Molecular and spatial profiling of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus
- National Institute of Mental Health, United States
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, United States
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, United States
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is known to regulate various cognitive and behavioral processes. However, while functional diversity among PVT circuits has often been linked to cellular differences, the molecular identity and spatial distribution of PVT cell types remains unclear. To address this gap, here we used single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and identified five molecularly distinct PVT neuronal subtypes in the mouse brain. Additionally, multiplex fluorescent in situ hybridization of top marker genes revealed that PVT subtypes are organized by a combination of previously unidentified molecular gradients. Lastly, comparing our dataset with a recently published single-cell sequencing atlas of thalamus yielded novel insight into the PVT's connectivity with cortex, including unexpected innervation of auditory and visual areas. This comparison also revealed that our data contains a largely non-overlapping transcriptomic map of multiple midline thalamic nuclei. Collectively, our findings uncover previously unknown features of the molecular diversity and anatomical organization of the PVT and provide a valuable resource for future investigations.
Data availability
All RNA-seq data generated in our study have been deposited into the Gene Expression Omnibus repository (GSE208707). Raw images of RNAscope experiments are publicly available at: https://figshare.com/s/e2918829cabfdd0392fb.
-
Molecular and spatial profiling of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamusNCBI Gene Expression Omnibus, GSE208707.
-
Transcriptomic atlas of thalamic nucleiNCBI Gene Expression Omnibus, GSE133911.
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
National Institute of Mental Health (1ZIAMH002950)
- Mario A Penzo
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (ZIANS003153)
- Ariel J Levine
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Reviewing Editor
- Anne E West, Duke University School of Medicine, United States
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All procedures were performed in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and were approved by the National Institute of Mental Health Animal Care and Use Committee. (See Methods - Mice)
Version history
- Received: July 12, 2022
- Preprint posted: July 20, 2022 (view preprint)
- Accepted: March 2, 2023
- Accepted Manuscript published: March 3, 2023 (version 1)
- Version of Record published: March 14, 2023 (version 2)
Copyright
This is an open-access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.
Metrics
-
- 2,729
- views
-
- 431
- downloads
-
- 13
- citations
Views, downloads and citations are aggregated across all versions of this paper published by eLife.
Download links
A two-part list of links to download the article, or parts of the article, in various formats.
Downloads (link to download the article as PDF)
Open citations (links to open the citations from this article in various online reference manager services)
Cite this article (links to download the citations from this article in formats compatible with various reference manager tools)
Molecular and spatial profiling of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus
eLife 12:e81818.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.81818
Further reading
-
- Genetics and Genomics
- Neuroscience
Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the extent to which marmosets carry genetically distinct cells from their siblings.
-
- Neuroscience
We are unresponsive during slow-wave sleep but continue monitoring external events for survival. Our brain wakens us when danger is imminent. If events are non-threatening, our brain might store them for later consideration to improve decision-making. To test this hypothesis, we examined whether novel vocabulary consisting of simultaneously played pseudowords and translation words are encoded/stored during sleep, and which neural-electrical events facilitate encoding/storage. An algorithm for brain-state-dependent stimulation selectively targeted word pairs to slow-wave peaks or troughs. Retrieval tests were given 12 and 36 hr later. These tests required decisions regarding the semantic category of previously sleep-played pseudowords. The sleep-played vocabulary influenced awake decision-making 36 hr later, if targeted to troughs. The words’ linguistic processing raised neural complexity. The words’ semantic-associative encoding was supported by increased theta power during the ensuing peak. Fast-spindle power ramped up during a second peak likely aiding consolidation. Hence, new vocabulary played during slow-wave sleep was stored and influenced decision-making days later.
