A unified rodent atlas reveals the cellular complexity and evolutionary divergence of the dorsal vagal complex

eLife

Abstract

Abstract The dorsal vagal complex (DVC) is a region in the brainstem comprised of an intricate network of specialized cells responsible for sensing and propagating many appetite-related cues. Understanding the dynamics controlling appetite requires deeply exploring the cell types and transitory states harbored in this brain site. We generated a multi-species DVC cell atlas using single nuclei RNAseq (sn-RNAseq), by curating and harmonizing mouse and rat data, which includes >180,000 cells and 123 cell identities at 5 granularities of cellular resolution. We report unique DVC features such as Kcnj3 expression in Ca+-permeable astrocytes as well as new cell populations like neurons co-expressing Th and Cck, and a leptin receptor-expressing neuron population in the rat area postrema which is marked by expression of the progenitor marker, Pdgfra. In summary, our findings demonstrate a high degree of complexity within the DVC and provide a valuable tool for the study of this metabolic center.

Authors 6

1. Cecilia Hes

   McGill University · Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University

   Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University Health Centre

2. Abigail J. Tomlinson

   University of Michigan

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan

3. Lieke Michielsen Aachen Department of Human Genetics

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center

4. Hunter J Murdoch

   McGill University · Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

   Affiliation as printed

   Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Department of Medicine, McGill University

   Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University Health Centre

5. Maia V. Kokoeva

   McGill University · Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, McGill University

   Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Department of Medicine, McGill University

   Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University Health Centre

6. Paul V. Sabatini

   McGill University · Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, McGill University

   Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University

   Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Department of Medicine, McGill University

   Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University Health Centre