Phox2a Defines a Developmental Origin of the Anterolateral System in Mice and Humans

Overview

Journal Cell Rep

Publisher Cell Press

Specialties Biology
Cell Biology
Molecular Biology

Date 2020 Nov 25

PMID 33238113

Citations 23

Authors

R Brian Roome

Farin B Bourojeni

Bishakha Mona

Shima Rastegar-Pouyani

Raphael Blain

Annie Dumouchel

Charleen Salesse

W Scott Thompson

Megan Brookbank

Yorick Gitton

Lino Tessarollo

Martyn Goulding

Jane E Johnson

Marie Kmita

Alain Chedotal

Artur Kania

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Anterolateral system neurons relay pain, itch, and temperature information from the spinal cord to pain-related brain regions, but the differentiation of these neurons and their specific contribution to pain perception remain poorly defined. Here, we show that most mouse spinal neurons that embryonically express the autonomic-system-associated Paired-like homeobox 2A (Phox2a) transcription factor innervate nociceptive brain targets, including the parabrachial nucleus and the thalamus. We define the Phox2a anterolateral system neuron birth order, migration, and differentiation and uncover an essential role for Phox2a in the development of relay of nociceptive signals from the spinal cord to the brain. Finally, we also demonstrate that the molecular identity of Phox2a neurons is conserved in the human fetal spinal cord, arguing that the developmental expression of Phox2a is a prominent feature of anterolateral system neurons.

Citing Articles

Long-term optical imaging of the spinal cord in awake behaving mice.

Ahanonu B, Crowther A, Kania A, Rosa-Casillas M, Basbaum A Nat Methods. 2024; 21(12):2363-2375.

PMID: 39533007 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-024-02476-3.

Lateral lamina V projection neuron axon collaterals connect sensory processing across the dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord.

Browne T, Smith K, Gradwell M, Dayas C, Callister R, Hughes D Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):26354.

PMID: 39487174 PMC: 11530558. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-73620-4.

Deep sequencing of Phox2a nuclei reveals five classes of anterolateral system neurons.

Bell A, Utting C, Dickie A, Kucharczyk M, Quillet R, Gutierrez-Mecinas M Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024; 121(23):e2314213121.

PMID: 38805282 PMC: 11161781. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314213121.

Investigating the basis of lineage decisions and developmental trajectories in the dorsal spinal cord through pseudotime analyses.

Gupta S, Heinrichs E, Novitch B, Butler S Development. 2024; 151(10).

PMID: 38804879 PMC: 11166460. DOI: 10.1242/dev.202209.

The functional and anatomical characterization of three spinal output pathways of the anterolateral tract.

Chen H, Bleimeister I, Nguyen E, Li J, Cui A, Stratton H Cell Rep. 2024; 43(3):113829.

PMID: 38421871 PMC: 11025583. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113829.

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