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Kirsten TB, Casarin RC, Bernardi MM, Felicio LF. Pioglitazone abolishes autistic-like behaviors via the IL-6 pathway. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197060. [PMID: 29791472 PMCID: PMC5965820 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism is characterized by social deficits, communication abnormalities, and repetitive behaviors. The risk factors appear to include genetic and environmental conditions, such as prenatal infections and maternal dietary factors. Previous investigations by our group have demonstrated that prenatal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which mimics infections by gram-negative bacteria, induces autistic-like behaviors. No effective treatment yet exists for autism. Therefore, we used our rat model to test a possible treatment for autism. We selected pioglitazone to block or ease the impairments induced by LPS because although this drug was designed as an anti-diabetic drug (it has an insulin effect), it also exerts anti-inflammatory effects. Juvenile offspring were treated daily with pioglitazone, and the main behaviors related to autism, namely, socialization (play behavior) and communication (50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations), were studied. Biomarkers linked to autism and/or pioglitazone were also studied to attempt to understand the mechanisms involved, namely, IL-6, TNF-alpha, MCP-1, insulin, and leptin. Prenatal LPS exposure induced social deficits and communicational abnormalities in juvenile rat offspring as well as elevated plasma IL-6 levels. Daily postnatal pioglitazone treatment blocked the impairments found in terms of the time spent on social interaction, the number of vocalizations (i.e., autistic-like behaviors) and the elevated plasma IL-6 levels. Thus, pioglitazone appears to be a relevant candidate for the treatment of autism. The present findings may contribute to a better understanding and treatment of autism and associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Berti Kirsten
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Renato C. Casarin
- Graduate Program of Dentistry, Paulista University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria M. Bernardi
- Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, São Paulo, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Dentistry, Paulista University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luciano F. Felicio
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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52
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Hung YF, Chen CY, Shih YC, Liu HY, Huang CM, Hsueh YP. Endosomal TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8 control neuronal morphology through different transcriptional programs. J Cell Biol 2018; 217:2727-2742. [PMID: 29777026 PMCID: PMC6080926 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201712113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is associated with diverse neurological disorders. Endosomal Toll-like receptors (TLRs) including TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8 cell-autonomously regulate neuronal differentiation. However, the mechanisms by which these three TLRs affect neuronal morphology are unclear. In this study, we compare these TLRs in mouse neurons. By combining in vitro neuronal cultures, in utero electroporation, and transcriptomic profiling, we show that TLR8, TLR7, and TLR3 promote dendritic pruning via MYD88 signaling. However, they induce different transcriptomic profiles related to innate immunity, signaling, and neuronal development. The temporal expression patterns and the effects on neuronal morphology are not identical upon activation of these endosomal TLRs. Pathway analyses and in vitro studies specifically implicate mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in TLR8-mediated dendritic pruning. We further show that TLR8 is more critical for dendritic arborization at a late development stage in vivo. The activation of TLR8, TLR7, or TLR3 results in dendritic shortening, and TLR7 and TLR3 but not TLR8 also control axonal growth. In-depth transcriptomic analyses show that TLRs use different downstream pathways to control neuronal morphology, which may contribute to neuronal development and pathological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Fen Hung
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Ya Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chun Shih
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Liu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | - Yi-Ping Hsueh
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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53
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Israelyan N, Margolis KG. Serotonin as a link between the gut-brain-microbiome axis in autism spectrum disorders. Pharmacol Res 2018; 132:1-6. [PMID: 29614380 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and repetitive patterns of behavior. ASD is, however, often associated with medical comorbidities and gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is among the most common. Studies have demonstrated a correlation between GI dysfunction and the degree of social impairment in ASD. The etiology of GI abnormalities in ASD is unclear, though the association between GI dysfunction and ASD-associated behaviors suggest that overlapping developmental defects in the brain and the intestine and/or a defect in communication between the enteric and central nervous systems (ENS and CNS, respectively), known as the gut-brain axis, could be responsible for the observed phenotypes. Brain-gut abnormalities have been increasingly implicated in several disease processes, including ASD. As a critical modulator of ENS and CNS development and function, serotonin may be a nexus for the gut-brain axis in ASD. This paper reviews the role of serotonin in ASD from the perspective of the ENS. A murine model that has been demonstrated to possess brain, behavioral and GI abnormalities mimicking those seen in ASD harbors the most common serotonin transporter (SERT) based mutation (SERT Ala56) found in children with ASD. Discussion of the gut-brain manifestations in the SERT Ala56 mice, and their correction with developmental administration of a 5-HT4 agonist, are also addressed in conjunction with other future directions for diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narek Israelyan
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 W 168(th) St, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Kara Gross Margolis
- Department of Pediatrics, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, 620 W 168(th) St, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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54
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Choi J, Lee S, Won J, Jin Y, Hong Y, Hur TY, Kim JH, Lee SR, Hong Y. Pathophysiological and neurobehavioral characteristics of a propionic acid-mediated autism-like rat model. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192925. [PMID: 29447237 PMCID: PMC5814017 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is induced by complex hereditary and environmental factors. However, the mechanisms of ASD development are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to identify standard indicators of this condition by comparing clinical, pathophysiological, and neurobehavioral features in an autism-like animal model. A total of 22 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control and 500 mg/kg propionic acid (PPA)-treated groups. Rats were subjected to behavioral tests, gene expression analyses, and histological analyses to detect pathophysiological and neurobehavioral alterations. Exploratory activity and non-aggressive behavior were significantly reduced in PPA-treated rats, whereas enhanced aggressive behavior during adjacent interactions was observed on day 14 after PPA administration. To evaluate gene expression after PPA administration, we analyzed hippocampal tissue using reverse transcription PCR. Glial fibrillary acidic protein was augmented in the PPA-treated group on day 14 after appearance of ASD-like behaviors by PPA administration, whereas octamer-binding transcription factor 4 expression was significantly decreased in the PPA-treated group. Histological evaluation revealed significantly reduced diameter and layer thickness of granule cells in PPA-treated rats compared with control rats. We conclude that PPA administration induced abnormal neural cell organization, which may have led to autism-like neurobehaviors, including increased aggressive behavior, reduced exploratory activity, and isolative and passive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeonghyun Choi
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Biohealth Products Research Center (BPRC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Ubiquitous Healthcare & Anti-aging Research Center (u-HARC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
| | - Seunghoon Lee
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Biohealth Products Research Center (BPRC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Ubiquitous Healthcare & Anti-aging Research Center (u-HARC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
| | - Jinyoung Won
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Biohealth Products Research Center (BPRC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Ubiquitous Healthcare & Anti-aging Research Center (u-HARC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
| | - Yunho Jin
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Biohealth Products Research Center (BPRC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Ubiquitous Healthcare & Anti-aging Research Center (u-HARC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
| | - Yunkyung Hong
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Biohealth Products Research Center (BPRC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Ubiquitous Healthcare & Anti-aging Research Center (u-HARC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Healthcare Medical Science & Engineering, Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
| | - Tai-Young Hur
- Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Wanju, Korea
| | - Joo-Heon Kim
- Institute of Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea
| | - Sang-Rae Lee
- National Primate Research Center (NPRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Ochang, Korea
- * E-mail: (YH); (SRL)
| | - Yonggeun Hong
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Biohealth Products Research Center (BPRC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Ubiquitous Healthcare & Anti-aging Research Center (u-HARC), Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Healthcare Medical Science & Engineering, Inje University, Gimhae, Korea
- * E-mail: (YH); (SRL)
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55
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Rom AL, Wu CS, Olsen J, Jawaheer D, Hetland ML, Mørch LS. Parental Rheumatoid Arthritis and Autism Spectrum Disorders in Offspring: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018; 57:28-32.e1. [PMID: 29301665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Revised: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Maternal rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the offspring. We assessed the potential influence of both maternal and paternal RA on the risk of ASD in offspring to disentangle the influence of genetic inheritance from other conditions potentially leading to fetal programming. METHOD The nationwide cohort study included all children born alive from 1977 to 2008 in Denmark (N = 1,917,723). Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard rate ratios (HR) of ASD in offspring exposed to maternal or paternal RA, compared to unexposed children. RESULTS Maternal RA was associated with an approximately 30% increased risk of ASD in the offspring (HR = 1.31 and 95% CI = 1.06-1.63). Also, paternal RA seemed to increase the risk of ASD by approximately 30% (HR = 1.33, 95% CI = 0.97-1.82). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest maternal as well as paternal RA to be associated with an increased risk of ASD in the offspring, indicating that genetic factors associated with RA may also play a role in the etiology of ASD in children of parents with RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ane Lilleøre Rom
- Research Unit Women's and Children's Health, The Juliane Marie Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Chun Sen Wu
- Research Unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, and Odense University Hospital
| | - Jørn Olsen
- Section for Epidemiology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark, and Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | - Merete Lund Hetland
- Copenhagen Center for Arthritis Research, Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark and Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lina Steinrud Mørch
- Gynaecological Clinic, The Juliane Marie Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, and Danish Cancer Society Research Centre, Virus, Lifestyle and Genes Unit, Copenhagen
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56
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Ali A, Cui X, Eyles D. Developmental vitamin D deficiency and autism: Putative pathogenic mechanisms. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2018; 175:108-118. [PMID: 28027915 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2016.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disease that presents in early life. Despite a considerable amount of studies, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying autism remain obscure. Both genetic and environmental factors are involved in the development of autism. Vitamin D deficiency is emerging as a consistently reported risk factor in children. One reason for the prominence now being given to this risk factor is that it would appear to interact with several other epidemiological risk factors for autism. Vitamin D is an active neurosteroid and plays crucial neuroprotective roles in the developing brain. It has important roles in cell proliferation and differentiation, immunomodulation, regulation of neurotransmission and steroidogenesis. Animal studies have suggested that transient prenatal vitamin D deficiency is associated with altered brain development. Here we review the potential neurobiological mechanisms linking prenatal vitamin D deficiency and autism and also discuss what future research targets must now be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asad Ali
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Xiaoying Cui
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Darryl Eyles
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Wacol, Qld 4076, Australia.
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57
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Sanders TR, Glendining KA, Jasoni CL. Obesity during pregnancy in the mouse alters the Netrin-1 responsiveness of foetal arcuate nucleus neuropeptide Y neurones. J Neuroendocrinol 2017; 29. [PMID: 29121420 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
When individuals undergo gestation in an obese dam, they are at increased risk for impairments in the ability of the brain to regulate body weight. In rodents, gestation in an obese dam leads to a number of changes to the development of the hypothalamic neurones that regulate body weight, including reduced neuronal connectivity at birth. In the present study, we aimed to clarify how this neural circuitry develops normally, as well as to explore the mechanism underpinning the deficiency in connectivity seen in foetuses developing in obese dams. First, we developed an in vitro model for observing and manipulating the axonal growth of foetal arcuate nucleus (ARN) neuropeptide (NPY) neurones. We then used this model to test 2 hypotheses: (i) ARN NPY neurones respond to Netrin-1, one of a small number of axon growth and guidance factors that regulate neural circuit formation throughout the developing brain; and (ii) Netrin-1 responsiveness would be lost upon exposure to the inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6, which is elevated in foetuses developing in obese dams. We observed that ARN NPY neurones responded to Netrin-1 with a significant expansion of their growth cones, comprising the terminal apparatus that neurones use to navigate. Unexpectedly, we found further that NPY neurones from obese pregnancies had a reduced responsiveness to Netrin-1, raising the possibility that ARN NPY neurones from foetuses developing in obese dams were phenotypically different from normal NPY neurones. Finally, we observed that IL-6 treatment of normal NPY neurones in vitro led to a reduced growth cone responsiveness to Netrin-1, essentially causing them to behave similarly to NPY neurones from obese pregnancies. These results support the hypothesis that IL-6 can disrupt the normal process of axon growth from NPY neurones, and suggest one possible mechanism for how the body weight regulating circuitry fails to develop properly in the offspring of obese dams.
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Affiliation(s)
- T R Sanders
- Department of Anatomy, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago School of Medical Sciences, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - K A Glendining
- Department of Anatomy, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago School of Medical Sciences, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - C L Jasoni
- Department of Anatomy, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago School of Medical Sciences, Dunedin, New Zealand
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58
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Ahmad SF, Nadeem A, Ansari MA, Bakheet SA, Al-Ayadhi LY, Attia SM. Upregulation of IL-9 and JAK-STAT signaling pathway in children with autism. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 79:472-480. [PMID: 28802860 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) gradually develops predominantly neurodevelopmental disorders, which are socially diagnosed in early childhood. Though the etiopathology of ASD is not clear, immune alteration has been suggested as autism's pathophysiological mechanism. Previous studies found that several cytokines and transcription factor activation pathways were significantly increased in ASD. IL-9 has been confirmed to play a significant role in the central nervous system (CNS). The aim of the present study was to investigate the understudied role of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway in ASD. We examined the IL-1β, IL-4, IFN-γ, and IL-9 positive immunostaining in all cells, and CD4+ T cells, in ASD and normally developing control children (TD), on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), using flow cytometry. We explored PBMC mRNA expression levels for IL-1β, IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-9, JAK1, and STAT5, by using real-time PCR (RT-PCR). We also explored PBMC protein expression levels for IL-1β, IL-4, IL-9, pJAK1, and pSTAT5 by using western blotting. We found that the children with ASD had increased IL-1β, IL-4, IFN-γ, and IL-9 positive immunostaining in all cells, and in CD4+ cells, relative to the TD controls. The mRNA and protein expression for IL-1β, IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-9, JAK1, pJAK1, STAT5, and pSTAT5 were also significantly elevated in ASD relative to TD controls. These results suggested that cytokines and JAK-STAT activation signaling have an essential role in immune dysfunction in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh F Ahmad
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Ahmed Nadeem
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mushtaq A Ansari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh A Bakheet
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Laila Yousef Al-Ayadhi
- Autism Research and Treatment Center, AL-Amodi Autism Research Chair, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabry M Attia
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
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59
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Smith BL, Reyes TM. Offspring neuroimmune consequences of maternal malnutrition: Potential mechanism for behavioral impairments that underlie metabolic and neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Neuroendocrinol 2017; 47:109-122. [PMID: 28736323 PMCID: PMC8600507 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Maternal malnutrition significantly increases offspring risk for both metabolic and neurodevelopmental disorders. Animal models of maternal malnutrition have identified behavioral changes in the adult offspring related to executive function and reward processing. Together, these changes in executive and reward-based behaviors likely contribute to the etiology of both metabolic and neurodevelopmental disorders associated with maternal malnutrition. Concomitant with the behavioral effects, maternal malnutrition alters offspring expression of reward-related molecules and inflammatory signals in brain pathways that control executive function and reward. Neuroimmune pathways and microglial interactions in these specific brain circuits, either in early development or later in adulthood, could directly contribute to the maternal malnutrition-induced behavioral phenotypes. Understanding these mechanisms will help advance treatment strategies for metabolic and neurodevelopmental disorders, especially noninvasive dietary supplementation interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- B L Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, USA
| | - T M Reyes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, USA.
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60
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Prevention of behavioral deficits in rats exposed to folate receptor antibodies: implication in autism. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:1291-1297. [PMID: 27646260 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Folate receptor alpha (FRα) autoantibodies have been associated with fetal abnormalities and cerebral folate deficiency-related developmental disorders. Over 70% of the children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are positive for these autoantibodies and high-dose folinic acid is beneficial in treating these children. Here we show that antibodies (Abs) to the rat FRα administered during gestation produce communication, learning and cognitive deficits in a rat model that can be prevented by folinic acid and dexamethasone. FRα Ab can trigger inflammation as well as block folate transport to the fetus and to the developing brain to produce the functional deficits. In humans, exposure to FRα autoantibodies during fetal development and infancy could contribute to brain dysfunction such as that seen in ASD and other developmental disorders. Identifying women positive for the autoantibody and treating them with high-dose folinic acid along with other interventions to lower the autoantibody titer are effective strategies that may be considered to reduce the risk of having a child with developmental deficits.
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61
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Ansari MA, Nadeem A, Attia SM, Bakheet SA, Raish M, Ahmad SF. Adenosine A2A receptor modulates neuroimmune function through Th17/retinoid-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt) signaling in a BTBR T + Itpr3 tf /J mouse model of autism. Cell Signal 2017; 36:14-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2017.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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62
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Xie J, Huang L, Li X, Li H, Zhou Y, Zhu H, Pan T, Kendrick KM, Xu W. Immunological cytokine profiling identifies TNF-α as a key molecule dysregulated in autistic children. Oncotarget 2017; 8:82390-82398. [PMID: 29137272 PMCID: PMC5669898 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be caused by immunological factors, particularly abnormalities in the innate immune system. However, it is still unclear which specific cytokines may be of most importance. The current study therefore investigated which cytokines showed altered concentrations in blood in ASD compared with healthy control children and which were also correlated with symptom severity. Our study sample included 32 children diagnosed with ASD and 28 age and sex-matched typically developing children. Autism symptoms were measured using the Autistic Behavior Checklist (ABC) and blood samples were taken from all subjects. We used Milliplex cytokine kits to determine serum concentrations of 11 Th1, Th2 and Th17 related cytokines. Additionally, expression of THRIL (TNFα and hnRNPL related immunoregulatory LincRNA), a long non-coding RNA involved in the regulation of tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α), was determined using real–time PCR. Of the 11 cytokines measured only concentrations of TNF-α (p=0.002), IL-1β (p=0.02) and IL-17a (p=0.049) were significantly increased in ASD children compared to typically developing controls, but only TNF-α concentrations were positively correlated with severity of ASD symptoms on all 5 different ABC sub-scales and were predictive of an ASD phenotype (area under the curve = 0.74). Furthermore, THRIL RNA expression was significantly decreased in ASD children. Our results provide further support for altered innate immunity being an important autism pathogenic factor, with autistic children showing increased blood TNF-α concentrations associated with symptom severity, and decreased expression of the THRIL gene involved in regulating TNF-α.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Xie
- The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiao Tong University Medical School, Chengdu, China.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Li Huang
- The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiao Tong University Medical School, Chengdu, China.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xiaohong Li
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, Department of Obstetrics, West China Second University Hospital, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hua Li
- The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiao Tong University Medical School, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongmei Zhou
- The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiao Tong University Medical School, Chengdu, China
| | - Hua Zhu
- The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiao Tong University Medical School, Chengdu, China
| | - Tianying Pan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenming Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Joint Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, SCU-CUHK, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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63
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Careaga M, Murai T, Bauman MD. Maternal Immune Activation and Autism Spectrum Disorder: From Rodents to Nonhuman and Human Primates. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 81:391-401. [PMID: 28137374 PMCID: PMC5513502 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 229] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A subset of women who are exposed to infection during pregnancy have an increased risk of giving birth to a child who will later be diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental or neuropsychiatric disorder. Although epidemiology studies have primarily focused on the association between maternal infection and an increased risk of offspring schizophrenia, mounting evidence indicates that maternal infection may also increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. A number of factors, including genetic susceptibility, the intensity and timing of the infection, and exposure to additional aversive postnatal events, may influence the extent to which maternal infection alters fetal brain development and which disease phenotype (autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, other neurodevelopmental disorders) is expressed. Preclinical animal models provide a test bed to systematically evaluate the effects of maternal infection on fetal brain development, determine the relevance to human central nervous system disorders, and to evaluate novel preventive and therapeutic strategies. Maternal immune activation models in mice, rats, and nonhuman primates suggest that the maternal immune response is the critical link between exposure to infection during pregnancy and subsequent changes in brain and behavioral development of offspring. However, differences in the type, severity, and timing of prenatal immune challenge paired with inconsistencies in behavioral phenotyping approaches have hindered the translation of preclinical results to human studies. Here we highlight the promises and limitations of the maternal immune activation model as a preclinical tool to study prenatal risk factors for autism spectrum disorder, and suggest specific changes to improve reproducibility and maximize translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milo Careaga
- UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Takeshi Murai
- UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, California; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California; Biomarker Group, Drug Development Research Laboratories, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Melissa D Bauman
- UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California.
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Martin E, Smeester L, Bommarito PA, Grace MR, Boggess K, Kuban K, Karagas MR, Marsit CJ, O'Shea TM, Fry RC. Sexual epigenetic dimorphism in the human placenta: implications for susceptibility during the prenatal period. Epigenomics 2017; 9:267-278. [PMID: 28234023 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2016-0132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM Sex-based differences in response to adverse prenatal environments and infant outcomes have been observed, yet the underlying mechanisms for this are unclear. The placental epigenome may be a driver of these differences. METHODS Placental DNA methylation was assessed at more than 480,000 CpG sites from male and female infants enrolled in the extremely low gestational age newborns cohort (ELGAN) and validated in a separate US-based cohort. The impact of gestational age on placental DNA methylation was further examined using the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study for a total of n = 467 placentas. RESULTS A total of n = 2745 CpG sites, representing n = 587 genes, were identified as differentially methylated (p < 1 × 10-7). The majority (n = 582 or 99%) of these were conserved among the New Hampshire Birth Cohort. The identified genes encode proteins related to immune function, growth/transcription factor signaling and transport across cell membranes. CONCLUSION These data highlight sex-dependent epigenetic patterning in the placenta and provide insight into differences in infant outcomes and responses to the perinatal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Martin
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lisa Smeester
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Paige A Bommarito
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthew R Grace
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kim Boggess
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Karl Kuban
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - T Michael O'Shea
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Neuroinflammation in Autism: Plausible Role of Maternal Inflammation, Dietary Omega 3, and Microbiota. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:3597209. [PMID: 27840741 PMCID: PMC5093279 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3597209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Several genetic causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been identified. However, more recent work has highlighted that certain environmental exposures early in life may also account for some cases of autism. Environmental insults during pregnancy, such as infection or malnutrition, seem to dramatically impact brain development. Maternal viral or bacterial infections have been characterized as disruptors of brain shaping, even if their underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Poor nutritional diversity, as well as nutrient deficiency, is strongly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in children. For instance, imbalanced levels of essential fatty acids, and especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), are observed in patients with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia). Interestingly, PUFAs, and specifically n-3 PUFAs, are powerful immunomodulators that exert anti-inflammatory properties. These prenatal dietary and immunologic factors not only impact the fetal brain, but also affect the microbiota. Recent work suggests that the microbiota could be the missing link between environmental insults in prenatal life and future neurodevelopmental disorders. As both nutrition and inflammation can massively affect the microbiota, we discuss here how understanding the crosstalk between these three actors could provide a promising framework to better elucidate ASD etiology.
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Fluegge K. Does environmental exposure to the greenhouse gas, N 2O, contribute to etiological factors in neurodevelopmental disorders? A mini-review of the evidence. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2016; 47:6-18. [PMID: 27566494 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2016] [Revised: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodevelopmental disorders are increasing in prevalence worldwide. Previous work suggests that exposure to the environmental air pollutant and greenhouse gas - nitrous oxide (N2O) - may be an etiological factor in neurodevelopmental disorders through the targeting of several neural correlates. METHODOLOGY While a number of recent systematic reviews have addressed the role of general anesthesia in the surgical setting and neurodevelopmental outcomes, a narrative mini-review was conducted to first define and characterize the relevant variables (i.e., N2O, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] and autism spectrum disorders [ASD]) and their potential interactions into a coherent, hypothesis-generating work. The narrative mini-review merges basic principles in environmental science, anesthesiology, and psychiatry to more fully develop the novel hypotheses that neurodevelopmental impairment found in conditions like ADHD and ASD may be due to exposure to the increasing air pollutant, N2O. RESULTS The results of the present mini-review indicate that exposure to N2O, even at non-toxic doses, may modulate central neurotransmission and target many neural substrates directly implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders, including the glutamatergic, opioidergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic systems. Epidemiological studies also indicate that early and repeated exposure to general anesthesia, including N2O, may contribute to later adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. CONCLUSIONS The current evidence and subsequent hypotheses suggest that a renewed interest be taken in the toxicological assessment of environmental N2O exposure using validated biomarkers and psychiatric endpoints. Given the relevance of N2O as a greenhouse gas, societies may also wish to engage in a more robust monitoring and reporting of N2O levels in the environment for climactic benefit as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Fluegge
- Institute of Health and Environmental Research, Cleveland, OH 44118, USA.
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67
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Strunecka A, Blaylock RL, Strunecky O. Fluoride, aluminum, and aluminofluoride complexes in pathogenesis of the autism spectrum disorders: A possible role of immunoexcitotoxicity. J Appl Biomed 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jab.2016.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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Zerbo O, Qian Y, Yoshida C, Grether JK, Van de Water J, Croen LA. Maternal Infection During Pregnancy and Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 45:4015-25. [PMID: 24366406 PMCID: PMC4108569 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-013-2016-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We conducted a nested case-control study including 407 cases and 2,075 frequency matched controls to investigate the association between maternal infections during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Cases, controls, and maternal infections were ascertained from Kaiser Permanente Northern California clinical databases. No overall association between diagnoses of any maternal infection during pregnancy and ASD was observed [adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) = 1.15, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.92-1.43]. However, women with infections diagnosed during a hospital admission (ORadj = 1.48, 95 % CI 1.07-2.04), particularly bacterial infections (ORadj = 1.58, 95 % CI 1.06-2.37), were at increased risk of delivering a child with ASD. Multiple infections during pregnancy were associated with ASD (ORadj = 1.36, 95 % CI 1.05-1.78).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ousseny Zerbo
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA.
| | - Yinge Qian
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
| | - Cathleen Yoshida
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
| | | | - Judy Van de Water
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,The NIEHS Center for Children's Environmental Health, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA
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Dysregulation of Th1, Th2, Th17, and T regulatory cell-related transcription factor signaling in children with autism. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:4390-4400. [PMID: 27344332 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-9977-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by stereotypic repetitive behaviors, impaired social interactions, and communication deficits. Numerous immune system abnormalities have been described in individuals with autism including abnormalities in the ratio of Th1/Th2/Th17 cells; however, the expression of the transcription factors responsible for the regulation and differentiation of Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg cells has not previously been evaluated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from children with autism (AU) or typically developing (TD) control children were stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin in the presence of brefeldin A. The expressions of Foxp3, RORγt, STAT-3, T-bet, and GATA-3 mRNAs and proteins were then assessed. Our study shows that children with AU displayed altered immune profiles and function, characterized by a systemic deficit of Foxp3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells and increased RORγt+, T-bet+, GATA-3+, and production by CD4+ T cells as compared to TD. This was confirmed by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses. Our results suggest that autism impacts transcription factor signaling, which results in an immunological imbalance. Therefore, the restoration of transcription factor signaling may have a great therapeutic potential in the treatment of autistic disorders.
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Koks N, Ghassabian A, Greaves-Lord K, Hofman A, Jaddoe VW, Verhulst FC, Tiemeier H. Maternal C-Reactive Protein Concentration in Early Pregnancy and Child Autistic Traits in the General Population. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2016; 30:181-9. [PMID: 26860445 PMCID: PMC4751036 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to elevated levels of inflammatory markers during pregnancy has been suggested as possible aetiologic factor in the occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we investigated the prospective relation between maternal C-reactive protein (CRP) during early pregnancy and children's autistic traits in the general population. METHODS In a large population-based cohort in the Netherlands, we measured maternal CRP levels before 18 weeks of gestation (N = 4165). Parents reported on their children's autistic traits at age 6 years using the Social Responsiveness Scale, and the Pervasive Developmental Problem scale. Regression models were used to examine the relation between maternal CRP levels and autistic traits in children. RESULTS Compared with the reference group (CRP < 2.3 mg/L), elevated levels of CRP (>7.8 mg/L) in pregnant women were associated with higher Social Responsiveness Scale scores in children [β = 0.055, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.033, 0.078]; however, the effect was strongly attenuated after adjustment for several socioeconomic factors and in particular by maternal health-related factors including body mass index (fully adjusted model β = 0.018, 95% CI -0.005, 0.042). We found no relation between maternal CRP levels and pervasive developmental problem. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the association between elevated levels of maternal CRP in pregnancy and autistic traits in children is confounded by maternal health-related and socioeconomic factors. Further studies are needed to explore whether other maternal inflammatory markers during pregnancy, as a response to maternal inflammation, are associated with the development of autistic traits in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasja Koks
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Akhgar Ghassabian
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Kirstin Greaves-Lord
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Yulius Academy, Yulius, Organization of Mental Health, Dordrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert Hofman
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Vincent W.V. Jaddoe
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frank C. Verhulst
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CB Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Gottfried C, Bambini-Junior V, Francis F, Riesgo R, Savino W. The Impact of Neuroimmune Alterations in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:121. [PMID: 26441683 PMCID: PMC4563148 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves a complex interplay of both genetic and environmental risk factors, with immune alterations and synaptic connection deficiency in early life. In the past decade, studies of ASD have substantially increased, in both humans and animal models. Immunological imbalance (including autoimmunity) has been proposed as a major etiological component in ASD, taking into account increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines observed in postmortem brain from patients, as well as autoantibody production. Also, epidemiological studies have established a correlation of ASD with family history of autoimmune diseases; associations with major histocompatibility complex haplotypes and abnormal levels of immunological markers in the blood. Moreover, the use of animal models to study ASD is providing increasing information on the relationship between the immune system and the pathophysiology of ASD. Herein, we will discuss the accumulating literature for ASD, giving special attention to the relevant aspects of factors that may be related to the neuroimmune interface in the development of ASD, including changes in neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmem Gottfried
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder (GETTEA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Research Group in Neuroglial Plasticity, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Victorio Bambini-Junior
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder (GETTEA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Research Group in Neuroglial Plasticity, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fiona Francis
- Sorbonne Université, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
- INSERM UMR-S 839, Paris, France
- Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Rudimar Riesgo
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorder (GETTEA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Child Neurology Unit, Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Wilson Savino
- Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Cytokine-dependent bidirectional connection between impaired social behavior and susceptibility to seizures associated with maternal immune activation in mice. Epilepsy Behav 2015; 50:40-5. [PMID: 26103532 PMCID: PMC4562803 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) results in the development of autism in the offspring via hyperactivation of IL-6 signaling. Furthermore, experimental studies showed that the MIA-associated activation of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concurrently with IL-6 increases the rate and the severity of hippocampal kindling in mice, thus, offering an explanation for autism-epilepsy comorbidity. We examined whether epileptic phenotype triggered by prenatal exposure to IL-6 and IL-1β combination is restricted to kindling or whether it is reproducible in another model of epilepsy, whereby spontaneous seizures develop following kainic acid (KA)-induced status epilepticus. We also examined whether in mice prenatally exposed to IL-6 and IL-6+IL-1β, the presence of spontaneous seizures would exacerbate autism-like features. Between days 12 and 16 of pregnancy, C57BL/6J mice received daily injections of IL-6, IL-1β, or IL-6+IL-1β combination. At postnatal day 40, male offspring were examined for the presence of social behavioral deficit, and status epilepticus was induced by intrahippocampal KA injection. After 6weeks of monitoring for spontaneous seizures, sociability was tested again. Both IL-6 and IL-6+IL-1β offspring presented with social behavioral deficit. Prenatal exposure to IL-6 alleviated, while such exposure to IL-6+IL-1β exacerbated, the severity of KA-induced epilepsy. Increased severity of epilepsy in the IL-6+IL-1β mice correlated with the improvement of autism-like behavior. We conclude that complex and not necessarily agonistic relationships exist between epileptic and autism-like phenotypes in an animal model of MIA coupled with KA-induced epilepsy and that the nature of these relationships depends on components of MIA involved.
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73
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Zhao D, Lin M, Chen J, Pedrosa E, Hrabovsky A, Fourcade HM, Zheng D, Lachman HM. MicroRNA Profiling of Neurons Generated Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived from Patients with Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder, and 22q11.2 Del. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0132387. [PMID: 26173148 PMCID: PMC4501820 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We are using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to study neuropsychiatric disorders associated with 22q11.2 microdeletions (del), the most common known schizophrenia (SZ)-associated genetic factor. Several genes in the region have been implicated; a promising candidate is DGCR8, which codes for a protein involved in microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis. We carried out miRNA expression profiling (miRNA-seq) on neurons generated from iPSCs derived from controls and SZ patients with 22q11.2 del. Using thresholds of p<0.01 for nominal significance and 1.5-fold differences in expression, 45 differentially expressed miRNAs were detected (13 lower in SZ and 32 higher). Of these, 6 were significantly down-regulated in patients after correcting for genome wide significance (FDR<0.05), including 4 miRNAs that map to the 22q11.2 del region. In addition, a nominally significant increase in the expression of several miRNAs was found in the 22q11.2 neurons that were previously found to be differentially expressed in autopsy samples and peripheral blood in SZ and autism spectrum disorders (e.g., miR-34, miR-4449, miR-146b-3p, and miR-23a-5p). Pathway and function analysis of predicted mRNA targets of the differentially expressed miRNAs showed enrichment for genes involved in neurological disease and psychological disorders for both up and down regulated miRNAs. Our findings suggest that: i. neurons with 22q11.2 del recapitulate the miRNA expression patterns expected of 22q11.2 haploinsufficiency, ii. differentially expressed miRNAs previously identified using autopsy samples and peripheral cells, both of which have significant methodological problems, are indeed disrupted in neuropsychiatric disorders and likely have an underlying genetic basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejian Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Mingyan Lin
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Jian Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Erika Pedrosa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Anastasia Hrabovsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - H. Matthew Fourcade
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Herbert M. Lachman
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York, United States of America
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Chen J, Lin M, Hrabovsky A, Pedrosa E, Dean J, Jain S, Zheng D, Lachman HM. ZNF804A Transcriptional Networks in Differentiating Neurons Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells of Human Origin. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124597. [PMID: 25905630 PMCID: PMC4408091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
ZNF804A (Zinc Finger Protein 804A) has been identified as a candidate gene for schizophrenia (SZ), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and bipolar disorder (BD) in replicated genome wide association studies (GWAS) and by copy number variation (CNV) analysis. Although its function has not been well-characterized, ZNF804A contains a C2H2-type zinc-finger domain, suggesting that it has DNA binding properties, and consequently, a role in regulating gene expression. To further explore the role of ZNF804A on gene expression and its downstream targets, we used a gene knockdown (KD) approach to reduce its expression in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). KD was accomplished by RNA interference (RNAi) using lentiviral particles containing shRNAs that target ZNF804A mRNA. Stable transduced NPC lines were generated after puromycin selection. A control cell line expressing a random (scrambled) shRNA was also generated. Neuronal differentiation was induced, RNA was harvested after 14 days and transcriptome analysis was carried out using RNA-seq. 1815 genes were found to be differentially expressed at a nominally significant level (p<0.05); 809 decreased in expression in the KD samples, while 1106 increased. Of these, 370 achieved genome wide significance (FDR<0.05); 125 were lower in the KD samples, 245 were higher. Pathway analysis showed that genes involved in interferon-signaling were enriched among those that were down-regulated in the KD samples. Correspondingly, ZNF804A KD was found to affect interferon-alpha 2 (IFNA2)-mediated gene expression. The findings suggest that ZNF804A may affect a differentiating neuron’s response to inflammatory cytokines, which is consistent with models of SZ and ASD that support a role for infectious disease, and/or autoimmunity in a subgroup of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Mingyan Lin
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Anastasia Hrabovsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Erika Pedrosa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Jason Dean
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Swati Jain
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Dominick Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DZ); (HML)
| | - Herbert M. Lachman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Dominick Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DZ); (HML)
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Merikangas KR, Calkins ME, Burstein M, He JP, Chiavacci R, Lateef T, Ruparel K, Gur RC, Lehner T, Hakonarson H, Gur RE. Comorbidity of physical and mental disorders in the neurodevelopmental genomics cohort study. Pediatrics 2015; 135:e927-38. [PMID: 25755242 PMCID: PMC4379458 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2014-1444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine patterns of associations between a broad range of mental and physical conditions by using a large, systematically obtained pediatric registry. METHODS The sample included 9014 youth ages 8 to 21 years (4349 males and 4665 females; 3585 aged <13 years, 3678 aged 13 to 18 years, and 1751 aged 19 to 21 years) from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort identified through pediatric clinics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia health care network by the Center for Applied Genomics. Measures were as follows: physical condition based on electronic medical records and interview data on 42 physical conditions of 14 organ systems/specialties and mental disorders based on an abbreviated version of the structured Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia psychiatric diagnostic interview. RESULTS There was a direct association between the severity of the physical condition and most classes of mental disorders, as well as with functional impairment. Models adjusted for sociodemographic correlates, other physical and mental disorders, and false discovery and revealed broad patterns of associations between neurodevelopmental disorders with behavior disorders (odds ratio [OR]: 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-1.8; P < .004) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (OR: 3.1; 95% CI: 2.7-3.6; P < .0001), and neurologic/central nervous system conditions (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1-1.9; P < .05) with mood disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1-1.5; P < .001), and autoimmune/inflammatory conditions with mood disorders (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.8, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS Findings show the strong overlap between physical and mental conditions and their impact on severity and functional impairment in youth. Specific patterns of comorbidity have important implications for etiology. Prospective tracking of cross-disorder morbidity will be important to establish more effective mechanisms for prevention and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marcy Burstein
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, Division of Intramural Research Program, and
| | - Jian-Ping He
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, Division of Intramural Research Program, and
| | - Rosetta Chiavacci
- The Center for Applied Genomics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Tarannum Lateef
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, Division of Intramural Research Program, and,Department of Neurology, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Kosha Ruparel
- Neuropsychiatry Section and Brain Behavior Laboratory and
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Neuropsychiatry Section and Brain Behavior Laboratory and
| | - Thomas Lehner
- Translational Genomics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Hakon Hakonarson
- Department of Pediatrics, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;,The Center for Applied Genomics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Neuropsychiatry Section and Brain Behavior Laboratory and
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76
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Duan G, Yao M, Ma Y, Zhang W. Perinatal and background risk factors for childhood autism in central China. Psychiatry Res 2014; 220:410-7. [PMID: 25085792 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.05.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Revised: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Perinatal and background risk factors for autism were identified in a cohort of autistic children in Zhengzhou, China, to formulate preventative and treatment strategies for high-risk families. In this case-control study, children were screened for suspected autism using the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and diagnosed according to DSM-IV and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). We collected perinatal histories and clinical data of 286 confirmed autistic children treated at the Third Affiliated Hospital Children׳s Psychological Clinic of Zhengzhou University from 2011 to 2013. The control group consisted of 286 healthy children from area kindergartens. Maternal age>30 years, parental introversion as measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, low level of parental education, smoking, abortion threat, pregnancy complications, maternal illness during pregnancy, maternal mental health, family history of mental illness, neonatal jaundice, birth asphyxia, premature rupture of the fetal membrane, and gestational age<37 weeks were significantly higher in the autism group. These factors were significantly correlated with behavioral symptoms as measured by ABC scores (Kendall rank correlation). Birth asphyxia, neonatal jaundice, maternal age, parental introversion, family history of mental illness, abortion threat, premature delivery, and smoking were identified as independent risk factors by multivariate logistic regression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiqin Duan
- Center of Children Psychology and Behavior, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan Province, China.
| | - Meiling Yao
- Center of Children Psychology and Behavior, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan Province, China
| | - Yating Ma
- Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- Beijing Academy of Education Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
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77
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Hegazy HG, Ali EHA, Elgoly AHM. Interplay between pro-inflammatory cytokines and brain oxidative stress biomarkers: evidence of parallels between butyl paraben intoxication and the valproic acid brain physiopathology in autism rat model. Cytokine 2014; 71:173-80. [PMID: 25461396 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2014.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Revised: 09/28/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Butyl paraben is a preservative used in food, drugs and cosmetics. Neurotoxic effect was reported recently beside the potential estrogenic activity of parabens. There is controversy as to the potential harmful effects of butyl parabens, which are suspected to contribute to autism and learning disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the similarities between paraben intoxication signs in the rat brain and brain markers in an autistic like rat model. This study provides evidence of many parallels between the two, including (1) oxidative stress, (2) decreased reduced glutathione levels and elevated oxidised glutathione, (3) mitochondrial dysfunction, and (4) neuroinflammation and increased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in the brain (tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1-beta, and interleukin-6). (5) Increased protein oxidation reported by a significant increase in 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT)/tyrosine ratio. (6) A marked disturbance was found in the production of energy carriers (AMP, ATP and AMP/ATP ratio) in comparison with the control. The evidence suggests that paraben may, to some extent, either cause or contribute to the brain physiopathology in ASDs or pathogens that produce the brain pathology observed in the diagnosed rat model of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoda G Hegazy
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Elham H A Ali
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Women for Arts, Science and Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Amany H Mahmoud Elgoly
- Hormone Evaluation Department, National Organization for Drug Control And Research (NODCAR), Giza, Egypt
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78
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Maternal immune activation and abnormal brain development across CNS disorders. Nat Rev Neurol 2014; 10:643-60. [PMID: 25311587 DOI: 10.1038/nrneurol.2014.187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 595] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have shown a clear association between maternal infection and schizophrenia or autism in the progeny. Animal models have revealed maternal immune activation (mIA) to be a profound risk factor for neurochemical and behavioural abnormalities in the offspring. Microglial priming has been proposed as a major consequence of mIA, and represents a critical link in a causal chain that leads to the wide spectrum of neuronal dysfunctions and behavioural phenotypes observed in the juvenile, adult or aged offspring. Such diversity of phenotypic outcomes in the mIA model are mirrored by recent clinical evidence suggesting that infectious exposure during pregnancy is also associated with epilepsy and, to a lesser extent, cerebral palsy in children. Preclinical research also suggests that mIA might precipitate the development of Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. Here, we summarize and critically review the emerging evidence that mIA is a shared environmental risk factor across CNS disorders that varies as a function of interactions between genetic and additional environmental factors. We also review ongoing clinical trials targeting immune pathways affected by mIA that may play a part in disease manifestation. In addition, future directions and outstanding questions are discussed, including potential symptomatic, disease-modifying and preventive treatment strategies.
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79
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Lin M, Zhao D, Hrabovsky A, Pedrosa E, Zheng D, Lachman HM. Heat shock alters the expression of schizophrenia and autism candidate genes in an induced pluripotent stem cell model of the human telencephalon. PLoS One 2014; 9:e94968. [PMID: 24736721 PMCID: PMC3988108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are highly heritable neuropsychiatric disorders, although environmental factors, such as maternal immune activation (MIA), play a role as well. Cytokines mediate the effects of MIA on neurogenesis and behavior in animal models. However, MIA stimulators can also induce a febrile reaction, which could have independent effects on neurogenesis through heat shock (HS)-regulated cellular stress pathways. However, this has not been well-studied. To help understand the role of fever in MIA, we used a recently described model of human brain development in which induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) differentiate into 3-dimensional neuronal aggregates that resemble a first trimester telencephalon. RNA-seq was carried out on aggregates that were heat shocked at 39°C for 24 hours, along with their control partners maintained at 37°C. 186 genes showed significant differences in expression following HS (p<0.05), including known HS-inducible genes, as expected, as well as those coding for NGFR and a number of SZ and ASD candidates, including SMARCA2, DPP10, ARNT2, AHI1 and ZNF804A. The degree to which the expression of these genes decrease or increase during HS is similar to that found in copy loss and copy gain copy number variants (CNVs), although the effects of HS are likely to be transient. The dramatic effect on the expression of some SZ and ASD genes places HS, and perhaps other cellular stressors, into a common conceptual framework with disease-causing genetic variants. The findings also suggest that some candidate genes that are assumed to have a relatively limited impact on SZ and ASD pathogenesis based on a small number of positive genetic findings, such as SMARCA2 and ARNT2, may in fact have a much more substantial role in these disorders - as targets of common environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyan Lin
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Dejian Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Anastasia Hrabovsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Erika Pedrosa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Dominick Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (HML); (D. Zheng)
| | - Herbert M. Lachman
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Dominick Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (HML); (D. Zheng)
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80
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Wong CT, Ahmad E, Li H, Crawford DA. Prostaglandin E2 alters Wnt-dependent migration and proliferation in neuroectodermal stem cells: implications for autism spectrum disorders. Cell Commun Signal 2014; 12:19. [PMID: 24656144 PMCID: PMC4233645 DOI: 10.1186/1478-811x-12-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a natural lipid-derived molecule that is involved in important physiological functions. Abnormal PGE2 signalling has been associated with pathologies of the nervous system. Previous studies provide evidence for the interaction of PGE2 and canonical Wnt signalling pathways in non-neuronal cells. Since the Wnt pathway is crucial in the development and organization of the brain, the main goal of this study is to determine whether collaboration between these pathways exists in neuronal cell types. We report that PGE2 interacts with canonical Wnt signalling through PKA and PI-3K in neuroectodermal (NE-4C) stem cells. We used time-lapse microscopy to determine that PGE2 increases the final distance from origin, path length travelled, and the average speed of migration in Wnt-activated cells. Furthermore, PGE2 alters distinct cellular phenotypes that are characteristic of Wnt-induced NE-4C cells, which corresponds to the modified splitting behaviour of the cells. We also found that in Wnt-induced cells the level of β-catenin protein was increased and the expression levels of Wnt-target genes (Ctnnb1, Ptgs2, Ccnd1, Mmp9) was significantly upregulated in response to PGE2 treatment. This confirms that PGE2 activated the canonical Wnt signalling pathway. Furthermore, the upregulated genes have been previously associated with ASD. Our findings show, for the first time, evidence for cross-talk between PGE2 and Wnt signalling in neuronal cells, where PKA and PI-3K might act as mediators between the two pathways. Given the importance of PGE2 and Wnt signalling in prenatal development of the nervous system, our study provides insight into how interaction between these two pathways may influence neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dorota A Crawford
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada.
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81
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McGee A, Li G, Lu Z, Qiu S. Convergent synaptic and circuit substrates underlying autism genetic risks. FRONTIERS IN BIOLOGY 2014; 9:137-150. [PMID: 24999357 PMCID: PMC4079081 DOI: 10.1007/s11515-014-1298-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There has been a surge of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) over the past decade. While large, high powered genome screening studies of children with ASD have identified numerous genetic risk factors, research efforts to understanding how each of these risk factors contributes to the development autism has met with limited success. Revealing the mechanisms by which these genetic risk factors affect brain development and predispose a child to autism requires mechanistic understanding of the neurobiological changes underlying this devastating group of developmental disorders at multifaceted molecular, cellular and system levels. It has been increasingly clear that the normal trajectory of neurodevelopment is compromised in autism, in multiple domains as much as aberrant neuronal production, growth, functional maturation, patterned connectivity, and balanced excitation and inhibition of brain networks. Many autism risk factors identified in humans have been now reconstituted in experimental mouse models to allow mechanistic interrogation of the biological role of the risk gene. Studies utilizing these mouse models have revealed that underlying the enormous heterogeneity of perturbed cellular events, mechanisms directing synaptic and circuit assembly may provide a unifying explanation for the pathophysiological changes and behavioral endophenotypes seen in autism, although synaptic perturbations are far from being the only alterations relevant for ASD. In this review, we discuss synaptic and circuit abnormalities obtained from several prevalent mouse models, particularly those reflecting syndromic forms of ASD that are caused by single gene perturbations. These compiled results reveal that ASD risk genes contribute to proper signaling of the developing gene networks that maintain synaptic and circuit homeostasis, which is fundamental to normal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron McGee
- Developmental Neuroscience Program, Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Guohui Li
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Life Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Zhongming Lu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Shenfeng Qiu
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Life Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
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82
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Obregon DF, Zhu Y, Bailey AR, Portis SM, Hou H, Zeng J, Stock SL, Murphy TK, Bengtson MA, Tan J. Potential Autoepitope within the Extracellular Region of Contactin-Associated Protein-like 2 in Mice. BRITISH JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL RESEARCH 2014; 4:416-432. [PMID: 24466509 PMCID: PMC3898533 DOI: 10.9734/bjmmr/2014/6135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Aims Implicated in autoimmune encephalitis, neuromyotonia and genetic forms of autism, here we report that contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2) contains a potential autoepitope within the extracellular region. Methodology CNTNAP2 sequence-similar regions (CSSRs) from human pathogens were identified. Sera from autistic and control children were obtained and analyzed for the presence of antibodies able to bind CSSRs. One such candidate CSSR was evaluated for evidence of autoimmune responses to CNTNAP2 in a mouse model of acute infection. Results Autistic and control children sera contained antibodies able to discrete regions of CNTNAP2. In a murine model of acute infection, a CSSR derived from the N-terminal extracellular region of CNTNAP2 resulted in anti-CNTNAP2 antibody production, proinflammatory cytokine elevation, cerebellar and cortical white matter T-cell infiltration as well as motor dysfunction. Conclusion Taken together, these data suggest that CNTNAP2 contains a potential autoepitope within the extracellular region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demian F Obregon
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, MDT 14, 3515 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33613, USA
| | - Yuyan Zhu
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, MDT 14, 3515 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33613, USA
| | - Antoinette R Bailey
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, MDT 14, 3515 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33613, USA
| | - Samantha M Portis
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, MDT 14, 3515 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33613, USA
| | - Huayan Hou
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, MDT 14, 3515 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33613, USA
| | - Jin Zeng
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, MDT 14, 3515 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33613, USA
| | - Saundra L Stock
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, MDT 14, 3515 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33613, USA
| | - Tanya K Murphy
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Rothman Center for Neuropsychiatry, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 800 6 Street South, Box 7523, Saint Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, Rothman Center for Neuropsychiatry, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 800 6 Street South, Box 7523, Saint Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA
| | - Michael A Bengtson
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, MDT 14, 3515 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33613, USA
| | - Jun Tan
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, MDT 14, 3515 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33613, USA
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83
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Abdallah MW, Michel TM. Matrix metalloproteinases in autism spectrum disorders. J Mol Psychiatry 2013; 1:16. [PMID: 25408909 PMCID: PMC4223892 DOI: 10.1186/2049-9256-1-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are group of developmental disabilities with a complex neurobiological basis including putative changes in the immune system. They are characterized by pervasive qualitative abnormalities in social interactions, communication, and stereotyped behaviour. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) represent a group of proteases which play an important role in neuroinflammation and neurodevelopment. Therefore, they possibly have a crucial function in the etiopathology of ASD. In this review, we summarize the plausibility of the hypothesis that MMPs are involved in the neuropathology of ASD. Possible pathways through which MMPs can contribute to the pathogenesis of ASD are discussed including neuroinflammatory mechanisms inclusive of mediating neuropathological effects of infections, the associations between MMPs and other biomarkers such as cytokines, chemokines and neurotrophic factors. Despite sufficient evidence for such an involvement of MMPs in the neuropathology of ASD, they have not yet been extensively studied in this context. Thus, further research in this field is not only urgently needed but also very promising and may also lead to new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morsi W Abdallah
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Straße 20, Rostock, 18147 Germany ; Department of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock, 18147 Germany
| | - Tanja M Michel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Rostock University Medical Center, Gehlsheimer Straße 20, Rostock, 18147 Germany
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84
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Abdallah MW, Larsen N, Grove J, Nørgaard-Pedersen B, Thorsen P, Mortensen EL, Hougaard DM. Amniotic fluid inflammatory cytokines: potential markers of immunologic dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders. World J Biol Psychiatry 2013; 14:528-38. [PMID: 22175527 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2011.639803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to analyze cytokine profiles in amniotic fluid (AF) samples of children developing autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and controls, adjusting for maternal autoimmune disorders and maternal infections during pregnancy. METHODS AF samples of 331 ASD cases and 698 controls were analyzed for inflammatory cytokines using Luminex xMAP technology utilizing a historic birth cohort. Clinical data were retrieved from nationwide registers, and case-control differences in AF cytokine levels were assessed using chi-square tests, logistic and tobit regression models. RESULTS Overall, individuals with ASD had significantly elevated AF levels of TNF-α and TNF-β compared to controls. Analyzing individuals diagnosed only with ICD-10 codes yielded significantly elevated levels of IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α and TNF-β in ASD patients. Restricting analysis to infantile autism cases showed significantly elevated levels of IL-4, TNF-α and TNF-β compared to controls with no psychiatric comorbidities. Elevated levels of IL-6 and IL-5 were found in individuals with other childhood psychiatric disorders (OCPD) when compared to controls with no psychiatric comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS AF samples of individuals with ASD or OCPD showed differential cytokine profiles compared to frequency-matched controls. Further studies to examine the specificity of the reported cytokine profiles in ASD and OCPD are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morsi W Abdallah
- Department of Epidemiology, Aarhus University Faculty of Health Sciences , Aarhus , Denmark
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85
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Wei H, Alberts I, Li X. Brain IL-6 and autism. Neuroscience 2013; 252:320-5. [PMID: 23994594 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2013] [Revised: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 08/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction, deficits in verbal and non-verbal communication, and repetitive behavior and restricted interests. Emerging evidence suggests that aberrant neuroimmune responses may contribute to phenotypic deficits and could be appropriate targets for pharmacologic intervention. Interleukin (IL)-6, one of the most important neuroimmune factors, has been shown to be involved in physiological brain development and in several neurological disorders. For instance, findings from postmortem and animal studies suggest that brain IL-6 is an important mediator of autism-like behaviors. In this review, a possible pathological mechanism behind autism is proposed, which suggests that IL-6 elevation in the brain, caused by the activated glia and/or maternal immune activation, could be an important inflammatory cytokine response involved in the mediation of autism-like behaviors through impairments of neuroanatomical structures and neuronal plasticity. Further studies to investigate whether IL-6 could be used for therapeutic interventions in autism would be of great significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Wei
- Central Laboratory, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
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86
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Ross H, Guo Y, Coleman K, Ousley O, Miller A. Association of IL-12p70 and IL-6:IL-10 ratio with autism-related behaviors in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: a preliminary report. Brain Behav Immun 2013; 31:76-81. [PMID: 23353117 PMCID: PMC3669236 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2012] [Revised: 12/28/2012] [Accepted: 12/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a genetic disorder that conveys a significant risk for the development of social behavior disorders, including autism and schizophrenia. Also known as DiGeorge syndrome, 22q11DS is the second most common genetic disorder and is characterized by an elevated risk for immune dysfunction, up to 77% of individuals have an identifiable immune deficiency. We hypothesize that this immune dysfunction could contribute to the elevated risk of impaired social behavior seen in 22q11DS. The current study begins to elucidate these immune deficits and link them with the behavioral alterations associated with the disorder. Serum concentrations of a series of cytokines were examined, using a multiplex immunoassay, in sixteen individuals with 22q11DS and screened for autism-related behavior using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). This preliminary study examined correlations between specific immune proteins and each of the ADI-R algorithm scores (social, communication, and repetitive behavior). The inflammatory cytokine IL-1β, as well as the ratio between the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, were correlated with social scores (r=0.851, p=0.004; r=0.580, p=0.018). In addition, the inflammatory cytokines interferon gamma and IL-12p70 were correlated with repetitive behaviors (r=0.795, p=0.033; r=0.774, p=0.002). Interestingly, IL-12 has been reported to be increased in autistic children. These data show a positive association between severity of autism-related behaviors and level of serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in individuals with 22q11DS, providing a basis for further inquiry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Ross
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, USA
| | - Ying Guo
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, EmoryUniversity, USA
| | - Karlene Coleman
- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Opal Ousley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, USA
| | - Andrew Miller
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed: Andrew Miller, M.D., Emory University, 1365b Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30322, Telephone: 404-727-8260,
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Role of perfumes in pathogenesis of autism. Med Hypotheses 2013; 80:795-803. [PMID: 23578362 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2013.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2013] [Revised: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 03/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are developmental conditions characterized by deficits in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and obsessive/stereotyped patterns of behavior. Although there is no reliable neurophysiological marker associated with ASDs, dysfunction of the parieto-frontal mirror neuron system and underdeveloped olfactory bulb (OB) has been associated with the disorder. It has been reported that the number of children who have ASD has increased considerably since the early 1990 s. In developed countries, it is now reported that 1-1.5% of children have ASD, and in the US it is estimated that one in 88 children suffer from ASD. Currently, there is no known cause for ASD. During the last three decades, the most commonly accepted paradigm about autism is that it is a genetically inherited disease. The recent trio analyses, in which both biological parents and the autistic child's exomes are sequenced, do not support this paradigm. On the other hand, the environmental factors that may induce genetic mutations in vitro have not been clearly identified, and there is little irrefutable evidence that pesticides, water born chemicals, or food preservatives play critical roles in inducing the genetic mutations associated with known intellectual deficiencies that have been linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we hypothesize and provide scientific evidence that ASD is the result of exposure to perfumes and cosmetics. The highly mutagenic, neurotoxic, and neuromodulatory chemicals found in perfumes are often overlooked and ignored as a result of a giant loophole in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973, which explicitly exempts fragrance producers from having to disclose perfume ingredients on product labels. We hypothesize that perfumes and cosmetics may be important factors in the pathogenesis of ASD. Synthetic perfumes have gained global utility not only as perfumes but also as essential chemicals in detergents, cosmetics, soap, and a wide variety of commonly used items, even in food flavoring to enhance product taste. Here we provide evidence that a majority of perfumes are highly mutagenic at femtomolar concentrations, and cause significant neuromodulations in human neuroblastoma cells at extremely low levels of concentration, levels that are expected to reach a developing fetal brain if the pregnant mothers are exposed to these chemicals.
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Role of IL-6 in the etiology of hyperexcitable neuropsychiatric conditions: experimental evidence and therapeutic implications. Future Med Chem 2012. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc.12.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neuropsychiatric conditions are primed or triggered by different types of stressors. The mechanisms through which stress induces neuropsychiatric disease are complex and incompletely understood. A ‘double hit’ hypothesis of neuropsychiatric disease postulates that stress induces maladaptive behavior in two phases separated by a dormant period. Recent research shows that the pleiotropic cytokine IL-6 is released centrally and peripherally following physical and psychological stress. In this article, we analyze evidence from clinics and animal models suggesting that stress-induced elevation in the levels of IL-6 may play a key role in the etiology of a heterogeneous family of hyperexcitable central conditions including epilepsy, schizophrenic psychoses, anxiety and disorders of the autistic spectrum. The cellular mechanism leading to hyperexcitable conditions might be a decrease in inhibitory/excitatory synaptic balance in either or both temporal phases of the conditions. Following these observations, we discuss how they may have important implications for optimal prophylactic and therapeutic pharmacological treatment.
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Neonatal levels of cytokines and risk of autism spectrum disorders: an exploratory register-based historic birth cohort study utilizing the Danish Newborn Screening Biobank. J Neuroimmunol 2012; 252:75-82. [PMID: 22917523 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2012.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2012] [Revised: 07/21/2012] [Accepted: 07/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to analyze cytokine profiles in neonatal dried blood samples (n-DBSS) retrieved from The Danish Newborn Screening Biobank of children developing Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) later in life and controls. Samples of 359 ASD cases and 741 controls were analyzed using Luminex xMAP technology and clinical data were retrieved from nationwide registers. Findings showed that children developing ASD were more likely to have decreased levels of both T helper-1(Th-1)-like cytokines (i.e. IFN-γ) and Th-2like cytokines (i.e. IL-4, IL-10) which may suggest a depressed or hypoactive immune cell activity during neonatal period in ASD.
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90
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Wei H, Chadman KK, McCloskey DP, Sheikh AM, Malik M, Brown WT, Li X. Brain IL-6 elevation causes neuronal circuitry imbalances and mediates autism-like behaviors. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2012; 1822:831-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2012.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2011] [Revised: 12/28/2011] [Accepted: 01/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Maher P. Methylglyoxal, advanced glycation end products and autism: Is there a connection? Med Hypotheses 2012; 78:548-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.01.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2011] [Revised: 12/22/2011] [Accepted: 01/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Stolp H, Neuhaus A, Sundramoorthi R, Molnár Z. The Long and the Short of it: Gene and Environment Interactions During Early Cortical Development and Consequences for Long-Term Neurological Disease. Front Psychiatry 2012; 3:50. [PMID: 22701439 PMCID: PMC3372875 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2011] [Accepted: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical development is a complex amalgamation of proliferation, migration, differentiation, and circuit formation. These processes follow defined timescales and are controlled by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. It is currently unclear how robust and flexible these processes are and whether the developing brain has the capacity to recover from disruptions. What is clear is that there are a number of cognitive disorders or conditions that are elicited as a result of disrupted cortical development, although it may take a long time for the full pathophysiology of the conditions to be realized clinically. The critical window for the manifestation of a neurodevelopmental disorder is prolonged, and there is the potential for a complex interplay between genes and environment. While there have been extended investigations into the genetic basis of a number of neurological and mental disorders, limited definitive associations have been discovered. Many environmental factors, including inflammation and stress, have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, and it may be that a better understanding of the interplay between genes and environment will speed progress in this field. In particular, the development of the brain needs to be considered in the context of the whole materno-fetal unit as the degree of the metabolic, endocrine, or inflammatory responses, for example, will greatly influence the environment in which the brain develops. This review will emphasize the importance of extending neurodevelopmental studies to the contribution of the placenta, vasculature, cerebrospinal fluid, and to maternal and fetal immune response. These combined investigations are more likely to reveal genetic and environmental factors that influence the different stages of neuronal development and potentially lead to the better understanding of the etiology of neurological and mental disorders such as autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Stolp
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford Oxford, UK
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Hampson DR, Gholizadeh S, Pacey LKK. Pathways to Drug Development for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2011; 91:189-200. [DOI: 10.1038/clpt.2011.245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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