Published papers

Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can generate cerebellar neurons, including Purkinje cells (PCs) and their precursor cells, in a .oating culture system called serum-free culture of embryoid body-like aggregates (SFEB) treated with BMP4, Fgf8b, and Wnt3a. Here we successfully established a coculture system that induced the maturation of PCs in ESC-derived Purkinje cell (EDPC) precursors in SFEB, using as a feeder layer a cerebellum dissociation culture prepared from mice at postnatal day (P) 6-8. PC maturation was incomplete or abnormal when the adherent culture did not include feeder cells or when the feeder layer was from neonatal cerebellum. In contrast, EDPCs exhibited the morphology of mature PCs and synaptogenesis with other cerebellar neurons when grown for 4 weeks in coculture system with the postnatal cerebellar feeder. Furthermore, the electrophysiological properties of these EDPCs were compatible with those of native mature PCs in vitro, such as Na+ or Ca2 + spikes elicited by current injections and excitatory or inhibitory postsynaptic currents, which were assessed by whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Thus, EDPC precursors in SFEB can mature into PCs whose properties are comparable with those of native PCs in vitro. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Cbln1, which belongs to the C1q/tumor necrosis factor superfamily, is a unique molecule that is not only required for maintaining normal parallel fiber (PF)-Purkinje cell synapses, but is also capable of inducing new PF synapses in adult cerebellum. Although Cbln1 is reportedly released from granule cells, where and how Cbln1 binds in the cerebellum has remained largely unclear, partly because Cbln1 undergoes proteolysis to yield various fragments that are differentially detected by different antibodies. To circumvent this problem, we characterized the Cbln1-binding site using recombinant Cbln1. An immunohistochemical analysis revealed that recombinant Cbln1 preferentially bound to PF-Purkinje cell synapses in primary cultures and acute slice preparations in a saturable and replaceable manner. Specific binding was observed for intact Cbln1 that had formed a hexamer, but not for the N-terminal or C-terminal fragments of Cbln1 fused to other proteins. Similarly, mutant Cbln1 that had formed a trimer did not bind to the Purkinje cells. Immunoreactivity for the recombinant Cbln1 was observed in weaver cerebellum (which lacks granule cells) but was absent in pcd cerebellum (which lacks Purkinje cells), suggesting that the binding site was located on the postsynaptic sites of PF-Purkinje cell synapses. Finally, a subcellular fractionation analysis revealed that recombinant Cbln1 bound to the synaptosomal and postsynaptic density fractions. These results indicate that Cbln1, released from granule cells as hexamers, specifically binds to a putative receptor located at the postsynaptic sites of PF-Purkinje cell synapses, where it induces synaptogenesis. © The Authors (2009).

The C1q family is characterized by a C-terminal conserved global C1q domain, which is structurally very similar to the tumor necrosis factor homology domain. Although some C1q family members are expressed in the central nervous system, their functions have not been well characterized. Cbln1, a member of the Cbln subfamily of the C1q family, is predominantly expressed in cerebellar granule cells. Interestingly, Cbln1 was recently shown to play two unique roles at excitatory synapses formed between cerebellar granule cells and Purkinje cells: the formation and stabilization of synaptic contact, and the control of functional synaptic plasticity by regulating the postsynaptic endocytosis pathway. Since other Cbln subfamily members, Cbln2-Cbln4, are expressed in various regions of developing and mature brains, Cbln subfamily proteins may generally serve as a new class of transneuronal regulators of synapse development and synaptic plasticity in various brain regions. © 2008 Birkhaueser.

Although many synapse-organizing molecules have been identified in vitro, their functions in mature neurons in vivo have been mostly unexplored. Cbln1, which belongs to the C1q/tumor necrosis factor superfamily, is the most recently identified protein involved in synapse formation in the mammalian CNS. In the cerebellum, Cbln1 is predominantly produced and secreted from granule cells; cbln1-null mice show ataxia and a severe reduction in the number of synapses between Purkinje cells and parallel fibers (PFs), the axon bundle of granule cells. Here, we show that application of recombinant Cbln1 specifically and reversibly induced PF synapse formation in dissociated cbln1-null Purkinje cells in culture. Cbln1 also rapidly induced electrophysiologically functional and ultrastructurally normal PF synapses in acutely prepared cbln1-null cerebellar slices. Furthermore, a single injection of recombinant Cbln1 rescued severe ataxia in adult cbln1-null mice in vivo by completely, but transiently, restoring PF synapses. Therefore, Cbln1 is a unique synapse organizer that is required not only for the normal development of PF-Purkinje cell synapses but also for their maintenance in the mature cerebellum both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, our results indicate that Cbln1 can also rapidly organize new synapses in adult cerebellum, implying its therapeutic potential for cerebellar ataxic disorders. Copyright © 2008 Society for Neuroscience.

The δ2 glutamate receptor (GluRδ2) is predominantly expressed in Purkinje cells and plays crucial roles in cerebellar functions: GluRδ2-/- mice display ataxia and impaired motor learning. In addition, long-term depression (LTD) at parallel fiber (PF)-Purkinje cell synapses is abrogated, and synapse formation with PFs and climbing fibers (CFs) is severely disturbed in GluRδ2-/- Purkinje cells. Recently, we demonstrated that abrogated LTD was restored in GluRδ2-/- Purkinje cells by the virus-mediated expression of the wild-type GluRδ2 transgene (Tgwt) but not by that of mutant GluRδ2 lacking the C-terminal seven residues to which several PDZ proteins bind (Tg ΔCT7). These results indicated that the C terminus of GluRδ2 conveys the signal(s) necessary for LTD. In contrast, other phenotypes of GluRδ2-/- cerebellum, especially morphological abnormalities at PF and CF synapses, could not be rescued by virus-mediated transient expression. Thus, whether these phenotypes are mediated by the same signaling pathway remains unclear. To address these issues and to further delineate the function of GluRδ2 in vivo, we generated transgenic mice that expressed TgΔCT7 on a GluRδ2-/- background. Interestingly, although TgΔCT7 restored abnormal PF and CF synapse formation almost completely, it could not rescue abrogated LTD in GluRδ2-/- Purkinje cells. Furthermore, although the gross motor discoordination of GluRδ2-/- mice was restored, the cerebellar motor learning underlying delayed eyeblink conditioning remained impaired. These results indicate that LTD induction and motor learning are regulated by signaling via the C-terminal end of GluRδ2, whereas other functions may be differentially regulated by other regions of GluRδ2. Copyright © 2008 Society for Neuroscience.

Hotfoot, a recessive mouse mutation characterized by ataxia and jerky movements of the hindlimbs, is caused by various mutations in the gene (Grid2) encoding the δ2 glutamate receptor (GluRδ2). So far, at least 20 alleles, arising either spontaneously or through the random insertion of transgenes, have been described. Interestingly, most hotfoot mutants have deletions of one or more exons coding for portions of the most amino-terminal domain of GluRδ2. However, because live mice colonies are no longer available for most hotfoot mutants, the possibility that the loss of a part of an intron might affect the splicing of other exons or the general efficiency of transcription could not be ruled out. Here, we report that a newly identified hotfoot mutant, ho15J, was caused by an intragenic deletion of the Grid2 gene, which indeed resulted in a new type of 52-amino-acid deletion in the most amino-terminal domain of GluRδ2. Like GluRδ2 proteins in ho4J mutants, GluRδ2 proteins in ho15J mice were retained in the soma of Purkinje cells, where they were degraded. Long-term depression, a form of synaptic plasticity underlying information storage in the cerebellum, was abrogated, and ho15J mice showed severe motor discoordination on rotarod tests. The agreement between the PCR results for genomic DNA and the RT-PCR results for the ho15J allele supports the view that PCR analyses of grid2 genomic DNA can predict alterations in mRNA and protein. In addition, the present findings underscore the importance of the most amino-terminal domain in GluRδ2 signaling and cerebellar functions. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cbln1, a member of the C1q and tumor necrosis factor superfamily, plays crucial roles as a cerebellar granule cell-derived transneuronal regulator of synapse integrity and plasticity in Purkinje cells. Although other Cbln family members, Cbln2-Cbln4, have distinct spatial and temporal patterns of expression throughout the CNS, their biochemical and biological properties have remained largely uncharacterized. Here, we demonstrated that in mammalian heterologous cells, Cbln2 and Cbln4 were secreted as N-linked glycoproteins, like Cbln1. In contrast, despite the presence of a functional signal sequence, Cbln3 was not secreted when expressed alone but was retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or cis-Golgi because of its N-terminal domain. All members of the Cbln family formed not only homomeric but also heteromeric complexes with each other in vitro. Accordingly, when Cbln1 and Cbln3 were co-expressed in heterologous cells, a proportion of the Cbln1 proteins was retained in the ER or cis-Golgi; conversely, some Cbln3 proteins were secreted together with Cbln1. Similarly, in wild-type granule cells expressing Cbln1 and Cbln3, Cbln3 proteins were partially secreted and reached postsynaptic sites on Purkinje cell dendrites, while Cbln3 was almost completely degraded in cbln1-null granule cells. These results indicate that like Cbln1, Cbln2 and Cbln4 may also serve as transneuronal regulators of synaptic functions in various brain regions. Furthermore, heteromer formation between Cbln1 and Cbln3 in cerebellar granule cells may modulate each other's trafficking and signaling pathways; similarly, heteromerization of other Cbln family proteins may also have biological significance in other neurons. © The Authors (2007).

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is essential for synaptic plasticity and learning. In the hippocampus, three different MAPK subfamilies, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 MAPK and c-Jun NH 2-terminal protein kinase (JNK), selectively regulate activity-dependent glutamate receptor trafficking during long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), and depotentiation after LTP, respectively. Although LTP and LTD at cerebellar parallel fibre (PF)-Purkinje cell synapses are thought to be controlled by glutamate receptor trafficking, the involvement of MAPK subfamilies has not been systemically studied in cerebellar slice preparations. To clarify the role of the MAPK cascade in cerebellar LTD, we performed biochemical and electrophysiological analyses using ICR mouse cerebellar slices. Immunoblot analyses using phosphorylation-specific antibodies for MAPKs revealed that among the three MAPKs, ERK1/2 was specifically activated by phorbol ester, which could induce LTD in cerebellar slices. In addition, U0126, a specific inhibitor of the MAPK kinase-ERK1/2 pathway, abrogated the induction of LTD in cerebellar slices, whereas SB203580 and SP600125, specific inhibitors of p38 MAPK and JNK, respectively, had no effect. Although metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) has been suggested as a possible downstream target of ERK1/2 in cell-culture preparations, mGluR1-activated slow excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were not affected by U0126 treatment in slices. These findings indicate that unlike hippocampal LTD mediated by p38 MAPK, glutamate receptor trafficking during cerebellar LTD was regulated by a distinct mechanism involving ERK1/2 in slice preparations. © The Authors (2006).

The glutamate receptor δ2 (GluR δ2) is predominantly expressed at parallel fiber-Purkinje cell postsynapses and plays crucial roles in synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Although the mechanism by which GluRδ2 functions remains unclear, its lack of channel activity and its role in controlling the endocytosis of δ-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4- isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors have suggested that GluRδ2 may convey signals by interacting with intracellular signaling molecules. Among several proteins that interact with GluRδ2, delphilin is unique in that it is selectively expressed at parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapses and that, in addition to a single PDZ domain, it contains a formin homology domain that is thought to regulate actin dynamics. Here, we report a new isoform of delphilin, designated as L-delphilin, that has alternatively spliced N-terminal exons encoding an additional PDZ domain. Although original delphilin, designated S-delphilin, was palmitoylated at the N terminus, this region was spliced out in Ldelphilin. As a result, S-delphilin was associated with plasma membranes in COS cells and dendritic spines in hippocampal neurons, whereas L-delphilin formed clusters in soma and dendritic shafts. In addition, S-delphilin, but not L-delphilin, facilitated the expression of GluRδ2 on the cell surface. These results indicate that, like PSD-95 and GRIP/ABP, delphilin isoforms with differential palmitoylation and clustering capabilities may provide two separate intracellular and surface GluRδ2 pools and may control GluRδ2 signaling in Purkinje cells. © 2006 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

© 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. Synapses are precisely established, maintained, and modified throughout life by molecules called synaptic organizers, which include neurexins and neuroligins (Nlgn). Despite the importance of synaptic organizers in defining functions of neuronal circuits, the cellular and subcellular localization of many synaptic organizers has remained largely elusive because of the paucity of specific antibodies for immunohistochemical studies. In the present study, rather than raising specific antibodies, we generated knock-in mice in which a hemagglutinin (HA) epitope was inserted in the Nlgn1 gene. We have achieved high-throughput and precise gene editing by delivering the CRISPR/Cas9 system into zygotes. Using HA-Nlgn1 mice, we found that HA-Nlgn1 was enriched at synapses between parallel fibers and molecular layer interneurons (MLIs) and the glomeruli, in which mossy fiber terminals synapse onto granule cell dendrites. HA immunoreactivity was colocalized with postsynaptic density 95 at these synapses, indicating that endogenous Nlgn1 is localized at excitatory postsynaptic sites. In contrast, HA-Nlgn1 signals were very weak in dendrites and somata of Purkinje cells. Interestingly, HA-immunoreactivities were also observed in the pinceau, a specialized structure formed by MLI axons and astrocytes. HA-immunoreactivities in the pinceau were significantly reduced by knockdown of Nlgn1 in MLIs, indicating that in addition to postsynaptic sites, Nlgn1 is also localized at MLI axons. Our results indicate that epitope-tagging by electroporation-based gene editing with CRISPR/Cas9 is a viable and powerful method for mapping endogenous synaptic organizers with subcellular resolution, without the need for specific antibodies for each protein.

© 2017, © International Headache Society 2017. Background: Recent genome-wide association studies have identified transient receptor potential M8 (TRPM8) as a migraine susceptibility gene. TRPM8 is a nonselective cation channel that mediates cool perception. However, its precise role in migraine pathophysiology is elusive. Transient receptor potential V1 (TRPV1) is a nonselective cation channel activated by noxious heat. Both TRPM8 and TRPV1 are expressed in trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons. Methods: We investigated the functional roles of TRPM8 and TRPV1 in a meningeal inflammation-based migraine model by measuring the effects of facial TRPM8 activation on thermal allodynia and assessing receptor coexpression changes in TG neurons. We performed retrograde tracer labeling to identify TG neurons innervating the face and dura. Results: We found that pharmacological TRPM8 activation reversed the meningeal inflammation-induced lowering of the facial heat pain threshold, an effect abolished by genetic ablation of TRPM8. No significant changes in the heat pain threshold were seen in sham-operated animals. Meningeal inflammation caused dynamic alterations in TRPM8/TRPV1 coexpression patterns in TG neurons, and colocalization was most pronounced when the ameliorating effect of TRPM8 activation on thermal allodynia was maximal. Our tracer assay disclosed the presence of dura-innervating TG neurons sending collaterals to the face. Approximately half of them were TRPV1-positive. We also demonstrated functional inhibition of TRPV1 by TRPM8 in a cell-based assay using c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation as a surrogate marker. Conclusions: Our findings provide a plausible mechanism to explain how facial TRPM8 activation can relieve migraine by suppressing TRPV1 activity. Facial TRPM8 appears to be a promising therapeutic target for migraine.

Direct activation of cell-surface receptors is highly desirable for elucidating their physiological roles. A potential approach for cell-type-specific activation of a receptor subtype is chemogenetics, in which both point mutagenesis of the receptors and designed ligands are used. However, ligand-binding properties are affected in most cases. Here, we developed a chemogenetic method for direct activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGlu1), which plays essential roles in cerebellar functions in the brain. Our screening identified a mGlu1 mutant, mGlu1(N264H), that was activated directly by palladium complexes. A palladium complex showing low cytotoxicity successfully activated mGlu1 in mGlu1(N264H) knock-in mice, revealing that activation of endogenous mGlu1 is sufficient to evoke the critical cellular mechanism of synaptic plasticity, a basis of motor learning in the cerebellum. Moreover, cell-type-specific activation of mGlu1 was demonstrated successfully using adeno-associated viruses in mice, which shows the potential utility of this chemogenetics for clarifying the physiological roles of mGlu1 in a cell-type-specific manner.

Lysosomes are organelles that support diverse cellular functions such as terminal degradation of macromolecules and nutrient recycling. Additionally, lysosomes can fuse with the plasma membrane, a phenomenon referred to as lysosomal exocytosis, to release their contents, including hydrolytic enzymes and cargo proteins. Recently, neuronal activity has been shown to induce lysosomal exocytosis in dendrites and axons. Secreted lysosomal enzyme cathepsin B induces and stabilizes synaptic structural changes by degrading the local extracellular matrix. Extracellular matrix reorganization could also enhance the lateral diffusion of the co-released synaptic organizer Cbln1 along the surface of axons to facilitate new synapse formation. Similarly, lateral diffusion of dendritic AMPA-type glutamate receptors could be facilitated to enhance functional synaptic plasticity. Therefore, lysosomal exocytosis is a powerful way of building new cellular structures through the coordinated destruction of the old environment. Understanding the mechanisms by which lysosomal exocytosis is regulated in neurons is expected to lead to the development of new therapeutics for neuronal plasticity following spinal cord injury or neurodegenerative disease.

The transplantation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NS/PCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has shown promise in spinal cord injury (SCI) model animals. Establishing a functional synaptic connection between the transplanted and host neurons is crucial for motor function recovery. To boost therapeutic outcomes, we developed an ex vivo gene therapy aimed at promoting synapse formation by expressing the synthetic excitatory synapse organizer CPTX in hiPSC-NS/PCs. Using an immunocompromised transgenic rat model of SCI, we evaluated the effects of transplanting CPTX-expressing hiPSC-NS/PCs using histological and functional analyses. Our findings revealed a significant increase in excitatory synapse formation at the transplantation site. Retrograde monosynaptic tracing indicated extensive integration of transplanted neurons into the surrounding neuronal tracts facilitated by CPTX. Consequently, locomotion and spinal cord conduction significantly improved. Thus, ex vivo gene therapy targeting synapse formation holds promise for future clinical applications and offers potential benefits to individuals with SCI.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is mediated by the activity-driven delivery of GluR1 glutamate receptors via Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II activity in various brain regions. Recently, postsynaptic LTP was shown to be induced at parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapses by stimulating the parallel fibers at 1 Hz or applying a NO donor. Here, we demonstrate that NO-evoked postsynaptic LTP in mice cerebellum was blocked by botulinum toxin and enhanced by prior treatment with phorbol ester, which is known to induce GluR2 endocytosis. Interestingly, such LTP was not affected by a Ca 2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II inhibitor or a peptide binding to a protein interacting with C kinase 1, but was blocked by a peptide binding to N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor, which specifically binds to GluR2. Therefore, although the synaptic incorporation of GluR2 has been reported to be a constitutive pathway, NO-induced postsynaptic LTP in Purkinje cells is likely mediated by a pathway involving N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-dependent GluR2 trafficking. © 2005 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA.

Ca2+-dependent activator protein for secretion 2 (CAPS2) is a protein that is essential for enhanced release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) from cerebellar granule cells. We previously identified dex3, a rare alternative splice variant of CAPS2, which is overrepresented in patients with autism and is missing an exon 3 critical for axonal localization. We recently reported that a mouse model CAPS2 Δx3/Δex3 expressing dex3 showed autistic-like behavioral phenotypes including impaired social interaction and cognition and increased anxiety in an unfamiliar environment. Here, we verified impairment in axonal, but not somato-dendritic, localization of dex3 protein in cerebellar granule cells and demonstrated cellular and physiological phenotypes in postnatal cerebellum of CAPS2Δx3/Δx3 mice. Interestingly, both BDNF and NT-3 were markedly reduced in axons of cerebellar granule cells, resulting in a significant decrease in their release. As a result, dex3 mice showed developmental deficits in dendritic arborization of Purkinje cells, vermian lobulation and fissurization, and granule cell precursor proliferation. Paired-pulse facilitation at parallel fiber- Purkinje cell synapses was also impaired. Together, our results indicate that CAPS2 plays an important role in subcellular locality (axonal vs. somato-dendritic) of enhanced BDNF and NT-3 release, which is indispensable for proper development of postnatal cerebellum. © 2014 Sadakata et al.