Jason E. Long

The Endocannabinoid System Controls Key Epileptogenic Circuits in the Hippocampus

Balanced control of neuronal activity is central in maintaining function and viability of neuronal circuits. The endocannabinoid system tightly controls neuronal excitability. Here, we show that endocannabinoids directly target hippocampal glutamatergic neurons to provide protection against acute epileptiform seizures in mice. Functional CB1 cannabinoid receptors are present on glutamatergic terminals of the hippocampal formation, colocalizing with vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGluT1). Conditional deletion of the CB1 gene either in cortical glutamatergic neurons or in forebrain GABAergic neurons, as well as virally induced deletion of the CB1 gene in the hippocampus, demonstrate that the presence of CB1 receptors in glutamatergic hippocampal neurons is both necessary and sufficient to provide substantial endogenous protection against kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures. The direct endocannabinoid-mediated control of hippocampal glutamatergic neurotransmission may constitute a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of disorders associated with excessive excitatory neuronal activity.

Short- and Long-Range Attraction of Cortical GABAergic Interneurons by Neuregulin-1

Most cortical interneurons arise from the subcortical telencephalon, but the molecules that control their migration remain largely unidentified. Here, we show that different isoforms of Neuregulin-1 are expressed in the developing cortex and in the route that migrating interneurons follow toward the cortex, whereas a population of the migrating interneurons express ErbB4, a receptor for Neuregulin-1. The different isoforms of Neuregulin-1 act as short- and long-range attractants for migrating interneurons, and perturbing ErbB4 function in vitro decreases the number of interneurons that tangentially migrate to the cortex. In vivo, loss of Neuregulin-1/ErbB4 signaling causes an alteration in the tangential migration of cortical interneurons and a reduction in the number of GABAergic interneurons in the postnatal cortex. These observations provide evidence that Neuregulin-1 and its ErbB4 receptor directly control neuronal migration in the nervous system.

A Subpopulation of Olfactory Bulb GABAergic Interneurons Is Derived from Emx1- and Dlx5/6-Expressing Progenitors

The subventricular zone (SVZ) of the postnatal brain continuously generates olfactory bulb (OB) interneurons. We show that calretinin+, calbindin+, and dopaminergic (TH+) periglomerular OB interneurons correspond to distinct subtypes of GABAergic cells; all were produced in the postnatal mouse brain, but they matured and were eliminated at different rates. The embryonic lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE) is thought to be the site of origin of postnatal SVZ neural progenitors. Consistently, grafts of the embryonic LGE into the adult brain SVZ generated many OB interneurons, including TH+ and calbindin+ periglomerular interneurons. However, calretinin+ cells were not produced from these LGE grafts. Surprisingly, pallial and septal embryonic progenitors transplanted into the adult brain SVZ also resulted in the generation of OB interneurons, including calretinin+ cells. A subset of Dlx2+ OB interneurons was derived from cells expressing Emx1, a transcription factor largely restricted to the pallium during development. Emx1 lineage-derived cells contributed a substantial portion of GABAergic cells in the OB, including calretinin+ interneurons. This is in contrast to cortex, in which Emx1 lineage-derived cells do not differentiate into GABAergic neurons. Our results suggest that some OB interneurons are derived from progenitors outside the LGE and that precursors expressing what has classically been considered a pallial transcription factor generate GABAergic interneurons.

Distinct Molecular Pathways for Development of Telencephalic Interneuron Subtypes Revealed Through Analysis of Lhx6 Mutants

Here we analyze the role of the Lhx6 lim‐homeobox transcription factor in regulating the development of subsets of neocortical, hippocampal, and striatal interneurons. An Lhx6 loss‐of‐function allele, which expresses placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), allowed analysis of the development and fate of Lhx6‐expressing interneurons in mice lacking this homeobox transcription factor. There are Lhx6+;Dlx+ and Lhx6−;Dlx+ subtypes of tangentially migrating interneurons. Most interneurons in Lhx6PLAP/PLAP mutants migrate to the cortex, although less efficiently, and exhibit defects in populating the marginal zone and superficial parts of the neocortical plate. By contrast, migration to superficial parts of the hippocampus is not seriously affected. Furthermore, whereas parvalbumin+ and somatostatin+ interneurons do not differentiate, NPY+ interneurons are present; we suggest that these NPY+ interneurons are derived from the Lhx6−;Dlx+ subtype. Striatal interneurons show deficits distinct from pallial interneurons, including a reduction in the NPY+ subtype. We provide evidence that Lhx6 mediates these effects through promoting expression of receptors that regulate interneuron migration (ErbB4, CXCR4, and CXCR7), and through promoting the expression of transcription factors either known (Arx) or implicated (bMaf, Cux2, and NPAS1) in controlling interneuron development. J. Comp. Neurol. 510:79–99, 2008.

Regional Distribution of Cortical Interneurons and Development of Inhibitory Tone Are Regulated by Cxcl12/Cxcr4 Signaling

Interneurons are born in subcortical germinative zones and tangentially migrate in multiple streams above and below the developing cortex, and then, at the appropriate developmental stage, migrate radially into the cortex. The factors that control the formation of and the timing of exit from the streams remain obscure; moreover, the rationale for this complicated developmental plan is unclear. We show that a chemokine, Cxcl12, is an attractant for interneurons during the stage of stream formation and tangential migration. Furthermore, the timing of exit from the migratory streams accompanies loss of responsiveness to Cxcl12 as an attractant. Mice with mutations in Cxcr4 have disorganized migratory streams and deletion of Cxcr4 after the streams have formed precipitates premature entry into the cortical plate. In addition, constitutive deletion of Cxcr4 specifically in interneurons alters the regional distribution of interneurons within the cortex and leads to interneuron laminar positioning defects in the postnatal cortex. To examine the role of interneuron distribution on the development of cortical circuitry, we generated mice with focal defects in interneuron distribution and studied the density of postnatal inhibitory innervation in areas with too many and too few interneurons. Interestingly, alterations in IPSC frequency and amplitude in areas with excess interneurons tend toward normalization of inhibitory tone, but in areas with reduced interneuron density this system fails. Thus, the processes controlling interneuron sorting, migration, regional distribution, and laminar positioning can have significant consequences for the development of cortical circuitry and may have important implications for a range of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Inactivation of Arx, the murine ortholog of the X-linked lissencephaly with ambiguous genitalia gene, leads to severe disorganization of the ventral telencephalon with impaired neuronal migration and differentiation

ARX loss-of-function mutations cause X-linked lissencephaly with ambiguous genitalia (XLAG), a severe neurological condition that results in profound brain malformations, including microcephaly, absence of corpus callosum, and impairment of the basal ganglia. Despite such dramatic defects, their nature and origin remain largely unknown. Here, we used Arx mutant mice as a model to characterize the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the basal ganglia alterations. In these animals, the early differentiation of this tissue appeared normal, whereas subsequent differentiation was impaired, leading to the periventricular accumulation of immature neurons in both the lateral ganglionic eminence and medial ganglionic eminence (MGE). Both tangential migration toward the cortex and striatum and radial migration to the globus pallidus and striatum were greatly reduced in the mutants, causing a periventricular accumulation of NPY+ or calretinin+ neurons in the MGE. Arx mutant neurons retained their differentiation potential in vitro but exhibited deficits in morphology and migration ability. These findings imply that cell-autonomous defects in migration underlie the neuronal localization defects. Furthermore, Arx mutants lacked a large fraction of cholinergic neurons and displayed a strong impairment of thalamocortical projections, in which major axon fiber tracts failed to traverse the basal ganglia. Altogether, these results highlight the critical functions of Arx in promoting neural migration and regulating basal ganglia differentiation in mice, consistent with the phenotype of XLAG patients.

FGF15 promotes neurogenesis and opposes FGF8 function during neocortical development

BackgroundGrowth, differentiation and regional specification of telencephalic domains, such as the cerebral cortex, are regulated by the interplay of secreted proteins produced by patterning centers and signal transduction systems deployed in the surrounding neuroepithelium. Among other signaling molecules, members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family have a prominent role in regulating growth, differentiation and regional specification. In the mouse telencephalon the rostral patterning center expresses members of the Fgf family (Fgf8, Fgf15, Fgf17, Fgf18). FGF8 and FGF17 signaling have major roles in specification and morphogenesis of the rostroventral telencephalon, whereas the functions of FGF15 and FGF18 in the rostral patterning center have not been established.ResultsUsing Fgf15-/- mutant mice, we provide evidence that FGF15 suppresses proliferation, and that it promotes differentiation, expression of CoupTF1 and caudoventral fate; thus, reducing Fgf15 and Fgf8 dosage have opposite effects. Furthermore, we show that FGF15 and FGF8 differentially phosphorylate ERK (p42/44), AKT and S6 in cultures of embryonic cortex. Finally, we show that FGF15 inhibits proliferation in cortical cultures.ConclusionFGF15 and FGF8 have distinct signaling properties, and opposite effects on neocortical patterning and differentiation; FGF15 promotes CoupTF1 expression, represses proliferation and promotes neural differentiation.

Dlx1&2 and Mash1 Transcription Factors Control MGE and CGE Patterning and Differentiation through Parallel and Overlapping Pathways

Here we define the expression of approximately 100 transcription factors (TFs) in progenitors and neurons of the developing mouse medial and caudal ganglionic eminences, anlage of the basal ganglia and pallial interneurons. We have begun to elucidate the transcriptional hierarchy of these genes with respect to the Dlx homeodomain genes, which are essential for differentiation of most gamma-aminobutyric acidergic projection neurons of the basal ganglia. This analysis identified Dlx-dependent and Dlx-independent pathways. The Dlx-independent pathway depends in part on the function of the Mash1 basic helix-loop-helix (b-HLH) TF. These analyses define core transcriptional components that differentially specify the identity and differentiation of the globus pallidus, basal telencephalon, and pallial interneurons.

Dlx-dependent and -independent regulation of olfactory bulb interneuron differentiation

Olfactory bulb interneuron development is a complex multistep process that involves cell specification in the ventral telencephalon, tangential migration into the olfactory bulb, and local neuronal maturation. Although several transcription factors have been implicated in this process, how or when they act remains to be elucidated. Here we explore the mechanisms that result in olfactory bulb interneuron defects in Dlx1&2−/− (distal-less homeobox 1 and 2) and Mash1−/− (mammalian achaete-schute homolog 1) mutants. We provide evidence that Dlx1&2 and Mash1 regulate parallel molecular pathways that are required for the generation of these cells, thereby providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying olfactory bulb development. The analysis also defined distinct anatomical zones related to olfactory bulb development. Finally we show that Dlx1&2 are required for promoting tangential migration to the olfactory bulb, potentially via regulating the expression of ErbB4 (v-erb-a erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 4), Robo2 (roundabout homolog 2), Slit1 (slit homolog 1), and PK2 (prokineticin 2), which have all been shown to play essential roles in this migration.

Dlx1&2 and Mash1 Transcription Factors Control Striatal Patterning and Differentiation Through Parallel and Overlapping Pathways

Here we define the expression of ≈100 transcription factors in progenitors and neurons of the developing basal ganglia. We have begun to elucidate the transcriptional hierarchy of these genes with respect to the Dlx homeodomain genes, which are essential for differentiation of most GABAergic projection neurons of the basal ganglia. This analysis identified Dlx‐dependent and Dlx‐independent pathways. The Dlx‐independent pathway depends in part on the function of the Mash1 b‐HLH transcription factor. These analyses define core transcriptional components that differentially specify the identity and differentiation of the striatum, nucleus accumbens, and septum. J. Comp. Neurol. 512:556–572, 2009.