101
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Nguyen TA, Lehr AW, Roche KW. Neuroligins and Neurodevelopmental Disorders: X-Linked Genetics. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 12:33. [PMID: 32848696 PMCID: PMC7431521 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that results in social-communication impairments, as well as restricted and repetitive behaviors. Moreover, ASD is more prevalent in males, with a male to female ratio of 4 to 1. Although the underlying etiology of ASD is generally unknown, recent advances in genome sequencing have facilitated the identification of a host of associated genes. Among these, synaptic proteins such as cell adhesion molecules have been strongly linked with ASD. Interestingly, many large genome sequencing studies exclude sex chromosomes, which leads to a shift in focus toward autosomal genes as targets for ASD research. However, there are many genes on the X chromosome that encode synaptic proteins, including strong candidate genes. Here, we review findings regarding two members of the neuroligin (NLGN) family of postsynaptic adhesion molecules, NLGN3 and NLGN4. Neuroligins have multiple isoforms (NLGN1-4), which are both autosomal and sex-linked. The sex-linked genes, NLGN3 and NLGN4, are both on the X chromosome and were among the first few genes to be linked with ASD and intellectual disability (ID). In addition, there is a less studied human neuroligin on the Y chromosome, NLGN4Y, which forms an X-Y pair with NLGN4X. We will discuss recent findings of these neuroligin isoforms regarding function at the synapse in both rodent models and human-derived differentiated neurons, and highlight the exciting challenges moving forward to a better understanding of ASD/ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thien A. Nguyen
- Receptor Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Alexander W. Lehr
- Receptor Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Katherine W. Roche
- Receptor Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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102
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A multidimensional precision medicine approach identifies an autism subtype characterized by dyslipidemia. Nat Med 2020; 26:1375-1379. [PMID: 32778826 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-1007-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The promise of precision medicine lies in data diversity. More than the sheer size of biomedical data, it is the layering of multiple data modalities, offering complementary perspectives, that is thought to enable the identification of patient subgroups with shared pathophysiology. In the present study, we use autism to test this notion. By combining healthcare claims, electronic health records, familial whole-exome sequences and neurodevelopmental gene expression patterns, we identified a subgroup of patients with dyslipidemia-associated autism.
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103
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Sokolowski M, Wasserman D. Genetic origins of suicidality? A synopsis of genes in suicidal behaviours, with regard to evidence diversity, disorder specificity and neurodevelopmental brain transcriptomics. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 37:1-11. [PMID: 32636053 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
With regard to suicidal behavior (SB) genetics, many novel genes have been implicated over the years, in particular by a variety of hypothesis-free genomic methods (e.g. GWAS and exome sequencing). In addition, many novel SB gene findings appear enigmatic in their biological relevance and have weak statistical support, e.g. lack direct replications. Adding to this is the comorbidity between psychiatric disorders and SB. Here we provide a synopsis of SB genes, by prioritization of 106 (out of ~2500) genes based on their highest level of evidence diversity across mainly five genetic evidence types (candidate/GWAS SNP, CNV, linkage and whole exome sequencing), supplemented by three functional categories. This is a representative set of both old and new SB gene candidates, implicated by all kinds of evidence. Furthermore, we define a subset of 40 SB "specific" genes, which are not found among ~3900 genes implicated in other neuropsychiatric disorders, e.g. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or Schizophrenia. Biological research of suicidality contains a major developmental focus, e.g. with regard to the gene-environment interactions and epigenetic effects during childhood. Less is known about early (fetal) development and SB genes. Inspired by huge efforts to understand the role early (fetal) neurodevelopment in e.g. ASD by using brain transcriptomic data, we here also characterize the 106 SB genes. We find interesting spatiotemporal expression differences and similarities between SB specific and non-specific genes during brain neurodevelopment. These aspects are of interest to investigate further, to better understand and counteract the genetic origins suicidality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Sokolowski
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Danuta Wasserman
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden; WHO collaborating Centre for research, methods, development and training in suicide prevention, Sweden
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104
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Ju X, Cui J, Lee Y, Park S, Hong B, Yoo S, Kim YH, Ko Y, Lim C, Lee SY, Kweon GR, Heo JY, Chung W. Increasing the interval between repeated anesthetic exposures reduces long-lasting synaptic changes in late post-natal mice. J Neurochem 2020; 156:76-87. [PMID: 32639632 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
While recent studies strongly suggest that a single, short anesthetic exposure does not affect neurodevelopment, the effects of multiple exposures remain unclear. Unfortunately, studying "multiple exposures" is challenging as it is an extremely heterogeneous descriptor comprising diverse factors. One potentially important, but unrecognized factor is the interval between anesthetic exposures. In order to evaluate the significance of interval, we exposed post-natal day 16, 17 mice to three sevoflurane exposures (2.5%, 1 hr) with short (2 hr) or long (24 hr) intervals. Changes in synaptic transmission, plasticity, protein expression, and behavior were assessed in male and female mice. We discovered that short-interval exposures induced a female-dependent decrease in miniature inhibitory post-synaptic current (mIPSC) frequency 5 days after the last exposure (control: 18.44 ± 2.86 Hz, sevoflurane:14.65 ± 4.54 Hz). Short-interval sevoflurane exposed mice also displayed long-term behavioral deficits at adult age (hypoactivity, anxiety). These behavioral changes were consistent with the sex-dependent changes in inhibitory transmission, as they were more robust in female mice. Although there was no change in learning and memory, short-interval sevoflurane exposures also impaired LTP in a non-sex-dependent manner (control: 171.10 ± 26.90%, sevoflurane: 149.80 ± 26.48 %). Most importantly, we were unable to find long-lasting consequences in mice that received long-interval sevoflurane exposures. Our study provides novel insights regarding the significance of the interval between multiple exposures, and also suggests that the neurotoxic effects of multiple anesthetic exposures may be reduced by simply increasing the interval between each exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianshu Ju
- Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.,Infection Control Convergence Research Center, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jianchen Cui
- Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.,Infection Control Convergence Research Center, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Yulim Lee
- Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.,Infection Control Convergence Research Center, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Sangil Park
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Boohwi Hong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Sungho Yoo
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Yoon Hee Kim
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Youngkwon Ko
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Chaeseong Lim
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Sun Yeul Lee
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Gi Ryang Kweon
- Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jun Young Heo
- Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Woosuk Chung
- Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
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105
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Vasu MM, Sumitha PS, Rahna P, Thanseem I, Anitha A. microRNAs in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Curr Pharm Des 2020; 25:4368-4378. [PMID: 31692427 DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666191105120901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efforts to unravel the extensive impact of the non-coding elements of the human genome on cell homeostasis and pathological processes have gained momentum over the last couple of decades. miRNAs refer to short, often 18-25 nucleotides long, non-coding RNA molecules which can regulate gene expression. Each miRNA can regulate several mRNAs. METHODS This article reviews the literature on the roles of miRNAs in autism. RESULTS Considering the fact that ~ 1% of the human DNA encodes different families of miRNAs, their overall impact as critical regulators of gene expression in the mammalian brain should be immense. Though the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are predominantly genetic in nature and several candidate genes are already identified, the highly heterogeneous and multifactorial nature of the disorder makes it difficult to identify common genetic risk factors. Several studies have suggested that the environmental factors may interact with the genetic factors to increase the risk. miRNAs could possibly be one of those factors which explain this link between genetics and the environment. CONCLUSION In the present review, we have summarized our current knowledge on miRNAs and their complex roles in ASD, and also on their therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh Mundalil Vasu
- Department of Neurogenetics, Institute for Communicative and Cognitive Neurosciences (ICCONS), Kavalappara, Shoranur, Palakkad - 679 523, Kerala, India
| | - Puthiripadath S Sumitha
- Department of Neurogenetics, Institute for Communicative and Cognitive Neurosciences (ICCONS), Kavalappara, Shoranur, Palakkad - 679 523, Kerala, India
| | - Parakkal Rahna
- Department of Neurogenetics, Institute for Communicative and Cognitive Neurosciences (ICCONS), Kavalappara, Shoranur, Palakkad - 679 523, Kerala, India
| | - Ismail Thanseem
- Department of Neurogenetics, Institute for Communicative and Cognitive Neurosciences (ICCONS), Kavalappara, Shoranur, Palakkad - 679 523, Kerala, India
| | - Ayyappan Anitha
- Department of Neurogenetics, Institute for Communicative and Cognitive Neurosciences (ICCONS), Kavalappara, Shoranur, Palakkad - 679 523, Kerala, India
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106
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Zhang L, Verwer RWH, Lucassen PJ, Huitinga I, Swaab DF. Sex difference in glia gene expression in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in bipolar disorder: Relation to psychotic features. J Psychiatr Res 2020; 125:66-74. [PMID: 32208195 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide, psychotic features and gender influence the epidemiology and clinical prognosis of bipolar disorder (BD). Differences in glial function between the genders might contribute to these clinical variables. Here we studied expression of glial genes in human post-mortem prefrontal cortex of BD and control subjects in relation to suicide, psychotic features and sex. METHODS Real time PCR was used to detect transcriptional alterations of 16 glia-related genes in two brain areas, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), from 30 patients with BD subdivided by suicide and psychotic features, and from 34 well-matched control cases. RESULTS We found no evidence of immune activation in BD. Instead, we found three microglial genes to be downregulated in the DLPFC of non-suicidal individuals with BD, i.e. CD68, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) and purinergic receptor 12 (P2RY12). A remarkable sex difference was observed in the DLPFC of patients with BD: 14 glia-related genes were expressed at significantly higher levels in males, including all three glial cell types. A subset analysis showed that the sex differences were closely associated with the presence of psychotic features. CONCLUSIONS No evidence of immune activation was found in these two brain regions in BD. The sex-specific differences in glial gene expression in BD, found particularly in patients with psychotic features, may be associated with the potential co-existence of mania and psychotic features and could potentially contribute to the gender-biased characteristics in BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhang
- Neuropsychiatric Disorders Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald W H Verwer
- Neuropsychiatric Disorders Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Paul J Lucassen
- Brain Plasticity Group, Faculty of Science, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Inge Huitinga
- Brain Plasticity Group, Faculty of Science, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Neuroimmunology Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Neuropsychiatric Disorders Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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107
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McCarthy MM. A new view of sexual differentiation of mammalian brain. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2020; 206:369-378. [PMID: 31705197 PMCID: PMC7196030 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-019-01376-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Establishment of enduring sex differences in brain and behavior occurs during pre- or perinatal development, depending on species. For over 50 years the focus has been on gonadal steroid production by male fetuses and the impact on developing brain. An increasing awareness of the importance of sex chromosome complement has broadened the focus but identifying specific roles in development has yet to be achieved. Recent emphasis on transcriptomics has revealed myriad and unexpected differences in gene expression in specific regions of male and female brains which may produce sex differences, serve a compensatory role or provide latent sex differences revealed only in response to challenge. More surprising, however, has been the consistent observation of a central role for inflammatory signaling molecules and immune cells in masculinization of brain and behavior. The signal transduction pathways and specific immune cells vary by brain region, as does the neuroanatomical substrate subject to differentiation, reflecting substantial complexity emerging from what may be a common origin, the maternal immune system. A working hypothesis integrating these various ideas is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret M McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, MD, Baltimore, USA.
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108
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Lawrence KE, Hernandez LM, Bowman HC, Padgaonkar NT, Fuster E, Jack A, Aylward E, Gaab N, Van Horn JD, Bernier RA, Geschwind DH, McPartland JC, Nelson CA, Webb SJ, Pelphrey KA, Green SA, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M. Sex Differences in Functional Connectivity of the Salience, Default Mode, and Central Executive Networks in Youth with ASD. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:5107-5120. [PMID: 32350530 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with the altered functional connectivity of 3 neurocognitive networks that are hypothesized to be central to the symptomatology of ASD: the salience network (SN), default mode network (DMN), and central executive network (CEN). Due to the considerably higher prevalence of ASD in males, however, previous studies examining these networks in ASD have used primarily male samples. It is thus unknown how these networks may be differentially impacted among females with ASD compared to males with ASD, and how such differences may compare to those observed in neurotypical individuals. Here, we investigated the functional connectivity of the SN, DMN, and CEN in a large, well-matched sample of girls and boys with and without ASD (169 youth, ages 8-17). Girls with ASD displayed greater functional connectivity between the DMN and CEN than boys with ASD, whereas typically developing girls and boys differed in SN functional connectivity only. Together, these results demonstrate that youth with ASD exhibit altered sex differences in these networks relative to what is observed in typical development, and highlight the importance of considering sex-related biological factors and participant sex when characterizing the neural mechanisms underlying ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Lawrence
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Leanna M Hernandez
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Hilary C Bowman
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Namita T Padgaonkar
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Emily Fuster
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Allison Jack
- Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.,Dept. of Pharmacology & Physiology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Elizabeth Aylward
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Nadine Gaab
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - John D Van Horn
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Raphael A Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - James C McPartland
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.,Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Sara J Webb
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.,Center on Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Kevin A Pelphrey
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Shulamite A Green
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Susan Y Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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109
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Sun H, Kim P, Jia P, Park AK, Liang H, Zhao Z. Distinct telomere length and molecular signatures in seminoma and non-seminoma of testicular germ cell tumor. Brief Bioinform 2020; 20:1502-1512. [PMID: 29579225 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bby020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are classified into two main subtypes, seminoma (SE) and non-seminoma (NSE), but their molecular distinctions remain largely unexplored. Here, we used expression data for mRNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to perform a systematic investigation to explain the different telomere length (TL) features between NSE (n = 48) and SE (n = 55). We found that TL elongation was dominant in NSE, whereas TL shortening prevailed in SE. We further showed that both mRNA and miRNA expression profiles could clearly distinguish these two subtypes. Notably, four telomere-related genes (TelGenes) showed significantly higher expression and positively correlated with telomere elongation in NSE than SE: three telomerase activity-related genes (TERT, WRAP53 and MYC) and an independent telomerase activity gene (ZSCAN4). We also found that the expression of genes encoding Yamanaka factors was positively correlated with telomere lengthening in NSE. Among them, SOX2 and MYC were highly expressed in NSE versus SE, while POU5F1 and KLF4 had the opposite patterns. These results suggested that enhanced expression of both TelGenes (TERT, WRAP53, MYC and ZSCAN4) and Yamanaka factors might induce telomere elongation in NSE. Conversely, the relative lack of telomerase activation and low expression of independent telomerase activity pathway during cell division may be contributed to telomere shortening in SE. Taken together, our results revealed the potential molecular profiles and regulatory roles involving the TL difference between NSE and SE, and provided a better molecular understanding of this complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Sun
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pora Kim
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Peilin Jia
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ae Kyung Park
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, 57922, Republic of Korea
| | - Han Liang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
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110
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Eltokhi A, Janmaat IE, Genedi M, Haarman BCM, Sommer IEC. Dysregulation of synaptic pruning as a possible link between intestinal microbiota dysbiosis and neuropsychiatric disorders. J Neurosci Res 2020; 98:1335-1369. [PMID: 32239720 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The prenatal and early postnatal stages represent a critical time window for human brain development. Interestingly, this window partly overlaps with the maturation of the intestinal flora (microbiota) that play a critical role in the bidirectional communication between the central and the enteric nervous systems (microbiota-gut-brain axis). The microbial composition has important influences on general health and the development of several organ systems, such as the gastrointestinal tract, the immune system, and also the brain. Clinical studies have shown that microbiota alterations are associated with a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. In this review, we dissect the link between these neuropsychiatric disorders and the intestinal microbiota by focusing on their effect on synaptic pruning, a vital process in the maturation and establishing efficient functioning of the brain. We discuss in detail how synaptic pruning is dysregulated differently in the aforementioned neuropsychiatric disorders and how it can be influenced by dysbiosis and/or changes in the intestinal microbiota composition. We also review that the improvement in the intestinal microbiota composition by a change in diet, probiotics, prebiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation may play a role in improving neuropsychiatric functioning, which can be at least partly explained via the optimization of synaptic pruning and neuronal connections. Altogether, the demonstration of the microbiota's influence on brain function via microglial-induced synaptic pruning addresses the possibility that the manipulation of microbiota-immune crosstalk represents a promising strategy for treating neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Eltokhi
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Eberhard Karls University Tubingen, Tubingen, Germany
| | - Isabel E Janmaat
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cells & Systems, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Mohamed Genedi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cells & Systems, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bartholomeus C M Haarman
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Iris E C Sommer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cells & Systems, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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111
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Hernandez LM, Lawrence KE, Padgaonkar NT, Inada M, Hoekstra JN, Lowe JK, Eilbott J, Jack A, Aylward E, Gaab N, Van Horn JD, Bernier RA, McPartland JC, Webb SJ, Pelphrey KA, Green SA, Geschwind DH, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M. Imaging-genetics of sex differences in ASD: distinct effects of OXTR variants on brain connectivity. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:82. [PMID: 32127526 PMCID: PMC7054353 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0750-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more prevalent in males than in females, but the neurobiological mechanisms that give rise to this sex-bias are poorly understood. The female protective hypothesis suggests that the manifestation of ASD in females requires higher cumulative genetic and environmental risk relative to males. Here, we test this hypothesis by assessing the additive impact of several ASD-associated OXTR variants on reward network resting-state functional connectivity in males and females with and without ASD, and explore how genotype, sex, and diagnosis relate to heterogeneity in neuroendophenotypes. Females with ASD who carried a greater number of ASD-associated risk alleles in the OXTR gene showed greater functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens (NAcc; hub of the reward network) and subcortical brain areas important for motor learning. Relative to males with ASD, females with ASD and higher OXTR risk-allele-dosage showed increased connectivity between the NAcc, subcortical regions, and prefrontal brain areas involved in mentalizing. This increased connectivity between NAcc and prefrontal cortex mirrored the relationship between genetic risk and brain connectivity observed in neurotypical males showing that, under increased OXTR genetic risk load, females with ASD and neurotypical males displayed increased connectivity between reward-related brain regions and prefrontal cortex. These results indicate that females with ASD differentially modulate the effects of increased genetic risk on brain connectivity relative to males with ASD, providing new insights into the neurobiological mechanisms through which the female protective effect may manifest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanna M Hernandez
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Katherine E Lawrence
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - N Tanya Padgaonkar
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Marisa Inada
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jackson N Hoekstra
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jennifer K Lowe
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jeffrey Eilbott
- Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Allison Jack
- Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Elizabeth Aylward
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nadine Gaab
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John D Van Horn
- USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Raphael A Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Sara J Webb
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kevin A Pelphrey
- University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Shulamite A Green
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Susan Y Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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112
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Kim Y, Noh YW, Kim K, Yang E, Kim H, Kim E. IRSp53 Deletion in Glutamatergic and GABAergic Neurons and in Male and Female Mice Leads to Distinct Electrophysiological and Behavioral Phenotypes. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:23. [PMID: 32116566 PMCID: PMC7026675 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
IRSp53 (also known as BAIAP2) is an abundant excitatory postsynaptic scaffolding protein implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), schizophrenia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). IRSp53 is expressed in different cell types across different brain regions, although it remains unclear how IRSp53 deletion in different cell types affects brain functions and behaviors in mice. Here, we deleted IRSp53 in excitatory and inhibitory neurons in mice and compared resulting phenotypes in males and females. IRSp53 deletion in excitatory neurons driven by Emx1 leads to strong social deficits and hyperactivity without affecting anxiety-like behavior, whereas IRSp53 deletion in inhibitory neurons driven by Viaat has minimal impacts on these behaviors in male mice. In female mice, excitatory neuronal IRSp53 deletion induces hyperactivity but moderate social deficits. Excitatory neuronal IRSp53 deletion in male mice induces an increased ratio of evoked excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission (E/I ratio) in layer V pyramidal neurons in the prelimbic region of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), whereas the same mutation does not alter the E/I ratio in female neurons. These results suggest that IRSp53 deletion in excitatory and inhibitory neurons and in male and female mice has distinct impacts on behaviors and synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangsik Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Young Woo Noh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Kyungdeok Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Esther Yang
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyun Kim
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eunjoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea.,Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, South Korea
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113
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Qin G, Mallik S, Mitra R, Li A, Jia P, Eischen CM, Zhao Z. MicroRNA and transcription factor co-regulatory networks and subtype classification of seminoma and non-seminoma in testicular germ cell tumors. Sci Rep 2020; 10:852. [PMID: 31965022 PMCID: PMC6972857 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57834-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that feed-forward loops (FFLs) as regulatory motifs have synergistic roles in cellular systems and their disruption may cause diseases including cancer. FFLs may include two regulators such as transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs). In this study, we extensively investigated TF and miRNA regulation pairs, their FFLs, and TF-miRNA mediated regulatory networks in two major types of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT): seminoma (SE) and non-seminoma (NSE). Specifically, we identified differentially expressed mRNA genes and miRNAs in 103 tumors using the transcriptomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Next, we determined significantly correlated TF-gene/miRNA and miRNA-gene/TF pairs with regulation direction. Subsequently, we determined 288 and 664 dysregulated TF-miRNA-gene FFLs in SE and NSE, respectively. By constructing dysregulated FFL networks, we found that many hub nodes (12 out of 30 for SE and 8 out of 32 for NSE) in the top ranked FFLs could predict subtype-classification (Random Forest classifier, average accuracy ≥90%). These hub molecules were validated by an independent dataset. Our network analysis pinpointed several SE-specific dysregulated miRNAs (miR-200c-3p, miR-25-3p, and miR-302a-3p) and genes (EPHA2, JUN, KLF4, PLXDC2, RND3, SPI1, and TIMP3) and NSE-specific dysregulated miRNAs (miR-367-3p, miR-519d-3p, and miR-96-5p) and genes (NR2F1 and NR2F2). This study is the first systematic investigation of TF and miRNA regulation and their co-regulation in two major TGCT subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guimin Qin
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.,School of Computer Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Saurav Mallik
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ramkrishna Mitra
- Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aimin Li
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.,School of Computer Science and Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peilin Jia
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christine M Eischen
- Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. .,Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
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114
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Zhang Y, Li N, Li C, Zhang Z, Teng H, Wang Y, Zhao T, Shi L, Zhang K, Xia K, Li J, Sun Z. Genetic evidence of gender difference in autism spectrum disorder supports the female-protective effect. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:4. [PMID: 32066658 PMCID: PMC7026157 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0699-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a male-to-female prevalence of 4:1. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying this gender difference remain unclear. Mutation burden analysis, a TADA model, and co-expression and functional network analyses were performed on de novo mutations (DNMs) and corresponding candidate genes. We found that the prevalence of putative functional DNMs (loss-of-function and predicted deleterious missense mutations) in females was significantly higher than that in males, suggesting that a higher genetic load was required in females to reach the threshold for a diagnosis. We then prioritized 174 candidate genes, including 60 shared genes, 91 male-specific genes, and 23 female-specific genes. All of the three subclasses of candidate genes were significantly more frequently co-expressed in female brains than male brains, suggesting that compensation effects of the deficiency of ASD candidate genes may be more likely in females. Nevertheless, the three subclasses of candidate genes were co-expressed with each other, suggesting a convergent functional network of male and female-specific genes. Our analysis of different aspects of genetic components provides suggestive evidence supporting the female-protective effect in ASD. Moreover, further study is needed to integrate neuronal and hormonal data to elucidate the underlying gender difference in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Na Li
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Chao Li
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Ze Zhang
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Huajing Teng
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Yan Wang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Tingting Zhao
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Leisheng Shi
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Kun Zhang
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Kun Xia
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Jinchen Li
- National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China. .,Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China.
| | - Zhongsheng Sun
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325025, China. .,Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100101, China.
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115
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Gegenhuber B, Tollkuhn J. Signatures of sex: Sex differences in gene expression in the vertebrate brain. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2020; 9:e348. [PMID: 31106965 PMCID: PMC6864223 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Women and men differ in disease prevalence, symptoms, and progression rates for many psychiatric and neurological disorders. As more preclinical studies include both sexes in experimental design, an increasing number of sex differences in physiology and behavior have been reported. In the brain, sex-typical behaviors are thought to result from sex-specific patterns of neural activity in response to the same sensory stimulus or context. These differential firing patterns likely arise as a consequence of underlying anatomic or molecular sex differences. Accordingly, gene expression in the brains of females and males has been extensively investigated, with the goal of identifying biological pathways that specify or modulate sex differences in brain function. However, there is surprisingly little consensus on sex-biased genes across studies and only a handful of robust candidates have been pursued in the follow-up experiments. Furthermore, it is not known how or when sex-biased gene expression originates, as few studies have been performed in the developing brain. Here we integrate molecular genetic and neural circuit perspectives to provide a conceptual framework of how sex differences in gene expression can arise in the brain. We detail mechanisms of gene regulation by steroid hormones, highlight landmark studies in rodents and humans, identify emerging themes, and offer recommendations for future research. This article is categorized under: Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: General Principles Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Regulatory Mechanisms Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Sex Determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Gegenhuber
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
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116
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Lombardo MV, Auyeung B, Pramparo T, Quartier A, Courraud J, Holt RJ, Waldman J, Ruigrok ANV, Mooney N, Bethlehem RAI, Lai MC, Kundu P, Bullmore ET, Mandel JL, Piton A, Baron-Cohen S. Sex-specific impact of prenatal androgens on social brain default mode subsystems. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:2175-2188. [PMID: 30104728 PMCID: PMC7473837 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0198-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Early-onset neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g., autism) affect males more frequently than females. Androgens may play a role in this male-bias by sex-differentially impacting early prenatal brain development, particularly neural circuits that later develop specialized roles in social cognition. Here, we find that increasing prenatal testosterone in humans is associated with later reduction of functional connectivity between social brain default mode (DMN) subsystems in adolescent males, but has no effect in females. Since testosterone can work directly via the androgen receptor (AR) or indirectly via the estrogen receptor through aromatase conversion to estradiol, we further examined how a potent non-aromatizable androgen, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), acts via the AR to influence gene expression in human neural stem cells (hNSC)-particularly for genes of high-relevance for DMN circuitry. DHT dysregulates a number of genes enriched for syndromic causes of autism and intellectual disability and for genes that in later development are expressed in anatomical patterns that highly correspond to the cortical midline DMN subsystem. DMN-related and DHT-affected genes (e.g., MEF2C) are involved in a number of synaptic processes, many of which impact excitation-inhibition balance. Androgens have male-specific prenatal influence over social brain circuitry in humans and may be relevant towards explaining some component of male-bias in early-onset neurodevelopmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael V. Lombardo
- grid.6603.30000000121167908Center for Applied Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus ,grid.5335.00000000121885934Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Bonnie Auyeung
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom ,grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Tiziano Pramparo
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Angélique Quartier
- grid.420255.40000 0004 0638 2716Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France ,grid.4444.00000 0001 2112 9282Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104 Illkirch, France ,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964 Illkirch, France ,grid.420255.40000 0004 0638 2716Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Jérémie Courraud
- grid.420255.40000 0004 0638 2716Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France ,grid.4444.00000 0001 2112 9282Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104 Illkirch, France ,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964 Illkirch, France ,grid.420255.40000 0004 0638 2716Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Rosemary J. Holt
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jack Waldman
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Amber N. V. Ruigrok
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Natasha Mooney
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A. I. Bethlehem
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.412094.a0000 0004 0572 7815Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Prantik Kundu
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Section on Advanced Functional Neuroimaging, Departments of Radiology & Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Edward T. Bullmore
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom ,Cambridgeshire and Peterborough National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom ,grid.418236.a0000 0001 2162 0389ImmunoPsychiatry, GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development, Stevenage, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-Louis Mandel
- grid.420255.40000 0004 0638 2716Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France ,grid.4444.00000 0001 2112 9282Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104 Illkirch, France ,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964 Illkirch, France ,grid.420255.40000 0004 0638 2716Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France ,grid.410533.00000 0001 2179 2236Chair of Human Genetics, Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Amélie Piton
- grid.420255.40000 0004 0638 2716Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France ,grid.4444.00000 0001 2112 9282Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104 Illkirch, France ,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964 Illkirch, France ,grid.420255.40000 0004 0638 2716Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom ,Cambridgeshire and Peterborough National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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117
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Al-Haddad BJS, Oler E, Armistead B, Elsayed NA, Weinberger DR, Bernier R, Burd I, Kapur R, Jacobsson B, Wang C, Mysorekar I, Rajagopal L, Adams Waldorf KM. The fetal origins of mental illness. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019; 221:549-562. [PMID: 31207234 PMCID: PMC6889013 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The impact of infections and inflammation during pregnancy on the developing fetal brain remains incompletely defined, with important clinical and research gaps. Although the classic infectious TORCH pathogens (ie, Toxoplasma gondii, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus [CMV], herpes simplex virus) are known to be directly teratogenic, emerging evidence suggests that these infections represent the most extreme end of a much larger spectrum of injury. We present the accumulating evidence that prenatal exposure to a wide variety of viral and bacterial infections-or simply inflammation-may subtly alter fetal brain development, leading to neuropsychiatric consequences for the child later in life. The link between influenza infections in pregnant women and an increased risk for development of schizophrenia in their children was first described more than 30 years ago. Since then, evidence suggests that a range of infections during pregnancy may also increase risk for autism spectrum disorder and depression in the child. Subsequent studies in animal models demonstrated that both pregnancy infections and inflammation can result in direct injury to neurons and neural progenitor cells or indirect injury through activation of microglia and astrocytes, which can trigger cytokine production and oxidative stress. Infectious exposures can also alter placental serotonin production, which can perturb neurotransmitter signaling in the developing brain. Clinically, detection of these subtle injuries to the fetal brain is difficult. As the neuropsychiatric impact of perinatal infections or inflammation may not be known for decades after birth, our construct for defining teratogenic infections in pregnancy (eg, TORCH) based on congenital anomalies is insufficient to capture the full adverse impact on the child. We discuss the clinical implications of this body of evidence and how we might place greater emphasis on prevention of prenatal infections. For example, increasing uptake of the seasonal influenza vaccine is a key strategy to reduce perinatal infections and the risk for fetal brain injury. An important research gap exists in understanding how antibiotic therapy during pregnancy affects the fetal inflammatory load and how to avoid inflammation-mediated injury to the fetal brain. In summary, we discuss the current evidence and mechanisms linking infections and inflammation with the increased lifelong risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in the child, and how we might improve prenatal care to protect the fetal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth Oler
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Blair Armistead
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington Seattle, WA; Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | - Nada A Elsayed
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuroscience, and McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore, MD
| | - Raphael Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Irina Burd
- Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Raj Kapur
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Science, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Domain of Health Data and Digitalization, Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Caihong Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Indira Mysorekar
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pathology and Immunology, Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Lakshmi Rajagopal
- Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | - Kristina M Adams Waldorf
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Global Health, Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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118
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Widespread Sexual Dimorphism in the Transcriptome of Human Airway Epithelium in Response to Smoking. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17600. [PMID: 31772224 PMCID: PMC6879662 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54051-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have shown that female smokers are at higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Female patients have worse symptoms and health status and increased risk of exacerbations. We determined the differences in the transcriptome of the airway epithelium between males and females, as well the sex-by-smoking interaction. We processed public gene expression data of human airway epithelium into a discovery cohort of 211 subjects (never smokers n = 68; current smokers n = 143) and two replication cohorts of 104 subjects (21 never, 52 current, and 31 former smokers) and 238 subjects (99 current and 139 former smokers. We analyzed gene differential expression with smoking status, sex, and smoking-by-sex interaction and used network approaches for modules’ level analyses. We identified and replicated two differentially expressed modules between the sexes in response to smoking with genes located throughout the autosomes and not restricted to sex chromosomes. The two modules were enriched in autophagy (up-regulated in female smokers) and response to virus and type 1 interferon signaling pathways which were down-regulated in female smokers compared to males. The results offer insights into the molecular mechanisms of the sexually dimorphic effect of smoking, potentially enabling a precision medicine approach to smoking related lung diseases.
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Saffari A, Arno M, Nasser E, Ronald A, Wong CCY, Schalkwyk LC, Mill J, Dudbridge F, Meaburn EL. RNA sequencing of identical twins discordant for autism reveals blood-based signatures implicating immune and transcriptional dysregulation. Mol Autism 2019; 10:38. [PMID: 31719968 PMCID: PMC6839145 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-019-0285-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A gap exists in our mechanistic understanding of how genetic and environmental risk factors converge at the molecular level to result in the emergence of autism symptoms. We compared blood-based gene expression signatures in identical twins concordant and discordant for autism spectrum condition (ASC) to differentiate genetic and environmentally driven transcription differences, and establish convergent evidence for biological mechanisms involved in ASC. Methods Genome-wide gene expression data were generated using RNA-seq on whole blood samples taken from 16 pairs of monozygotic (MZ) twins and seven twin pair members (39 individuals in total), who had been assessed for ASC and autism traits at age 12. Differential expression (DE) analyses were performed between (a) affected and unaffected subjects (N = 36) and (b) within discordant ASC MZ twin pairs (total N = 11) to identify environmental-driven DE. Gene set enrichment and pathway testing was performed on DE gene lists. Finally, an integrative analysis using DNA methylation data aimed to identify genes with consistent evidence for altered regulation in cis. Results In the discordant twin analysis, three genes showed evidence for DE at FDR < 10%: IGHG4, EVI2A and SNORD15B. In the case-control analysis, four DE genes were identified at FDR < 10% including IGHG4, PRR13P5, DEPDC1B, and ZNF501. We find enrichment for DE of genes curated in the SFARI human gene database. Pathways showing evidence of enrichment included those related to immune cell signalling and immune response, transcriptional control and cell cycle/proliferation. Integrative methylomic and transcriptomic analysis identified a number of genes showing suggestive evidence for cis dysregulation. Limitations Identical twins stably discordant for ASC are rare, and as such the sample size was limited and constrained to the use of peripheral blood tissue for transcriptomic and methylomic profiling. Given these primary limitations, we focused on transcript-level analysis. Conclusions Using a cohort of ASC discordant and concordant MZ twins, we add to the growing body of transcriptomic-based evidence for an immune-based component in the molecular aetiology of ASC. Whilst the sample size was limited, the study demonstrates the utility of the discordant MZ twin design combined with multi-omics integration for maximising the potential to identify disease-associated molecular signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayden Saffari
- 1Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- 2Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Matt Arno
- 3Edinburgh Genomics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland UK
- 4King's Genomics Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Eric Nasser
- 4King's Genomics Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Angelica Ronald
- 2Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Chloe C Y Wong
- 5Social Genetic and Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Jonathan Mill
- 7University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Frank Dudbridge
- 1Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- 8Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Emma L Meaburn
- 2Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
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Yook C, Kim K, Kim D, Kang H, Kim SG, Kim E, Kim SY. A TBR1-K228E Mutation Induces Tbr1 Upregulation, Altered Cortical Distribution of Interneurons, Increased Inhibitory Synaptic Transmission, and Autistic-Like Behavioral Deficits in Mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:241. [PMID: 31680851 PMCID: PMC6797848 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in Tbr1, a high-confidence ASD (autism spectrum disorder)-risk gene encoding the transcriptional regulator TBR1, have been shown to induce diverse ASD-related molecular, synaptic, neuronal, and behavioral dysfunctions in mice. However, whether Tbr1 mutations derived from autistic individuals cause similar dysfunctions in mice remains unclear. Here we generated and characterized mice carrying the TBR1-K228E de novo mutation identified in human ASD and identified various ASD-related phenotypes. In heterozygous mice carrying this mutation (Tbr1+/K228E mice), levels of the TBR1-K228E protein, which is unable to bind target DNA, were strongly increased. RNA-Seq analysis of the Tbr1+/K228E embryonic brain indicated significant changes in the expression of genes associated with neurons, astrocytes, ribosomes, neuronal synapses, and ASD risk. The Tbr1+/K228E neocortex also displayed an abnormal distribution of parvalbumin-positive interneurons, with a lower density in superficial layers but a higher density in deep layers. These changes were associated with an increase in inhibitory synaptic transmission in layer 6 pyramidal neurons that was resistant to compensation by network activity. Behaviorally, Tbr1+/K228E mice showed decreased social interaction, increased self-grooming, and modestly increased anxiety-like behaviors. These results suggest that the human heterozygous TBR1-K228E mutation induces ASD-related transcriptomic, protein, neuronal, synaptic, and behavioral dysfunctions in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaehyun Yook
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Kyungdeok Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Doyoun Kim
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Hyojin Kang
- Division of National Supercomputing, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Sun-Gyun Kim
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Eunjoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea.,Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Soo Young Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Yeongnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
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Tahira AC, Barbosa AR, Feltrin AS, Gastaldi VD, de Toledo VHC, de Carvalho Pereira JG, Lisboa BCG, de Souza Reis VN, dos Santos ACF, Maschietto M, Brentani H. Putative contributions of the sex chromosome proteins SOX3 and SRY to neurodevelopmental disorders. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:390-414. [PMID: 30537354 PMCID: PMC6767407 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The male-biased prevalence of certain neurodevelopmental disorders and the sex-biased outcomes associated with stress exposure during gestation have been previously described. Here, we hypothesized that genes distinctively targeted by only one or both homologous proteins highly conserved across therian mammals, SOX3 and SRY, could induce sexual adaptive changes that result in a differential risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. ChIP-seq/chip data showed that SOX3/SRY gene targets were expressed in different brain cell types in mice. We used orthologous human genes in rodent genomes to extend the number of SOX3/SRY set (1,721). These genes were later found to be enriched in five modules of coexpressed genes during the early and mid-gestation periods (FDR < 0.05), independent of sexual hormones. Genes with differential expression (24, p < 0.0001) and methylation (40, p < 0.047) between sexes were overrepresented in this set. Exclusive SOX3 or SRY target genes were more associated with the late gestational and postnatal periods. Using autism as a model sex-biased disorder, the SOX3/SRY set was enriched in autism gene databases (FDR ≤ 0.05), and there were more de novo variations from the male autism spectrum disorder (ASD) samples under the SRY peaks compared to the random peaks (p < 0.024). The comparison of coexpressed networks of SOX3/SRY target genes between male autism and control samples revealed low preservation in gene modules related to stress response (99 genes) and neurogenesis (78 genes). This study provides evidence that while SOX3 is a regulatory mechanism for both sexes, the male-exclusive SRY also plays a role in gene regulation, suggesting a potential mechanism for sex bias in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina Tahira
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | - André Rocha Barbosa
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
- Inter‐institutional Grad Program on BioinformaticsUniversity of São PauloSão PauloSPBrazil
| | | | - Vinicius Daguano Gastaldi
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | - Victor Hugo Calegari de Toledo
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | | | - Bianca Cristina Garcia Lisboa
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | - Viviane Neri de Souza Reis
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
| | - Ana Cecília Feio dos Santos
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
- Laboratório de Pesquisas Básicas em Malária – EntomologiaSeção de Parasitologia – Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MSAnanindeuaPABrazil
| | - Mariana Maschietto
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio)Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM)CampinasSPBrazil
| | - Helena Brentani
- LIM23, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
- Inter‐institutional Grad Program on BioinformaticsUniversity of São PauloSão PauloSPBrazil
- Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloSPBrazil
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INPD)Sao PauloSPBrazil
- Faculdade de Medicina FMUSPUniversidade de Sao PauloSao PauloSPBrazil
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Lee SC, Quinn TP, Lai J, Kong SW, Hertz-Picciotto I, Glatt SJ, Crowley TM, Venkatesh S, Nguyen T. Solving for X: Evidence for sex-specific autism biomarkers across multiple transcriptomic studies. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:377-389. [PMID: 30520558 PMCID: PMC6551334 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a markedly heterogeneous condition with a varied phenotypic presentation. Its high concordance among siblings, as well as its clear association with specific genetic disorders, both point to a strong genetic etiology. However, the molecular basis of ASD is still poorly understood, although recent studies point to the existence of sex-specific ASD pathophysiologies and biomarkers. Despite this, little is known about how exactly sex influences the gene expression signatures of ASD probands. In an effort to identify sex-dependent biomarkers and characterize their function, we present an analysis of a single paired-end postmortem brain RNA-Seq data set and a meta-analysis of six blood-based microarray data sets. Here, we identify several genes with sex-dependent dysregulation, and many more with sex-independent dysregulation. Moreover, through pathway analysis, we find that these sex-independent biomarkers have substantially different biological roles than the sex-dependent biomarkers, and that some of these pathways are ubiquitously dysregulated in both postmortem brain and blood. We conclude by synthesizing the discovered biomarker profiles with the extant literature, by highlighting the advantage of studying sex-specific dysregulation directly, and by making a call for new transcriptomic data that comprise large female cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel C. Lee
- Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
| | - Thomas P. Quinn
- Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
- Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
- Bioinformatics Core Research Group, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
| | - Jerry Lai
- Deakin eResearch, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia | Intersect Australia, Sydney, 2000, Australia
| | - Sek Won Kong
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA | Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences and UC Davis MIND Institute, School of Medicine, Davis, California
| | - Stephen J. Glatt
- Psychiatric Genetic Epidemiology and Neurobiology Laboratory (PsychGENe Lab) | SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Tamsyn M. Crowley
- Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
- Bioinformatics Core Research Group, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
- Poultry Hub Australia, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, 2351, Australia
| | - Svetha Venkatesh
- Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
| | - Thin Nguyen
- Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
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123
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Rylaarsdam L, Guemez-Gamboa A. Genetic Causes and Modifiers of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:385. [PMID: 31481879 PMCID: PMC6710438 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 246] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders, affecting an estimated 1 in 59 children. ASD is highly genetically heterogeneous and may be caused by both inheritable and de novo gene variations. In the past decade, hundreds of genes have been identified that contribute to the serious deficits in communication, social cognition, and behavior that patients often experience. However, these only account for 10-20% of ASD cases, and patients with similar pathogenic variants may be diagnosed on very different levels of the spectrum. In this review, we will describe the genetic landscape of ASD and discuss how genetic modifiers such as copy number variation, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and epigenetic alterations likely play a key role in modulating the phenotypic spectrum of ASD patients. We also consider how genetic modifiers can alter convergent signaling pathways and lead to impaired neural circuitry formation. Lastly, we review sex-linked modifiers and clinical implications. Further understanding of these mechanisms is crucial for both comprehending ASD and for developing novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alicia Guemez-Gamboa
- Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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124
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Sestan N, State MW. Lost in Translation: Traversing the Complex Path from Genomics to Therapeutics in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neuron 2019; 100:406-423. [PMID: 30359605 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Revised: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent progress in the genomics of non-syndromic autism spectrum disorder (nsASD) highlights rare, large-effect, germline, heterozygous de novo coding mutations. This distinguishes nsASD from later-onset psychiatric disorders where gene discovery efforts have predominantly yielded common alleles of small effect. These differences point to distinctive opportunities for clarifying the neurobiology of nsASD and developing novel treatments. We argue that the path ahead also presents key challenges, including distinguishing human pathophysiology from the potentially pleiotropic neurobiology mediated by established risk genes. We present our view of some of the conceptual limitations of traditional studies of model organisms, suggest a strategy focused on investigating the convergence of multiple nsASD genes, and propose that the detailed characterization of the molecular and cellular landscapes of developing human brain is essential to illuminate disease mechanisms. Finally, we address how recent advances are leading to novel strategies for therapeutics that target various points along the path from genes to behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nenad Sestan
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Departments of Genetics, of Psychiatry, and of Comparative Medicine, Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, and Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry, Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, Quantitative Biosciences Institute, Institute for Human Genetics, and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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125
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Naqvi S, Godfrey AK, Hughes JF, Goodheart ML, Mitchell RN, Page DC. Conservation, acquisition, and functional impact of sex-biased gene expression in mammals. Science 2019; 365:eaaw7317. [PMID: 31320509 PMCID: PMC6896219 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw7317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences abound in human health and disease, as they do in other mammals used as models. The extent to which sex differences are conserved at the molecular level across species and tissues is unknown. We surveyed sex differences in gene expression in human, macaque, mouse, rat, and dog, across 12 tissues. In each tissue, we identified hundreds of genes with conserved sex-biased expression-findings that, combined with genomic analyses of human height, explain ~12% of the difference in height between females and males. We surmise that conserved sex biases in expression of genes otherwise operating equivalently in females and males contribute to sex differences in traits. However, most sex-biased expression arose during the mammalian radiation, which suggests that careful attention to interspecies divergence is needed when modeling human sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahin Naqvi
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Alexander K Godfrey
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Mary L Goodheart
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Richard N Mitchell
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David C Page
- Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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Microglia as possible therapeutic targets for autism spectrum disorders. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2019; 167:223-245. [PMID: 31601405 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2019.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Malfunctions of the nervous and immune systems are now recognized to be fundamental causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Studies have suggested that the brain's resident immune cells, microglia are possible key players in ASDs. Specifically, deficits in synaptic pruning by microglia may underlie the pathogenesis of ASDs, in which excess synapses are occasionally reported. This idea has driven researchers to investigate causal links between microglial dysfunction and ASDs. In this review, we first introduce the characteristics of microglia in ASD brains and discuss their possible roles in the pathogenesis of ASDs. We also refer to immunomodulatory agents that could be potentially used as symptomatic therapies for ASDs in light of their ability to modify microglial functions. Finally, we will mention a possible strategy to radically cure some of the symptoms reported in ASDs through reorganizing neural circuits via microglia-dependent synaptic pruning.
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127
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Adani S, Cepanec M. Sex differences in early communication development: behavioral and neurobiological indicators of more vulnerable communication system development in boys. Croat Med J 2019. [PMID: 31044585 PMCID: PMC6509633 DOI: 10.3325/cmj.2019.60.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Perhaps due to different roles they have had in social groups during evolution, men and women differ in their verbal abilities. These differences are also (if not even more) present in children, both in the course of typical and pathological development. Beside the fact that girls have a well-documented advantage in early language development, almost all developmental disorders primarily affecting communication, speech, and language skills are more frequent in boys. The sex-related difference in the prevalence of these disorders is especially pronounced in autism spectrum disorder (1 girl for each 4-5 boys is affected). The aim of this review is to present the sex differences in typical communication and language development and in the prevalence of communication-related neurodevelopmental disorders. Also, a special focus is put on data from the field of neuroscience that might provide insight into the neurobiological mechanisms that can add to the understanding of this phenomenon. We argue that the functional organization of the female brain gives women an inherent advantage in the acquisition of communication and language system over men.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maja Cepanec
- Maja Cepanec, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, Borongajska cesta 83f, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia,
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128
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Cornil CA, Bakker J. Alternative Views on the Role of Sex Steroid Hormones on the Emergence of Phenotypic Diversity in Female Sexual Orientation. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2019; 48:1309-1313. [PMID: 30456632 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-018-1343-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A Cornil
- GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liege, 15 Avenue Hippocrate (B36), 4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Julie Bakker
- GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liege, 15 Avenue Hippocrate (B36), 4000, Liège, Belgium
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129
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Barrientos RM, Brunton PJ, Lenz KM, Pyter L, Spencer SJ. Neuroimmunology of the female brain across the lifespan: Plasticity to psychopathology. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 79:39-55. [PMID: 30872093 PMCID: PMC6591071 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The female brain is highly dynamic and can fundamentally remodel throughout the normal ovarian cycle as well as in critical life stages including perinatal development, pregnancy and old-age. As such, females are particularly vulnerable to infections, psychological disorders, certain cancers, and cognitive impairments. We will present the latest evidence on the female brain; how it develops through the neonatal period; how it changes through the ovarian cycle in normal individuals; how it adapts to pregnancy and postpartum; how it responds to illness and disease, particularly cancer; and, finally, how it is shaped by old age. Throughout, we will highlight female vulnerability to and resilience against disease and dysfunction in the face of environmental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- R M Barrientos
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Centre, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Wexner Medical Centre, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States; Chronic Brain Injury Program, Discovery Themes Initiative, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - P J Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, Scotland, UK; Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, PR China
| | - K M Lenz
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Centre, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States; Department of Psychology, Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - L Pyter
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Wexner Medical Centre, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Wexner Medical Centre, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - S J Spencer
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Vic. 3083, Australia.
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130
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Microglia along sex lines: From brain colonization, maturation and function, to implication in neurodevelopmental disorders. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 94:152-163. [PMID: 31201858 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In addition to their traditional role as immune sentinels, recent discoveries over the last decade have shown that microglial functions now include regulation of neuronal/glial cell migration, differentiation and maturation, as well as neuronal network formation. It was thus proposed that disruption of these microglial roles, during critical periods of brain development, could lead to the pathological onset of several neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder. The prevalence of these disorders exhibits a clear distinction along sex lines with very little known about the mechanisms underlying this difference. One of the fundamental discoveries that arose from recent research into the physiological roles of microglia in neurodevelopment is their sexual dimorphism, raising the intriguing possibility that sex differences in microglial colonization, maturation and/or function in the developing brain could underlie the emergence of various neurodevelopmental disorders. This review discusses the physiological roles of microglia across neurodevelopment, these roles in the two sexes, and the recent evidence that microglial sexually dimorphic nature may contribute, at least partially, to neurodevelopmental disorders.
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131
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Ning Z, Williams JM, Kumari R, Baranov PV, Moore T. Opposite Expression Patterns of Spry3 and p75NTR in Cerebellar Vermis Suggest a Male-Specific Mechanism of Autism Pathogenesis. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:416. [PMID: 31275178 PMCID: PMC6591651 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a genetically complex neurobehavioral disorder with a population prevalence of more than 1%. Cerebellar abnormalities, including Purkinje cell deficits in the vermis, are consistently reported, and rodent models of cerebellar dysfunction exhibit features analogous to human autism. We previously analyzed the regulation and expression of the pseudoautosomal region 2 gene SPRY3, which is adjacent to X chromosome-linked TMLHE, a known autism susceptibility gene. SPRY3 is a regulator of branching morphogenesis and is strongly expressed in Purkinje cells. We previously showed that mouse Spry3 is not expressed in cerebellar vermis lobules VI-VII and X, regions which exhibit significant Purkinje cell loss or abnormalities in autism. However, these lobules have relatively high expression of p75NTR, which encodes a neurotrophin receptor implicated in autism. We propose a mechanism whereby inappropriate SPRY3 expression in these lobules could interact with TrkB and p75NTR signaling pathways resulting in Purkinje cell pathology. We report preliminary characterization of X and Y chromosome-linked regulatory sequences upstream of SPRY3, which are polymorphic in the general population. We suggest that an OREG-annotated region on chromosome Yq12 ∼60 kb from SPRY3 acts as a silencer of Y-linked SPRY3 expression. Deletion of a β-satellite repeat, or alterations in chromatin structure in this region due to trans-acting factors, could affect the proposed silencing function, leading to reactivation and inappropriate expression of Y-linked SPRY3. This proposed male-specific mechanism could contribute to the male bias in autism prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Tom Moore
- School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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132
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Ohtani-Kaneko R. Crmp4-KO Mice as an Animal Model for Investigating Certain Phenotypes of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E2485. [PMID: 31137494 PMCID: PMC6566569 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20102485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated that the collapsin response mediator protein (CRMP) family is involved in the formation of neural networks. A recent whole-exome sequencing study identified a de novo variant (S541Y) of collapsin response mediator protein 4 (CRMP4) in a male patient with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In addition, Crmp4-knockout (KO) mice show some phenotypes similar to those observed in human patients with ASD. For example, compared with wild-type mice, Crmp4-KO mice exhibit impaired social interaction, abnormal sensory sensitivities, broader distribution of activated (c-Fos expressing) neurons, altered dendritic formation, and aberrant patterns of neural gene expressions, most of which have sex differences. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding the role of CRMP4 during brain development and discusses the possible contribution of CRMP4 deficiencies or abnormalities to the pathogenesis of ASD. Crmp4-KO mice represent an appropriate animal model for investigating the mechanisms underlying some ASD phenotypes, such as impaired social behavior, abnormal sensory sensitivities, and sex-based differences, and other neurodevelopmental disorders associated with sensory processing disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritsuko Ohtani-Kaneko
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Toyo University, 1-1-1 Itakura, Oura 374-0193, Japan.
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133
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Nelson LH, Saulsbery AI, Lenz KM. Small cells with big implications: Microglia and sex differences in brain development, plasticity and behavioral health. Prog Neurobiol 2019; 176:103-119. [PMID: 30193820 PMCID: PMC8008579 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Brain sex differences are programmed largely by sex hormone secretions and direct sex chromosome effects in early life, and are subsequently modulated by early life experiences. The brain's resident immune cells, called microglia, actively contribute to brain development. Recent research has shown that microglia are sexually dimorphic, especially during early life, and may participate in sex-specific organization of the brain and behavior. Likewise, sex differences in immune cells and their signaling in the adult brain have been found, although in most cases their function remains unclear. Additionally, immune cells and their signaling have been implicated in many disorders in which brain development or plasticity is altered, including autism, schizophrenia, pain disorders, major depression, and postpartum depression. This review summarizes what is currently known about sex differences in neuroimmune function in development and during other major phases of brain plasticity, as well as the current state of knowledge regarding sex-specific neuroimmune function in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars H Nelson
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Angela I Saulsbery
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Kathryn M Lenz
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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134
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Kimura R, Swarup V, Tomiwa K, Gandal MJ, Parikshak NN, Funabiki Y, Nakata M, Awaya T, Kato T, Iida K, Okazaki S, Matsushima K, Kato T, Murai T, Heike T, Geschwind DH, Hagiwara M. Integrative network analysis reveals biological pathways associated with Williams syndrome. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2019; 60:585-598. [PMID: 30362171 PMCID: PMC7379192 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has been attributed to heterozygous deletions in chromosome 7q11.23 and exhibits a variety of physical, cognitive, and behavioral features. However, the genetic basis of this phenotypic variability is unclear. In this study, we identified genetic clues underlying these complex phenotypes. METHODS Neurobehavioral function was assessed in WS patients and healthy controls. Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood and subjected to microarray analysis, RNA-sequencing, and qRT-PCR. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to identify specific alterations related to intermediate disease phenotypes. To functionally interpret each WS-related module, gene ontology and disease-related gene enrichment were examined. We also investigated the micro (mi)RNA expression profiles and miRNA co-expression networks to better explain the regulation of the transcriptome in WS. RESULTS Our analysis identified four significant co-expression modules related to intermediate WS phenotypes. Notably, the three upregulated WS-related modules were composed exclusively of genes located outside the 7q11.23 region. They were significantly enriched in genes related to B-cell activation, RNA processing, and RNA transport. BCL11A, which is known for its association with speech disorders and intellectual disabilities, was identified as one of the hub genes in the top WS-related module. Finally, these key upregulated mRNA co-expression modules appear to be inversely correlated with a specific downregulated WS-related miRNA co-expression module. CONCLUSIONS Dysregulation of the mRNA/miRNA network involving genes outside of the 7q11.23 region is likely related to the complex phenotypes observed in WS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Kimura
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental BiologyGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Vivek Swarup
- Program in NeurogeneticsDepartment of NeurologyDavid Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Kiyotaka Tomiwa
- Department of PediatricsGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan,Department of Child NeurologyOsaka City General HospitalOsakaJapan,Todaiji Ryoiku Hospital for ChildrenNaraJapan
| | - Michael J. Gandal
- Program in NeurogeneticsDepartment of NeurologyDavid Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Neelroop N. Parikshak
- Program in NeurogeneticsDepartment of NeurologyDavid Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Yasuko Funabiki
- Department of Cognitive and Behavioral ScienceGraduate School of Human and Environmental StudiesKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan,Department of PsychiatryGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Masatoshi Nakata
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental BiologyGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Tomonari Awaya
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental BiologyGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan,Department of PediatricsGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Takeo Kato
- Department of PediatricsGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Kei Iida
- Medical Research Support CenterGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Shin Okazaki
- Department of Child NeurologyOsaka City General HospitalOsakaJapan
| | - Kanae Matsushima
- Department of Human Health ScienceGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Toshihiro Kato
- Department of Human Health ScienceGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Toshiya Murai
- Department of PsychiatryGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Toshio Heike
- Department of PediatricsGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Daniel H. Geschwind
- Program in NeurogeneticsDepartment of NeurologyDavid Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Masatoshi Hagiwara
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental BiologyGraduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
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135
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Adani S, Cepanec M. Sex differences in early communication development: behavioral and neurobiological indicators of more vulnerable communication system development in boys. Croat Med J 2019; 60:141-149. [PMID: 31044585 PMCID: PMC6509633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Perhaps due to different roles they have had in social groups during evolution, men and women differ in their verbal abilities. These differences are also (if not even more) present in children, both in the course of typical and pathological development. Beside the fact that girls have a well-documented advantage in early language development, almost all developmental disorders primarily affecting communication, speech, and language skills are more frequent in boys. The sex-related difference in the prevalence of these disorders is especially pronounced in autism spectrum disorder (1 girl for each 4-5 boys is affected). The aim of this review is to present the sex differences in typical communication and language development and in the prevalence of communication-related neurodevelopmental disorders. Also, a special focus is put on data from the field of neuroscience that might provide insight into the neurobiological mechanisms that can add to the understanding of this phenomenon. We argue that the functional organization of the female brain gives women an inherent advantage in the acquisition of communication and language system over men.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maja Cepanec
- Maja Cepanec, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, Borongajska cesta 83f, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia,
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136
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Sullivan PF, Geschwind DH. Defining the Genetic, Genomic, Cellular, and Diagnostic Architectures of Psychiatric Disorders. Cell 2019; 177:162-183. [PMID: 30901538 PMCID: PMC6432948 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Studies of the genetics of psychiatric disorders have become one of the most exciting and fast-moving areas in human genetics. A decade ago, there were few reproducible findings, and now there are hundreds. In this review, we focus on the findings that have illuminated the genetic architecture of psychiatric disorders and the challenges of using these findings to inform our understanding of pathophysiology. The evidence is now overwhelming that psychiatric disorders are "polygenic"-that many genetic loci contribute to risk. With the exception of a subset of those with ASD, few individuals with a psychiatric disorder have a single, deterministic genetic cause; rather, developing a psychiatric disorder is influenced by hundreds of different genetic variants, consistent with a polygenic model. As progressively larger studies have uncovered more about their genetic architecture, the need to elucidate additional architectures has become clear. Even if we were to have complete knowledge of the genetic architecture of a psychiatric disorder, full understanding requires deep knowledge of the functional genomic architecture-the implicated loci impact regulatory processes that influence gene expression and the functional coordination of genes that control biological processes. Following from this is cellular architecture: of all brain regions, cell types, and developmental stages, where and when are the functional architectures operative? Given that the genetic architectures of different psychiatric disorders often strongly overlap, we are challenged to re-evaluate and refine the diagnostic architectures of psychiatric disorders using fundamental genetic and neurobiological data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick F Sullivan
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Departments of Genetics and Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Institute for Precision Health, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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137
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Guo S, Zhou Y, Zeng P, Xu G, Wang G, Cui Q. Identification and analysis of the human sex-biased genes. Brief Bioinform 2019; 19:188-198. [PMID: 28028006 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbw125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Tremendous differences between human sexes are universally observed. Therefore, identifying and analyzing the sex-biased genes are becoming basically important for uncovering the mystery of sex differences and personalized medicine. Here, we presented a computational method to identify sex-biased genes from public gene expression databases. We obtained 1407 female-biased genes (FGs) and 1096 male-biased genes (MGs) across 14 different tissues. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that compared with MGs, FGs have higher evolutionary rate, higher single-nucleotide polymorphism density, less homologous gene numbers and smaller phyletic age. FGs have lower expression level, higher tissue specificity and later expressed stage in body development. Moreover, FGs are highly involved in immune-related functions, whereas MGs are more enriched in metabolic process. In addition, cellular network analysis revealed that MGs have higher degree, more cellular activating signaling and tend to be located in cellular inner space, whereas FGs have lower degree, more cellular repressing signaling and tend to be located in cellular outer space. Finally, the identified sex-biased genes and the discovered biological insights together can be a valuable resource helpful for investigating sex-biased physiology and medicine, for example sex-biased disease diagnosis and therapy, which represents one important aspect of personalized and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Guo
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, MOE Key Lab of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Rd, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, MOE Key Lab of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Rd, Beijing, China
| | - Pan Zeng
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, MOE Key Lab of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Rd, Beijing, China
| | - Guoheng Xu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, MOE Key Lab of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Rd, Beijing, China
| | - Guoqing Wang
- Department of Pathogenobiology, College of Basic Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Qinghua Cui
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, MOE Key Lab of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Rd, Beijing, China
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138
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Sexual dimorphism in the expression of GKN2 and FOXA2 genes in the human stomach. Mol Biol Rep 2019; 46:2355-2362. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-019-04692-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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139
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Zhou Y, Qiu L, Sterpka A, Wang H, Chu F, Chen X. Comparative Phosphoproteomic Profiling of Type III Adenylyl Cyclase Knockout and Control, Male, and Female Mice. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:34. [PMID: 30814930 PMCID: PMC6381875 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Type III adenylyl cyclase (AC3, ADCY3) is predominantly enriched in neuronal primary cilia throughout the central nervous system (CNS). Genome-wide association studies in humans have associated ADCY3 with major depressive disorder and autistic spectrum disorder, both of which exhibit sexual dimorphism. To date, it is unclear how AC3 affects protein phosphorylation and signal networks in central neurons, and what causes the sexual dimorphism of autism. We employed a mass spectrometry (MS)-based phosphoproteomic approach to quantitatively profile differences in phosphorylation between inducible AC3 knockout (KO) and wild type (WT), male and female mice. In total, we identified 4,655 phosphopeptides from 1,756 proteins, among which 565 phosphopeptides from 322 proteins were repetitively detected in all samples. Over 46% phosphopeptides were identified in at least three out of eight biological replicas. Comparison of AC3 KO and WT datasets revealed that phosphopeptides with motifs matching proline-directed kinases' recognition sites had a lower abundance in the KO dataset than in WTs. We detected 14 phosphopeptides restricted to WT dataset (i.e., Rabl6, Spast and Ppp1r14a) and 35 exclusively in KOs (i.e., Sptan1, Arhgap20, Arhgap44, and Pde1b). Moreover, 95 phosphopeptides (out of 90 proteins) were identified only in female dataset and 26 only in males. Label-free MS spectrum quantification using Skyline further identified phosphopeptides that had higher abundance in each sample group. In total, 204 proteins had sex-biased phosphorylation and 167 of them had increased expression in females relative to males. Interestingly, among the 204 gender-biased phosphoproteins, 31% were found to be associated with autism, including Dlg1, Dlgap2, Syn1, Syngap1, Ctnna1, Ctnnd1, Ctnnd2, Pkp4, and Arvcf. Therefore, this study also provides the first phosphoproteomics evidence suggesting that gender-biased post-translational phosphorylation may be implicated in the sexual dimorphism of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Zhou
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Liyan Qiu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Ashley Sterpka
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Haiying Wang
- Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Feixia Chu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Xuanmao Chen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
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140
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Wright CL, Hoffman JH, McCarthy MM. Evidence that inflammation promotes estradiol synthesis in human cerebellum during early childhood. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:58. [PMID: 30705253 PMCID: PMC6355799 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0363-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Discovering and characterizing critical and sensitive periods in brain development is essential for unraveling the myriad variables that impact disease risk. In previous work, we identified a critical period in cerebellar development in the rat that depends upon an intrinsic gene expression program and links increased prostaglandin production to local estradiol synthesis by stimulating Cyp19a, the estradiol synthetic enzyme, aromatase. This intrinsic critical period is sensitive to disruption by either inflammation or administration of cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, ultimately impacting Purkinje cell dendritic growth. In a first step towards determining if a similar sensitive period exists in humans, the same gene expression profile was characterized in post-mortem cerebellar tissue of 58 children aged 0 to 9 years. Subjects were categorized as experiencing inflammation or not at the time of death. In individuals experiencing inflammation and over 1 year of age, there was a significant increase in the messenger RNA (mRNA) of the COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes and this strongly correlated with mRNA levels of aromatase. A step-wise linear model accounted for 94% of the variance in aromatase mRNA levels by co-variance with the COX enzymes, prostaglandin E2 synthase and other inflammatory mediators (Toll-like receptor 4), and Purkinje cell markers (calbindin, estrogen receptor 2). The influence of inflammation on these measures was not seen in subjects younger than 1 year. These data suggest a sensitive period to inflammation in the human cerebellum begins at about 1 year of age and may provide insight into sources of vulnerability of very young children to either inflammation or drugs designed to treat it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L Wright
- Department of Pharmacology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Jessica H Hoffman
- Department of Pharmacology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Margaret M McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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141
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Anesthesia affects excitatory/inhibitory synapses during the critical synaptogenic period in the hippocampus of young mice: Importance of sex as a biological variable. Neurotoxicology 2019; 70:146-153. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2018.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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142
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Villa A, Della Torre S, Maggi A. Sexual differentiation of microglia. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 52:156-164. [PMID: 30481522 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Sex plays a role in the incidence and outcome of neurological illnesses, also influencing the response to treatments. Despite sexual differentiation of the brain has been extensively investigated, the study of sex differences in microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, has been largely neglected until recently. To fulfill this gap, our laboratory developed several tools, including cellular and animal models, which bolstered in-depth studies on sexual differentiation of microglia and its impact on brain physiology, as well as on the onset and progression of neurological disorders. Here, we summarize the current status of knowledge on the sex-dependent function of microglia, and report recent evidence linking these cells to the sexual bias in the susceptibility to neurological brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Villa
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Dept of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, via Balzaretti, 9, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Della Torre
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Dept of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, via Balzaretti, 9, Milan, Italy
| | - Adriana Maggi
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases and Dept of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, via Balzaretti, 9, Milan, Italy.
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143
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McCarthy MM. Sex differences in neuroimmunity as an inherent risk factor. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:38-44. [PMID: 29977075 PMCID: PMC6235925 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0138-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Identifying and understanding the sources of inherent risk to neurodevelopmental disorders is a fundamental goal of neuroscience. Being male or being exposed to inflammation early in life are two known risk factors, but they are only infrequently associated with each other. Cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating the masculinization of the brain in animal models reveal a consistent role for inflammatory signaling molecules and immune cells in the healthy male brain. Why this is so remains in the realm of speculation but may have its origins in the maternal immune system. Masculinization of the brain occurs during a restricted critical period that begins in utero and overlaps with the sensitive period during which maternal immune activation negatively impacts the developing brain. The convergence of maleness and early life inflammation as risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders compels us to consider whether sexual differentiation of the brain in males creates an inherent and greater risk than that experienced by females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret M. McCarthy
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Pharmacology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
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144
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Berkel S, Eltokhi A, Fröhlich H, Porras-Gonzalez D, Rafiullah R, Sprengel R, Rappold GA. Sex Hormones Regulate SHANK Expression. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:337. [PMID: 30319350 PMCID: PMC6167484 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have a higher prevalence in male individuals compared to females, with a ratio of affected boys compared to girls of 4:1 for ASD and 11:1 for Asperger syndrome. Mutations in the SHANK genes (comprising SHANK1, SHANK2 and SHANK3) coding for postsynaptic scaffolding proteins have been tightly associated with ASD. As early brain development is strongly influenced by sex hormones, we investigated the effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 17β-estradiol on SHANK expression in a human neuroblastoma cell model. Both sex hormones had a significant impact on the expression of all three SHANK genes, which could be effectively blocked by androgen and estrogen receptor antagonists. In neuron-specific androgen receptor knock-out mice (ArNesCre), we found a nominal significant reduction of all Shank genes at postnatal day 7.5 in the cortex. In the developing cortex of wild-type (WT) CD1 mice, a sex-differential protein expression was identified for all Shanks at embryonic day 17.5 and postnatal day 7.5 with significantly higher protein levels in male compared to female mice. Together, we could show that SHANK expression is influenced by sex hormones leading to a sex-differential expression, thus providing novel insights into the sex bias in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Berkel
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Human Genetics, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ahmed Eltokhi
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Human Genetics, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Research Group of the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research at the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henning Fröhlich
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Human Genetics, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Diana Porras-Gonzalez
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Human Genetics, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rafiullah Rafiullah
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Human Genetics, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rolf Sprengel
- Research Group of the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research at the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gudrun A Rappold
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Human Genetics, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany
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145
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Lenz KM, Pickett LA, Wright CL, Davis KT, Joshi A, McCarthy MM. Mast Cells in the Developing Brain Determine Adult Sexual Behavior. J Neurosci 2018; 38:8044-8059. [PMID: 30093566 PMCID: PMC6136154 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1176-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many sex differences in brain and behavior are programmed during development by gonadal hormones, but the cellular mechanisms are incompletely understood. We found that immune-system-derived mast cells are a primary target for the masculinizing hormone estradiol and that mast cells are in turn primary mediators of brain sexual differentiation. Newborn male rats had greater numbers and more activated mast cells in the preoptic area (POA), a brain region essential for male copulatory behavior, than female littermates during the critical period for sexual differentiation. Inhibiting mast cells with a stabilizing agent blunted the masculinization of both POA neuronal and microglial morphology and adult sex behavior, whereas activating mast cells in females, even though fewer in number, induced masculinization. Treatment of newborn females with a masculinizing dose of estradiol increased mast cell number and induced mast cells to release histamine, which then stimulated microglia to release prostaglandins and thereby induced male-typical synaptic patterning. These findings identify a novel non-neuronal origin of brain sex differences and resulting motivated behaviors.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We found that immune-system-derived mast cells are a primary target for the masculinizing hormone estradiol and that mast cells are in turn primary mediators of brain sexual differentiation. These findings identify a novel non-neuronal origin of brain sex differences and resulting motivated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Lenz
- Department of Psychology,
- Department of Neuroscience, and
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210; and
| | - Lindsay A Pickett
- Department of Pharmacology and
- Program in Neuroscience, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Christopher L Wright
- Department of Pharmacology and
- Program in Neuroscience, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Katherine T Davis
- Department of Pharmacology and
- Program in Neuroscience, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | | | - Margaret M McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology and
- Program in Neuroscience, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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146
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Andreae
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - M Albert Basson
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK.
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, UK.
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147
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Sexually dimorphic behavior, neuronal activity, and gene expression in Chd8-mutant mice. Nat Neurosci 2018; 21:1218-1228. [DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0208-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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148
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Chen J, Cao H, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Schwarz E. Male increase in brain gene expression variability is linked to genetic risk for schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:140. [PMID: 30068996 PMCID: PMC6070530 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0200-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia shows substantial sex differences in age of onset, course, and treatment response, but the biological basis of these effects is incompletely understood. Here we show that during human development, males show a regionally specific decrease in brain expression similarity compared to females. The genes modulating this effect were significantly co-expressed with schizophrenia risk genes during prefrontal cortex brain development in the fetal period as well as during early adolescence. This suggests a genetic contribution to a mechanism through which developmental abnormalities manifest with psychosis during adolescence. It further supports sex differences in brain expression variability as a factor underlying the well-established sex differences in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfang Chen
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Han Cao
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Emanuel Schwarz
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
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149
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Cherskov A, Pohl A, Allison C, Zhang H, Payne RA, Baron-Cohen S. Polycystic ovary syndrome and autism: A test of the prenatal sex steroid theory. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:136. [PMID: 30065244 PMCID: PMC6068102 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0186-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated levels of prenatal testosterone may increase the risk for autism spectrum conditions (autism). Given that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is also associated with elevated prenatal testosterone and its precursor sex steroids, a hypothesis from the prenatal sex steroid theory is that women with PCOS should have elevated autistic traits and a higher rate of autism among their children. Using electronic health records obtained from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) in the UK between 1990 and 2014, we conducted three matched case-control studies. Studies 1 and 2 examined the risk of PCOS in women with autism (n = 971) and the risk of autism in women with PCOS (n = 26,263), respectively, compared with matched controls. Study 3 examined the odds ratio (OR) of autism in first-born children of women with PCOS (n = 8588), matched to 41,127 controls. In Studies 1 and 2 we found increased prevalence of PCOS in women with autism (2.3% vs. 1.1%; unadjusted OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.22-3.30) and elevated rates of autism in women with PCOS (0.17% vs. 0.09%, unadjusted OR: 1.94 CI: 1.37-2.76). In Study 3 we found the odds of having a child with autism were significantly increased, even after adjustment for maternal psychiatric diagnoses, obstetric complications, and maternal metabolic conditions (unadjusted OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.28-2.00; adjusted OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.06-1.73). These studies provide further evidence that women with PCOS and their children have a greater risk of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Cherskov
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK.
| | - Alexa Pohl
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH UK
| | - Carrie Allison
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH UK
| | - Heping Zhang
- 0000000419368710grid.47100.32Department of Biostatistics, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520 USA
| | - Rupert A. Payne
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Primary Care Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 OSR UK ,0000 0004 1936 7603grid.5337.2Centre for Academic Primary Care, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 2PS UK
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK. .,CLASS Clinic, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
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150
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Manoli DS, Tollkuhn J. Gene regulatory mechanisms underlying sex differences in brain development and psychiatric disease. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1420:26-45. [PMID: 29363776 PMCID: PMC5991992 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The sexual differentiation of the mammalian nervous system requires the precise coordination of the temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression in diverse cell types. Sex hormones act at multiple developmental time points to specify sex-typical differentiation during embryonic and early development and to coordinate subsequent responses to gonadal hormones later in life by establishing sex-typical patterns of epigenetic modifications across the genome. Thus, mutations associated with neuropsychiatric conditions may result in sexually dimorphic symptoms by acting on different neural substrates or chromatin landscapes in males and females. Finally, as stress hormone signaling may directly alter the molecular machinery that interacts with sex hormone receptors to regulate gene expression, the contribution of chronic stress to the pathogenesis or presentation of mental illness may be additionally different between the sexes. Here, we review the mechanisms that contribute to sexual differentiation in the mammalian nervous system and consider some of the implications of these processes for sex differences in neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devanand S. Manoli
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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