Using Live-Cell Imaging to Measure the Effects of Pathological Proteins on Axonal Transport in Primary Hippocampal Neurons

Summary

Here, we demonstrate how to combine transfection of primary hippocampal rodent neurons with live-cell confocal imaging to analyze pathological protein-induced effects on axonal transport and identify mechanistic pathways mediating these effects.

Abstract

Bidirectional transport of cargos along the axon is critical for maintaining functional synapses, neural connectivity, and healthy neurons. Axonal transport is disrupted in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, and projection neurons are particularly vulnerable because of the need to transport cellular materials over long distances and sustain substantial axonal mass. Pathological modifications of several disease-related proteins negatively affect transport, including tau, amyloid-β, α-synuclein, superoxide dismutase, and huntingtin, providing a potential common mechanism by which pathological proteins exert toxicity in disease. Methods to study these toxic mechanisms are necessary to understand neurodegenerative disorders and identify potential therapeutic interventions.

Here, cultured primary rodent hippocampal neurons are co-transfected with multiple plasmids to study the effects of pathological proteins on fast axonal transport using live-cell confocal imaging of fluorescently-tagged cargo proteins. We begin with the harvest, dissociation, and culturing of primary hippocampal neurons from rodents. Then, we co-transfect the neurons with plasmid DNA constructs to express fluorescent-tagged cargo protein and wild-type or mutant tau (used as an exemplar of pathological proteins). Axons are identified in live cells using an antibody that binds an extracellular domain of neurofascin, an axon initial segment protein, and an axonal region of interest is imaged to measure fluorescent cargo transport.

Using KymoAnalyzer, a freely available ImageJ macro, we extensively characterize the velocity, pause frequency, and directional cargo density of axonal transport, all of which may be affected by the presence of pathological proteins. Through this method, we identify a phenotype of increased cargo pause frequency associated with the expression of pathological tau protein. Additionally, gene-silencing shRNA constructs can be added to the transfection mix to test the role of other proteins in mediating transport disruption. This protocol is easily adaptable for use with other neurodegenerative disease-related proteins and is a reproducible method to study the mechanisms of how those proteins disrupt axonal transport.

Introduction

Neurons depend on the bidirectional transport of cargo along the axon to maintain functional synapses and neural connectivity. Axonal transport deficits are thought to be critical contributors to the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease^1,2,3. Indeed, pathological modifications to several disease-related proteins negatively affect transport (reviewed in ⁴). Developing methods to investigate the....

Protocol

These protocols were approved by the Michigan State University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. This protocol has been successfully applied to Tau Knockout mice in the C57BL/6J background and wild-type Sprague Dawley rats. Other strains should be acceptable as well.

1. Primary hippocampal neuron harvest

1. Coat a 4-well glass bottom chamber slide with filtered 0.5 mg/mL poly-d-lysine (PDL) in borate buffer (12.5 mM sodium borate decahydrate and 50 mM boric.......

Discussion

There is growing evidence that multiple pathological proteins associated with a variety of neurodegenerative disorders disrupt fast axonal transport in neurons. This represents a potential common mechanism of neurotoxicity across these diseases. To better understand the process by which these proteins disrupt transport, we need tools and models that allow us to address specific questions. The method described here allows the examination of mechanisms engaged by pathological proteins to negatively affect cargo transport i.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.4% Trypan blue	Gibco	15250-061
1.7 mL microcentrifuge tubes	DOT	RN1700-GMT
2.5% trypsin	Gibco	15090-046
3 mL syringe with 21 G needle	Fisher	14-826-84
10 mL plastic syringe	Fisher	14-823-2A
14 G needle	Fisher	14-817-203
15 G needle	Medline	SWD200029Z
16 G needle	Fisher	14-817-104
18 G needle	Fisher	14-840-97
22 G needle	Fisher	14-840-90
32% paraformaldehyde	Fisher	50-980-495
AlexaFluor 647 goat anti-rabbit IgG (H+L)	Invitrogen	A21244	RRID:AB_2535813
Amphotericin B	Gibco	15290-026
Arruga Micro Embryonic Capsule Forceps, Curved; 4"	Roboz	RS-5163	autoclave
B-27 Supplement (50x), serum free	Gibco	A3582801
BioCoat 24-well Poly D lysine plates	Fisher	08-774-124
boric acid	Sigma	B6768-1KG
Calcium chloride	Sigma	C7902
Castroviejo 3 1/2" Long 8 x 0.15 mm Angle Sharp Scissors	Roboz	RS-5658	autoclave
Cell counting device			automatic or manual
Confocal microscope with live cell chamber attachment
Confocal imaging software
D-(+)-glucose	Sigma	G7528
DNase I (Worthington)	Fisher	NC9185812
Dulbecco's Phosphate Buffered Saline	Gibco	14200-075
EGTA	Fisher	O2783-100
Fatal-Plus Solution	Vortech Pharmaceuticals, LTD	NDC 0298-9373-68	sodium pentobarbital; other approved methods of euthanasia may be used
Fetal bovine serum	Invitrogen	16000044
Gentamicin Reagent Solution	Gibco	15710-072
GlutaMAX	Gibco	35050-061	glutamine substitute
Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution	Gibco	24020-117
ImageJ version 1.51n	ImageJ		Life-Line version 2017 May 30: https://imagej.net/software/fiji/downloads
KymoAnalyzer (version 1.01)	Encalada Lab		Package includes all 6 macros: https://www.encalada.scripps.edu/kymoanalyzer
Lipofectamine 3000	Invitrogen	100022050	Use with P3000 transfection enhancer reagent
Magnesium chloride	Fisher	AC223211000
MES hydrate	Sigma	M8250
Micro Dissecting Scissors 3.5" Straight Sharp/Sharp	Roboz	RS-5910	autoclave
Neurobasal Plus medium	Gibco	A3582901
Neurofascin (A12/18) Mouse IgG2a	UC Davis/NIH NeuroMab	75-172	RRID:AB_2282826; 250 ng/mL; Works in rat neurons, NOT in mouse neurons
Neurofascin 186 (D6G60) Rabbit IgG	Cell Signaling	15034	RRID:AB_2773024; 500 ng/mL; Works in mouse neurons, we have not tested in rat neurons
newborn calf serum	Gibco	16010-167
Opti-MEM	Gibco	31985-062
P3000	Invitrogen	100022057
Petri dish, 100 x 10 mm glass	Fisher	08-748B	For dissection; autoclave
Petri dish, 100 x 20 mm glass	Fisher	08-748D	To place uterine horns in; autoclave
Poly-D-lysine	Sigma	P7886-100MG
Polypropylene conical centrifuge tubes (15 mL)	Fisher	14-955-238
Polypropylene conical centrifuge tubes (50 mL)	Fisher	14-955-238
Potassium chloride	Fisher	P217-500
Sodium acetate	Sigma	S5636
sodium borate decahydrate	VWR	MK745706
Straight-Blade Operating Scissors Blunt/Sharp	Fisher	13-810-2	autoclave
Syringe Filters, 0.22 µm	VWR	514-1263
Thumb dressing forceps, serrated, 4.5"	Roboz	RS-8100	autoclave
µ-Slide 4 Well Glass Bottom	Ibidi	80427