Project description:The goal of this study was to analyze global gene expression in specific populations of somatosensory neurons in the periphery, including major, non-overlapping populations that include nociceptors, pruriceptors, and prorioceptors. The mammalian somatosensory nervous system encodes the perception of specific environmental stimuli. The dorsal root ganglion (DRG) contains distinct somatosensory neuron subtypes that innervate diverse peripheral tissues, mediating the detection of thermal, mechanical, proprioceptive, pruriceptive, and nociceptive stimuli. We purified discrete subtypes of mouse DRG somatosensory neurons by flow cytometry using fluorescently labeled mouse lines (SNS-Cre/TdTomato, Parv-Cre/TdTomato) in combination with Isolectin B4-FITC surface staining (IB4). This allowed identification of transcriptional differences between these major populations, revealing enrichment of voltage-gated ion channels, TRP channels, G-protein coupled receptors, transcription factors, and other functionally important classes of genes within specific somatosensory neuron subsets. SNS-Cre mice were bred with Rosa26-TdTomato mice to generate SNS-Cre/TdTomato reporter mice. Parv-Cre mice were bred with Rosa26-TdTomato mice to generate Parv-Cre/TdTomato mice. Isolectin B4-FITC was used to stain the surface of SNS-Cre/TdTomato reporter mice. We used these strategies of fluorescent labeling to purify distinct murine sensory neuron subsets from the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). Neurons were sorted directly in Qiazol for total RNA extraction and microarray analysis. Whole DRG tissue was also included for transcriptome analysis to compare with purified neuronal populations.
Project description:The goal of this study was to analyze global gene expression in specific populations of somatosensory neurons in the periphery, including major, non-overlapping populations that include nociceptors, pruriceptors, and prorioceptors. The mammalian somatosensory nervous system encodes the perception of specific environmental stimuli. The dorsal root ganglion (DRG) contains distinct somatosensory neuron subtypes that innervate diverse peripheral tissues, mediating the detection of thermal, mechanical, proprioceptive, pruriceptive, and nociceptive stimuli. We purified discrete subtypes of mouse DRG somatosensory neurons by flow cytometry using fluorescently labeled mouse lines (SNS-Cre/TdTomato, Parv-Cre/TdTomato) in combination with Isolectin B4-FITC surface staining (IB4). This allowed identification of transcriptional differences between these major populations, revealing enrichment of voltage-gated ion channels, TRP channels, G-protein coupled receptors, transcription factors, and other functionally important classes of genes within specific somatosensory neuron subsets.
Project description:The objective of the study was to identify molecules that are selectively expressed in proprioceptive sensory neurons (pSNs) in DRG. To try to achieve this goal, we performed RNAseq on genetically identified and FACS purified cohorts that either contained i) pSNs and rapidly-adapting low threshold mechanoreceptors (RA-LTMRs), iI) pSNs and slowly-adapting (SA)-LTMRs, or RA-LTMRs only. Differential expression analysis between these different sensory neuron cohorts identified multiple proprioceptor enriched transcripts.
Project description:Sensory neurons are distinguished by distinct signaling networks and receptive characteristics. Thus, sensory neuron types can be defined by linking transcriptome-based neuron typing with the sensory phenotypes. Here we classify somatosensory neurons of the mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) by high-coverage single-cell RNA-sequencing (10 950 ± 1 218 genes per neuron) and neuron size-based hierarchical clustering. Moreover, single DRG neurons responding to cutaneous stimuli are recorded using an in vivo whole-cell patch clamp technique and classified by neuron-type genetic markers. Small diameter DRG neurons are classified into one type of low-threshold mechanoreceptor and five types of mechanoheat nociceptors (MHNs). Each of the MHN types is further categorized into two subtypes. Large DRG neurons are categorized into four types, including neurexophilin 1-expressing MHNs and mechanical nociceptors (MNs) expressing BAI1-associated protein 2-like 1 (Baiap2l1). Mechanoreceptors expressing trafficking protein particle complex 3-like and Baiap2l1-marked MNs are subdivided into two subtypes each. These results provide a new system for cataloging somatosensory neurons and their transcriptome databases. RNA-seq of mRNA levels in 197 individual DRG neurons We performed RNA-seq on total 203 individual DRG neurons. Six of them were not qualified and thus, were excluded for further analysis. To evaluate the quality of RNA-seq, we randomly devided No.72 neurons into two parts and performed RNA-seq seperately. Thus, we had 204 individual samples from 203 individual DRG and 198 individual qualified samples from 197 individual DRG. To evaluate the homogeneity of RNA-seq data from different mice at the same age just as used, we performed RNA-seq on 5 single DRG from different mice. Here, these data from DRG were also considered as experimental control. The 'DRG_neurons_RNA_Seq.txt' contains processed data for 204 samples and 'DRG_RNA_Seq.txt' for 5 samples.
Project description:Sensory neurons are distinguished by distinct signaling networks and receptive characteristics. Thus, sensory neuron types can be defined by linking transcriptome-based neuron typing with the sensory phenotypes. Here we classify somatosensory neurons of the mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) by high-coverage single-cell RNA-sequencing (10 950 ± 1 218 genes per neuron) and neuron size-based hierarchical clustering. Moreover, single DRG neurons responding to cutaneous stimuli are recorded using an in vivo whole-cell patch clamp technique and classified by neuron-type genetic markers. Small diameter DRG neurons are classified into one type of low-threshold mechanoreceptor and five types of mechanoheat nociceptors (MHNs). Each of the MHN types is further categorized into two subtypes. Large DRG neurons are categorized into four types, including neurexophilin 1-expressing MHNs and mechanical nociceptors (MNs) expressing BAI1-associated protein 2-like 1 (Baiap2l1). Mechanoreceptors expressing trafficking protein particle complex 3-like and Baiap2l1-marked MNs are subdivided into two subtypes each. These results provide a new system for cataloging somatosensory neurons and their transcriptome databases.
Project description:Primary somatosensory neurons are diverse neurons that report salient features of our internal and external environments. How specialized gene expression programs emerge during development to endow each somatosensory neuron subtype with unique properties is unclear. To analyze the developmental progression of transcriptional maturation of each principal somatosensory neuron subtype, we generated a transcriptomic atlas of cells traversing the somatosensory lineage. We find that somatosensory neurogenesis leads to neurons in a transcriptionally unspecialized state, characterized by trace expression of subtype-specific genes yet co-expression of transcription factors (TFs) that become restricted to select subtypes as development proceeds. Single cell transcriptomic analysis using sensory neurons from mutant mice lacking representative broad-to-restricted TFs revealed that they are essential for establishing subtype specific gene programs in subtypes where their expression is maintained, while leaving other subtypes unaffected. We also identify a role for neuronal targets by demonstrating that nerve growth factor influences subtype-restricted patterns of TFs. Our findings support a model in which extrinsic cues orchestrate somatosensory neuron diversification by influencing the expression pattern of TFs that promote transcriptional specialization of somatosensory neuron subtypes.
Project description:Primary somatosensory neurons specialize in transmitting distinct types of sensory information through differences in cell size, myelination, and the expression of various receptors and ion channels, which together define their transcriptional and functional identity. By profiling sensory ganglia at single-cell resolution, we find that the different somatosensory neuronal subtypes undergo a similar transcriptional response to peripheral nerve injury that both promotes axonal regeneration and suppresses cell identity. This transcriptional reprogramming, which is not observed in non-neuronal cells from sensory ganglia, resolves over a similar time course as target reinnervation and is associated with the restoration of original cell identity. Injury-induced transcriptional reprogramming requires ATF3, a transcription factor which is induced rapidly after injury and necessary for axonal regeneration and functional recovery. Our findings suggest that the transcription factors induced early after peripheral sensory neuron injury promote their transcriptional and functional metamorphosis, analogous to their known roles in reprogramming cell fate.
Project description:To explore the molecular basis of the distinct intrinsic membrane properties and other dstinguishing features of functionally defined DRG neuron subtypes, we bulk-sequenced RNA at high depth of genetically-labeled DRG neurons to generate transcriptome profiles of eight major DRG neuron subtypes. The trancriptome profiles revealed differentially expressed and functionally relevant genes, including voltage-gated ion channels. Guided by the transcriptome pofiles, electrophysiological analyses using pharmacological and genetic manipulations as well as computational modeling of DRG neuron subtypes were undertaken to assess the functions of select voltage-gated potassium channels (Kv1, Kv2, Kv3, and Kv4) in shaping action potential (AP) waveforms and firing patterns of the DRG neuron subtypes. Our findings show that the transcriptome profiles have predictive value for defining ion channel contributions to sensory neuron subtype-specific intrinsic physiological properties.
Project description:The goal of this experiment was to define gene expression patterns of thirteen mouse retinal neuron subsets, labeled by expression of fluorescent proteins in transgenic mice. Neurons expressing xFPs were purified by flow cytometry. Thirteen different neuron subtypes were compared. Two biological replicates, originating from different litters, were collected for each cell type. RNA was extracted from sorted cells and prepared for hybridization to Affymetrix microarrays.