Meningeal Multipotent Cells: A Hidden Target for CNS Repair?

Traditionally, the primary role of the meninges is thought to be structural, i.e., to act as a surrounding membrane that contains and cushions the brain with cerebrospinal fluid. During development, the meninges is formed by both mesenchymal and neural crest cells. There is now emerging evidence that subsets of undifferentiated stem cells might persist in the adult meninges. In this mini-review, we survey representative studies of brain-meningeal interactions and discuss the hypothesis that the meninges are not just protective membranes, but instead contain multiplex stem cell subsets that may contribute to central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis. Further investigations into meningeal multipotent cells may reveal a "hidden" target for promoting neurovascular remodeling and repair after CNS injury and disease.

Associations of pathological diagnosis and genetic abnormalities in meningiomas with the embryological origins of the meninges.

Certain driver mutations and pathological diagnoses are associated with the anatomical site of meningioma, based on which the meninges have different embryological origins. We hypothesized that mutations and pathological diagnoses of meningiomas are associated with different embryological origins. We comprehensively evaluated associations among tumor location, pathological diagnosis (histological type), and genetic alterations including AKT1, KLF4, SMO, POLR2A, and NF2 mutations and 22q deletion in 269 meningioma cases. Based on the embryological origin of meninges, the tumor locations were as follows: neural crest, paraxial mesodermal, and dorsal mesodermal origins. Tumors originating from the dura of certain embryologic origin displayed a significantly different pathological diagnoses and genetic abnormality ratio. For instance, driver genetic mutations with AKT1, KLF4, SMO, and POLR2A, were significantly associated with the paraxial mesodermal origin (p = 1.7 × 10-10). However, meningiomas with NF2-associated mutations were significantly associated with neural crest origin (p = 3.9 × 10-12). On analysis of recurrence, no difference was observed in embryological origin. However, POLR2A mutation was a risk factor for the tumor recurrence (p = 1.7 × 10-2, Hazard Ratio 4.08, 95% Confidence Interval 1.28-13.0). Assessment of the embryological origin of the meninges may provide novel insights into the pathomechanism of meningiomas.

Meningiomas from a developmental perspective: exploring the crossroads between meningeal embryology and tumorigenesis.

Meningiomas are tumors arising from the meninges and represent the most frequent central nervous system tumors in adults. Recent large-scale genetic studies and preclinical meningioma mouse modelling led to a better comprehension of meningioma development and suggested evidences of close relationships between meningeal embryology and tumorigenesis. In this non-systematic review, we summarize the current knowledge on meningeal embryology and developmental biology, and illustrate how meningioma tumorigenesis is deeply related to meningeal embryology, concerning the potential cell of origin, the role of reactivation of embryonic stem cells, the influence of the embryonic tissue of origin, and the parallelism between topography-dependant molecular pathways involved in normal meninges and in meningioma development. Our study emphasizes why future studies on meningeal embryology are mandatory to affine our comprehension of mechanisms underlying meningioma initiation and development.

Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analyses of the Developing Meninges Reveal Meningeal Fibroblast Diversity and Function.

The meninges are a multilayered structure composed of fibroblasts, blood and lymphatic vessels, and immune cells. Meningeal fibroblasts secrete a variety of factors that control CNS development, yet strikingly little is known about their heterogeneity or development. Using single-cell sequencing, we report distinct transcriptional signatures for fibroblasts in the embryonic dura, arachnoid, and pia. We define new markers for meningeal layers and show conservation in human meninges. We find that embryonic meningeal fibroblasts are transcriptionally distinct between brain regions and identify a regionally localized pial subpopulation marked by the expression of µ-crystallin. Developmental analysis reveals a progressive, ventral-to-dorsal maturation of telencephalic meninges. Our studies have generated an unparalleled view of meningeal fibroblasts, providing molecular profiles of embryonic meningeal fibroblasts by layer and yielding insights into the mechanisms of meninges development and function.

Developmental biology of the meninges.

The meninges are membranous layers surrounding the central nervous system. In the head, the meninges lie between the brain and the skull, and interact closely with both during development. The cranial meninges originate from a mesenchymal sheath on the surface of the developing brain, called primary meninx, and undergo differentiation into three layers with distinct histological characteristics: the dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater. While genetic regulation of meningeal development is still poorly understood, mouse mutants and other models with meningeal defects have demonstrated the importance of the meninges to normal development of the calvaria and the brain. For the calvaria, the interactions with the meninges are necessary for the progression of calvarial osteogenesis during early development. In later stages, the meninges control the patterning of the skull and the fate of the sutures. For the brain, the meninges regulate diverse processes including cell survival, cell migration, generation of neurons from progenitors, and vascularization. Also, the meninges serve as a stem cell niche for the brain in the postnatal life. Given these important roles of the meninges, further investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying meningeal development can provide novel insights into the coordinated development of the head.

Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in the mouse embryonic cranial mesenchyme is required to sustain the emerging differentiated meningeal layers.

Cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs) give rise to cranial mesenchyme (CM) that differentiates into the forebrain meningeal progenitors in the basolateral and apical regions of the head. This occurs in close proximity to the other CNCC-CM-derivatives, such as calvarial bone and dermal progenitors. We found active Wnt signaling transduction in the forebrain meningeal progenitors in basolateral and apical populations and in the non-meningeal CM preceding meningeal differentiation. Here, we dissect the source of Wnt ligand secretion and requirement of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling for the lineage selection and early differentiation of the forebrain meninges. We find persistent canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signal transduction in the meningeal progenitors in the absence of Wnt ligand secretion in the CM or surface ectoderm, suggesting additional sources of Wnts. Conditional mutants for Wntless and ß-catenin in the CM showed that Wnt ligand secretion and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling were dispensable for specification and proliferation of early meningeal progenitors. In the absence of ß-catenin in the CM, we found diminished laminin matrix and meningeal hypoplasia, indicating a structural and trophic role of mesenchymal ß-catenin signaling. This study shows that ß-catenin signaling is required in the CM for maintenance and organization of the differentiated meningeal layers in the basolateral and apical populations of embryonic meninges.

Postnatal development of lymphatic vasculature in the brain meninges.

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, the central nervous system (CNS) has been viewed as an immune-privileged environment with no lymphatic vessels. This view was partially overturned by the discovery of lymphatic vessels in the dural membrane that surrounds the brain, in contact with the interior surface of the skull. We here examine the distribution and developmental timing of these lymphatic vessels. RESULTS: Using the Prox1-GFP BAC transgenic reporter and immunostaining with antibodies to lymphatic markers LYVE-1, Prox1, and Podoplanin, we have carried out whole-mount imaging of dural lymphatic vasculature at postnatal stages. We have found that between birth and postnatal day (P) 13, lymphatic vessels extend alongside dural blood vessels from the side of the skull toward the midline. Between P13 and P20, lymphatic vessels along the transverse sinuses reach the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and extend along the SSS toward the olfactory bulb. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the embryonic developmental timing of lymphatic vessels in other tissues, e.g. skin, dural lymphatic vessel development is dramatically delayed. This study provides useful anatomical data for continuing investigations of the fundamental mechanisms that underlie dural lymphatic vessel development. Developmental Dynamics 247:741-753, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Highly segregated localization of the functionally related vps10p receptors sortilin and SorCS2 during neurodevelopment.

Nervous system development is a precisely orchestrated series of events requiring a multitude of intrinsic and extrinsic cues. Sortilin and SorCS2 are members of the Vps10p receptor family with complementary influence on some of these cues including the neurotrophins (NTs). However, the developmental time points where sortilin and SorCS2 exert their activities in conjunction or independently still remain unclear. In this study we present the characterization of the spatiotemporal expression pattern of sortilin and SorCS2 in the developing murine nervous system. Sortilin is highly expressed in the fetal nervous system with expression localized to distinct cell populations. Expression was high in neurons of the cortical plate and developing allocortex, as well as subpallial structures. Furthermore, the neuroepithelium lining the ventricles and the choroid plexus showed high expression of sortilin, together with the developing retina, spinal ganglia, and sympathetic ganglia. In contrast, SorCS2 was confined in a marked degree to the thalamus and, at E13.5, the floor plate from midbrain rostrally to spinal cord caudally. SorCS2 was also found in the ventricular zones of the ventral hippocampus and nucleus accumbens areas, in the meninges and in Schwann cells. Hence, sortilin and SorCS2 are extensively present in several distinct anatomical areas in the developing nervous system and are rarely co-expressed. Possible functions of sortilin and SorCS2 pertain to NT signaling, axon guidance and beyond. The present data will form the basis for hypotheses and study designs for unravelling the functions of sortilin and SorCS2 during the establishment of neuronal structures and connections.

Sturge-Weber Syndrome: A Review. / Síndrome de Sturge-Weber: revisión.

Sturge-Weber syndrome is a sporadic congenital neurocutaneous disorder caused by a somatic activating mutation in GNAQ; it affects 1 in every 20,000 to 50,000 newborns. It is characterized by a facial Port-wine stain, leptomeningeal angiomatosis, and glaucoma. Seizures are the most common neurological manifestation and typically present in the first months of life. Glaucoma may be present at birth or develop later. Neuroimaging studies show leptomeningeal angiomatosis, supporting diagnosis. Standard treatment for Sturge-Weber syndrome includes laser treatment for the Port-wine stain, anticonvulsants, and medical or surgical treatment for the glaucoma. Prognosis depends on the extent of leptomeningeal involvement and the severity of the glaucoma.

Migration of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells is controlled by transforming growth factor ß family proteins during corticogenesis.

During embryonic development oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are generated first in the ventral forebrain and migrate dorsally to occupy the cortex. The molecular cues that guide this migratory route are currently completely unknown. Here, we show that bone morphogenetic protein-4 (Bmp4), Bmp7, and Tgfß1 produced by the meninges and pericytes repelled ventral OPCs into the cortex at mouse embryonic stages. Ectopic activation of Bmp or Tgfß1 signaling before the entrance of OPCs into the cortex hindered OPC migration into the cortical areas. OPCs without Smad4 signaling molecules also failed to migrate into the cortex efficiently and formed heterotopia in ventral areas. OPC migration into the cortex was also dramatically reduced by conditional inhibition of Tgfß1 or Bmp expression from mesenchymal cells. The data suggest that mesenchymal Tgfß family proteins promote migration of ventral OPCs into the cortex during corticogenesis.

Intermediate filament protein nestin is expressed in developing meninges.

BACKGROUND: Nestin is a type VI intermediate filament protein known as a marker for progenitor cells that can be mostly found in tissues during the embryonic and fetal periods. In our study, we aimed to determine the expression of nestin in meninges covering the brain tissue at different developmental stages and in the new born. METHODS: In this study 10 human fetuses in different development stages between developmental weeks 9-34 and a newborn brain tissue were used. Fetuses in paraffin section were stained with H+E and nestin immunohistochemical staining protocol was performed. RESULTS: In this study, in the human meninges intense nestin expression was detected as early as in the 9th week of development. Intensity of this expression gradually decreased in later stages of development and nestin expression still persisted in a small population of newborn meningeal cells. CONCLUSION: In the present study, nestin positive cells gradually diminished in the developing and maturing meninges during the fetal period. This probably depends on initiation of a decrease in nestin expression and replacement with other tissue-specific intermediate filaments while the differentiation process continues. These differences can make significant contributions to the investigation and diagnosis of various pathological disorders (Tab. 1, Fig. 3, Ref. 36).

CoupTFI interacts with retinoic acid signaling during cortical development.

We examined the role of the orphan nuclear hormone receptor CoupTFI in mediating cortical development downstream of meningeal retinoic acid signaling. CoupTFI is a regulator of cortical development known to collaborate with retinoic acid (RA) signaling in other systems. To examine the interaction of CoupTFI and cortical RA signaling we utilized Foxc1-mutant mice in which defects in meningeal development lead to alterations in cortical development due to a reduction of RA signaling. By analyzing CoupTFI(-/-);Foxc1(H/L) double mutant mice we provide evidence that CoupTFI is required for RA rescue of the ventricular zone and the neurogenic phenotypes in Foxc1-mutants. We also found that overexpression of CoupTFI in Foxc1-mutants is sufficient to rescue the Foxc1-mutant cortical phenotype in part. These results suggest that CoupTFI collaborates with RA signaling to regulate both cortical ventricular zone progenitor cell behavior and cortical neurogenesis.

Wnt5a can both activate and repress Wnt/ß-catenin signaling during mouse embryonic development.

Embryonic development is controlled by a small set of signal transduction pathways, with vastly different phenotypic outcomes depending on the time and place of their recruitment. How the same molecular machinery can elicit such specific and distinct responses, remains one of the outstanding questions in developmental biology. Part of the answer may lie in the high inherent genetic complexity of these signaling cascades, as observed for the Wnt-pathway. The mammalian genome encodes multiple Wnt proteins and receptors, each of which show dynamic and tightly controlled expression patterns in the embryo. Yet how these components interact in the context of the whole organism remains unknown. Here we report the generation of a novel, inducible transgenic mouse model that allows spatiotemporal control over the expression of Wnt5a, a protein implicated in many developmental processes and multiple Wnt-signaling responses. We show that ectopic Wnt5a expression from E10.5 onwards results in a variety of developmental defects, including loss of hair follicles and reduced bone formation in the skull. Moreover, we find that Wnt5a can have dual signaling activities during mouse embryonic development. Specifically, Wnt5a is capable of both inducing and repressing ß-catenin/TCF signaling in vivo, depending on the time and site of expression and the receptors expressed by receiving cells. These experiments show for the first time that a single mammalian Wnt protein can have multiple signaling activities in vivo, thereby furthering our understanding of how signaling specificity is achieved in a complex developmental context.

We have got you 'covered': how the meninges control brain development.

The meninges have traditionally been viewed as specialized membranes surrounding and protecting the adult brain from injury. However, there is increasing evidence that the fetal meninges play important roles during brain development. Through the release of diffusible factors, the meninges influence the proliferative and migratory behaviors of neural progenitors and neurons in the forebrain and hindbrain. Meningeal cells also secrete and organize the pial basement membrane (BM), a critical anchor point for the radially oriented fibers of neuroepithelial stem cells. With its emerging role in brain development, the potential that defects in meningeal development may underlie certain congenital brain abnormalities in humans should be considered. In this review, we will discuss what is known about assembly of the fetal meninges and review the role of meningeal-derived proteins in mouse and human brain development.

Human primitive meninges in and around the mesencephalic flexure and particularly their topographical relation to cranial nerves.

Development of the meninges in and around the plica ventralis encephali has not been well documented. A distinct mesenchymal structure, the so-called plica ventralis encephali, is sandwiched by the fetal mesencephalic flexure. We histologically examined paraffin-embedded sections from 18 human embryos and fetuses at 6-12 weeks of gestation. In the loose tissues of the plica, the first meninx appeared as a narrow membrane along the oculomotor nerve at 7-8 weeks. Subsequently, the plica ventralis evolved into 3 parts: bilateral lateral mesenchymal condensations and a primitive membranous meninx extending between. Notably, the topographical anatomy of the oculomotor, trochlear and trigeminal nerves did not change: the oculomotor nerve ran along the rostral aspect of the membranous meninx, the trigeminal nerve ran along the caudal side of the lateral mesenchymal condensation, and the trochlear nerve remained embedded in the lateral condensation. Up to 9-10 weeks, the lateral mesenchymal condensations became tongue-like folds; i.e., the primitive form of the tentorium cerebelli, while the membranous meninx became the diaphragma sellae. The falx cerebri seemed to develop from the tongue-like folds. Overall, the final tentorium cerebelli corresponded to the regressed plica ventralis, while the parasellar area originated from the base of the plica and other tissues along the ventral aspects of the basisphenoid and basioccipital.

Morphogenesis of the epidural space in humans during the embryonic and early fetal periods.

The development of the epidural space was studied on 51 series of sections from embryos and early fetuses aged from four to 13 weeks using histological and embryological methods for plastic and graphic reconstruction. We found that three stages can be discriminated in the development of the epidural space: I) the primary epidural space (embryos of 16-31 mm crown-rump length (CRL); II) reduction of the primary epidural space (embryos of 35-55 mm CRL); and III) the secondary epidural space (embryos of 60-70 mm CRL and fetuses of 80-90 mm CRL). The morphogenesis of the primary epidural space is determined by the formative influence of the spinal cord and its dura mater, while that of the secondary epidural space is determined by the walls of the vertebral canal. In the spinal cord-dura mater of the spinal cord-vertebral canal correlation system, the latter two components, subjected to the inducing influence of the first, determine the morphogenesis of the epidural space via a system of morphogenetic correlations. The correlational relationships are apparent as time-linked connections between the rudiment of the dura mater of the spinal cord and the vertebral canal, resulting in the stage-by-stage formation of the epidural space in the ventrodorsal and craniocaudal directions. These same morphogenetic correlations also determine the staging of the development of the epidural space.

Anatomy and development of the meninges: implications for subdural collections and CSF circulation.

The dura is traditionally viewed as a supportive fibrous covering of the brain containing the dural venous sinuses but otherwise devoid of vessels and lacking any specific function. However, review of the embryology and anatomy reveals the dura to be a complex, vascularized and innervated structure, not a simple fibrous covering. The dura contains an inner vascular plexus that is larger in the infant than in the adult, and this plexus likely plays a role in CSF absorption. This role could be particularly important in the infant whose arachnoid granulations are not completely developed. Although subdural hemorrhage is frequently traumatic, there are nontraumatic conditions associated with subdural hemorrhage, and the inner dural plexus is a likely source of bleeding in these nontraumatic circumstances. This review outlines the development and age-specific vascularity of the dura and offers an alternative perspective on the role of the dura in homeostasis of the central nervous system.

Anatomy and imaging of the normal meninges.

The meninges are an important connective tissue envelope investing the brain. Their function is to provide a protective coating to the brain and also participate in the formation of blood-brain barrier. Understanding their anatomy is fundamental to understanding the location and spread of pathologies in relation to the layers. It also provides an insight into the characteristics of such pathologies when imaging them. This review aims to describe the anatomy of the meninges, and to demonstrate the imaging findings of specific features.

Impaired meningeal development in association with apical expansion of calvarial bone osteogenesis in the Foxc1 mutant.

Loss of function of the mouse forkhead/winged helix transcription factor Foxc1 induces congenital hydrocephalus and impaired skull bone development due to failure of apical expansion of the bone. In this study we investigated meningeal development in the congenital hydrocephalus (ch) mouse with spontaneous loss of function mutant of Foxc1, around the period of initiation of skull bone apical expansion. In situ hybridization of Runx2 revealed active apical expansion of the frontal bone begins between embryonic day 13.5 and embryonic day 14.5 in the wild type, whereas expansion was inhibited in the mutant. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that three layers of the meninges begin to develop at E13.5 in the basolateral site of the head and subsequently progress to the apex in wild type. In ch homozygotes, although three layers were recognized at first at the basolateral site, cell morphology and structure of the layers became abnormal except for the pia mater, and arachnoidal and dural cells never differentiated in the apex. We identified meningeal markers for each layer and found that their expression was down-regulated in the mutant arachnoid and dura maters. These results suggest that there is a close association between meningeal development and the apical growth of the skull bones.

Meningothelioma as the predominant histological subtype of midline skull base and spinal meningioma.

OBJECT: This study was undertaken to test a hypothesis that meningiomas of the midline skull base and spine are predominantly of the meningothelial histological subtype. METHODS: The cases of 794 consecutive patients who underwent resection for meningioma at the Cleveland Clinic between January 1991 and March 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. The authors analyzed the relationship between the tumors' histological subtypes and sites of origin in the 731 patients from this group who harbored tumors that were determined to be benign histologically (World Health Organization Grade I). Meningothelial meningiomas (MMs) accounted for 63.5% (464/731) of the Grade I tumors. The incidence of MM according to the site of origin was as follows: 84.9% (186/219) in the midline skull base, 58.3% (35/60) in the lateral skull base, 48.5% (183/377) in a non-skull base location, and 80% (60/75) in spinal locations. The incidence of MM in the midline skull base and spinal locations were significantly higher than in non-skull base or lateral skull base locations. CONCLUSIONS: Meningiomas of the midline neuraxis are predominantly meningotheliomas. Analysis of the increasingly available data on genetic and topographic characteristics of MMs suggests that they may represent a unique entity, contrary to the prevailing belief that all benign meningiomas are identical tumors.