51
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Ladd A, Kim KG, Balewski J, Bouchard K, Ben-Shalom R. Scaling and Benchmarking an Evolutionary Algorithm for Constructing Biophysical Neuronal Models. Front Neuroinform 2022; 16:882552. [PMID: 35784184 PMCID: PMC9248031 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2022.882552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Single neuron models are fundamental for computational modeling of the brain's neuronal networks, and understanding how ion channel dynamics mediate neural function. A challenge in defining such models is determining biophysically realistic channel distributions. Here, we present an efficient, highly parallel evolutionary algorithm for developing such models, named NeuroGPU-EA. NeuroGPU-EA uses CPUs and GPUs concurrently to simulate and evaluate neuron membrane potentials with respect to multiple stimuli. We demonstrate a logarithmic cost for scaling the stimuli used in the fitting procedure. NeuroGPU-EA outperforms the typically used CPU based evolutionary algorithm by a factor of 10 on a series of scaling benchmarks. We report observed performance bottlenecks and propose mitigation strategies. Finally, we also discuss the potential of this method for efficient simulation and evaluation of electrophysiological waveforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Ladd
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Alexander Ladd
| | - Kyung Geun Kim
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Jan Balewski
- NERSC, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Kristofer Bouchard
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute & Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Scientific Data Division and Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Roy Ben-Shalom
- Neurology Department, MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
- Roy Ben-Shalom
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52
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Willsey HR, Willsey AJ, Wang B, State MW. Genomics, convergent neuroscience and progress in understanding autism spectrum disorder. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:323-341. [PMID: 35440779 PMCID: PMC10693992 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00576-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
More than a hundred genes have been identified that, when disrupted, impart large risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current knowledge about the encoded proteins - although incomplete - points to a very wide range of developmentally dynamic and diverse biological processes. Moreover, the core symptoms of ASD involve distinctly human characteristics, presenting challenges to interpreting evolutionarily distant model systems. Indeed, despite a decade of striking progress in gene discovery, an actionable understanding of pathobiology remains elusive. Increasingly, convergent neuroscience approaches have been recognized as an important complement to traditional uses of genetics to illuminate the biology of human disorders. These methods seek to identify intersection among molecular-level, cellular-level and circuit-level functions across multiple risk genes and have highlighted developing excitatory neurons in the human mid-gestational prefrontal cortex as an important pathobiological nexus in ASD. In addition, neurogenesis, chromatin modification and synaptic function have emerged as key potential mediators of genetic vulnerability. The continued expansion of foundational 'omics' data sets, the application of higher-throughput model systems and incorporating developmental trajectories and sex differences into future analyses will refine and extend these results. Ultimately, a systems-level understanding of ASD genetic risk holds promise for clarifying pathobiology and advancing therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Rankin Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - A Jeremy Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Belinda Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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53
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Functional correlates of clinical phenotype and severity in recurrent SCN2A variants. Commun Biol 2022; 5:515. [PMID: 35637276 PMCID: PMC9151917 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03454-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In SCN2A-related disorders, there is an urgent demand to establish efficient methods for determining the gain- (GoF) or loss-of-function (LoF) character of variants, to identify suitable candidates for precision therapies. Here we classify clinical phenotypes of 179 individuals with 38 recurrent SCN2A variants as early-infantile or later-onset epilepsy, or intellectual disability/autism spectrum disorder (ID/ASD) and assess the functional impact of 13 variants using dynamic action potential clamp (DAPC) and voltage clamp. Results show that 36/38 variants are associated with only one phenotypic group (30 early-infantile, 5 later-onset, 1 ID/ASD). Unexpectedly, we revealed major differences in outcome severity between individuals with the same variant for 40% of early-infantile variants studied. DAPC was superior to voltage clamp in predicting the impact of mutations on neuronal excitability and confirmed GoF produces early-infantile phenotypes and LoF later-onset phenotypes. For one early-infantile variant, the co-expression of the α1 and β2 subunits of the Nav1.2 channel was needed to unveil functional impact, confirming the prediction of 3D molecular modeling. Neither DAPC nor voltage clamp reliably predicted phenotypic severity of early-infantile variants. Genotype, phenotypic group and DAPC are accurate predictors of the biophysical impact of SCN2A variants, but other approaches are needed to predict severity. A comprehensive biophysical analysis of disease-associated mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene, SCN2A, suggests that dynamic action potential clamp may be a better predictor than voltage clamp of how these mutations alter neuronal excitability, though other approaches are needed to predict severity.
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54
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Mangano GD, Fontana A, Antona V, Salpietro V, Mangano GR, Giuffrè M, Nardello R. Commonalities and distinctions between two neurodevelopmental disorder subtypes associated with SCN2A and SCN8A variants and literature review. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2022; 10:e1911. [PMID: 35348308 PMCID: PMC9034667 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study was aimed to analyze the commonalities and distinctions of voltage‐gated sodium channels, Nav1.2, Nav1.6, in neurodevelopmental disorders. An observational study was performed including two patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. The demographic, electroclinical, genetic, and neuropsychological characteristics were analyzed and compared with each other and then with the subjects carrying the same genetic variants reported in the literature. The clinical features of one of them argued for autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay, the other for intellectual disability, diagnoses confirmed by the neuropsychological assessment. The first patient was a carrier of SCN2A (p.R379H) variant while the second was carrier of SCN8A (p.E936K) variant, both involving the pore loop of the two channels. The results of this study suggest that the neurodevelopmental disorders without overt epilepsy of both patients can be the consequences of loss of function of Nav1.2/Nav1.6 channels. Notably, the SCN2A variant, with an earlier expression timing in brain development, resulted in a more severe phenotype as autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay, while the SCN8A variant, with a later expression timing, resulted in a less severe phenotype as intellectual disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Donato Mangano
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities "G. D'Alessandro," University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonina Fontana
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities "G. D'Alessandro," University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Antona
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities "G. D'Alessandro," University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Salpietro
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.,Department of Neurosciences Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DiNOGMI), University of Genoa; Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giuseppa Renata Mangano
- Department of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Mario Giuffrè
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities "G. D'Alessandro," University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Rosaria Nardello
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities "G. D'Alessandro," University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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55
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Yang XR, Ginjupalli VKM, Theriault O, Poulin H, Appendino JP, Au PY, Chahine M. SCN2A-related epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures: report of a variant with apparent gain and loss of function effects. J Neurophysiol 2022; 127:1388-1397. [PMID: 35417276 PMCID: PMC9109789 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00309.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
SCN2A encodes a voltage-gated sodium channel (NaV1.2) expressed throughout the central nervous system in predominantly excitatory neurons. Pathogenic variants in SCN2A are associated with epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Genotype-phenotype correlations have been described, with loss of function variants typically being associated with neurodevelopmental delay and later onset seizures, while gain of function variants more often result in early infantile-onset epilepsy. However, the true electrophysiological effects of most disease-causing SCN2A variants have yet to be characterized. We report an infant who presented with migrating focal seizures in the neonatal period. She was found to have a mosaic c.2635G>A, p.Gly879Arg variant in SCN2A. Voltage-clamp studies of the variant expressed on adult and neonatal NaV1.2 isoforms demonstrated a mixed gain and loss of function, with predominantly a loss of function effect with reduced cell surface expression and current density. Additional small electrophysiological alterations included a decrease in the voltage-dependence of activation and an increase in the voltage-dependence of inactivation. This finding of a predominantly loss of function effect was unexpected, as the infant's early epilepsy onset would have suggested a predominantly gain of function effect. This case illustrates that our understanding of genotype phenotype correlations is still limited, and highlights the complexity of the underlying electrophysiological effects of SCN2A variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ru Yang
- Dept of Medical Genetics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | | | - Hugo Poulin
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Juan Pablo Appendino
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, Alberta Children's Hospital, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. Canada
| | - Ping-Yee Au
- Dept of Medical Genetics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mohamed Chahine
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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56
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Echevarria-Cooper DM, Hawkins NA, Misra SN, Huffman AM, Thaxton T, Thompson CH, Ben-Shalom R, Nelson AD, Lipkin AM, George AL, Bender KJ, Kearney JA. Cellular and behavioral effects of altered NaV1.2 sodium channel ion permeability in Scn2aK1422E mice. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:2964-2988. [PMID: 35417922 PMCID: PMC9433730 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variants in SCN2A, encoding the NaV1.2 voltage-gated sodium channel, are associated with a range of neurodevelopmental disorders with overlapping phenotypes. Some variants fit into a framework wherein gain-of-function missense variants that increase neuronal excitability lead to developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, while loss-of-function variants that reduce neuronal excitability lead to intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with or without co-morbid seizures. One unique case less easily classified using this framework is the de novo missense variant SCN2A-p.K1422E, associated with infant-onset developmental delay, infantile spasms and features of ASD. Prior structure–function studies demonstrated that K1422E substitution alters ion selectivity of NaV1.2, conferring Ca2+ permeability, lowering overall conductance and conferring resistance to tetrodotoxin (TTX). Based on heterologous expression of K1422E, we developed a compartmental neuron model incorporating variant channels that predicted reductions in peak action potential (AP) speed. We generated Scn2aK1422E mice and characterized effects on neurons and neurological/neurobehavioral phenotypes. Cultured cortical neurons from heterozygous Scn2aK1422E/+ mice exhibited lower current density with a TTX-resistant component and reversal potential consistent with mixed ion permeation. Recordings from Scn2aK1442E/+ cortical slices demonstrated impaired AP initiation and larger Ca2+ transients at the axon initial segment during the rising phase of the AP, suggesting complex effects on channel function. Scn2aK1422E/+ mice exhibited rare spontaneous seizures, interictal electroencephalogram abnormalities, altered induced seizure thresholds, reduced anxiety-like behavior and alterations in olfactory-guided social behavior. Overall, Scn2aK1422E/+ mice present with phenotypes similar yet distinct from other Scn2a models, consistent with complex effects of K1422E on NaV1.2 channel function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis M Echevarria-Cooper
- Departments of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL, USA 60611.,Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA, 60611
| | - Nicole A Hawkins
- Departments of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL, USA 60611
| | - Sunita N Misra
- Departments of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL, USA 60611.,Departments of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL, USA 60611.,Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA 60611
| | - Alexandra M Huffman
- Departments of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL, USA 60611
| | - Tyler Thaxton
- Departments of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL, USA 60611
| | - Christopher H Thompson
- Departments of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL, USA 60611
| | - Roy Ben-Shalom
- Mind Institute and Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States 95817
| | - Andrew D Nelson
- Department of Neurology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
| | - Anna M Lipkin
- Department of Neurology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
| | - Alfred L George
- Departments of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL, USA 60611.,Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA, 60611
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Department of Neurology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA 94158
| | - Jennifer A Kearney
- Departments of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Chicago, IL, USA 60611.,Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA, 60611
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57
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Zandi PP, Jaffe AE, Goes FS, Burke EE, Collado-Torres L, Huuki-Myers L, Seyedian A, Lin Y, Seifuddin F, Pirooznia M, Ross CA, Kleinman JE, Weinberger DR, Hyde TM. Amygdala and anterior cingulate transcriptomes from individuals with bipolar disorder reveal downregulated neuroimmune and synaptic pathways. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:381-389. [PMID: 35260864 PMCID: PMC8915427 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01024-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Recent genetic studies have identified variants associated with bipolar disorder (BD), but it remains unclear how brain gene expression is altered in BD and how genetic risk for BD may contribute to these alterations. Here, we obtained transcriptomes from subgenual anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala samples from post-mortem brains of individuals with BD and neurotypical controls, including 511 total samples from 295 unique donors. We examined differential gene expression between cases and controls and the transcriptional effects of BD-associated genetic variants. We found two coexpressed modules that were associated with transcriptional changes in BD: one enriched for immune and inflammatory genes and the other with genes related to the postsynaptic membrane. Over 50% of BD genome-wide significant loci contained significant expression quantitative trait loci (QTL) (eQTL), and these data converged on several individual genes, including SCN2A and GRIN2A. Thus, these data implicate specific genes and pathways that may contribute to the pathology of BP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter P Zandi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Andrew E Jaffe
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.,The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fernando S Goes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Emily E Burke
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leonardo Collado-Torres
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Arta Seyedian
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yian Lin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fayaz Seifuddin
- The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mehdi Pirooznia
- The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christopher A Ross
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joel E Kleinman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, USA.,McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thomas M Hyde
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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58
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Johnson JP, Focken T, Khakh K, Tari PK, Dube C, Goodchild SJ, Andrez JC, Bankar G, Bogucki D, Burford K, Chang E, Chowdhury S, Dean R, de Boer G, Decker S, Dehnhardt C, Feng M, Gong W, Grimwood M, Hasan A, Hussainkhel A, Jia Q, Lee S, Li J, Lin S, Lindgren A, Lofstrand V, Mezeyova J, Namdari R, Nelkenbrecher K, Shuart NG, Sojo L, Sun S, Taron M, Waldbrook M, Weeratunge D, Wesolowski S, Williams A, Wilson M, Xie Z, Yoo R, Young C, Zenova A, Zhang W, Cutts AJ, Sherrington RP, Pimstone SN, Winquist R, Cohen CJ, Empfield JR. NBI-921352, a first-in-class, Na V1.6 selective, sodium channel inhibitor that prevents seizures in Scn8a gain-of-function mice, and wild-type mice and rats. eLife 2022; 11:72468. [PMID: 35234610 PMCID: PMC8903829 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
NBI-921352 (formerly XEN901) is a novel sodium channel inhibitor designed to specifically target NaV1.6 channels. Such a molecule provides a precision-medicine approach to target SCN8A-related epilepsy syndromes (SCN8A-RES), where gain-of-function (GoF) mutations lead to excess NaV1.6 sodium current, or other indications where NaV1.6 mediated hyper-excitability contributes to disease (Gardella and Møller, 2019; Johannesen et al., 2019; Veeramah et al., 2012). NBI-921352 is a potent inhibitor of NaV1.6 (IC500.051 µM), with exquisite selectivity over other sodium channel isoforms (selectivity ratios of 756 X for NaV1.1, 134 X for NaV1.2, 276 X for NaV1.7, and >583 Xfor NaV1.3, NaV1.4, and NaV1.5). NBI-921352is a state-dependent inhibitor, preferentially inhibiting inactivatedchannels. The state dependence leads to potent stabilization of inactivation, inhibiting NaV1.6 currents, including resurgent and persistent NaV1.6 currents, while sparing the closed/rested channels. The isoform-selective profile of NBI-921352 led to a robust inhibition of action-potential firing in glutamatergic excitatory pyramidal neurons, while sparing fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons, where NaV1.1 predominates. Oral administration of NBI-921352 prevented electrically induced seizures in a Scn8a GoF mouse,as well as in wild-type mouse and ratseizure models. NBI-921352 was effective in preventing seizures at lower brain and plasma concentrations than commonly prescribed sodium channel inhibitor anti-seizure medicines (ASMs) carbamazepine, phenytoin, and lacosamide. NBI-921352 waswell tolerated at higher multiples of the effective plasma and brain concentrations than those ASMs. NBI-921352 is entering phase II proof-of-concept trials for the treatment of SCN8A-developmental epileptic encephalopathy (SCN8A-DEE) and adult focal-onset seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Johnson
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Thilo Focken
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Kuldip Khakh
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | - Celine Dube
- In Vivo Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Girish Bankar
- In Vivo Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - David Bogucki
- Chemistry, Medipure Pharmaceuticals, Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | - Elaine Chang
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | - Richard Dean
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Gina de Boer
- Compound Properties, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Shannon Decker
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | - Mandy Feng
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Wei Gong
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | - Abid Hasan
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | - Qi Jia
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Stephanie Lee
- Compound Properties, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Jenny Li
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Sophia Lin
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Andrea Lindgren
- Compound Properties, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | - Janette Mezeyova
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Rostam Namdari
- Translational Drug Development, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Luis Sojo
- Compound Properties, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Shaoyi Sun
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Matthew Taron
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | - Diana Weeratunge
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | - Aaron Williams
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Michael Wilson
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Zhiwei Xie
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Rhena Yoo
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Clint Young
- In Vitro Biology, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Alla Zenova
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Wei Zhang
- Chemistry, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | - Alison J Cutts
- Scientific Affairs, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Charles J Cohen
- Executive Team, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Burnaby BC, Canada
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59
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Richardson R, Baralle D, Bennett C, Briggs T, Bijlsma EK, Clayton-Smith J, Constantinou P, Foulds N, Jarvis J, Jewell R, Johnson DS, McEntagart M, Parker MJ, Radley JA, Robertson L, Ruivenkamp C, Rutten JW, Tellez J, Turnpenny PD, Wilson V, Wright M, Balasubramanian M. Further delineation of phenotypic spectrum of SCN2A-related disorder. Am J Med Genet A 2022; 188:867-877. [PMID: 34894057 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
SCN2A-related disorders include intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, seizures, episodic ataxia, and schizophrenia. In this study, the phenotype-genotype association in SCN2A-related disorders was further delineated by collecting detailed clinical and molecular characteristics. Using previously proposed genotype-phenotype hypotheses based on variant function and position, the potential of phenotype prediction from the variants found was examined. Patients were identified through the Deciphering Developmental Disorders study and gene matching strategies. Phenotypic information and variant interpretation evidence were collated. Seventeen previously unreported patients and five patients who had been previously reported (but with minimal phenotypic and segregation data) were included (10 males, 12 females; median age 10.5 years). All patients had developmental delays and the majority had intellectual disabilities. Seizures were reported in 15 of 22 (68.2%), four of 22 (18.2%) had autism spectrum disorder and no patients were reported with episodic ataxia. The majority of variants were de novo. One family had presumed gonadal mosaicism. The correlation of the use of sodium channel-blocking antiepileptic drugs with phenotype or genotype was variable. These data suggest that variant type and position alone can provide some predictive information about the phenotype in a proportion of cases, but more precise assessment of variant function is needed for meaningful phenotype prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Richardson
- Northern Genetics Service, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, Newcastle, UK
| | - Diana Baralle
- University Hospital of Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Christopher Bennett
- Yorkshire Regional Genetics Service, The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Tracy Briggs
- NW Genomic Laboratory Hub, Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Emilia K Bijlsma
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jill Clayton-Smith
- NW Genomic Laboratory Hub, Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Nicola Foulds
- University Hospital of Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Joanna Jarvis
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rosalyn Jewell
- Yorkshire Regional Genetics Service, The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Diana S Johnson
- Sheffield Clinical Genetics Service, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Meriel McEntagart
- South West Thames Regional Genetics Centre, St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
| | - Michael J Parker
- Sheffield Clinical Genetics Service, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jessica A Radley
- London North West Regional Genetics Service, St. Mark's and Northwick Park Hospitals, London, UK
| | | | - Claudia Ruivenkamp
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Julie W Rutten
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - James Tellez
- Northern Genetics Service, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, Newcastle, UK
| | - Peter D Turnpenny
- Clinical Genetics Department, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, UK
| | - Valerie Wilson
- Northern Genetics Service, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, Newcastle, UK
| | - Michael Wright
- Northern Genetics Service, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, Newcastle, UK
| | - Meena Balasubramanian
- Sheffield Clinical Genetics Service, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
- Academic Unit of Child Health, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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60
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Caporale N, Leemans M, Birgersson L, Germain PL, Cheroni C, Borbély G, Engdahl E, Lindh C, Bressan RB, Cavallo F, Chorev NE, D'Agostino GA, Pollard SM, Rigoli MT, Tenderini E, Tobon AL, Trattaro S, Troglio F, Zanella M, Bergman Å, Damdimopoulou P, Jönsson M, Kiess W, Kitraki E, Kiviranta H, Nånberg E, Öberg M, Rantakokko P, Rudén C, Söder O, Bornehag CG, Demeneix B, Fini JB, Gennings C, Rüegg J, Sturve J, Testa G. From cohorts to molecules: Adverse impacts of endocrine disrupting mixtures. Science 2022; 375:eabe8244. [PMID: 35175820 DOI: 10.1126/science.abe8244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Convergent evidence associates exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with major human diseases, even at regulation-compliant concentrations. This might be because humans are exposed to EDC mixtures, whereas chemical regulation is based on a risk assessment of individual compounds. Here, we developed a mixture-centered risk assessment strategy that integrates epidemiological and experimental evidence. We identified that exposure to an EDC mixture in early pregnancy is associated with language delay in offspring. At human-relevant concentrations, this mixture disrupted hormone-regulated and disease-relevant regulatory networks in human brain organoids and in the model organisms Xenopus leavis and Danio rerio, as well as behavioral responses. Reinterrogating epidemiological data, we found that up to 54% of the children had prenatal exposures above experimentally derived levels of concern, reaching, for the upper decile compared with the lowest decile of exposure, a 3.3 times higher risk of language delay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Caporale
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Human Technopole, V.le Rita Levi-Montalcini, 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Michelle Leemans
- UMR 7221, Phyma, CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lina Birgersson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 41463 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Pierre-Luc Germain
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cheroni
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Human Technopole, V.le Rita Levi-Montalcini, 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Gábor Borbély
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Elin Engdahl
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Organismal Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Raul Bardini Bressan
- Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Francesca Cavallo
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Nadav Even Chorev
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Alessandro D'Agostino
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marco Tullio Rigoli
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Erika Tenderini
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Alejandro Lopez Tobon
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Trattaro
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Flavia Troglio
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Zanella
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Åke Bergman
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden.,School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Jönsson
- Department of Organismal Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Wieland Kiess
- Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Department of Women and Child Health, University Hospital, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Efthymia Kitraki
- Lab of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 152 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Hannu Kiviranta
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio 70210, Finland
| | - Eewa Nånberg
- School of Health Sciences, Örebro University, SE-70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Mattias Öberg
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Panu Rantakokko
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kuopio 70210, Finland
| | - Christina Rudén
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olle Söder
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Pediatric Endocrinology Division, Karolinska Institutet and University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carl-Gustaf Bornehag
- Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, Department of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, SE- 651 88 Karlstad, Sweden.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Barbara Demeneix
- UMR 7221, Phyma, CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Fini
- UMR 7221, Phyma, CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Chris Gennings
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Swedish Toxicology Sciences Research Center (SWETOX), Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Organismal Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Joachim Sturve
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 41463 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- High Definition Disease Modelling Lab, Stem Cell and Organoid Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy.,Human Technopole, V.le Rita Levi-Montalcini, 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
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61
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Al Dera H. Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorders and associated comorbidities: A pathophysiological review. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 148:112688. [PMID: 35149383 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that develop in early life due to interaction between several genetic and environmental factors and lead to alterations in brain function and structure. During the last decades, several mechanisms have been placed to explain the pathogenesis of autism. Unfortunately, these are reported in several studies and reviews which make it difficult to follow by the reader. In addition, some recent molecular mechanisms related to ASD have been unrevealed. This paper revises and highlights the major common molecular mechanisms responsible for the clinical symptoms seen in people with ASD, including the roles of common genetic factors and disorders, neuroinflammation, GABAergic signaling, and alterations in Ca+2 signaling. Besides, it covers the major molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in initiating the epileptic seizure, including the alterations in the GABAergic and glutamate signaling, vitamin and mineral deficiency, disorders of metabolism, and autoimmunity. Finally, this review also discusses sleep disorder patterns and the molecular mechanisms underlying them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussain Al Dera
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine at King Saud, Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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62
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Genetic paroxysmal neurological disorders featuring episodic ataxia and epilepsy. Eur J Med Genet 2022; 65:104450. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2022.104450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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63
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Panagiotakos G, Pasca SP. A matter of space and time: Emerging roles of disease-associated proteins in neural development. Neuron 2022; 110:195-208. [PMID: 34847355 PMCID: PMC8776599 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent genetic studies of neurodevelopmental disorders point to synaptic proteins and ion channels as key contributors to disease pathogenesis. Although many of these proteins, such as the L-type calcium channel Cav1.2 or the postsynaptic scaffolding protein SHANK3, have well-studied functions in mature neurons, new evidence indicates that they may subserve novel, distinct roles in immature cells as the nervous system is assembled in prenatal development. Emerging tools and technologies, including single-cell sequencing and human cellular models of disease, are illuminating differential isoform utilization, spatiotemporal expression, and subcellular localization of ion channels and synaptic proteins in the developing brain compared with the adult, providing new insights into the regulation of developmental processes. We propose that it is essential to consider the temporally distinct and cell-specific roles of these proteins during development and maturity in our framework for understanding neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Panagiotakos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Sergiu P Pasca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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64
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Ben-Shalom R, Ladd A, Artherya NS, Cross C, Kim KG, Sanghevi H, Korngreen A, Bouchard KE, Bender KJ. NeuroGPU: Accelerating multi-compartment, biophysically detailed neuron simulations on GPUs. J Neurosci Methods 2022; 366:109400. [PMID: 34728257 PMCID: PMC9887806 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The membrane potential of individual neurons depends on a large number of interacting biophysical processes operating on spatial-temporal scales spanning several orders of magnitude. The multi-scale nature of these processes dictates that accurate prediction of membrane potentials in specific neurons requires the utilization of detailed simulations. Unfortunately, constraining parameters within biologically detailed neuron models can be difficult, leading to poor model fits. This obstacle can be overcome partially by numerical optimization or detailed exploration of parameter space. However, these processes, which currently rely on central processing unit (CPU) computation, often incur orders of magnitude increases in computing time for marginal improvements in model behavior. As a result, model quality is often compromised to accommodate compute resources. NEW METHOD Here, we present a simulation environment, NeuroGPU, that takes advantage of the inherent parallelized structure of the graphics processing unit (GPU) to accelerate neuronal simulation. RESULTS & COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS NeuroGPU can simulate most biologically detailed models 10-200 times faster than NEURON simulation running on a single core and 5 times faster than GPU simulators (CoreNEURON). NeuroGPU is designed for model parameter tuning and best performs when the GPU is fully utilized by running multiple (> 100) instances of the same model with different parameters. When using multiple GPUs, NeuroGPU can reach to a speed-up of 800 fold compared to single core simulations, especially when simulating the same model morphology with different parameters. We demonstrate the power of NeuoGPU through large-scale parameter exploration to reveal the response landscape of a neuron. Finally, we accelerate numerical optimization of biophysically detailed neuron models to achieve highly accurate fitting of models to simulation and experimental data. CONCLUSIONS Thus, NeuroGPU is the fastest available platform that enables rapid simulation of multi-compartment, biophysically detailed neuron models on commonly used computing systems accessible by many scientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Ben-Shalom
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; MIND Institute University of California, Davis, CA, United States; Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA, United States.
| | - Alexander Ladd
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Nikhil S Artherya
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Christopher Cross
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kyung Geun Kim
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Hersh Sanghevi
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Alon Korngreen
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel; The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Kristofer E Bouchard
- Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA, United States; Hellen Wills Neuroscience Institute & Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States; Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.
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65
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Sodium channel expression and transcript variation in the developing brain of human, Rhesus monkey, and mouse. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 164:105622. [PMID: 35031483 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation in voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels is a significant contributor to neurodevelopmental disorders. NaV channel alpha subunits are encoded by the SCNxA family and four are predominately expressed in the brain: SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN3A, and SCN8A. Gene expression is developmentally regulated, and they are known to express functionally distinct transcript variants. Precision therapies targeting these genes and their transcript variants are currently in preclinical development, yet the developmental expression of these transcripts in the human brain is yet to be fully understood. Additionally, the functional consequences of some mutations differ depending on the studied channel isoform, suggesting differential transcript variant expression can affect disease prognoses. We characterise the expression of the four SCNxAs and their transcript variants in human, Rhesus monkey and mouse brain using publicly available RNA-sequencing data and analysis tools, demonstrating that this approach can be used to answer important biological questions of gene and transcript developmental regulation. We find that gene expression and transcript variant regulation are conserved across species at similar developmental stages and determine the developmental milestones for transcript variant expression. Our study provides a guide to researchers testing therapies and clinicians advising prognoses based on the expression of channel isoforms.
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66
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Rayff da Silva P, do Nascimento Gonzaga TKS, Maia RE, Araújo da Silva B. Ionic Channels as Potential Targets for the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review. Curr Neuropharmacol 2022; 20:1834-1849. [PMID: 34370640 PMCID: PMC9886809 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x19666210809102547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that directly affects brain functions and can culminate in delayed intellectual development, problems in verbal communication, difficulties in social interaction, and stereotyped behaviors. Its etiology reveals a genetic basis that can be strongly influenced by socio-environmental factors. Ion channels controlled by ligand voltage-activated calcium, sodium, and potassium channels may play important roles in modulating sensory and cognitive responses, and their dysfunctions may be closely associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD. This is due to ionic flow, which is of paramount importance to maintaining physiological conditions in the central nervous system and triggers action potentials, gene expression, and cell signaling. However, since ASD is a multifactorial disease, treatment is directed only to secondary symptoms. Therefore, this research aims to gather evidence concerning the principal pathophysiological mechanisms involving ion channels in order to recognize their importance as therapeutic targets for the treatment of central and secondary ASD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bagnólia Araújo da Silva
- Address correspondence to this author at the Postgraduate Program in Natural Synthetic and Bioactive Products, Heath Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba - Campus I, 58051-085, Via Ipê Amarelo, S/N, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil; Tel: ++55-83-99352-5595; E-mail:
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67
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He X, Tu Y, Song Y, Yang G, You M. The relationship between pesticide exposure during critical neurodevelopment and autism spectrum disorder: A narrative review. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111902. [PMID: 34416252 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural pesticides have been one of the most extensively used compounds throughout the world. The main sources of contamination for humans are dietary intake and occupational exposure. The impairments caused by agricultural pesticide exposure have been a significant global public health problem. Recent studies have shown that low-level agricultural pesticide exposure during the critical period of neurodevelopment (pregnancy and lactation) is closely related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, gut microbiota, neural dendrite morphology, synaptic function, and glial cells are targets for the effects of pesticides during nervous system development. In the present review, we summarize the associations between several highly used and frequently studied pesticides (e.g., glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, pyrethroids, and avermectins) and ASD. We also discusse future epidemiological and toxicological research directions on the relationship between pesticides and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiu He
- School of Public Heath, the Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, PR China
| | - Ying Tu
- School of Public Heath, the Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, PR China
| | - Yawen Song
- School of Public Heath, the Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, PR China
| | - Guanghong Yang
- Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550004, PR China.
| | - Mingdan You
- School of Public Heath, the Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, PR China.
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68
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Zeng Q, Yang Y, Duan J, Niu X, Chen Y, Wang D, Zhang J, Chen J, Yang X, Li J, Yang Z, Jiang Y, Liao J, Zhang Y. SCN2A-Related Epilepsy: The Phenotypic Spectrum, Treatment and Prognosis. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:809951. [PMID: 35431799 PMCID: PMC9005871 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.809951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to analyze the phenotypic spectrum, treatment, and prognosis of 72 Chinese children with SCN2A variants. METHODS The SCN2A variants were detected by next-generation sequencing. All patients were followed up at a pediatric neurology clinic in our hospital or by telephone. RESULTS In 72 patients with SCN2A variants, the seizure onset age ranged from the first day of life to 2 years and 6 months. The epilepsy phenotypes included febrile seizures (plus) (n = 2), benign (familial) infantile epilepsy (n = 9), benign familial neonatal-infantile epilepsy (n = 3), benign neonatal epilepsy (n = 1), West syndrome (n = 16), Ohtahara syndrome (n = 15), epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (n = 2), Dravet syndrome (n = 1), early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (n = 15), and unclassifiable developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (n = 8). Approximately 79.2% (57/72) patients had varying degrees of developmental delay. All patients had abnormal MRI findings with developmental delay. 91.7% (55/60) patients with de novo SCN2A variants had development delay, while only 16.7% (2/12) patients with inherited SCN2A variants had abnormal development. 83.9% (26/31) SCN2A variants that were located in transmembrane regions of the protein were detected in patients with development delay. Approximately 69.2% (9/13) SCN2A variants detected in patients with normal development were located in the non-transmembrane regions. Approximately 54.2% (39/72) patients were seizure-free at a median age of 8 months. Oxcarbazepine has been used by 38 patients, and seizure-free was observed in 11 of them (11/38, 28.9%), while 6 patients had seizure worsening by oxcarbazepine. All 3 patients used oxcarbazepine and with seizure onset age > 1 year presented seizure exacerbation after taking oxcarbazepine. Valproate has been used by 53 patients, seizure-free was observed in 22.6% (12/53) of them. CONCLUSION The phenotypic spectrum of SCN2A-related epilepsy was broad, ranging from benign epilepsy in neonate and infancy to severe epileptic encephalopathy. Oxcarbazepine and valproate were the most effective drugs in epilepsy patients with SCN2A variants. Sodium channel blockers often worsen seizures in patients with seizure onset beyond 1 year of age. Abnormal brain MRI findings and de novo variations were often related to poor prognosis. Most SCN2A variants located in transmembrane regions were related to patients with developmental delay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zeng
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Neurology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Duan
- Department of Neurology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xueyang Niu
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaoyang Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoling Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jinliang Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixian Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuwu Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxiang Liao
- Department of Neurology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Jianxiang Liao,
| | - Yuehua Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- Yuehua Zhang,
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Penkl A, Reunert J, Debus OM, Homann A, Och U, Rust S, Marquardt T. A mutation in the neonatal isoform of SCN2A causes neonatal-onset epilepsy. Am J Med Genet A 2021; 188:941-947. [PMID: 34874093 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
SCN2A (sodium channel 2A) encodes the Nav1.2 channel protein in excitatory neurons in the brain. Nav1.2 is a critical voltage-gated sodium channel of the central nervous system. Mutations in SCN2A are responsible for a broad phenotypic spectrum ranging from autism and developmental delay to severe encephalopathy with neonatal or early infantile onset. SCN2A can be spliced into two different isoforms, a neonatal (6N) and an adult (6A) form. After birth, there is an equal or higher amount of the 6N isoform, protecting the brain from the increased neuronal excitability of the infantile brain. During postnatal development, 6N is gradually replaced by 6A. In an infant carrying the novel SCN2A mutation c.643G > A (p.Ala215Thr) only in the neonatal transcript, seizures started immediately after birth. The clinical presentation evolved from a burst-suppression pattern with 30-50 tonic seizures per day to hypsarrhythmia. The first exome analysis, focusing only on common transcripts, missed the diagnosis and delayed early therapy. A reevaluation including all transcripts revealed the SCN2A variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Penkl
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Janine Reunert
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Otfried M Debus
- Department of Pediatrics, Clemenshospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Anna Homann
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Ludmillenstift, Meppen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Och
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Stephan Rust
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Thorsten Marquardt
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
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70
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Li M, Jancovski N, Jafar-Nejad P, Burbano LE, Rollo B, Richards K, Drew L, Sedo A, Heighway J, Pachernegg S, Soriano A, Jia L, Blackburn T, Roberts B, Nemiroff A, Dalby K, Maljevic S, Reid CA, Rigo F, Petrou S. Antisense oligonucleotide therapy reduces seizures and extends life span in an SCN2A gain-of-function epilepsy model. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:152079. [PMID: 34850743 DOI: 10.1172/jci152079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
De novo variation in SCN2A can give rise to severe childhood disorders. Biophysical gain of function in SCN2A is seen in some patients with early seizure onset developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE). In these cases, targeted reduction in SCN2A expression could substantially improve clinical outcomes. We tested this theory by central administration of a gapmer antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting Scn2a mRNA in a mouse model of Scn2a early seizure onset DEE (Q/+ mice). Untreated Q/+ mice presented with spontaneous seizures at P1 and did not survive beyond P30. Administration of the ASO to Q/+ mice reduced spontaneous seizures and significantly extended life span. Across a range of behavioral tests, Scn2a ASO-treated Q/+ mice were largely indistinguishable from WT mice, suggesting treatment is well tolerated. A human SCN2A gapmer ASO could likewise impact the lives of patients with SCN2A gain-of-function DEE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melody Li
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nikola Jancovski
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Lisseth E Burbano
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ben Rollo
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kay Richards
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lisa Drew
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alicia Sedo
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jacqueline Heighway
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Svenja Pachernegg
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Linghan Jia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Todd Blackburn
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,RogCon Biosciences, Miami Beach, Florida, USA
| | - Blaine Roberts
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alex Nemiroff
- RogCon Biosciences, Miami Beach, Florida, USA.,Praxis Precision Medicines, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kelley Dalby
- RogCon Biosciences, Miami Beach, Florida, USA.,Praxis Precision Medicines, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Snezana Maljevic
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher A Reid
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Steven Petrou
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,RogCon Biosciences, Miami Beach, Florida, USA.,Praxis Precision Medicines, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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71
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Carvill GL, Jansen S, Lacroix A, Zemel M, Mehaffey M, De Vries P, Brunner HG, Scheffer IE, De Vries BBA, Vissers LELM, Mefford HC. Genetic convergence of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies and intellectual disability. Dev Med Child Neurol 2021; 63:1441-1447. [PMID: 34247411 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
AIM To determine whether genes that cause developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are more commonly implicated in intellectual disability with epilepsy as a comorbid feature than in intellectual disability only. METHOD We performed targeted resequencing of 18 genes commonly implicated in DEEs in a cohort of 830 patients with intellectual disability (59% male) and 393 patients with DEEs (52% male). RESULTS We observed a significant enrichment of pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in patients with epilepsy and intellectual disability (16 out of 159 in seven genes) compared with intellectual disability only (2 out of 671) (p<1.86×10-10 , odds ratio 37.22, 95% confidence interval 8.60-337.0). INTERPRETATION We identified seven genes that are more likely to cause epilepsy and intellectual disability than intellectual disability only. Conversely, two genes, GRIN2B and SCN2A, can be implicated in intellectual disability without epilepsy; in these instances intellectual disability is not a secondary consequence of ongoing seizures but rather a primary cause. What this paper adds A subset of genes are more commonly implicated in epilepsy than other neurodevelopmental disorders. GRIN2B and SCN2A are implicated in intellectual disability and epilepsy independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma L Carvill
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sandra Jansen
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Amy Lacroix
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Matthew Zemel
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michele Mehaffey
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Petra De Vries
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Han G Brunner
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics and GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Murdoch Children's Research and Florey Institutes, Austin and Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bert B A De Vries
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Lisenka E L M Vissers
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Heather C Mefford
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Center for Pediatric Neurological Disease Research, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
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72
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Goldberg EM. All our knowledge begins with the antisenses. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:e155233. [PMID: 34850739 PMCID: PMC8631590 DOI: 10.1172/jci155233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is the neurological disorder defined by spontaneous recurrent seizures, which are abnormal patterns of electrical discharge in the brain. A major advance in neurology over the last 20 years is the identification of genetic variation as an important cause of epilepsy, and in particular as a cause of the epileptic encephalopathies, defined by childhood-onset, treatment-resistant epilepsy accompanied by developmental delay leading to intellectual disability. Unfortunately, this progress in genetic diagnosis has yet to translate to effective precision or targeted therapeutics. However, in this issue of the JCI, Li and Jancovski et al. use antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) to treat or prevent epilepsy and epilepsy-associated cognitive and behavioral comorbidities in a mouse model of SCN2A encephalopathy, paralogous to the recurrent human variant SCN2A c.5645G>A (p.R1882Q) associated with epileptic encephalopathy. These findings may inform the development of targeted or personalized therapies for what is currently an incurable and largely untreatable disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan M. Goldberg
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics and
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and
- Department of Neurology, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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73
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Weston KP, Gao X, Zhao J, Kim KS, Maloney SE, Gotoff J, Parikh S, Leu YC, Wu KP, Shinawi M, Steimel JP, Harrison JS, Yi JJ. Identification of disease-linked hyperactivating mutations in UBE3A through large-scale functional variant analysis. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6809. [PMID: 34815418 PMCID: PMC8635412 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27156-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms that underlie the extensive phenotypic diversity in genetic disorders are poorly understood. Here, we develop a large-scale assay to characterize the functional valence (gain or loss-of-function) of missense variants identified in UBE3A, the gene whose loss-of-function causes the neurodevelopmental disorder Angelman syndrome. We identify numerous gain-of-function variants including a hyperactivating Q588E mutation that strikingly increases UBE3A activity above wild-type UBE3A levels. Mice carrying the Q588E mutation exhibit aberrant early-life motor and communication deficits, and individuals possessing hyperactivating UBE3A variants exhibit affected phenotypes that are distinguishable from Angelman syndrome. Additional structure-function analysis reveals that Q588 forms a regulatory site in UBE3A that is conserved among HECT domain ubiquitin ligases and perturbed in various neurodevelopmental disorders. Together, our study indicates that excessive UBE3A activity increases the risk for neurodevelopmental pathology and suggests that functional variant analysis can help delineate mechanistic subtypes in monogenic disorders. UBE3A gene dysregulation is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, but predicting the function of UBE3A variants remains difficult. The authors use a high-throughput assay to categorize variants by functional activity, and show that UBE3A hyperactivity increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellan P Weston
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Xiaoyi Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jinghan Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Kwang-Soo Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Susan E Maloney
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jill Gotoff
- Department of Pediatrics, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, 17822, USA
| | - Sumit Parikh
- Department of Neurogenetics, Neurosciences Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Yen-Chen Leu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuen-Phon Wu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Marwan Shinawi
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Joshua P Steimel
- Deparment of Mechanical Engineering, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA
| | - Joseph S Harrison
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA
| | - Jason J Yi
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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74
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Bagheri S, Haddadi R, Saki S, Kourosh-Arami M, Komaki A. The effect of sodium channels on neurological/neuronal disorders: A systematic review. Int J Dev Neurosci 2021; 81:669-685. [PMID: 34687079 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurological and neuronal disorders are associated with structural, biochemical, or electrical abnormalities in the nervous system. Many neurological diseases have not yet been discovered. Interventions used for the treatment of these disorders include avoidance measures, lifestyle changes, physiotherapy, neurorehabilitation, pain management, medication, and surgery. In the sodium channelopathies, alterations in the structure, expression, and function of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are considered as the causes of neurological and neuronal diseases. Online databases, including Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and PubMed were assessed for studies published between 1977 and 2020 using the keywords of review, sodium channels blocker, neurological diseases, and neuronal diseases. VGSCs consist of one α subunit and two β subunits. These subunits are known to regulate the gating kinetics, functional characteristics, and localization of the ion channel. These channels are involved in cell migration, cellular connections, neuronal pathfinding, and neurite outgrowth. Through the VGSC, the action potential is triggered and propagated in the neurons. Action potentials are physiological functions and passage of impermeable ions. The electrophysiological properties of these channels and their relationship with neurological and neuronal disorders have been identified. Subunit mutations are involved in the development of diseases, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, autism, and Alzheimer's disease. Accordingly, we conducted a review of the link between VGSCs and neurological and neuronal diseases. Also, novel therapeutic targets were introduced for future drug discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shokufeh Bagheri
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.,Department of Neuroscience, School of Science and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Rasool Haddadi
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Science, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Sahar Saki
- Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology, Hamadan University of Medical Science, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Kourosh-Arami
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Komaki
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.,Department of Neuroscience, School of Science and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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75
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Liu X, Sun X, Sun C, Zou M, Chen Y, Huang J, Wu L, Chen WX. Prevalence of epilepsy in autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 26:33-50. [PMID: 34510916 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211045029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autistic individuals experience higher co-occurring medical conditions than the general population, and yet the estimates of autistic individuals with epilepsy are not updated. Co-occurrence of epilepsy in autistic individuals often aggravated cognitive impairment and increased the risk of poor long-term prognosis. Thus, an updated systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to study the relevant articles published from inception to 2020, evaluate the prevalence of epilepsy in autistic individuals, and further explore the putative factors influencing the prevalence. A total of 66 studies from 53 articles were included in this study. The results showed that epilepsy is more common in autistic individuals than in the general population. The prevalence of epilepsy in autistic individuals in the clinical sample-based studies was higher than that in the population-based based cross-sectional or cohort studies. The prevalence of epilepsy in autistic adults was higher than that in autistic children. A significantly increased prevalence of epilepsy was detected in the autistic adolescent group (11-17 years old), and a higher trend of prevalence of epilepsy was observed in the autistic pre-school group (⩽ 6 -years-old) than that of the autistic school-aged group (7-10 years-old). The prevalence of epilepsy increased with age, female rate, and low intellectual function rate of autistic individuals. However, the human development index of countries was negatively associated with the pooled prevalence, which could be attributed to the different levels of awareness, diagnostic technologies, and autism-service support worldwide. About 1/10 autistic individuals also had epilepsy, which was common in the clinical setting, adolescents, adults, females, or patients with intellectual disability and less common in the country with high human development index. Thus, these findings provided critical and innovative views on the prevalence of epilepsy in autistic individuals and contributed to the targeted clinical management and preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Liu
- Guangzhou Medical University, China.,Harbin Medical University, China
| | - Xin Sun
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Lijie Wu
- Harbin Medical University, China
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76
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Rees E, Creeth HDJ, Hwu HG, Chen WJ, Tsuang M, Glatt SJ, Rey R, Kirov G, Walters JTR, Holmans P, Owen MJ, O'Donovan MC. Schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders and developmental disorders share specific disruptive coding mutations. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5353. [PMID: 34504065 PMCID: PMC8429694 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25532-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
People with schizophrenia are enriched for rare coding variants in genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability. However, it is unclear if the same changes to gene function that increase risk to neurodevelopmental disorders also do so for schizophrenia. Using data from 3444 schizophrenia trios and 37,488 neurodevelopmental disorder trios, we show that within shared risk genes, de novo variants in schizophrenia and neurodevelopmental disorders are generally of the same functional category, and that specific de novo variants observed in neurodevelopmental disorders are enriched in schizophrenia (P = 5.0 × 10-6). The latter includes variants known to be pathogenic for syndromic disorders, suggesting that schizophrenia be included as a characteristic of those syndromes. Our findings imply that, in part, neurodevelopmental disorders and schizophrenia have shared molecular aetiology, and therefore likely overlapping pathophysiology, and support the hypothesis that at least some forms of schizophrenia lie on a continuum of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliott Rees
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Hugo D J Creeth
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | - Wei J Chen
- National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming Tsuang
- University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Romain Rey
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- INSERM, U1028; CNRS, UMR5292; Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Psychiatric Disorders: from Resistance to Response Team, Lyon, F-69000, France
| | - George Kirov
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - James T R Walters
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Peter Holmans
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Michael J Owen
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
| | - Michael C O'Donovan
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
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77
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Liang L, Fazel Darbandi S, Pochareddy S, Gulden FO, Gilson MC, Sheppard BK, Sahagun A, An JY, Werling DM, Rubenstein JLR, Sestan N, Bender KJ, Sanders SJ. Developmental dynamics of voltage-gated sodium channel isoform expression in the human and mouse brain. Genome Med 2021; 13:135. [PMID: 34425903 PMCID: PMC8383430 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-021-00949-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic variants in the voltage-gated sodium channels SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN3A, and SCN8A are leading causes of epilepsy, developmental delay, and autism spectrum disorder. The mRNA splicing patterns of all four genes vary across development in the rodent brain, including mutually exclusive copies of the fifth protein-coding exon detected in the neonate (5N) and adult (5A). A second pair of mutually exclusive exons is reported in SCN8A only (18N and 18A). We aimed to quantify the expression of individual exons in the developing human brain. METHODS RNA-seq data from 783 human brain samples across development were analyzed to estimate exon-level expression. Developmental changes in exon utilization were validated by assessing intron splicing. Exon expression was also estimated in RNA-seq data from 58 developing mouse neocortical samples. RESULTS In the mature human neocortex, exon 5A is consistently expressed at least 4-fold higher than exon 5N in all four genes. For SCN2A, SCN3A, and SCN8A, a brain-wide synchronized 5N to 5A transition occurs between 24 post-conceptual weeks (2nd trimester) and 6 years of age. In mice, the equivalent 5N to 5A transition begins at or before embryonic day 15.5. In SCN8A, over 90% of transcripts in the mature human cortex include exon 18A. Early in fetal development, most transcripts include 18N or skip both 18N and 18A, with a transition to 18A inclusion occurring from 13 post-conceptual weeks to 6 months of age. No other protein-coding exons showed comparably dynamic developmental trajectories. CONCLUSIONS Exon usage in SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN3A, and SCN8A changes dramatically during human brain development. These splice isoforms, which alter the biophysical properties of the encoded channels, may account for some of the observed phenotypic differences across development and between specific variants. Manipulation of the proportion of splicing isoforms at appropriate stages of development may act as a therapeutic strategy for specific mutations or even epilepsy in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Liang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Siavash Fazel Darbandi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Sirisha Pochareddy
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Forrest O Gulden
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Michael C Gilson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Brooke K Sheppard
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Atehsa Sahagun
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Joon-Yong An
- School of Biosystem and Biomedical Science, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Donna M Werling
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - John L R Rubenstein
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Nenad Sestan
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair and Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Program in Integrative Cell Signaling and Neurobiology of Metabolism, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Stephan J Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
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78
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Wang HG, Bavley CC, Li A, Jones RM, Hackett J, Bayleyen Y, Lee FS, Rajadhyaksha AM, Pitt GS. Scn2a severe hypomorphic mutation decreases excitatory synaptic input and causes autism-associated behaviors. JCI Insight 2021; 6:150698. [PMID: 34156984 PMCID: PMC8410058 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.150698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
SCN2A, encoding the neuronal voltage-gated Na+ channel NaV1.2, is one of the most commonly affected loci linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Most ASD-associated mutations in SCN2A are loss-of-function mutations, but studies examining how such mutations affect neuronal function and whether Scn2a mutant mice display ASD endophenotypes have been inconsistent. We generated a protein truncation variant Scn2a mouse model (Scn2aΔ1898/+) by CRISPR that eliminates the NaV1.2 channel's distal intracellular C-terminal domain, and we analyzed the molecular and cellular consequences of this variant in a heterologous expression system, in neuronal culture, in brain slices, and in vivo. We also analyzed multiple behaviors in WT and Scn2aΔ1898/+ mice and correlated behaviors with clinical data obtained in human subjects with SCN2A variants. Expression of the NaV1.2 mutant in a heterologous expression system revealed decreased NaV1.2 channel function, and cultured pyramidal neurons isolated from Scn2aΔ1898/+ forebrain showed correspondingly reduced voltage-gated Na+ channel currents without compensation from other CNS voltage-gated Na+ channels. Na+ currents in inhibitory neurons were unaffected. Consistent with loss of voltage-gated Na+ channel currents, Scn2aΔ1898/+ pyramidal neurons displayed reduced excitability in forebrain neuronal culture and reduced excitatory synaptic input onto the pyramidal neurons in brain slices. Scn2aΔ1898/+ mice displayed several behavioral abnormalities, including abnormal social interactions that reflect behavior observed in humans with ASD and with harboring loss-of-function SCN2A variants. This model and its cellular electrophysiological characterizations provide a framework for tracing how a SCN2A loss-of-function variant leads to cellular defects that result in ASD-associated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlotte C. Bavley
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, and
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anfei Li
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, and
| | - Rebecca M. Jones
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, White Plains, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Autism Research Program and
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jonathan Hackett
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Francis S. Lee
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, and
- Weill Cornell Autism Research Program and
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anjali M. Rajadhyaksha
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, and
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Autism Research Program and
| | - Geoffrey S. Pitt
- Cardiovascular Research Institute
- Weill Cornell Autism Research Program and
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79
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Spratt PWE, Alexander RPD, Ben-Shalom R, Sahagun A, Kyoung H, Keeshen CM, Sanders SJ, Bender KJ. Paradoxical hyperexcitability from Na V1.2 sodium channel loss in neocortical pyramidal cells. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109483. [PMID: 34348157 PMCID: PMC8719649 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss-of-function variants in the gene SCN2A, which encodes the sodium channel NaV1.2, are strongly associated with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. An estimated 20%-30% of children with these variants also suffer from epilepsy, with altered neuronal activity originating in neocortex, a region where NaV1.2 channels are expressed predominantly in excitatory pyramidal cells. This is paradoxical, as sodium channel loss in excitatory cells would be expected to dampen neocortical activity rather than promote seizure. Here, we examined pyramidal neurons lacking NaV1.2 channels and found that they were intrinsically hyperexcitable, firing high-frequency bursts of action potentials (APs) despite decrements in AP size and speed. Compartmental modeling and dynamic-clamp recordings revealed that NaV1.2 loss prevented potassium channels from properly repolarizing neurons between APs, increasing overall excitability by allowing neurons to reach threshold for subsequent APs more rapidly. This cell-intrinsic mechanism may, therefore, account for why SCN2A loss-of-function can paradoxically promote seizure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perry W E Spratt
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ryan P D Alexander
- Department of Neurology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Roy Ben-Shalom
- Department of Neurology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Atehsa Sahagun
- Department of Neurology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Henry Kyoung
- Department of Neurology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Caroline M Keeshen
- Department of Neurology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephan J Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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80
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Zhang J, Chen X, Eaton M, Wu J, Ma Z, Lai S, Park A, Ahmad TS, Que Z, Lee JH, Xiao T, Li Y, Wang Y, Olivero-Acosta MI, Schaber JA, Jayant K, Yuan C, Huang Z, Lanman NA, Skarnes WC, Yang Y. Severe deficiency of the voltage-gated sodium channel Na V1.2 elevates neuronal excitability in adult mice. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109495. [PMID: 34348148 PMCID: PMC8382316 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Scn2a encodes the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.2, a main mediator of neuronal action potential firing. The current paradigm suggests that NaV1.2 gain-of-function variants enhance neuronal excitability, resulting in epilepsy, whereas NaV1.2 deficiency impairs neuronal excitability, contributing to autism. However, this paradigm does not explain why ∼20%-30% of individuals with NaV1.2 deficiency still develop seizures. Here, we report the counterintuitive finding that severe NaV1.2 deficiency results in increased neuronal excitability. Using a NaV1.2-deficient mouse model, we show enhanced intrinsic excitability of principal neurons in the prefrontal cortex and striatum, brain regions known to be involved in Scn2a-related seizures. This increased excitability is autonomous and reversible by genetic restoration of Scn2a expression in adult mice. RNA sequencing reveals downregulation of multiple potassium channels, including KV1.1. Correspondingly, KV channel openers alleviate the hyperexcitability of NaV1.2-deficient neurons. This unexpected neuronal hyperexcitability may serve as a cellular basis underlying NaV1.2 deficiency-related seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingliang Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Muriel Eaton
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jiaxiang Wu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Zhixiong Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Shirong Lai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Anthony Park
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Talha S Ahmad
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Zhefu Que
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Ji Hea Lee
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Tiange Xiao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Yuansong Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Yujia Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Maria I Olivero-Acosta
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - James A Schaber
- Bioscience Imaging Facility, Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Krishna Jayant
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Chongli Yuan
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Zhuo Huang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Nadia A Lanman
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - William C Skarnes
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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81
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Palmer EE, Howell K, Scheffer IE. Natural History Studies and Clinical Trial Readiness for Genetic Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:1432-1444. [PMID: 34708325 PMCID: PMC8608984 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01133-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are the most severe group of epilepsies. They usually begin in infancy or childhood with drug-resistant seizures, epileptiform EEG patterns, developmental slowing or regression, and cognitive impairment. DEEs have a high mortality and profound morbidity; comorbidities are common including autism spectrum disorders. With advances in genetic sequencing, over 400 genes have been implicated in DEEs, with a genetic cause now identified in over 50% patients. Each genetic DEE typically has a broad genotypic-phenotypic spectrum, based on the underlying pathophysiology. There is a pressing need to improve health outcomes by developing novel targeted therapies for specific genetic DEE phenotypes that not only improve seizure control, but also developmental outcomes and comorbidities. Clinical trial readiness relies firstly on a deep understanding of phenotype-genotype correlation and evolution of a condition over time, in order to select appropriate patients for clinical trials. Understanding the natural history of the disorder informs assessment of treatment efficacy in terms of both clinical outcome and biomarker utility. Natural history studies (NHS) provide a high quality, integrated, comprehensive approach to understanding a complex disease and underpin clinical trial design for novel therapies. NHS are pre-planned observational studies designed to track the course of a disease and identify demographic, genetic, environmental, and other variables, including biomarkers, that correlate with the disease's evolution and outcomes. Due to the rarity of individual genetic DEEs, appropriately funded high-quality DEE NHS will be required, with sustainable frameworks and equitable access to affected individuals globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Palmer
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine Howell
- Department of Neurology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Department of Neurology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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82
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Abstract
Genetic testing has yielded major advances in our understanding of the causes of epilepsy. Seizures remain resistant to treatment in a significant proportion of cases, particularly in severe, childhood-onset epilepsy, the patient population in which an underlying causative genetic variant is most likely to be identified. A genetic diagnosis can be explanatory as to etiology, and, in some cases, might suggest a therapeutic approach; yet, a clear path from genetic diagnosis to treatment remains unclear in most cases. Here, we discuss theoretical considerations behind the attempted use of small molecules for the treatment of genetic epilepsies, which is but one among various approaches currently under development. We explore a few salient examples and consider the future of the small molecule approach for genetic epilepsies. We conclude that significant additional work is required to understand how genetic variation leads to dysfunction of epilepsy-associated protein targets, and how this impacts the function of diverse subtypes of neurons embedded within distributed brain circuits to yield epilepsy and epilepsy-associated comorbidities. A syndrome- or even variant-specific approach may be required to achieve progress. Advances in the field will require improved methods for large-scale target validation, compound identification and optimization, and the development of accurate model systems that reflect the core features of human epilepsy syndromes, as well as novel approaches towards clinical trials of such compounds in small rare disease cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan M Goldberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Abramson Research Center, The Epilepsy Neurogenetics Initiative, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center Room 502A, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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83
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Arnett AB, Wang T, Eichler EE, Bernier RA. Reflections on the genetics-first approach to advancements in molecular genetic and neurobiological research on neurodevelopmental disorders. J Neurodev Disord 2021; 13:24. [PMID: 34148555 PMCID: PMC8215789 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-021-09371-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), are common diagnoses with highly heterogeneous phenotypes and etiology. The genetics-first approach to research on NDDs has led to the identification of hundreds of genes conferring risk for ASD, ID, and related symptoms. MAIN BODY Although relatively few individuals with NDDs share likely gene-disruptive (LGD) mutations in the same gene, characterization of overlapping functions, protein networks, and temporospatial expression patterns among these genes has led to increased understanding of the neurobiological etiology of NDDs. This shift in focus away from single genes and toward broader gene-brain-behavior pathways has been accelerated by the development of publicly available transcriptomic databases, cell type-specific research methods, and sequencing of non-coding genomic regions. CONCLUSIONS The genetics-first approach to research on NDDs has advanced the identification of critical protein function pathways and temporospatial expression patterns, expanding the impact of this research beyond individuals with single-gene mutations to the broader population of patients with NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne B Arnett
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, CHDD, Box 357920, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Tianyun Wang
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Evan E Eichler
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Raphael A Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, CHDD, Box 357920, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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84
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Choi L, An JY. Genetic architecture of autism spectrum disorder: Lessons from large-scale genomic studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:244-257. [PMID: 34166716 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component. Recently developed genomic technologies, including microarray and next-generation sequencing (NGS), have enabled researchers to genetic analyses aimed at identifying genetic variations associated with ASD and to elucidate the genetic architecture of the disorder. Large-scale microarray, exome sequencing analyses, and robust statistical methods have resulted in successful gene discovery and identification of high-confidence ASD genes from among de novo and inherited variants. Efforts have been made to understand the genetic architecture of ASD using whole-genome sequencing and genome-wide association studies aimed at identifying noncoding mutations and common variants associated with ASD. In addition, the development of systems biology approaches has resulted in the integration of genetic findings with functional genomic datasets, thereby providing a unique insight into the functional convergence of ASD risk genes and their neurobiology. In this review, we summarize the latest findings of ASD genetic studies involving large cohorts and discuss their implications in ASD neurobiology and in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leejee Choi
- School of Biosystem and Biomedical Science, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrated Biomedical and Life Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon-Yong An
- School of Biosystem and Biomedical Science, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrated Biomedical and Life Science, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea; Transdisciplinary Major in Learning Health Systems, Department of Healthcare Sciences, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea; BK21FOUR R&E Center for Learning Health Systems, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
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85
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Nelson AD, Bender KJ. Dendritic Integration Dysfunction in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:201-221. [PMID: 34139699 PMCID: PMC8440332 DOI: 10.1159/000516657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that affect cognition, social interaction, and learning, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), have a strong genetic component. Our current understanding of risk genes highlights two main groups of dysfunction: those in genes that act as chromatin modifiers and those in genes that encode for proteins localized at or near synapses. Understanding how dysfunction in these genes contributes to phenotypes observed in ASD and ID remains a major question in neuroscience. In this review, we highlight emerging evidence suggesting that dysfunction in dendrites - regions of neurons that receive synaptic input - may be key to understanding features of neuronal processing affected in these disorders. Dendritic integration plays a fundamental role in sensory processing, cognition, and conscious perception, processes hypothesized to be impaired in NDDs. Many high-confidence ASD genes function within dendrites where they control synaptic integration and dendritic excitability. Further, increasing evidence demonstrates that several ASD/ID genes, including chromatin modifiers and transcription factors, regulate the expression or scaffolding of dendritic ion channels, receptors, and synaptic proteins. Therefore, we discuss how dysfunction of subsets of NDD-associated genes in dendrites leads to defects in dendritic integration and excitability and may be one core phenotype in ASD and ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Nelson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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86
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Thompson CH, Ben-Shalom R, Bender KJ, George AL. Alternative splicing potentiates dysfunction of early-onset epileptic encephalopathy SCN2A variants. J Gen Physiol 2021; 152:133672. [PMID: 31995133 PMCID: PMC7054859 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201912442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Epileptic encephalopathies are severe forms of infantile-onset epilepsy often complicated by severe neurodevelopmental impairments. Some forms of early-onset epileptic encephalopathy (EOEE) have been associated with variants in SCN2A, which encodes the brain voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.2. Many voltage-gated sodium channel genes, including SCN2A, undergo developmentally regulated mRNA splicing. The early onset of these disorders suggests that developmentally regulated alternative splicing of NaV1.2 may be an important consideration when elucidating the pathophysiological consequences of epilepsy-associated variants. We hypothesized that EOEE-associated NaV1.2 variants would exhibit greater dysfunction in a splice isoform that is prominently expressed during early development. We engineered five EOEE-associated NaV1.2 variants (T236S, E999K, S1336Y, T1623N, and R1882Q) into the adult and neonatal splice isoforms of NaV1.2 and performed whole-cell voltage clamp to elucidate their functional properties. All variants exhibited functional defects that could enhance neuronal excitability. Three of the five variants (T236S, E999K, and S1336Y) exhibited greater dysfunction in the neonatal isoform compared with those observed in the adult isoform. Computational modeling of a developing cortical pyramidal neuron indicated that T236S, E999K, S1336Y, and R1882Q showed hyperexcitability preferentially in immature neurons. These results suggest that both splice isoform and neuronal developmental stage influence how EOEE-associated NaV1.2 variants affect neuronal excitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher H Thompson
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Roy Ben-Shalom
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Alfred L George
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
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87
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Li K, Fang Z, Zhao G, Li B, Chen C, Xia L, Wang L, Luo T, Wang X, Wang Z, Zhang Y, Jiang Y, Pan Q, Hu Z, Guo H, Tang B, Liu C, Sun Z, Xia K, Li J. Cross-Disorder Analysis of De Novo Mutations in Neuropsychiatric Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:1299-1313. [PMID: 33970367 PMCID: PMC8854168 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05031-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The clinical similarity among different neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs) suggested a shared genetic basis. We catalogued 23,109 coding de novo mutations (DNMs) from 6511 patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 4,293 undiagnosed developmental disorder (UDD), 933 epileptic encephalopathy (EE), 1022 intellectual disability (ID), 1094 schizophrenia (SCZ), and 3391 controls. We evaluated that putative functional DNMs contribute to 38.11%, 34.40%, 33.31%, 10.98% and 6.91% of patients with ID, EE, UDD, ASD and SCZ, respectively. Consistent with phenotype similarity and heterogeneity in different NPDs, they show different degree of genetic association. Cross-disorder analysis of DNMs prioritized 321 candidate genes (FDR < 0.05) and showed that genes shared in more disorders were more likely to exhibited specific expression pattern, functional pathway, genetic convergence, and genetic intolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuokuo Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Zhenghuan Fang
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Guihu Zhao
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Bin Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Lu Xia
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Tengfei Luo
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaomeng Wang
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Qian Pan
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Zhengmao Hu
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,Institute of Molecular Precision Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Hui Guo
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,Institute of Molecular Precision Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Beisha Tang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,Institute of Molecular Precision Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.,Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Zhongsheng Sun
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Kun Xia
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China. .,School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT), Shanghai, China.
| | - Jinchen Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China. .,Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China. .,Institute of Molecular Precision Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
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88
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Chiang AH, Chang J, Wang J, Vitkup D. Exons as units of phenotypic impact for truncating mutations in autism. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1685-1695. [PMID: 33110259 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00876-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of related neurodevelopmental diseases displaying significant genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Despite recent progress in understanding ASD genetics, the nature of phenotypic heterogeneity across probands remains unclear. Notably, likely gene-disrupting (LGD) de novo mutations affecting the same gene often result in substantially different ASD phenotypes. Nevertheless, we find that truncating mutations affecting the same exon frequently lead to strikingly similar intellectual phenotypes in unrelated ASD probands. Analogous patterns are observed for two independent proband cohorts and several other important ASD-associated phenotypes. We find that exons biased toward prenatal and postnatal expression preferentially contribute to ASD cases with lower and higher IQ phenotypes, respectively. These results suggest that exons, rather than genes, often represent a unit of effective phenotypic impact for truncating mutations in autism. The observed phenotypic patterns are likely mediated by nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) of splicing isoforms, with autism phenotypes usually triggered by relatively mild (15-30%) decreases in overall gene dosage. We find that each ASD gene with recurrent mutations can be characterized by a parameter, phenotype dosage sensitivity (PDS), which quantifies the relationship between changes in a gene's dosage and changes in a given disease phenotype. We further demonstrate analogous relationships between exon LGDs and gene expression changes in multiple human tissues. Therefore, similar phenotypic patterns may be also observed in other human genetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew H Chiang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Systems Biology, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan Chang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Systems Biology, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jiayao Wang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Systems Biology, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dennis Vitkup
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Systems Biology, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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89
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Yang R, Qian R, Chen K, Yi W, Sima X. Genetic polymorphisms in SCN2A are not associated with epilepsy risk and AEDs response: evidence from a meta-analysis. Neurol Sci 2021; 42:2705-2711. [PMID: 33914194 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05242-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have investigated the association between rs2304016 and rs17183814 polymorphisms in sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 2 (SCN2A) and epilepsy risk and responsiveness to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) but with conflicting results. Our aim was to reevaluate the relationship by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS By searching PubMed, Medline, and CNKI, 14 studies were selected. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed to measure the association between rs17183814 and rs2304016 polymorphisms and the risk of epilepsy and AEDs response using the fixed-effects model or the random-effects model. RESULTS No significant association between the rs17183814 in SCN2A and the risk of epilepsy was observed (heterozygous comparison: OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.61-1.00; homozygous comparison: OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 0.63-2.86; dominant model: OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.64-1.04; recessive model: OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 0.68-3.05; allele comparison: OR = 0.88, 95%CI: 0.71-1.10). Moreover, neither the rs17183814 nor the rs2304016 was associated with AEDs response. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis suggests that the rs17183814 and rs2304016 polymorphisms in SCN2A are not associated with the risk of epilepsy and response to AEDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqing Yang
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruiyi Qian
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Kerun Chen
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Yi
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiutian Sima
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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90
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A De Novo Missense Variant of SCN2A: Implications and Limitations for Understanding Clinical Phenotype and Treatment Recommendations. Clin Neuropharmacol 2021; 44:138-140. [PMID: 33901038 DOI: 10.1097/wnf.0000000000000457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Autism spectrum disorder can be associated with a variety of genetic findings. We report a heterozygous de novo missense variant of SCN2A, the gene coding a voltage-gated sodium ion channel enriched in the axon initial segment and nodes of Ranvier of "immature" neocortical pyramidal neurons. With further understanding of the neurodevelopmental and functional effects of this missense variant on neuronal excitability and neocortical circuitry, there may be targeted pharmacotherapeutic interventions, potentially with "disease-modifying effects."
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91
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Eaton M, Zhang J, Ma Z, Park AC, Lietzke E, Romero CM, Liu Y, Coleman ER, Chen X, Xiao T, Que Z, Lai S, Wu J, Lee JH, Palant S, Nguyen HP, Huang Z, Skarnes WC, Koss WA, Yang Y. Generation and basic characterization of a gene-trap knockout mouse model of Scn2a with a substantial reduction of voltage-gated sodium channel Na v 1.2 expression. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 20:e12725. [PMID: 33369088 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale genetic studies revealed SCN2A as one of the most frequently mutated genes in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. SCN2A encodes for the voltage-gated sodium channel isoform 1.2 (Nav 1.2) expressed in the neurons of the central nervous system. Homozygous knockout (null) of Scn2a in mice is perinatal lethal, whereas heterozygous knockout of Scn2a (Scn2a+/- ) results in mild behavior abnormalities. The Nav 1.2 expression level in Scn2a+/- mice is reported to be around 50-60% of the wild-type (WT) level, which indicates that a close to 50% reduction of Nav 1.2 expression may not be sufficient to lead to major behavioral phenotypes in mice. To overcome this barrier, we characterized a novel mouse model of severe Scn2a deficiency using a targeted gene-trap knockout (gtKO) strategy. This approach produces viable homozygous mice (Scn2agtKO/gtKO ) that can survive to adulthood, with about a quarter of Nav 1.2 expression compared to WT mice. Innate behaviors like nesting and mating were profoundly disrupted in Scn2agtKO/gtKO mice. Notably, Scn2agtKO/gtKO mice have a significantly decreased center duration compared to WT in the open field test, suggesting anxiety-like behaviors in a novel, open space. These mice also have decreased thermal and cold tolerance. Additionally, Scn2agtKO/gtKO mice have increased fix-pattern exploration in the novel object exploration test and a slight increase in grooming, indicating a detectable level of repetitive behaviors. They bury little to no marbles and have decreased interaction with novel objects. These Scn2a gene-trap knockout mice thus provide a unique model to study pathophysiology associated with severe Scn2a deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muriel Eaton
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Jingliang Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Zhixiong Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Anthony C Park
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Emma Lietzke
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Chloé M Romero
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Yushuang Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Emily R Coleman
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Tiange Xiao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Zhefu Que
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Shirong Lai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Jiaxiang Wu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Ji Hea Lee
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Sophia Palant
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Huynhvi P Nguyen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Zhuo Huang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - William C Skarnes
- Department of Cellular Engineering, The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Wendy A Koss
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Office of the Executive Vice President for Research and Partnerships, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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92
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Praticò AD, Giallongo A, Arrabito M, D'Amico S, Gauci MC, Lombardo G, Polizzi A, Falsaperla R, Ruggieri M. SCN2A and Its Related Epileptic Phenotypes. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1727097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractEpilepsies due to SCN2A mutations can present with a broad range of phenotypes that are still not fully understood. Clinical characteristics of SNC2A-related epilepsy may vary from neonatal benign epilepsy to early-onset epileptic encephalopathy, including Ohtahara syndrome and West syndrome, and epileptic encephalopathies occurring at later ages (usually within the first 10 years of life). Some patient may present with intellectual disability and/or autism or movement disorders and without epilepsy. The heterogeneity of the phenotypes associated to such genetic mutations does not always allow the clinician to address his suspect on this gene. For this reason, diagnosis is usually made after a multiple gene panel examination through next generation sequencing (NGS) or after whole exome sequencing (WES) or whole genome sequencing (WGS). Subsequently, confirmation by Sanger sequencing can be obtained. Mutations in SCN2A are inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Most individuals diagnosed with SCN2A–benign familial neonatal-infantile seizures (BFNIS) have an affected parent; however, hypothetically, a child may present SCN2A-BNFNIS as the result of a de novo pathogenic variant. Almost all individuals with SCN2A and severe epileptic encephalopathies have a de novo pathogenic variant. SNC2A-related epilepsies have not shown a clear genotype–phenotype correlation; in some cases, a same variant may lead to different presentations even within the same family and this could be due to other genetic factors or to environmental causes. There is no “standardized” treatment for SCN2A-related epilepsy, as it varies in relation to the clinical presentation and the phenotype of the patient, according to its own gene mutation. Treatment is based mainly on antiepileptic drugs, which include classic wide-spectrum drugs, such as valproic acid, levetiracetam, and lamotrigine. However, specific agents, which act directly modulating the sodium channels activity (phenytoin, carbamazepine, oxcarbamazepine, lamotrigine, and zonisamide), have shown positive result, as other sodium channel blockers (lidocaine and mexiletine) or even other drugs with different targets (phenobarbital).
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea D. Praticò
- Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System in Childhood, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Alessandro Giallongo
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Marta Arrabito
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Silvia D'Amico
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Gauci
- Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System in Childhood, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giulia Lombardo
- Pediatrics Postgraduate Residency Program, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Agata Polizzi
- Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Raffaele Falsaperla
- Unit of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital “Policlinico Rodolico-San Marco,” Catania, Italy
- Unit of Neonatal Intensive Care and Neonatology, University Hospital “Policlinico Rodolico-San Marco,” Catania, Italy
| | - Martino Ruggieri
- Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System in Childhood, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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93
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Mantegazza M, Cestèle S, Catterall WA. Sodium channelopathies of skeletal muscle and brain. Physiol Rev 2021; 101:1633-1689. [PMID: 33769100 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00025.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels initiate action potentials in nerve, skeletal muscle, and other electrically excitable cells. Mutations in them cause a wide range of diseases. These channelopathy mutations affect every aspect of sodium channel function, including voltage sensing, voltage-dependent activation, ion conductance, fast and slow inactivation, and both biosynthesis and assembly. Mutations that cause different forms of periodic paralysis in skeletal muscle were discovered first and have provided a template for understanding structure, function, and pathophysiology at the molecular level. More recent work has revealed multiple sodium channelopathies in the brain. Here we review the well-characterized genetics and pathophysiology of the periodic paralyses of skeletal muscle and then use this information as a foundation for advancing our understanding of mutations in the structurally homologous α-subunits of brain sodium channels that cause epilepsy, migraine, autism, and related comorbidities. We include studies based on molecular and structural biology, cell biology and physiology, pharmacology, and mouse genetics. Our review reveals unexpected connections among these different types of sodium channelopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Mantegazza
- Université Cote d'Azur, Valbonne-Sophia Antipolis, France.,CNRS UMR7275, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Valbonne-Sophia Antipolis, France.,INSERM, Valbonne-Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Sandrine Cestèle
- Université Cote d'Azur, Valbonne-Sophia Antipolis, France.,CNRS UMR7275, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Valbonne-Sophia Antipolis, France
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94
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Hoffmann A, Spengler D. Single-Cell Transcriptomics Supports a Role of CHD8 in Autism. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3261. [PMID: 33806835 PMCID: PMC8004931 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromodomain helicase domain 8 (CHD8) is one of the most frequently mutated and most penetrant genes in the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Individuals with CHD8 mutations show leading symptoms of autism, macrocephaly, and facial dysmorphisms. The molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning the early onset and development of these symptoms are still poorly understood and prevent timely and more efficient therapies of patients. Progress in this area will require an understanding of "when, why and how cells deviate from their normal trajectories". High-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing (sc-RNAseq) directly quantifies information-bearing RNA molecules that enact each cell's biological identity. Here, we discuss recent insights from sc-RNAseq of CRISPR/Cas9-editing of Chd8/CHD8 during mouse neocorticogenesis and human cerebral organoids. Given that the deregulation of the balance between excitation and inhibition (E/I balance) in cortical and subcortical circuits is thought to represent a major etiopathogenetic mechanism in ASD, we focus on the question of whether, and to what degree, results from current sc-RNAseq studies support this hypothesis. Beyond that, we discuss the pros and cons of these approaches and further steps to be taken to harvest the full potential of these transformative techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dietmar Spengler
- Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany;
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95
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Crawford K, Xian J, Helbig KL, Galer PD, Parthasarathy S, Lewis-Smith D, Kaufman MC, Fitch E, Ganesan S, O'Brien M, Codoni V, Ellis CA, Conway LJ, Taylor D, Krause R, Helbig I. Computational analysis of 10,860 phenotypic annotations in individuals with SCN2A-related disorders. Genet Med 2021; 23:1263-1272. [PMID: 33731876 PMCID: PMC8257493 DOI: 10.1038/s41436-021-01120-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Pathogenic variants in SCN2A cause a wide range of neurodevelopmental phenotypes. Reports of genotype–phenotype correlations are often anecdotal, and the available phenotypic data have not been systematically analyzed. Methods We extracted phenotypic information from primary descriptions of SCN2A-related disorders in the literature between 2001 and 2019, which we coded in Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) terms. With higher-level phenotype terms inferred by the HPO structure, we assessed the frequencies of clinical features and investigated the association of these features with variant classes and locations within the NaV1.2 protein. Results We identified 413 unrelated individuals and derived a total of 10,860 HPO terms with 562 unique terms. Protein-truncating variants were associated with autism and behavioral abnormalities. Missense variants were associated with neonatal onset, epileptic spasms, and seizures, regardless of type. Phenotypic similarity was identified in 8/62 recurrent SCN2A variants. Three independent principal components accounted for 33% of the phenotypic variance, allowing for separation of gain-of-function versus loss-of-function variants with good performance. Conclusion Our work shows that translating clinical features into a computable format using a standardized language allows for quantitative phenotype analysis, mapping the phenotypic landscape of SCN2A-related disorders in unprecedented detail and revealing genotype–phenotype correlations along a multidimensional spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Crawford
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Genetic Counseling, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA, USA
| | - Julie Xian
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Neuroscience Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katherine L Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Peter D Galer
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shridhar Parthasarathy
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biology, The College of New Jersey, Ewing Township, NJ, USA
| | - David Lewis-Smith
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.,Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Michael C Kaufman
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Eryn Fitch
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shiva Ganesan
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Margaret O'Brien
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Veronica Codoni
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Colin A Ellis
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Laura J Conway
- Genetic Counseling, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA, USA
| | - Deanne Taylor
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Roland Krause
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Ingo Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative (ENGIN), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics (DBHi), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Abstract
The voltage-gated sodium channel α-subunit genes comprise a highly conserved gene family. Mutations of three of these genes, SCN1A, SCN2A and SCN8A, are responsible for a significant burden of neurological disease. Recent progress in identification and functional characterization of patient variants is generating new insights and novel approaches to therapy for these devastating disorders. Here we review the basic elements of sodium channel function that are used to characterize patient variants. We summarize a large body of work using global and conditional mouse mutants to characterize the in vivo roles of these channels. We provide an overview of the neurological disorders associated with mutations of the human genes and examples of the effects of patient mutations on channel function. Finally, we highlight therapeutic interventions that are emerging from new insights into mechanisms of sodium channelopathies.
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97
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Identification of Possible Risk Variants of Familial Strabismus Using Exome Sequencing Analysis. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12010075. [PMID: 33435129 PMCID: PMC7827096 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate candidate genes associated with familial strabismus and propose a theory of their interaction in familial strabismus associated with early neurodevelopment. METHODS Eighteen families, including 53 patients diagnosed with strabismus and 34 unaffected family members, were analyzed. All patients with strabismus and available unaffected family members were evaluated using whole exome sequencing. The primary outcome was to identify rare occurring variants among affected individuals and investigate the evidence of their genetic heterogeneity. These results were compared with exome sequencing analysis to build a comprehensive genetic profile of the study families. RESULTS We observed 60 variants from 58 genes in 53 patients diagnosed with strabismus. We prioritized the most credible risk variants, which showed clear segregation in family members affected by strabismus. As a result, we found risk variants in four genes (FAT3, KCNH2, CELSR1, and TTYH1) in five families, suggesting their role in development of familial strabismus. In other families, there were several rare genetic variants in affected cases, but we did not find clear segregation pattern across family members. CONCLUSION Genomic sequencing holds great promise in elucidating the genetic causes of strabismus; further research with larger cohorts or other related approaches are warranted.
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98
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Properties of Calmodulin Binding to Na V1.2 IQ Motif and Its Autism-Associated Mutation R1902C. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:523-534. [PMID: 33394222 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03189-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are fundamental to the initiation and propagation of action potentials in excitable cells. Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM) binds to VGSC type II (NaV1.2) isoleucine and glutamine (IQ) motif. An autism-associated mutation in NaV1.2 IQ motif, Arg1902Cys (R1902C), has been reported to affect the combination between CaM and the IQ motif compared to that of the wild type IQ motif. However, the detailed properties for the Ca2+-regulated binding of CaM to NaV1.2 IQ (1901Lys-1927Lys, IQwt) and mutant IQ motif (IQR1902C) remains unclear. Here, the binding ability of CaM and CaM's constituent proteins including N- and C lobe to the IQ motif of NaV1.2 and its mutant was investigated by protein pull-down experiments. We discovered that the combination between CaM and the IQ motif was U-shaped with the highest at [Ca2+] ≈ free and the lowest at 100 nM [Ca2+]. In the IQR1902C mutant, Ca2+-dependence of CaM binding was nearly lost. Consequently, the binding of CaM to IQR1902C at 100 and 500 nM [Ca2+] was increased compared to that of IQwt. Both N- and C lobe of CaM could bind with NaV1.2 IQ motif and IQR1902C mutant, with the major effect of C lobe. Furthermore, CaMKII had no impact on the binding between CaM and NaV1.2 IQ motif. This research offers novel insight to the regulation of NaV1.2 IQwt and IQR1902C motif, an autism-associated mutation, by CaM.
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99
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Abstract
Recent progress in the identification of genes and genomic regions contributing to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has had a broad impact on our understanding of the nature of genetic risk for a range of psychiatric disorders, on our understanding of ASD biology, and on defining the key challenges now facing the field in efforts to translate gene discovery into an actionable understanding of pathology. While these advances have not yet had a transformative impact on clinical practice, there is nonetheless cause for real optimism: reliable lists of risk genes are large and growing rapidly; the identified encoded proteins have already begun to point to a relatively small number of areas of biology, where parallel advances in neuroscience and functional genomics are yielding profound insights; there is strong evidence pointing to mid-fetal prefrontal cortical development as one nexus of vulnerability for some of the largest-effect ASD risk genes; and there are multiple plausible paths forward toward rational therapeutics development that, while admittedly challenging, constitute fundamental departures from what was possible prior to the era of successful gene discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devanand S Manoli
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neuroscience Graduate Program, and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neuroscience Graduate Program, and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco
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100
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Passi GR, Mohammad SS. Dominant SCN2A mutation with variable phenotype in two generations. Brain Dev 2021; 43:166-169. [PMID: 32893078 DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2020.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND SCN2A mutations are some of the commonest causes of neurodevelopmental disorders including epilepsy, movement disorders, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability and rarely episodic ataxia. CASE REPORT We present a patient with a dominantly inherited SCN2A mutation presenting as episodic ataxia in a boy and episodic hemiplegia in his father. We have briefly reviewed the literature of SCN2A mutations presenting with episodic ataxia. CONCLUSION Our report has expanded the phenotype for SCN2A mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gouri Rao Passi
- Department of Pediatrics, Choithram Hospital & Research Centre, Indore, India.
| | - Shekeeb S Mohammad
- Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Australia.
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