BacTRAP profiling of seven different types of neurons , vulnerable and resistant to Alzheimer's disease (AD) across the lifetime of the mouse
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ABSTRACT: We report here the bacTRAP (bacterial artificial chromosome , translating ribosome affinity purification) profiling of 7 different types of neurons in the mouse, at three different ages: two neuron types very vulnerable to AD (principal cells of entorhinal cortex layer II - ECII), pyramidal cells of hippocampus CA1, and 5 types of neurons more resistant to AD (pyramidal cells of hippocampus CA2 and CA3, granule neurons of the dentate gyrus, pyramidal cells from layer IV of primary visual cortex V1, and pyramidal cells from layer II/III and V of primary somatosensory cortex S1). Using these profiles we generated molecular signatures for each of these cell types, proved that the molecular identity of these cell types is very well conserved across mouse and humans, and constructed functional networks for each cell type that allowed us to identify genes and pathways associated with selective neuronal vulnerability in AD. We also report the profiling of ECII neurons in APP/PS1 mice (a mouse model of Abeta accumulation) at 6 months of age.
Project description:Neurons located in the layer II of the entorhinal cortex (ECII) are the primary site of pathological tau accumulation and neurodegeneration at preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Exploring the alterations that underlie the early degeneration of these cells is essential to develop therapies that delay disease onset. Here we performed cell–type specific profiling of the EC at the onset of human AD neuropathology. We identify an early response to amyloid pathology by microglia and oligodendrocytes. More importantly, we find that the Reelin signaling pathway is already impaired at this early disease stage, particularly in ECII neurons. This indicates that dysregulation of this pathway, with emerging genetic association with AD, plays a pivotal role in the selective vulnerability of the EC and in the onset of AD neuropathology.
Project description:Neurons located in the layer II of the entorhinal cortex (ECII) are the primary site of pathological tau accumulation and neurodegeneration at preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Exploring the alterations that underlie the early degeneration of these cells is essential to develop therapies that delay disease onset. Here we performed cell–type specific profiling of the EC at the onset of human AD neuropathology. We identify an early response to amyloid pathology by microglia and oligodendrocytes. More importantly, we find that the Reelin signaling pathway is already impaired at this early disease stage, particularly in ECII neurons. This indicates that dysregulation of this pathway, with emerging genetic association with AD, plays a pivotal role in the selective vulnerability of the EC and in the onset of AD neuropathology.
Project description:The mammalian cerebral cortex comprises a complex neuronal network that maintains a delicate balance between excitatory neurons and inhibitory interneurons. Previous studies, including our own research, have shown that specific interneuron subtypes are closely associated with particular pyramidal neuron types, forming stereotyped local inhibitory microcircuits. However, the developmental processes that establish these precise networks are not well understood. Here we show that pyramidal neuron types are instrumental in maintaining the terminal differentiation and survival of specific associated interneuron subtypes. In a wild-type cortex, the relative abundance of different interneuron subtypes aligns precisely with the pyramidal neuron types with which they synaptically target. In Fezf2 mutant cortex, characterized by the absence of layer 5 pyramidal tract neurons and an expansion of layer 6 intratelencephalic neurons, we observed a corresponding decrease in associated layer 5b interneurons and an increase in layer 6 subtypes. Interestingly, these shifts in composition are achieved through mechanisms that are specific to different interneuron types. While SST interneurons adjust their abundance to the change in pyramidal neuron prevalence through the regulation of programmed cell death, parvalbumin cells alter their identity. These findings illustrate two key strategies by which the dynamic interplay between pyramidal neurons and interneurons allows local microcircuits to be sculpted precisely. These insights underscored the precise roles of extrinsic signals from pyramidal cells in the establishment of interneuron diversity and their subsequent integration into local cortical microcircuits.
Project description:Neurons from layer II of the entorhinal cortex (ECII) are the first to accumulate tau protein aggregates and degenerate during prodromal Alzheimer’s disease. We used a data-driven functional genomics approach to model ECII neurons in silico that led us to the prediction that the proto-oncogene DEK is a driver of tau pathology in these neurons. In order to understand the function of DEK in vulnerable neurons, we modulated its expression in ECII neurons in vitro and in vivo in the mouse. The present GEO entry corresponds to cell-type specific RNA-sequencing of ECII neurons in vivo 1 week after DEK silencing using AAV vectors.
Project description:Purpose: To identify gene expression changes in entorhinal cortex layer II (ECII) neurons upon Ptbp1 modulation (silencing and overexpression) Method: bacterial artificial chromosome - Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification (bacTRAP) to isolate actively translated mRNA in ECII neurons, 2 weeks after stereotaxic injection of an AAV1 vector in the EC of ECII-bacTRAP mice; followed by RNAseq. Note: Ptbp1 was significantly overexpressed in the overexpression experiment, but no silencing was achieved with the silencing vector, probably because of tight control of Ptbp1 expression
Project description:Neurons from layer II of the entorhinal cortex (ECII) are the first to accumulate tau protein aggregates and degenerate during prodromal Alzheimer’s disease. We used a data-driven functional genomics approach to model ECII neurons in silico that led us to the prediction that the proto-oncogene DEK is a driver of tau pathology in these neurons. In order to understand the function of DEK in vulnerable neurons, we modulated its expression in ECII neurons in vitro and in vivo in the mouse. The present GEO entry includes all of the data we collected from DEK-silenced and DEK-overexpressing ECneurons in vitro and in vivo.
Project description:Neurons from layer II of the entorhinal cortex (ECII) are the first to accumulate tau protein aggregates and degenerate during prodromal Alzheimer’s disease. We used a data-driven functional genomics approach to model ECII neurons in silico that led us to the prediction that the proto-oncogene DEK is a driver of tau pathology in these neurons. In order to understand the function of DEK in vulnerable neurons, we modulated its expression in ECII neurons in vitro and in vivo in the mouse. Since DEK is a chromatin modulator, we investigated the genomic location of a few histone marks in DEK silenced cells using the CUT&TAG approach, as well as Chromatin Accessibility using ATAC-seq
Project description:Gray matter volume in the cerebral cortex has been consistently found to be decreased in patients with schizophrenia. The superior temporal gyrus (STG) is one of the cortical regions that exhibit the most pronounced volumetric reduction. This reduction is generally thought to reflect, at least in part, decreased number of synapses; the majority of these synapses are believed to be furnished by glutamatergic axon terminals onto the dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons. Pyramidal neurons in the cerebral cortex exhibit layer-specific connectional properties, providing neural circuit structures that support distinct aspects of higher cortical functions. For instance, dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons in layer 3 of the cerebral cortex are targeted by both local and long-range glutamatergic projections in a highly reciprocal fashion. Synchronized activities of pyramidal neuronal networks, especially in the gamma frequency band (i.e. 30-100 Hz), are critical for the integrity of higher cortical functions. Disturbances of these networks may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia by compromising gamma oscillation. This concept is supported by the following postmortem and clinical observations. First, the density of dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons in layer 3 of the cerebral cortex, including the STG, have been shown to be significantly decreased by 23-66% in subjects with schizophrenia. Second, consistent with these findings, the average somal area of these pyramidal cells is significantly smaller. Third, we have recently found that, in the prefrontal cortex, the density of glutamatergic axonal boutons, of which dendritic spines are their major targets, was significantly decreased by as much as 79% in layer 3 (but not layer 5) in subjects with schizophrenia. Finally, an increasing number of clinical studies have consistently demonstrated that gamma oscillatory synchrony is profoundly impaired in patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, gamma impairment has been linked to the symptoms and cognitive deficits of the illness and the severity of these symptoms and deficits have in turn been associated with the magnitude of cortical gray matter reduction. Taken together, understanding the molecular underpinnings of pyramidal cell dysfunction will shed important light onto the pathophysiology of cortical dysfunction of schizophrenia. In order to gain insight into the molecular determinants of pyramidal cell dysfunction in schizophrenia, we combined LCM with Affymetrix microarray and high-throughput TaqManM-BM-.-based MegaPlex qRT-PCR approaches, respectively, to elucidate the alterations in messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of these neurons in layer 3 of the STG. We found that transforming growth factor beta (TGFM-NM-2) and BMP (bone morphogenetic proteins) signaling pathways and many genes that regulate extracellular matrix (ECM), apoptosis and cytoskeleton were dysregulated in schizophrenia. In addition, we identified 10 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in this illness; interestingly, the predicted targets of these miRNAs included the dysregulated pathways and gene networks identified by microarray analysis. Together these findings provide a neurobiological framework within which we can begin to formulate and test specific hypotheses about the molecular mechanisms that underlie pyramidal cell dysfunction in schizophrenia. Gene epxression microarray from RNA isolated from pyramidal cells in layer III of the STG from 9 normal controls and 9 subjects with schizophrenia. There was no significant difference between diagnosis groups for age, sex, and post mortem interval (PMI).
Project description:The properties of the cell types that are most vulnerable in the Huntington’s disease (HD) cortex have not been delineated. Here we have employed serial fluorescence activated nuclear sorting (sFANS) and deep molecular profiling to demonstrate that layer 5a pyramidal neurons are selectively vulnerable in primary motor cortex and other cortical areas.
Project description:The properties of the cell types that are most vulnerable in the Huntington's disease (HD) cortex have not been delineated. Here we have employed serial fluorescence activated nuclear sorting (sFANS) and deep molecular profiling to demonstrate that layer 5a pyramidal neurons are selectively vulnerable in primary motor cortex and other cortical areas.