Simon Labrecque

Simon Labrecque

Google scholar profile

Academia

M.Sc. in Physics; Optics and holography, Université Laval

Advisors

Research Interests

AMPA receptors trafficking

Research Summary

In this neurophotonics project we are currently developing a technique of single particle tracking to observe the motion and recruitment of glutamatergic receptors at synapses of living neurons. Cellular and molecular imaging techniques with high spatial and temporal resolution allow us to measure the diffusion of the receptors in real time. To detect membrane receptors, we use functionalized quantum dots as fluorescent probes. Thanks to their remarkable optical properties (high intensity, resistance to photobleaching, blinking and narrow emission spectra), quantum dots allow the imaging of one neuroreceptor with a nanometric resolution and over a long time period, yet unequaled. By combining quantum dots, epifluorescence microscopy and an ultrafast CCD camera with various neuronal culture methods, we study the remodeling of the synaptic connections, which operates, in part, via the dynamic accumulation of post-synaptic receptors.
Fig. (A) Images extracted from a movie (sampling rate = 30 images/sec). The red dots are quantum dots (QD) attached via a specific antibody to AMPA receptor subunit GluR2; the green dots (Mitotracker green FM) reveal synaptic regions via the staining of mitochondria, enriched pre-synaptically. Scale bar, 4 µm. Fig. (B) Trajectory of the quantum dot, tracked and analyzed using MetaMorph 6.0 and graphed using Matlab.

Fig. (A) Images extracted from a movie (sampling rate = 30 images/sec). The red dots are quantum dots (QD) attached via a specific antibody to AMPA receptor subunit GluR2; the green dots (Mitotracker green FM) reveal synaptic regions via the staining of mitochondria, enriched pre-synaptically. Scale bar, 4 µm.

 
Fig. (B) Trajectory of the quantum dot, tracked and analyzed using MetaMorph 6.0 and graphed using Matlab.

 

Publications

Gralle, Matthias, Simon Labrecque, Charleen Salesse, and Paul De Koninck. "Spatial dynamics of the insulin receptor in living neurons." J Neurochem 156, no. 1 (2021): 88-105.
Salesse, Charleen, Julien Charest, Hélène Doucet-Beaupré, Anne-Marie Castonguay, Simon Labrecque, Paul De Koninck, and Martin Lévesque. "Opposite Control of Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapse Formation by Slitrk2 and Slitrk5 on Dopamine Neurons Modulates Hyperactivity Behavior." Cell Rep 30, no. 7 (2020): 2374-2386.e5.
Bressan, Cedric, Alessandra Pecora, Dave Gagnon, Marina Snapyan, Simon Labrecque, Paul De Koninck, Martin Parent, and Armen Saghatelyan. "The dynamic interplay between ATP/ADP levels and autophagy sustain neuronal migration in vivo." eLife 9 (2020): e56006.
Bressan, Cedric, Alessandra Pecora, Dave Gagnon, Marina Snapyan, Simon Labrecque, Paul De Koninck, Martin Parent, and Armen Saghatelyan. "The dynamic interplay between ATP/ADP levels and autophagy sustain neuronal migration in vivo." Elife 9 (2020).
Tardif, Christian, Gabriel Nadeau, Simon Labrecque, Daniel Côté, Flavie Lavoie-Cardinal, and Paul De Koninck. "Fluorescence lifetime imaging nanoscopy for measuring Förster resonance energy transfer in cellular nanodomains." Neurophotonics 6, no. 1 (2019): 015002.
Gralle, Matthias, Simon Labrecque, Charleen Salesse, and Paul De Koninck. "Spatial dynamics of the insulin receptor in living neurons." Journal of Neurochemistry n/a, no. n/a (2019).
Glasgow, Stephen D., Simon Labrecque, Ian V. Beamish, Sarah Aufmkolk, Julien Gibon, Dong Han, Stephanie N. Harris, Paul Dufresne, Paul W. Wiseman, Anne R McKinney et al. "Activity-Dependent Netrin-1 Secretion Drives Synaptic Insertion of GluA1-Containing AMPA Receptors in the Hippocampus." Cell Rep 25, no. 1 (2018): 168-182.e6.
Malvaut, Sarah, Simona Gribaudo, Delphine Hardy, Linda Suzanne David, Laura Daroles, Simon Labrecque, Marie-Anne Lebel-Cormier, Zayna Chaker, Daniel Côté, Paul De Koninck et al. "CaMKIIα Expression Defines Two Functionally Distinct Populations of Granule Cells Involved in Different Types of Odor Behavior." Curr Biol 27, no. 21 (2017): 3315-3329.e6.
Labrecque, Simon, Jean-Philippe Sylvestre, Stephane Marcet, Francesca Mangiarini, Brice Bourgoin, Marc Verhaegen, Sébastien Blais-Ouellette, and Paul De Koninck. "Hyperspectral multiplex single-particle tracking of different receptor subtypes labeled with quantum dots in live neurons." J Biomed Opt 21, no. 4 (2016): 46008.
Doré, Kim, Simon Labrecque, Christian Tardif, and Paul De Koninck. "FRET-FLIM investigation of PSD95-NMDA receptor interaction in dendritic spines; control by calpain, CaMKII and Src family kinase." PLoS One 9, no. 11 (2014): e112170.
Lemieux, Mado, Simon Labrecque, Christian Tardif, Étienne Labrie-Dion, Eric Lebel, and Paul De Koninck. "Translocation of CaMKII to dendritic microtubules supports the plasticity of local synapses." J Cell Biol 198, no. 6 (2012): 1055-73.
El Gaamouch, Farida, Alain Buisson, Olivier Moustié, Mado Lemieux, Simon Labrecque, Bruno Bontempi, Paul De Koninck, and Olivier Nicole. "Interaction between αCaMKII and GluN2B controls ERK-dependent plasticity." J Neurosci 32, no. 31 (2012): 10767-79.
Opazo, Patricio, Simon Labrecque, Cezar M. Tigaret, Arnaud Frouin, Paul W. Wiseman, Paul De Koninck, and Daniel Choquet. "CaMKII triggers the diffusional trapping of surface AMPARs through phosphorylation of stargazin." Neuron 67, no. 2 (2010): 239-52.
De Koninck, Paul, Simon Labrecque, Colin D. Heyes, and Paul W. Wiseman. "Probing synaptic signaling with quantum dots." HFSP J 1, no. 1 (2007): 5-10.

Funding

Our research endeavors are made possible by the following agencies:

Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT)Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec   Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) - Conseil de recherche en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada (CRSNG)innovation.caHuman Frontier Science ProgramCanada First Research Excellence FundSentinelle Nord