Project description:The stress-responsive kinase MKK7 controls various brain functions. Neural stem cell-specific deletion of the Mkk7 gene caused abnormal brain development and death immediately after birth (perinatal lethality). However, the region-specific roles of MKK7 during embryonic brain development remain unclear. We have found that the mice with loss of MKK7 in the cerebrum were born at the expected Mendelian ratio but died within five weeks of birth. To investigate its molecular mechanism, we performed RNA-sequencing analysis in the brain.
Project description:Neuronal cell diversity is essential to endow distinct brain regions with specific functions. During development, progenitors within these regions are characterised by specific gene expression programs, contributing to the generation of diversity in postmitotic neurons and glia. While the region-specific molecular diversity of neurons and astrocytes is increasingly understood, whether these cells share region-specific programs remains unknown. Here, we show that in the neocortex and thalamus, neurons and astrocytes express shared region-specific transcriptional and epigenetic signatures. These signatures not only distinguish cells across brain regions but are also detected across substructures within regions, such as distinct thalamic nuclei, where clonal analysis reveals the existence of common nucleus-specific progenitors for neurons and glia. Consistent with their shared molecular signature, regional specificity is maintained following astrocyte-to-neuron reprogramming. A detailed understanding of these regional-specific signatures may thus inform strategies for future cell-based brain repair.
Project description:Neuronal cell diversity is essential to endow distinct brain regions with specific functions. During development, progenitors within these regions are characterised by specific gene expression programs, contributing to the generation of diversity in postmitotic neurons and glia. While the region-specific molecular diversity of neurons and astrocytes is increasingly understood, whether these cells share region-specific programs remains unknown. Here, we show that in the neocortex and thalamus, neurons and astrocytes express shared region-specific transcriptional and epigenetic signatures. These signatures not only distinguish cells across brain regions but are also detected across substructures within regions, such as distinct thalamic nuclei, where clonal analysis reveals the existence of common nucleus-specific progenitors for neurons and glia. Consistent with their shared molecular signature, regional specificity is maintained following astrocyte-to-neuron reprogramming. A detailed understanding of these regional-specific signatures may thus inform strategies for future cell-based brain repair.
Project description:Cocaine addiction afflicts nearly 1 million adults in the United States, and to date, there are no known treatments approved for this psychiatric condition. Women are particularly vulnerable to developing a cocaine use disorder and suffer from more serious cardiac consequences than men when using cocaine. Estrogen is one biological factor contributing to the increased risk for females to develop problematic cocaine use. Animal studies have demonstrated that estrogen (17β-estradiol or E2) enhances the rewarding properties of cocaine. Although E2 affects the dopamine system, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of E2-enhanced cocaine reward have not been characterized. In this study, quantitative top-down proteomics was used to measure intact proteins in specific regions of the female mouse brain after mice were trained for cocaine-conditioned place preference, a behavioral test of cocaine reward. Several proteoform changes occurred in the ventral tegmental area after combined cocaine and E2 treatments, with the most numerous proteoform alterations on myelin basic protein, indicating possible changes in white matter structure. There were also changes in histone H4, protein phosphatase inhibitors, cholecystokinin, and calmodulin proteoforms. These observations provide insight into estrogen signaling in the brain and may guide new approaches to treating women with cocaine use disorder.
Project description:Survey of gene expression in ten common inbred strains of laboratory mouse. Seven brain regions examined: amygdala, basal ganglia, cerebellum, frontal cortex, hippocampus, cingulate cortex, olfactory bulb. Keywords: Genetic background and brain region Sample data tables were removed because the ID_REF identifiers did not match the platform IDs
Project description:Gene expression patterns were determined from five brain regions (bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, hippocampus, hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray, and pituitary gland) in six mouse strains (129S6/SvEvTac, A/J, C57BL/6J, C3H/HeJ, DBA/2J, and FVB/NJ). At least two replicate samples per brain region/strain were analyzed using Affymetrix Mouse Genome 430 2.0 arrays. Keywords: mouse strain and brain region comparison