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Singh K, Loreth D, Pöttker B, Hefti K, Innos J, Schwald K, Hengstler H, Menzel L, Sommer CJ, Radyushkin K, Kretz O, Philips MA, Haas CA, Frauenknecht K, Lilleväli K, Heimrich B, Vasar E, Schäfer MKE. Neuronal Growth and Behavioral Alterations in Mice Deficient for the Psychiatric Disease-Associated Negr1 Gene. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:30. [PMID: 29479305 PMCID: PMC5811522 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal growth regulator 1 (NEGR1), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecule subgroup IgLON, has been implicated in neuronal growth and connectivity. In addition, genetic variants in or near the NEGR1 locus have been associated with obesity and more recently with learning difficulties, intellectual disability and psychiatric disorders. However, experimental evidence is lacking to support a possible link between NEGR1, neuronal growth and behavioral abnormalities. Initial expression analysis of NEGR1 mRNA in C57Bl/6 wildtype (WT) mice by in situ hybridization demonstrated marked expression in the entorhinal cortex (EC) and dentate granule cells. In co-cultures of cortical neurons and NSC-34 cells overexpressing NEGR1, neurite growth of cortical neurons was enhanced and distal axons occupied an increased area of cells overexpressing NEGR1. Conversely, in organotypic slice co-cultures, Negr1-knockout (KO) hippocampus was less permissive for axons grown from EC of β-actin-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) mice compared to WT hippocampus. Neuroanatomical analysis revealed abnormalities of EC axons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of Negr1-KO mice including increased numbers of axonal projections to the hilus. Neurotransmitter receptor ligand binding densities, a proxy of functional neurotransmitter receptor abundance, did not show differences in the DG of Negr1-KO mice but altered ligand binding densities to NMDA receptor and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors M1 and M2 were found in CA1 and CA3. Activity behavior, anxiety-like behavior and sensorimotor gating were not different between genotypes. However, Negr1-KO mice exhibited impaired social behavior compared to WT littermates. Moreover, Negr1-KO mice showed reversal learning deficits in the Morris water maze and increased susceptibility to pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures. Thus, our results from neuronal growth assays, neuroanatomical analyses and behavioral assessments provide first evidence that deficiency of the psychiatric disease-associated Negr1 gene may affect neuronal growth and behavior. These findings might be relevant to further evaluate the role of NEGR1 in cognitive and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katyayani Singh
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Desirée Loreth
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Pöttker
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Kyra Hefti
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jürgen Innos
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kathrin Schwald
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Heidi Hengstler
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lutz Menzel
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Clemens J Sommer
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Konstantin Radyushkin
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,Mouse Behavioral Unit, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Oliver Kretz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mari-Anne Philips
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Carola A Haas
- Experimental Epilepsy Research, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Frauenknecht
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kersti Lilleväli
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Bernd Heimrich
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Eero Vasar
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Michael K E Schäfer
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Ridwan S, Bauer H, Frauenknecht K, Hefti K, von Pein H, Sommer CJ. Distribution of the hematopoietic growth factor G-CSF and its receptor in the adult human brain with specific reference to Alzheimer's disease. J Anat 2014; 224:377-91. [PMID: 24387791 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), being a member of the hematopoietic growth factor family, is also critically involved in controlling proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. Treatment with G-CSF has been shown to result in substantial neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effects in various experimental models of acute and chronic diseases of the central nervous system. Although G-CSF has been tested in a clinical study for treatment of acute ischemic stroke, there is only fragmentary data on the distribution of this cytokine and its receptor in the human brain. Therefore, the present study was focused on the immunohistochemical analysis of the protein expression of G-CSF and its receptor (G-CSF R) in the adult human brain. Since G-CSF has been shown not only to exert neuroprotective effects in animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) but also to be a candidate for clinical treatment, we have also placed an emphasis on the regulation of these molecules in this neurodegenerative disease. One major finding is that both G-CSF and G-CSF R were ubiquitously but not uniformly expressed in neurons throughout the CNS. Protein expression of G-CSF and G-CSF R was not restricted to neurons but was also detectable in astrocytes, ependymal cells, and choroid plexus cells. However, the distribution of G-CSF and G-CSF R did not substantially differ between AD brains and control, even in the hippocampus, where early neurodegenerative changes typically occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami Ridwan
- Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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