scholarly journals Aberrant information transfer interferes with functional axon regeneration

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Ding ◽  
Marc Hammarlund
Keyword(s):  
Information Transfer ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Axon Regeneration ◽  
Behavioral Recovery ◽  
Axon Injury ◽  
Functional Regeneration ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
And Function ◽  
Circuit Function ◽  
Molecular Components

Functional axon regeneration requires regenerating neurons to restore appropriate synaptic connectivity and circuit function. To model this process, we developed an assay in Caenorhabditis elegans that links axon and synapse regeneration of a single neuron to recovery of behavior. After axon injury and regeneration of the DA9 neuron, synapses reform at their pre-injury location. However, these regenerated synapses often lack key molecular components. Further, synaptic vesicles accumulate in the dendrite in response to axon injury. Dendritic vesicle release results in information misrouting that suppresses behavioral recovery. Dendritic synapse formation depends on dynein and jnk-1. But even when information transfer is corrected, axonal synapses fail to adequately transmit information. Our study reveals unexpected plasticity during functional regeneration. Regeneration of the axon is not sufficient for the reformation of correct neuronal circuits after injury. Rather, synapse reformation and function are also key variables, and manipulation of circuit reformation improves behavioral recovery.

scholarly journals Aberrant Information Transfer Interferes with Functional Axon Regeneration

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Ding ◽  
Marc Hammarlund
Keyword(s):  
Information Transfer ◽  
Single Neuron ◽  
Axon Regeneration ◽  
Behavioral Recovery ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
Functional Regeneration ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
And Function ◽  
Circuit Function

AbstractFunctional axon regeneration requires regenerating neurons to restore appropriate synaptic connectivity and circuit function. To model this process, we developed a single-neuron assay in C. elegans that links axon regeneration and synapse reformation with recovery of relevant behavior. After axon injury to the DA9 neuron, regeneration restores synapses to their pre-injury location. Surprisingly, presynapses also accumulate in the dendrite. Both axonal and dendritic synapses are functional. Dendritic synapses result in information misrouting that suppresses behavioral recovery. Formation of dendritic synapses is specifically dependent on dynein-mediated transport and jnk-1. However, even when information transfer is corrected, axonal synapses fail to adequately transmit information. Our study reveals unexpected plasticity during functional regeneration. Regeneration of the axon is not sufficient for the reformation of correct neuronal circuits after injury. Rather, synapse reformation and function are also key variables, and manipulation of circuit reformation improves behavioral recovery.

scholarly journals Type IIa RPTPs and Glycans: Roles in Axon Regeneration and Synaptogenesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5524
Author(s):  
Kazuma Sakamoto ◽  
Tomoya Ozaki ◽  
Yuji Suzuki ◽  
Kenji Kadomatsu
Keyword(s):  
Heparan Sulfate ◽  
Network Formation ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Axon Regeneration ◽  
Transmembrane Protein ◽  
Inhibitory Synapses ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Axon Terminals ◽  
Axon Extension ◽  
Receptor Tyrosine Phosphatases

Type IIa receptor tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) play pivotal roles in neuronal network formation. It is emerging that the interactions of RPTPs with glycans, i.e., chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparan sulfate (HS), are critical for their functions. We highlight here the significance of these interactions in axon regeneration and synaptogenesis. For example, PTPσ, a member of type IIa RPTPs, on axon terminals is monomerized and activated by the extracellular CS deposited in neural injuries, dephosphorylates cortactin, disrupts autophagy flux, and consequently inhibits axon regeneration. In contrast, HS induces PTPσ oligomerization, suppresses PTPσ phosphatase activity, and promotes axon regeneration. PTPσ also serves as an organizer of excitatory synapses. PTPσ and neurexin bind one another on presynapses and further bind to postsynaptic leucine-rich repeat transmembrane protein 4 (LRRTM4). Neurexin is now known as a heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), and its HS is essential for the binding between these three molecules. Another HSPG, glypican 4, binds to presynaptic PTPσ and postsynaptic LRRTM4 in an HS-dependent manner. Type IIa RPTPs are also involved in the formation of excitatory and inhibitory synapses by heterophilic binding to a variety of postsynaptic partners. We also discuss the important issue of possible mechanisms coordinating axon extension and synapse formation.

scholarly journals New Tricks for an Old (Hedge)Hog: Sonic Hedgehog Regulation of Astrocyte Function

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1353
Author(s):  
A. Denise R. Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Sonic Hedgehog ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Molecular Signaling ◽  
Synaptic Organization ◽  
Shh Signaling ◽  
Broad Array ◽  
And Function ◽  
Molecular Signaling Pathway

The Sonic hedgehog (Shh) molecular signaling pathway is well established as a key regulator of neurodevelopment. It regulates diverse cellular behaviors, and its functions vary with respect to cell type, region, and developmental stage, reflecting the incredible pleiotropy of this molecular signaling pathway. Although it is best understood for its roles in development, Shh signaling persists into adulthood and is emerging as an important regulator of astrocyte function. Astrocytes play central roles in a broad array of nervous system functions, including synapse formation and function as well as coordination and orchestration of CNS inflammatory responses in pathological states. Neurons are the source of Shh in the adult, suggesting that Shh signaling mediates neuron–astrocyte communication, a novel role for this multifaceted pathway. Multiple roles for Shh signaling in astrocytes are increasingly being identified, including regulation of astrocyte identity, modulation of synaptic organization, and limitation of inflammation. This review discusses these novel roles for Shh signaling in regulating diverse astrocyte functions in the healthy brain and in pathology.

scholarly journals The intellectual disability gene Kirrel3 regulates target-specific mossy fiber synapse development in the hippocampus

eLife ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Anne Martin ◽  
Shruti Muralidhar ◽  
Zhirong Wang ◽  
Diégo Cordero Cervantes ◽  
Raunak Basu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Mossy Fiber ◽  
Neuron Activity ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Synaptic Changes ◽  
Mossy Fiber Synapse ◽  
Ca3 Neurons ◽  
Circuit Function ◽  
Feed Forward Inhibition

Synaptic target specificity, whereby neurons make distinct types of synapses with different target cells, is critical for brain function, yet the mechanisms driving it are poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate Kirrel3 regulates target-specific synapse formation at hippocampal mossy fiber (MF) synapses, which connect dentate granule (DG) neurons to both CA3 and GABAergic neurons. Here, we show Kirrel3 is required for formation of MF filopodia; the structures that give rise to DG-GABA synapses and that regulate feed-forward inhibition of CA3 neurons. Consequently, loss of Kirrel3 robustly increases CA3 neuron activity in developing mice. Alterations in the Kirrel3 gene are repeatedly associated with intellectual disabilities, but the role of Kirrel3 at synapses remained largely unknown. Our findings demonstrate that subtle synaptic changes during development impact circuit function and provide the first insight toward understanding the cellular basis of Kirrel3-dependent neurodevelopmental disorders.

scholarly journals Zebrafish Dscaml1 is Essential for Retinal Patterning and Function of Oculomotor Subcircuits

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manxiu Ma ◽  
Alexandro D. Ramirez ◽  
Tong Wang ◽  
Rachel L. Roberts ◽  
Katherine E. Harmon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Light Adaptation ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Oculomotor System ◽  
Gaze Stabilization ◽  
Ocular Disorders ◽  
Motor Apraxia ◽  
Premotor Pathways ◽  
And Function ◽  
Circuit Function

AbstractDown Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecules (dscam and dscaml1) are essential regulators of neural circuit assembly, but their roles in vertebrate neural circuit function are still mostly unexplored. We investigated the role of dscaml1 in the zebrafish oculomotor system, where behavior, circuit function, and neuronal activity can be precisely quantified. Loss of zebrafish dscaml1 resulted in deficits in retinal patterning and light adaptation, consistent with its known roles in mammals. Oculomotor analyses showed that mutants have abnormal gaze stabilization, impaired fixation, disconjugation, and faster fatigue. Notably, the saccade and fatigue phenotypes in dscaml1 mutants are reminiscent of human ocular motor apraxia, for which no animal model exists. Two-photon calcium imaging showed that loss of dscaml1 leads to impairment in the saccadic premotor pathway but not the pretectum-vestibular premotor pathway, indicating a subcircuit requirement for dscaml1. Together, we show that dscaml1 has both broad and specific roles in oculomotor circuit function, providing a new animal model to investigate the development of premotor pathways and their associated human ocular disorders.

scholarly journals An Autism-Associated Neuroligin-3 Mutation Affects Developmental Synapse Elimination in the Cerebellum

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther Suk King Lai ◽  
Hisako Nakayama ◽  
Taisuke Miyazaki ◽  
Takanobu Nakazawa ◽  
Katsuhiko Tabuchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Mutant Mice ◽  
Single Point Mutation ◽  
Synapse Elimination ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Post Mortem Brain ◽  
And Function

Neuroligin is a postsynaptic cell-adhesion molecule that is involved in synapse formation and maturation by interacting with presynaptic neurexin. Mutations in neuroligin genes, including the arginine to cystein substitution at the 451st amino acid residue (R451C) of neuroligin-3 (NLGN3), have been identified in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Functional magnetic resonance imaging and examination of post-mortem brain in ASD patients implicate alteration of cerebellar morphology and Purkinje cell (PC) loss. In the present study, we examined possible association between the R451C mutation in NLGN3 and synaptic development and function in the mouse cerebellum. In NLGN3-R451C mutant mice, the expression of NLGN3 protein in the cerebellum was reduced to about 10% of the level of wild-type mice. Elimination of redundant climbing fiber (CF) to PC synapses was impaired from postnatal day 10–15 (P10–15) in NLGN3-R451C mutant mice, but majority of PCs became mono-innervated as in wild-type mice after P16. In NLGN3-R451C mutant mice, selective strengthening of a single CF relative to the other CFs in each PC was impaired from P16, which persisted into juvenile stage. Furthermore, the inhibition to excitation (I/E) balance of synaptic inputs to PCs was elevated, and calcium transients in the soma induced by strong and weak CF inputs were reduced in NLGN3-R451C mutant mice. These results suggest that a single point mutation in NLGN3 significantly influences the synapse development and refinement in cerebellar circuitry, which might be related to the pathogenesis of ASD.

scholarly journals Agrin is required for survival and function of monocytic cells

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 119 (23) ◽  
pp. 5502-5511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Mazzon ◽  
Achille Anselmo ◽  
Cristiana Soldani ◽  
Javier Cibella ◽  
Cristina Ploia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Matrix Protein ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Myeloid Cell ◽  
Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans ◽  
Extracellular Matrix Protein ◽  
Monocytic Cells ◽  
Hematopoietic System ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
And Function

Abstract Agrin, an extracellular matrix protein belonging to the heterogeneous family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), is expressed by cells of the hematopoietic system but its role in leukocyte biology is not yet clear. Here we demonstrate that agrin has a crucial, nonredundant role in myeloid cell development and functions. We have identified lineage-specific alterations that affect maturation, survival and properties of agrin-deficient monocytic cells, and occur at stages later than stem cell precursors. Our data indicate that the cell-autonomous signals delivered by agrin are sensed by macrophages through the α-DC (DG) receptor and lead to the activation of signaling pathways resulting in rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton during the phagocytic synapse formation and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (Erk 1/2). Altogether, these data identify agrin as a novel player of innate immunity.

scholarly journals MicroRNAs in brain development and cerebrovascular pathophysiology

2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (1) ◽  
pp. C3-C19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingyi Ma ◽  
Lubo Zhang ◽  
William J. Pearce
Keyword(s):  
Brain Development ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Ischemic Brain ◽  
Neural Lineage ◽  
Cell Proliferation And Differentiation ◽  
Proliferation And Differentiation ◽  
And Function

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of highly conserved non-coding RNAs with 21–25 nucleotides in length and play an important role in regulating gene expression at the posttranscriptional level via base-paring with complementary sequences of the 3′-untranslated region of the target gene mRNA, leading to either transcript degradation or translation inhibition. Brain-enriched miRNAs act as versatile regulators of brain development and function, including neural lineage and subtype determination, neurogenesis, synapse formation and plasticity, neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation, and responses to insults. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the role of miRNAs in brain development and cerebrovascular pathophysiology. We review recent progress of the miRNA-based mechanisms in neuronal and cerebrovascular development as well as their role in hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. These findings hold great promise, not just for deeper understanding of basic brain biology but also for building new therapeutic strategies for prevention and treatment of pathologies such as cerebral ischemia.

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