Ge, W.-p. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2020

Precision mapping of the mouse brain metabolome

Metabolism is physiologically fundamental to a biological system. Understanding brain metabolism is critical for our comprehensive knowledge of brain function in health and disease. Combining a microarray collection system with targeted metabolomics analysis, here we performed precision mapping of the metabolome in the mouse brain and created maps for 79 metabolites with a resolution of 0.125mm3 per pixel (i.e., brain subregion). The metabolome atlas provides researchers with a useful resource to interpret the vulnerability of specific brain regions to various disease-relevant metabolic perturbations.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Reduction of neuronal activity mediated by blood-vessel regression in the brain

The brain vasculature supplies neurons with glucose and oxygen, but little is known about how vascular plasticity contributes to brain function. Using longitudinal in vivo imaging, we reported that a substantial proportion of blood vessels in the adult brain sporadically occluded and regressed. Their regression proceeded through sequential stages of blood-flow occlusion, endothelial cell collapse, relocation or loss of pericytes, and retraction of glial endfeet. Regressing vessels were found to be widespread in mouse, monkey and human brains. Both brief occlusions of the middle cerebral artery and lipopolysaccharide-mediated inflammation induced an increase of vessel regression. Blockage of leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells alleviated LPS-induced vessel regression. We further revealed that blood vessel regression caused a reduction of neuronal activity due to a dysfunction in mitochondrial metabolism and glutamate production. Our results elucidate the mechanism of vessel regression and its role in neuronal function in the adult brain.

neuroscience↗