101
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Greene SM, Sanchez YR, Pathapati N, Davis GN, Gould GG. Assessment of autism-relevant behaviors in C57BKS/J leptin receptor deficient mice. Horm Behav 2021; 129:104919. [PMID: 33428921 PMCID: PMC7965341 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was associated with greater autism risk in epidemiological studies. Disrupted leptin signaling may contribute to their coincidence, as it is found in both disorders. Given this we examined leptin receptor (Lepr) deficient (BKS.Cg-Dock7m +/+ Leprdb/J diabetic (db)) heterozygous (db/+) mice for autism-relevant behaviors. BKS db/+ females are lean with normal blood glucose, but they develop GDM while pregnant. We hypothesized BKS db/+ offspring might exhibit physiological and behavior traits consistent with autism. Adolescent body weight, fasting blood glucose, serum corticosterone, social preferences, self-grooming, marble burying, social dominance and cognitive flexibility of BKS db/+ mice was compared to C57BLKS/J (BKS) and C57BL/6J (BL6) mice. Male db/+ weighed more and had higher blood glucose and corticosterone relative to BL6, but not BKS mice. Also, male db/+ lacked social interaction preference, explored arenas less, and buried more marbles than BL6, but not BKS males. Male and female db/+ were more dominant and made more mistakes in water T-mazes locating a sunken platform after its position was reversed than BL6, but not BKS mice. Overall BKS db/+, particularly males, exhibited some autism-like social deficits and restrictive-repetitive behaviors relative to BL6, but BKS strain contributions to BKS db/+ behaviors were evident. Since BKS db/+ and BKS behavioral and physiological phenotypes are already so similar, it will be difficult to use these models in studies designed to detect contributions of fetal GDM exposures to offspring behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Greene
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States of America.
| | - Yatzil R Sanchez
- School of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States of America.
| | - Nikhita Pathapati
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States of America.
| | - Gianna N Davis
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States of America.
| | - Georgianna G Gould
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States of America.
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102
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Mapping the living mouse brain neural architecture: strain-specific patterns of brain structural and functional connectivity. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:647-669. [PMID: 33635426 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02190-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Mapping brain structural and functional connectivity (FC) became an essential approach in neuroscience as network properties can underlie behavioral phenotypes. In mouse models, revealing strain-related patterns of brain wiring is crucial, since these animals are used to answer questions related to neurological or neuropsychiatric disorders. C57BL/6 and BALB/cJ strains are two of the primary "genetic backgrounds" for modeling brain disease and testing therapeutic approaches. However, extensive literature describes basal differences in the behavioral, neuroanatomical and neurochemical profiles of the two strains, which raises questions on whether the observed effects are pathology specific or depend on the genetic background of each strain. Here, we performed a systematic comparative exploration of brain structure and function of C57BL/6 and BALB/cJ mice using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). We combined deformation-based morphometry (DBM), diffusion MRI and high-resolution fiber mapping (hrFM) along with resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and demonstrated brain-wide differences in the morphology and "connectome" features of the two strains. Essential inter-strain differences were depicted regarding the size and the fiber density (FD) within frontal cortices, along cortico-striatal, thalamic and midbrain pathways as well as genu and splenium of corpus callosum. Structural dissimilarities were accompanied by specific FC patterns, emphasizing strain differences in frontal and basal forebrain functional networks as well as hubness characteristics. Rs-fMRI data further indicated differences of reward-aversion circuitry and default mode network (DMN) patterns. The inter-hemispherical FC showed flexibility and strain-specific adjustment of their patterns in agreement with the structural characteristics.
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103
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Kasherman MA, Currey L, Kurniawan ND, Zalucki O, Vega MS, Jolly LA, Burne THJ, Wood SA, Piper M. Abnormal Behavior and Cortical Connectivity Deficits in Mice Lacking Usp9x. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1763-1775. [PMID: 33188399 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic association studies have identified many factors associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the way these genes shape neuroanatomical structure and connectivity is poorly understood. Recent research has focused on proteins that act as points of convergence for multiple factors, as these may provide greater insight into understanding the biology of neurodevelopmental disorders. USP9X, a deubiquitylating enzyme that regulates the stability of many ASD-related proteins, is one such point of convergence. Loss of function variants in human USP9X lead to brain malformations, which manifest as a neurodevelopmental syndrome that frequently includes ASD, but the underlying structural and connectomic abnormalities giving rise to patient symptoms is unknown. Here, we analyzed forebrain-specific Usp9x knockout mice (Usp9x-/y) to address this knowledge gap. Usp9x-/y mice displayed abnormal communication and social interaction behaviors. Moreover, the absence of Usp9x culminated in reductions to the size of multiple brain regions. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging revealed deficits in all three major forebrain commissures, as well as long-range hypoconnectivity between cortical and subcortical regions. These data identify USP9X as a key regulator of brain formation and function, and provide insights into the neurodevelopmental syndrome arising as a consequence of USP9X mutations in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Kasherman
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.,Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Laura Currey
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.,Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Nyoman D Kurniawan
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Oressia Zalucki
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | | | - Lachlan A Jolly
- University of Adelaide and Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Thomas H J Burne
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.,Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, Brisbane 4076, Australia
| | - Stephen A Wood
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane 4111, Australia
| | - Michael Piper
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
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104
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Becker M, Pinhasov A, Ornoy A. Animal Models of Depression: What Can They Teach Us about the Human Disease? Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:123. [PMID: 33466814 PMCID: PMC7830961 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11010123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is apparently the most common psychiatric disease among the mood disorders affecting about 10% of the adult population. The etiology and pathogenesis of depression are still poorly understood. Hence, as for most human diseases, animal models can help us understand the pathogenesis of depression and, more importantly, may facilitate the search for therapy. In this review we first describe the more common tests used for the evaluation of depressive-like symptoms in rodents. Then we describe different models of depression and discuss their strengths and weaknesses. These models can be divided into several categories: genetic models, models induced by mental acute and chronic stressful situations caused by environmental manipulations (i.e., learned helplessness in rats/mice), models induced by changes in brain neuro-transmitters or by specific brain injuries and models induced by pharmacological tools. In spite of the fact that none of the models completely resembles human depression, most animal models are relevant since they mimic many of the features observed in the human situation and may serve as a powerful tool for the study of the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of depression, especially since only few patients respond to acute treatment. Relevance increases by the fact that human depression also has different facets and many possible etiologies and therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Becker
- Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel;
| | - Albert Pinhasov
- Department of Molecular Biology and Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel;
| | - Asher Ornoy
- Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel;
- Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
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105
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Gandhi T, Lee CC. Neural Mechanisms Underlying Repetitive Behaviors in Rodent Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:592710. [PMID: 33519379 PMCID: PMC7840495 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.592710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is comprised of several conditions characterized by alterations in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the heterogeneous development of ASD behaviors. Several rodent models display ASD-like phenotypes, including repetitive behaviors. In this review article, we discuss the potential neural mechanisms involved in repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD and related neuropsychiatric disorders. We review signaling pathways, neural circuits, and anatomical alterations in rodent models that display robust stereotypic behaviors. Understanding the mechanisms and circuit alterations underlying repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD will inform translational research and provide useful insight into therapeutic strategies for the treatment of repetitive behaviors in ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Gandhi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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106
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Endo N, Makinodan M, Mannari-Sasagawa T, Horii-Hayashi N, Somayama N, Komori T, Kishimoto T, Nishi M. The effects of maternal separation on behaviours under social-housing environments in adult male C57BL/6 mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:527. [PMID: 33436833 PMCID: PMC7804413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80206-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Adverse experience in early life can affect the formation of neuronal circuits during postnatal development and exert long-lasting influences on neural functions that can lead to the development of a variety of psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Many studies have demonstrated that daily repeated maternal separation, an animal model of early-life stress, can induce impairments in emotional behaviours and cognitive function during adolescence and adulthood. However, the behavioural phenotypes of maternally separated mice under long-term group-housing conditions are largely unknown. In this study, we applied our newly developed assay system to investigate the effects of maternal separation on behaviours under group-housing conditions during four days of continuous observations. Using our system, we found that repeated maternal separation resulted in inappropriate social distance from cagemates, altered approach preferences to others, and induced a lower rank in the time spent on the running wheel under group-housing conditions in adult male mice. Focussing on these behavioural abnormalities that appear in an environment with a social context will be important insights to understand the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Endo
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Manabu Makinodan
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Takayo Mannari-Sasagawa
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
- Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Nara Women's University, Nara, 630-8506, Japan
| | - Noriko Horii-Hayashi
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Nami Somayama
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Takashi Komori
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Kishimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Mayumi Nishi
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan.
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107
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García-Domínguez I, Suárez-Pereira I, Santiago M, Pérez-Villegas EM, Bravo L, López-Martín C, Roca-Ceballos MA, García-Revilla J, Espinosa-Oliva AM, Rodríguez-Gómez JA, Joseph B, Berrocoso E, Armengol JÁ, Venero JL, Ruiz R, de Pablos RM. Selective deletion of Caspase-3 gene in the dopaminergic system exhibits autistic-like behaviour. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 104:110030. [PMID: 32634539 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Apoptotic caspases are thought to play critical roles in elimination of excessive and non-functional synapses and removal of extra cells during early developmental stages. Hence, an impairment of this process may thus constitute a basis for numerous neurological and psychiatric diseases. This view is especially relevant for dopamine due to its pleiotropic roles in motor control, motivation and reward processing. Here, we have analysed the effect of caspase-3 depletion on the development of catecholaminergic neurons and performed a wide array of neurochemical, ultrastructural and behavioural assays. To achieve this, we performed selective deletion of the Casp3 gene in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-expressing cells using Cre-loxP-mediated recombination. Histological evaluation of most relevant catecholaminergic nuclei revealed the ventral mesencephalon as the most affected region. Stereological analysis demonstrated an increase in the number of TH-positive neurons in both the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area along with enlarged volume of the ventral midbrain. Analysis of main innervating tissues revealed a rather contrasting profile. In striatum, basal extracellular levels and potassium-evoked DA release were significantly reduced in mice lacking Casp3, a clear indication of dopaminergic hypofunction in dopaminergic innervating tissues. This view was sustained by analysis of TH-labelled dopaminergic terminals by confocal and electron microscopy. Remarkably, at a behavioural level, Casp3-deficient mice exhibited impaired social interaction, restrictive interests and repetitive stereotypies, which are considered the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our study revitalizes the potential involvement of dopaminergic transmission in ASD and provides an excellent model to get further insights in ASD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene García-Domínguez
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Irene Suárez-Pereira
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, University of Cádiz, 11003 Cádiz, Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Avda. Ana de Viya 21, 11009 Cádiz, Spain
| | - Marti Santiago
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Eva M Pérez-Villegas
- Departamento de Fisiología, Anatomía y Biología Celular, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Lidia Bravo
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, University of Cádiz, 11003 Cádiz, Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Avda. Ana de Viya 21, 11009 Cádiz, Spain
| | - Carolina López-Martín
- Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, University of Cádiz, 11003 Cádiz, Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Avda. Ana de Viya 21, 11009 Cádiz, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cádiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - María Angustias Roca-Ceballos
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Juan García-Revilla
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ana M Espinosa-Oliva
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - José A Rodríguez-Gómez
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Departament of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Seville, 41009 Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Bertrand Joseph
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Esther Berrocoso
- Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, University of Cádiz, 11003 Cádiz, Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Avda. Ana de Viya 21, 11009 Cádiz, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cádiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - José Ángel Armengol
- Departamento de Fisiología, Anatomía y Biología Celular, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | - José L Venero
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Rocío Ruiz
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Rocío M de Pablos
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain; Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
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108
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Simchi L, Kaphzan H. Aberrant aggressive behavior in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. Sci Rep 2021; 11:47. [PMID: 33420192 PMCID: PMC7794213 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79984-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder due to the absence of the E3-ligase protein, UBE3A. Inappropriate social interactions, usually hyper-sociability, is a part of that syndrome. In addition, clinical surveys and case reports describe aggressive behavior in AS individuals as a severe difficulty for caretakers. A mouse model for AS recapitulates most of the human AS phenotypes. However, very few studies utilized this mouse model for investigating affiliative social behavior, and not even a single study examined aggressive behavior. Hence, the aim of the herein study was to examine affiliative and aggressive social behavior. For that, we utilized a battery of behavioral paradigms, and performed detailed analyses of these behaviors. AS mice exhibited a unique characteristic of reduced habituation towards a social stimulus in comparison to their wild-type (WT) littermates. However, overall there were no additional marked differences in affiliative social behavior. In contrast to the mild changes in affiliative behavior, there was a striking enhanced aggression in the AS mice compared to their WT littermates. The herein findings emphasize the use of AS mouse model in characterizing and measuring inappropriate aggressive behavior, and suggests these as tools for investigating therapeutic interventions aimed at attenuating aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilach Simchi
- Laboratory for Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders, Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mt. Carmel, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hanoch Kaphzan
- Laboratory for Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders, Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mt. Carmel, 3498838, Haifa, Israel.
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109
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Amodeo DA, Oliver B, Pahua A, Hitchcock K, Bykowski A, Tice D, Musleh A, Ryan BC. Serotonin 6 receptor blockade reduces repetitive behavior in the BTBR mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 200:173076. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.173076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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110
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Martin LA, Hsu FW, Herd B, Gregg M, Sample H, Kaplan J. Executive functions in agenesis of the corpus callosum: Working memory and sustained attention in the BTBR inbred mouse strain. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e01933. [PMID: 33300691 PMCID: PMC7821616 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) is characterized by the congenital partial or complete absence of the corpus callosum. Several strains of mice have been reported to carry AgCC, with the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf /J (BTBR) inbred mouse strain consistently showing a complete absence of the corpus callosum, as well as a variable reduction in the size of the hippocampal commissure. While much research has focused on the social deficits of the BTBR strain, little research on its cognitive behavior has been conducted. The goal of our study was to compare two facets of executive functioning, spatial working memory, and sustained attention between the BTBR and C57BL/6J (B6) strains. METHODS Spatial working memory was measured utilizing a delayed matching-to-position (DMTP) task and sustained attention was measured utilizing an operant task in which mice were trained to distinguish signal and nonsignal events. RESULTS Both the BTBR and B6 mice demonstrated a predictable decline in performance on the DMTP task as the delay interval increased and predictable increase in performance on the sustained attention task as the duration of the signal event increased. Although no significant differences were found between strains on the performance of these tasks, there was a significant difference in learning the association between lever pressing and food reward. Histological investigation confirmed the complete absence of commissural fibers from the corpus callosum, but also the hippocampal commissure, counter to a previous study. CONCLUSION The results suggest spatial working memory and sustained attention are unaffected by the absence of these commissural fibers alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren A Martin
- Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Fang-Wei Hsu
- Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Brooke Herd
- Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Michael Gregg
- Department of Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Hannah Sample
- Center for Next-Gen Precision Diagnostics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jason Kaplan
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Coatesville, PA, USA
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111
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A novel allosteric modulator of the cannabinoid CB 1 receptor ameliorates hyperdopaminergia endophenotypes in rodent models. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:413-422. [PMID: 33036015 PMCID: PMC7852560 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-00876-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (eCBs) encompasses the endocannabinoids, their synthetic and degradative enzymes, and cannabinoid (CB) receptors. The eCBs mediates inhibition of neurotransmitter release and acts as a major homeostatic system. Many aspects of the eCBs are altered in a number of psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, which is characterized by dysregulation of dopaminergic signaling. The GluN1-Knockdown (GluN1KD) and Dopamine Transporter Knockout (DATKO) mice are models of hyperdopaminergia, which display abnormal psychosis-related behaviors, including hyperlocomotion and changes in pre-pulse inhibition (PPI). Here, we investigate the ability of a novel CB1 receptor (CB1R) allosteric modulator, ABM300, to ameliorate these dysregulated behaviors. ABM300 was characterized in vitro (receptor binding, β-arrestin2 recruitment, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, cAMP inhibition) and in vivo (anxiety-like behaviors, cannabimimetic effects, novel environment exploratory behavior, pre-pulse inhibition, conditioned avoidance response) to assess the effects of the compound in dysregulated behaviors within the transgenic models. In vitro, ABM300 increased CB1R agonist binding but acted as an inhibitor of CB1R agonist induced signaling, including β-arrestin2 translocation, ERK phosphorylation and cAMP inhibition. In vivo, ABM300 did not elicit anxiogenic-like or cannabimimetic effects, but it decreased novelty-induced hyperactivity, exaggerated stereotypy, and vertical exploration in both transgenic models of hyperdopaminergia, as well as normalizing PPI in DATKO mice. The data demonstrate for the first time that a CB1R allosteric modulator ameliorates the behavioral deficits in two models of increased dopamine, warranting further investigation as a potential therapeutic target in psychiatry.
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Gasser BA, Kurz J, Senn W, Escher G, Mohaupt MG. Stress-induced alterations of social behavior are reversible by antagonism of steroid hormones in C57/BL6 mice. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2021; 394:127-135. [PMID: 32894324 PMCID: PMC7778626 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-020-01970-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Various disturbances of social behavior, such as autism, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder, have been associated with an altered steroid hormone homeostasis and a dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. A link between steroid hormone antagonists and the treatment of stress-related conditions has been suggested. We evaluated the effects of stress induction on social behavior in the three chambers and its potential reversibility upon specific steroid hormone antagonism in mice. C57BL/6 mice were stressed twice daily for 8 days by chronic swim testing. Social behavior was evaluated by measuring, first, the preference for sociability and, second, the preference for social novelty in the three-chamber approach before and after the chronic swim test. The reversibility of behavior upon stress induction was analyzed after applying steroid hormone antagonists targeting glucocorticoids with etomidate, mineralocorticoids with potassium canrenoate, and androgens with cyproterone acetate and metformin. In the chronic swim test, increased floating time from 0.8 ± 0.2 min up to 4.8 ± 0.25 min was detected (p < 0.01). In the three-chamber approach, increased preference for sociability and decreased preference for social novelty was detected pre- versus post-stress induction. These alterations of social behavior were barely affected by etomidate and potassium canrenoate, whereas the two androgen antagonists metformin and cyproterone acetate restored social behavior even beyond baseline conditions. The alteration of social behavior was better reversed by the androgen as compared with the glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid antagonists. This suggests that social behavior is primarily controlled by androgen rather than by glucocorticoid or mineralocorticoid action. The stress-induced changes in preference for sociability are incompletely explained by steroid hormone action alone. As the best response was related to metformin, an effect via glucose levels might confound the results and should be subject to future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johann Kurz
- Intersci Research Association, Karl Morre Gasse 10, 8430 Leibnitz, Austria
| | - Walter Senn
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, 3012 Berne, Switzerland
| | - Genevieve Escher
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Bern, 3010 Berne, Switzerland
- Division of Nephrology/Hypertension, University of Bern, 3010 Berne, Switzerland
| | - Markus Georg Mohaupt
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Bern, 3010 Berne, Switzerland
- Teaching Hospital Internal Medicine, Lindenhofgruppe, 3006 Berne, Switzerland
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113
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Cho C, Chan C, Martin LJ. Can Male Mice Develop Preference Towards Gentle Stroking by an Experimenter? Neuroscience 2020; 464:26-32. [PMID: 33385489 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Gentle stroking, a type of affective touch that holds hedonic and rewarding value, is critical to our daily inter-individual communication. This positive socio-emotional aspect of touch is conveyed through a subclass of C afferents known as C-Tactile fibers in humans with an analogous system in rodents proposed. Here, we describe a novel tactile conditioned place preference paradigm using mice and demonstrate that gentle stroking by an experimenter is rewarding. In order to investigate the relationship between tactile preference and innate sociability, mice were subjected to the classic three-chambered test of social approach, where mice displayed significant preference towards the experimenter's hand. These findings suggest that gentle stroking evoked by an experimenter can play an important role in reward and preference and establish an affiliative relationship between mice and humans. Future research can potentially use this model to examine fiber type involvement and elucidate the significance of these findings for activation of the reward system.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Cho
- Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L1C6, Canada
| | - C Chan
- Dept. of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L1C6, Canada
| | - L J Martin
- Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L1C6, Canada; Dept. of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L1C6, Canada.
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114
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Joseph DJ, Von Deimling M, Hasegawa Y, Cristancho AG, Ahrens-Nicklas RC, Rogers SL, Risbud R, McCoy AJ, Marsh ED. Postnatal Arx transcriptional activity regulates functional properties of PV interneurons. iScience 2020; 24:101999. [PMID: 33490907 PMCID: PMC7807163 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor Aristaless-related X-linked gene (Arx) is a monogenic factor in early onset epileptic encephalopathies (EOEEs) and a fundamental regulator of early stages of brain development. However, Arx expression persists in mature GABAergic neurons with an unknown role. To address this issue, we generated a conditional knockout (CKO) mouse in which postnatal Arx was ablated in parvalbumin interneurons (PVIs). Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings in CKO mice revealed an increase in theta oscillations and the occurrence of occasional seizures. Behavioral analysis uncovered an increase in anxiety. Genome-wide sequencing of fluorescence activated cell sorted (FACS) PVIs revealed that Arx impinged on network excitability via genes primarily associated with synaptic and extracellular matrix pathways. Whole-cell recordings revealed prominent hypoexcitability of various intrinsic and synaptic properties. These results revealed important roles for postnatal Arx expression in PVIs in the control of neural circuits and that dysfunction in those roles alone can cause EOEE-like network abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald J Joseph
- Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center, Rm. 502, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Markus Von Deimling
- Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center, Rm. 502, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Klinik für Urologie, Städtisches Klinikum Lüneburg, Bögelstraße 1, 21339 Lüneburg, Germany
| | - Yuiko Hasegawa
- Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center, Rm. 502, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ana G Cristancho
- Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center, Rm. 502, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Rebecca C Ahrens-Nicklas
- Division of Metabolism, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Stephanie L Rogers
- Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center, Rm. 502, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Rashmi Risbud
- Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center, Rm. 502, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Almedia J McCoy
- Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center, Rm. 502, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Eric D Marsh
- Division of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center, Rm. 502, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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115
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Effect of Pleomorphic Adenoma Gene 1 Deficiency on Selected Behaviours in Adult Mice. Neuroscience 2020; 455:30-38. [PMID: 33346119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The proto-oncogene pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 (Plag1) encodes a zinc finger transcription factor. PLAG1 is part of the high motility group AT hook-2 (HGMA2)-PLAG1-insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) pathway that, when disrupted, leads to Silver-Russell syndrome, a severe form of intrauterine growth restriction. With little known about PLAG1's role in normal physiology, this study is the first to characterise the behavioural phenotype of PLAG1-deficient mice. Mice were tested for differences in circadian locomotor activity and body temperature, sleep-like behaviour, anxiety-like behaviour, cognition, social behaviour, and sensorimotor gating. Overall, the behavioural phenotype of the Plag1 knock-out (KO) mice was mild: no significant differences were seen in circadian activity levels, locomotion, object recognition, spatial memory or sociability compared to wild-type mice. However, the cued test of fear conditioning, prepulse inhibition of the startle response and Preyer's reflex test suggest that Plag1 KO mice may have a hearing impairment. This implies that PLAG1 plays an important role in proper functioning and/or development of the neural circuitry behind the auditory processes or interacts with genes involved in those processes.
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116
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Mizuno S, Hirota JN, Ishii C, Iwasaki H, Sano Y, Furuichi T. Comprehensive Profiling of Gene Expression in the Cerebral Cortex and Striatum of BTBRTF/ArtRbrc Mice Compared to C57BL/6J Mice. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:595607. [PMID: 33362469 PMCID: PMC7758463 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.595607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse line BTBR T+ Iptr3tf/J (hereafter referred as to BTBR/J) is a mouse strain that shows lower sociability compared to the C57BL/6J mouse strain (B6) and thus is often utilized as a model for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we utilized another subline, BTBRTF/ArtRbrc (hereafter referred as to BTBR/R), and analyzed the associated brain transcriptome compared to B6 mice using microarray analysis, quantitative RT-PCR analysis, various bioinformatics analyses, and in situ hybridization. We focused on the cerebral cortex and the striatum, both of which are thought to be brain circuits associated with ASD symptoms. The transcriptome profiling identified 1,280 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 974 downregulated and 306 upregulated genes, including 498 non-coding RNAs [ncRNAs]) in BTBR/R mice compared to B6 mice. Among these DEGs, 53 genes were consistent with ASD-related genes already established. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis highlighted 78 annotations (GO terms) including DNA/chromatin regulation, transcriptional/translational regulation, intercellular signaling, metabolism, immune signaling, and neurotransmitter/synaptic transmission-related terms. RNA interaction analysis revealed novel RNA–RNA networks, including 227 ASD-related genes. Weighted correlation network analysis highlighted 10 enriched modules including DNA/chromatin regulation, neurotransmitter/synaptic transmission, and transcriptional/translational regulation. Finally, the behavioral analyses showed that, compared to B6 mice, BTBR/R mice have mild but significant deficits in social novelty recognition and repetitive behavior. In addition, the BTBR/R data were comprehensively compared with those reported in the previous studies of human subjects with ASD as well as ASD animal models, including BTBR/J mice. Our results allow us to propose potentially important genes, ncRNAs, and RNA interactions. Analysis of the altered brain transcriptome data of the BTBR/R and BTBR/J sublines can contribute to the understanding of the genetic underpinnings of autism susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shota Mizuno
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
| | - Jun-Na Hirota
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
| | - Chiaki Ishii
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
| | - Hirohide Iwasaki
- Department of Anatomy, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Yoshitake Sano
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
| | - Teiichi Furuichi
- Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
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117
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Reppucci CJ, Brown LA, Chambers AQ, Veenema AH. Wistar rats and C57BL/6 mice differ in their motivation to seek social interaction versus food in the Social versus Food Preference Test. Physiol Behav 2020; 227:113162. [PMID: 32877644 PMCID: PMC7655716 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Here we characterized the Social versus Food Preference Test, a behavioral paradigm designed to investigate the competition between the choice to seek social interaction versus the choice to seek food. We assessed how this competition was modulated by internal cues (social isolation, food deprivation), external cues (stimulus salience), sex (males, females), age (adolescents, adults), and rodent model (Wistar rats, C57BL/6 mice). We found that changes in stimulus preference in response to the internal and external cue manipulations were similar across cohorts. Specifically, social over food preference scores were reduced by food deprivation and social familiarly in Wistar rats and C57BL/6 mice of both sexes. Interestingly, the degree of food deprivation-induced changes in stimulus investigation patterns were greater in adolescents compared to adults in Wistar rats and C57BL/6 mice. Strikingly, baseline stimulus preference and investigation times varied greatly between rodent models: across manipulations, Wistar rats were generally more social-preferring and C57BL/6 mice were generally more food-preferring. Adolescent Wistar rats spent more time investigating the social and food stimuli than adult Wistar rats, while adolescent and adult C57BL/6 mice investigated the stimuli a similar amount. Social isolation did not alter behavior in the Social versus Food Preference Test. Together, our results indicate that the Social versus Food Preference Test is a flexible behavioral paradigm suitable for future interrogations of the peripheral and central systems that can coordinate the expression of stimulus preference related to multiple motivated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina J Reppucci
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 766 Service Road, 4016 ISTB, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States.
| | - Leigha A Brown
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 766 Service Road, 4016 ISTB, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Ashley Q Chambers
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 766 Service Road, 4016 ISTB, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Alexa H Veenema
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 766 Service Road, 4016 ISTB, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
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118
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Grífols R, Zamora C, Ortega-Saez I, Azkona G. Postweaning Grouping as a Strategy to Reduce Singly Housed Male Mice. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10112135. [PMID: 33212955 PMCID: PMC7698342 DOI: 10.3390/ani10112135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary It is important to raise laboratory mice in stable groups. However, sometimes we can find litters with only one male. Unfortunately, age is a factor to consider when grouping a newly weaned mouse with other males due to inter-male aggressiveness. Our results showed that CD1 and SCID Beige newly weaned males can be safely grouped with juvenile and pubescent mice. However, only juvenile C57BL/6J will accept a newly weaned mouse as a new member of the group. This strategy could be helpful to reduce the number of singly housed male mice used for scientific purposes. Abstract Rearing laboratory mice in groups is important since social isolation after weaning induces brain alterations, which entails behavioral abnormalities in adulthood. Age is an important factor when grouping males of different litters due to inter-male aggressiveness. The aim of this study was to determine whether newly weaned mice could safely be grouped with late juvenile or early and late pubescent mice, and whether cage cleaning, the number of the hosting group members and testosterone plasma levels have any influence. Newly weaned C57BL/6J, CD1, and SCID Beige male mice were systematically grouped with same strain late juvenile, early or late pubescent male mice in clean or dirty cages of 1, 2 or 3 hosting members. We also analyzed plasma testosterone levels at different postnatal days. Our result showed that only strain and hosting male’s age influence agonistic behavior toward newly weaned mice. Thus, in order not to house a recently weaned male alone, we would recommend grouping it with late juvenile same strain mice in all studied strains. In the same way, CD1 and SCID Beige pubescent mice will admit a newly weaned mouse in their group. However, we would not recommend grouping newly weaned and pubescent C57BL/6J males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Grífols
- Charles River Laboratories in PRBB, Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (R.G.); (C.Z.)
| | - Carolina Zamora
- Charles River Laboratories in PRBB, Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (R.G.); (C.Z.)
| | - Iván Ortega-Saez
- Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB) Animal Facility, Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Garikoitz Azkona
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and Their Development, School of Psychology, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Tolosa Hiribidea, 70, 20018 Donostia, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-943-015-437
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119
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Bai M, Ye D, Guo X, Xi J, Liu N, Wu Y, Jia W, Wang G, Chen W, Li G, Jiapaer Z, Kang J. Critical regulation of a NDIME/MEF2C axis in embryonic stem cell neural differentiation and autism. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e50283. [PMID: 33016573 PMCID: PMC7645248 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202050283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A microdeletion within human chromosome 5q14.3 has been associated with the occurrence of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and intellectual disability, and MEF2C haploinsufficiency was identified as main cause. Here, we report that a brain-enriched long non-coding RNA, NDIME, is located near the MEF2C locus and is required for normal neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). NDIME interacts with EZH2, the major component of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), and blocks EZH2-mediated trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) at the Mef2c promoter, promoting MEF2C transcription. Moreover, the expression levels of both NDIME and MEF2C were strongly downregulated in the hippocampus of a mouse model of autism, and the adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated expression of NDIME in the hippocampus of these mice significantly increased MEF2C expression and ameliorated autism-like behaviors. The results of this study reveal an epigenetic mechanism by which NDIME regulates MEF2C transcription and neural differentiation and suggest potential effects and therapeutic approaches of the NDIME/MEF2C axis in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingliang Bai
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Dan Ye
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Xudong Guo
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
- Institute for Advanced StudyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Jiajie Xi
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Nana Liu
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yukang Wu
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Wenwen Jia
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
- Institute of Regenerative MedicineShanghai East HospitalTongji University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Guiying Wang
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Wen Chen
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Guoping Li
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Zeyidan Jiapaer
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biology Resources and Genetic EngineeringCollege of Life Science and TechnologyXinjiang UniversityUrumqiChina
| | - Jiuhong Kang
- Clinical and Translational Research Center of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease ResearchCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of Life Sciences and TechnologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
- Tsingtao Advanced Research InstituteTongji UniversityQingdaoChina
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120
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Jahan MS, Ito T, Ichihashi S, Masuda T, Bhuiyan MER, Takahashi I, Takamatsu H, Kumanogoh A, Tsuzuki T, Negishi T, Yukawa K. PlexinA1 deficiency in BALB/cAJ mice leads to excessive self-grooming and reduced prepulse inhibition. IBRO Rep 2020; 9:276-289. [PMID: 33163687 PMCID: PMC7607060 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibror.2020.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
PlexinA1 (PlxnA1) is a transmembrane receptor for semaphorins, a large family of proteins that act as axonal guidance cues during nervous system development. However, there are limited studies on PlxnA1 function in neurobehavior. The present study examined if PlxnA1 deficiency leads to behavioral abnormalities in BALB/cAJ mice. PlxnA1 knockout (KO) mice were generated by homologous recombination and compared to wild type (WT) littermates on a comprehensive battery of behavioral tests, including open field assessment of spontaneous ambulation, state anxiety, and grooming, home cage grooming, the wire hang test of muscle strength, motor coordination on the rotarod task, working memory on the Y maze alternation task, cued and contextual fear conditioning, anxiety on the elevated plus maze, sociability to intruders, and sensory processing as measured by prepulse inhibition (PPI). Measures of motor performance, working memory, fear memory, and sociability did not differ significantly between genotypes, while PlxnA1 KO mice displayed excessive self-grooming, impaired PPI, and slightly lower anxiety. These results suggest a crucial role for PlxnA1 in the development and function of brain regions controlling self-grooming and sensory gating. PlxnA1 KO mice may be a valuable model to investigate the repetitive behaviors and information processing deficits characteristic of many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mst Sharifa Jahan
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takuji Ito
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Sachika Ichihashi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takanobu Masuda
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
| | | | - Ikuko Takahashi
- Radioisotope Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hyota Takamatsu
- Department of Immunopathology, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kumanogoh
- Department of Immunopathology, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Takamasa Tsuzuki
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takayuki Negishi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kazunori Yukawa
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan
- Corresponding author.
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121
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Lunardelli ML, Crupi R, Siracusa R, Cocuzza G, Cordaro M, Martini E, Impellizzeri D, Di Paola R, Cuzzocrea S. Co-ultraPEALut: Role in Preclinical and Clinical Delirium Manifestations. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2020; 18:530-554. [PMID: 31244434 DOI: 10.2174/1871527318666190617162041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delirium is a disorder in awareness, attention and cognition. Pathophysiologically it is a response to stress. Postoperative delirium (POD) is a usual complication in aged patients following hip fracture surgery. Neuroinflammation is an important factor linked with the progress of POD. Though there are no efficient cures for delirium the endocannabinoid system may have a role in neuropsychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVE Therefore, we examined the effects of co-ultramicronized PEALut (co-ultraPEALut) in the LPS murine model of delirium and in elderly hip fractured patients. METHODS In the preclinical study, mice were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with Escherichia coli LPS (10 mg/kg). Co-ultraPEALut (1 mg/kg o.s.) was administered 1h before LPS injection or 1h and 6h after LPS injection or 1h before LPS injection and 1h and 6h after LPS. In the clinical study, the effects of Glialia® (co-ultramicronized 700 mg PEA + 70 mg luteolin) administration was evaluated in elderly hip fractured patients with an interventional, randomized, single-blind, monocentric study. RESULTS Administration of co-ultraPEALut to LPS-challenged mice ameliorated cognitive dysfunctions and locomotor activity; moreover, it reduced inflammation and apoptosis, while stimulating antioxidant response and limiting the loss of neurotrophins. In the clinical study, the results obtained demonstrated that administration of Glialia® to these surgical patients prevented the onset of POD and attenuated symptom intensity and their duration. CONCLUSION Therefore, the results obtained enhanced the idea that co-ultraPEALut may be a potential treatment to control cognitive impairment and the inflammatory and oxidative processes associated with delirium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lia Lunardelli
- Geriatric Unit - Orthogeriatric Ward, Universitary Sant'Orsola Policlinic Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rosalia Crupi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalba Siracusa
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giorgio Cocuzza
- Geriatric Unit - Orthogeriatric Ward, Universitary Sant'Orsola Policlinic Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marika Cordaro
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Emilio Martini
- Geriatric Unit - Orthogeriatric Ward, Universitary Sant'Orsola Policlinic Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Daniela Impellizzeri
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Rosanna Di Paola
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States
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122
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Ciernia AV, Link VM, Careaga M, LaSalle JM, Ashwood P. Genetic variants drive altered epigenetic regulation of endotoxin response in BTBR macrophages. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:20-31. [PMID: 32454135 PMCID: PMC7572655 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mouse has been used as a complex genetic model of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). While the specific mechanisms underlying BTBR behavioral phenotypes are poorly understood, prior studies have implicated profound differences in innate immune system control of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Innate immune activation and elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines are also detected in blood of children with ASD. In this study, we examined how underlying BTBR genetic variants correspond to strain-specific changes in chromatin accessibility, resulting in a pro-inflammatory response specifically in BTBR bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM). In response to repeated lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatments, C57BL/6J (C57) BMDM exhibited intact endotoxin tolerance. In contrast, BTBR BMDM exhibited hyper-responsive expression of genes that were normally tolerized in C57. This failure in formation of endotoxin tolerance in BTBR was mirrored at the level of chromatin accessibility. Using ATAC-seq, we specifically identified promoter and enhancer regions with strain-specific differential chromatin accessibility both at baseline and in response to LPS. Regions with strain-specific differences in chromatin accessibility were significantly enriched for BTBR genetic variants, such that an average of 22% of the differential chromatin regions had at least one variant. Together, these results demonstrate that BTBR genetic variants contribute to altered chromatin responsiveness to endotoxin challenge resulting in hyper-responsive innate immunity in BTBR. These findings provide evidence for an interaction between complex genetic variants and differential epigenetic regulation of innate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Vogel Ciernia
- Department Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T2A1, Canada.
| | - Verena M Link
- Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Milo Careaga
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, MIND Institute, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Janine M LaSalle
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, MIND Institute, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Paul Ashwood
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, MIND Institute, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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123
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Cross-site Reproducibility of Social Deficits in Group-housed BTBR Mice Using Automated Longitudinal Behavioural Monitoring. Neuroscience 2020; 445:95-108. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.04.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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124
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Arakawa H. Somatosensorimotor and Odor Modification, Along with Serotonergic Processes Underlying the Social Deficits in BTBR T+ Itpr3 tf/J and BALB/cJ Mouse Models of Autism. Neuroscience 2020; 445:144-162. [PMID: 32061779 PMCID: PMC8078887 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a complex spectrum of disorders characterized by core behavioral deficits in social communicative behavior, which are also required for comprehensive analysis of preclinical mouse models. As animal models of the core behavioral deficits in autism, two inbred mouse strains, BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) and BALB/cJ (BALB), were compared with the standard social strain, C57BL/6J (B6), regarding a variety of behavioral factors underlying social communicative interactions, including olfactory and tactile sensory processes, social recognition abilities and behavioral expression strategies. Although both female BTBR and BALB mice can express social recognition and approach behavior depending on the stimuli they encounter, the available sensory modalities, along with modulation of the serotonergic system, differ between the two strains. BALB mice have deficits in using volatile olfactory cues and tactile information in a social context; they fail to exhibit a social approach to volatile cues and seek nonvolatile cues by exhibiting substantial sniff/contact behavior when allowed direct contact with social opponents. Systemic injection of the serotonin (5-HT1A) agonist buspirone has little effect on these social deficits, suggesting a congenitally degraded serotonergic system in BALB mice. In contrast, BTBR mice exhibit impaired body coordination and social motivation-modified olfactory signals, which are relevant to a reduced social approach. A systemic injection of the 5-HT1A agonist restored these social deficits in BTBR mice, indicating that a downregulated serotonergic system is involved in the social deficits exhibited by BTBR mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Rodent Behavioral Core Department of Research Administration, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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125
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Agam G, Taylor Z, Vainer E, Golan HM. The influence of choline treatment on behavioral and neurochemical autistic-like phenotype in Mthfr-deficient mice. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:316. [PMID: 32948746 PMCID: PMC7501861 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01002-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Imbalanced one carbon metabolism and aberrant autophagy is robustly reported in patients with autism. Polymorphism in the gene methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (Mthfr), encoding for a key enzyme in this pathway is associated with an increased risk for autistic-spectrum-disorders (ASDs). Autistic-like core and associated behaviors have been described, with contribution of both maternal and offspring Mthfr+/- genotype to the different domains of behavior. Preconception and prenatal supplementation with methyl donor rich diet to human subjects and mice reduced the risk for developing autism and autistic-like behavior, respectively. Here we tested the potential of choline supplementation to Mthfr-deficient mice at young-adulthood to reduce behavioral and neurochemical changes reminiscent of autism characteristics. We show that offspring of Mthfr+/- mothers, whether wildtype or heterozygote, exhibit autistic-like behavior, altered brain p62 protein levels and LC3-II/LC3-I levels ratio, both, autophagy markers. Choline supplementation to adult offspring of Mthfr+/- mothers for 14 days counteracted characteristics related to repetitive behavior and anxiety both in males and in females and improved social behavior solely in male mice. Choline treatment also normalized deviant cortical levels of the autophagy markers measured in male mice. The results demonstrate that choline supplementation even at adulthood, not tested previously, to offspring of Mthfr-deficient mothers, attenuates the autistic-like phenotype. If this proof of concept is replicated it might promote translation of these results to treatment recommendation for children with ASDs bearing similar genetic/metabolic make-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galila Agam
- grid.7489.20000 0004 1937 0511Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Psychiatry Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Mental Health Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel ,grid.7489.20000 0004 1937 0511Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Zoe Taylor
- grid.7489.20000 0004 1937 0511Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ella Vainer
- grid.7489.20000 0004 1937 0511Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Psychiatry Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Mental Health Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Hava M. Golan
- grid.7489.20000 0004 1937 0511Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel ,grid.7489.20000 0004 1937 0511Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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126
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Fertan E, Wong AA, Purdon MK, Weaver ICG, Brown RE. The effect of background strain on the behavioral phenotypes of the MDGA2 +/- mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12696. [PMID: 32808443 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The membrane-associated mucin (MAM) domain containing glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor 2 protein single knock-out mice (MDGA2+/- ) are models of ASD. We examined the behavioral phenotypes of male and female MDGA2+/- and wildtype mice on C57BL6/NJ and C57BL6/N backgrounds at 2 months of age and measured MDGA2, neuroligin 1 and neuroligin 2 levels at 7 months. Mice on the C57BL6/NJ background performed better than those on the C57BL6/N background in visual ability and in learning and memory performance in the Morris water maze and differed in measures of motor behavior and anxiety. Mice with the MDGA2+/- genotype differed from WT mice in motor, social and repetitive behavior and anxiety, but most of these effects involved interactions between MDGA2+/- genotype and background strain. The background strain also influenced MDGA2 levels and NLGN2 association in MDGA2+/- mice. Our findings emphasize the importance of the background strain used in studies of genetically modified mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emre Fertan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Aimée A Wong
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Michaela K Purdon
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Ian C G Weaver
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Brain Repair Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Richard E Brown
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Brain Repair Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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127
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Kordás K, Kis-Varga Á, Varga A, Eldering H, Bulthuis R, Lendvai B, Lévay G, Román V. Measuring sociability of mice using a novel three-chamber apparatus and algorithm of the LABORAS™ system. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 343:108841. [PMID: 32621917 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The social approach and social novelty tests utilizing the three-chamber apparatus are widely accepted to measure social behavior of rodents. The LABORAS™ system offers a possibility to assess sociability of mice in a reliable and objective manner. NEW METHOD We assessed the capability of the LABORAS™ sociability cage and algorithm (2.6.6) to detect social behaviors in mice. Furthermore, we investigated whether the system is able to detect various levels of sociability due to genetic background or after pharmacological treatments. RESULTS By comparing manual scoring with various detection zone settings of the automated registration, the most fitting algorithm with a detection zone radius of 90 mm was identified. When different strains were investigated, C57Bl/6 J and NMRI mice proved to be social, while CD1 mice were found asocial. The system was able to detect the sociability increasing effect of R-baclofen (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) and oxytocin (12 ng i.c.v.) in asocial CD1 mice. The negative control PCP impaired social behavior of C57Bl/6 J mice (1 mg/kg i.p.) and increased social avoidance in CD1 mice (0.3 mg/kg i.p.). COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) This setup, in contrast to video frame analysis softwares, determines signal changes caused by movements of rodents allowing accurate detection and analysis of trajectories. Parallel automated measurements also allow replacing time and labor intensive, highly subjective human observational work. CONCLUSIONS The set-up provides a fast and reliable method to examine social behavior of mice in the three-chamber apparatus. The system is capable of detecting pro or antisocial activity of pharmacological agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Kordás
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Kis-Varga
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anita Varga
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Herman Eldering
- Metris B.V., Kruisweg 829c, 2132NG Hoofddorp, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald Bulthuis
- Metris B.V., Kruisweg 829c, 2132NG Hoofddorp, the Netherlands
| | - Balázs Lendvai
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Lévay
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Viktor Román
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary.
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128
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Simultaneous Blockade of Histamine H 3 Receptors and Inhibition of Acetylcholine Esterase Alleviate Autistic-Like Behaviors in BTBR T+ tf/J Mouse Model of Autism. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10091251. [PMID: 32872194 PMCID: PMC7563744 DOI: 10.3390/biom10091251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogenous neurodevelopmental disorder defined by persistent deficits in social interaction and the presence of patterns of repetitive and restricted behaviors. The central neurotransmitters histamine (HA) and acetylcholine (ACh) play pleiotropic roles in physiological brain functions that include the maintenance of wakefulness, depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy, anxiety and narcolepsy, all of which are found to be comorbid with ASD. Therefore, the palliative effects of subchronic systemic treatment using the multiple-active test compound E100 with high H3R antagonist affinity and AChE inhibitory effect on ASD-like behaviors in male BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) mice as an idiopathic ASD model were assessed. E100 (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg, i.p.) dose-dependently palliated social deficits of BTBR mice and significantly alleviated the repetitive/compulsive behaviors of tested animals. Moreover, E100 modulated disturbed anxiety levels, but failed to modulate hyperactivity parameters, whereas the reference AChE inhibitor donepezil (DOZ, one milligram per kilogram) significantly obliterated the increased hyperactivity measures of tested mice. Furthermore, E100 mitigated the increased levels of AChE activity in BTBR mice with observed effects comparable to that of DOZ and significantly reduced the number of activated microglial cells compared to the saline-treated BTBR mice. In addition, the E100-provided effects on ASD-like parameters, AChE activity, and activated microglial cells were entirely reversed by co-administration of the H3R agonist (R)-α-methylhistamine (RAM). These initial overall results observed in an idiopathic ASD mice model show that E100 (5 mg/kg) alleviated the assessed behavioral deficits and demonstrate that simultaneous targeting of brain histaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmissions is crucial for palliation of ASD-like features, albeit further in vivo assessments on its effects on brain levels of ACh as well as HA are still needed.
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129
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Barbera G, Liang B, Zhang Y, Moffitt C, Li Y, Lin DT. An open-source capacitive touch sensing device for three chamber social behavior test. MethodsX 2020; 7:101024. [PMID: 32939346 PMCID: PMC7479347 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2020.101024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A common feature of many neuropsychiatric disorders is deficit in social behavior. In order to study mouse models for such disorders, several behavioral tests involving social interaction with other mice have been developed. While a precise annotation of rodent behavioral state is necessary for these types of experiments, manual annotation of rodent social behavior is time-consuming and subjective. Therefore, an automated system that can instantly and independently quantify the animal's social exploration is desirable. We developed a capacitive touch device for automated detection of direct social-exploration in a modified three-chamber social behavior test. In this device, capacitive sensors can readily detect nose-pokes and other direct physical touches from the rodent under investigation. In addition, a conductive barrier makes mouse behavioral output immediately available for real-time use, by sending data to a host computer via a custom Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) platform. Our capacitive touch sensing device produced similar results to the manually annotated data, demonstrating the ability to instantly and independently analyze direct social-exploration of animals in a social behavior test. Compared to the manual annotation method, this capacitive touch sensing system can be used to instantaneously quantify direct social-exploration, saving significant amount of time of post-hoc video scoring. Furthermore, this low-cost method enhances the objectivity of data by reducing experimenter involvement in analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Barbera
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Bo Liang
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Yan Zhang
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Casey Moffitt
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences, Laramie, WY 82071, United States
| | - Da-Ting Lin
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States.,The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
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130
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Li SJ, Lo YC, Lai HY, Lin SH, Lin HC, Lin TC, Chang CW, Chen TC, Chin-Jung Hsieh C, Yang SH, Chiu FM, Kuo CH, Chen YY. Uncovering the Modulatory Interactions of Brain Networks in Cognition with Central Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Neuroscience 2020; 440:65-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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131
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Burrows E, Koyama L, May C, Hill-Yardin E, Hannan A. Environmental enrichment modulates affiliative and aggressive social behaviour in the neuroligin-3 R451C mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 195:172955. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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132
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Whittaker AL, Hickman DL. The Impact of Social and Behavioral Factors on Reproducibility in Terrestrial Vertebrate Models. ILAR J 2020; 60:252-269. [PMID: 32720675 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of animal models remains critical in preclinical and translational research. The reliability of the animal models and aspects of their validity is likely key to effective translation of findings to medicine. However, despite considerable uniformity in animal models brought about by control of genetics, there remain a number of social as well as innate and acquired behavioral characteristics of laboratory animals that may impact on research outcomes. These include the effects of strain and genetics, age and development, sex, personality and affective states, and social factors largely brought about by housing and husbandry. In addition, aspects of the testing environment may also influence research findings. A number of considerations resulting from the animals' innate and acquired behavioral characteristics as well as their social structures are described. Suggestions for minimizing the impact of these factors on research are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L Whittaker
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, South Australia, Australia
| | - Debra L Hickman
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
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133
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Cheng N, Pagtalunan E, Abushaibah A, Naidu J, Stell WK, Rho JM, Sauvé Y. Atypical visual processing in a mouse model of autism. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12390. [PMID: 32709898 PMCID: PMC7381655 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68589-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Human social cognition relies heavily on the processing of various visual cues, such as eye contact and facial expressions. Atypical visual perception and integration have been recognized as key phenotypes in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and may potentially contribute to impediments in normal social development, a hallmark of ASD. Meanwhile, increasing studies on visual function in ASD have pointed to detail-oriented perception, which has been hypothesized to result from heightened response to information of high spatial frequency. However, mixed results of human studies have led to much debate, and investigations using animal models have been limited. Here, using BTBR mice as a model of idiopathic ASD, we assessed retinal stimulus processing by full-field electroretinogram and found impaired photoreceptor function and retina-based alterations mostly in the cone pathway. Using the optokinetic reflex to evaluate visual function, we observed robustly enhanced visual response to finer spatial details and more subtle contrasts at only higher spatial frequencies in the BTBR mice, under both photopic and scotopic conditions. These behavioral results, which are similar to findings in a subset of ASD patients, indicate a bias toward processing information of high spatial frequencies. Together, these findings also suggest that, while enhancement of visual behaviors under both photopic and scotopic conditions might be due to alterations in visual processing common to both rod and cone pathways, these mechanisms are probably downstream of photoreceptor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Cheng
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
| | - Eden Pagtalunan
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.,O'Brien Centre for the Bachelor of Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Abdulrahman Abushaibah
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.,O'Brien Centre for the Bachelor of Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jessica Naidu
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.,O'Brien Centre for the Bachelor of Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - William K Stell
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jong M Rho
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.,Departments of Neurosciences and Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yves Sauvé
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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134
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Mitchell EJ, Thomson DM, Openshaw RL, Bristow GC, Dawson N, Pratt JA, Morris BJ. Drug-responsive autism phenotypes in the 16p11.2 deletion mouse model: a central role for gene-environment interactions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12303. [PMID: 32704009 PMCID: PMC7378168 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69130-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
There are no current treatments for autism, despite its high prevalence. Deletions of chromosome 16p11.2 dramatically increase risk for autism, suggesting that mice with an equivalent genetic rearrangement may offer a valuable model for the testing of novel classes of therapeutic drug. 16p11.2 deletion (16p11.2 DEL) mice and wild-type controls were assessed using an ethological approach, with 24 h monitoring of activity and social interaction of groups of mice in a home-cage environment. The ability of the excitation/inhibition modulator N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and the 5-HT1B/1D/1F receptor agonist eletriptan to normalise the behavioural deficits observed was tested. 16p11.2 DEL mice exhibited largely normal behaviours, but, following the stress of an injection, showed hyperlocomotion, reduced sociability, and a strong anxiolytic phenotype. The hyperactivity and reduced sociability, but not the suppressed anxiety, were effectively attenuated by both NAC and eletriptan. The data suggest that 16p11.2 DEL mice show an autism-relevant phenotype that becomes overt after an acute stressor, emphasising the importance of gene-environmental interactions in phenotypic analysis. Further, they add to an emerging view that NAC, or 5-HT1B/1D/1F receptor agonist treatment, may be a promising strategy for further investigation as a future treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J Mitchell
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - David M Thomson
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Rebecca L Openshaw
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Sir James Black Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Greg C Bristow
- Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK.,School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Neil Dawson
- Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Judith A Pratt
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Brian J Morris
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Sir James Black Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
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135
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Mahmood HM, Aldhalaan HM, Alshammari TK, Alqasem MA, Alshammari MA, Albekairi NA, AlSharari SD. The Role of Nicotinic Receptors in the Attenuation of Autism-Related Behaviors in a Murine BTBR T + tf/J Autistic Model. Autism Res 2020; 13:1311-1334. [PMID: 32691528 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Nicotinic receptors are distributed throughout the central and peripheral nervous system. Postmortem studies have reported that some nicotinic receptor subtypes are altered in the brains of autistic people. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the autistic behavior of BTBR T + tf/J mouse model of autism. This study was undertaken to examine the behavioral effects of targeted nAChRs using pharmacological ligands, including nicotine and mecamylamine in BTBR T + tf/J and C57BL/6J mice in a panel of behavioral tests relating to autism. These behavioral tests included the three-chamber social interaction, self-grooming, marble burying, locomotor activity, and rotarod test. We examined the effect of various oral doses of nicotine (50, 100, and 400 mcg/mL; po) over a period of 2 weeks in BTBR T + tf/J mouse model. The results indicated that the chronic administration of nicotine modulated sociability and repetitive behavior in BTBR T + tf/J mice while no effects observed in C57BL/6J mice. Furthermore, the nonselective nAChR antagonist, mecamylamine, reversed nicotine effects on sociability and increased repetitive behaviors in BTBR T + tf/J mice. Overall, the findings indicate that the pharmacological modulation of nicotinic receptors is involved in modulating core behavioral phenotypes in the BTBR T + tf/J mouse model. LAY SUMMARY: The involvement of brain nicotinic neurotransmission system plays a crucial role in regulating autism-related behavioral features. In addition, the brain of the autistic-like mouse model has a low acetylcholine level. Here, we report that nicotine, at certain doses, improved sociability and reduced repetitive behaviors in a mouse model of autism, implicating the potential therapeutic values of a pharmacological intervention targeting nicotinic receptors for autism therapy. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1311-1334. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafiz M Mahmood
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hesham M Aldhalaan
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Autism Research, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tahani K Alshammari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mashael A Alqasem
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Musaad A Alshammari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Norah A Albekairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shakir D AlSharari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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136
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Eltokhi A, Kurpiers B, Pitzer C. Behavioral tests assessing neuropsychiatric phenotypes in adolescent mice reveal strain- and sex-specific effects. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11263. [PMID: 32647155 PMCID: PMC7347854 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67758-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, infancy and adolescence are associated with major changes in synaptic functions and ongoing maturation of neural networks, which underlie the major behavioral changes during these periods. Among adult cases with neuropsychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity, and bipolar disorders, 50% have developed behavioral symptoms and received a diagnosis before 15 years of age. However, most of the behavioral studies in mice modeling neuropsychiatric phenotypes are performed in adult animals, missing valuable phenotypic information related to the effect of synaptic maturation during development. Here, we explored which behavioral experiments assessing neuropsychiatric phenotypes can be performed during a specific window of development in adolescent male and female C57BL/6N, DBA/2, and FVB/N mice that are typically used as background strains for generating genetically-modified mouse models. The three wild-type strains were evaluated across anxiety, social behaviors, and cognitive functions in order to cover the main behavioral impairments that occur in neuropsychiatric disorders. During adolescence, the three strains displayed significant differences under certain behavioral paradigms. In addition, C57BL/6N and FVB/N, but not DBA/2 mice revealed some sex-related differences. Our results provide new insights into discrete behaviors during development and emphasize the crucial importance of the genetic background, sex, and experimental settings in the age-dependent regulation of different behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Eltokhi
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. .,Interdisciplinary Neurobehavioral Core, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Barbara Kurpiers
- Interdisciplinary Neurobehavioral Core, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Pitzer
- Interdisciplinary Neurobehavioral Core, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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137
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Petkova SP, Pride M, Klocke C, Fenton TA, White J, Lein PJ, Ellegood J, Lerch JP, Silverman JL, Waldau B. Cyclin D2-knock-out mice with attenuated dentate gyrus neurogenesis have robust deficits in long-term memory formation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8204. [PMID: 32424171 PMCID: PMC7235216 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65090-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurobehavioral studies have produced contradictory findings concerning the function of neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus. Previous studies have proved inconsistent across several behavioral endpoints thought to be dependent on dentate neurogenesis, including memory acquisition, short-term and long-term retention of memory, pattern separation, and reversal learning. We hypothesized that the main function of dentate neurogenesis is long-term memory formation because we assumed that a newly formed and integrated neuron would have a long-term impact on the local neural network. We used a cyclin D2-knock-out (cyclin D2−/−) mouse model of endogenously deficient dentate neurogenesis to test this hypothesis. We found that cyclin D2−/− mice had robust and sustained loss of long-term memory in two separate behavioral tasks, Morris water maze (MWM) and touchscreen intermediate pattern separation. Moreover, after adjusting for differences in brain volumes determined by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, reduced dentate neurogenesis moderately correlated with deficits in memory retention after 24 hours. Importantly, cyclin D2−/− mice did not show deficits in learning acquisition in a touchscreen paradigm of intermediate pattern separation or MWM platform location, indicating intact short-term memory. Further evaluation of cyclin D2−/− mice is necessary to confirm that deficits are specifically linked to dentate gyrus neurogenesis since cyclin D2−/− mice also have a reduced size of the olfactory bulb, hippocampus, cerebellum and cortex besides reduced dentate gyrus neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stela P Petkova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Michael Pride
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Carolyn Klocke
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA, 95616, US
| | - Timothy A Fenton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Jeannine White
- Institute for Regenerative Cures, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA, 95616, US.,MIND Institute, UC Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3H7, Canada.,Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience,The University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Jill L Silverman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US.,MIND Institute, UC Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US
| | - Ben Waldau
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, 95817, US.
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138
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Andoh M, Ikegaya Y, Koyama R. Microglia in animal models of autism spectrum disorders. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020; 173:239-273. [PMID: 32711812 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Various genetic and environmental factors have been suggested to cause autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). A variety of animal models of ASDs have been developed and used to investigate the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of ASDs. These animal models have contributed to clarifying that abnormalities in neuronal morphology and neurotransmission are responsible for the onset of ASDs. In recent years, researchers have started to focus not only on neurons but also on glial cells, particularly microglia. This is because microglial malfunction is strongly associated with structural and functional abnormalities of neurons, as well as the inflammation that is commonly observed both in the brains of patients with ASDs and in animal models of ASDs. In this chapter, we first introduce a list of commonly available animal models of ASDs and describe the validity of each model from the viewpoint of behaviors and neuroanatomy. We next detail the malfunction of microglia that has been reported in animal models of ASDs and discuss the roles of microglia in ASD pathogenesis. We will further propose possible therapeutic strategies to tackle ASDs by controlling microglial functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megumi Andoh
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuji Ikegaya
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryuta Koyama
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
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139
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Aberrant Mitochondrial Morphology and Function in the BTBR Mouse Model of Autism Is Improved by Two Weeks of Ketogenic Diet. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21093266. [PMID: 32380723 PMCID: PMC7246481 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21093266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that exhibits a common set of behavioral and cognitive impairments. Although the etiology of ASD remains unclear, mitochondrial dysfunction has recently emerged as a possible causative factor underlying ASD. The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that augments mitochondrial function, and has been shown to reduce autistic behaviors in both humans and in rodent models of ASD. The aim of the current study was to examine mitochondrial bioenergetics in the BTBR mouse model of ASD and to determine whether the KD improves mitochondrial function. We also investigated changes in mitochondrial morphology, which can directly influence mitochondrial function. We found that BTBR mice had altered mitochondrial function and exhibited smaller more fragmented mitochondria compared to C57BL/6J controls, and that supplementation with the KD improved both mitochondrial function and morphology. We also identified activating phosphorylation of two fission proteins, pDRP1S616 and pMFFS146, in BTBR mice, consistent with the increased mitochondrial fragmentation that we observed. Intriguingly, we found that the KD decreased pDRP1S616 levels in BTBR mice, likely contributing to the restoration of mitochondrial morphology. Overall, these data suggest that impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics and mitochondrial fragmentation may contribute to the etiology of ASD and that these alterations can be reversed with KD treatment.
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140
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Haddad FL, Patel SV, Schmid S. Maternal Immune Activation by Poly I:C as a preclinical Model for Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A focus on Autism and Schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:546-567. [PMID: 32320814 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) in response to a viral infection during early and mid-gestation has been linked through various epidemiological studies to a higher risk for the child to develop autism or schizophrenia-related symptoms.. This has led to the establishment of the pathogen-free poly I:C-induced MIA animal model for neurodevelopmental disorders, which shows relatively high construct and face validity. Depending on the experimental variables, particularly the timing of poly I:C administration, different behavioural and molecular phenotypes have been described that relate to specific symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and/or schizophrenia. We here review and summarize epidemiological evidence for the effects of maternal infection and immune activation, as well as major findings in different poly I:C MIA models with a focus on poly I:C exposure timing, behavioural and molecular changes in the offspring, and characteristics of the model that relate it to autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faraj L Haddad
- Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Salonee V Patel
- Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Susanne Schmid
- Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
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141
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Pascucci T, Colamartino M, Fiori E, Sacco R, Coviello A, Ventura R, Puglisi-Allegra S, Turriziani L, Persico AM. P-cresol Alters Brain Dopamine Metabolism and Exacerbates Autism-Like Behaviors in the BTBR Mouse. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E233. [PMID: 32294927 PMCID: PMC7226382 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10040233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction/communication, stereotypic behaviors, restricted interests, and abnormal sensory-processing. Several studies have reported significantly elevated urinary and foecal levels of p-cresol in ASD children, an aromatic compound either of environmental origin or produced by specific gut bacterial strains. Methods: Since p-cresol is a known uremic toxin, able to negatively affect multiple brain functions, the present study was undertaken to assess the effects of a single acute injection of low- or high-dose (1 or 10 mg/kg i.v. respectively) of p-cresol in behavioral and neurochemical phenotypes of BTBR mice, a reliable animal model of human ASD. Results: P-cresol significantly increased anxiety-like behaviors and hyperactivity in the open field, in addition to producing stereotypic behaviors and loss of social preference in BTBR mice. Tissue levels of monoaminergic neurotransmitters and their metabolites unveiled significantly activated dopamine turnover in amygdala as well as in dorsal and ventral striatum after p-cresol administration; no effect was recorded in medial-prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Conclusion: Our study supports a gene x environment interaction model, whereby p-cresol, acting upon a susceptible genetic background, can acutely induce autism-like behaviors and produce abnormal dopamine metabolism in the reward circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Pascucci
- Department of Psychology and Centro "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University of Rome, I-00185 Rome, Italy; (T.P.); (M.C.); (E.F.); (A.C.); (R.V.)
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, I-00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Colamartino
- Department of Psychology and Centro "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University of Rome, I-00185 Rome, Italy; (T.P.); (M.C.); (E.F.); (A.C.); (R.V.)
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, I-00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Fiori
- Department of Psychology and Centro "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University of Rome, I-00185 Rome, Italy; (T.P.); (M.C.); (E.F.); (A.C.); (R.V.)
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, I-00143 Rome, Italy
- European Brain Research Institute EBRI, I-00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Sacco
- Service for Neurodevelopmental Disorders & Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Neurogenetics, University “Campus Bio-Medico”, I-00128 Rome, Italy;
| | - Annalisa Coviello
- Department of Psychology and Centro "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University of Rome, I-00185 Rome, Italy; (T.P.); (M.C.); (E.F.); (A.C.); (R.V.)
| | - Rossella Ventura
- Department of Psychology and Centro "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University of Rome, I-00185 Rome, Italy; (T.P.); (M.C.); (E.F.); (A.C.); (R.V.)
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, I-00143 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Laura Turriziani
- Interdepartmental Program “Autism 0-90”, “Gaetano Martino” University Hospital, University of Messina, I-98125 Messina, Italy;
| | - Antonio M. Persico
- Interdepartmental Program “Autism 0-90”, “Gaetano Martino” University Hospital, University of Messina, I-98125 Messina, Italy;
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142
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Guzman KM, Brink LE, Rodriguez-Bey G, Bodnar RJ, Kuang L, Xing B, Sullivan M, Park HJ, Koppes E, Zhu H, Padiath Q, Cambi F. Conditional depletion of Fus in oligodendrocytes leads to motor hyperactivity and increased myelin deposition associated with Akt and cholesterol activation. Glia 2020; 68:2040-2056. [PMID: 32187401 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a predominantly nuclear multifunctional RNA/DNA-binding protein that regulates multiple aspects of gene expression. FUS mutations are associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) and frontotemporal lobe degeneration (FTLD) in humans. At the molecular level, the mutated FUS protein is reduced in the nucleus but accumulates in cytoplasmic granules. Oligodendrocytes (OL) carrying clinically relevant FUS mutations contribute to non-cell autonomous motor neuron disease progression, consistent with an extrinsic mechanism of disease mediated by OL. Knocking out FUS globally or in neurons lead to behavioral abnormalities that are similar to those present in FTLD. In this study, we sought to investigate whether an extrinsic mechanism mediated by loss of FUS function in OL contributes to the behavioral phenotype. We have generated a novel conditional knockout (cKO) in which Fus is selectively depleted in OL (FusOL cKO). The FusOL cKO mice show increased novelty-induced motor activity and enhanced exploratory behavior, which are reminiscent of some manifestations of FTLD. The phenotypes are associated with greater myelin thickness, higher number of myelinated small diameter axons without an increase in the number of mature OL. The expression of the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis (HMGCR) is increased in white matter tracts of the FusOL cKO and results in higher cholesterol content. In addition, phosphorylation of Akt, an important regulator of myelination is increased in the FusOL cKO. Collectively, this work has uncovered a novel role of oligodendrocytic Fus in regulating myelin deposition through activation of Akt and cholesterol biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Guzman
- Research Department, Veterans Administration Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lauren E Brink
- Research Department, Veterans Administration Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Guillermo Rodriguez-Bey
- Department of Human Genetics Graduate, School of Public Health University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Richard J Bodnar
- Research Department, Veterans Administration Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lisha Kuang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Bin Xing
- GE Healthcare, Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mara Sullivan
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Biologic Imaging, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Hyun J Park
- Department of Human Genetics, Biostatistics and Biomedical Informatics, School of Public Health University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Erik Koppes
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Haining Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Quasar Padiath
- Department of Human Genetics Graduate, School of Public Health University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Franca Cambi
- Research Department, Veterans Administration Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Neurology/PIND, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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143
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Yoshizaki K, Asai M, Nakayama A. Impaired social facilitation on voluntary exercise of BALB/cCrSlc mice, a proposed as an autism spectrum disorder model. Neurosci Res 2020; 163:63-67. [PMID: 32194144 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Impaired social facilitation was reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children. However, behavioral analysis methods of social facilitation for ASD model have not been reported. We developed a novel breeding home cage for social facilitation. Voluntary exercise of more social C57BL/6 J mice was significantly increased in the presence of observer mouse compared to that in the absence of observer mouse. In contrast, the presence of observer mouse did not affect voluntary exercise of less social BALB/cCrSlc mice. These suggest that BALB/cCrSlc mice, a mouse model of ASD, exhibited impaired social facilitation. Our method would provide novel clues for ASD pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaichi Yoshizaki
- Department of Disease Model, Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Developmental Disability Center, Aichi, Japan.
| | - Masato Asai
- Department of Disease Model, Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Developmental Disability Center, Aichi, Japan
| | - Atsuo Nakayama
- Department of Cellular Pathogenesis, Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Developmental Disability Center, Aichi, Japan
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144
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Morè L, Lauterborn JC, Papaleo F, Brambilla R. Enhancing cognition through pharmacological and environmental interventions: Examples from preclinical models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 110:28-45. [PMID: 30981451 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In this review we discuss the role of environmental and pharmacological treatments to enhance cognition with special regards to neurodevelopmental related disorders and aging. How the environment influences brain structure and function, and the interactions between rearing conditions and gene expression, are fundamental questions that are still poorly understood. We propose a model that can explain some of the discrepancies in findings for effects of environmental enrichment on outcome measures. Evidence of a direct causal correlation of nootropics and treatments that enhanced cognition also will be presented, and possible molecular mechanisms that include neurotrophin signaling and downstream pathways underlying these processes are discussed. Finally we review recent findings achieved with a wide set of behavioral and cognitive tasks that have translational validity to humans, and should be useful for future work on devising appropriate therapies. As will be discussed, the collective findings suggest that a combinational therapeutic approach of environmental enrichment and nootropics could be particularly successful for improving learning and memory in both developmental disorders and normal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Morè
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, PR1 2XT, Preston, UK.
| | - Julie C Lauterborn
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617, USA.
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego, 30, 16163, Genova, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Brambilla
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI), Division of Neuroscience, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, Cardiff, UK.
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145
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Malaguarnera M, Khan H, Cauli O. Resveratrol in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Behavioral and Molecular Effects. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020; 9:E188. [PMID: 32106489 PMCID: PMC7139867 DOI: 10.3390/antiox9030188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Resveratrol (RSV) is a polyphenolic stillbenoid with significant anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties recently tested in animal models of several neurological diseases. Altered immune alteration and oxidative stress have also been found in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and these alterations could add to the pathophysiology associated with ASD. We reviewed the current evidence about the effects of RSV administration in animal models and in patients with ASD. RSV administration improves the core-symptoms (social impairment and stereotyped activity) in animal models and it also displays beneficial effects in other behavioral abnormalities such as hyperactivity, anxiety and cognitive function. The molecular mechanisms by which RSV restores or improves behavioral abnormalities in animal models encompass both normalization of central and peripheral immune alteration and oxidative stress markers and new molecular mechanisms such as expression of cortical gamma-amino butyric acid neurons, certain type of miRNAs that regulate spine growth. One randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial (RCT) suggested that RSV add-on risperidone therapy improves comorbid hyperactivity/non-compliance, whereas no effects where seen in core symptoms of ASD No RCTs about the effect of RSV as monotherapy have been performed and the results from preclinical studies encourage its feasibility. Further clinical trials should also identify those ASD patients with immune alterations and/or with increased oxidative stress markers that would likely benefit from RSV administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Malaguarnera
- Research Center “The Great Senescence”, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, Italy;
- Department of Nursing, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Haroon Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University, Marden 23200, Pakistan;
| | - Omar Cauli
- Department of Nursing, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
- Frailty and Cognitive Impairment Group (FROG), University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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146
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Nakamoto C, Kawamura M, Nakatsukasa E, Natsume R, Takao K, Watanabe M, Abe M, Takeuchi T, Sakimura K. GluD1 knockout mice with a pure C57BL/6N background show impaired fear memory, social interaction, and enhanced depressive-like behavior. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229288. [PMID: 32078638 PMCID: PMC7032715 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The GluD1 gene is associated with susceptibility for schizophrenia, autism, depression, and bipolar disorder. However, the function of GluD1 and how it is involved in these conditions remain elusive. In this study, we generated a Grid1 gene-knockout (GluD1-KO) mouse line with a pure C57BL/6N genetic background and performed several behavioral analyses. Compared to a control group, GluD1-KO mice showed no significant anxiety-related behavioral differences, evaluated using behavior in an open field, elevated plus maze, a light-dark transition test, the resident-intruder test of aggression and sensorimotor gating evaluated by the prepulse inhibition test. However, GluD1-KO mice showed (1) higher locomotor activity in the open field, (2) decreased sociability and social novelty preference in the three-chambered social interaction test, (3) impaired memory in contextual, but not cued fear conditioning tests, and (4) enhanced depressive-like behavior in a forced swim test. Pharmacological studies revealed that enhanced depressive-like behavior in GluD1-KO mice was restored by the serotonin reuptake inhibitors imipramine and fluoxetine, but not the norepinephrine transporter inhibitor desipramine. In addition, biochemical analysis revealed no significant difference in protein expression levels, such as other glutamate receptors in the synaptosome and postsynaptic densities prepared from the frontal cortex and the hippocampus. These results suggest that GluD1 plays critical roles in fear memory, sociability, and depressive-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Nakamoto
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience–DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Meiko Kawamura
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Ena Nakatsukasa
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Rie Natsume
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Keizo Takao
- Graduate School of Innovative Life Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Masahiko Watanabe
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Manabu Abe
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
- * E-mail: (TT); (MA)
| | - Tomonori Takeuchi
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience–DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- * E-mail: (TT); (MA)
| | - Kenji Sakimura
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
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147
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An ENU-induced mutation in Twist1 transactivation domain causes hindlimb polydactyly with complete penetrance and dominant-negatively impairs E2A-dependent transcription. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2501. [PMID: 32051525 PMCID: PMC7016005 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59455-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Twist1 encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor (TF), which forms homodimer or heterodimer with other TFs, like E2A, to regulate target genes' expression. Mutations in TWIST1 are associated with Saethre-Chotzen syndrome (SCS), a rare congenital disorder characterized with osteogenesis abnormalities. However, how dysfunction of TWIST1 leads to SCS is still largely unknown. Here, using an unbiased ENU-induced mutagenesis screening, we identified a novel Twist1 mutation and the mutant mouse phenocopies some features of SCS in a dominant manner. Physically, our mutation p.F191S lies at the edge of a predicted α-helix in Twist1 transactivation (TA) domain. Adjacent to F191, a consecutive three-residue (AFS) has been hit by 3 human and 2 mouse disease-associated mutations, including ours. Unlike previously reported mouse null and p.S192P alleles that lead to hindlimb polydactyly with incomplete penetrance but a severe craniofacial malformation, our p.F191S causes the polydactyly (84.2% bilateral and 15.8% unilateral) with complete penetrance but a mild craniofacial malformation. Consistent with the higher penetrance, p.F191S has stronger impairment on E2A-dependent transcription than p.S192P. Although human p.A186T and mouse p.S192P disease mutations are adjacent to ours, these three mutations function differently to impair the E2A-dependent transcription. Unlike p.A186T and p.S192S that disturb local protein conformation and unstabilize the mutant proteins, p.F191S keeps the mutant protein stable and its interaction with E2A entire. Therefore, we argue that p.F191S we identified acts in a dominant-negative manner to impair E2A-dependent transcription and to cause the biological consequences. In addition, the mutant mouse we provided here could be an additional and valuable model for better understanding the disease mechanisms underlying SCS caused by TWIST1 dysfunction.
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148
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Möhrle D, Fernández M, Peñagarikano O, Frick A, Allman B, Schmid S. What we can learn from a genetic rodent model about autism. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 109:29-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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149
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Bahceci D, Anderson LL, Occelli Hanbury Brown CV, Zhou C, Arnold JC. Adolescent behavioral abnormalities in a Scn1a +/- mouse model of Dravet syndrome. Epilepsy Behav 2020; 103:106842. [PMID: 31870807 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.106842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Dravet syndrome is an intractable pediatric epilepsy associated with SCN1A mutations. In addition to having a large seizure burden and a reduced lifespan, patients with Dravet syndrome also exhibit delays in reaching normal developmental milestones in attentional, emotional, and cognitive function. These developmental delays manifest in autistic-like social withdrawal and compulsive behavior. Additionally, cognitive impairments including deficits in sensorimotor processing and memory function are present. Several mouse models utilizing heterozygous deletion of Scn1a (Scn1a+/- mice) have been generated that recapitulate many aspects of Dravet syndrome. Studies in these mouse models of Dravet syndrome have characterized behavioral phenotypes in adult mice. In the present study, we characterized the behavioral phenotype of Scn1a+/- mice generated by targeted deletion of Scn1a exon 1 (Scn1atm1Kea) during adolescence. Identifying behavioral deficits in adolescent mice would more closely model the early onset of attentional, emotional, and cognitive delays observed in patients with Dravet syndrome. The behaviors of adolescent Scn1a+/- and wildtype (WT) mice were compared across several behavioral domains. We assessed motor function (open-field test), sociability and social recognition memory (three-chambered social preference and social interaction tests), memory function (novel object recognition, Barnes maze, fear conditioning paradigm), anxiety-related behavior (elevated plus maze and open-field thigmotaxis), startle reflex and sensorimotor gating (prepulse inhibition of startle (PPI) tests), and repetitive compulsive behavior (marble burying test). Adolescent Scn1a+/- mice exhibited normal locomotor activity, marble burying behavior, sociability, and sensorimotor gating. However, adolescent Scn1a+/- mice displayed increased anxiety-related thigmotactic behavior, atypical fear expression, blunted acoustic startle responses, and impaired social recognition and spatial memory. Our results show that Scn1a+/- mice display various behavioral impairments during adolescence, which provides a foundation for testing early intervention therapies targeting developmental delays modeled in Dravet syndrome mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilara Bahceci
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; School of Medical Science and Discipline of Pharmacology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Lyndsey Leigh Anderson
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; School of Medical Science and Discipline of Pharmacology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Cassandra Veronica Occelli Hanbury Brown
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; School of Medical Science and Discipline of Pharmacology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Cilla Zhou
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; School of Medical Science and Discipline of Pharmacology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Jonathon Carl Arnold
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; School of Medical Science and Discipline of Pharmacology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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150
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Effects of PM 2.5 and gases exposure during prenatal and early-life on autism-like phenotypes in male rat offspring. Part Fibre Toxicol 2020; 17:8. [PMID: 31996222 PMCID: PMC6990481 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-020-0336-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies have reported associations between elevated air pollution and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, we hypothesized that exposure to air pollution that mimics real world scenarios, is a potential contributor to ASD. The exact etiology and molecular mechanisms underlying ASD are not well understood. Thus, we assessed whether changes in OXTR levels may be part of the mechanism linking PM2.5/gaseous pollutant exposure and ASD. The current in-vivo study investigated the effect of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and gaseous pollutants on ASD using behavioral and molecular experiments. Four exposure groups of Wistar rats were included in this study: 1) particulate matter and gaseous pollutants exposed (PGE), 2) gaseous pollutants only exposed (GE), 3) autism-like model (ALM) with VPA induction, and 4) clean air exposed (CAE) as the control. Pregnant dams and male pups were exposed to air pollutants from embryonic day (E0) to postnatal day (PND21). RESULTS The average ± SD concentrations of air pollutants were: PM2.5: 43.8 ± 21.1 μg/m3, CO: 13.5 ± 2.5 ppm, NO2: 0.341 ± 0.100 ppm, SO2: 0.275 ± 0.07 ppm, and O3: 0.135 ± 0.01 ppm. The OXTR protein level, catalase activity (CAT), and GSH concentrations in the ALM, PGE, and GE rats were lower than those in control group (CAE). However, the decrements in the GE rats were smaller than other groups. Also in behavioral assessments, the ALM, PGE, and GE rats demonstrated a repetitive /restricted behavior and poor social interaction, but the GE rats had weaker responses compared to other groups of rats. The PGE and GE rats showed similar trends in these tests compared to the VPA rats. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that exposure to ambient air pollution contributed to ASD and that OXTR protein may serve as part of the mechanism linking them.
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