Biology subjects

Snyder, E. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Snyder, E. M..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Metaplastic sleep regulation in Drosophila determined by microscale circadian neural dynamics

The biophysical mechanisms by which circadian clock neurons integrate temporal coding signals to regulate sleep remain elusive. Here, using Drosophila, we identify Rabphilin (Rph) in DN1p clock neurons as a key stabilizer of the metaplasticity setpoint governing circadian regulation of sleep. Rph protein levels are elevated at night relative to daytime and modulate stochastic process of DN1p membrane potential dynamics linked to variability in synaptic activity at connections between DN1p neurons and their downstream postsynaptic partners. We find that Rph acts as a bidirectional regulator of synaptic plasticity thresholds. Under dim nocturnal light stimulation, Rph knockdown permits synaptic potentiation, whereas synthesized Rph introduction induces synaptic depression. In contrast, under optogenetic manipulation mimicking daytime spiking in DN1p neurons, these effects are reversed. We further show that spike-timing-dependent plasticity emerges when postsynaptic spiking is engaged, with nocturnal dim light conditions determining the direction of plasticity. Together, these findings establish a mechanistic link between microscale circadian neural dynamics and hierarchical metaplastic regulation, demonstrating how circadian regulation of sleep dynamically balances stability and adaptive flexibility through circadian setpoints and environmental nocturnal light interactions. Significance StatementWe show that circadian metaplasticity regulates sleep through membrane potential dynamics. Circadian clock neurons implement flexible metaplasticity, whereby the direction can be determined by internal circadian setpoints and interactions with nocturnal environmental light. This mechanism engages spike-timing-dependent plasticity to determine plasticity polarity. Our findings identify membrane potential dynamics as a computational substrate for physiological state control, linking molecular mechanisms to circuit-level circadian regulation of sleep. Together, they reframe sleep regulation as an active metaplastic process that hierarchically integrates microscale circadian neural dynamics to optimize circuit function.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Neuronal microscale biophysical instability mediates macroscale network dynamics shaping pathological manifestations

Subtle changes in membrane excitability may contribute to neurological disease, but disease-relevant dynamical signatures that generalize across models remain poorly defined. Here, we quantified variability in action potential initiation in Drosophila neurons expressing tauopathy- or epilepsy-associated mutations and in human iPSC-derived neurons from patients with Alzheimers disease or epilepsy. Across these models, disease-associated neurons exhibited increased instability in spike timing relative to controls. In Drosophila neurons, this phenotype was accompanied by increased variability in voltage-gated sodium currents during non-stationary inactivation, identifying a candidate biophysical contributor to altered spike initiation. Antiepileptic drugs reduced sodium-current variability and stabilized spike initiation in fly neurons, and similarly improved spike-timing instability in patient-derived human neurons. In the fly models, neuronal instability was also associated with altered circuit- and brain-state readouts. Together, these findings identify unstable spike initiation as a conserved electrophysiological phenotype across distinct neurological disease models and suggest that sodium-channel-dependent variability may contribute to this phenotype. Rather than establishing a complete multiscale causal framework, our study defines a tractable cellular and dynamical entry point for investigating how subtle perturbations in intrinsic excitability may scale toward circuit dysfunction and disease-relevant phenotypes. Significance StatementLinking microscale neuronal changes to macroscale disease phenotypes remains a key challenge in neuroscience biophysics. Here, we show that neurons from Drosophila models of tauopathy and epilepsy and human iPSC-derived neurons from patients with Alzheimers disease and epilepsy share increased biophysical instability in their local neural activities. In fly neurons, this phenotype is associated with increased variability in voltage-gated sodium currents and is reduced by antiepileptic treatment. These findings define unstable local spike variability as a conserved dynamical signature across distinct disease models and nominate sodium-current variability as a mechanistically testable, pharmacologically reversible contributor to pathological excitability.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Atomic Layering Thermostable Antigen and Adjuvant (ALTA(R)) platform provides unique antigen delivery system through controlled release to improve immune response to vaccination

Prophylactic vaccines are commonly delivered using a multi-dose regimen with the goal of generating potent, durable protection against a specific pathogen. However, the requirement for multiple administrations can impede patient adherence and reduce overall protection. Designing a single-shot vaccine without compromising efficacy could significantly improve vaccine adherence and performance. Previously, it has been shown that atomic-layer deposition (ALD) of alumina (Al2O3) can be applied to spray dried, thermostabilized antigen-containing powders to produce alumina-coated vaccine particles that, when compared to a liquid control, elicit improved humoral immunity with response kinetics controlled by ALD-coat thickness. However, previous studies have not defined the particle release/antigen delivery profile of ALD-coated vaccines. The studies in this manuscript were designed to investigate how the kinetics of antigen release from ALD-coated vaccines impacts the timing and magnitude of the immune response relative to single- and multi-dose liquid vaccine regimens using two distinct antigens, Ovalbumin and the HIV-1 envelope trimer, N332-GT5 gp140. By combining longitudinal in vivo imaging and immunological readouts, we demonstrate that ALD-coated vaccines exhibit tunable, variable-rate release and deliver antigen in a unique, prolonged manner that results in an improved immune response to single-shot vaccination for difficult to target pathogens, such as HIV-1. Furthermore, using in vitro analytical methods, we confirmed the ability of our Atomic Layering and Thermostable Antigen and Adjuvant (ALTA(R)) platform to impart thermostability upon the N332-GT5 gp140 antigen, a clinically relevant HIV-1 immunogen, indicating the potential for ALTA(R) formulation to generate thermostable, single-dose vaccine products. Highlights- ALTA(R) microparticles provide sustained antigen delivery with variable release rates, which can be controlled by altering ALD-coat thickness - Sustained antigen release from thermostable, spray-dried ALTA(R) vaccine products impacts kinetics of humoral and cellular responses, and improves antigen-specific immunogenicity compared to single administration of liquid vaccine - ALTA(R) formulation imparts vaccine thermostability through spray-drying and ALD-coating to clinically relevant HIV-1 Env antigen, N332-GT5 gp140

immunology↗

bioRxiv2026

Subunit Vaccination Using Atomic Layering Thermostable Antigen and Adjuvant (ALTA(R)) Platform Elicits Enhanced Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses

AbstractCreating effective and thermostable vaccines is of significant relevance for public health. The Atomic Layering Thermostable Antigen and Adjuvant (ALTA(R)) platform combines spray drying to stabilize antigens in a sugar matrix followed by coating with atomic layer deposition (ALD) for temporal control over in vivo release. While these technologies have shown preliminary promise for different vaccine antigens, further characterizations of the immune response to ALTA(R) formulated antigens are still needed. Here, the immune response to ALTA(R) formulated antigens is described and compared to a set of adjuvanted liquid vaccine formulations that included Alhydrogel(R), AddaVax, and Alhydrogel(R)+CpG. The humoral and cell-mediated responses were measured by ELISA and flow cytometry. Increased and lasting antigen-specific antibody titers following administration of ALTA(R) containing ovalbumin (OVA) demonstrated robust and durable humoral response. Furthermore, ALTA(R) injected mice produced both IgG2c and IgG1 indicating a balanced Th1/Th2 response. Importantly, ALTA(R) OVA elicited robust humoral response at lower doses of aluminum than Alhydrogel(R). The most striking difference between ALTA(R) and the liquid vaccine formulations tested was a greater OVA-specific CD8+ T cell response observed at all antigen doses tested. Mechanistically, antigen encapsulation within ALTA(R) particles was critical for antibody production and CD8+ T cell responses as well as antigen capture by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) at the site of injection and draining lymph nodes. To test these concepts in a more physiological application, protein and polysaccharide vaccine antigens derived from a facultative intracellular bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, were formulated using the ALTA(R) platform. Compared to liquid vaccine formulations, ALTA(R) immunized mice showed enhanced antigen-specific antibody production and IFN-{gamma} secreting T cell responses using lower adjuvant doses of aluminum and CpG. Overall, ALTA(R) formulated protein and polysaccharide antigens elicited strong humoral and cell-mediated immunity suggesting potential broad applicability of the platform to vaccines against various diseases, including against cancer and infections from intracellular pathogens.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2021

ADAD2 regulates heterochromatin in meiotic and post-meiotic male germ cells via translation of MDC1

Male germ cells establish a unique heterochromatin domain, the XY-body, early in meiosis. How this domain is maintained through the end of meiosis and into post-meiotic germ cell differentiation is poorly understood. ADAD2 is a late meiotic male germ cell specific RNA binding protein, loss of which leads to post-meiotic germ cell defects. Analysis of ribosome association in Adad2 mutants revealed defective translation of Mdc1, a key regulator of XY-body formation, late in meiosis. As a result, Adad2 mutants show normal establishment but failed maintenance of the XY-body. XY-body defects are concurrent with abnormal autosomal heterochromatin and ultimately lead to severely perturbed post-meiotic germ cell heterochromatin and cell death. These findings highlight the requirement of ADAD2 for Mdc1 translation, the role of MDC1 in maintaining meiotic male germ cell heterochromatin, and the importance of late meiotic heterochromatin for normal post-meiotic germ cell differentiation. SummaryChukrallah et al. demonstrate ADAD2 is required for normal meiotic heterochromatin in male germ cells and loss leads to post-meiotic cell death defining ADAD2 as a heterochromatin maintenance factor.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Multivalency enhances the specificity of Fc-cytokine fusions

The common {gamma}-chain receptor cytokines coordinate the proliferation and function of immune cell populations. One of these cytokines, interleukin (IL)-2, has potential as a therapy in autoimmune disease but is limited in effectiveness by its modest specificity toward regulatory T cells (Tregs). Engineering Treg-selective IL-2 has primarily focused on retaining binding to the high-affinity receptor, expressed more highly on Tregs, while reducing binding to the lower affinity receptor with broader expression. However, other parameters, such as the orientation and valency of Fc fusion, have signaling effects that have never been systematically explored. Here, we systematically profiled the signaling responses to a panel of wild type and mutein IL-2-Fc fusions across time, cell types, and concentrations. Exploring these responses, we found that dimeric muteins have unique specificity for Tregs through binding avidity. A mechanistic model of receptor interactions could capture these effects and directed the design of tetravalent IL-2-Fc fusions with greater Treg specificity than possible with current design strategies. Exploration of other surface targets on Tregs revealed that there are no other binding moieties that could be fused to IL-2 for greater selectivity. Instead, IL2R itself is a maximally unique surface target for Tregs, and so avidity is likely the only route to more selective Treg interaction. However, the binding model revealed that asymmetrical, multivalent IL-2 fusions can bias avidity effects toward IL2R for even further enhanced Treg selectivity. These findings present a comprehensive analysis of how ligand properties and their effects on surface receptor-ligand interactions translate to selective activation of immune cell populations, and consequently reveals two new routes toward therapeutic cytokines with superior Treg selectivity that can be exploited for designing selective therapies in many other contexts. Significance StatementSignaling in off-target immune cells has hindered the effectiveness of IL-2 as an immunotherapy. We show that IL-2-Fc fusions with higher valency can exhibit enhanced regulatory T cell selectivity. This altered selectivity is explained by the kinetics of surface receptor-ligand binding and can be quantitatively predicted using a multivalent binding model. Using these insights, we successfully develop two new strategies for IL-2 therapies with unprecedented selectivity. HighlightsO_LICurrent IL-2 therapies are limited by a selectivity/target potency tradeoff. C_LIO_LIMultivalency enhances selectivity for Tregs through IL2R avidity. C_LIO_LITreg selectivity cannot be enhanced by targeting other surface protein markers. C_LIO_LIMultivalency can decouple selectivity from signaling using asymmetric cytokine fusions. C_LI

immunology↗