51
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Retroviral envelope proteins: Involvement in neuropathogenesis. J Neurol Sci 2017; 380:151-163. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2017.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Human leukemia antigen-A*0201-restricted epitopes of human endogenous retrovirus W family envelope (HERV-W env) induce strong cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses. Virol Sin 2017; 32:280-289. [PMID: 28840564 DOI: 10.1007/s12250-017-3984-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retrovirus W family (HERV-W) envelope (env) has been reported to be related to several human diseases, including autoimmune disorders, and it could activate innate immunity. However, there are no reports investigating whether human leukemia antigen (HLA)-A*0201+ restriction is involved in the immune response caused by HERV-W env in neuropsychiatric diseases. In the present study, HERV-W env-derived epitopes presented by HLA-A*0201 are described with the potential for use in adoptive immunotherapy. Five peptides displaying HLA-A*0201-binding motifs were predicted using SYFEPITHI and BIMAS, and synthesized. A CCK-8 assay showed peptides W, Q and T promoted lymphocyte proliferation. Stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HLA-A*0201+ donors with each of these peptides induced peptide-specific CD8+ T cells. High numbers of IFN-γ-secreting T cells were also detectable after several weekly stimulations with W, Q and T. Besides lysis of HERV-W env-loaded target cells, specific apoptosis was also observed. These data demonstrate that human T cells can be sensitized toward HERV-W env peptides (W, Q and T) and, moreover, pose a high killing potential toward HERV-W env-expressing U251 cells. In conclusion, peptides W Q and T, which are HERV-W env antigenic epitopes, have both antigenicity and immunogenicity, and can cause strong T cell immune responses. Our data strengthen the view that HERV-W env should be considered as an autoantigen that can induce autoimmunity in neuropsychiatric diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia. These data might provide an experimental foundation for a HERV-W env peptide vaccine and new insight into the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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53
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Grandi N, Tramontano E. Type W Human Endogenous Retrovirus (HERV-W) Integrations and Their Mobilization by L1 Machinery: Contribution to the Human Transcriptome and Impact on the Host Physiopathology. Viruses 2017; 9:v9070162. [PMID: 28653997 PMCID: PMC5537654 DOI: 10.3390/v9070162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) are ancient infection relics constituting ~8% of our DNA. While HERVs’ genomic characterization is still ongoing, impressive amounts of data have been obtained regarding their general expression across tissues. Among HERVs, one of the most studied is the W group, which is the sole HERV group specifically mobilized by the long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1) machinery, providing a source of novel insertions by retrotransposition of HERV-W processed pseudogenes, and comprising a member encoding a functional envelope protein coopted for human placentation. The HERV-W group has been intensively investigated for its putative role in several diseases, such as cancer, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Despite major interest in the link between HERV-W expression and human pathogenesis, no conclusive correlation has been demonstrated so far. In general, (i) the absence of a proper identification of the specific HERV-W sequences expressed in a given condition; and (ii) the lack of studies attempting to connect the various observations in the same experimental conditions are the major problems preventing the definitive assessment of the HERV-W impact on human physiopathology. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the HERV-W group presence within the human genome and its expression in physiological tissues as well as in the main pathological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Grandi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato SS554, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Enzo Tramontano
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato SS554, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.
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54
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Ellul P, Groc L, Leboyer M. [Implication of human endogenous retroviruses in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder]. Med Sci (Paris) 2017; 33:404-409. [PMID: 28497736 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/20173304010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are neuropsychiatric disorders of unknown origin. It seems that these two disorders share some common etiopathogenic mechanisms including genetic, environmental and inflammatory ones. Reactivation of the human endogenous retrovirus type W (HERV-W) can be a shared element in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, linked to immuno-genetic and environment risk factors. We will present studies that have highlighted the presence of HERV-W in schizophrenic and bipolar disorder patients. We will then describe a two-hit model which could explain the common pathophysiological mechanism of affective and non-affective psychosis. Identification of immuno-inflammatory mediated subgroup of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder associated to HERV-W reactivation might open the way for the development of diagnostic biomarker and more targeted treatments. These new tools pave the way towards personalized psychiatry for a better care of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Ellul
- Pôle psychiatrie des hôpitaux universitaires Henri Mondor, AP-HP, université Paris-Est, DHU PePSY, hôpital Albert Chenevier, 40, rue de Mesly, 94000 Créteil, France - Inserm U955, équipe 15, psychiatrie translationnelle, 94000 Créteil, France - Fondation FondaMental, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Laurent Groc
- Institut interdisciplinaire de neuroscience, CNRS UMR 5297, Université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France - Fondation FondaMental, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Marion Leboyer
- Pôle psychiatrie des hôpitaux universitaires Henri Mondor, AP-HP, université Paris-Est, DHU PePSY, hôpital Albert Chenevier, 40, rue de Mesly, 94000 Créteil, France - Inserm U955, équipe 15, psychiatrie translationnelle, 94000 Créteil, France - Fondation FondaMental, 94000 Créteil, France
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55
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Meyer TJ, Rosenkrantz JL, Carbone L, Chavez SL. Endogenous Retroviruses: With Us and against Us. Front Chem 2017; 5:23. [PMID: 28439515 PMCID: PMC5384584 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2017.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian genomes are scattered with thousands of copies of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), mobile genetic elements that are relics of ancient retroviral infections. After inserting copies into the germ line of a host, most ERVs accumulate mutations that prevent the normal assembly of infectious viral particles, becoming trapped in host genomes and unable to leave to infect other cells. While most copies of ERVs are inactive, some are transcribed and encode the proteins needed to generate new insertions at novel loci. In some cases, old copies are removed via recombination and other mechanisms. This creates a shifting landscape of ERV copies within host genomes. New insertions can disrupt normal expression of nearby genes via directly inserting into key regulatory elements or by containing regulatory motifs within their sequences. Further, the transcriptional silencing of ERVs via epigenetic modification may result in changes to the epigenetic regulation of adjacent genes. In these ways, ERVs can be potent sources of regulatory disruption as well as genetic innovation. Here, we provide a brief review of the association between ERVs and gene expression, especially as observed in pre-implantation development and placentation. Moreover, we will describe how disruption of the regulated mechanisms of ERVs may impact somatic tissues, mostly in the context of human disease, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and schizophrenia. Lastly, we discuss the recent discovery that some ERVs may have been pressed into the service of their host genomes to aid in the innate immune response to exogenous viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Meyer
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortland, OR, USA
| | - Jimi L Rosenkrantz
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortland, OR, USA.,Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research CenterPortland, OR, USA
| | - Lucia Carbone
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortland, OR, USA.,Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortland, OR, USA.,Department of Medicine, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortland, OR, USA
| | - Shawn L Chavez
- Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research CenterPortland, OR, USA.,Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health & Science University School of MedicinePortland, OR, USA
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56
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Fatemi SH, Folsom TD, Thuras PD. GABA A and GABA B receptor dysregulation in superior frontal cortex of subjects with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Synapse 2017; 71. [PMID: 28316115 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are complex psychiatric disorders that affect millions of people worldwide. Evidence from gene association and postmortem studies has identified abnormalities of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling system in both disorders. Abnormal GABAergic signaling and transmission could contribute to the symptomatology of these disorders, potentially through impaired gamma oscillations which normally occur during cognitive processing. In the current study, we examined the protein expression of 14 GABAA and two GABAB receptor subunits in the superior frontal cortex of subjects with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and healthy controls. Analyses of Variance (ANOVAs) identified significant group effects for protein levels for the α1, α6, β1, β3, δ, ɛ, and π GABAA receptor subunits and R1 and R2 GABAB receptor subunits. Follow-up t tests confirmed changes for these subunits in subjects with schizophrenia, subjects with bipolar disorder, or both groups. Alterations in stoichiometry of GABA receptor subunits could result in altered ligand binding, transmission, and pharmacology of GABA receptors in superior frontal cortex. Thus, impaired GABAergic transmission may negatively contribute to symptoms such as anxiety or panic as well as impaired learning and information processing, all of which are disrupted in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Taken together, these results provide additional evidence of GABAergic receptor abnormalities in these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Hossein Fatemi
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuroscience Research, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 392, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, 321 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455
| | - Timothy D Folsom
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuroscience Research, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 392, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455
| | - Paul D Thuras
- Department of Psychiatry, VA Medical Center, 1 Veterans Drive Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55417-2399
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57
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Klein HC. Silencing of Viral Elements: An Available Cure for Schizophrenia? Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:284. [PMID: 29321748 PMCID: PMC5733551 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hans C Klein
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Imaging Centre, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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58
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Machnik G, Bułdak Ł, Ruczyński J, Gąsior T, Huzarska M, Belowski D, Alenowicz M, Mucha P, Rekowski P, Okopień B. The application of strand invasion phenomenon, directed by peptide nucleic acid (PNA) and single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) for the recognition of specific sequences of human endogenous retroviral HERV-W family. J Mol Recognit 2016; 30. [PMID: 27921323 DOI: 10.1002/jmr.2600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The HERV-W family of human endogenous retroviruses represents a group of numerous sequences that show close similarity in genetic composition. It has been documented that some members of HERV-W-derived expression products are supposed to play significant role in humans' pathology, such as multiple sclerosis or schizophrenia. Other members of the family are necessary to orchestrate physiological processes (eg, ERVWE1 coding syncytin-1 that is engaged in syncytiotrophoblast formation). Therefore, an assay that would allow the recognition of particular form of HERV-W members is highly desirable. A peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-mediated technique for the discrimination between multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus and ERVWE1 sequence has been developed. The assay uses a PNA probe that, being fully complementary to the ERVWE1 but not to multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MSRV) template, shows high selective potential. Single-stranded DNA binding protein facilitates the PNA-mediated, sequence-specific formation of strand invasion complex and, consequently, local DNA unwinding. The target DNA may be then excluded from further analysis in any downstream process such as single-stranded DNA-specific exonuclease action. Finally, the reaction conditions have been optimized, and several PNA probes that are targeted toward distinct loci along whole HERV-W env sequences have been evaluated. We believe that PNA/single-stranded DNA binding protein-based application has the potential to selectively discriminate particular HERV-W molecules as they are at least suspected to play pathogenic role in a broad range of medical conditions, from psycho-neurologic disorders (multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia) and cancers (breast cancer) to that of an auto-immunologic background (psoriasis and lupus erythematosus).
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Machnik
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-760, Katowice, Poland
| | - Łukasz Bułdak
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-760, Katowice, Poland
| | - Jarosław Ruczyński
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Tomasz Gąsior
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-760, Katowice, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Huzarska
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-760, Katowice, Poland
| | - Dariusz Belowski
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-760, Katowice, Poland
| | - Magdalena Alenowicz
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Piotr Mucha
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Piotr Rekowski
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Bogusław Okopień
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-760, Katowice, Poland
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59
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Bosshart H. Supra-therapeutic plasma concentrations of haloperidol induce moderate inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin-8 release in human monocytes. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2016; 4:396. [PMID: 27867948 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2016.10.56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical use of antipsychotics and mood-stabilizing drugs with proven efficacy is largely determined by the occurrence of treatment-emergent adverse events and routine clinical chemistry and haematology data, which together define the safety and tolerability profile of these psychopharmaceuticals. Whereas the effects of mood-stabilizing drugs on functional properties of blood cells have been poorly investigated, the effects of antipsychotics have received more attention. Such studies have yielded conflicting results. This study examined the effects of the mood-stabilizing drugs carbamazepine and valproic acid and of the antipsychotic drugs olanzapine, risperidone and haloperidol on the production of the pro-inflammatory chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8), which is released from human monocytes when activated by Gram-negative lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHODS Peripheral human whole blood was diluted with Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) cell culture medium and stimulated with LPS. Accumulating IL-8 was quantified in the supernatant with an adapted enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the results correlated to the number of monocytes at venipuncture. RESULTS At supra-therapeutic concentrations of 100 µM, haloperidol inhibited the LPS-induced release of IL-8 in peripheral human monocytes moderately, whereas olanzapine, risperidone, carbamazepine and valproic acid showed no such effect. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that these mood-stabilizing drugs and antipsychotics are endowed with clinically favorable inertness rather than pro-inflammatory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herbert Bosshart
- Psychiatric Outpatient Facility, Turnerstrasse 7a, CH-8006 Zurich, Switzerland
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60
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Grandi N, Cadeddu M, Blomberg J, Tramontano E. Contribution of type W human endogenous retroviruses to the human genome: characterization of HERV-W proviral insertions and processed pseudogenes. Retrovirology 2016; 13:67. [PMID: 27613107 PMCID: PMC5016936 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-016-0301-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are ancient sequences integrated in the germ line cells and vertically transmitted through the offspring constituting about 8 % of our genome. In time, HERVs accumulated mutations that compromised their coding capacity. A prominent exception is HERV-W locus 7q21.2, producing a functional Env protein (Syncytin-1) coopted for placental syncytiotrophoblast formation. While expression of HERV-W sequences has been investigated for their correlation to disease, an exhaustive description of the group composition and characteristics is still not available and current HERV-W group information derive from studies published a few years ago that, of course, used the rough assemblies of the human genome available at that time. This hampers the comparison and correlation with current human genome assemblies. Results In the present work we identified and described in detail the distribution and genetic composition of 213 HERV-W elements. The bioinformatics analysis led to the characterization of several previously unreported features and provided a phylogenetic classification of two main subgroups with different age and structural characteristics. New facts on HERV-W genomic context of insertion and co-localization with sequences putatively involved in disease development are also reported. Conclusions The present work is a detailed overview of the HERV-W contribution to the human genome and provides a robust genetic background useful to clarify HERV-W role in pathologies with poorly understood etiology, representing, to our knowledge, the most complete and exhaustive HERV-W dataset up to date. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12977-016-0301-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Grandi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato SS554, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marta Cadeddu
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato SS554, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Jonas Blomberg
- Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Enzo Tramontano
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato SS554, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy. .,Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.
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61
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Severance EG, Yolken RH, Eaton WW. Autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders and the microbiome in schizophrenia: more than a gut feeling. Schizophr Res 2016; 176:23-35. [PMID: 25034760 PMCID: PMC4294997 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Revised: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmunity, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and schizophrenia have been associated with one another for a long time. This paper reviews these connections and provides a context by which multiple risk factors for schizophrenia may be related. Epidemiological studies strongly link schizophrenia with autoimmune disorders including enteropathic celiac disease. Exposure to wheat gluten and bovine milk casein also contribute to non-celiac food sensitivities in susceptible individuals. Co-morbid GI inflammation accompanies humoral immunity to food antigens, occurs early during the course of schizophrenia and appears to be independent from antipsychotic-generated motility effects. This inflammation impacts endothelial barrier permeability and can precipitate translocation of gut bacteria into systemic circulation. Infection by the neurotropic gut pathogen, Toxoplasma gondii, will elicit an inflammatory GI environment. Such processes trigger innate immunity, including activation of complement C1q, which also functions at synapses in the brain. The emerging field of microbiome research lies at the center of these interactions with evidence that the abundance and diversity of resident gut microbiota contribute to digestion, inflammation, gut permeability and behavior. Dietary modifications of core bacterial compositions may explain inefficient gluten digestion and how immigrant status in certain situations is a risk factor for schizophrenia. Gut microbiome research in schizophrenia is in its infancy, but data in related fields suggest disease-associated altered phylogenetic compositions. In summary, this review surveys associative and experimental data linking autoimmunity, GI activity and schizophrenia, and proposes that understanding of disrupted biological pathways outside of the brain can lend valuable information regarding pathogeneses of complex, polygenic brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G. Severance
- Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Blalock 1105, Baltimore, MD 21287-4933 U.S.A
| | - Robert H. Yolken
- Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Blalock 1105, Baltimore, MD 21287-4933 U.S.A
| | - William W. Eaton
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A
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62
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Abstract
The etiology and pathophysiology of schizophrenia and related mental disorders such as bipolar disorder and major depression remain largely unclear. Recent advances in mRNA profiling techniques made it possible to perform genome-wide gene expression analysis in a hypothesis-free manner. It was thought that this large-scale data mining approach would reveal unknown molecular cascades involved in mental disorders. Contrary to this initial expectation, however, DNA microarray results in psychiatric fields have been notoriously discordant. Here the authors review the findings of DNA microarray analysis, focusing on systematic gene expression changes in schizophrenia, as well as alterations in the expression of specific genes, that have been reported and replicated. The authors also address the probable causes for the discordance among studies, possible ways to solve the problem, and their preferred approach for data interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Iwamoto
- Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan.
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63
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Hu L, Uzhameckis D, Hedborg F, Blomberg J. Dynamic and selective HERV RNA expression in neuroblastoma cells subjected to variation in oxygen tension and demethylation. APMIS 2016; 124:140-9. [PMID: 26818268 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We studied HERV expression in cell lines after hypoxia, mitogenic stimulation, and demethylation, to better understand if hypoxia may play a role in ERV activation also within the nervous system, as represented by neuroblastoma cell lines. The level of RNA of four human ERV groups (HERVs) (HERVE, I/T, H, and W), and three housekeeping genes, of different cell lines including A549, COS-1, Namalwa, RD-L and Vero-E6, as well as human neuroblastoma cell lines SH-SY5Y, SK-N-DZ, and SK-N-AS were studied using reverse transcription and real-time quantitative PCR (QPCR). During the course of recovery from hypoxia a pronounced and selective activation of RNA expression of HERVW-like sequences, but not of HERVE, I/T, H, and three housekeeping genes, was found in the neuroblastoma cell lines, most pronounced in SK-N-DZ. In the SK-N-DZ cell line, we also tested the expression of HERVs after chemical treatments. HERVW-like sequences were selectively upregulated by 5-azacytidine, a demethylating agent. Some HERVW loci seem especially responsive to hypoxia and demethylation. HERV expression in neuroblastoma cells is selectively and profoundly influenced by some physiological and chemical stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Hu
- Section of Virology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dmitrijs Uzhameckis
- Section of Virology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Hedborg
- Department of Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jonas Blomberg
- Section of Virology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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64
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Li F, Karlsson H. Expression and regulation of human endogenous retrovirus W elements. APMIS 2016; 124:52-66. [PMID: 26818262 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) comprise 8% of the human genome and can be classified into at least 31 families. A typical HERV provirus consists of internal gag, pol and env genes, flanked by two long terminal repeats (LTRs). No single provirus is capable of engendering infectious particles. HERV are by nature repetitive and have with few notable exceptions lost their protein-coding capacity. Therefore, HERV have consistently been excluded from array-based expression studies and hence little is known of their expression, regulation, and potential functional significance. An increasing number of studies have, however, observed expression of the W family of HERV in various human tissues and cells, predominantly in placenta. HERV-W LTRs act as promoters in directing transcription of HERV-W members, contribute to their tissue-specific and highly diversified expression pattern. Furthermore, leaky transcription originating from adjacent genes plays a role in the transcription initiation of HERV-W psudoelements. It has been reported that HERV-W elements, including ERVWE1 (the so far only known HERV-W locus harboring a gene (env) functionally adopted by the human host to critically participate in placenta biogenesis), can become transactivated in a range of human non-placental cell-lines during exogenous virus infections. Aberrant expression of HERV-W has been associated with human diseases, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and schizophrenia. Based on published reports, transcriptional activities of HERV-W appear to be influenced by several mechanisms; binding of transcription factors to LTR promoters and enhancers outside of LTRs, genetic variation and alteration in DNA methylation and histone modification. Emerging mechanistic studies support the notion that HERV-W represents a potential marker or mediator of environmental exposures (e.g., virus infection) in the development of chronic complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Li
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, China.,Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Håkan Karlsson
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Mortelmans K, Wang-Johanning F, Johanning GL. The role of human endogenous retroviruses in brain development and function. APMIS 2016; 124:105-15. [PMID: 26818265 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous retroviral sequences are spread throughout the genome of all humans, and make up about 8% of the genome. Despite their prevalence, the function of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in humans is largely unknown. In this review we focus on the brain, and evaluate studies in animal models that address mechanisms of endogenous retrovirus activation in the brain and central nervous system (CNS). One such study in mice found that TRIM28, a protein critical for mouse early development, regulates transcription and silencing of endogenous retroviruses in neural progenitor cells. Another intriguing finding in human brain cells and mouse models was that endogenous retrovirus HERV-K appears to be protective against neurotoxins. We also report on studies that associate HERVs with human diseases of the brain and CNS. There is little doubt of an association between HERVs and a number of CNS diseases. However, a cause and effect relationship between HERVs and these diseases has not yet been established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristien Mortelmans
- Discovery Biology Section, Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Feng Wang-Johanning
- Discovery Biology Section, Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Gary L Johanning
- Discovery Biology Section, Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA
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Davis J, Eyre H, Jacka FN, Dodd S, Dean O, McEwen S, Debnath M, McGrath J, Maes M, Amminger P, McGorry PD, Pantelis C, Berk M. A review of vulnerability and risks for schizophrenia: Beyond the two hit hypothesis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 65:185-94. [PMID: 27073049 PMCID: PMC4876729 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia risk has often been conceptualized using a model which requires two hits in order to generate the clinical phenotype-the first as an early priming in a genetically predisposed individual and the second a likely environmental insult. The aim of this paper was to review the literature and reformulate this binary risk-vulnerability model. We sourced the data for this narrative review from the electronic database PUBMED. Our search terms were not limited by language or date of publication. The development of schizophrenia may be driven by genetic vulnerability interacting with multiple vulnerability factors including lowered prenatal vitamin D exposure, viral infections, smoking intelligence quotient, social cognition cannabis use, social defeat, nutrition and childhood trauma. It is likely that these genetic risks, environmental risks and vulnerability factors are cumulative and interactive with each other and with critical periods of neurodevelopmental vulnerability. The development of schizophrenia is likely to be more complex and nuanced than the binary two hit model originally proposed nearly thirty years ago. Risk appears influenced by a more complex process involving genetic risk interfacing with multiple potentially interacting hits and vulnerability factors occurring at key periods of neurodevelopmental activity, which culminate in the expression of disease state. These risks are common across a number of neuropsychiatric and medical disorders, which might inform common preventive and intervention strategies across non-communicable disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Davis
- Deakin University, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, P.O. Box 291, Geelong, 3220, Australia.
| | - Harris Eyre
- Deakin University, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, P.O. Box 291, Geelong, 3220, Australia
| | - Felice N Jacka
- Deakin University, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, P.O. Box 291, Geelong, 3220, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Psychiatry, Level 1 North, Main Block, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, 3052, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Black Dog Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Seetal Dodd
- Deakin University, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, P.O. Box 291, Geelong, 3220, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Psychiatry, Level 1 North, Main Block, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Olivia Dean
- Deakin University, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, P.O. Box 291, Geelong, 3220, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Psychiatry, Level 1 North, Main Block, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Sarah McEwen
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, United States
| | - Monojit Debnath
- Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - John McGrath
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Queensland, Australia; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, Queensland 4076, Australia
| | - Michael Maes
- Deakin University, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, P.O. Box 291, Geelong, 3220, Australia
| | - Paul Amminger
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Queensland, Australia; Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, 35 Poplar Rd., Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Patrick D McGorry
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, 35 Poplar Rd., Parkville, 3052, Australia; Centre of Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 35 Poplar Rd., Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Christos Pantelis
- University of Melbourne, Department of Psychiatry, Level 1 North, Main Block, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, 3052, Australia; Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India; Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Parkville, 3052, Australia; Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Kenneth Myer Building, 30 Royal Parade, 3052, Parkville, Australia
| | - Michael Berk
- Deakin University, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, P.O. Box 291, Geelong, 3220, Australia; University of Melbourne, Department of Psychiatry, Level 1 North, Main Block, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, 3052, Australia; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, Queensland 4076, Australia; Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, 35 Poplar Rd., Parkville, 3052, Australia; Centre of Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 35 Poplar Rd., Parkville, 3052, Australia; Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Kenneth Myer Building, 30 Royal Parade, 3052, Parkville, Australia
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Leboyer M, Oliveira J, Tamouza R, Groc L. Is it time for immunopsychiatry in psychotic disorders? Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:1651-60. [PMID: 26988846 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4266-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immune dysregulation is suggested to play an important aetiological role in schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) potentially driving neurodevelopmental pathways. Immune dysfunction may precede the onset of psychiatric disorders and parallel the development of multiaxial comorbidity, including suicidal behaviour and metabolic and autoimmune disorders. Depicting the source of the chronic low-grade inflammatory component in SZ and BD is thus a research priority. Strong environmental insults early in life, such as infections, acting on a background of genetic vulnerability, may induce potent and enduring inflammatory responses setting a state of liability to second-hit environmental encounters, namely childhood trauma, drug abuse or additional infectious exposures. The immunogenetic background of susceptibility, suggested to be not only lying within the HLA locus but also implicating inherited deficits of the innate immune system, may amplify the harmful biological effects of infections/psychosocial stress leading to the manifestation of a broad range of psychiatric symptoms. OBJECTIVES The present review aims to discuss the following: (i) biological arguments in favour of a chronic low-grade inflammation in SZ and BD and its potential origin in the interaction between the immunogenetic background and environmental infectious insults, and (ii) the consequences of this inflammatory dysfunction by focusing on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antibodies and activation of the family of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). CONCLUSIONS Specific therapeutic approaches targeting immune pathways may lead the way to novel personalized medical interventions, improvement of quality of life and average life expectancy of psychiatric patients, if not even prevent mood episodes and psychotic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Leboyer
- Université Paris-Est, INSERM U955, Laboratoire Psychiatrie Translationnelle, et AP-HP, DHU Pe-PSY, Pole de Psychiatrie et d'addictologie des Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor, et fondation FondaMental, F-94000, Créteil, France. .,Pôle de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Albert Chenevier, 40 rue de Mesly, 94000, Créteil, France.
| | - José Oliveira
- Université Paris-Est, INSERM U955, Laboratoire Psychiatrie Translationnelle, et AP-HP, DHU Pe-PSY, Pole de Psychiatrie et d'addictologie des Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor, et fondation FondaMental, F-94000, Créteil, France.,INSERM, U1160, Hôpital Saint Louis, Laboratoire Jean Dausset and LabEx Transplantex, Hôpital Saint Louis, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cité, Paris, France
| | - Ryad Tamouza
- INSERM, U1160, Hôpital Saint Louis, Laboratoire Jean Dausset and LabEx Transplantex, Hôpital Saint Louis, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cité, Paris, France
| | - Laurent Groc
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR 5297, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
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Morgan LZ, Rollins B, Sequeira A, Byerley W, DeLisi LE, Schatzberg AF, Barchas JD, Myers RM, Watson SJ, Akil H, Bunney WE, Vawter MP. Quantitative Trait Locus and Brain Expression of HLA-DPA1 Offers Evidence of Shared Immune Alterations in Psychiatric Disorders. MICROARRAYS 2016; 5. [PMID: 26998349 PMCID: PMC4795482 DOI: 10.3390/microarrays5010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies of schizophrenia encompassing the major histocompatibility locus (MHC) were highly significant following genome-wide correction. This broad region implicates many genes including the MHC complex class II. Within this interval we examined the expression of two MHC II genes (HLA-DPA1 and HLA-DRB1) in brain from individual subjects with schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and controls by differential gene expression methods. A third MHC II mRNA, CD74, was studied outside of the MHC II locus, as it interacts within the same immune complex. Exon microarrays were performed in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in BD compared to controls, and both HLA-DPA1 and CD74 were decreased in expression in BD. The expression of HLA-DPA1 and CD74 were both reduced in hippocampus, amygdala, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex regions in SZ and BD compared to controls by specific qPCR assay. We found several novel HLA-DPA1 mRNA variants spanning HLA-DPA1 exons 2-3-4 as suggested by exon microarrays. The intronic rs9277341 SNP was a significant cis expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) that was associated with the total expression of HLA-DPA1 in five brain regions. A biomarker study of MHC II mRNAs was conducted in SZ, BD, MDD, and control lymphoblastic cell lines (LCL) by qPCR assay of 87 subjects. There was significantly decreased expression of HLA-DPA1 and CD74 in BD, and trends for reductions in SZ in LCLs. The discovery of multiple splicing variants in brain for HLA-DPA1 is important as the HLA-DPA1 gene is highly conserved, there are no reported splicing variants, and the functions in brain are unknown. Future work on the function and localization of MHC Class II proteins in brain will help to understand the role of alterations in neuropsychiatric disorders. The HLA-DPA1 eQTL is located within a large linkage disequilibrium block that has an irrefutable association with schizophrenia. Future tests in a larger cohort are needed to determine the significance of this eQTL association with schizophrenia. Our findings support the long-held hypothesis that alterations in immune function are associated with the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Z. Morgan
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697; (L.Z.M.); (B.R.); (A.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA;
| | - Brandi Rollins
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697; (L.Z.M.); (B.R.); (A.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA;
| | - Adolfo Sequeira
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697; (L.Z.M.); (B.R.); (A.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA;
| | - William Byerley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA;
| | - Lynn E. DeLisi
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, MA 02301, USA;
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alan F. Schatzberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94304, USA;
| | - Jack D. Barchas
- Department of Psychiatry, Cornell University of California, Ithaca, NJ 10065, USA;
| | - Richard M. Myers
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA;
| | - Stanley J. Watson
- The Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (S.J.W.); (H.A.)
| | - Huda Akil
- The Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (S.J.W.); (H.A.)
| | - William E. Bunney
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA;
| | - Marquis P. Vawter
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697; (L.Z.M.); (B.R.); (A.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: + 949-824-9014; Fax: + 949-824-1787
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69
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Christensen T. Human endogenous retroviruses in neurologic disease. APMIS 2016; 124:116-26. [DOI: 10.1111/apm.12486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Severance EG, Yolken RH. Role of Immune and Autoimmune Dysfunction in Schizophrenia. HANDBOOK OF BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2016; 23:501-516. [PMID: 33456427 PMCID: PMC7173552 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800981-9.00029-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In this chapter, we review data in support of the concept that immune system dysregulation is the most plausible explanation that reconciles gene by environmental interactions in schizophrenia. Early investigations of this topic demonstrated aspects of aberrant activation of humoral immunity, including autoimmunity, associated with schizophrenia, whereas current research efforts have expanded this theme to include elements of innate immunity. Advances in our understanding of inflammation and molecules of both the adaptive and innate immune system and their functional roles in standard brain physiology provide an important context by which schizophrenia might arise as the result of the coupling of immune and neurodevelopmental dysregulation.
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71
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Buslei R, Strissel PL, Henke C, Schey R, Lang N, Ruebner M, Stolt CC, Fabry B, Buchfelder M, Strick R. Activation and regulation of endogenous retroviral genes in the human pituitary gland and related endocrine tumours. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2015; 41:180-200. [PMID: 24635849 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2013] [Accepted: 03/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Adenohypophysis (AH) hormone-producing cells represent the origin of diverse groups of pituitary adenomas (PA). Deregulation of hypothalamic hormone receptors, growth factors and cAMP signalling have been implicated in the aetiology of PA. Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are derived from past exogenous retroviral infections and represent more than 8% of the human genome. Some ERV genes encode open reading frames and produce functional proteins, for example, the ERVW-1 envelope gene Syncytin-1, essential for placentogenesis, but also deregulated in human tumours. Data concerning ERV expression in the AH and related endocrine tumours are missing. METHODS Syncytin-1 protein was analysed in normal AH (n = 15) and compared with five PA subtypes (n = 117) by immunohistochemistry. Absolute gene expression of 20 ERV functional envelope genes and ERVW-5 gag was measured. PA tissues were examined for Syncytin-1 and the cAMP signalling marker phospho-CREB-Ser133 using immunohistochemistry. Isolated primary human PA cells were treated with different hormones. Murine embryonic and adult pituitary gland ERV expressions were compared with human AH. RESULTS Syncytin-1 protein colocalized with corticotropic cells of AH. In contrast, all PA demonstrated significant Syncytin-1 protein overexpression, supporting deregulation. All other ERV genes showed significant up-regulations in different PA subtypes. Phospho-CREB-Ser133 and Syncytin-1 colocalized in PA cells. Cultivated primary PA cells with ACTH or CRH induced their respective receptors and ERV genes. Syncytin-A/-B, murine orthologues to human Syncytin-1/-2, localized to embryonic and adult pituitary glands demonstrating functional mammalian conservation. CONCLUSIONS Deregulated ERV genes may contribute to PA development via cAMP signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolf Buslei
- Institute of Neuropathology, University-Clinic Erlangen, Lab for Molecular Medicine, Erlangen, Germany
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72
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Canuti M, van Beveren NJM, Jazaeri Farsani SM, de Vries M, Deijs M, Jebbink MF, Zaaijer HL, van Schaik BDC, van Kampen AHC, van der Kuyl AC, de Haan L, Storosum JG, van der Hoek L. Viral metagenomics in drug-naïve, first-onset schizophrenia patients with prominent negative symptoms. Psychiatry Res 2015; 229:678-84. [PMID: 26304023 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Although several studies suggest a virus or (endogenous) retrovirus involvement at the time of onset of schizophrenia, the unequivocal identification of one or more infectious agents, by means of an undirected catch-all technique, has never been conducted. In this study VIDISCA, a virus discovery method, was used in combination with Roche-454 high-throughput sequencing as a tool to determine the possible presence of viruses (known or unknown) in blood of first-onset drugs-naïve schizophrenic patients with prominent negative symptoms. Two viruses (the Anellovirus Torque Teno virus and GB virus C) were detected. Both viruses are commonly found in healthy individuals and no clear link with disease was ever established. Viruses from the family Anelloviridae were also identified in the control population (4.8%). Besides, one patient sample was positive for human endogenous retroviruses type K (HML-2) RNA but no specific predominant strain was detected, instead 119 different variants were found. In conclusion, these findings indicate no evidence for viral or endogenous retroviral involvement in sera at the time of onset of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Canuti
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nico J M van Beveren
- Antes, Institute for Mental Health Care, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus University Medical Center, Department of Neuroscience, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Seyed Mohammad Jazaeri Farsani
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Michel de Vries
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Deijs
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten F Jebbink
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hans L Zaaijer
- Department of Blood-Borne Infections, Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Barbera D C van Schaik
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Antoine H C van Kampen
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Antoinette C van der Kuyl
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lieuwe de Haan
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jitschak G Storosum
- Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lia van der Hoek
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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73
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Ayhan Y, McFarland R, Pletnikov MV. Animal models of gene-environment interaction in schizophrenia: A dimensional perspective. Prog Neurobiol 2015; 136:1-27. [PMID: 26510407 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia has long been considered as a disorder with multifactorial origins. Recent discoveries have advanced our understanding of the genetic architecture of the disease. However, even with the increase of identified risk variants, heritability estimates suggest an important contribution of non-genetic factors. Various environmental risk factors have been proposed to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia. These include season of birth, maternal infections, obstetric complications, adverse events at early childhood, and drug abuse. Despite the progress in identification of genetic and environmental risk factors, we still have a limited understanding of the mechanisms whereby gene-environment interactions (G × E) operate in schizophrenia and psychoses at large. In this review we provide a critical analysis of current animal models of G × E relevant to psychotic disorders and propose that dimensional perspective will advance our understanding of the complex mechanisms of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yavuz Ayhan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Turkey
| | - Ross McFarland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA
| | - Mikhail V Pletnikov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Solomon H Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA.
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74
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Transcriptional activity of human endogenous retroviruses in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:164529. [PMID: 25734056 PMCID: PMC4334862 DOI: 10.1155/2015/164529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Revised: 12/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) have been implicated in human physiology and in human pathology. A better knowledge of the retroviral transcriptional activity in the general population and during the life span would greatly help the debate on its pathologic potential. The transcriptional activity of four HERV families (H, K, W, and E) was assessed, by qualitative and quantitative PCR, in PBMCs from 261 individuals aged from 1 to 80 years. Our results show that HERV-H, HERV-K, and HERV-W, but not HERV-E, are transcriptionally active in the test population already in the early childhood. In addition, the transcriptional levels of HERV-H, HERV-K, and HERV-W change significantly during the life span, albeit with distinct patterns. Our results, reinforce the hypothesis of a physiological correlation between HERVs activity and the different stages of life in humans. Studies aiming at identifying the factors, which are responsible for these changes during the individual's life, are still needed. Although the observed phenomena are presumably subjected to great variability, the basal transcriptional activity of each individual, also depending on the different ages of life, must be carefully considered in all the studies involving HERVs as causative agents of disease.
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75
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Slokar G, Hasler G. Human Endogenous Retroviruses as Pathogenic Factors in the Development of Schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:183. [PMID: 26793126 PMCID: PMC4707225 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex disorder, characterized by the interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), genetic elements that originated from infections by exogenous retroviruses millions of years ago, comprise ~8% of the human genome. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of accumulating evidence, detailing HERV aberrancies associated with schizophrenia. Studies examining the genome, transcriptome, and proteome of individuals with schizophrenia provide data that support the association of these viral elements with the disorder. Molecular differences can be found within the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. However, additional studies are needed to substantiate the reported link and to address several discrepancies among previous investigations. We further discuss potentially relevant pathogenic mechanisms to the development of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gorjan Slokar
- Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland
| | - Gregor Hasler
- Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland
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76
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The Role of Infections and Autoimmune Diseases for Schizophrenia and Depression: Findings from Large-Scale Epidemiological Studies. CURRENT TOPICS IN NEUROTOXICITY 2015. [PMCID: PMC7122152 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-13602-8_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
An immunologic component to schizophrenia and depression has been increasingly recognized, which has led to extensive research into the associations with infections and autoimmune diseases. Large-scale nationwide epidemiological studies have displayed an increased prevalence of both autoimmune diseases and infections among persons with schizophrenia and depression. Autoimmune diseases, and especially the number of infections requiring hospitalization, increase the risk of schizophrenia and depression in a dose–response relationship. Infections are a common exposure and a broad spectrum of infections are associated with schizophrenia and depression. Particularly the autoimmune diseases with a potential presence of brain-reactive antibodies were associated with psychiatric disorders. However, the associations seem to be bidirectional, since the risk of autoimmune diseases and infections is also increased after diagnosis with schizophrenia and depression. The risk of autoimmune diseases was particularly increased in individuals with prior hospital contacts for infections. It has been suggested that inflammation and autoimmunity could be involved in the etiology and pathogenesis of some patients with symptoms of schizophrenia and depression. The psychiatric symptoms can be directly triggered by immune components, such as brain-reactive antibodies and cytokines, or infections reaching the central nervous system (CNS), or be secondary to systemic inflammation indirectly affecting the brain. However, the associations could also be caused by shared genetic factors, other environmental factors, or common etiological components. Nonetheless, autoimmune diseases and infections should be considered by clinicians in the treatment of individuals with psychiatric symptoms, since treatment would probably improve the psychiatric symptoms, quality of life, and the survival of the individuals.
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77
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Fasching L, Kapopoulou A, Sachdeva R, Petri R, Jönsson ME, Männe C, Turelli P, Jern P, Cammas F, Trono D, Jakobsson J. TRIM28 represses transcription of endogenous retroviruses in neural progenitor cells. Cell Rep 2014; 10:20-8. [PMID: 25543143 PMCID: PMC4434221 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Revised: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
TRIM28 is a corepressor that mediates transcriptional silencing by establishing local heterochromatin. Here, we show that deletion of TRIM28 in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) results in high-level expression of two groups of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs): IAP1 and MMERVK10C. We find that NPCs use TRIM28-mediated histone modifications to dynamically regulate transcription and silencing of ERVs, which is in contrast to other somatic cell types using DNA methylation. We also show that derepression of ERVs influences transcriptional dynamics in NPCs through the activation of nearby genes and the expression of long noncoding RNAs. These findings demonstrate a unique dynamic transcriptional regulation of ERVs in NPCs. Our results warrant future studies on the role of ERVs in the healthy and diseased brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana Fasching
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurogenetics, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center and Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Adamandia Kapopoulou
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rohit Sachdeva
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurogenetics, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center and Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Petri
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurogenetics, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center and Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Marie E Jönsson
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurogenetics, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center and Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Christian Männe
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurogenetics, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center and Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Priscilla Turelli
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Patric Jern
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Florence Cammas
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, INSERM, U896, Université Montpellier; Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, Montpellier 34298, France
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Johan Jakobsson
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurogenetics, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center and Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.
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78
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Bae JH, Eo J, Kim TO, Yi JM. Biological changes of transposable elements by radiation: recent progress. Genes Genomics 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s13258-014-0256-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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79
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Manghera M, Ferguson J, Douville R. Endogenous Retrovirus-K and Nervous System Diseases. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2014; 14:488. [DOI: 10.1007/s11910-014-0488-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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80
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Many aspects of autoimmune disease are not well understood, including the specificities of autoimmune targets, and patterns of co-morbidity and cross-heritability across diseases. Prior work has provided evidence that somatic mutation caused by gene conversion and deletion at segmentally duplicated loci is relevant to several diseases. Simple tandem repeat (STR) sequence is highly mutable, both somatically and in the germ-line, and somatic STR mutations are observed under inflammation. RESULTS Protein-coding genes spanning STRs having markers of mutability, including germ-line variability, high total length, repeat count and/or repeat similarity, are evaluated in the context of autoimmunity. For the initiation of autoimmune disease, antigens whose autoantibodies are the first observed in a disease, termed primary autoantigens, are informative. Three primary autoantigens, thyroid peroxidase (TPO), phogrin (PTPRN2) and filaggrin (FLG), include STRs that are among the eleven longest STRs spanned by protein-coding genes. This association of primary autoantigens with long STR sequence is highly significant (p<3.0x10(-7)). Long STRs occur within twenty genes that are associated with sixteen common autoimmune diseases and atherosclerosis. The repeat within the TTC34 gene is an outlier in terms of length and a link with systemic lupus erythematosus is proposed. CONCLUSIONS The results support the hypothesis that many autoimmune diseases are triggered by immune responses to proteins whose DNA sequence mutates somatically in a coherent, consistent fashion. Other autoimmune diseases may be caused by coherent somatic mutations in immune cells. The coherent somatic mutation hypothesis has the potential to be a comprehensive explanation for the initiation of many autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Andrew Ross
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
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81
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Guffanti G, Gaudi S, Fallon JH, Sobell J, Potkin SG, Pato C, Macciardi F. Transposable elements and psychiatric disorders. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2014; 165B:201-16. [PMID: 24585726 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Transposable Elements (TEs) or transposons are low-complexity elements (e.g., LINEs, SINEs, SVAs, and HERVs) that make up to two-thirds of the human genome. There is mounting evidence that TEs play an essential role in genomic architecture and regulation related to both normal function and disease states. Recently, the identification of active TEs in several different human brain regions suggests that TEs play a role in normal brain development and adult physiology and quite possibly in psychiatric disorders. TEs have been implicated in hemophilia, neurofibromatosis, and cancer. With the advent of next-generation whole-genome sequencing approaches, our understanding of the relationship between TEs and psychiatric disorders will greatly improve. We will review the biology of TEs and early evidence for TE involvement in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guia Guffanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
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82
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83
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Feigenson KA, Kusnecov AW, Silverstein SM. Inflammation and the two-hit hypothesis of schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 38:72-93. [PMID: 24247023 PMCID: PMC3896922 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Revised: 10/26/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The high societal and individual cost of schizophrenia necessitates finding better, more effective treatment, diagnosis, and prevention strategies. One of the obstacles in this endeavor is the diverse set of etiologies that comprises schizophrenia. A substantial body of evidence has grown over the last few decades to suggest that schizophrenia is a heterogeneous syndrome with overlapping symptoms and etiologies. At the same time, an increasing number of clinical, epidemiological, and experimental studies have shown links between schizophrenia and inflammatory conditions. In this review, we analyze the literature on inflammation and schizophrenia, with a particular focus on comorbidity, biomarkers, and environmental insults. We then identify several mechanisms by which inflammation could influence the development of schizophrenia via the two-hit hypothesis. Lastly, we note the relevance of these findings to clinical applications in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Feigenson
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
| | - Alex W Kusnecov
- Department of Psychology, Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience Program and Joint Graduate Program in Toxicology, Rutgers University, 52 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8020, USA.
| | - Steven M Silverstein
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; University Behavioral Health Care at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 671 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08855, USA.
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84
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Darby MM, Sabunciyan S. Repetitive Elements and Epigenetic Marks in Behavior and Psychiatric Disease. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2014; 86:185-252. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800222-3.00009-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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85
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Douville RN, Nath A. Human endogenous retroviruses and the nervous system. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2014; 123:465-85. [PMID: 25015500 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-53488-0.00022-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Renée N Douville
- Department of Microbiology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Avindra Nath
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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86
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Neurodevelopment Alterations, Neurodegeneration, and Immunoinflammatory Patterns in the Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia. NEURODEGENER DIS 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4471-6380-0_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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87
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Kiran Kumar HB, Castellani C, Maiti S, O'Reilly R, Singh SM. Search for missing schizophrenia genes will require a new developmental neurogenomic perspective. J Genet 2013; 92:335-40. [PMID: 23970094 DOI: 10.1007/s12041-013-0262-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Even the most powerful experimental designs in search of genetic causes of schizophrenia have not met the desired goal. It is imperative to review the reasons for such an outcome and to formulate novel strategies for the future direction of this research in the new era of individual genomes. Here, we will review aspects of neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia in the light of novel genomic and epigenomic insights. Specifically, we will argue for the involvement of de novo mutations and epigenetic modifications during neurodevelopment that may result in schizophrenia. Our conclusion is that the successful elucidation of hereditary mechanisms in neuropsychiatric disorders must begin with attention to discrete endophenotypes; consideration of ontogeny, forethought of genome structure including temporal and spatial patterns of (epi) mutations and the use of judicious techniques that go beyond association studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- H B Kiran Kumar
- Molecular Genetics Unit, Department of Biology and Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7
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88
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Involvement of endogenous retroviruses in prion diseases. Pathogens 2013; 2:533-43. [PMID: 25437206 PMCID: PMC4235691 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens2030533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2013] [Revised: 07/25/2013] [Accepted: 08/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
For millions of years, vertebrates have been continuously exposed to infection by retroviruses. Ancient retroviral infection of germline cells resulted in the formation and accumulation of inherited retrovirus sequences in host genomes. These inherited retroviruses are referred to as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), and recent estimates have revealed that a significant portion of animal genomes is made up of ERVs. Although various host factors have suppressed ERV activation, both positive and negative functions have been reported for some ERVs in normal and abnormal physiological conditions, such as in disease states. Similar to other complex diseases, ERV activation has been observed in prion diseases, and this review will discuss the potential involvement of ERVs in prion diseases.
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89
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Activation of elements in HERV-W family by caffeine and aspirin. Virus Genes 2013; 47:219-27. [PMID: 23813246 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-013-0939-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Caffeine and aspirin have been suggested to be involved in neurologic diseases, such as schizophrenia, and previous data have revealed that abnormal expression of HERV-W elements may be an important factor in the etiopathogenesis of those diseases. In this article, we reported that caffeine and aspirin contributed to the expression of HERV-W env and gag in Human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and quantitative Real-time PCR were used to detect the mRNA of HERV-W env and gag in cells exposed to caffeine or aspirin. Western blotting was used to detect the protein of HERV-W env. Luciferase activity assay was employed to detect the activity of HERV-W env promoter. It was found that both caffeine and aspirin could increase the expression of HERV-W env and gag in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Caffeine could activate the HERV-W env promoter, while aspirin could not. With previous studies we can conjecture that HERVs might play a bridging role between environmental factors, such as drugs and neurologic diseases.
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90
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Li S, Liu ZC, Yin SJ, Chen YT, Yu HL, Zeng J, Zhang Q, Zhu F. Human endogenous retrovirus W family envelope gene activates the small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel in human neuroblastoma cells through CREB. Neuroscience 2013; 247:164-74. [PMID: 23727510 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2013] [Revised: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have shown that human endogenous retrovirus W family (HERV-W) envelope gene (env) is related to various diseases but the underlying mechanism has remained poorly understood. Our previous study showed that there was abnormal expression of HERV-W env in sera of patients with schizophrenia. In this paper, we reported that overexpression of the HERV-W env elevated the levels of small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel protein 3 (SK3) in human neuroblastoma cells. Using a luciferase reporter system and RNA interference method, we found that functional cAMP response element site was required for the expression of SK3 triggered by HERV-W env. In addition, it was also found that the SK3 channel was activated by HERV-W env. Further study indicated that cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) was required for the activation of the SK3 channel. Thus, a novel signaling mechanism of how HERV-W env influences neuronal activity and contributes to mental illnesses such as schizophrenia was proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Li
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, PR China
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91
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Altamura AC, Pozzoli S, Fiorentini A, Dell'osso B. Neurodevelopment and inflammatory patterns in schizophrenia in relation to pathophysiology. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2013; 42:63-70. [PMID: 23021973 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2012.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2011] [Revised: 08/23/2012] [Accepted: 08/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
As for other major psychoses, the etiology of schizophrenia still remains poorly understood, involving genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, as well as environmental contributions. In addition, immune alterations have been widely reported in schizophrenic patients, involving both the unspecific and specific pathways of the immune system, and suggesting that infectious/autoimmune processes play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of the disorder. Cytokines, in particular, are supposed to play a critical role in infectious and inflammatory processes, mediating the cross-talk between the brain and the immune system. In this perspective, even though mixed results have been reported, it seems that schizophrenia is associated with an imbalance in inflammatory cytokines. Alterations in the inflammatory and immune systems, moreover, seem to be already present in the early stages of schizophrenia and connected to the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of the disorder, identifying its roots in brain development abnormalities that do not manifest themselves until adolescence or early adulthood. At the same time, neuropathological and longitudinal studies in schizophrenia also support a neurodegenerative hypothesis and, more recently, a novel mixed hypothesis, integrating neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative models, has been put forward. The present review aims to provide an updated overview of the connections between the immune and inflammatory alterations and the aforementioned hypotheses in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carlo Altamura
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122, Milano, Italy.
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92
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Leboyer M, Tamouza R, Charron D, Faucard R, Perron H. Human endogenous retrovirus type W (HERV-W) in schizophrenia: a new avenue of research at the gene-environment interface. World J Biol Psychiatry 2013; 14:80-90. [PMID: 21936762 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2010.601760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Provide a synthetic review of recent studies evidencing an association between human endogenous retrovirus-W (HERV-W) and schizophrenia. METHODS Bibliography analysis and contextual synthesis. RESULTS Epidemiological studies suggest that the aetiology of schizophrenia is complex and involves a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors such as infections. Eight percentof the human genome consists of human endogenous retroviruses (HERV), and this part of the genome was previously thought to be without importance, but new research has refuted this. HERVs share similarities with viruses and it is assumed that HERVs are present in the genome as a result of retroviruses infecting germ line cells many million years ago. A specific type of HERVs, called HERV-W, has through several recent studies been associated with schizophrenia. Elevated transcription of HERV-W elements has been documented, and antigens of HERV-W envelope and capsid proteins have been found in blood samples from patients. Viruses that have been implicated in pathology of schizophrenia, such as herpes and influenza, have been shown to activate HERV-W elements, and such activation has been associated with elevated biomarkers of systemic inflammation. New research indicates that HERV-W may be an important genetic factor interplaying with the environmental risk factor of infections and that, through this, HERV-W may be important for disease pathogenesis. CONCLUSIONS A lifelong scenario of a detrimental interaction between infectious agents and HERV-W genes may decipher the actual development and course of schizophrenia. Further research is needed to find out if specific treatment strategies could reduce the expression of HERV-W and if this will be associated with remission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Leboyer
- AP-HP, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, Creteil, France
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93
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Hegyi H. GABBR1 has a HERV-W LTR in its regulatory region--a possible implication for schizophrenia. Biol Direct 2013; 8:5. [PMID: 23391219 PMCID: PMC3574838 DOI: 10.1186/1745-6150-8-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2012] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex disease with uncertain aetiology. We suggest GABBR1, GABA receptor B1 implicated in schizophrenia based on a HERV-W LTR in the regulatory region of GABBR1. Our hypothesis is supported by: (i) GABBR1 is in the 6p22 genomic region most often implicated in schizophrenia; (ii) microarray studies found that only presynaptic pathway-related genes, including GABA receptors, have altered expression in schizophrenic patients and (iii) it explains how HERV-W elements, expressed in schizophrenia, play a role in the disease: by altering the expression of GABBR1 via a long terminal repeat that is also a regulatory element to GABBR1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedi Hegyi
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic.
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94
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Lee YJ, Jeong BH, Park JB, Kwon HJ, Kim YS, Kwak IS. The prevalence of human endogenous retroviruses in the plasma of major burn patients. Burns 2013; 39:1200-5. [PMID: 23339865 DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2012.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2012] [Revised: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 12/19/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 8% of the human genome is composed of retroviral sequences, which are known as human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and, have been implicated in both health status and disease. Recently, indirect evidence for a possible role of retroviral elements in the systemic response to stress signals has been provided by several studies. In the present study, we sought to evaluate the relationship between HERVs and major burn in humans. METHOD We investigated the prevalence of HERV families by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) in cell-free plasma samples from patients with burns and from normal individuals. RESULTS Different prevalences of HERV families were observed in the plasma samples from the burn patient group and normal group. Compared with the prevalences of HERV-W and HERV-K in the normal group, in the burn patient group, the prevalence of HERV-W was significantly lower (P<0.001), but the prevalence of HERV-K was higher (P=0.059). CONCLUSIONS Our study of the prevalences of HERVs revealed that the activation of certain HERV families may be influenced not only by burns but also by the initial treatments that were used to address these injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Jung Lee
- Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do 431-060, Republic of Korea
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95
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Wank R, Laumbacher B, Fellerhoff B. A new look at chronicChlamydiainfections and the role of the MHC/HLA in diseases of the CNS. FUTURE NEUROLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.2217/fnl.12.70] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Chlamydia has attracted increased attention as a possible cause of atheromatous plaques, cerebrovascular diseases, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. The Chlamydia species are obligate intracellular parasites. The unique biphasic life cycle of Chlamydia permits the parasite to persist in cells for years. Acute Chlamydia infections can be recognized serologically in the peripheral blood through observation of rising antibody titers or molecularly using various PCR methods. However, the identification of chronic Chlamydia infection is hampered by many hurdles. This has initiated controversial discussions about the true involvement of Chlamydia, particularly in the CNS. The aspects of the discussion will be inspected as well as the vulnerability of the neuronal MHC to immune reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf Wank
- Immunotherapy Research Center IMMUNIS e.V, Pettenkoferstr. 8, 80336 München, Germany
| | - Barbara Laumbacher
- Immunotherapy Research Center IMMUNIS e.V, Pettenkoferstr. 8, 80336 München, Germany
| | - Barbara Fellerhoff
- Institut für Immunologie, LMU München, Goethestr, 31, 80336 München, Germany
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96
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Perron H, Hamdani N, Faucard R, Lajnef M, Jamain S, Daban-Huard C, Sarrazin S, LeGuen E, Houenou J, Delavest M, Moins-Teiserenc H, Bengoufa D, Yolken R, Madeira A, Garcia-Montojo M, Gehin N, Burgelin I, Ollagnier G, Bernard C, Dumaine A, Henrion A, Gombert A, Le Dudal K, Charron D, Krishnamoorthy R, Tamouza R, Leboyer M, Leboyer M. Molecular characteristics of Human Endogenous Retrovirus type-W in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2012; 2:e201. [PMID: 23212585 PMCID: PMC3565190 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2012.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological and genome-wide association studies of severe psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD), suggest complex interactions between multiple genetic elements and environmental factors. The involvement of genetic elements such as Human Endogenous Retroviruses type 'W' family (HERV-W) has consistently been associated with SZ. HERV-W envelope gene (env) is activated by environmental factors and encodes a protein displaying inflammation and neurotoxicity. The present study addressed the molecular characteristics of HERV-W env in SZ and BD. Hundred and thirty-six patients, 91 with BD, 45 with SZ and 73 healthy controls (HC) were included. HERV-W env transcription was found to be elevated in BD (P<10-4) and in SZ (P=0.012) as compared with HC, but with higher values in BD than in SZ group (P<0.01). The corresponding DNA copy number was paradoxically lower in the genome of patients with BD (P=0.0016) or SZ (P<0.0003) than in HC. Differences in nucleotide sequence of HERV-W env were found between patients with SZ and BD as compared with HC, as well as between SZ and BD. The molecular characteristics of HERV-W env also differ from what was observed in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and may represent distinct features of the genome of patients with BD and SZ. The seroprevalence for Toxoplasma gondii yielded low but significant association with HERV-W transcriptional level in a subgroup of BD and SZ, suggesting a potential role in particular patients. A global hypothesis of mechanisms inducing such major psychoses is discussed, placing HERV-W at the crossroads between environmental, genetic and immunological factors. Thus, particular infections would act as activators of HERV-W elements in earliest life, resulting in the production of an HERV-W envelope protein, which then stimulates pro-inflammatory and neurotoxic cascades. This hypothesis needs to be further explored as it may yield major changes in our understanding and treatment of severe psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Perron
- Geneuro, Plan-Les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - N Hamdani
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Pôle de Psychiatrie, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France,Université Paris Est Créteil, Faculté de Médecine, Créteil, France
| | - R Faucard
- Geneuro-Innovation, Pre-Clinical R&D Department, Lyon, France
| | - M Lajnef
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Pôle de Psychiatrie, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France
| | - S Jamain
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France
| | - C Daban-Huard
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Pôle de Psychiatrie, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France
| | - S Sarrazin
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Pôle de Psychiatrie, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France,CEA Saclay, Neurospin, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - E LeGuen
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Pôle de Psychiatrie, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France
| | - J Houenou
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Pôle de Psychiatrie, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France,CEA Saclay, Neurospin, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - M Delavest
- Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France,AP-HP, Université Paris Diderot, Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Lariboisiere Fernand Widal, Paris, France
| | - H Moins-Teiserenc
- Jean Dausset Department and INSERM UMRS 940, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
| | - D Bengoufa
- Jean Dausset Department and INSERM UMRS 940, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
| | - R Yolken
- Stanley Laboratory of Developmental Neurovirology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - A Madeira
- Geneuro-Innovation, Pre-Clinical R&D Department, Lyon, France
| | | | - N Gehin
- Geneuro-Innovation, Pre-Clinical R&D Department, Lyon, France
| | - I Burgelin
- Geneuro-Innovation, Pre-Clinical R&D Department, Lyon, France
| | - G Ollagnier
- Geneuro-Innovation, Pre-Clinical R&D Department, Lyon, France
| | - C Bernard
- Geneuro, Plan-Les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - A Dumaine
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France
| | - A Henrion
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France
| | - A Gombert
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France
| | - K Le Dudal
- Plateforme de Ressources Biologiques AP-HP, Créteil, France,Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt, Baltimore, MD, USA,INSERM-CIC 006, Créteil, France
| | - D Charron
- Jean Dausset Department and INSERM UMRS 940, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
| | | | - R Tamouza
- Jean Dausset Department and INSERM UMRS 940, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France
| | - M Leboyer
- Inserm U955, Psychiatrie Génétique, Créteil, France,AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Pôle de Psychiatrie, Créteil, France,Fondation Fondamental, Créteil, France,Université Paris Est Créteil, Faculté de Médecine, Créteil, France,AP-HP, Hôpital Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Pôle de Psychiatrie, 40, rue de Mesly, 94010 Créteil, France. E-mail:
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97
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Benros ME, Mortensen PB, Eaton WW. Autoimmune diseases and infections as risk factors for schizophrenia. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2012; 1262:56-66. [PMID: 22823436 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06638.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Immunological hypotheses have become increasingly prominent when studying the etiology of schizophrenia. Autoimmune diseases, and especially the number of infections requiring hospitalization, have been identified as significant risk factors for schizophrenia in a dose-response relationship, which seem compatible with an immunological hypothesis for subgroups of patients with schizophrenia. Inflammation and infections may affect the brain through many different pathways that are not necessarily mutually exclusive and can possibly increase the risk of schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals. However, the findings could also be an epiphenomenon and not causal, due to, for instance, common genetic vulnerability, which could be supported by the observations of an increased prevalence of autoimmune diseases and infections in parents of patients with schizophrenia. Nevertheless, autoimmune diseases and infections should be considered in the treatment of individuals with schizophrenia symptoms, and further research is needed of the immune system's possible contributing pathogenic factors in the etiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Benros
- National Center for Register-based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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98
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Lee JR, Ahn K, Kim YJ, Jung YD, Kim HS. Radiation-induced human endogenous retrovirus (HERV)-R env gene expression by epigenetic control. Radiat Res 2012; 178:379-84. [PMID: 23004920 DOI: 10.1667/rr2888.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
It is commonly accepted that ionizing radiation induces genomic instability by changes in genomic structure, epigenetic regulation and gene expression. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV)-R also are often differentially expressed between normal and disease tissues under unstable genomic conditions and are implicated in the pathogenesis of several human diseases. To understand the influence of ionizing radiation on HERV-R expression, we performed quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses using γ-irradiated normal human cells. Compared to nonirradiated cells, HERV-R expression was up-regulated in γ-irradiated cells. The regulatory mechanism of HERV-R expression in irradiated cells was investigated by methylation analyses of HERV-R 5'LTRs and treatment with garcinol. These data indicated that the up-regulated transcription of HERV-R may be regulated by radiation-induced epigenetic changes induced by histone modification, and thus could be of great importance for understanding the relationship between radiation-induced biological effects and transposable elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ja-Rang Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea
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99
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Gu S, Fellerhoff B, Müller N, Laumbacher B, Wank R. Paradoxical downregulation of HLA-A expression by IFNγ associated with schizophrenia and noncoding genes. Immunobiology 2012; 218:738-44. [PMID: 23083632 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2012.08.275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2012] [Revised: 08/17/2012] [Accepted: 08/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal MHC/HLA regulates the synapses of the central nervous system (CNS). The expression of MHC/HLA is, in turn, regulated by immune cytokines. We were therefore interested in the regulation of schizophrenia-associated HLA antigens, specifically their regulation of expression by interferons. We had previously observed a moderately increased frequency of HLA-A10 expression in schizophrenic patients. While searching for the "true" disease gene near the HLA-A gene, we discovered that homozygosity of the HLA-J M80469 pseudogene allele, in combination with HLA-A10 or HLA-A9, was associated with a high risk of schizophrenia (HLA-A10 relative risk = 29.33, p = 0.00019, patients N = 77, controls N = 214). The allele HLA-J M80468, which codes for interferon-inducible mRNA, conferred protection on carriers of HLA-A9 and HLA-A10 (HLA-A10 relative risk = 0.022, p = 0.00017). Functional analysis revealed that interferon γ (IFNγ) downregulated the expression of HLA-A9 and HLA-A10 in monocytes from HLA-J M80469 homozygous patients but not from carriers of the HLA-J M80468 allele. This is the first demonstration of an inverse effect of IFNγ on HLA expression that is associated with non-coding gene variants and schizophrenia. Our findings suggest that the interferons secreted during acute and chronic infections may interfere in synaptic regulation via neuronal HLA and that this disturbance in synaptic regulation may induce the symptoms of mental illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songhai Gu
- Immunotherapy Research Center IMMUNIS e.V., Muenchen, Germany
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100
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Mullins CS, Linnebacher M. Endogenous retrovirus sequences as a novel class of tumor-specific antigens: an example of HERV-H env encoding strong CTL epitopes. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2012; 61:1093-100. [PMID: 22187063 PMCID: PMC11029769 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-011-1183-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2011] [Accepted: 12/02/2011] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Our genome consists to about 8% of human endogenous retroviral (HERV) sequences. These HERVs have been discussed to be linked to human diseases for decades. Recently, a detailed analysis of a HERV-H sequence located on chromosome Xp22.3 revealed a strong expression in a subset of gastrointestinal cancers whereas expression in normal tissues and in other cancer entities was low. In the present study, we used the reverse immunology approach to test the immunological potential of this HERV-H ORF on Xp22.3. A total of ten peptides displaying HLA-A2.1-binding motifs were selected from the predicted env protein sequence. Stimulation of peripheral T cells with retroviral peptides (RVPs) presented by autologous antigen-presenting cells clearly resulted in sustained proliferation of predominantly CD8(+) T cells. High numbers of IFN-γ-secreting T cells were detectable after several weekly stimulations with RVP mixes. Reactivity observed in RVP-Mix-stimulated cultures was attributable to RVP03, RVP09 and to a lower extend to RVP08, suggesting those to be highly immunogenic epitopes. Besides killing of RVP-loaded target cells, up to 40% specific lysis of colorectal carcinoma cell lines endogenously expressing this HERV-H Xp22.3 ORF was achieved. These data demonstrate that human T cells can be sensitized toward HERV peptides and moreover posses a high lytic potential toward HERV-H expressing CRC cells. Additionally, these data hint toward endogenous ENV protein expression followed by proteasomal degradation and presentation in the context of HLA molecules. Finally, our data strengthen the view that HERV-encoded sequences should be considered as a new class of tumor-specific antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina S. Mullins
- Department of General, Thoracic, Vascular and Transplantation Surgery, Section Molecular Oncology and Immunotherapy, University of Rostock, Schillingallee 35, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Michael Linnebacher
- Department of General, Thoracic, Vascular and Transplantation Surgery, Section Molecular Oncology and Immunotherapy, University of Rostock, Schillingallee 35, 18057 Rostock, Germany
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