mTORC1 Activation in Chx10-Specific Tsc1 Knockout Mice Accelerates Retina Aging and Degeneration

Age-associated decline in retina function is largely responsible for the irreversible vision deterioration in the elderly population. It is also an important risk factor for the development of degenerative and angiogenic diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in the process of aging in the retina remain largely elusive. This study investigated the role of mTORC1 signaling in aging of the retina. We showed that mTORC1 was activated in old-aged retina, particularly in the ganglion cells. The role of mTORC1 activation was further investigated in Chx10-Cre;Tsc1fx/fx mouse (Tsc1-cKO). Activation of mTORC1 was found in bipolar and some of the ganglion and amacrine cells in the adult Tsc1-cKO retina. Bipolar cell hypertrophy and Müller gliosis were observed in Tsc1-cKO since 6 weeks of age. The abnormal endings of bipolar cell dendritic tips at the outer nuclear layer resembled that of the old-aged mice. Microglial cell activation became evident in 6-week-old Tsc1-cKO. At 5 months, the Tsc1-cKO mice exhibited advanced features of old-aged retina, including the expression of p16Ink4a and p21, expression of SA-β-gal in ganglion cells, decreased photoreceptor cell numbers, decreased electroretinogram responses, increased oxidative stress, microglial cell activation, and increased expression of immune and inflammatory genes. Inhibition of microglial cells by minocycline partially prevented photoreceptor cell loss and restored the electroretinogram responses. Collectively, our study showed that the activation of mTORC1 signaling accelerated aging of the retina by both cell autonomous and nonautonomous mechanisms. Our study also highlighted the role of microglia cells in driving the decline in retina function.

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Endothelin 1-induced retinal ganglion cell death is largely mediated by JUN activation

Cell Death and Disease ◽

10.1038/s41419-020-02990-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

Author(s):

Olivia J. Marola ◽

Stephanie B. Syc-Mazurek ◽

Gareth R. Howell ◽

Richard T. Libby

Keyword(s):

Transcription Factor ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Ganglion Cells ◽

Retinal Vessel ◽

Vessel Diameter ◽

Retinal Ganglion ◽

Retinal Ganglion Cell Death ◽

Ganglion Cell Death

Abstract Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the output neurons of the retina. Multiple lines of evidence show the endothelin (EDN, also known as ET) system is important in glaucomatous neurodegeneration. To date, the molecular mechanisms within RGCs driving EDN-induced RGC death have not been clarified. The pro-apoptotic transcription factor JUN (the canonical target of JNK signaling) and the endoplasmic reticulum stress effector and transcription factor DNA damage inducible transcript 3 (DDIT3, also known as CHOP) have been shown to act downstream of EDN receptors. Previous studies demonstrated that JUN and DDIT3 were important regulators of RGC death after glaucoma-relevant injures. Here, we characterized EDN insult in vivo and investigated the role of JUN and DDIT3 in EDN-induced RGC death. To accomplish this, EDN1 ligand was intravitreally injected into the eyes of wildtype, Six3-cre+Junfl/fl (Jun−/−), Ddit3 null (Ddit3−/−), and Ddit3−/−Jun−/− mice. Intravitreal EDN1 was sufficient to drive RGC death in vivo. EDN1 insult caused JUN activation in RGCs, and deletion of Jun from the neural retina attenuated RGC death after EDN insult. However, deletion of Ddit3 did not confer significant protection to RGCs after EDN1 insult. These results indicate that EDN caused RGC death via a JUN-dependent mechanism. In addition, EDN signaling is known to elicit potent vasoconstriction. JUN signaling was shown to drive neuronal death after ischemic insult. Therefore, the effects of intravitreal EDN1 on retinal vessel diameter and hypoxia were explored. Intravitreal EDN1 caused transient retinal vasoconstriction and regions of RGC and Müller glia hypoxia. Thus, it remains a possibility that EDN elicits a hypoxic insult to RGCs, causing apoptosis via JNK-JUN signaling. The importance of EDN-induced vasoconstriction and hypoxia in causing RGC death after EDN insult and in models of glaucoma requires further investigation.

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Neuroinflammation as a possible link between cannabinoids and addiction

Acta Neuropsychiatrica ◽

10.1017/neu.2014.24 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 26 (6) ◽

pp. 334-346 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Livia C.M. Rodrigues ◽

Pedro H. Gobira ◽

Antonio Carlos de Oliveira ◽

Renan Pelição ◽

Antonio Lucio Teixeira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Addiction ◽

Microglial Activation ◽

Cell Activation ◽

Microglial Cell ◽

Substance Dependence ◽

Present Review ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Neuroprotective Effects ◽

The Past

ObjectiveSubstance dependence disorder is a chronically relapsing condition characterised by neurobiological changes leading to loss of control in restricting a substance intake, compulsion and withdrawal syndrome. In the past few years, (endo)cannabinoids have been raised as a possible target in the aetiology of drug addiction. On the other hand, although the exact mechanisms of the genesis of addiction remain poorly understood, it is possible that neuroinflammation might also play a role in the pathophysiology of this condition. Studies demonstrated that (endo)cannabinoids act as immunomodulators by inhibiting cytokines production and microglial cell activation. Thus, in the present review, we explore the possible role of neuroinflammation on the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids on drug addiction.MethodsWe conducted an evidence-based review of the literature in order to assess the role of cannabinoids on the neuroinflammatory hypothesis of addiction (terms: addiction, cannabinoids and inflammation). We searched PubMed and BioMedCentral databases up to April 2014 with no date restrictions.ResultsIn all, 165 eligible articles were included in the present review. Existing evidence suggests that disruption in cannabinoid signalling during the drug addiction process leads to microglial activation and neuroinflammation.ConclusionThe literature showed that inflammation and changes in endocannabinod signalling occur in drug abuse; however, it remains uncertain whether these changes are causally or coincidentally associated with addiction. Additional studies, therefore, are needed to elucidate the contribution of neuroinflammation on the behavioural and neuroprotective effects of cannabinoids on drug addiction.

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Interneuron Circuits Tune Inhibition in Retinal Bipolar Cells

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00458.2009 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 103 (1) ◽

pp. 25-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Erika D. Eggers ◽

Peter D. Lukasiewicz

Keyword(s):

Ganglion Cell ◽

Bipolar Cell ◽

Amacrine Cell ◽

Ganglion Cells ◽

Feedback Inhibition ◽

Amacrine Cells ◽

Bipolar Cells ◽

Light Stimuli ◽

Cell Inhibition ◽

Cell Networks

While connections between inhibitory interneurons are common circuit elements, it has been difficult to define their signal processing roles because of the inability to activate these circuits using natural stimuli. We overcame this limitation by studying connections between inhibitory amacrine cells in the retina. These interneurons form spatially extensive inhibitory networks that shape signaling between bipolar cell relay neurons to ganglion cell output neurons. We investigated how amacrine cell networks modulate these retinal signals by selectively activating the networks with spatially defined light stimuli. The roles of amacrine cell networks were assessed by recording their inhibitory synaptic outputs in bipolar cells that suppress bipolar cell output to ganglion cells. When the amacrine cell network was activated by large light stimuli, the inhibitory connections between amacrine cells unexpectedly depressed bipolar cell inhibition. Bipolar cell inhibition elicited by smaller light stimuli or electrically activated feedback inhibition was not suppressed because these stimuli did not activate the connections between amacrine cells. Thus the activation of amacrine cell circuits with large light stimuli can shape the spatial sensitivity of the retina by limiting the spatial extent of bipolar cell inhibition. Because inner retinal inhibition contributes to ganglion cell surround inhibition, in part, by controlling input from bipolar cells, these connections may refine the spatial properties of the retinal output. This functional role of interneuron connections may be repeated throughout the CNS.

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A role for 5HT3 receptors in visual processing in the mammalian retina

Visual Neuroscience ◽

10.1017/s0952523800004727 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 511-522 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

William J. Brunken ◽

Xiao-Tao Jin

Keyword(s):

Visual Processing ◽

Ganglion Cells ◽

Cell Activity ◽

Phosphatidyl Inositol ◽

Amacrine Cells ◽

Bipolar Cells ◽

Reciprocal Effect ◽

Mammalian Retina ◽

Messenger System

AbstractWe investigated the role of 5HT3 receptors in the mammalian retina using electrophysiological techniques to monitor ganglion cell activity. Activation of 5HT3 receptors with the selective agonist 1-phenylbiguanide (PBG) increased the ON responses of ON-center ganglion cells, while decreasing the OFF responses of OFF-center cells. The application of a selective 5HT3 antagonist had a reciprocal effect, namely it reduced the center response in ON-center cells and concomitantly increased the center responses in OFF-center cells. Since putative serotoninergic amacrine cells in the retina are connected specifically to the rod bipolar cell, these agents most likely affect the rod bipolar terminal. These data, together with previous studies, suggest that both 5HT2 and 5HT3 receptors mediate an excitatory influence which serves to facilitate the output from rod bipolar cells, the former via a phosphatidyl inositol second-messenger system, and the latter via a direction channel.

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Antagonistic center-surround mechanisms for direction selectivity in the retina

10.1101/831453 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Lea Ankri ◽

Elishai Ezra-Tsur ◽

Shir R. Maimon ◽

Nathali Kaushansky ◽

Michal Rivlin-Etzion

Keyword(s):

Receptive Field ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Ganglion Cells ◽

Amacrine Cells ◽

Direction Selectivity ◽

Repetitive Stimulation ◽

Spatiotemporal Model ◽

Starburst Amacrine Cells ◽

Modeling Data

SummaryA key feature in sensory processing is center-surround receptive field antagonism. Retinal direction-selectivity (DS) relies on asymmetric inhibition from starburst amacrine cells (SAC) to direction selective ganglion cells (DSGC). SAC exhibit antagonistic center-surround, depolarizing to light increments and decrements in their center and surround, respectively, but the role of this property in DS remains elusive. We found that a repetitive stimulation exhausts SAC center and enhances its surround and used it to distinguish center-from surround-mediated responses. Center, but not surround stimulation, induced direction-selective responses in SAC, as predicted by an elementary spatiotemporal model. Nevertheless, both SAC center and surround elicited direction-selective responses in DSGCs, but to opposite directions. Physiological and morphology-based modeling data show that the opposed responses resulted from inverted DSGC’s excitatory-inhibitory temporal balance, indicating that SAC response time rules DS. Our findings reveal antagonistic center-surround mechanisms for DS, and demonstrate how context-dependent center-surround reorganization enables flexible computations.

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Heterocellular coupling between amacrine cell and ganglion cells

10.1101/328815 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Robert E. Marc ◽

Crystal Sigulinsky ◽

Rebecca L. Pfeiffer ◽

Daniel Emrich ◽

James R. Anderson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gap Junctions ◽

Ganglion Cell ◽

Bipolar Cell ◽

Amacrine Cell ◽

Ganglion Cells ◽

Plexiform Layer ◽

Amacrine Cells ◽

Bipolar Cells ◽

Inner Plexiform Layer ◽

Tem Analysis

AbstractAll superclasses of retinal neurons display some form of electrical coupling including the key neurons of the inner plexiform layer: bipolar cells (BCs), amacrine or axonal cells (ACs) and ganglion cells (GCs). However, coupling varies extensively by class. For example, mammalian rod bipolar cells form no gap junctions at all, while all cone bipolar cells form class-specific coupling arrays, many of them homocellular in-superclass arrays. Ganglion cells are unique in that classes with coupling predominantly form heterocellular cross-class arrays of ganglion cell::amacrine cell (GC::AC) coupling in the mammalian retina. Ganglion cells are the least frequent superclass in the inner plexiform layer and GC::AC gap junctions are sparsely arrayed amidst massive cohorts of AC::AC, bipolar cell BC::BC, and AC::BC gap junctions. Many of these gap junctions and most ganglion cell gap junctions are suboptical, complicating analysis of specific ganglion cells. High resolution 2 nm TEM analysis of rabbit retinal connectome RC1 allows quantitative GC::AC coupling maps of identified ganglion cells. Ganglion cells classes apparently avoid direct cross-class homocellular coupling altogether even though they have opportunities via direct membrane touches, while transient OFF alpha ganglion cells and transient ON directionally selective (DS) ganglion cells are strongly coupled to distinct amacrine / axonal cell cohorts.A key feature of coupled ganglion cells is intercellular metabolite flux. Most GC::AC coupling involves GABAergic cells (γ+ amacrine cells), which results in significant GABA flux into ganglion cells. Surveying GABA coupling signatures in the ganglion cell layer across species suggests that the majority of vertebrate retinas engage in GC::AC coupling.Multi-hop synaptic queries of the entire RC1 connectome clearly profiles the coupled amacrine and axonal cells. Photic drive polarities and source bipolar cell class selec-tivities are tightly matched across coupled cells. OFF alpha ganglion cells are coupled to OFF γ+ amacrine cells and transient ON DS ganglion cells are coupled to ON γ+ amacrine cells including a large interstitial axonal cell (IAC). Synaptic tabulations show close matches between the classes of bipolar cells sampled by the coupled amacrine and ganglion cells. Further, both ON and OFF coupling ganglion networks show a common theme: synaptic asymmetry whereby the coupled γ+ neurons are also presynaptic to ganglion cell dendrites from different classes of ganglion cells outside the coupled set. In effect, these heterocellular coupling patterns enable an excited ganglion cell to directly inhibit nearby ganglion cells of different classes. Similarly, coupled γ+ amacrine cells engaged in feedback networks can leverage the additional gain of bipolar cell synapses in shaping the signaling of a spectrum of downstream targets based on their own selective coupling with ganglion cells.

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Center-surround interactions underlie bipolar cell motion sensing in the mouse retina

10.1101/2021.05.31.446404 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah Strauss ◽

Maria M Korympidou ◽

Yanli Ran ◽

Katrin Franke ◽

Timm Schubert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Cell ◽

Ganglion Cells ◽

Receptive Fields ◽

Amacrine Cells ◽

Bipolar Cells ◽

Mouse Retina ◽

Motion Processing ◽

Local Motion ◽

Motion Sensing ◽

Motion Sensitivity

Motion is a critical aspect of vision. We studied the representation of motion in mouse retinal bipolar cells and found, surprisingly, that some bipolar cells possess motion-sensing capabilities that rely on their center-surround receptive fields. Using a glutamate sensor, we directly observed motion-sensitive bipolar cell synaptic output, which was strongest for local motion and dependent on the motion's origin. We characterized bipolar cell receptive fields and found that there are motion and non-motion sensitive bipolar cell types, the majority being motion sensitive. Next, we used these bipolar cell receptive fields along with connectomics to design biophysical models of downstream cells. The models and experiments demonstrated that bipolar cells pass motion-sensitive excitation to starburst amacrine cells through direction-specific signals mediated by bipolar cells' center-surround receptive field structure. As bipolar cells provide excitation to most amacrine and ganglion cells, their motion sensitivity may contribute to motion processing throughout the visual system.

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Ca2+Signaling in B Cells

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1100/tsw.2010.219 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 2254-2264 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Taras Lyubchenko

Keyword(s):

B Cells ◽

B Cell ◽

Cell Activation ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

B Cell Activation ◽

B Cell Tolerance ◽

Immune Synapse ◽

Intracellular Ca ◽

Dependent Protein

An increase in intracellular Ca2+concentration is one of the major initial steps in B-cell activation that occurs within minutes after antigen receptor (BCR) engagement. In recent years, significant advances have been made in characterizing molecular mechanisms of Ca2+signaling in lymphocytes, although the majority of work was done on T cells. This mini-review discusses several underexplored areas of Ca2+signaling in B cells: (1) Ca2+signaling in immune synapse and multifaceted Ca2+responses within a single cell, (2) source of Ca2+involved in Ca2+-dependent protein phosphorylation events and the role of store-operated influx, (3) role of BCR coreceptors in Ca2+signaling, and (4) Ca2+signaling and maintenance of B-cell tolerance and clinical significance of Ca2+signaling alterations.

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Emerging Role of Vitamin D and its Associated Molecules in Pathways Related to Pathogenesis of Thrombosis

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom9110649 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 649 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Mohammad ◽

Mishra ◽

Ashraf

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Cell Activation ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Cellular Proliferation ◽

Blood Clot ◽

Endothelial Cell Activation ◽

Vitamin D Receptors ◽

Natural Ligand ◽

Biological Responses

Vitamin D, besides having an essential role in calcium and bone metabolism, also acts as a mediator of many non-calcemic effects through modulations of several biological responses. Vitamin D exists in its two major forms, vitamin D2, or commonly known as ergocalciferol, and vitamin D3, or commonly known as cholecalciferol. Both of these forms bind to vitamin D-binding protein to get transported to all vital target organs, where it serves as a natural ligand to vitamin D receptors for enabling their biological actions. Clinical reports corroborating vitamin D deficiency with an increase in thrombotic episodes implicate the role of vitamin D and its associated molecule in the regulation of thrombosis-related pathways. Thrombosis is the formation and propagation of a blood clot, known as thrombus. It can occur either in the arterial or the venous system resulting in many severe complications, including myocardial infarction, stroke, ischemia, and venous thromboembolism. Vitamin D, directly or indirectly, controls the expression of several genes responsible for the regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. All of these are the processes of potential relevance to thrombotic disorders. This review, thus, discussed the effects of vitamin D on pathways involved in thrombosis, such as hemostatic process, inflammatory pathway, and endothelial cell activation, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms associated with them.

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Stratification of alpha ganglion cells and ON/OFF directionally selective ganglion cells in the rabbit retina

Visual Neuroscience ◽

10.1017/s0952523805224148 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 535-549 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

JIAN ZHANG ◽

WEI LI ◽

HIDEO HOSHI ◽

STEPHEN L. MILLS ◽

STEPHEN C. MASSEY

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Cell ◽

Amacrine Cell ◽

Ganglion Cells ◽

Amacrine Cells ◽

Bipolar Cells ◽

Confocal Imaging ◽

Rabbit Retina ◽

Firing Rates ◽

Starburst Amacrine Cells ◽

Cholinergic Sensitivity

The correlation between cholinergic sensitivity and the level of stratification for ganglion cells was examined in the rabbit retina. As examples, we have used ON or OFF α ganglion cells and ON/OFF directionally selective (DS) ganglion cells. Nicotine, a cholinergic agonist, depolarized ON/OFF DS ganglion cells and greatly enhanced their firing rates but it had modest excitatory effects on ON or OFF α ganglion cells. As previously reported, we conclude that DS ganglion cells are the most sensitive to cholinergic drugs. Confocal imaging showed that ON/OFF DS ganglion cells ramify precisely at the level of the cholinergic amacrine cell dendrites, and co-fasciculate with the cholinergic matrix of starburst amacrine cells. However, neither ON or OFF α ganglion cells have more than a chance association with the cholinergic matrix. Z-axis reconstruction showed that OFF α ganglion cells stratify just below the cholinergic band in sublamina a while ON α ganglion cells stratify just below cholinergic b. The latter is at the same level as the terminals of calbindin bipolar cells. Thus, the calbindin bipolar cell appears to be a prime candidate to provide the bipolar cell input to ON α ganglion cells in the rabbit retina. We conclude that the precise level of stratification is correlated with the strength of cholinergic input. Alpha ganglion cells receive a weak cholinergic input and they are narrowly stratified just below the cholinergic bands.

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