Biology subjects

Bemelmans, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Bemelmans, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

Nanoscale organization and calcium influx in dendritic spines guarantee ER store refilling without depletion

Dendritic spines are critical components of the neuronal synapse as they receive and transform the synaptic input into a succession of biochemical events regulated by calcium signaling. The spine apparatus (SA), an extension of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER), regulates slow and fast calcium dynamics in spines. Calcium release events from SA result in a rapid depletion of calcium ion reservoir, yet the next cycle of signaling requires replenishment of SA calcium stores. How dendritic spines achieve this without triggering calcium release remains unclear. Using computational modeling, calcium and STED super-resolution imaging, we showed that the refilling of calcium-deprived SA involves store-operated calcium entry during spontaneous calcium transients in spine heads. We identified two main conditions that guarantee SA replenishment without depletion: (1) a small amplitude and slow timescale for calcium influx, and (2) a close proximity between SA and plasma membranes. Thereby, molecular nano-organization creates the conditions for a clear separation between SA replenishment and depletion. We further conclude that the nanoscale organization of SA receptors underlies the specificity of calcium dynamics patterns during the induction of long-term synaptic changes.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2021

The JAK2-STAT3 pathway controls a beneficial proteostasis response of reactive astrocytes in Huntington disease

Huntingtons disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by striatal neurodegeneration, aggregation of mutant Huntingtin and the presence of reactive astrocytes. Astrocytes are important partners for neurons and engage in a specific reactive response in Huntingtons disease that involves morphological, molecular and functional changes. How reactive astrocytes contribute to Huntingtons disease is still an open question, especially because their reactive state is poorly reproduced in experimental mouse models. Here, we show that the JAK2-STAT3 pathway, a central cascade controlling astrocyte reactive response, is activated in the putamen of Huntingtons disease patients. Selective activation of this cascade in astrocytes through viral gene transfer reduces the number and size of mutant Huntingtin aggregates in neurons and improves neuronal defects in two complementary mouse models of Huntingtons disease. It also reduces striatal atrophy and increases glutamate levels, two central clinical outcomes measured by non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging. Moreover, astrocyte-specific transcriptomic analysis shows that activation of the JAK2-STAT3 pathway in astrocytes coordinates a transcriptional program that increases their intrinsic proteolytic capacity, through the lysosomal and ubiquitin-proteasome degradation systems. This pathway also enhances their production and exosomal release of the co-chaperone DNAJB1, which contributes to mutant Huntingtin clearance in neurons. Together, our results show that the JAK2-STAT3 pathway controls a beneficial proteostasis response in reactive astrocytes in Huntingtons disease, which involves bi-directional signalling with neurons to reduce mutant Huntingtin aggregation, eventually improving disease outcomes.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Physiological synaptic activity and recognition memory are fueled by astroglial glutamine

Presynaptic glutamate replenishment is fundamental to brain function. In high activity regimes, such as epileptic episodes, this process is thought to rely on the glutamate-glutamine cycle between neurons and astrocytes. However the presence of an astroglial glutamine supply, as well as its functional relevance in vivo in the healthy brain remain controversial, partly due to a lack of tools that can directly examine glutamine transfer. Here, we generated a novel fluorescent probe that tracks glutamine in live cells, which provided direct visual evidence of an activity-dependent glutamine supply from astroglial networks to presynaptic structures under physiological conditions. This mobilization is mediated by connexin43, an astroglial protein with both gap-junction and hemichannel functions, and is essential for synaptic transmission and object recognition memory. Our findings uncover an indispensable recruitment of astroglial glutamine in physiological synaptic activity and memory via an unconventional pathway, thus providing an astrocyte basis for cognitive processes.

neuroscience↗