Examining litter specific variability in mice and its impact on neurodevelopmental studies.

Our current understanding of litter variability in neurodevelopmental studies using mice may limit translation of neuroscientific findings. Higher variance of measures across litters than within, often termed intra-litter likeness, may be attributable to both pre- and postnatal environment. This study aimed to assess the litter-effect within behavioral assessments (2 timepoints) and anatomy using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images across 72 brain region volumes (4 timepoints) (36 C57bl/6J inbred mice; 7 litters: 19F/17M). Between-litter comparisons of brain and behavioral measures and their associations were evaluated using univariate and multivariate techniques. A power analysis using simulation methods was then performed on modeled neurodevelopment and to evaluate trade-offs between number-of-litters, number-of-mice-per-litter, and sample size. Our results show litter-specific developmental effects, from the adolescent period to adulthood for brain structure volumes and behaviors, and for their associations in adulthood. Our power simulation analysis suggests increasing the number-of-litters in experimental designs to achieve the smallest total sample size necessary for detecting different rates of change in specific brain regions. Our results demonstrate how litter-specific effects may influence development and that increasing the litters to the total sample size ratio should be strongly considered when designing neurodevelopmental studies.

Neuroanatomical and cognitive biomarkers of alpha-synuclein propagation in a mouse model of synucleinopathy prior to onset of motor symptoms.

Significant evidence suggests that misfolded alpha-synuclein (aSyn), a major component of Lewy bodies, propagates in a prion-like manner contributing to disease progression in Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies. In fact, timed inoculation of M83 hemizygous mice with recombinant human aSyn preformed fibrils (PFF) has shown symptomatic deficits after substantial spreading of pathogenic alpha-synuclein, as detected by markers for the phosphorylation of S129 of aSyn. However, whether accumulated toxicity impact human-relevant cognitive and structural neuroanatomical measures is not fully understood. Here we performed a single unilateral striatal PFF injection in M83 hemizygous mice, and using two assays with translational potential, ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and touchscreen testing, we examined the combined neuroanatomical and behavioral impact of aSyn propagation. In PFF-injected mice, we observed widespread atrophy in bilateral regions that project to or receive input from the injection site using MRI. We also identified early deficits in reversal learning prior to the emergence of motor symptoms. Our findings highlight a network of regions with related cellular correlates of pathology that follow the progression of aSyn spreading, and that affect brain areas relevant for reversal learning. Our experiments suggest that M83 hemizygous mice injected with human PFF provides a model to understand how misfolded aSyn affects human-relevant pre-clinical measures and suggest that these pre-clinical biomarkers could be used to detect early toxicity of aSyn and provide better translational measures between mice and human disease.

Stress-inducible phosphoprotein 1 (HOP/STI1/STIP1) regulates the accumulation and toxicity of α-synuclein in vivo.

The predominantly pre-synaptic intrinsically disordered protein α-synuclein is prone to misfolding and aggregation in synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Molecular chaperones play important roles in protein misfolding diseases and members of the chaperone machinery are often deposited in Lewy bodies. Here, we show that the Hsp90 co-chaperone STI1 co-immunoprecipitated α-synuclein, and co-deposited with Hsp90 and Hsp70 in insoluble protein fractions in two mouse models of α-synuclein misfolding. STI1 and Hsp90 also co-localized extensively with filamentous S129 phosphorylated α-synuclein in ubiquitin-positive inclusions. In PD human brains, STI1 transcripts were increased, and in neurologically healthy brains, STI1 and α-synuclein transcripts correlated. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analyses revealed direct interaction of α-synuclein with STI1 and indicated that the STI1 TPR2A, but not TPR1 or TPR2B domains, interacted with the C-terminal domain of α-synuclein. In vitro, the STI1 TPR2A domain facilitated S129 phosphorylation by Polo-like kinase 3. Moreover, mice over-expressing STI1 and Hsp90ß presented elevated α-synuclein S129 phosphorylation accompanied by inclusions when injected with α-synuclein pre-formed fibrils. In contrast, reduced STI1 function decreased protein inclusion formation, S129 α-synuclein phosphorylation, while mitigating motor and cognitive deficits as well as mesoscopic brain atrophy in α-synuclein-over-expressing mice. Our findings reveal a vicious cycle in which STI1 facilitates the generation and accumulation of toxic α-synuclein conformers, while α-synuclein-induced proteostatic stress increased insoluble STI1 and Hsp90.

Structural brain plasticity induced by early blindness.

It is well established that early blindness results in behavioural adaptations. While the functional effects of visual deprivation have been well researched, anatomical studies are scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate whole brain structural plasticity in a mouse model of congenital blindness. Volumetric analyses were conducted on high-resolution MRI images and histological sections from the same brains. These morphometric measurements were compared between anophthalmic and sighted ZRDBA mice obtained by breeding ZRDCT and DBA mice. Results from MRI analyses using the Multiple Automatically Generated Templates (MAGeT) method showed smaller volume for the primary visual cortex and superior colliculi in anophthalmic compared with sighted mice. Deformation-based morphometry revealed smaller volumes within the dorsal lateral geniculate nuclei and the lateral secondary visual cortex and larger volumes within olfactory areas, piriform cortex, orbital areas and the amygdala, in anophthalmic compared with sighted mice. Histological analyses revealed a larger volume for the amygdala and smaller volume for the superior colliculi, primary visual cortex and medial secondary visual cortex, in anophthalmic compared with sighted mice. The absence of superficial visual layers of the superior colliculus and the thinner cortical layer IV of the primary and secondary visual cortices may explain the smaller volume of these areas, although this was observed in a limited sample. The present study shows large-scale brain plasticity in a mouse model of congenital blindness. In addition, the congruence of MRI and histological findings support the use of MRI to investigate structural brain plasticity in the mouse.

Common functional networks in the mouse brain revealed by multi-centre resting-state fMRI analysis.

Preclinical applications of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) offer the possibility to non-invasively probe whole-brain network dynamics and to investigate the determinants of altered network signatures observed in human studies. Mouse rsfMRI has been increasingly adopted by numerous laboratories worldwide. Here we describe a multi-centre comparison of 17 mouse rsfMRI datasets via a common image processing and analysis pipeline. Despite prominent cross-laboratory differences in equipment and imaging procedures, we report the reproducible identification of several large-scale resting-state networks (RSN), including a mouse default-mode network, in the majority of datasets. A combination of factors was associated with enhanced reproducibility in functional connectivity parameter estimation, including animal handling procedures and equipment performance. RSN spatial specificity was enhanced in datasets acquired at higher field strength, with cryoprobes, in ventilated animals, and under medetomidine-isoflurane combination sedation. Our work describes a set of representative RSNs in the mouse brain and highlights key experimental parameters that can critically guide the design and analysis of future rodent rsfMRI investigations.

Investigating the "two-hit hypothesis": Effects of prenatal maternal immune activation and adolescent cannabis use on neurodevelopment in mice.

Prenatal exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) and chronic adolescent cannabis use are both risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders. However, exposure to a single risk factor may not result in major mental illness, indicating that multiple exposures may be required for illness onset. Here, we examine whether combined exposure to prenatal MIA and adolescent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis, lead to enduring neuroanatomical and behavioural changes in adulthood. Mice were prenatally exposed to viral mimetic, poly I:C (5 mg/kg), or vehicle at gestational day (GD) 9, and postnatally exposed to chronic THC (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) or vehicle during adolescence (postnatal day [PND]28-45). Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed pre-treatment, PND 25, post-treatment, PND 50, and in adulthood, PND85, followed by behavioural tests for anxiety-like, social, and sensorimotor gating. Post-mortem assessment of cannabinoid (CB)1 and 2 receptor expressing cells was performed in altered regions identified by MRI (anterior cingulate and somatosensory cortices, striatum, and hippocampus). Subtle deviations in neurodevelopmental trajectory and subthreshold anxiety-like behaviours were observed in mice exposed to both risk factors. Sex-dependent effects were observed in patterns of shared brain-behaviour covariation, indicative of potential sex differences in response to MIA and THC. Density of CB1 and CB2 receptor positive cells was significantly decreased in all mice exposed to MIA, THC, or both. These findings suggest that there may be a cumulative effect of risk factor exposure on gross neuroanatomical development, and that the endocannabinoid system may be sensitive to both prenatal MIA, adolescent THC, or the combination.

Early or Late Gestational Exposure to Maternal Immune Activation Alters Neurodevelopmental Trajectories in Mice: An Integrated Neuroimaging, Behavioral, and Transcriptional Study.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) in utero is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders later in life. The impact of the gestational timing of MIA exposure on downstream development remains unclear. METHODS: We characterized neurodevelopmental trajectories of mice exposed to the viral mimetic poly I:C (polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid) either on gestational day 9 (early) or on day 17 (late) using longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging from weaning to adulthood. Using multivariate methods, we related neuroimaging and behavioral variables for the time of greatest alteration (adolescence/early adulthood) and identified regions for further investigation using RNA sequencing. RESULTS: Early MIA exposure was associated with accelerated brain volume increases in adolescence/early adulthood that normalized in later adulthood in the striatum, hippocampus, and cingulate cortex. Similarly, alterations in anxiety-like, stereotypic, and sensorimotor gating behaviors observed in adolescence normalized in adulthood. MIA exposure in late gestation had less impact on anatomical and behavioral profiles. Multivariate maps associated anxiety-like, social, and sensorimotor gating deficits with volume of the dorsal and ventral hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex, among others. The most transcriptional changes were observed in the dorsal hippocampus, with genes enriched for fibroblast growth factor regulation, autistic behaviors, inflammatory pathways, and microRNA regulation. CONCLUSIONS: Leveraging an integrated hypothesis- and data-driven approach linking brain-behavior alterations to the transcriptome, we found that MIA timing differentially affects offspring development. Exposure in late gestation leads to subthreshold deficits, whereas exposure in early gestation perturbs brain development mechanisms implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Cholinergic dysfunction in the dorsal striatum promotes habit formation and maladaptive eating.

Dysregulation of habit formation has been recently proposed as pivotal to eating disorders. Here, we report that a subset of patients suffering from restrictive anorexia nervosa have enhanced habit formation compared with healthy controls. Habit formation is modulated by striatal cholinergic interneurons. These interneurons express vesicular transporters for acetylcholine (VAChT) and glutamate (VGLUT3) and use acetylcholine/glutamate cotransmission to regulate striatal functions. Using mice with genetically silenced VAChT (VAChT conditional KO, VAChTcKO) or VGLUT3 (VGLUT3cKO), we investigated the roles that acetylcholine and glutamate released by cholinergic interneurons play in habit formation and maladaptive eating. Silencing glutamate favored goal-directed behaviors and had no impact on eating behavior. In contrast, VAChTcKO mice were more prone to habits and maladaptive eating. Specific deletion of VAChT in the dorsomedial striatum of adult mice was sufficient to phenocopy maladaptive eating behaviors of VAChTcKO mice. Interestingly, VAChTcKO mice had reduced dopamine release in the dorsomedial striatum but not in the dorsolateral striatum. The dysfunctional eating behavior of VAChTcKO mice was alleviated by donepezil and by l-DOPA, confirming an acetylcholine/dopamine deficit. Our study reveals that loss of acetylcholine leads to a dopamine imbalance in striatal compartments, thereby promoting habits and vulnerability to maladaptive eating in mice.

Longitudinal assessment of the neuroanatomical consequences of deep brain stimulation: Application of fornical DBS in an Alzheimer's mouse model.

Following its success in the treatment of refractory movement disorders, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is currently under clinical investigation as a possible treatment for several neuropsychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). DBS's mechanism of action, delivery regimen, optimal brain target, and timeline of behavioural and neuroanatomical outcomes are all open fields of investigation. There is a critical need to develop methodologies that allow us to examine the time course of both behavioural changes and neuroanatomical remodelling in response to DBS. Here we present a proof-of-concept methodology for DBS experiments which incorporates both brain imaging and behaviour in a longitudinal fashion. We implanted triple transgenic AD mouse models (expressing mutations for both amyloid and tau) with custom magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible, carbon based electrodes. Mice received DBS or sham stimulation to the fornix (a critical white matter node in the brain's memory circuit) for 1 h (100 Hz, 100 µs pulses, 100 µA). Treatment was followed with an adapted Morris water maze (to test learning and memory; performed weekly) and structural MRI (to assess neuroanatomy; 3 days before and 3 days after DBS with a 6 week follow-up). The acute DBS treatment improved learning and long term memory in a delayed, sex specific, and transient manner relative to sham-stimulated controls. Significant, persistent, volumetric changes were seen in diverse brains structures, also heavily mediated by sex. We believe this methodology may be used as a template for DBS-related experimentation and will encourage preclinical studies to use longitudinal designs.

Contributions of a high-fat diet to Alzheimer's disease-related decline: A longitudinal behavioural and structural neuroimaging study in mouse models.

Obesity is recognized as a significant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Studies have supported that obesity accelerates AD-related pathophysiology and memory impairment in mouse models of AD. However, the nature of the brain structure-behaviour relationship mediating this acceleration remains unclear. In this manuscript we evaluated the impact of adolescent obesity on the brain morphology of the triple transgenic mouse model of AD (3xTg) and a non-transgenic control model of the same background strain (B6129s) using longitudinally acquired structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). At 8 weeks of age, animals were placed on a high-fat diet (HFD) or an ingredient-equivalent control diet (CD). Structural images were acquired at 8, 16, and 24 weeks. At 25 weeks, animals underwent the novel object recognition (NOR) task and the Morris water maze (MWM) to assess short-term non-associative memory and spatial memory, respectively. All analyses were carried out across four groups: B6129s-CD and -HFD and 3xTg-CD and -HFD. Neuroanatomical changes in MRI-derived brain morphology were assessed using volumetric and deformation-based analyses. HFD-induced obesity during adolescence exacerbated brain volume alterations by adult life in the 3xTg mouse model in comparison to control-fed mice and mediated volumetric alterations of select brain regions, such as the hippocampus. Further, HFD-induced obesity aggravated memory in all mice, lowering certain memory measures of B6129s control mice to the level of 3xTg mice maintained on a CD. Moreover, decline in the volumetric trajectories of hippocampal regions for all mice were associated with the degree of spatial memory impairments on the MWM. Our results suggest that obesity may interact with the brain changes associated with AD-related pathology in the 3xTg mouse model to aggravate brain atrophy and memory impairments and similarly impair brain structural integrity and memory capacity of non-transgenic mice. Further insight into this process may have significant implications in the development of lifestyle interventions for treatment of AD.

Early-in-life neuroanatomical and behavioural trajectories in a triple transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease.

Animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be used to determine the progressive neurodegeneration characteristics of AD in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Given the need for therapeutic interventions before the onset of frank AD, it is critical to examine if AD models demonstrate neuroanatomical remodeling in an equivalent preclinical phase. This manuscript examines the trajectories of brain and behavioural changes in the Triple transgenic mouse model (3xTg) prior to the development of AD-like behaviours. The 3xTg mimics both ß-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles through three mutations associated with familial AD, namely: PS1M146V, APPSwe, and tauP301L transgenes. We performed detailed investigation using longitudinal structural MRI at 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks old to assess neuroanatomical changes using volumetric and deformation-based analyses. Learning- and memory-related behaviour were assessed through the Morris water maze at 9, 17, and 25 weeks of age. There was the absence of major memory deficits with the notable exception of water maze conducted at 17 weeks old, where 3xTg group spent significantly less time in the quadrant of interest in the probe trial. Through volumetric and deformation-based analyses, we observed relative decrease over time in the 3xTg group in the third ventricle, piriform cortex, fornix, and fimbria relative to the control group. We also observed decreases over time in the control mice in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, cerebellum, and olfactory bulb. In many of these cases, we note a delay in the attainment of peak volume in the 3xTgs relative to the control group, suggesting a possible neurodevelopmental and maturational delay given the likely over-expression of AD-related pathology from birth. Importantly, neuroanatomical alterations are observed prior to the manifestation of AD-like behaviours, suggesting that mutated amyloid and tau are, indeed, sufficient to cause changes in the neuroanatomy in 3xTg mice, but potentially insufficient to be responsible for behavioural changes in the earlier stages of life.

Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9) sensitizes renal cell carcinoma to ionizing radiation.

While normal kidneys are relatively sensitive to ionizing radiation (IR), renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is considered radioresistant. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9), an enzyme that maintains intracellular pH by carbon dioxide dissolution, is upregulated in the majority of RCC, but not in normal kidneys. Since regulation of intracellular pH may enhance radiation effects, we hypothesized that inhibition of CA9 may radiosensitize RCC. Clonogenic survival assay of human clear cell RCC 786-O and murine RCC RAG cells in the presence of a pharmacological CA9 inhibitor or with shRNA-mediated knockdown of CA9 was performed to investigate the response to IR in vitro (single dose or fractionated) and in vivo. Extracellular pH changes were measured in vitro. Treatment with AEBS [4-(2-aminoethyl)benzene sulfonamide], a sulfonamide, was used as a pharmacological inhibitor of the enzymatic activity of CA9. Nude mice bearing subcutaneous xenografts of 786-O cells stably expressing CA9 shRNA or scrambled control were irradiated (6 Gy). Tumor growth was followed longitudinally in the 786-O-bearing mice receiving AEBS (50-200 µg/ml drinking water) or control (vehicle only) which were irradiated (6 Gy) and compared with mice receiving either IR or AEBS alone. In vitro inhibition of CA9 activity or expression significantly sensitized RCC cells to the effects of IR (p<0.05), an effect even more significant when hypofractionated IR was applied. In vivo irradiated xenografts from RCC cells transfected with CA9 shRNA were significantly smaller compared to irradiated xenografts from the scrambled shRNA controls (p<0.05). RCC xenografts from mice treated with AEBS in combination with IR grew significantly slower than all controls (p<0.05). Inhibition of CA9 expression or activity resulted in radiation sensitization of RCC in a preclinical mouse model.

Underactivation of the adiponectin-adiponectin receptor 1 axis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma: implications for progression.

Energy-sensing pathways, normally coordinated by 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), are dysregulated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Obesity can accentuate the pre-existing pro-tumorigenic metabolic machinery in RCC cells through its associated obesogenic hormonal milieu, characterized by lower circulating levels of adiponectin. In RCC patients, low adiponectin levels associate clinically with more aggressive disease. We investigated the adiponectin signaling pathway in RCC, focusing on adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) and associated activation of AMPK. AdipoR1 protein in RCC and normal surrounding renal tissues was determined by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Anti-tumorigenic effects of adiponectin in RCC cells in vitro were investigated via VEGF and MMP ELISA and invasion assays. Using in vivo models of RCC, the effect of AdipoR1-knockdown (shRNA) on tumor latency, growth and dissemination were determined. AdipoR1 protein was significantly reduced in clear cell RCC specimens. Adiponectin treatment inhibited VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 secretion and activity and invasive and migratory capacities of RCC cells. AMPKα1-knockdown (shRNA) attenuated adiponectin's effects. In cells stably expressing AdipoR1-specific shRNA, AMPK activation by adiponectin was significantly reduced compared to cells expressing control shRNA. In vivo, AdipoR1 knockdown increased the growth, dissemination and angiogenesis of RCC. These findings suggest that deficiencies in the entire adiponectin hormonal axis (the hormone and its receptor) result in underactivation of AMPK leading to increased angiogenic and invasive capacities of RCC. The established link between obesity and RCC can therefore be further explained by the adiponectin deficiency in obese individuals together with reduced AdipoR1 protein in RCC.

Metabolic features of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma: mechanisms and clinical implications.

Central to the malignant behaviour that endows cancer cells with growth advantage is their unique metabolism. Cancer cells can process nutrient molecules differently from normal cells and use it to overcome stress imposed on them by various therapies. This metabolic conversion is controlled by specific genetic mutations that are associated with activation of oncogenes and loss of tumour suppressor proteins. Understanding these processes is important as it can lead to the discovery of biomarkers that can predict the aggressiveness of the disease and its response to therapy, and even more importantly, to the development of novel therapeutics. A classic tumour in this respect is clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In this review, we will begin with a brief summary of normal cellular bioenergetic pathways, which will be followed by a description of the characteristic metabolism of glucose and lipids in clear-cell RCC cells and its clinical implications. Data relating to the potential effect of dietary nutrients on RCC will also be reviewed along with potential therapies targeted at interrupting specific metabolic pathways in clear-cell RCC.