AimSeg: A machine-learning-aided tool for axon, inner tongue and myelin segmentation.

Electron microscopy (EM) images of axons and their ensheathing myelin from both the central and peripheral nervous system are used for assessing myelin formation, degeneration (demyelination) and regeneration (remyelination). The g-ratio is the gold standard measure of assessing myelin thickness and quality, and traditionally is determined from measurements made manually from EM images-a time-consuming endeavour with limited reproducibility. These measurements have also historically neglected the innermost uncompacted myelin sheath, known as the inner tongue. Nonetheless, the inner tongue has been shown to be important for myelin growth and some studies have reported that certain conditions can elicit its enlargement. Ignoring this fact may bias the standard g-ratio analysis, whereas quantifying the uncompacted myelin has the potential to provide novel insights in the myelin field. In this regard, we have developed AimSeg, a bioimage analysis tool for axon, inner tongue and myelin segmentation. Aided by machine learning classifiers trained on transmission EM (TEM) images of tissue undergoing remyelination, AimSeg can be used either as an automated workflow or as a user-assisted segmentation tool. Validation results on TEM data from both healthy and remyelinating samples show good performance in segmenting all three fibre components, with the assisted segmentation showing the potential for further improvement with minimal user intervention. This results in a considerable reduction in time for analysis compared with manual annotation. AimSeg could also be used to build larger, high quality ground truth datasets to train novel deep learning models. Implemented in Fiji, AimSeg can use machine learning classifiers trained in ilastik. This, combined with a user-friendly interface and the ability to quantify uncompacted myelin, makes AimSeg a unique tool to assess myelin growth.

The rates of adult neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis are linked to cell cycle regulation through p27-dependent gene repression of SOX2.

Cell differentiation involves profound changes in global gene expression that often has to occur in coordination with cell cycle exit. Because cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 reportedly regulates proliferation of neural progenitor cells in the subependymal neurogenic niche of the adult mouse brain, but can also have effects on gene expression, we decided to molecularly analyze its role in adult neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis. At the cell level, we show that p27 restricts residual cyclin-dependent kinase activity after mitogen withdrawal to antagonize cycling, but it is not essential for cell cycle exit. By integrating genome-wide gene expression and chromatin accessibility data, we find that p27 is coincidentally necessary to repress many genes involved in the transit from multipotentiality to differentiation, including those coding for neural progenitor transcription factors SOX2, OLIG2 and ASCL1. Our data reveal both a direct association of p27 with regulatory sequences in the three genes and an additional hierarchical relationship where p27 repression of Sox2 leads to reduced levels of its downstream targets Olig2 and Ascl1. In vivo, p27 is also required for the regulation of the proper level of SOX2 necessary for neuroblasts and oligodendroglial progenitor cells to timely exit cell cycle in a lineage-dependent manner.

A Multimodel Study of the Role of Novel PKC Isoforms in the DNA Integrity Checkpoint.

The protein kinase C (PKC) family plays important regulatory roles in numerous cellular processes. Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains a single PKC, Pkc1, whereas in mammals, the PKC family comprises nine isoforms. Both Pkc1 and the novel isoform PKCδ are involved in the control of DNA integrity checkpoint activation, demonstrating that this mechanism is conserved from yeast to mammals. To explore the function of PKCδ in a non-tumor cell line, we employed CRISPR-Cas9 technology to obtain PKCδ knocked-out mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). This model demonstrated that the absence of PKCδ reduced the activation of the effector kinase CHK1, although it suggested that other isoform(s) might contribute to this function. Therefore, we used yeast to study the ability of each single PKC isoform to activate the DNA integrity checkpoint. Our analysis identified that PKCθ, the closest isoform to PKCδ, was also able to perform this function, although with less efficiency. Then, by generating truncated and mutant versions in key residues, we uncovered differences between the activation mechanisms of PKCδ and PKCθ and identified their essential domains. Our work strongly supports the role of PKC as a key player in the DNA integrity checkpoint pathway and highlights the advantages of combining distinct research models.

Postnatal loss of Dlk1 imprinting in stem cells and niche astrocytes regulates neurogenesis.

The gene for the atypical NOTCH ligand delta-like homologue 1 (Dlk1) encodes membrane-bound and secreted isoforms that function in several developmental processes in vitro and in vivo. Dlk1, a member of a cluster of imprinted genes, is expressed from the paternally inherited chromosome. Here we show that mice that are deficient in Dlk1 have defects in postnatal neurogenesis in the subventricular zone: a developmental continuum that results in depletion of mature neurons in the olfactory bulb. We show that DLK1 is secreted by niche astrocytes, whereas its membrane-bound isoform is present in neural stem cells (NSCs) and is required for the inductive effect of secreted DLK1 on self-renewal. Notably, we find that there is a requirement for Dlk1 to be expressed from both maternally and paternally inherited chromosomes. Selective absence of Dlk1 imprinting in both NSCs and niche astrocytes is associated with postnatal acquisition of DNA methylation at the germ-line-derived imprinting control region. The results emphasize molecular relationships between NSCs and the niche astrocyte cells of the microenvironment, identifying a signalling system encoded by a single gene that functions coordinately in both cell types. The modulation of genomic imprinting in a stem-cell environment adds a new level of epigenetic regulation to the establishment and maintenance of the niche, raising wider questions about the adaptability, function and evolution of imprinting in specific developmental contexts.

Isolation, culture and analysis of adult subependymal neural stem cells.

Individual cells dissected from the subependymal neurogenic niche of the adult mouse brain proliferate in medium containing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and/or epidermal growth factor (EGF) as mitogens, to produce multipotent clonal aggregates called neurospheres. These cultures constitute a powerful tool for the study of neural stem cells (NSCs) provided that they allow the analysis of their features and potential capacity in a controlled environment that can be modulated and monitored more accurately than in vivo. Clonogenic and population analyses under mitogen addition or withdrawal allow the quantification of the self-renewing and multilineage potency of these cells and the identification of the mechanisms involved in these properties. Here, we describe a set of procedures developed and/or modified by our group including several experimental options that can be used either independently or in combination for the ex vivo assessment of cell properties of NSCs obtained from the adult subependymal niche.

The atypical CDK activator RingoA/Spy1 regulates exit from quiescence in neural stem cells.

In the adult mammalian brain, most neural stem cells (NSCs) are held in a reversible state of quiescence, which is essential to avoid NSC exhaustion and determine the appropriate neurogenesis rate. NSCs of the mouse adult subependymal niche provide neurons for olfactory circuits and can be found at different depths of quiescence, but very little is known on how their quiescence-to-activation transition is controlled. Here, we identify the atypical cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activator RingoA as a regulator of this process. We show that the expression of RingoA increases the levels of CDK activity and facilitates cell cycle entry of a subset of NSCs that divide slowly. Accordingly, RingoA-deficient mice exhibit reduced olfactory neurogenesis with an accumulation of quiescent NSCs. Our results indicate that RingoA plays an important role in setting the threshold of CDK activity required for adult NSCs to exit quiescence and may represent a dormancy regulator in adult mammalian tissues.

Post-transcriptional control of a stemness signature by RNA-binding protein MEX3A regulates murine adult neurogenesis.

Neural stem cells (NSCs) in the adult murine subependymal zone balance their self-renewal capacity and glial identity with the potential to generate neurons during the lifetime. Adult NSCs exhibit lineage priming via pro-neurogenic fate determinants. However, the protein levels of the neural fate determinants are not sufficient to drive direct differentiation of adult NSCs, which raises the question of how cells along the neurogenic lineage avoid different conflicting fate choices, such as self-renewal and differentiation. Here, we identify RNA-binding protein MEX3A as a post-transcriptional regulator of a set of stemness associated transcripts at critical transitions in the subependymal neurogenic lineage. MEX3A regulates a quiescence-related RNA signature in activated NSCs that is needed for their return to quiescence, playing a role in the long-term maintenance of the NSC pool. Furthermore, it is required for the repression of the same program at the onset of neuronal differentiation. Our data indicate that MEX3A is a pivotal regulator of adult murine neurogenesis acting as a translational remodeller.

Cell population analysis of the adult murine subependymal neurogenic lineage by flow cytometry.

This protocol provides a flow-cytometry-based procedure to classify and isolate all cells of the adult rodent subependymal zone (SEZ) neurogenic lineage, without the need for reporter mice, into different cell populations, including three neural stem cell (NSC) fractions with molecular signatures that are coherent with single-cell transcriptomics. Additionally, their cycling behavior can be assessed by means of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation. Our method allows the isolation of different NSC fractions and the functional assay of their cycling heterogeneity and quiescence-activation transitions. For complete details on the use, execution, and outcomes of this protocol, please refer to Belenguer et al. (2021).

Adult Neural Stem Cells Are Alerted by Systemic Inflammation through TNF-α Receptor Signaling.

Adult stem cells (SCs) transit between the cell cycle and a poorly defined quiescent state. Single neural SCs (NSCs) with quiescent, primed-for-activation, and activated cell transcriptomes have been obtained from the subependymal zone (SEZ), but the functional regulation of these states under homeostasis is not understood. Here, we develop a multilevel strategy to analyze these NSC states with the aim to uncover signals that regulate their level of quiescence/activation. We show that transitions between states occur in vivo and that activated and primed, but not quiescent, states can be captured and studied in culture. We also show that peripherally induced inflammation promotes a transient activation of primed NSCs (pNSCs) mediated by tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) acting through its receptor, TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2), and a return to quiescence in a TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1)-dependent manner. Our data identify a signaling pathway promoting NSC alertness and add to the emerging concept that SCs can respond to the systemic milieu.

Neural Stem Cell Regulation by Adhesion Molecules Within the Subependymal Niche.

In the mammalian adult brain, neural stem cells persist in neurogenic niches. The subependymal zone is the most prolific neurogenic niche in adult rodents, where residing stem cells generate large numbers of immature neurons that migrate into the olfactory bulb, where they differentiate into different types of interneurons. Subependymal neural stem cells derive from embryonic radial glia and retain some of their features like apico-basal polarity, with apical processes piercing the ependymal layer, and a basal process contacting blood vessels, constituting an epithelial niche. Conservation of the cytoarchitecture of the niche is of crucial importance for the maintenance of stem cells and for their neurogenic potential. In this minireview we will focus on extracellular matrix and adhesion molecules in the adult subependymal zone, showing their involvement not only as structural elements sustaining the niche architecture and topology, but also in the maintenance of stemness and regulation of the quiescence-proliferation balance.

NO Hemodynamic Speed Limit for Hippocampal Neurogenesis.

In this issue of Neuron, Shen et al. (2019) address the coupling between vascular flow and neurogenic output, showing that pre-existing hippocampal circuits modulate hemodynamics in a NO-dependent manner to promote IGF-1-dependent survival of newly generated neuroblasts.

Physiological Interactions between Microglia and Neural Stem Cells in the Adult Subependymal Niche.

Microglia are the prototypical innate immune cells of the central nervous system. They constitute a unique type of tissue-resident mononuclear phagocytes which act as glial cells. Elegant experiments in the last few years have revealed the origin, extraordinary molecular diversity, and phenotypic plasticity of these cells and how their potential relates to both immune and non-immune actions in the normal and diseased brain. Microglial cells originate in the yolk sac and colonize the brain during embryogenesis, playing a role in neural development and later in adult brain function. Neurogenesis continues after birth in discrete areas of the mammalian brain sustained by the postnatal persistence of neural stem cells in specific neurogenic niches. Recent data indicate that microglial cells are distinct cellular elements of these neurogenic niches where they regulate different aspects of stem cell biology. Interestingly, microglial and neural stem cells are specified very early in fetal development and persist as self-renewing populations throughout life, suggesting potential life-long interactions between them. We aim at reviewing these interactions in one neurogenic niche, the subependymal zone.

Role of p27Kip1 as a transcriptional regulator.

The protein p27Kip1 is a member of the Cip/Kip family of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitors. It interacts with both the catalytic and the regulatory subunit (cyclin) and introduces a region into the catalytic cleave of the Cdk inducing its inactivation. Its inhibitory capacity can be modulated by specific tyrosine phosphorylations. p27Kip1 also behaves as a transcriptional regulator. It associates with specific chromatin domains through different transcription factors. ChIP on chip, ChIP-seq and expression microarray analysis allowed the identification of the transcriptional programs regulated by p27Kip1. Thus, important cellular functions as cell division cycle, respiration, RNA processing, translation and cell adhesion, are under p27Kip1 regulation. Moreover, genes involved in pathologies as cancer and neurodegeneration are also regulated by p27Kip1, suggesting its implication in these pathologies. The carboxyl moiety of p27Kip1 can associate with different proteins, including transcriptional regulators. In contrast, its NH2-terminal region specifically interacts with cyclin-Cdk complexes. The general mechanistic model of how p27Kip1 regulates transcription is that it associates by its COOH region to the transcriptional regulators on the chromatin and by the NH2-domain to cyclin-Cdk complexes. After Cdk activation it would phosphorylate the specific targets on the chromatin leading to gene expression. This model has been demonstrated to apply in the transcriptional regulation of p130/E2F4 repressed genes involved in cell cycle progression. We summarize in this review our current knowledge on the role of p27Kip1 in the regulation of transcription, on the transcriptional programs under its regulation and on its relevance in pathologies as cancer and neurodegeneration.

p27Kip1 regulates alpha-synuclein expression.

Alpha-synuclein (α-SYN) is the main component of anomalous protein aggregates (Lewy bodies) that play a crucial role in several neurodegenerative diseases (synucleinopathies) like Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy. However, the mechanisms involved in its transcriptional regulation are poorly understood. We investigated here the role of the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor and transcriptional regulator p27Kip1 (p27) in the regulation of α-SYN expression. We observed that selective deletion of p27 by CRISPR/Cas9 technology in neural cells resulted in increased levels of α-SYN. Knock-down of the member of the same family p21Cip1 (p21) also led to increased α-SYN levels, indicating that p27 and p21 collaborate in the repression of α-SYN transcription. We demonstrated that this repression is mediated by the transcription factor E2F4 and the member of the retinoblastoma protein family p130 and that it is dependent of Cdk activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed specific binding sites for p27, p21 and E2F4 in the proximal α-SYN gene promoter. Finally, luciferase assays revealed a direct action of p27, p21 and E2F4 in α-SYN gene expression. Our findings reveal for the first time a negative regulatory mechanism of α-SYN expression, suggesting a putative role for cell cycle regulators in the etiology of synucleinopathies.

Regulation of the p19(Arf)/p53 pathway by histone acetylation underlies neural stem cell behavior in senescence-prone SAMP8 mice.

Brain aging is associated with increased neurodegeneration and reduced neurogenesis. B1/neural stem cells (B1-NSCs) of the mouse subependymal zone (SEZ) support the ongoing production of olfactory bulb interneurons, but their neurogenic potential is progressively reduced as mice age. Although age-related changes in B1-NSCs may result from increased expression of tumor suppressor proteins, accumulation of DNA damage, metabolic alterations, and microenvironmental or systemic changes, the ultimate causes remain unclear. Senescence-accelerated-prone mice (SAMP8) relative to senescence-accelerated-resistant mice (SAMR1) exhibit signs of hastened senescence and can be used as a model for the study of aging. We have found that the B1-NSC compartment is transiently expanded in young SAMP8 relative to SAMR1 mice, resulting in disturbed cytoarchitecture of the SEZ, B1-NSC hyperproliferation, and higher yields of primary neurospheres. These unusual features are, however, accompanied by premature loss of B1-NSCs. Moreover, SAMP8 neurospheres lack self-renewal and enter p53-dependent senescence after only two passages. Interestingly, in vitro senescence of SAMP8 cells could be prevented by inhibition of histone acetyltransferases and mimicked in SAMR1 cells by inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDAC). Our data indicate that expression of the tumor suppressor p19, but not of p16, is increased in SAMP8 neurospheres, as well as in SAMR1 neurospheres upon HDAC inhibition, and suggest that the SAMP8 phenotype may, at least in part, be due to changes in chromatin status. Interestingly, acute HDAC inhibition in vivo resulted in changes in the SEZ of SAMR1 mice that resembled those found in young SAMP8 mice.

MT5-MMP regulates adult neural stem cell functional quiescence through the cleavage of N-cadherin.

The identification of mechanisms that maintain stem cell niche architecture and homeostasis is fundamental to our understanding of tissue renewal and repair. Cell adhesion is a well-characterized mechanism for developmental morphogenetic processes, but its contribution to the dynamic regulation of adult mammalian stem cell niches is still poorly defined. We show that N-cadherin-mediated anchorage of neural stem cells (NSCs) to ependymocytes in the adult murine subependymal zone modulates their quiescence. We further identify MT5-MMP as a membrane-type metalloproteinase responsible for the shedding of the N-cadherin ectodomain in this niche. MT5-MMP is co-expressed with N-cadherin in adult NSCs and ependymocytes and, whereas MT5-MMP-mediated cleavage of N-cadherin is dispensable for the regulation of NSC generation and identity, it is required for proper activation of NSCs under physiological and regenerative conditions. Our results indicate that the proliferative status of stem cells can be dynamically modulated by regulated cleavage of cell adhesion molecules.

Transcriptional repression of Bmp2 by p21(Waf1/Cip1) links quiescence to neural stem cell maintenance.

Relative quiescence and self renewal are defining features of adult stem cells, but their potential coordination remains unclear. Subependymal neural stem cells (NSCs) lacking cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor (CKI) 1a (p21) exhibit rapid expansion that is followed by their permanent loss later in life. Here we demonstrate that transcription of the gene encoding bone morphogenetic protein 2 (Bmp2) in NSCs is under the direct negative control of p21 through actions that are independent of CDK. Loss of p21 in NSCs results in increased levels of secreted BMP2, which induce premature terminal differentiation of multipotent NSCs into mature non-neurogenic astrocytes in an autocrine and/or paracrine manner. We also show that the cell-nonautonomous p21-null phenotype is modulated by the Noggin-rich environment of the subependymal niche. The dual function that we describe here provides a physiological example of combined cell-autonomous and cell-nonautonomous functions of p21 with implications in self renewal, linking the relative quiescence of adult stem cells to their longevity and potentiality.

Regional distribution of the leucine-rich glioma inactivated (LGI) gene family transcripts in the adult mouse brain.

The leucine-rich glioma inactivated (LGI) gene subfamily contains four highly conserved members (LGI1, 2, 3 and 4), which have been described in human, mouse and other mammalians. Although their main roles remain unknown, LGI1 gene mutations have been found in human partial temporal lobe epilepsy. Moreover, previous studies showed that the products of these genes exert their function in the nervous system. The anatomical distribution of these gene transcripts in the brain might give some insight to elucidate their possible function. In this study, the pattern of expression of the four LGI genes was assessed in the brain of C57BL/6J adult mice by in situ hybridization. We found that the LGI1 transcript is mainly expressed in the dentate gyrus and CA3 field of the hippocampus. LGI2 and LGI4 genes, which showed a similar pattern of distribution with minor differences, were mostly expressed in the medial septal area, thalamic reticular nucleus and substantia nigra pars compacta. LGI3-expressing cells were distributed widespread, but were more consistently observed in the hippocampal formation, thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, substantia nigra and reticular formation. In summary, LGI1 gene expression is very restricted to intrahippocampal circuitry, which might be related to its involvement in temporal lobe epilepsy. The patterns of expression of LGI2 and LGI4 genes are very similar and their distribution in the vertical limb of the diagonal band and in putative hippocampal interneurons suggests that the function of these genes might be related to the generation of hippocampal theta rhythm. Finally, LGI3 gene widespread expression in the brain suggests that its transcripts might be involved in a common cellular process present in different neuronal types.