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A novel ex vivo method for measuring whole brain metabolism in model systems.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Many neuronal and glial diseases have been associated with changes in metabolism. Therefore, metabolic reprogramming has become an important area of research to better understand disease at the cellular level, as well as to identify targets for treatment. Model systems are ideal for interrogating metabolic questions in a tissue dependent context. However, while new tools have been developed to study metabolism in cultured cells there has been less progress towards studies in vivo and ex vivo. NEW METHOD:We have developed a method using newly designed tissue restraints to adapt the Agilent XFe96 metabolic analyzer for whole brain analysis. These restraints create a chamber for Drosophila brains and other small model system tissues to reside undisrupted, while still remaining in the zone for measurements by sensor probes. RESULTS:This method generates reproducible oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification rate data for Drosophila larval and adult brains. Single brains are effectively treated with inhibitors and expected metabolic readings are observed. Measuring metabolic changes, such as glycolytic rate, in transgenic larval brains demonstrates the potential for studying how genotype affects metabolism. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS AND CONCLUSIONS:Current methodology either utilizes whole animal chambers to measure respiration, not allowing for targeted tissue analysis, or uses technically challenging MRI technology for in vivo analysis that is not suitable for smaller model systems. This new method allows for novel metabolic investigation of intact brains and other tissues ex vivo in a quick, and simplistic way with the potential for large-scale studies.

SUBMITTER: Neville KE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5840572 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A novel ex vivo method for measuring whole brain metabolism in model systems.

Neville Kathryn E KE Bosse Timothy L TL Klekos Mia M Mills John F JF Weicksel Steven E SE Waters James S JS Tipping Marla M

Journal of neuroscience methods 20171226

<h4>Background</h4>Many neuronal and glial diseases have been associated with changes in metabolism. Therefore, metabolic reprogramming has become an important area of research to better understand disease at the cellular level, as well as to identify targets for treatment. Model systems are ideal for interrogating metabolic questions in a tissue dependent context. However, while new tools have been developed to study metabolism in cultured cells there has been less progress towards studies in v ...[more]

PMID: 29287743

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Project description:We describe a method for ex vivo culturing of whole Drosophila brains. This can be used as a counterpoint to chronic genetic manipulations for investigating the cell biology and development of central brain structures by allowing acute pharmacological interventions and live imaging of cellular processes. As an example of the technique, prior work from our lab(1) has shown that a previously unrecognized subcellular compartment lies between the axonal and somatodendritic compartments of axons of the Drosophila central brain. The development of this compartment, referred to as the axon initial segment (AIS)(2), was shown genetically to depend on the neuron-specific cyclin-dependent kinase, Cdk5. We show here that ex vivo treatment of wild-type Drosophila larval brains with the Cdk5-specific pharmacological inhibitors roscovitine and olomoucine(3) causes acute changes in actin organization, and in localization of the cell-surface protein Fasciclin 2, that mimic the changes seen in mutants that lack Cdk5 activity genetically. A second example of the ex vivo culture technique is provided for remodeling of the connections of embryonic mushroom body (MB) gamma neurons during metamorphosis from larva to adult. The mushroom body is the center of olfactory learning and memory in the fly(4), and these gamma neurons prune their axonal and dendritic branches during pupal development and then re-extend branches at a later timepoint to establish the adult innervation pattern(5). Pruning of these neurons of the MB has been shown to occur via local degeneration of neurite branches(6), by a mechanism that is triggered by ecdysone, a steroid hormone, acting at the ecdysone receptor B1(7), and that is dependent on the activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system(6). Our method of ex vivo culturing can be used to interrogate further the mechanism of developmental remodeling. We found that in the ex vivo culture setting, gamma neurons of the MB recapitulated the process of developmental pruning with a time course similar to that in vivo. It was essential, however, to wait until 1.5 hours after puparium formation before explanting the tissue in order for the cells to commit irreversibly to metamorphosis; dissection of animals at the onset of pupariation led to little or no metamorphosis in culture. Thus, with appropriate modification, the ex vivo culture approach can be applied to study dynamic as well as steady state aspects of central brain biology.

Dataset Information

A novel ex vivo method for measuring whole brain metabolism in model systems.

Publications

A novel ex vivo method for measuring whole brain metabolism in model systems.

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