Spiny projection neurons exhibit transcriptional signatures within subregions of the dorsal striatum

Abstract

The dorsal striatum is organized into functional territories defined by corticostriatal inputs onto both direct and indirect spiny projection neurons (SPNs), the major cell types within the striatum. In addition to circuit connectivity, striatal domains are likely defined by the spatially determined transcriptomes of SPNs themselves. To identify cell-type-specific spatiomolecular signatures of direct and indirect SPNs within dorsomedial, dorsolateral, and ventrolateral dorsal striatum, we used RNA profiling in situ hybridization with probes to >98% of protein coding genes. We demonstrate that the molecular identity of SPNs is mediated by hundreds of differentially expressed genes across territories of the striatum, revealing extraordinary heterogeneity in the expression of genes that mediate synaptic function in both direct and indirect SPNs. This deep insight into the complex spatiomolecular organization of the striatum provides a foundation for understanding both normal striatal function and for dissecting region-specific dysfunction in disorders of the striatum.

Keywords: A2a adenosine receptor; CP: Molecular biology; CP: Neuroscience; D1 dopamine receptor; dorsolateral striatum; dorsomedial striatum; gene expression; mRNA; medium spiny neuron; spatial transcriptomics; spiny projection neuron; striatum; transcriptome; ventrolateral striatum.