FLNA regulates neuronal maturation by modulating RAC1-Cofilin activity in the developing cortex.

Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH), the most common brain malformation diagnosed in adulthood, is characterized by the presence of neuronal nodules along the ventricular walls. PNH is mainly associated with mutations in the FLNA gene - encoding an actin-binding protein - and patients often develop epilepsy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuronal failure still remain elusive. It has been hypothesized that dysfunctional cortical circuitry, rather than ectopic neurons, may explain the clinical manifestations. To address this issue, we depleted FLNA from cortical pyramidal neurons of a conditional Flnaflox/flox mice by timed in utero electroporation of Cre recombinase. We found that FLNA regulates dendritogenesis and spinogenesis thus promoting an appropriate excitatory/inhibitory inputs balance. We demonstrated that FLNA modulates RAC1 and cofilin activity through its interaction with the Rho-GTPase Activating Protein 24 (ARHGAP24). Collectively, we disclose an uncharacterized role of FLNA and provide strong support for neural circuit dysfunction being a consequence of FLNA mutations.

Disruption of NEUROD2 causes a neurodevelopmental syndrome with autistic features via cell-autonomous defects in forebrain glutamatergic neurons.

While the transcription factor NEUROD2 has recently been associated with epilepsy, its precise role during nervous system development remains unclear. Using a multi-scale approach, we set out to understand how Neurod2 deletion affects the development of the cerebral cortex in mice. In Neurod2 KO embryos, cortical projection neurons over-migrated, thereby altering the final size and position of layers. In juvenile and adults, spine density and turnover were dysregulated in apical but not basal compartments in layer 5 neurons. Patch-clamp recordings in layer 5 neurons of juvenile mice revealed increased intrinsic excitability. Bulk RNA sequencing showed dysregulated expression of many genes associated with neuronal excitability and synaptic function, whose human orthologs were strongly associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). At the behavior level, Neurod2 KO mice displayed social interaction deficits, stereotypies, hyperactivity, and occasionally spontaneous seizures. Mice heterozygous for Neurod2 had similar defects, indicating that Neurod2 is haploinsufficient. Finally, specific deletion of Neurod2 in forebrain excitatory neurons recapitulated cellular and behavioral phenotypes found in constitutive KO mice, revealing the region-specific contribution of dysfunctional Neurod2 in symptoms. Informed by these neurobehavioral features in mouse mutants, we identified eleven patients from eight families with a neurodevelopmental disorder including intellectual disability and ASD associated with NEUROD2 pathogenic mutations. Our findings demonstrate crucial roles for Neurod2 in neocortical development, whose alterations can cause neurodevelopmental disorders including intellectual disability and ASD.

Direct and efficient transfection of mouse neural stem cells and mature neurons by in vivo mRNA electroporation.

In vivo brain electroporation of DNA expression vectors is a widely used method for lineage and gene function studies in the developing and postnatal brain. However, transfection efficiency of DNA is limited and adult brain tissue is refractory to electroporation. Here, we present a systematic study of mRNA as a vector for acute genetic manipulation in the developing and adult brain. We demonstrate that mRNA electroporation is far more efficient than DNA electroporation, and leads to faster and more homogeneous protein expression in vivo Importantly, mRNA electroporation allows the manipulation of neural stem cells and postmitotic neurons in the adult brain using minimally invasive procedures. Finally, we show that this approach can be efficiently used for functional studies, as exemplified by transient overexpression of the neurogenic factor Myt1l and by stably inactivating Dicer nuclease in vivo in adult born olfactory bulb interneurons and in fully integrated cortical projection neurons.

Zic-Proteins Are Repressors of Dopaminergic Forebrain Fate in Mice and C. elegans.

In the postnatal forebrain regionalized neural stem cells along the ventricular walls produce olfactory bulb (OB) interneurons with varying neurotransmitter phenotypes and positions. To understand the molecular basis of this region-specific variability we analyzed gene expression in the postnatal dorsal and lateral lineages in mice of both sexes from stem cells to neurons. We show that both lineages maintain transcription factor signatures of their embryonic site of origin, the pallium and subpallium. However, additional factors, including Zic1 and Zic2, are postnatally expressed in the dorsal stem cell compartment and maintained in the lineage that generates calretinin-positive GABAergic neurons for the OB. Functionally, we show that Zic1 and Zic2 induce the generation of calretinin-positive neurons while suppressing dopaminergic fate in the postnatal dorsal lineage. We investigated the evolutionary conservation of the dopaminergic repressor function of Zic proteins and show that it is already present in C. elegansSIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The vertebrate brain generates thousands of different neuron types. In this work we investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this variability. Using a genomics approach we identify the transcription factor signatures of defined neural stem cells and neuron populations. Based thereon we show that two related transcription factors, Zic1 and Zic2, are essential to control the balance between two defined neuron types in the postnatal brain. We show that this mechanism is conserved in evolutionary very distant species.

Reducing glypican-4 in ES cells improves recovery in a rat model of Parkinson's disease by increasing the production of dopaminergic neurons and decreasing teratoma formation.

The heparan sulfate proteoglycan Glypican 4 (Gpc4) is strongly expressed in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells where it controls the maintenance of self-renewal by modulating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling activities. Here we show that mouse ES cells carrying a hypomorphic Gpc4 allele, in a single-step neuronal differentiation protocol, show increased differentiation into dopaminergic neurons expressing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and nuclear receptor related-1 protein (Nurr1) 1. In contrast to wild-type cells, these differentiating Gpc4-mutant cells expressed high levels of DOPA decarboxylase and the dopamine transporter, two markers expressed by fully mature dopaminergic neurons. Intrastriatal transplantation of Gpc4 hypomorphic cells into a 6-OHDA rat model for Parkinson's disease improved motor behavior in the cylinder test and amphetamine-induced rotations at a higher level than transplanted wild-type cells. Importantly, Gpc4 hypomorphic cell grafts, in contrast to wild-type cells, did not generate teratomas in the host brains, leading to strongly enhanced animal survival. Therefore, control of Gpc4 activity level represents a new potential strategy to reduce ES cell tumorigenic features while at the same time increasing neuronal differentiation and integration.

Modulating Glypican4 suppresses tumorigenicity of embryonic stem cells while preserving self-renewal and pluripotency.

Self-renewal and differentiation of stem cell depend on a dynamic interplay of cell-extrinsic and -intrinsic regulators. However, how stem cells perceive the right amount of signal and at the right time to undergo a precise developmental program remains poorly understood. The cell surface proteins Glypicans act as gatekeepers of environmental signals to modulate their perception by target cells. Here, we show that one of these, Glypican4 (Gpc4), is specifically required to maintain the self-renewal potential of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and to fine tune cell lineage commitment. Notably, Gpc4-mutant ESCs contribute to all embryonic cell lineages when injected in blastocyts but lose their intrinsic tumorigenic properties after implantation into nude mice. Therefore, our molecular and functional studies reveal that Gpc4 maintains distinct stemness features. Moreover, we provide evidence that self-renewal and lineage commitment of different stem cell types is fine tuned by Gpc4 activity by showing that Gpc4 is required for the maintenance of adult neural stem cell fate in vivo. Mechanistically, Gpc4 regulates self-renewal of ESCs by modulating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling activities. Thus, our findings establish that Gpc4 acts at the interface of extrinsic and intrinsic signal regulation to fine tune stem cell fate. Moreover, the ability to uncouple pluripotent stem cell differentiation from tumorigenic potential makes Gpc4 as a promising target for cell-based regenerative therapies.

NeuroD1 induces terminal neuronal differentiation in olfactory neurogenesis.

After their generation and specification in periventricular regions, neuronal precursors maintain an immature and migratory state until their arrival in the respective target structures. Only here are terminal differentiation and synaptic integration induced. Although the molecular control of neuronal specification has started to be elucidated, little is known about the factors that control the latest maturation steps. We aimed at identifying factors that induce terminal differentiation during postnatal and adult neurogenesis, thereby focusing on the generation of periglomerular interneurons in the olfactory bulb. We isolated neuronal precursors and mature neurons from the periglomerular neuron lineage and analyzed their gene expression by microarray. We found that expression of the bHLH transcription factor NeuroD1 strikingly coincides with terminal differentiation. Using brain electroporation, we show that overexpression of NeuroD1 in the periventricular region in vivo leads to the rapid appearance of cells with morphological and molecular characteristics of mature neurons in the subventricular zone and rostral migratory stream. Conversely, shRNA-induced knockdown of NeuroD1 inhibits terminal neuronal differentiation. Thus, expression of a single transcription factor is sufficient to induce neuronal differentiation of neural progenitors in regions that normally do not show addition of new neurons. These results suggest a considerable potential of NeuroD1 for use in cell-therapeutic approaches in the nervous system.

Dendritic Spine Plasticity: Function and Mechanisms.

Dendritic spines are small protrusions studding neuronal dendrites, first described in 1888 by Ramón y Cajal using his famous Golgi stainings. Around 50 years later the advance of electron microscopy (EM) confirmed Cajal's intuition that spines constitute the postsynaptic site of most excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain. The finding that spine density decreases between young and adult ages in fixed tissues suggested that spines are dynamic. It is only a decade ago that two-photon microscopy (TPM) has unambiguously proven the dynamic nature of spines, through the repeated imaging of single spines in live animals. Spine dynamics comprise formation, disappearance, and stabilization of spines and are modulated by neuronal activity and developmental age. Here, we review several emerging concepts in the field that start to answer the following key questions: What are the external signals triggering spine dynamics and the molecular mechanisms involved? What is, in return, the role of spine dynamics in circuit-rewiring, learning, and neuropsychiatric disorders?

Single cell RNA sequencing identifies early diversity of sensory neurons forming via bi-potential intermediates.

Somatic sensation is defined by the existence of a diversity of primary sensory neurons with unique biological features and response profiles to external and internal stimuli. However, there is no coherent picture about how this diversity of cell states is transcriptionally generated. Here, we use deep single cell analysis to resolve fate splits and molecular biasing processes during sensory neurogenesis in mice. Our results identify a complex series of successive and specific transcriptional changes in post-mitotic neurons that delineate hierarchical regulatory states leading to the generation of the main sensory neuron classes. In addition, our analysis identifies previously undetected early gene modules expressed long before fate determination although being clearly associated with defined sensory subtypes. Overall, the early diversity of sensory neurons is generated through successive bi-potential intermediates in which synchronization of relevant gene modules and concurrent repression of competing fate programs precede cell fate stabilization and final commitment.

Fate mapping and lineage analyses demonstrate the production of a large number of striatal neuroblasts after transforming growth factor alpha and noggin striatal infusions into the dopamine-depleted striatum.

Infusion of transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha) into the adult dopamine (DA)-depleted striatum generates a local population of nestin(+)/proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)(+) newborn cells. The precise origin and fate of these new striatal cells are unknown, making it difficult to direct them for neural repair in Parkinson's disease. Experiments in rats using 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) to label neural progenitor cells showed that during TGFalpha infusion in the DA-depleted striatum, newborn striatal cells formed a homogeneous population of precursors, with the majority coexpressing nestin, Mash1, Olig2, and epidermal growth factor receptor, consistent with the phenotype of multipotent C cells. Upon TGFalpha pump withdrawal, the subventricular zone (SVZ) was repopulated by neuroblasts. Strikingly, during this period, numerous clusters of doublecortin(+)/polysialylated neuronal cell adhesion molecule(+) neuroblasts were also produced in the ipsilateral medial striatum. In parallel, striatal BrdU(+)/glial fibrillary acidic protein(+) astrocytes were generated, but no BrdU(+)/O4(+)/CNPase(+) oligodendrocytes were generated. Infusion of the neuralizing bone morphogenetic protein antagonist noggin after TGFalpha pump withdrawal increased the neuroblast-to-astrocyte ratio among new striatal cells by blocking glial differentiation but did not alter striatal neurogenesis. At no time or treatment condition were differentiated neurons generated, including DA neurons. Using 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned nestin-CreER(T2)/R26R-YFP mice that allow genetic fate-mapping of SVZ nestin(+) cells, we show that TGFalpha-generated striatal cells originate from SVZ nestin(+) precursors that confirmed data from the rats on the phenotype and fate of striatal nestin(+)/PCNA(+) cells upon TGFalpha withdrawal. This work demonstrates that a large population of multipotent striatal C-like cells can be generated in the DA-depleted striatum that do not spontaneously differentiate into DA neurons.

Neuronal fate determinants of adult olfactory bulb neurogenesis.

Adult neurogenesis in mammals is restricted to two small regions, including the olfactory bulb, where GABAergic and dopaminergic interneurons are newly generated throughout the entire lifespan. However, the mechanisms directing them towards a specific neuronal phenotype are not yet understood. Here, we demonstrate the dual role of the transcription factor Pax6 in generating neuronal progenitors and also in directing them towards a dopaminergic periglomerular phenotype in adult mice. We present further evidence that dopaminergic periglomerular neurons originate in a distinct niche, the rostral migratory stream, and are fewer derived from precursors in the zone lining the ventricle. This regionalization of the adult precursor cells is further supported by the restricted expression of the transcription factor Olig2, which specifies transit-amplifying precursor fate and opposes the neurogenic role of Pax6. Together, these data explain both extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms controlling neuronal identity in adult neurogenesis.

Tenascin-R mediates activity-dependent recruitment of neuroblasts in the adult mouse forebrain.

Neuroblasts arising in the adult forebrain that travel to the olfactory bulb use two modes of migration: tangentially, along the rostral migratory stream, and radially, in the core of the olfactory bulb where they start to ascend to the outer layers. Although the mechanisms of tangential migration have been extensively studied, the factors controlling radial migration remain unexplored. Here we report that the extracellular matrix glycoprotein tenascin-R, expressed in the adult mouse olfactory bulb, initiates both the detachment of neuroblasts from chains and their radial migration. Expression of tenascin-R is activity dependent, as it is markedly reduced by odor deprivation. Furthermore, grafting of tenascin-R-transfected cells into non-neurogenic regions reroutes migrating neuroblasts toward these regions. The identification of an extracellular microenvironment capable of directing migrating neuroblasts provides insights into the mechanisms regulating radial migration in the adult olfactory bulb and offers promising therapeutic venues for brain repair.

Disorders of neurogenesis and cortical development.

The development of the cerebral cortex requires complex sequential processes that have to be precisely orchestrated. The localization and timing of neuronal progenitor proliferation and of neuronal migration define the identity, laminar positioning, and specific connectivity of each single cortical neuron. Alterations at any step of this organized series of events-due to genetic mutations or environmental factors-lead to defined brain pathologies collectively known as malformations of cortical development (MCDs), which are now recognized as a leading cause of drug-resistant epilepsy and intellectual disability. In this heterogeneous group of disorders, macroscopic alterations of brain structure (eg, heterotopic nodules, small or absent gyri, double cortex) can be recognized and probably subtend a general reorganization of neuronal circuits. In this review, we provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms that are implicated in the generation of genetic MCDs associated with aberrations at various steps of neurogenesis and cortical development.

El desarrollo de la corteza cerebral requiere de una secuencia de complejos procesos que tienen que estar coordinados con precisión. La localización y la cronología de la proliferación de las neuronas precursoras y de la migración neuronal definen la identidad, el posicionamiento laminar y la conectividad específica de cada una de las neuronas corticales. Las alteraciones en cualquier etapa de esta serie organizada de acontecimientos- debidas a mutaciones genéticas o a factores ambientales- llevan a patologías cerebrales definidas que en conjunto se denominan malformaciones del desarrollo cortical (MDC), las cuales son reconocidas actualmente como causa de epilepsia resistente a fármacos e incapacidad intelectual. En este grupo heterogéneo de trastornos, las alteraciones macroscópicas de la estructura cerebral (por ej. nódulos heterotópicos, giros pequeños o ausentes, doble corteza) pueden ser reconocidas y es probable que subtiendan a una reorganización general de los circuitos neuronales. En esta revisión se entrega una panorámica de los mecanismos moleculares que se han involucrado en la generación de las MDC asociadas con aberraciones en varias etapas de la neurogénesis y del desarrollo cortical.

Le développement du cortex cérébral fait appel à des processus séquentiels complexes qui doivent être orchestrés précisément. La localisation et la chronologie de la prolifération de neurones précurseurs et celles de la migration neuronale définissent l'identité, le positionnement laminaire et la connectivité spécifique de chaque neurone cortical unique. Toute modification, quel que soit le stade de ces séries organisées d'événements (en raison de mutations génétiques ou de facteurs environnementaux), entraîne des pathologies cérébrales définies, globalement connues sous le terme de malformations du développement cortical (MDC). Ces malformations sont maintenant reconnues comme principalement responsables de la résistance aux médicaments contre l'épilepsie et du déficit intellectuel. Dans ce groupe hétérogène de maladies, les modifications macroscopiques de la structure cérébrale (par exemple, nodules hétérotopiques, gyrus petit ou absent, double cortex) peuvent être identifiées et probablement sous-tendre une réorganisation générale des circuits neuronaux. Cet article présente une vue d'ensemble des mécanismes moléculaires impliqués dans l'apparition de MDC génétiques associées à des aberrations à des stades différents de la neurogenèse et du développement cortical.

[Olfactory bulb neurogenesis and its neurological impact]. / La neurogenèse bulbaire et son impact neurologique.

Contrary to the long-held dogma according to which the adult mammalian brain does not produce neurons anymore, neuronal turnover has been reported in two discrete areas of the adult brain: the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb. Adult-generated neurons are produced from neural stem cells located in the hippocampal subgranular zone and the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles. Recently, number of genetic and epigenetic factors that modulate proliferation of stem cells, migration, differentiation and survival of newborn neurons have been characterized. We know that neurogenesis increases in the diseased brain, after stroke or after traumatic brain injury. Importantly, progenitors from the subventricular zone, but not from the subgranular zone, are incorporated at the sites of injury, where they replace some of the degenerated neurons. Thus, the central nervous system has the capacity to regenerate itself after injury and, today, researchers develop strategies aimed at promoting neurogenesis in diseased areas. This basic research is attracting a lot of attention because of the hope that it will lead to regeneration and reconstruction therapy for the damaged brain. In this review, we discuss major findings concerning the organization of the neurogenic niche located in the subventricular zone and examine both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate adult neurogenesis. Then, we present evidences for the intrinsic capability of the adult brain for cell replacement, and shed light on recent works demonstrating that one can greatly enhance appropriate brain cell replacement by using molecular cues known to endogenously control proliferation, migration, differentiation and/or survival of subventricular zone progenitors. Finally, we review some of the advantages and limits of strategies aimed at using endogenous progenitors and their relevance to human clinics.

miR-200 family controls late steps of postnatal forebrain neurogenesis via Zeb2 inhibition.

During neurogenesis, generation, migration and integration of the correct numbers of each neuron sub-type depends on complex molecular interactions in space and time. MicroRNAs represent a key control level allowing the flexibility and stability needed for this process. Insight into the role of this regulatory pathway in the brain is still limited. We performed a sequential experimental approach using postnatal olfactory bulb neurogenesis in mice, starting from global expression analyses to the investigation of functional interactions between defined microRNAs and their targets. Deep sequencing of small RNAs extracted from defined compartments of the postnatal neurogenic system demonstrated that the miR-200 family is specifically induced during late neuronal differentiation stages. Using in vivo strategies we interfered with the entire miR-200 family in loss- and gain-of-function settings, showing a role of miR-200 in neuronal maturation. This function is mediated by targeting the transcription factor Zeb2. Interestingly, so far functional interaction between miR-200 and Zeb2 has been exclusively reported in cancer or cultured stem cells. Our data demonstrate that this regulatory interaction is also active during normal neurogenesis.

Local neurons play key roles in the mammalian olfactory bulb.

Over the past few decades, research exploring how the brain perceives, discriminates, and recognizes odorant molecules has received a growing interest. Today, olfaction is no longer considered a matter of poetry. Chemical senses entered the biological era when an increasing number of scientists started to elucidate the early stages of the olfactory pathway. A combination of genetic, biochemical, cellular, electrophysiological and behavioral methods has provided a picture of how odor information is processed in the olfactory system as it moves from the periphery to higher areas of the brain. Our group is exploring the physiology of the main olfactory bulb, the first processing relay in the mammalian brain. From different electrophysiological approaches, we are attempting to understand the cellular rules that contribute to the synaptic transmission and plasticity at this central relay. How olfactory sensory inputs, originating from the olfactory epithelium located in the nasal cavity, are encoded in the main olfactory bulb remains a crucial question for understanding odor processing. More importantly, the persistence of a high level of neurogenesis continuously supplying the adult olfactory bulb with newborn local neurons provides an attractive model to investigate how basic olfactory functions are maintained when a large proportion of local neurons are continuously renewed. For this purpose, we summarize the current ideas concerning the molecular mechanisms and organizational strategies used by the olfactory system to encode and process information in the main olfactory bulb. We discuss the degree of sensitivity of the bulbar neuronal network activity to the persistence of this high level of neurogenesis that is modulated by sensory experience. Finally, it is worth mentioning that analyzing the molecular mechanisms and organizational strategies used by the olfactory system to transduce, encode, and process odorant information in the olfactory bulb should aid in understanding the general neural mechanisms involved in both sensory perception and memory. Due to space constraints, this review focuses exclusively on the olfactory systems of vertebrates and primarily those of mammals.

miR-7a regulation of Pax6 controls spatial origin of forebrain dopaminergic neurons.

In the postnatal and adult mouse forebrain, a mosaic of spatially separated neural stem cells along the lateral wall of the ventricles generates defined types of olfactory bulb neurons. To understand the mechanisms underlying the regionalization of the stem cell pool, we focused on the transcription factor Pax6, a determinant of the dopaminergic phenotype in this system. We found that, although Pax6 mRNA was transcribed widely along the ventricular walls, Pax6 protein was restricted to the dorsal aspect. This dorsal restriction was a result of inhibition of protein expression by miR-7a, a microRNA (miRNA) that was expressed in a gradient opposing Pax6. In vivo inhibition of miR-7a in Pax6-negative regions of the lateral wall induced Pax6 protein expression and increased dopaminergic neurons in the olfactory bulb. These findings establish miRNA-mediated fine-tuning of protein expression as a mechanism for controlling neuronal stem cell diversity and, consequently, neuronal phenotype.

Dynamic expression of the pro-dopaminergic transcription factors Pax6 and Dlx2 during postnatal olfactory bulb neurogenesis.

Olfactory bulb (OB) neurogenesis generates neurons that use GABA or dopamine as their neurotransmitters throughout life. Regionalized stem cell populations in the periventricular zone (PVZ) of the lateral ventricles (LVs) have been shown to be at the basis of neuronal diversity in the system. For example dopaminergic neurons arise predominantly from neural stem cells (NSCs) residing in the dorsal PVZ and depend on the expression of the transcription factors Pax6 and Dlx2 for their specification. In addition, Dlx2 is required for neurogenesis in general. Using targeted in vivo electroporation combined with immuno-fluorescence imaging and microarray analysis, we provide here detailed spatial and temporal expression data with cellular resolution in this system. We find that all along the neurogenic process Pax6 expression remains restricted to the dorsal PVZ, whereas nearly all neuroblasts express Dlx2, including those of the dorsal lineage, which are switched on for Dlx2 when they enter the rostral migratory stream (RMS). These data allow to explain and precise the functions of these two genes in postnatal OB neurogenesis.