This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Identification of the cortical neurons that mediate antidepressant responses.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesComparative analysis can provide important insights into complex biological systems. As demonstrated in the accompanying paper, Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification (TRAP), permits comprehensive studies of translated mRNAs in genetically defined cell populations following physiological perturbations.
Application of a translational profiling approach for the comparative analysis of CNS cell types.
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View SamplesThe cellular heterogeneity of the brain confounds efforts to elucidate the biological properties of distinct neuronal populations.
A translational profiling approach for the molecular characterization of CNS cell types.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe cellular heterogeneity of the brain confounds efforts to elucidate the biological properties of distinct neuronal populations.
A translational profiling approach for the molecular characterization of CNS cell types.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesThe cellular heterogeneity of the brain confounds efforts to elucidate the biological properties of distinct neuronal populations.
A translational profiling approach for the molecular characterization of CNS cell types.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesPreclinical work has long focused only on male animals, even though sexual divergence in both baseline behaviors and drug responses clearly impact treatment outcomes in patients. Psychiatric disorders are notably divergent, with males showing higher prevalence of ADHD and ASD, and females GAD and MDD. This divergence is reflected in quantitative differences in subclincal behaviors. The Noradrenergic neurotransmitter system is targeted by many psychiatric drugs, but is relatively uncharacterized at a molecular level. We developed a mouse to profile these neurons, defining their both a baseline transcriptome, including druggable receptors, and their molecular response to stimulation. We also discovered a remarkable sexual divergence in their gene expression, including functionally increased expression of the EP3 receptor in females a difference that can be used to modulate stress-induced anxiety in a sex specific manner. These findings underscore the need to conduct preclinical studies in a manner balanced for sex, and suggest that baseline differences in noradrenergic neurons could underlay sexually divergent behaviors.
Molecular and Functional Sex Differences of Noradrenergic Neurons in the Mouse Locus Coeruleus.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesThe immense molecular diversity of neurons challenges our ability to deconvolve the relationship between the genetic and the cellular underpinnings of neuropsychiatric disorders. Hypocretin (orexin) containing neurons of the lateral hypothalamus are clearly essential for the normal regulation of sleep and wake behaviors, and have been implicated in feeding, anxiety, depression and reward. However, little is known about the molecular phenotypes of these cells, or the mechanism of their specification. We have generated a Hcrt bacTRAP line for comprehensive translational profiling of these neuronsin vivo. From this profile, we have identified 188 transcripts, as enriched in these neurons, in additions to thousands more moderately enriched or nominally expressed. We validated many of these at the RNA and protein level, including the transcription factor Lhx9. Lhx9 protein is found in a subset of these neurons, and ablation of these gene results in a 30% loss of Hcrt neuron number, and a profound hypersomnolence in mice.This data suggests that Lhx9 may be important for specification of some Hcrt neurons, and the subsets of these neurons may contribute to discrete sleep phenotypes.
Translational profiling of hypocretin neurons identifies candidate molecules for sleep regulation.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesOrigins of the brain tumor, medulloblastoma, from stem cells or restricted pro-genitor cells are unclear. To investigate this, we activated oncogenic Hedgehog signaling in multipotent and lineage-restricted CNS progenitors. We observed that normal unipo-tent cerebellar granule neuron precursors (CGNP) derive from hGFAP+ and Olig2+ rhombic lip progenitors. Hedgehog activation in a spectrum of early and late stage CNS progenitors generated similar medulloblastomas, but not other brain cancers, indicating that acquisition of CGNP identity is essential for tumorigenesis. We show in human and mouse medulloblastoma that cells expressing the glia-associated markers Gfap and Olig2 are neoplastic and that they retain features of embryonic-type granule lineage progenitors. Thus, oncogenic Hedgehog signaling promotes medulloblastoma from lineage-restricted granule cell progenitors.
Acquisition of granule neuron precursor identity is a critical determinant of progenitor cell competence to form Shh-induced medulloblastoma.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTranscriptom analysis of stellate sympathetic ganglia after 8 weeks of cardiac pressure overload caused by transverse aortic constriction.
Sympathetic alpha(2)-adrenoceptors prevent cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in mice at baseline but not after chronic pressure overload.
Sex
View SamplesWe used an in vitro cardiomyocyte differentiation system with inducible Hey1 or Hey2 expression to study target gene regulation in cardiomyocytes (CM) generated from murine embryonic stem cells (ESC). The effects of Hey1 and Hey2 are largely redundant, but cell type specific. The number of regulated genes is comparable between ESC and CM, but the total number of binding sites is much higher, especially in ESC, targeting mainly genes involved in transcriptional regulation and developmental processes. Repression by Hey generally correlates with the extent of Hey-binding to target promoters, subsequent Hdac recruitment and lower histone acetylation. Functionally, treatment with the Hdac inhibitor TSA abolished Hey target gene regulation. However, in CM the repressive effect of Hey-binding is lost for a subset of genes. These lack Hey-dependent histone deacetylation in CM and are enriched for binding sites of cardiac specific activators like Srf, Nkx2-5, and Gata4.
Mechanisms of epigenetic and cell-type specific regulation of Hey target genes in ES cells and cardiomyocytes.
No sample metadata fields
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