimodal Imaging, Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Manuela L. Meinhardt
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Janet Barroso-Flores
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rebecca Hoffmann
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jérôme Jeanblanc
- Université de Picardie Jules Verne, INSERM UMRS, 1247 Amiens, France
| | - Elisabeth Paul
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Konstantin Wagner
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anita C. Hansson
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Georg Köhr
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nils Meier
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Richard L. Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Heike Endepols
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Multimodal Imaging, Max Planck Institute for Neurological Research, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Nuclear Chemistry (INM-5), Jülich, Germany
| | - Bernd Neumaier
- Institute of Radiochemistry and Experimental Molecular Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Mickaël Naassila
- Université de Picardie Jules Verne, INSERM UMRS, 1247 Amiens, France
| | - Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Corresponding author. (M.W.M.); (W.H.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Wolfgang H. Sommer
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- Corresponding author. (M.W.M.); (W.H.S.); (R.S.)
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5
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Noori HR, Mücksch C, Vengeliene V, Schönig K, Takahashi TT, Mukhtasimova N, Bagher Oskouei M, Mosqueira M, Bartsch D, Fink R, Urbassek HM, Spanagel R, Sine SM. Alcohol reduces muscle fatigue through atomistic interactions with nicotinic receptors. Commun Biol 2018; 1:159. [PMID: 30302403 PMCID: PMC6170420 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0157-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption affects many organs and tissues, including skeletal muscle. However, the molecular mechanism of ethanol action on skeletal muscle remains unclear. Here, using molecular dynamics simulations and single channel recordings, we show that ethanol interacts with a negatively charged amino acid within an extracellular region of the neuromuscular nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), thereby altering its global conformation and reducing the single channel current amplitude. Charge reversal of the negatively charged amino acid abolishes the nAChR-ethanol interaction. Moreover, using transgenic animals harboring the charge-reversal mutation, ex vivo measurements of muscle force production show that ethanol counters fatigue in wild type but not homozygous αE83K mutant animals. In accord, in vivo studies of motor coordination following ethanol administration reveal an approximately twofold improvement for wild type compared to homozygous mutant animals. Together, the converging results from molecular to animal studies suggest that ethanol counters muscle fatigue through its interaction with neuromuscular nAChRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid R Noori
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
- Neuronal Convergence Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Max Panck Ring 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- Physics Department and Research Center OPTIMAS, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger Strasse 46, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany.
- Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, New York, NY, 10012, USA.
- Neuronal Convergence Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Max Planck Ring 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Christian Mücksch
- Physics Department and Research Center OPTIMAS, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger Strasse 46, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Valentina Vengeliene
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Tatiane T Takahashi
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nuriya Mukhtasimova
- Receptor Biology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Maryam Bagher Oskouei
- Neuronal Convergence Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Max Panck Ring 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matias Mosqueira
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 326, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rainer Fink
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 326, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Herbert M Urbassek
- Physics Department and Research Center OPTIMAS, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger Strasse 46, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Steven M Sine
- Receptor Biology Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
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6
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Broccoli L, Uhrig S, von Jonquieres G, Schönig K, Bartsch D, Justice NJ, Spanagel R, Sommer W, Klugmann M, Hansson A. Targeted overexpression of CRH receptor subtype 1 in central amygdala neurons: effect on alcohol-seeking behavior. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:1821-1833. [PMID: 29700576 PMCID: PMC7454014 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4908-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) system is a key mediator of stress-induced responses in alcohol-seeking behavior. Recent research has identified the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), a brain region involved in the regulation of fear and stress-induced responses that is especially rich in CRH-positive neurons, as a key player in mediating excessive alcohol seeking. However, detailed characterization of the specific influences that local neuronal populations exert in mediating alcohol responses is hampered by current limitations in pharmacological and immunohistochemical tools for targeting CRH receptor subtype 1 (CRHR1). OBJECTIVE In this study, we investigated the effect of cell- and region-specific overexpression of CRHR1 in the CeA using a novel transgenic tool. METHODS Co-expression of CRHR1 in calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinase II (αCaMKII) neurons of the amygdala was demonstrated by double immunohistochemistry using a Crhr1-GFP reporter mouse line. A Cre-inducible Crhr1-expressing adeno-associated virus (AAV) was site-specifically injected into the CeA of αCaMKII-CreERT2 transgenic rats to analyze the role of CRHR1 in αCaMKII neurons on alcohol self-administration and reinstatement behavior. RESULTS Forty-eight percent of CRHR1-containing cells showed co-expression of αCaMKII in the CeA. AAV-mediated gene transfer in αCaMKII neurons induced a 24-fold increase of Crhr1 mRNA in the CeA which had no effect on locomotor activity, alcohol self-administration, or cue-induced reinstatement. However, rats overexpressing Crhr1 in the CeA increased responding in the stress-induced reinstatement task with yohimbine serving as a pharmacological stressor. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that CRHR1 overexpression in CeA-αCaMKII neurons is sufficient to mediate increased vulnerability to stress-triggered relapse into alcohol seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Broccoli
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - S. Uhrig
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - G. von Jonquieres
- Translational Neuroscience Facility and Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Australia Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - K. Schönig
- Dept. of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Square J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - D. Bartsch
- Dept. of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Square J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - N. J. Justice
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - R. Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - W.H. Sommer
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany,Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - M. Klugmann
- Translational Neuroscience Facility and Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Australia Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - A.C. Hansson
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany,To whom correspondence should be addressed: Anita C. Hansson, PhD, Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute for Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Square J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany, Phone: +49 621 1703 6293, Fax: +49 621 1703 6255,
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7
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Völkening B, Schönig K, Kronenberg G, Bartsch D, Weber T. Type-1 astrocyte-like stem cells harboring Cacna1d gene deletion exhibit reduced proliferation and decreased neuronal fate choice. Hippocampus 2017; 28:97-107. [PMID: 29116659 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In the central nervous system, CaV 1.2 and CaV 1. 3 constitute the main L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LTCCs) coupling membrane depolarization to gene transcription. We have previously demonstrated that inducible disruption of Cav1.2 in type-1 astrocyte-like stem cells of the adult dentate gyrus (DG) impairs hippocampal neurogenesis in a cell-autonomous fashion. To address the role of Cav1.3 channels (encoded by the Cacna1d gene), we here generated TgGLAST-CreERT2 /Cacna1dfl/fl /RCE:loxP mice which facilitate inducible deletion of Cacna1d in tandem with induction of EGFP expression in type-1 cells, allowing tracking of recombined cells and their descendants. Neurosphere cultures derived from fluorescence-activated cell sorting sorted Cacna1d-deficient (Cacna1d-/- /EGFP) hippocampal neural precursor cells (NPCs) exhibited a significant decrease in proliferative activity. Further, under differentiation conditions, Cacna1d deficiency conferred an increase in astrogenesis at the expense of neurogenesis. In like manner, type-1 cells lacking Cacna1d showed reduced proliferation in the dentate gyrus (DG) in vivo. Moreover, Cacna1d deficiency resulted in a significant decrease in the number of newly born cells adopting a neuronal fate. Finally, massive excitation induced by repeated electroconvulsive seizures rescued the proliferation defect of Cacna1d-/- /EGFP type-1 cells. Together, the effects of Cacna1d gene deletion closely recapitulate our earlier findings on the role of Cav1.2 channels expressed by type-1 cells. Similar to Cav1.2 channels, Cav1.3 channels on type-1 cells boost type-1 cell proliferation and promote subsequent neuronal fate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Völkening
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, Mannheim 68159, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, Mannheim 68159, Germany
| | - Golo Kronenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimer Straße 20, Rostock 18147, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, Mannheim 68159, Germany
| | - Tillmann Weber
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, Mannheim 68159, Germany.,Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5, Mannheim 68159, Germany
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8
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Berger SM, Fernández-Lamo I, Schönig K, Fernández Moya SM, Ehses J, Schieweck R, Clementi S, Enkel T, Grothe S, von Bohlen Und Halbach O, Segura I, Delgado-García JM, Gruart A, Kiebler MA, Bartsch D. Forebrain-specific, conditional silencing of Staufen2 alters synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory in rats. Genome Biol 2017; 18:222. [PMID: 29149906 PMCID: PMC5693596 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-017-1350-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dendritic messenger RNA (mRNA) localization and subsequent local translation in dendrites critically contributes to synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. Little is known, however, about the contribution of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to these processes in vivo. Results To delineate the role of the double-stranded RBP Staufen2 (Stau2), we generate a transgenic rat model, in which Stau2 expression is conditionally silenced by Cre-inducible expression of a microRNA (miRNA) targeting Stau2 mRNA in adult forebrain neurons. Known physiological mRNA targets for Stau2, such as RhoA, Complexin 1, and Rgs4 mRNAs, are found to be dysregulated in brains of Stau2-deficient rats. In vivo electrophysiological recordings reveal synaptic strengthening upon stimulation, showing a shift in the frequency-response function of hippocampal synaptic plasticity to favor long-term potentiation and impair long-term depression in Stau2-deficient rats. These observations are accompanied by deficits in hippocampal spatial working memory, spatial novelty detection, and in tasks investigating associative learning and memory. Conclusions Together, these experiments reveal a critical contribution of Stau2 to various forms of synaptic plasticity including spatial working memory and cognitive management of new environmental information. These findings might contribute to the development of treatments for conditions associated with learning and memory deficits. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-017-1350-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan M Berger
- Department of Molecular Biology, CIMH and Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Iván Fernández-Lamo
- Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013, Seville, Spain.,Present Address: Institute Cajal (CSIC), 28002, Madrid, Spain
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, CIMH and Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sandra M Fernández Moya
- BioMedical Center, Medical Faculty, Ludwig Maximilians University, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Janina Ehses
- BioMedical Center, Medical Faculty, Ludwig Maximilians University, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Rico Schieweck
- BioMedical Center, Medical Faculty, Ludwig Maximilians University, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Stefano Clementi
- Department of Molecular Biology, CIMH and Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Thomas Enkel
- Department of Molecular Biology, CIMH and Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sascha Grothe
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Inmaculada Segura
- BioMedical Center, Medical Faculty, Ludwig Maximilians University, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| | | | - Agnès Gruart
- Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Michael A Kiebler
- BioMedical Center, Medical Faculty, Ludwig Maximilians University, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, CIMH and Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
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9
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Völkening B, Schönig K, Kronenberg G, Bartsch D, Weber T. Deletion of psychiatric risk geneCacna1cimpairs hippocampal neurogenesis in cell-autonomous fashion. Glia 2017; 65:817-827. [DOI: 10.1002/glia.23128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Völkening
- Department of Molecular Biology; Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University; J5 Mannheim 68159 Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology; Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University; J5 Mannheim 68159 Germany
| | - Golo Kronenberg
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte; Charitéplatz 1 Berlin 10117 Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology; Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University; J5 Mannheim 68159 Germany
| | - Tillmann Weber
- Department of Molecular Biology; Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University; J5 Mannheim 68159 Germany
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine; Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University; J5 Mannheim 68159 Germany
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10
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Haeussler M, Schönig K, Eckert H, Eschstruth A, Mianné J, Renaud JB, Schneider-Maunoury S, Shkumatava A, Teboul L, Kent J, Joly JS, Concordet JP. Evaluation of off-target and on-target scoring algorithms and integration into the guide RNA selection tool CRISPOR. Genome Biol 2016; 17:148. [PMID: 27380939 PMCID: PMC4934014 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-016-1012-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1027] [Impact Index Per Article: 128.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The success of the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technique depends on the choice of the guide RNA sequence, which is facilitated by various websites. Despite the importance and popularity of these algorithms, it is unclear to which extent their predictions are in agreement with actual measurements. RESULTS We conduct the first independent evaluation of CRISPR/Cas9 predictions. To this end, we collect data from eight SpCas9 off-target studies and compare them with the sites predicted by popular algorithms. We identify problems in one implementation but found that sequence-based off-target predictions are very reliable, identifying most off-targets with mutation rates superior to 0.1 %, while the number of false positives can be largely reduced with a cutoff on the off-target score. We also evaluate on-target efficiency prediction algorithms against available datasets. The correlation between the predictions and the guide activity varied considerably, especially for zebrafish. Together with novel data from our labs, we find that the optimal on-target efficiency prediction model strongly depends on whether the guide RNA is expressed from a U6 promoter or transcribed in vitro. We further demonstrate that the best predictions can significantly reduce the time spent on guide screening. CONCLUSIONS To make these guidelines easily accessible to anyone planning a CRISPR genome editing experiment, we built a new website ( http://crispor.org ) that predicts off-targets and helps select and clone efficient guide sequences for more than 120 genomes using different Cas9 proteins and the eight efficiency scoring systems evaluated here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Haeussler
- Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, MS CBSE, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA.
| | - Kai Schönig
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, 68159, Germany
| | - Hélène Eckert
- Institut Curie, CNRS UMR3215, INSERM U934, Paris, Cedex, 05 75248, France
| | - Alexis Eschstruth
- CNRS UMR 7622, INSERM U1156, Sorbonne Université Paris 06, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | - Alena Shkumatava
- Institut Curie, CNRS UMR3215, INSERM U934, Paris, Cedex, 05 75248, France
| | | | - Jim Kent
- Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, MS CBSE, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | | | - Jean-Paul Concordet
- INSERM U1154, CNRS UMR 7196, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.
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11
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Favicchio R, Psycharakis S, Schönig K, Bartsch D, Mamalaki C, Papamatheakis J, Ripoll J, Zacharakis G. Quantitative performance characterization of three-dimensional noncontact fluorescence molecular tomography. J Biomed Opt 2016; 21:26009. [PMID: 26891600 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.21.2.026009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent proteins and dyes are routine tools for biological research to describe the behavior of genes, proteins, and cells, as well as more complex physiological dynamics such as vessel permeability and pharmacokinetics. The use of these probes in whole body in vivo imaging would allow extending the range and scope of current biomedical applications and would be of great interest. In order to comply with a wide variety of application demands, in vivo imaging platform requirements span from wide spectral coverage to precise quantification capabilities. Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) detects and reconstructs in three dimensions the distribution of a fluorophore in vivo. Noncontact FMT allows fast scanning of an excitation source and noninvasive measurement of emitted fluorescent light using a virtual array detector operating in free space. Here, a rigorous process is defined that fully characterizes the performance of a custom-built horizontal noncontact FMT setup. Dynamic range, sensitivity, and quantitative accuracy across the visible spectrum were evaluated using fluorophores with emissions between 520 and 660 nm. These results demonstrate that high-performance quantitative three-dimensional visible light FMT allowed the detection of challenging mesenteric lymph nodes in vivo and the comparison of spectrally distinct fluorescent reporters in cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosy Favicchio
- Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Division of Cancer, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, United KingdombFoundation for Research and Technology Hellas-Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, N. Plastira 100, 7
| | - Stylianos Psycharakis
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas-Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, N. Plastira 100, 7100 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Kai Schönig
- Central Institute of Mental Health and Heidelberg University, Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Central Institute of Mental Health and Heidelberg University, Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Clio Mamalaki
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas-Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, N. Plastira 100, 7100 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Joseph Papamatheakis
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas-Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, N. Plastira 100, 7100 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Jorge Ripoll
- Universidad Carlos III of Madrid, Department of Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering, 28911 Madrid, SpainfInstituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Experimental Medicine and Surgery Unit, 28007 Madrid, Spain
| | - Giannis Zacharakis
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas-Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, N. Plastira 100, 7100 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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Pfarr S, Meinhardt MW, Klee ML, Hansson AC, Vengeliene V, Schönig K, Bartsch D, Hope BT, Spanagel R, Sommer WH. P-67LOSING CONTROL: EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL SEEKING AFTER SELECTIVE INACTIVATION OF CUE-RESPONSIVE NEURONS IN THE INFRALIMBIC CORTEX. Alcohol Alcohol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agv080.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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13
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Scharinger A, Eckrich S, Vandael DH, Schönig K, Koschak A, Hecker D, Kaur G, Lee A, Sah A, Bartsch D, Benedetti B, Lieb A, Schick B, Singewald N, Sinnegger-Brauns MJ, Carbone E, Engel J, Striessnig J. Cell-type-specific tuning of Cav1.3 Ca(2+)-channels by a C-terminal automodulatory domain. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:309. [PMID: 26379493 PMCID: PMC4547004 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [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: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cav1.3 L-type Ca(2+)-channel function is regulated by a C-terminal automodulatory domain (CTM). It affects channel binding of calmodulin and thereby tunes channel activity by interfering with Ca(2+)- and voltage-dependent gating. Alternative splicing generates short C-terminal channel variants lacking the CTM resulting in enhanced Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation and stronger voltage-sensitivity upon heterologous expression. However, the role of this modulatory domain for channel function in its native environment is unkown. To determine its functional significance in vivo, we interrupted the CTM with a hemagglutinin tag in mutant mice (Cav1.3DCRD(HA/HA)). Using these mice we provide biochemical evidence for the existence of long (CTM-containing) and short (CTM-deficient) Cav1.3 α1-subunits in brain. The long (HA-labeled) Cav1.3 isoform was present in all ribbon synapses of cochlear inner hair cells. CTM-elimination impaired Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation of Ca(2+)-currents in hair cells but increased it in chromaffin cells, resulting in hyperpolarized resting potentials and reduced pacemaking. CTM disruption did not affect hearing thresholds. We show that the modulatory function of the CTM is affected by its native environment in different cells and thus occurs in a cell-type specific manner in vivo. It stabilizes gating properties of Cav1.3 channels required for normal electrical excitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Scharinger
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stephanie Eckrich
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland University Homburg, Germany
| | - David H Vandael
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Drug Science, Nanostructured Interfaces and Surfaces Center, University of Torino Torino, Italy
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alexandra Koschak
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dietmar Hecker
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University Homburg, Germany
| | - Gurjot Kaur
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Amy Lee
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Anupam Sah
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University Mannheim, Germany
| | - Bruno Benedetti
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Innsbruck Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andreas Lieb
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Bernhard Schick
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University Homburg, Germany
| | - Nicolas Singewald
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Martina J Sinnegger-Brauns
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Emilio Carbone
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Drug Science, Nanostructured Interfaces and Surfaces Center, University of Torino Torino, Italy
| | - Jutta Engel
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland University Homburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Striessnig
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck Innsbruck, Austria
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Björkqvist J, de Maat S, Lewandrowski U, Di Gennaro A, Oschatz C, Schönig K, Nöthen MM, Drouet C, Braley H, Nolte MW, Sickmann A, Panousis C, Maas C, Renné T. Defective glycosylation of coagulation factor XII underlies hereditary angioedema type III. J Clin Invest 2015; 125:3132-46. [PMID: 26193639 DOI: 10.1172/jci77139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hereditary angioedema type III (HAEIII) is a rare inherited swelling disorder that is associated with point mutations in the gene encoding the plasma protease factor XII (FXII). Here, we demonstrate that HAEIII-associated mutant FXII, derived either from HAEIII patients or recombinantly produced, is defective in mucin-type Thr309-linked glycosylation. Loss of glycosylation led to increased contact-mediated autoactivation of zymogen FXII, resulting in excessive activation of the bradykinin-forming kallikrein-kinin pathway. In contrast, both FXII-driven coagulation and the ability of C1-esterase inhibitor to bind and inhibit activated FXII were not affected by the mutation. Intravital laser-scanning microscopy revealed that, compared with control animals, both F12-/- mice reconstituted with recombinant mutant forms of FXII and humanized HAEIII mouse models with inducible liver-specific expression of Thr309Lys-mutated FXII exhibited increased contact-driven microvascular leakage. An FXII-neutralizing antibody abolished bradykinin generation in HAEIII patient plasma and blunted edema in HAEIII mice. Together, the results of this study characterize the mechanism of HAEIII and establish FXII inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy to interfere with excessive vascular leakage in HAEIII and potentially alleviate edema due to other causes.
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15
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Bäumer N, Bäumer S, Haak M, Koschmieder S, Schönig K, Berdel WE, Müller-Tidow C. A Limited Role for the Cell Cycle Regulator Cyclin A1 in Murine Leukemogenesis. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0129147. [PMID: 26080083 PMCID: PMC4469679 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The quest for novel therapeutic targets in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still ongoing. One of such targets, cyclin A1, was shown to be overexpressed in AML including AML stem cells. However, the function of cyclin A1 in AML is largely unknown, and the data on its impact on patients´ survival remain controversial. Therefore, we developed a transgenic mouse model of stem cell-directed inducible cyclin A1 overexpression and crossed these mice with PML-RARα-knockin mice, which develop an AML M3-like phenotype. To observe the effects of cyclin A1 loss-of-function, we also crossed PML-RARα-knockin mice to cyclin A1-knockout mice. Neither overexpression nor loss of cyclin A1 significantly altered leukemogenesis in PML-RARα-knockin mice. These findings imply that upregulation of cyclin A1 is not essential for leukemogenesis. Our data suggest that cyclin A1 does not represent a suitable target for AML therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Bäumer
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology/Oncology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
- * E-mail: (NB); (CMT)
| | - Sebastian Bäumer
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology/Oncology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Miriam Haak
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology/Oncology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Steffen Koschmieder
- Department of Medicine (Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and SCT), Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Molecular Biology, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Wolfgang E. Berdel
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology/Oncology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Carsten Müller-Tidow
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology/Oncology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
- Dept. of Medicine IV, Hematology and Oncology, University of Halle, Halle, Germany
- * E-mail: (NB); (CMT)
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Ueberham E, Glöckner P, Göhler C, Straub BK, Teupser D, Schönig K, Braeuning A, Höhn AK, Jerchow B, Birchmeier W, Gaunitz F, Arendt T, Sansom O, Gebhardt R, Ueberham U. Global increase of p16INK4a in APC-deficient mouse liver drives clonal growth of p16INK4a-negative tumors. Mol Cancer Res 2015; 13:239-49. [PMID: 25270420 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-14-0278-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Reduction of β-catenin (CTNNB1) destroying complex components, for example, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), induces β-catenin signaling and subsequently triggers activation of genes involved in proliferation and tumorigenesis. Though diminished expression of APC has organ-specific and threshold-dependent influence on the development of liver tumors in mice, the molecular basis is poorly understood. Therefore, a detailed investigation was conducted to determine the underlying mechanism in the development of liver tumors under reduced APC levels. Mouse liver at different developmental stages was analyzed in terms of β-catenin target genes including Cyp2e1, Glul, and Ihh using real-time RT-PCR, reporter gene assays, and immunohistologic methods with consideration of liver zonation. Data from human livers with mutations in APC derived from patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) were also included. Hepatocyte senescence was investigated by determining p16(INK4a) expression level, presence of senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, and assessing ploidy. A β-catenin activation of hepatocytes does not always result in β-catenin positive but unexpectedly also in mixed and β-catenin-negative tumors. In summary, a senescence-inducing program was found in hepatocytes with increased β-catenin levels and a positive selection of hepatocytes lacking p16(INK4a), by epigenetic silencing, drives the development of liver tumors in mice with reduced APC expression (Apc(580S) mice). The lack of p16(INK4a) was also detected in liver tumors of mice with triggers other than APC reduction. IMPLICATIONS Epigenetic silencing of p16(Ink4a) in selected liver cells bypassing senescence is a general principle for development of liver tumors with β-catenin involvement in mice independent of the initial stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Ueberham
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. Department of Cell Engineering/GLP, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Pia Glöckner
- Department for Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration, University of Leipzig, Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Claudia Göhler
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Beate K Straub
- Institute of Pathology, University Clinic, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Teupser
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Albert Braeuning
- Department of Toxicology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Boris Jerchow
- Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | | | - Frank Gaunitz
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Arendt
- Department for Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration, University of Leipzig, Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Owen Sansom
- The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Rolf Gebhardt
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Uwe Ueberham
- Department for Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration, University of Leipzig, Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Leipzig, Germany.
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Li Y, Schmidt-Edelkraut U, Poetz F, Oliva I, Mandl C, Hölzl-Wenig G, Schönig K, Bartsch D, Ciccolini F. γ-Aminobutyric A receptor (GABA(A)R) regulates aquaporin 4 expression in the subependymal zone: relevance to neural precursors and water exchange. J Biol Chem 2014; 290:4343-55. [PMID: 25540202 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.618686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [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: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of γ-aminobutyric A receptors (GABA(A)Rs) in the subependymal zone (SEZ) induces hyperpolarization and osmotic swelling in precursors, thereby promoting surface expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and cell cycle entry. However, the mechanisms underlying the GABAergic modulation of cell swelling are unclear. Here, we show that GABA(A)Rs colocalize with the water channel aquaporin (AQP) 4 in prominin-1 immunopositive (P(+)) precursors in the postnatal SEZ, which include neural stem cells. GABA(A)R signaling promotes AQP4 expression by decreasing serine phosphorylation associated with the water channel. The modulation of AQP4 expression by GABA(A)R signaling is key to its effect on cell swelling and EGFR expression. In addition, GABA(A)R function also affects the ability of neural precursors to swell in response to an osmotic challenge in vitro and in vivo. Thus, the regulation of AQP4 by GABA(A)Rs is involved in controlling activation of neural stem cells and water exchange dynamics in the SEZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Li
- From the Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg and
| | - Udo Schmidt-Edelkraut
- From the Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg and
| | - Fabian Poetz
- From the Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg and
| | - Ilaria Oliva
- From the Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg and
| | - Claudia Mandl
- From the Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg and
| | - Gabriele Hölzl-Wenig
- From the Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg and
| | - Kai Schönig
- the Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- the Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J5 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Francesca Ciccolini
- From the Department of Neurobiology, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120 Heidelberg and
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18
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Ravi N, Li Z, Oettl LL, Bartsch D, Schönig K, Kelsch W. Postnatal subventricular zone progenitors switch their fate to generate neurons with distinct synaptic input patterns. Development 2014; 142:303-13. [PMID: 25519243 DOI: 10.1242/dev.110767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
New granule cell neurons (GCs) generated in the neonatal and adult subventricular zone (SVZ) have distinct patterns of input synapses in their dendritic domains. These synaptic input patterns determine the computations that the neurons eventually perform in the olfactory bulb. We observed that GCs generated earlier in postnatal life had acquired an 'adult' synaptic development only in one dendritic domain, and only later-born GCs showed an 'adult' synaptic development in both dendritic domains. It is unknown to what extent the distinct synaptic input patterns are already determined in SVZ progenitors and/or by the brain circuit into which neurons integrate. To distinguish these possibilities, we heterochronically transplanted retrovirally labeled SVZ progenitor cells. Once these transplanted progenitors, which mainly expressed Mash1, had differentiated into GCs, their glutamatergic input synapses were visualized by genetic tags. We observed that GCs derived from neonatal progenitors differentiating in the adult maintained their characteristic neonatal synapse densities. Grafting of adult SVZ progenitors to the neonate had a different outcome. These GCs formed synaptic densities that corresponded to neither adult nor neonatal patterns in two dendritic domains. In summary, progenitors in the neonatal and adult brain generate distinct GC populations and switch their fate to generate neurons with specific synaptic input patterns. Once they switch, adult progenitors require specific properties of the circuit to maintain their characteristic synaptic input patterns. Such determination of synaptic input patterns already at the progenitor-cell level may be exploited for brain repair to engineer neurons with defined wiring patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namasivayam Ravi
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim 68159, Germany German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Zhijun Li
- German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Lars-Lennart Oettl
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim 68159, Germany German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim 68159, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim 68159, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Kelsch
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim 68159, Germany German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
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Allmendinger AJ, Schönig K, Gruss OJ, Berger S, Berger MR. Abstract 2750: Conditional RNAi-mediated knockdown of TPX2 synergizes with vincristine and docetaxel cytotoxicity against HeLa cell sub-clones in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Res 2014. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2014-2750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Microtubuli-associated proteins could be potent novel targets for anti-cancer therapy. To test this hypothesis, a HeLa cell line was generated, in which the reverse tetracycline-dependent transactivator rtTA2S-M2 drives the expression of eGFP and a miRNA, inducing RNAi-dependent inhibition of TPX2 expression, from the bidirectional tet-regulated promoter (HeLa EM2-11-TPX2). As a negative control for respective experiments a similar cell line was generated (HeLa EM2-11), in which the presence of the inducer doxycycline (dox) activates expression of the genes mCherry and firefly luciferase. First, the effect of TPX2 knockdown on in vitro proliferation was determined by MTT assay. Here, the respective cells were treated with either a single agent therapy consisting of vincristine (VC) (0.5-2.6 ng/ml) or docetaxel (DCX) (0.125-4 nmol/l) or dox (0.2 μg/ml), or a combination of dox and VC or DCX, and cell viability was assessed after 72h. Treatment with VC or DCX caused a concentration-dependent decrease in proliferation in vitro, whereas knockdown of TPX2 reduced cell growth by 35-45%. The proliferation of HeLa EM2-11-TPX2 was synergistically reduced by the combination treatment dox and VC and additively reduced by dox and DCX when compared to the single agent exposures. Next, the efficiency of tumor growth inhibition following knockdown of TPX2 alone or in combination with VC or DCX was tested in a nude mouse xenograft model. Here, the size of tumors growing in nude mice following s.c. implantation was monitored over a period of 4-5 weeks. Dox (0.2 mg/ml in drinking water) was given continuously from day 14 after cell injection until the end of the observation period. The antimitotic agents VC (1 mg/kg) or DCX (22.3 mg/kg) were applied twice on days 14 and 21. In nude mice, TPX2-knockdown alone caused a 71% reduction in tumor growth. VC or DCX reduced tumor growth by 59% or 76%, respectively. The combination of dox and VC or DCX inhibited tumor growth by 93% or 97%, respectively. Both combination treatments were significantly superior to the respective single treatment arms (p<0.05). We could demonstrate that persistent inactivation of TPX2 expression was highly effective in inhibiting tumor growth, both in vitro and in vivo. The combination of the conditional TPX2-knockdown and VC showed a synergistic therapeutic effect in vitro, whereas the combination of TPX2-knockdown and DCX showed an additive therapeutic effect in vitro. Both combination treatments were significantly superior to the respective single agent treatments in vivo.
It is concluded that TPX2 is a valuable treatment target, causing effective tumor growth inhibition, which can be successfully combined with other anti-mitotic agents.
Citation Format: Annette J. Allmendinger, Kai Schönig, Oliver J. Gruss, Stefan Berger, Martin R. Berger. Conditional RNAi-mediated knockdown of TPX2 synergizes with vincristine and docetaxel cytotoxicity against HeLa cell sub-clones in vitro and in vivo. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2750. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2750
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kai Schönig
- 2Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Berger
- 2Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
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20
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Petrasek T, Prokopova I, Sladek M, Weissova K, Vojtechova I, Bahnik S, Zemanova A, Schönig K, Berger S, Tews B, Bartsch D, Schwab ME, Sumova A, Stuchlik A. Nogo-A-deficient Transgenic Rats Show Deficits in Higher Cognitive Functions, Decreased Anxiety, and Altered Circadian Activity Patterns. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:90. [PMID: 24672453 PMCID: PMC3957197 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [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: 12/09/2013] [Accepted: 03/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Decreased levels of Nogo-A-dependent signaling have been shown to affect behavior and cognitive functions. In Nogo-A knockout and knockdown laboratory rodents, behavioral alterations were observed, possibly corresponding with human neuropsychiatric diseases of neurodevelopmental origin, particularly schizophrenia. This study offers further insight into behavioral manifestations of Nogo-A knockdown in laboratory rats, focusing on spatial and non-spatial cognition, anxiety levels, circadian rhythmicity, and activity patterns. Demonstrated is an impairment of cognitive functions and behavioral flexibility in a spatial active avoidance task, while non-spatial memory in a step-through avoidance task was spared. No signs of anhedonia, typical for schizophrenic patients, were observed in the animals. Some measures indicated lower anxiety levels in the Nogo-A-deficient group. Circadian rhythmicity in locomotor activity was preserved in the Nogo-A knockout rats and their circadian period (tau) did not differ from controls. However, daily activity patterns were slightly altered in the knockdown animals. We conclude that a reduction of Nogo-A levels induces changes in CNS development, manifested as subtle alterations in cognitive functions, emotionality, and activity patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Petrasek
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic ; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague , Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Iva Prokopova
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Martin Sladek
- Department of Neurohumoral Regulations, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Kamila Weissova
- Department of Neurohumoral Regulations, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Iveta Vojtechova
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Stepan Bahnik
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic ; Social Psychology, Department of Psychology II, University of Würzburg , Würzburg , Germany
| | - Anna Zemanova
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Stefan Berger
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Björn Tews
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland ; Neurosciences, Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland ; Division of Molecular Mechanisms of Tumor Invasion, German Cancer Research Center , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Martin E Schwab
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland ; Neurosciences, Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland
| | - Alena Sumova
- Department of Neurohumoral Regulations, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic
| | - Ales Stuchlik
- Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic
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21
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Enkel T, Berger SM, Schönig K, Tews B, Bartsch D. Reduced expression of nogo-a leads to motivational deficits in rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:10. [PMID: 24478657 PMCID: PMC3898325 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nogo-A is an important neurite growth-regulatory protein in the adult and developing nervous system. Mice lacking Nogo-A, or rats with neuronal Nogo-A deficiency, exhibit behavioral abnormalities such as impaired short-term memory, decreased pre-pulse inhibition, and behavioral inflexibility. In the current study, we extended the behavioral profile of the Nogo-A deficient rat line with respect to reward sensitivity and motivation, and determined the concentrations of the monoamines dopamine and serotonin in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), dorsal striatum (dSTR), and nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Using a limited access consumption task, we found similar intake of a sweet condensed milk solution following ad libitum or restricted feeding in wild-type and Nogo-A deficient rats, indicating normal reward sensitivity and translation of hunger into feeding behavior. When tested for motivation in a spontaneous progressive ratio task, Nogo-A deficient rats exhibited lower break points and tended to have lower "highest completed ratios." Further, under extinction conditions responding ceased substantially earlier in these rats. Finally, in the PFC we found increased tissue levels of serotonin, while dopamine was unaltered. Dopamine and serotonin levels were also unaltered in the dSTR and the NAcc. In summary, these results suggest a role for Nogo-A regulated processes in motivated behavior and related neurochemistry. The behavioral pattern observed resembles aspects of the negative symptomatology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Enkel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefan M. Berger
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Björn Tews
- Schaller Research Group, Division of Molecular Mechanisms of Tumor Invasion, University of Heidelberg and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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22
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Krištofiková Z, Vrajová M, Sírová J, Valeš K, Petrásek T, Schönig K, Tews B, Schwab M, Bartsch D, Stuchlík A, Rípová D. N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor - Nitric Oxide Synthase Pathway in the Cortex of Nogo-A-Deficient Rats in Relation to Brain Laterality and Schizophrenia. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:90. [PMID: 23964213 PMCID: PMC3740292 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 07/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that Nogo-A, a myelin-associated protein, could play a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and that Nogo-A-deficient rodents could serve as an animal model for schizophrenic symptoms. Since changes in brain laterality are typical of schizophrenia, we investigated whether Nogo-A-deficient rats showed any signs of disturbed asymmetry in cortical N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor–nitric oxide synthase (NOS) pathway, which is reported as dysfunctional in schizophrenia. In particular, we measured separately in the right and left hemisphere of young and old Nogo-A-deficient male rats the expression of NMDA receptor subunits (NR1, NR2A, and NR2B in the frontal cortex) and activities of NOS isoforms [neuronal (nNOS), endothelial (eNOS), and inducible (iNOS) in the parietal cortex]. In young controls, we observed right/left asymmetry of iNOS activity and three positive correlations (between NR1 in the left and NR2B laterality, between NR2B in the right and left sides, and between NR1 in the right side and nNOS laterality). In old controls, we found bilateral decreases in NR1, an increase in NR2B in the right side, and two changes in correlations in the NR1–nNOS pathway. In young Nogo-A-deficient rats, we observed an increase in iNOS activity in the left hemisphere and two changes in correlations in NR1–nNOS and NR2A–eNOS, compared to young controls. Finally, we revealed in old Nogo-A-deficient animals, bilateral decreases in NR1 and one change in correlation between eNOS–iNOS, compared to old controls. Although some findings from schizophrenic brains did not manifest in Nogo-A-deficient rats (e.g., no alterations in NR2B), others did (e.g., alterations demonstrating accelerated aging in young but not old animals, those occurring exclusively in the right hemisphere in young and old animals and those suggesting abnormal frontoparietal cortical interactions in young animals).
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23
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Nuber S, Harmuth F, Kohl Z, Adame A, Trejo M, Schönig K, Zimmermann F, Bauer C, Casadei N, Giel C, Calaminus C, Pichler BJ, Jensen PH, Müller CP, Amato D, Kornhuber J, Teismann P, Yamakado H, Takahashi R, Winkler J, Masliah E, Riess O. A progressive dopaminergic phenotype associated with neurotoxic conversion of α-synuclein in BAC-transgenic rats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 136:412-32. [PMID: 23413261 DOI: 10.1093/brain/aws358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Conversion of soluble α-synuclein into insoluble and fibrillar inclusions is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. Accumulating evidence points towards a relationship between its generation at nerve terminals and structural synaptic pathology. Little is known about the pathogenic impact of α-synuclein conversion and deposition at nigrostriatal dopaminergic synapses in transgenic mice, mainly owing to expression limitations of the α-synuclein construct. Here, we explore whether both the rat as a model and expression of the bacterial artificial chromosome construct consisting of human full-length wild-type α-synuclein could exert dopaminergic neuropathological effects. We found that the human promoter induced a pan-neuronal expression, matching the rodent α-synuclein expression pattern, however, with prominent C-terminally truncated fragments. Ageing promoted conversion of both full-length and C-terminally truncated α-synuclein species into insolube and proteinase K-resistant fibres, with strongest accumulation in the striatum, resembling biochemical changes seen in human Parkinson's disease. Transgenic rats develop early changes in novelty-seeking, avoidance and smell before the progressive motor deficit. Importantly, the observed pathological changes were associated with severe loss of the dopaminergic integrity, thus resembling more closely the human pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke Nuber
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, Medical Teaching Facility, Room 346, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0624, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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24
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Abstract
Here we introduce the “Tet-Transgenic Rodents” database, documenting most of the published Tet-transgenic mouse lines generated in the past 2 decades. Aside from the >500 mouse lines listed, it also includes the first of the recently reported Tet-transgenic rat models. Since the Tet technology comprises two essential components, a cis-acting promoter (Ptet) and a trans-acting transactivator, the database has been organized accordingly. One section of the database summarizes the different transgenic mouse lines carrying mostly tissue specific promoters driving the Tet transactivator. Another section covers transgenic mouse lines carrying responder transgenes under Ptet control. The few existing rat transgenic lines are listed correspondingly. It is the purpose of this database to facilitate the repeated use of preexisting, validated transgenic lines as a shortcut for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Schönig
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim / Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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25
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Schönig K, Weber T, Frömmig A, Wendler L, Pesold B, Djandji D, Bujard H, Bartsch D. Conditional gene expression systems in the transgenic rat brain. BMC Biol 2012; 10:77. [PMID: 22943311 PMCID: PMC3520851 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-10-77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2012] [Accepted: 09/03/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Turning gene expression on and off at will is one of the most powerful tools for the study of gene function in vivo. While several conditional systems were successful in invertebrates, in mice the Cre/loxP recombination system and the tet-controlled transcription activation system are predominant. Both expression systems allow for spatial and temporal control of gene activities, and, in the case of tet regulation, even for the reversible activation/inactivation of gene expression. Although the rat is the principal experimental model in biomedical research, in particular in studies of neuroscience, conditional rat transgenic systems are exceptionally rare in this species. RESULTS We addressed this lack of technology, and established and thoroughly characterized CreERT2 and tTA transgenic rats with forebrain-specific transgene expression, controlled by the CaMKII alpha promoter. In addition, we developed new universal rat reporter lines for both transcription control systems and established inducible and efficient reporter gene expression in forebrain neurons. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that conditional genetic manipulations in the rat brain are both feasible and practicable and outline advantages and limitations of the Tet and Cre/loxP system in the rat brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health and Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
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26
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Satheesh SV, Kunert K, Rüttiger L, Zuccotti A, Schönig K, Friauf E, Knipper M, Bartsch D, Nothwang HG. Retrocochlear function of the peripheral deafness gene Cacna1d. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 21:3896-909. [PMID: 22678062 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Hearing impairment represents the most common sensory deficit in humans. Genetic mutations contribute significantly to this disorder. Mostly, only malfunction of the ear is considered. Here, we assessed the role of the peripheral deafness gene Cacna1d, encoding the L-type channel Ca(v)1.3, in downstream processing of acoustic information. To this end, we generated a mouse conditional Cacna1d-eGFP(flex) allele. Upon pairing with Egr2::Cre mice, Ca(v)1.3 was ablated in the auditory brainstem, leaving the inner ear intact. Structural assessment of the superior olivary complex (SOC), an essential auditory brainstem center, revealed a dramatic volume reduction (43-47%) of major nuclei in young adult Egr2::Cre;Cacna1d-eGFP(flex) mice. This volume decline was mainly caused by a reduced cell number (decline by 46-56%). Abnormal formation of the lateral superior olive was already present at P4, demonstrating an essential perinatal role of Ca(v)1.3 in the SOC. Measurements of auditory brainstem responses demonstrated a decreased amplitude in the auditory nerve between 50 and 75 dB stimulation in Egr2::Cre;Cacna1d-eGFP(flex) knockout mice and increased amplitudes in central auditory processing centers. Immunohistochemical studies linked the amplitude changes in the central auditory system to reduced expression of K(v)1.2. No changes were observed for K(v)1.1, KCC2, a determinant of inhibitory neurotransmission, and choline acetyltransferase, a marker of efferent olivocochlear neurons. Together, these analyses identify a crucial retrocochlear role of Ca(v)1.3 and demonstrate that mutations in deafness genes can affect sensory cells and neurons alike. As a corollary, hearing aids have to address central auditory processing deficits as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somisetty V Satheesh
- Department of Neurogenetics, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
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Scharinger A, Hechenblaikner F, Bock G, Gebhart M, Schönig K, Bartsch D, Sah A, Singewald N, Sinnegger-Brauns MJ, Striessnig J. A mouse model to study the C-terminal regulation of CaV1.3 L-type calcium channels. BMC Pharmacol Toxicol 2012. [PMCID: PMC3506310 DOI: 10.1186/2050-6511-13-s1-a50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Waltereit R, Leimer U, von Bohlen Und Halbach O, Panke J, Hölter SM, Garrett L, Wittig K, Schneider M, Schmitt C, Calzada-Wack J, Neff F, Becker L, Prehn C, Kutscherjawy S, Endris V, Bacon C, Fuchs H, Gailus-Durner V, Berger S, Schönig K, Adamski J, Klopstock T, Esposito I, Wurst W, de Angelis MH, Rappold G, Wieland T, Bartsch D. Srgap3⁻/⁻ mice present a neurodevelopmental disorder with schizophrenia-related intermediate phenotypes. FASEB J 2012; 26:4418-28. [PMID: 22820399 DOI: 10.1096/fj.11-202317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the SRGAP3 gene residing on chromosome 3p25 have previously been associated with intellectual disability. Genome-wide association studies have also revealed SRGAP3, together with genes from the same cellular network, as risk genes for schizophrenia. SRGAP3 regulates cytoskeletal dynamics through the RHO protein RAC1. RHO proteins are known to be involved in cytoskeletal reorganization during brain development to control processes such as synaptic plasticity. To elucidate the importance of SRGAP3 in brain development, we generated Srgap3-knockout mice. Ten percent of these mice developed a hydrocephalus and died before adulthood. Surviving mice showed various neuroanatomical changes, including enlarged lateral ventricles, white matter tracts, and dendritic spines together with molecular changes, including an increased basal activity of RAC1. Srgap3(-/-) mice additionally exhibited a complex behavioral phenotype. Behavioral studies revealed an impaired spontaneous alternation and social behavior, while long-term memory was unchanged. The animals also had tics. Lower locomotor activity was observed in male Srgap3(-/-) only. Srgap3(-/-) mice showed increased methylphenidate stimulation in males and an impaired prepulse inhibition in females. Together, the results show neurodevelopmental aberration in Srgap3(-/-) mice, with many of the observed phenotypes matching several schizophrenia-related intermediate phenotypes. Mutations of SRGAP3 may thus contribute to various neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Waltereit
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health and Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Weber T, Renzland I, Baur M, Mönks S, Herrmann E, Huppert V, Nürnberg F, Schönig K, Bartsch D. Tetracycline inducible gene manipulation in serotonergic neurons. PLoS One 2012; 7:e38193. [PMID: 22693598 PMCID: PMC3364967 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2012] [Accepted: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The serotonergic (5-HT) neuronal system has important and diverse physiological functions throughout development and adulthood. Its dysregulation during development or later in adulthood has been implicated in many neuropsychiatric disorders. Transgenic animal models designed to study the contribution of serotonergic susceptibility genes to a pathological phenotype should ideally allow to study candidate gene overexpression or gene knockout selectively in serotonergic neurons at any desired time during life. For this purpose, conditional expression systems such as the tet-system are preferable. Here, we generated a transactivator (tTA) mouse line (TPH2-tTA) that allows temporal and spatial control of tetracycline (Ptet) controlled transgene expression as well as gene deletion in 5-HT neurons. The tTA cDNA was inserted into a 196 kb PAC containing a genomic mouse Tph2 fragment (177 kb) by homologous recombination in E. coli. For functional analysis of Ptet-controlled transgene expression, TPH2-tTA mice were crossed to a Ptet-regulated lacZ reporter line (Ptet-nLacZ). In adult double-transgenic TPH2-tTA/Ptet-nLacZ mice, TPH2-tTA founder line L62-20 showed strong serotonergic β-galactosidase expression which could be completely suppressed with doxycycline (Dox). Furthermore, Ptet-regulated gene expression could be reversibly activated or inactivated when Dox was either withdrawn or added to the system. For functional analysis of Ptet-controlled, Cre-mediated gene deletion, TPH2-tTA mice (L62-20) were crossed to double transgenic Ptet-Cre/R26R reporter mice to generate TPH2-tTA/Ptet-Cre/R26R mice. Without Dox, 5-HT specific recombination started at E12.5. With permanent Dox administration, Ptet-controlled Cre-mediated recombination was absent. Dox withdrawal either postnatally or during adulthood induced efficient recombination in serotonergic neurons of all raphe nuclei, respectively. In the enteric nervous system, recombination could not be detected. We generated a transgenic mouse tTA line (TPH2-tTA) which allows both inducible and reversible transgene expression and inducible Cre-mediated gene deletion selectively in 5-HT neurons throughout life. This will allow precise delineation of serotonergic gene functions during development and adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tillmann Weber
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Insa Renzland
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Max Baur
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Simon Mönks
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Elke Herrmann
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Verena Huppert
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Frank Nürnberg
- Institute for Applied Mathematics, Faculty for Informatics, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Kai Schönig
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Berger SM, Pesold B, Reber S, Schönig K, Berger AJ, Weidenfeld I, Miao J, Berger MR, Gruss OJ, Bartsch D. Quantitative analysis of conditional gene inactivation using rationally designed, tetracycline-controlled miRNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 2010; 38:e168. [PMID: 20639530 PMCID: PMC2943624 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkq616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The combination of RNA interference (RNAi) with the tetracycline-controlled transcription activation (tet) system promises to become a powerful method for conditional gene inactivation in cultured cells and in whole organisms. Here, we tested critical sequence elements that originated from miRNA mR-30 for optimal efficiency of RNAi-based gene knockdown in mammalian cells. Rationally designed miRNAs, expressed conditionally via the tet system, led to an efficient knockdown of the expression of both reporter genes and the endogenous mitotic spindle protein TPX2 in HeLa cells. Quantitative studies of the tet-controlled gene inactivation revealed that the residual expression of the target gene is an intrinsic attribute of all cells that cannot be eliminated either by increasing the miRNA to target mRNA ratio or by simultaneous expression of miRNAs targeting different sequences within the transcript. The kinetic analysis of the reversibility of the miRNA mediated knockdown suggests that the recovery of target gene expression is primarily driven by cell division. Our miRNA design provides a useful tool for conditional gene inactivation in combination with the RNA-polymerase II based tet system. The identified characteristics of the conditional RNAi-mediated knockdown need to be considered for its application in cell culture or in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan M Berger
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Molecular Biology, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany.
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Boross P, Breukel C, van Loo PF, van der Kaa J, Claassens JW, Bujard H, Schönig K, Verbeek JS. Highly B lymphocyte-specific tamoxifen inducible transgene expression of CreER T2 by using the LC-1 locus BAC vector. Genesis 2010; 47:729-35. [PMID: 19621440 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.20549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The generation of cell type specific inducible Cre transgenic mice is the most challenging and limiting part in the development of spatio-temporally controlled knockout mouse models. Here we report the generation and characterization of a B lymphocyte-specific tamoxifen-inducible Cre transgenic mouse strain, LC-1-hCD19-CreER(T2). We utilized the human CD19 promoter for expression of the tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase (CreER(T2)) gene, embedded in genomic sequences previously reported to give minimal position effects after transgenesis. Cre recombinase activity was evaluated by cross-breeding the LC-1-hCD19-CreER(T2) strain with a strain containing a floxed gene widely expressed in the hematopoietic system. Cre activity was only detected in the presence of tamoxifen and was restricted to B lymphocytes. The efficacy of recombination ranged from 27 to 61% in the hemizygous and homozygous mice, respectively. In conclusion, the LC-1-hCD19-CreER(T2) strain is a powerful tool to study gene function specifically in B lymphocytes at any chosen time point in the lifecycle of the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Boross
- Department of Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Weber T, Böhm G, Hermann E, Schütz G, Schönig K, Bartsch D. Inducible gene manipulations in serotonergic neurons. Front Mol Neurosci 2009; 2:24. [PMID: 19936315 PMCID: PMC2779094 DOI: 10.3389/neuro.02.024.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 09/01/2009] [Accepted: 10/14/2009] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
An impairment of the serotonergic (5-HT) system has been implicated in the etiology of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite the considerable genetic evidence, the exact molecular and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this dysfunction remain largely unknown. To address the lack of instruments for the molecular dissection of gene function in serotonergic neurons we have developed a new mouse transgenic tool that allows inducible Cre-mediated recombination of genes selectively in 5-HT neurons of all raphe nuclei. In this transgenic mouse line, the tamoxifen-inducible CreERT2 recombinase is expressed under the regulatory control of the mouse tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2) gene locus (177 kb). Tamoxifen treatment efficiently induced recombination selectively in serotonergic neurons with minimal background activity in vehicle-treated mice. These genetic manipulations can be initiated at any desired time during embryonic development, neonatal stage or adulthood. To illustrate the versatility of this new tool, we show that Brainbow-1.0L(TPH2-CreERT2) mice display highly efficient recombination in serotonergic neurons with individual 5-HT neurons labeling with multiple distinct fluorescent colors. This labeling is well suited for visualization and tracing of serotonergic neurons and their network architecture. Finally, the applicability of TPH2-CreERT2 for loxP-flanked candidate gene manipulation is evidenced by our successful knockout induction of the ubiquitously expressed glucocorticoid-receptor exclusively in 5-HT neurons of adult mice. The TPH2-CreERT2 line will allow detailed analysis of gene function in both developing and adult serotonergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tillmann Weber
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University Mannheim, Germany
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33
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Weidenfeld I, Gossen M, Löw R, Kentner D, Berger S, Görlich D, Bartsch D, Bujard H, Schönig K. Inducible expression of coding and inhibitory RNAs from retargetable genomic loci. Nucleic Acids Res 2009; 37:e50. [PMID: 19264799 PMCID: PMC2673444 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkp108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Conditional gene expression systems have developed into essential tools for the study of gene functions. However, their utility is often limited by the difficulty of identifying clonal cell lines, in which transgene control can be realized to its full potential. Here, we describe HeLa cell lines, in which we have identified-by functional analysis-genomic loci, from which the expression of transgenes can be tightly controlled via tetracycline-regulated expression. These loci can be re-targeted by recombinase-mediated cassette exchange. Upon exchange of the gene of interest, the resulting cell line exhibits the qualitative and quantitative properties of controlled transgene expression characteristic for the parent cell line. Moreover, by using an appropriate promoter, these cell lines express the tetracycline controlled transcription activator rtTA2-M2 uniformly throughout the entire cell population. The potential of this approach for functional genomics is highlighted by utilizing one of our master cell lines for the efficient microRNA-mediated knockdown of the endogenous human lamin A/C gene.
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Traykova-Brauch M, Schönig K, Greiner O, Miloud T, Jauch A, Bode M, Felsher DW, Glick AB, Kwiatkowski DJ, Bujard H, Horst J, von Knebel Doeberitz M, Niggli FK, Kriz W, Gröne HJ, Koesters R. An efficient and versatile system for acute and chronic modulation of renal tubular function in transgenic mice. Nat Med 2008; 14:979-84. [PMID: 18724376 DOI: 10.1038/nm.1865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2007] [Accepted: 02/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We describe a transgenic mouse line, Pax8-rtTA, which, under control of the mouse Pax8 promoter, directs high levels of expression of the reverse tetracycline-dependent transactivator (rtTA) to all proximal and distal tubules and the entire collecting duct system of both embryonic and adult kidneys. Using crosses of Pax8-rtTA mice with tetracycline-responsive c-MYC mice, we established a new, inducible model of polycystic kidney disease that can mimic adult onset and that shows progression to renal malignant disease. When targeting the expression of transforming growth factor beta-1 to the kidney, we avoided early lethality by discontinuous treatment and successfully established an inducible model of renal fibrosis. Finally, a conditional knockout of the gene encoding tuberous sclerosis complex-1 was achieved, which resulted in the early outgrowth of giant polycystic kidneys reminiscent of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. These experiments establish Pax8-rtTA mice as a powerful tool for modeling renal diseases in transgenic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Traykova-Brauch
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Eckermann K, Mocanu MM, Khlistunova I, Biernat J, Nissen A, Hofmann A, Schönig K, Bujard H, Haemisch A, Mandelkow E, Zhou L, Rune G, Mandelkow EM. The beta-propensity of Tau determines aggregation and synaptic loss in inducible mouse models of tauopathy. J Biol Chem 2007; 282:31755-65. [PMID: 17716969 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m705282200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurofibrillary lesions are characteristic for a group of human diseases, named tauopathies, which are characterized by prominent intracellular accumulations of abnormal filaments formed by the microtubule-associated protein Tau. The tauopathies are accompanied by abnormal changes in Tau protein, including pathological conformation, somatodendritic mislocalization, hyperphosphorylation, and aggregation, whose interdependence is not well understood. To address these issues we have created transgenic mouse lines in which different variants of full-length Tau are expressed in a regulatable fashion, allowing one to switch the expression on and off at defined time points. The Tau variants differ by small mutations in the hexapeptide motifs that control the ability of Tau to adopt a beta-structure conformation and hence to aggregate. The "pro-aggregation" mutant DeltaK280, derived from one of the mutations observed in frontotemporal dementias, aggregates avidly in vitro, whereas the "anti-aggregation" mutant DeltaK280/PP cannot aggregate because of two beta-breaking prolines. In the transgenic mice, the pro-aggregation Tau induces a pathological conformation and pre-tangle aggregation, even at low expression levels, the anti-aggregation mutant does not. This illustrates that abnormal aggregation is primarily controlled by the molecular structure of Tau in vitro and in the organism. Both variants of Tau become mislocalized and hyperphosphorylated independently of aggregation, suggesting that localization and phosphorylation are mainly a consequence of increased concentration. These pathological changes are reversible when the expression of Tau is switched off. The pro-aggregation Tau causes a strong reduction in spine synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Eckermann
- Max-Planck Unit for Structural Molecular Biology, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
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Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the causative agent of most cases of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) affecting more than 170 million people world-wide. Progress in elucidating the nature of HCV and the development of new therapeutic strategies is hampered fundamentally by the absence of adequate small animal models simulating natural HCV infection. The creation of conditional mouse lines with the tetracycline-controlled gene expression system holds new perspectives for simulation of wild-type HCV infection in a small animal model. Transgenic mice were established with tetracycline-inducible coexpression of HCV core or HCV open reading frame (ORF) and luciferase. In long-term induction experiments, mice were examined for immunopathological changes after expression of HCV proteins. Inducible and liver-specific expression of transgenes was detected by Western blot, immunoprecipitation, luciferase assay and in vivo imaging of bioluminescence of luciferase in genetically modified mice. Ectopic expression levels were determined quantitatively in the liver, kidney, heart and spleen of mice in the induced and non-induced state. During long-term induction an elevation of aminotransaminases (ALT) was observed only in HCV core/ORF-expressing mice, but HCV-specific immune response was not confirmed by in vitro immunological assays. The histology of liver sections provided evidence of steatosis, which was correlated with an inflammatory response. The inducible HCV-transgenic mouse lines provide further evidence of liver pathogenesis in the presence of inflammation during liver-specific expression of HCV proteins and offer new insights into the effects of temporally and spatially controlled protein expression of HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Ernst
- Internal Medicine IV, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Eckermann K, Khlistunova I, Biernat J, Mocanu M, Schönig K, Bujard H, Haemisch A, Rune G, Zhou L, Alzheimer C, Mandelkow EM. O2–04–04: Formation of tau pathology in transgenic mice conditionally expressing human tau with delK280 mutation impairs synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neurons. Alzheimers Dement 2006. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2006.05.132] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Wilkinson J, Di X, Schönig K, Buss JL, Kock ND, Cline JM, Saunders TL, Bujard H, Torti SV, Torti FM. Tissue-specific expression of ferritin H regulates cellular iron homoeostasis in vivo. Biochem J 2006; 395:501-7. [PMID: 16448386 PMCID: PMC1462685 DOI: 10.1042/bj20060063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ferritin is a ubiquitously distributed iron-binding protein. Cell culture studies have demonstrated that ferritin plays a role in maintenance of iron homoeostasis and in the protection against cytokine- and oxidant-induced stress. To test whether FerH (ferritin H) can regulate tissue iron homoeostasis in vivo, we prepared transgenic mice that conditionally express FerH and EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) from a bicistronic tetracycline-inducible promoter. Two transgenic models were explored. In the first, the FerH and EGFP transgenes were controlled by the tTA(CMV) (Tet-OFF) (where tTA and CMV are tet transactivator protein and cytomegalovirus respectively). In skeletal muscle of mice bearing the FerH/EGFP and tTA(CMV) transgenes, FerH expression was increased 6.0+/-1.1-fold (mean+/-S.D.) compared with controls. In the second model, the FerH/EGFP transgenes were controlled by an optimized Tet-ON transactivator, rtTA2(S)-S2(LAP) (where rtTA is reverse tTA and LAP is liver activator protein), resulting in expression predominantly in the kidney and liver. In mice expressing these transgenes, doxycycline induced FerH in the kidney by 14.2+/-4.8-fold (mean+/-S.D.). Notably, increases in ferritin in overexpressers versus control littermates were accompanied by an elevation of IRP (iron regulatory protein) activity of 2.3+/-0.9-fold (mean+/-S.D.), concurrent with a 4.5+/-2.1-fold (mean+/-S.D.) increase in transferrin receptor, indicating that overexpression of FerH is sufficient to elicit a phenotype of iron depletion. These results demonstrate that FerH not only responds to changes in tissue iron (its classic role), but can actively regulate overall tissue iron balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Wilkinson
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
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Viatte L, Nicolas G, Lou DQ, Bennoun M, Lesbordes-Brion JC, Canonne-Hergaux F, Schönig K, Bujard H, Kahn A, Andrews NC, Vaulont S. Chronic hepcidin induction causes hyposideremia and alters the pattern of cellular iron accumulation in hemochromatotic mice. Blood 2005; 107:2952-8. [PMID: 16339398 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2005-10-4071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the generation of a tetracycline-regulated (Tet ON) transgenic mouse model for acute and chronic expression of the iron regulatory peptide hepcidin in the liver. We demonstrate that short-term and long-term tetracycline-dependent activation of hepcidin in adult mice leads to hypoferremia and iron-limited erythropoiesis, respectively. This clearly establishes the key role of hepcidin in regulating the extracellular iron concentration. We previously demonstrated that, when expressed early in fetal development, constitutive transgenic hepcidin expression prevented iron accumulation in an Hfe-/- mouse model of hemochromatosis. We now explore the effect of chronic hepcidin expression in adult Hfe-/- mice that have already developed liver iron overload. We demonstrate that induction of chronic hepcidin expression in 2-month-old Hfe-/- mice alters their pattern of cellular iron accumulation, leading to increased iron in tissue macrophages and duodenal cells but less iron in hepatocytes. These hepcidin-induced changes in the pattern of cellular iron accumulation are associated with decreased expression of the iron exporter ferroportin in macrophages but no detectable alteration of ferroportin expression in the hepatocytes. We speculate that this change in iron homeostasis could offer a therapeutic advantage by protecting against damage to parenchymal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydie Viatte
- Institut Cochin, Faculté de Médecine Cochin Port Royal, 24, rue du Faubourg Saint Jacques 75014 Paris, France
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Dumortier J, Schönig K, Oberwinkler H, Löw R, Giese T, Bujard H, Schirmacher P, Protzer U. Liver-specific expression of interferon gamma following adenoviral gene transfer controls hepatitis B virus replication in mice. Gene Ther 2005; 12:668-77. [PMID: 15647761 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Interferons control viral replication and the growth of some malignant tumors. Since systemic application may cause severe adverse effects, tissue-specific expression is an attractive alternative. Liver-directed interferon gene therapy offers promising applications such as chronic viral hepatitis B or C or hepatocellular carcinoma and thus needs testing in vivo in suitable animal models. We therefore used the Tet-On system to regulate gene expression in adenoviral vectors, and studied the effect of liver-specific and regulated interferon gamma expression in a mouse model of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In a first generation adenoviral vector, genes encoding for firefly luciferase and interferons alpha, beta or gamma, respectively, were coexpressed under control of the bidirectional tetracycline-regulated promoter P(tet)bi. Liver-specific promoters driving expression of the reverse tetracycline controlled transactivator ensured local expression in the livers of HBV transgenic mice. Following gene transfer, we demonstrated low background, tight regulation and a 1000-fold induction of gene expression by doxycycline. Both genes within the bidirectional transcription unit were expressed simultaneously, and in a liver-specific fashion in cell culture and in living mice. Doxycycline-dependent interferon gamma expression effectively controlled HBV replication in mice, but did not eliminate HBV transcripts. This system will help to study the effects of local cytokine expression in mouse disease models in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Dumortier
- Department of Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Abstract
The great advantage of the tetracycline-inducible system lies in its ability to address a large variety of biological questions in a time-dependent and tissue-specific manner. This study describes a transgenic mouse line, rTA(LAP)-1, which produces the reverse tetracycline transactivator under control of the liver activator protein (LAP) promoter. Two reporter lines with luciferase and LacZ reporter genes were used to demonstrate predominant expression in the kidney and liver when doxycycline was added to the drinking water. In the kidney, transgene expression was found primarily in cortical proximal tubules. No luciferase and beta-galactosidase activity was detected in mice without doxycycline in the drinking water, which attests to the tight control of this system. One of the advantages of the tet system lies in its reversibility, and indeed, a virtually complete remission of transgene activity in both the kidney and liver was observed when doxycycline was withdrawn. Also examined was transactivator activity during development by exposing the mothers producing the reverse transactivator to doxycycline before mating. Transgene activity was detected in newborn kidneys and liver, indicating that sufficient amounts of doxycycline had crossed the placental barrier. During nephron development, the LAP promoter appeared to be only active in the more mature proximal tubules. Finally, the rTA(LAP)-1 line was used to inducibly express the human PKD2 cDNA in proximal tubules of transgenic mice, but no cystic changes were detected, even after 6 mo of induction.
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Ueberham E, Löw R, Ueberham U, Schönig K, Bujard H, Gebhardt R. Conditional tetracycline-regulated expression of TGF-beta1 in liver of transgenic mice leads to reversible intermediary fibrosis. Hepatology 2003; 37:1067-78. [PMID: 12717387 DOI: 10.1053/jhep.2003.50196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Based on the tetracycline-regulated gene expression system, a double-transgenic mouse model for liver fibrosis was established in which the expression of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) can be regulated deliberately by addition or removal of doxycycline hydrochloride to the drinking water. TGF-beta1 plasma levels in induced double-transgenic mice reached values ranging from 250 to 1,200 ng/mL, being 10 to 30 times above the normal plasma levels. By applying a cyclic induction-deinduction protocol, deleterious effects of the high plasma TGF-beta1 levels were overcome. By using this protocol, liver fibrosis occurred within a few cycles and progressed further to an intermediary fibrosis when cyclic induction was continued. On histochemical staining, a marked perisinusoidal deposition of extracellular matrix was detected accompanied by the activation of hepatic stellate cells as shown by alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) expression. Apoptosis of hepatocytes was prominent in TGF-beta1 high producers, leading to a decreasing number of TGF-beta1-expressing cells with time. No compensatory proliferation of hepatocytes could be detected. In advanced stages, fibrogenesis could be stopped by switching off TGF-beta1 production and reversal of fibrosis could be shown by (immuno)histochemistry within 6 to 21 days. Determination of messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of procollagen I and III, laminin (B1), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, -9, and -13, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and -2 by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) provided insight into some mechanistic details of the fibrogenic process and its reversal. In conclusion, this model will enable the analysis of fibrogenesis at progressive stages and help in elucidating the cellular changes during development and regression of liver fibrosis caused by elevated TGF-beta1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Ueberham
- University of Leipzig, Institute for Biochemistry, Germany
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Schönig
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH), Heidelberg, Germany
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Schönig K, Schwenk F, Rajewsky K, Bujard H. Stringent doxycycline dependent control of CRE recombinase in vivo. Nucleic Acids Res 2002; 30:e134. [PMID: 12466566 PMCID: PMC137989 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gnf134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2002] [Accepted: 10/14/2002] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The strategy of modulating gene activities in vivo via CRE/loxP recombination would greatly profit from subjecting the recombination event to an independent and stringent temporal control. Here, we describe a transgenic mouse line, LC-1, where the expression of the cre and luciferase gene is tightly controlled by the Tet system. Using the R26R mouse line as indicator for CRE activity, and mouse lines expressing tetracycline controlled transactivators (tTA/rtTA) in various tissues, we show that; (i) in the non-induced state CRE recombinase is tightly controlled throughout the development and adulthood of an animal; (ii) upon induction, efficient recombination occurs in the adult animal in all tissues where tTA/rtTA is present, including hepatocytes, kidney cells, neurons and T lymphocytes; and (iii) no position effect appears to be caused by the LC-1 locus. Moreover, using the novel rTA(LAP)-1 mouse line, we show that in hepatocytes, complete deletion of the loxP-flanked insert in R26R animals is achieved less than 48 h after induction. Thus, the LC-1 mouse appears suitable for exploiting two rapidly increasing collections of mouse lines of which one provides tTA/rtTA in specific cell types/tissues, and the other a variety of loxP-flanked genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Schönig
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Abstract
We describe here an approach for monitoring regulated gene expression by noninvasive imaging in living mice. We have utilized the tetracycline inducible system to simultaneously coregulate the expression of two genes encoding the firefly luciferase and the Cre recombinase, respectively. Results from our model system demonstrate that luciferase can be used as a noninvasive imaging marker for the regulated expression of a second gene in living mice. The integration of noninvasive imaging and inducible gene expression into current approaches of functional genomics should greatly advance our capabilities of carrying out highly controlled long-term studies of gene function in individual mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T Hasan
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universitaet Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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