Kcnab1 Is Expressed in Subplate Neurons With Unilateral Long-Range Inter-Areal Projections

Subplate (SP) neurons are among the earliest-born neurons in the cerebral cortex and heterogeneous in terms of gene expression. SP neurons consist mainly of projection neurons, which begin to extend their axons to specific target areas very early during development. However, the relationships between axon projection and gene expression patterns of the SP neurons, and their remnant layer 6b (L6b) neurons, are largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed the corticocortical projections of L6b/SP neurons in the mouse cortex and searched for a marker gene expressed in L6b/SP neurons that have ipsilateral inter-areal projections. Retrograde tracing experiments demonstrated that L6b/SP neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) projected to the primary motor cortex (M1) within the same cortical hemisphere at postnatal day (PD) 2 but did not show any callosal projection. This unilateral projection pattern persisted into adulthood. Our microarray analysis identified the gene encoding a β subunit of voltage-gated potassium channel (Kcnab1) as being expressed in L6b/SP. Double labeling with retrograde tracing and in situ hybridization demonstrated that Kcnab1 was expressed in the unilaterally-projecting neurons in L6b/SP. Embryonic expression was specifically detected in the SP as early as embryonic day (E) 14.5, shortly after the emergence of SP. Double immunostaining experiments revealed different degrees of co-expression of the protein product Kvβ1 with L6b/SP markers Ctgf (88%), Cplx3 (79%), and Nurr1 (58%), suggesting molecular subdivision of unilaterally-projecting L6b/SP neurons. In addition to expression in L6b/SP, scattered expression of Kcnab1 was observed during postnatal stages without layer specificity. Among splicing variants with three alternative first exons, the variant 1.1 explained all the cortical expression mentioned in this study. Together, our data suggest that L6b/SP neurons have corticocortical projections and Kcnab1 expression defines a subpopulation of L6b/SP neurons with a unilateral inter-areal projection.

Critical appraisal of pathology transmission in the α-synuclein fibril model of Lewy body disorders

Lewy body disorders are characterized by the emergence of α-synucleinopathy in many parts of the central and peripheral nervous systems, including in the telencephalon. Dense α-synuclein+ pathology appears in regio inferior of the hippocampus in both Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies and may disturb cognitive function. The preformed α-synuclein fibril model of Parkinson's disease is growing in use, given its potential for seeding the self-propagating spread of α-synucleinopathy throughout the mammalian brain. Although it is often assumed that the spread occurs through neuroanatomical connections, this is generally not examined vis-à-vis the uptake and transport of tract-tracers infused at precisely the same stereotaxic coordinates. As the neuronal connections of the hippocampus are historically well defined, we examined the first-order spread of α-synucleinopathy three months following fibril infusions centered in the mouse regio inferior (CA2+CA3), and contrasted this to retrograde and anterograde transport of the established tract-tracers FluoroGold and biotinylated dextran amines (BDA). Massive hippocampal α-synucleinopathy was insufficient to elicit memory deficits or loss of cells and synaptic markers in this model of early disease processes. However, dense α-synuclein+ inclusions in the fascia dentata were negatively correlated with memory capacity. A modest compensatory increase in synaptophysin was evident in the stratum radiatum of cornu Ammonis in fibril-infused animals, and synaptophysin expression correlated inversely with memory function in fibril but not PBS-infused mice. No changes in synapsin I/II expression were observed. The spread of α-synucleinopathy was somewhat, but not entirely consistent with FluoroGold and BDA axonal transport, suggesting that variables other than innervation density also contribute to the materialization of α-synucleinopathy. For example, layer II entorhinal neurons of the perforant pathway exhibited somal α-synuclein+ inclusions as well as retrogradely labeled FluoroGold+ somata. However, some afferent brain regions displayed dense retrograde FluoroGold label and no α-synuclein+ inclusions (e.g. medial septum/diagonal band), supporting the selective vulnerability hypothesis. The pattern of inclusions on the contralateral side was consistent with specific spread through commissural connections (e.g. stratum pyramidale of CA3), but again, not all commissural projections exhibited α-synucleinopathy (e.g. hilar mossy cells). The topographical extent of inclusions is displayed here in high-resolution images that afford viewers a rich opportunity to dissect the potential spread of pathology through neural circuitry. Finally, the results of this expository study were leveraged to highlight the challenges and limitations of working with preformed α-synuclein fibrils.

Muscle and motor neuron ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor α together maintain adult motor neuron axons in vivo

The molecular mechanisms maintaining adult motor innervation are comparatively unexplored relative to those involved during development. In addition to the fundamental neuroscience question, this area has important clinical ramifications given that loss of neuromuscular contact is thought to underlie several adult onset human neuromuscular diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Indirect evidence suggests that ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) receptors may contribute to adult motor neuron axon maintenance. To directly address this in vivo, we used adult onset mouse genetic disruption techniques to deplete motor neuron and muscle CNTF receptor α (CNTFRα), the essential ligand binding subunit of the receptor, and incorporated reporters labelling affected motor neuron axons and terminals. The combined depletion of motor neuron and muscle CNTFRα produced a large loss of motor neuron terminals and retrograde labelling of motor neurons with FluoroGold indicated axon die-back well beyond muscle, together revealing an essential role for CNTFRα in adult motor axon maintenance. In contrast, selective depletion of motor neuron CNTFRα did not affect motor innervation. These data, along with our previous work indicating no effect of muscle specific CNTFRα depletion on motor innervation, suggest that motor neuron and muscle CNTFRα function in concert to maintain motor neuron axons. The data also raise the possibility of motor neuron and/or muscle CNTFRα as therapeutic targets for adult neuromuscular denervating diseases.

Investigation of the therapeutic potential of N-acetyl cysteine and the tools used to define nigrostriatal degeneration in vivo

The glutathione precursor N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) is currently being tested on Parkinson's patients for its neuroprotective properties. Our studies have shown that NAC can elicit protection in glutathione-independent manners in vitro. Thus, the goal of the present study was to establish an animal model of NAC-mediated protection in which to dissect the underlying mechanism. Mice were infused intrastriatally with the oxidative neurotoxicant 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA; 4 μg) and administered NAC intraperitoneally (100mg/kg). NAC-treated animals exhibited higher levels of the dopaminergic terminal marker tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the striatum 10d after 6-OHDA. As TH expression is subject to stress-induced modulation, we infused the tracer FluoroGold into the striatum to retrogradely label nigrostriatal projection neurons. As expected, nigral FluoroGold staining and cell counts of FluoroGold(+) profiles were both more sensitive measures of nigrostriatal degeneration than measurements relying on TH alone. However, NAC failed to protect dopaminergic neurons 3 weeks following 6-OHDA, an effect verified by four measures: striatal TH levels, nigral TH levels, nigral TH(+) cell counts, and nigral FluoroGold levels. Some degree of mild toxicity of FluoroGold and NAC was evident, suggesting that caution must be exercised when relying on FluoroGold as a neuron-counting tool and when designing experiments with long-term delivery of NAC--such as clinical trials on patients with chronic disorders. Finally, the strengths and limitations of the tools used to define nigrostriatal degeneration are discussed.

Identification of neural cells activated by mating stimulus in the periaqueductal gray in female rats

Induction of lordosis as typical female sexual behavior in rodents is dependent on a mount stimulus from males and blood levels of estrogen. Periaqueductal gray (PAG) efferent neurons have been suggested to be important for lordosis behavior; however, the neurochemical basis remains to be understood. In this study, we neuroanatomically examined (1) whether PAG neurons activated by mating stimulus project to the medullary reticular formation (MRF), which is also a required area for lordosis; and (2) whether these neurons are glutamatergic. Mating stimulus significantly increased the number of cFos-immunoreactive (ir) neurons in the PAG, particularly in its lateral region. Half of cFos-ir neurons in the lateral PAG were positive for a retrograde tracer (FluoroGold; FG) injected into the MRF. cFos-ir neurons also colocalized with mRNA of vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (vGLUT2), a molecular marker for glutamatergic neurons. Using retrograde tracing and in situ hybridization in conjunction with fluorescent microscopy, we also found FG and vGLUT2 mRNA double-positive neurons in the lateral PAG. These results suggest that glutamatergic neurons in the lateral PAG project to the MRF and are involved in lordosis behavior in female rats.

Neural reflex pathway between cervical spinal and sympathetic ganglia in rabbits: implication for pathogenesis of cervical vertigo

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

A functional association between cervix and vertigo has been observed in patients with cervical vertigo, implicating correlation between cervical spinal and sympathetic ganglia. However, it is unclear where there is an anatomic connection between those two groups of ganglia.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the existence of the neural connections between cervical spinal and sympathetic ganglia.

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING

FluoroGold staining patterns in cervical spinal and sympathetic ganglia were evaluated using FluoroGold retrograde tracing in New Zealand rabbits.

METHODS

New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into superior cervical spinal ganglion injection groups, inferior cervical spinal ganglion injection groups, superior cervical sympathetic ganglion injection group, and inferior cervical sympathetic ganglion injection group. Four percent FluoroGold solution was injected into these ganglia. Distribution of FluoroGold in cervical spinal and sympathetic ganglia was observed under a microscope.

RESULTS

When FluoroGold solution was injected into C2 and C3 superior cervical spinal ganglia or C5-C6 inferior cervical spinal ganglia, fluorescence was only observed in the ipsilateral superior or inferior cervical sympathetic ganglia, respectively. When FluoroGold solution was injected into superior or inferior cervical sympathetic ganglia, fluorescence was found mainly in the ipsilateral C3-C4 superior or C5-C8 inferior spinal ganglia. No fluorescence was observed in contralateral ganglia of experimental animals and all ganglia of matched control animals injected with physiological saline.

CONCLUSIONS

Bidirectional nerve fiber connections between cervical spinal and sympathetic ganglia were observed, and these connections are arranged in a segmental distribution. This observation may provide a possible neuroanatomic basis for the pathogenesis of cervical vertigo.

Auditory cortical axons contact commissural cells throughout the guinea pig inferior colliculus

Projections from auditory cortex (AC) affect how cells in both inferior colliculi (IC) respond to acoustic stimuli. The large projection from the AC to the ipsilateral IC is usually credited with the effects in the ipsilateral IC. The circuitry underlying effects in the contralateral IC is less clear. The direct projection from the AC to the contralateral IC is relatively small. An unexplored possibility is that the large ipsilateral cortical projection contacts the substantial number of cells in the ipsilateral IC that project through the commissure to the contralateral IC. Apparent contacts between cortical boutons and commissural cells were identified in the left IC after injection of different fluorescent tracers into the left AC and the right IC. Commissural cells were labeled throughout the left IC, and many (23-34%) appeared to be contacted by cortical axons. In the central nucleus, both disc-shaped and stellate cells were contacted. Antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) were used to identify GABAergic commissural cells. The majority (>86%) of labeled commissural cells were GAD-immunonegative. Despite low numbers of GAD-immunopositive commissural cells, some of these cells were contacted by cortical boutons. Nonetheless, most cortically contacted commissural cells were GAD-immunonegative (i.e., presumably glutamatergic). We conclude that auditory cortical axons contact primarily excitatory commissural cells in the ipsilateral IC that project to the contralateral IC. These corticocollicular contacts occur in each subdivision of the ipsilateral IC, suggesting involvement of commissural cells throughout the IC. This pathway - from AC to commissural cells in the ipsilateral IC - is a prime candidate for the excitatory effects of activation of the auditory cortex on responses in the contralateral IC. Overall this suggests that the auditory corticofugal pathway is integrated with midbrain commissural connections.