Brain atlas for glycoprotein hormone receptors at single-transcript level
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that anterior pituitary hormones, traditionally thought to have unitary functions in regulating single endocrine targets, act on multiple somatic tissues, such as bone, fat, and liver. There is also emerging evidence for anterior pituitary hormone action on brain receptors in mediating central neural and peripheral somatic functions. Here, we have created the most comprehensive neuroanatomical atlas on the expression of TSHR, LHCGR and FSHR. We have used RNAscope, a technology that allows the detection of mRNA at single-transcript level, together with protein level validation, to document Tshr expression in 173 and Fshr expression in 353 brain regions, nuclei and sub-nuclei identified using the Atlas for the Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates. We also identified Lhcgr transcripts in 401 brain regions, nuclei and sub-nuclei. Complementarily, we used ViewRNA, another single-transcript detection technology, to establish the expression of FSHR in human brain samples, where transcripts were co-localized in MALAT1 positive neurons. In addition, we show high expression for all three receptors in the ventricular region-with yet unknown functions. Intriguingly, Tshr and Fshr expression in the ependymal layer of the third ventricle was similar to that of the thyroid follicular cells and testicular Sertoli cells, respectively. In contrast, Fshr was localized to NeuN-positive neurons in the granular layer of the dentate gyrus in murine and human brain-both are Alzheimer's disease vulnerable regions. Our atlas thus provides a vital resource for scientists to explore the link between the stimulation or inactivation of brain glycoprotein hormone receptors on somatic function. New actionable pathways for human disease may be unmasked through further studies.
Data availability
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting file.
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
National Institute on Aging (U19 AG060917)
- Clifford J Rosen
- Mone Zaidi
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01 DK113627)
- Terry F Davies
- Mone Zaidi
National Institute on Aging (R01 AG074092)
- Tony Yuen
- Mone Zaidi
National Institute on Aging (U01 AG073148)
- Tony Yuen
- Mone Zaidi
National Institute on Aging (R01 AG071870)
- Se-Min Kim
- Tony Yuen
- Mone Zaidi
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (P20 GM121301)
- Clifford J Rosen
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All procedures were approved by the Mount Sinai Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (approval number IACUC-2018-0047) and are in accordance with Public Health Service and United States Department of Agriculture guidelines.
Copyright
© 2022, Ryu et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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Further reading
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- Medicine
Estrogen significantly impacts women’s health, and postmenopausal hypertension is a common issue characterized by blood pressure fluctuations. Current control strategies for this condition are limited in efficacy, necessitating further research into the underlying mechanisms. Although metabolomics has been applied to study various diseases, its use in understanding postmenopausal hypertension is scarce. Therefore, an ovariectomized rat model was used to simulate postmenopausal conditions. Estrogen levels, blood pressure, and aortic tissue metabolomics were analyzed. Animal models were divided into Sham, OVX, and OVX +E groups. Serum estrogen levels, blood pressure measurements, and aortic tissue metabolomics analyses were performed using radioimmunoassay, UHPLC-Q-TOF, and bioinformatics techniques. Based on the above research content, we successfully established a correlation between low estrogen levels and postmenopausal hypertension in rats. Notable differences in blood pressure parameters and aortic tissue metabolites were observed across the experimental groups. Specifically, metabolites that were differentially expressed, particularly L-alpha-aminobutyric acid (L-AABA), showed potential as a biomarker for postmenopausal hypertension, potentially exerting a protective function through macrophage activation and vascular remodeling. Enrichment analysis revealed alterations in sugar metabolism pathways, such as the Warburg effect and glycolysis, indicating their involvement in postmenopausal hypertension. Overall, this current research provides insights into the metabolic changes associated with postmenopausal hypertension, highlighting the role of L-AABA and sugar metabolism reprogramming in aortic tissue. The findings suggest a potential link between low estrogen levels, macrophage function, and vascular remodeling in the pathogenesis of postmenopausal hypertension. Further investigations are needed to validate these findings and explore their clinical implications for postmenopausal women.
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- Medicine
- Neuroscience
Background:
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is characterized by intense central inflammation, leading to substantial post-hemorrhagic complications such as vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia. Given the anti-inflammatory effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) and its ability to promote brain plasticity, taVNS has emerged as a promising therapeutic option for SAH patients. However, the effects of taVNS on cardiovascular dynamics in critically ill patients, like those with SAH, have not yet been investigated. Given the association between cardiac complications and elevated risk of poor clinical outcomes after SAH, it is essential to characterize the cardiovascular effects of taVNS to ensure this approach is safe in this fragile population. Therefore, this study assessed the impact of both acute and repetitive taVNS on cardiovascular function.
Methods:
In this randomized clinical trial, 24 SAH patients were assigned to either a taVNS treatment or a sham treatment group. During their stay in the intensive care unit, we monitored patient electrocardiogram readings and vital signs. We compared long-term changes in heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), QT interval, and blood pressure between the two groups. Additionally, we assessed the effects of acute taVNS by comparing cardiovascular metrics before, during, and after the intervention. We also explored acute cardiovascular biomarkers in patients exhibiting clinical improvement.
Results:
We found that repetitive taVNS did not significantly alter heart rate, QT interval, blood pressure, or intracranial pressure (ICP). However, repetitive taVNS increased overall HRV and parasympathetic activity compared to the sham treatment. The increase in parasympathetic activity was most pronounced from 2 to 4 days after initial treatment (Cohen’s d = 0.50). Acutely, taVNS increased heart rate, blood pressure, and peripheral perfusion index without affecting the corrected QT interval, ICP, or HRV. The acute post-treatment elevation in heart rate was more pronounced in patients who experienced a decrease of more than one point in their modified Rankin Score at the time of discharge.
Conclusions:
Our study found that taVNS treatment did not induce adverse cardiovascular effects, such as bradycardia or QT prolongation, supporting its development as a safe immunomodulatory treatment approach for SAH patients. The observed acute increase in heart rate after taVNS treatment may serve as a biomarker for SAH patients who could derive greater benefit from this treatment.
Funding:
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (ALH), The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation (ALH), The National Institutes of Health R01-EB026439, P41-EB018783, U24-NS109103, R21-NS128307 (ECL, PB), McDonnell Center for Systems Neuroscience (ECL, PB), and Fondazione Neurone (PB).
Clinical trial number: