151
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Lee GA, Lin YK, Lai JH, Lo YC, Yang YCSH, Ye SY, Lee CJ, Wang CC, Chiang YH, Tseng SH. Maternal Immune Activation Causes Social Behavior Deficits and Hypomyelination in Male Rat Offspring with an Autism-Like Microbiota Profile. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1085. [PMID: 34439704 PMCID: PMC8391334 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11081085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. Microbial dysbiosis is associated with ASD symptoms. However, the alterations in the brain-gut-microbiota axis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MIA offspring remain unclear. Here, we examined the social behavior, anxiety-like and repetitive behavior, microbiota profile, and myelination levels in LPS-induced MIA rat offspring. Compared with control offspring, MIA male rat offspring spent less time in an active social interaction with stranger rats, displayed more anxiety-like and repetitive behavior, and had more hypomyelination in the prefrontal cortex and thalamic nucleus. A fecal microbiota analysis revealed that MIA offspring had a higher abundance of Alistipes, Fusobacterium, and Ruminococcus and a lower abundance of Coprococcus, Erysipelotrichaies, and Actinobacteria than control offspring, which is consistent with that of humans with ASD. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was applied to determine the relative importance of the microbiota, which indicated that the abundance of Alistipes and Actinobacteria was the most relevant for the profile of defective social behavior, whereas Fusobacterium and Coprococcus was associated with anxiety-like and repetitive behavior. In summary, LPS-induced MIA offspring showed an abnormal brain-gut-microbiota axis with social behavior deficits, anxiety-like and repetitive behavior, hypomyelination, and an ASD-like microbiota profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilbert Aaron Lee
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan; (G.A.L.); (S.-Y.Y.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Kuang Lin
- Graduate Institute of Athletics and Coaching Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
| | - Jing-Huei Lai
- Core Laboratory of Neuroscience, Office of R&D, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; (J.-H.L.); (Y.-H.C.)
- Center for Neurotrauma and Neuroregeneration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Lo
- PhD Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
| | - Yu-Chen S. H. Yang
- Joint Biobank, Office of Human Research, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
| | - Syuan-You Ye
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan; (G.A.L.); (S.-Y.Y.)
| | - Chia-Jung Lee
- PhD Program for Clinical Drug Discovery of Herbal Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy Science, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chiung Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan;
| | - Yung-Hsiao Chiang
- Core Laboratory of Neuroscience, Office of R&D, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; (J.-H.L.); (Y.-H.C.)
- Center for Neurotrauma and Neuroregeneration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Sung-Hui Tseng
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, No. 250 Wu Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan
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152
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Tan CD. Defending 'snake oil': The preservation of contentious knowledge and practices. SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE 2021; 51:538-563. [PMID: 33618580 DOI: 10.1177/0306312721992543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
How does belief in controversial ideas persist? I study a community of parents and practitioners who contend that autism spectrum disorder is caused by harmful environmental exposures - notably, early childhood vaccinations - and that there are worthwhile alternative or experimental treatments. Despite objections from dominant experts, these actors maintain their disputed ideas. This study identifies a set of strategies that help maintain internal legitimacy. In particular, actors protect internal legitimacy through professional alignment and contrastive boundary work. Professional alignment mobilizes resemblances to conventional counterparts (i.e. mainstream doctors) to defend unorthodox practices. Meanwhile, contrastive boundary-work performances convey the defining values and strengths that actors associate with their knowledge community and concomitantly, the weaknesses they ascribe to competing groups. Through these activities, actors respond to perceived threats and construct a distinct group identity anchored in shared knowledge, ways of knowing and practice.
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153
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Yang Y, Wang B, Zhong Z, Chen H, Ding W, Hoi MPM. Clonazepam attenuates neurobehavioral abnormalities in offspring exposed to maternal immune activation by enhancing GABAergic neurotransmission. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 192:114711. [PMID: 34324871 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Ample evidence indicates that maternal immune activation (MIA) during gestation is linked to an increased risk for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), anxiety and depression, in offspring. However, the underlying mechanism for such a link remains largely elusive. Here, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to examine the transcriptional profiles changes in mice in response to MIA and identified that the expression of Scn1a gene, encoding the pore-forming α-subunit of the brain voltage-gated sodium channel type-1 (NaV1.1) primarily in fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons, was significantly decreased in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of juvenile offspring after MIA. Moreover, diminished excitatory drive onto interneurons causes reduction of spontaneous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurotransmission in the mPFC of MIA offspring, leading to hyperactivity in this brain region. Remarkably, treatment with low-dose benzodiazepines clonazepam, an agonist of GABAA receptors, completely prevented the behavioral abnormalities, including stereotypies, social deficits, anxiety- and depression-like behavior, via increasing inhibitory neurotransmission as well as decreasing neural activity in the mPFC of MIA offspring. Our results demonstrate that decreased expression of NaV1.1 in the mPFC leads to abnormalities in maternal inflammation-related behaviors and provides a potential therapeutic strategy for the abnormal behavioral phenotypes observed in the offspring exposed to MIA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China.
| | - Baojia Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Zhanqion Zhong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Hanbin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, China
| | - Weijun Ding
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Maggie Pui Man Hoi
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, China.
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154
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Neuroinflammation in autism spectrum disorders: Exercise as a "pharmacological" tool. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 129:63-74. [PMID: 34310976 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide prevalence of ASD is around 1%. Although the pathogenesis of ASD is not entirely understood, it is recognized that a combination of genetic, epigenetics, environmental factors and immune system dysfunction can play an essential role in its development. It has been suggested that autism results from the central nervous system derangements due to low-grade chronic inflammatory reactions associated with the immune system activation. ASD individuals have increased microglial activation, density, and increased proinflammatory cytokines in the several brain regions. Autism has no available pharmacological treatments, however there are pedagogical and psychotherapeutic therapies, and pharmacological treatment, that help to control behavioral symptoms. Recent data indicate that exercise intervention programs may improve cognitive and behavioral symptoms in children with ASD. Exercise can also modify inflammatory profiles that will ameliorate associated metabolic disorders. This review highlights the involvement of neuroinflammation in ASD and the beneficial effects of physical exercise on managing ASD symptoms and associated comorbidities.
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155
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Solek CM, Farooqi NAI, Brake N, Kesner P, Schohl A, Antel JP, Ruthazer ES. Early Inflammation Dysregulates Neuronal Circuit Formation In Vivo via Upregulation of IL-1β. J Neurosci 2021; 41:6353-6366. [PMID: 34103360 PMCID: PMC8287996 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2159-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimmune interaction during development is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders, but the mechanisms that cause neuronal circuit dysregulation are not well understood. We performed in vivo imaging of the developing retinotectal system in the larval zebrafish to characterize the effects of immune system activation on refinement of an archetypal sensory processing circuit. Acute inflammatory insult induced hyperdynamic remodeling of developing retinal axons in larval fish and increased axon arbor elaboration over days. Using calcium imaging in GCaMP6s transgenic fish, we showed that these morphologic changes were accompanied by a shift toward decreased visual acuity in tectal cells. This finding was supported by poorer performance in a visually guided behavioral task. We further found that the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), is upregulated by the inflammatory insult, and that downregulation of IL-1β abrogated the effects of inflammation on axonal dynamics and growth. Moreover, baseline branching of the retinal ganglion cell arbors in IL-1β morphant animals was significantly different from that in control larvae, and their performance in a predation assay was impaired, indicating a role for this cytokine in normal neuronal development. This work establishes a simple and powerful non-mammalian model of developmental immune activation and demonstrates a role for IL-1β in mediating the pathologic effects of inflammation on neuronal circuit development.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Maternal immune activation can increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring; however, the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Using a non-mammalian vertebrate model of developmental immune activation, we show that even brief activation of inflammatory pathways has immediate and long-term effects on the arborization of axons, and that these morphologic changes have functional and behavioral consequences. Finally, we show that the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β plays an essential role in both the effects of inflammation on circuit formation and normal axonal development. Our data add to a growing body of evidence supporting epidemiological studies linking immune activation to neurodevelopmental disorders, and help shed light on the molecular and cellular processes that contribute to the etiology of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia M Solek
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Nasr A I Farooqi
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Niklas Brake
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Philip Kesner
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Anne Schohl
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Jack P Antel
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Edward S Ruthazer
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
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156
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Ahadullah, Yau SY, Lu HX, Lee TMC, Guo H, Chan CCH. PM 2.5 as a potential risk factor for autism spectrum disorder: Its possible link to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and changes in gene expression. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:534-548. [PMID: 34216652 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by behavioral deficits including impairments in social communication, social interaction, and repetitive behaviors. Because the etiology of ASD is still largely unknown, there is no cure for ASD thus far. Although it has been established that genetic components play a vital role in ASD development, the influence of epigenetic regulation induced by environmental factors could also contribute to ASD susceptibility. Accumulated evidence has suggested that exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) in polluted air could affect neurodevelopment, thus possibly leading to ASD. Particles with a size of 2.5 μm (PM2.5) or less have been shown to have negative effects on human health, and could be linked to ASD symptoms in children. This review summarizes evidence from clinical and animal studies to demonstrate the possible linkage between PM2.5 exposure and the incidence of ASD in children. An attempt was made to explore the possible mechanisms of this linkage, including changes of gene expression, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation induced by PM2.5 exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahadullah
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Suk-Yu Yau
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou 510515, China.
| | - Hao-Xian Lu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tatia M C Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Human Neuroscience, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hai Guo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Chetwyn C H Chan
- Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China
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157
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Fisher AL, Sangkhae V, Balušíková K, Palaskas NJ, Ganz T, Nemeth E. Iron-dependent apoptosis causes embryotoxicity in inflamed and obese pregnancy. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4026. [PMID: 34188052 PMCID: PMC8242011 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24333-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is essential for a healthy pregnancy, and iron supplementation is nearly universally recommended, regardless of maternal iron status. A signal of potential harm is the U-shaped association between maternal ferritin, a marker of iron stores, and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, ferritin is also induced by inflammation and may overestimate iron stores during inflammation or infection. In this study, we use mouse models to determine whether maternal iron loading, inflammation, or their interaction cause poor pregnancy outcomes. Only maternal exposure to both iron excess and inflammation, but not either condition alone, causes embryo malformations and demise. Maternal iron excess potentiates embryo injury during both LPS-induced acute inflammation and obesity-induced chronic mild inflammation. The adverse interaction depends on TNFα signaling, causes apoptosis of placental and embryo endothelium, and is prevented by anti-TNFα or antioxidant treatment. Our findings raise important questions about the safety of indiscriminate iron supplementation during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison L Fisher
- Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology Graduate Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Iron Disorders, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Veena Sangkhae
- Center for Iron Disorders, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kamila Balušíková
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology & Center for Research of Diabetes, Metabolism and Nutrition, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Nicolaos J Palaskas
- Center for Iron Disorders, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tomas Ganz
- Center for Iron Disorders, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeta Nemeth
- Center for Iron Disorders, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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158
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Novel treatments for autism spectrum disorder based on genomics and systems biology. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 230:107939. [PMID: 34174273 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex underlying genetic architecture. There are currently no known pharmacologic treatments for the core ASD symptoms of social deficits and restricted/ repetitive behavior. However, there are dozens of clinical trials currently underway that are testing the impact of novel and existing agents on core and associated symptoms in ASD. METHODS We present a narrative synthesis of the historical and contemporary challenges to drug discovery in ASD. We then provide an overview of novel treatments currently under investigation from a genomics and systems biology perspective. RESULTS Data driven network and cluster analyses suggest alterations in transcriptional regulation, chromatin remodelling, synaptic transmission, neuropeptide signalling, and/or immunological mechanisms may contribute to or underlie the development of ASD. Agents and upcoming trials targeting each of the above listed systems are reviewed. CONCLUSION Identifying effective pharmacologic treatments for the core and associated symptom domains in ASD will require further collaboration and innovation in the areas of outcome measurement, biomarker research, and genomics, as well as systematic efforts to identify and treat subgroups of individuals with ASD who may be differentially responsive to specific treatments.
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159
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Tabeshian R, Nezakat-Alhosseini M, Movahedi A, Zehr EP, Faramarzi S. The Effect of Tai Chi Chuan Training on Stereotypic Behavior of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:2180-2186. [PMID: 34085151 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05090-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This quasi-experimental study investigated effects of Tai Chi Chuan training on stereotypic behavior of children with autism spectrum disorder. Twenty-three participants (mean age = 9.60 ± 1.40 years) were assigned to experimental (N = 12) and control (N = 11) groups. The experimental group received 12 weeks of Tai Chi training and all participants had pre, post, and one-month follow-up assessments. Stereotypic behavior measured using Gilliam Autism Rating Scale 2 Scores, was significantly altered by ~ 25% in the Tai Chi Chuan group. Behavioral change was maintained at follow up since there was no significant difference between that and the posttest. In conclusion, Tai Chi Chuan training is a useful and appropriate intervention to modulate behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roza Tabeshian
- Department of Motor Behavior, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | | | | | - E Paul Zehr
- Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Human Discovery Science, International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Salar Faramarzi
- Department of Children With Special Needs, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
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160
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Rescue of maternal immune activation-induced behavioral abnormalities in adult mouse offspring by pathogen-activated maternal T reg cells. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:818-830. [PMID: 33859437 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00837-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) induced by lipopolysaccharides or polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid injections can induce behavioral abnormalities in adult mouse offspring. Here, we used the soluble tachyzoite antigen from Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that infects approximately two billion people, to induce MIA in mice. The adult male offspring showed autism-relevant behaviors and abnormal brain microstructure, along with a pro-inflammatory T-cell immune profile in the periphery and upregulation of interleukin-6 in brain astrocytes. We show that adoptive transfer of regulatory T (Treg) cells largely reversed these MIA-induced phenotypes. Notably, pathogen-activated maternal Treg cells showed greater rescue efficacy than those from control donors. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified and characterized a unique group of pathogen-activated Treg cells that constitute 32.6% of the pathogen-activated maternal Treg population. Our study establishes a new preclinical parasite-mimicking MIA model and suggests therapeutic potential of adoptive Treg cell transfer in neuropsychiatric disorders associated with immune alterations.
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161
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Tioleco N, Silberman AE, Stratigos K, Banerjee-Basu S, Spann MN, Whitaker AH, Turner JB. Prenatal maternal infection and risk for autism in offspring: A meta-analysis. Autism Res 2021; 14:1296-1316. [PMID: 33720503 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
While prenatal maternal infection has received attention as a preventable and treatable risk factor for autism, findings have been inconsistent. This paper presents the results of a meta-analysis to determine whether the weight of the evidence supports such an association. Studies with a categorical diagnosis of autism as the outcome and an assessment of its association with prenatal maternal infection or fever (or the data necessary to compute this association) were included. A total of 36 studies met these criteria. Two independent reviewers extracted data on study design, methods of assessment, type of infectious agent, site of infection, trimester of exposure, definition of autism, and effect size. Analyses demonstrated a statistically significant association of maternal infection/fever with autism in offspring (OR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.20-1.46). Adjustment for evident publication bias slightly weakened this association. There was little variation in effect sizes across agent or site of infection. Small differences across trimester of exposure were not statistically significant. There was some evidence that recall bias associated with status on the outcome variable leads to differential misclassification of exposure status. Nonetheless, the overall association is only modestly reduced when studies potentially contaminated by such bias are removed. Although causality has not been firmly established, these findings suggest maternal infection during pregnancy confers an increase in risk for autism in offspring. Given the prevalence of this risk factor, it is possible that the incidence of autism would be reduced by 12%-17% if maternal infections could be prevented or safely treated in a timely manner. LAY SUMMARY: This study is a meta-analysis of the association of maternal infection during pregnancy and subsequent autism in offspring. In combining the results from 36 studies of this association we find that a significant relationship is present. The association does not vary much across the types of infections or when they occur during pregnancy. We conclude that the incidence of autism could be substantially reduced if maternal infections could be prevented or safely treated in a timely manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Tioleco
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anna E Silberman
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Katharine Stratigos
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Marisa N Spann
- Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Agnes H Whitaker
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - J Blake Turner
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
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162
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Zaga-Clavellina V, Diaz L, Olmos-Ortiz A, Godínez-Rubí M, Rojas-Mayorquín AE, Ortuño-Sahagún D. Central role of the placenta during viral infection: Immuno-competences and miRNA defensive responses. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2021; 1867:166182. [PMID: 34058350 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy is a unique immunological condition in which an "immune-diplomatic" dialogue between trophoblasts and maternal immune cells is established to protect the fetus from rejection, to create a privileged environment in the uterus and to simultaneously be alert to any infectious challenge. The maternal-placental-fetal interface (MPFI) performs an essential role in this immunological defense. In this review, we will address the MPFI as an active immuno-mechanical barrier that protects against viral infections. We will describe the main viral infections affecting the placenta and trophoblasts and present their structure, mechanisms of immunocompetence and defensive responses to viral infections in pregnancy. In particular, we will analyze infection routes in the placenta and trophoblasts and the maternal-fetal outcomes in both. Finally, we will focus on the cellular targets of the antiviral microRNAs from the C19MC cluster, and their effects at both the intra- and extracellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Zaga-Clavellina
- Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes (INPer), Ciudad de México C.P. 11000, Mexico
| | - Lorenza Diaz
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Ciudad de México C.P. 14080, Mexico
| | - Andrea Olmos-Ortiz
- Departamento de Inmunobioquímica, INPer, Ciudad de México C.P. 11000, Mexico
| | - Marisol Godínez-Rubí
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Patología, Departamento de Microbiología y Patología, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44340, Mexico
| | - Argelia E Rojas-Mayorquín
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Guadalajara 45200, Mexico
| | - Daniel Ortuño-Sahagún
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas (IICB) CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44340, Mexico.
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163
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Chaudhury S. Epigenetic regulation in Autism spectrum disorder. AIMS GENETICS 2021. [DOI: 10.3934/genet.2016.4.292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by an impaired social communication skill and often results in repetitive, stereotyped behavior which is observed in children during the first few years of life. Other characteristic of this disorder includes language disabilities, difficulties in sensory integration, lack of reciprocal interactions and in some cases, cognitive delays. One percentage of the general population is affected by ASD and is four times more common in boys than girls. There are hundreds of genes, which has been identified to be associated with ASD etiology. However it remains difficult to comprehend our understanding in defining the genetic architecture necessary for complete exposition of its pathophysiology. Seeing the complexity of the disease, it is important to adopt a multidisciplinary approach which should not only focus on the “genetics” of autism but also on epigenetics, transcriptomics, immune system disruption and environmental factors that could all impact the pathogenesis of the disease. As environmental factors also play a key role in regulating the trigger of ASD, the role of chromatin remodeling and DNA methylation has started to emerge. Such epigenetic modifications directly link molecular regulatory pathways and environmental factors, which might be able to explain some aspects of complex disorders like ASD. The present review will focus on the role of epigenetic regulation in defining the underlying cause for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sraboni Chaudhury
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI-48109, USA
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Traver S, Geoffray MM, Mazières L, Geneviève D, Michelon C, Picot MC, Baghdadli A. Association between prenatal and perinatal factors and the severity of clinical presentation of children with ASD: Report from the ELENA COHORT. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 137:634-642. [PMID: 33187690 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have suggested that prenatal and perinatal factors increase the risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, few reports have addressed the question of their influence on the severity of the clinical presentation of children with ASD. Our objective was to determine the prenatal and perinatal factors that are associated with the severity of autistic symptoms and intellectual and adaptive functioning deficits. Data were collected from a subset of 169 children with a confirmed diagnosis of ASD, recruited from the ELENA cohort. A risk of premature delivery was associated, with an increased risk for severe autistic symptoms and placental pathologies and birth complications were associated with an increased risk of communication adaptive deficits, in multivariate analysis. Our results highlight the importance of systematic screening for these pre/perinatal factors, especially in mothers at risk of having a child with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Traver
- Department of Psychiatry and Autism Resources Center, University Research and Hospital Center (CHU) of Montpellier, 34000, Montpellier, France
| | - Marie-Maude Geoffray
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier le Vinatier, Bron, France
| | - Lucile Mazières
- Department of Psychiatry and Autism Resources Center, University Research and Hospital Center (CHU) of Montpellier, 34000, Montpellier, France
| | - David Geneviève
- Département of Medical Genetics, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | - Cécile Michelon
- Department of Psychiatry and Autism Resources Center, University Research and Hospital Center (CHU) of Montpellier, 34000, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Amaria Baghdadli
- Department of Psychiatry and Autism Resources Center, University Research and Hospital Center (CHU) of Montpellier, 34000, Montpellier, France; U1178, INSERM, Research Center in Epidemiology and Population Health, Villejuif, France.
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165
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The role of GABAergic signalling in neurodevelopmental disorders. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:290-307. [PMID: 33772226 PMCID: PMC9001156 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00443-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
GABAergic inhibition shapes the connectivity, activity and plasticity of the brain. A series of exciting new discoveries provides compelling evidence that disruptions in a number of key facets of GABAergic inhibition have critical roles in the aetiology of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). These facets include the generation, migration and survival of GABAergic neurons, the formation of GABAergic synapses and circuit connectivity, and the dynamic regulation of the efficacy of GABAergic signalling through neuronal chloride transporters. In this Review, we discuss recent work that elucidates the functions and dysfunctions of GABAergic signalling in health and disease, that uncovers the contribution of GABAergic neural circuit dysfunction to NDD aetiology and that leverages such mechanistic insights to advance precision medicine for the treatment of NDDs.
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166
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Zürcher NR, Loggia ML, Mullett JE, Tseng C, Bhanot A, Richey L, Hightower BG, Wu C, Parmar AJ, Butterfield RI, Dubois JM, Chonde DB, Izquierdo-Garcia D, Wey HY, Catana C, Hadjikhani N, McDougle CJ, Hooker JM. [ 11C]PBR28 MR-PET imaging reveals lower regional brain expression of translocator protein (TSPO) in young adult males with autism spectrum disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1659-1669. [PMID: 32076115 PMCID: PMC8159742 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0682-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Mechanisms of neuroimmune and mitochondrial dysfunction have been repeatedly implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To examine these mechanisms in ASD individuals, we measured the in vivo expression of the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), an activated glial marker expressed on mitochondrial membranes. Participants underwent scanning on a simultaneous magnetic resonance-positron emission tomography (MR-PET) scanner with the second-generation TSPO radiotracer [11C]PBR28. By comparing TSPO in 15 young adult males with ASD with 18 age- and sex-matched controls, we showed that individuals with ASD exhibited lower regional TSPO expression in several brain regions, including the bilateral insular cortex, bilateral precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex, and bilateral temporal, angular, and supramarginal gyri, which have previously been implicated in autism in functional MR imaging studies. No brain region exhibited higher regional TSPO expression in the ASD group compared with the control group. A subset of participants underwent a second MR-PET scan after a median interscan interval of 3.6 months, and we determined that TSPO expression over this period of time was stable and replicable. Furthermore, voxelwise analysis confirmed lower regional TSPO expression in ASD at this later time point. Lower TSPO expression in ASD could reflect abnormalities in neuroimmune processes or mitochondrial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- N R Zürcher
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - M L Loggia
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J E Mullett
- Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lexington, MA, USA
| | - C Tseng
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A Bhanot
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - L Richey
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - B G Hightower
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - C Wu
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - A J Parmar
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - R I Butterfield
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - J M Dubois
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - D B Chonde
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - D Izquierdo-Garcia
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - H Y Wey
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - C Catana
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - N Hadjikhani
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Center, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - C J McDougle
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lexington, MA, USA
| | - J M Hooker
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Ben-Reuven L, Reiner O. Dynamics of cortical progenitors and production of subcerebral neurons are altered in embryos of a maternal inflammation model for autism. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1535-1550. [PMID: 31740755 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0594-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The broad impairments in cognitive and neurologic functioning found in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) patients are thought to originate during early prenatal developmental stages. Indeed, postmortem and imaging studies in ASD patients detected white-matter abnormalities, as well as prefrontal and temporal cortex deficits, evident from early childhood. Here, we used Maternal Immune Activation (MIA), a mouse model for ASD, in which the offsprings exhibit Autistic-like behaviors as well as cortical abnormalities. However, the dynamics that influence the number and the identity of newly born cortical neurons following maternal inflammation remains unknown. Our study shows early changes in the duration of the S-phase of PAX6+ progenitors, leading to an increased proportion of neurogenic divisions and a reciprocal decrease in the proliferative divisions. In two different time points of maternal inflammation, MIA resulted in an overproduction of CTIP2+ cortical neurons, which remained overrepresented at the end of gestation and in postnatal mice. Interestingly, MIA-resistant IL6-KO mice did not exhibit these changes. Lastly, we propose that elevated levels of the transcription factor PAX6 following MIA supports the overproduction of CTIP2+ neurons. Taken together, our data reveals a possible link between maternal immune activation and the excess of cortical neurons found in the cortex of ASD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihi Ben-Reuven
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Orly Reiner
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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Mir IN, White SP, Steven Brown L, Heyne R, Rosenfeld CR, Chalak LF. Autism spectrum disorders in extremely preterm infants and placental pathology findings: a matched case-control study. Pediatr Res 2021; 89:1825-1831. [PMID: 32950030 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-020-01160-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is 5-fold higher in preterm (PT) infants born ≤28 weeks gestational age (GA) as compared to the general population. The relationship between placental pathologic lesions and ASD in PT infants has not been studied. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to determine the association of placental pathology with the occurrence of ASD in PT infants born ≤28 weeks GA. STUDY DESIGN A matched case-control study to identify confirmed ASD cases (n = 16) and matched controls (n = 48) born at Parkland Hospital between January 2012 and December 2015. Patients were matched using known variables associated with increased risk of ASD in PT infants. Placental histology from all births was reviewed. RESULTS Children with ASD had 2-fold greater incidence of multiple placental pathologic lesions vs. matched controls [11/16 (69%) vs.16/48 (33%), respectively; P = 0.01]. In contrast, single placental pathologic lesions were not associated with ASD [5/16 (31%) vs. 21/48 (43%), respectively; P = 0.1]. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we have demonstrated an association between the increasing complexity of histologic placental lesions and the later risk for ASD in infants born ≤28 weeks GA. Thus, placental pathology findings may be valuable in further understanding the prenatal pathologic processes underlying ASD in PT infants. IMPACT PT infants with ASD have a 2-fold greater incidence of multiple placental pathologies. This is the first study to report an association between the complexity of histologic placental lesions and later risk of ASD in infant born extremely PT (i.e., ≤28 weeks GA). This study reiterates the importance of examining placental pathologic lesions, since placental evidence of antenatal insults correlates with postnatal morbidities and mortality in PT infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imran N Mir
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Stormi P White
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Autism and Related Disorders, Emory University School of Medicine and Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Roy Heyne
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Charles R Rosenfeld
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lina F Chalak
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX, USA
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Abstract
The immune system has coevolved with extensive microbial communities living on barrier sites that are collectively known as the microbiota. It is increasingly clear that microbial antigens and metabolites engage in a constant dialogue with the immune system, leading to microbiota-specific immune responses that occur in the absence of inflammation. This form of homeostatic immunity encompasses many arms of immunity, including B cell responses, innate-like T cells, and conventional T helper and T regulatory responses. In this review we summarize known examples of innate-like T cell and adaptive immunity to the microbiota, focusing on fundamental aspects of commensal immune recognition across different barrier sites. Furthermore, we explore how this cross talk is established during development, emphasizing critical temporal windows that establish long-term immune function. Finally, we highlight how dysregulation of immunity to the microbiota can lead to inflammation and disease, and we pinpoint outstanding questions and controversies regarding immune system-microbiota interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduard Ansaldo
- Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Host Immunity and Microbiome, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA;
| | - Taylor K Farley
- Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Host Immunity and Microbiome, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA; .,Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, United Kingdom
| | - Yasmine Belkaid
- Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Host Immunity and Microbiome, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA; .,Microbiome Program, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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170
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Contribution of Pro-Inflammatory Molecules Induced by Respiratory Virus Infections to Neurological Disorders. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14040340. [PMID: 33917837 PMCID: PMC8068239 DOI: 10.3390/ph14040340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurobehavioral alterations and cognitive impairment are common phenomena that represent neuropsychiatric disorders and can be triggered by an exacerbated immune response against pathogens, brain injury, or autoimmune diseases. Pro-inflammatory molecules, such as cytokines and chemokines, are produced in the brain by resident cells, mainly by microglia and astrocytes. Brain infiltrating immune cells constitutes another source of these molecules, contributing to an impaired neurological synapse function, affecting typical neurobehavioral and cognitive performance. Currently, there is increasing evidence supporting the notion that behavioral alterations and cognitive impairment can be associated with respiratory viral infections, such as human respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and SARS-COV-2, which are responsible for endemic, epidemic, or pandemic outbreak mainly in the winter season. This article will review the brain′s pro-inflammatory response due to infection by three highly contagious respiratory viruses that are the leading cause of acute respiratory illness, morbidity, and mobility in infants, immunocompromised and elderly population. How these respiratory viral pathogens induce increased secretion of pro-inflammatory molecules and their relationship with the alterations at a behavioral and cognitive level will be discussed.
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Kodesh A, Levine SZ, Khachadourian V, Rahman R, Schlessinger A, O’Reilly PF, Grove J, Schendel D, Buxbaum JD, Croen L, Reichenberg A, Sandin S, Janecka M. Maternal health around pregnancy and autism risk: a diagnosis-wide, population-based study. Psychol Med 2021; 52:1-9. [PMID: 33766168 PMCID: PMC8464612 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721001021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many studies have reported an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) associated with some maternal diagnoses in pregnancy. However, such associations have not been studied systematically, accounting for comorbidity between maternal disorders. Therefore our aim was to comprehensively test the associations between maternal diagnoses around pregnancy and ASD risk in offspring. METHODS This exploratory case-cohort study included children born in Israel from 1997 to 2008, and followed up until 2015. We used information on all ICD-9 codes received by their mothers during pregnancy and the preceding year. ASD risk associated with each of those conditions was calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for the confounders (birth year, maternal age, socioeconomic status and number of ICD-9 diagnoses during the exposure period). RESULTS The analytic sample consisted of 80 187 individuals (1132 cases, 79 055 controls), with 822 unique ICD-9 codes recorded in their mothers. After extensive quality control, 22 maternal diagnoses were nominally significantly associated with offspring ASD, with 16 of those surviving subsequent filtering steps (permutation testing, multiple testing correction, multiple regression). Among those, we recorded an increased risk of ASD associated with metabolic [e.g. hypertension; HR = 2.74 (1.92-3.90), p = 2.43 × 10-8], genitourinary [e.g. non-inflammatory disorders of cervix; HR = 1.88 (1.38-2.57), p = 7.06 × 10-5] and psychiatric [depressive disorder; HR = 2.11 (1.32-3.35), p = 1.70 × 10-3] diagnoses. Meanwhile, mothers of children with ASD were less likely to attend prenatal care appointment [HR = 0.62 (0.54-0.71), p = 1.80 × 10-11]. CONCLUSIONS Sixteen maternal diagnoses were associated with ASD in the offspring, after rigorous filtering of potential false-positive associations. Replication in other cohorts and further research to understand the mechanisms underlying the observed associations with ASD are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arad Kodesh
- Department of Community Mental Health, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Meuhedet Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Stephen Z. Levine
- Department of Community Mental Health, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Vahe Khachadourian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Rayees Rahman
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Avner Schlessinger
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Paul F. O’Reilly
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Jakob Grove
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- iSEQ, Centre for Integrative Sequencing, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine—Human Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Diana Schendel
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
- Section for Epidemiology, National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Joseph D. Buxbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Lisa Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California
| | - Abraham Reichenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Sven Sandin
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Magdalena Janecka
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Department of Biomedicine—Human Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
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Decidual cells are the initial target of polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid in a mouse model of maternal viral infection. Biochem Biophys Rep 2021; 26:100958. [PMID: 33732901 PMCID: PMC7937661 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2021.100958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Maternal immune activation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders caused by maternal infection. It has been suggested that the placental origin of inflammatory cytokines leads to neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the identity of the initial immune-activated site in the placenta, in response to maternal viral infection, is not clear. Methods By cross-breeding male enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgenic mice with wild-type females, the placental tissues of maternal origin can be distinguished from those of paternal origin by EGFP expression. Using this method, at embryonic day (E) 12.5, dams were administered an intraperitoneal polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (poly [I:C]) injection. We quantitatively analyzed the levels of phosphorylated interferon (IFN) regulatory factor 3 (pIRF3) in the placenta, and investigated the distribution of pIRF3 positive cells. Results We show that maternally derived decidual cells are the initial target of maternal poly (I:C) through the toll-like receptor 3/TIR-domain-containing the adapter-inducing interferon-β signaling pathway. We also show that the expression of interferon-β was upregulated in the placenta after maternal injection with poly (I:C). Conclusion These results suggest that maternally derived decidual cells are the initial target of maternal poly (I:C) and that this innate immune response is likely associated with a state of maternal immune activation.
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Garrison A, Boivin M, Khoshnood B, Courtin D, Alao J, Mireku M, Ibikounle M, Massougbodji A, Cot M, Bodeau-Livinec F. Soil-transmitted helminth infection in pregnancy and long-term child neurocognitive and behavioral development: A prospective mother-child cohort in Benin. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009260. [PMID: 33739991 PMCID: PMC7978343 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background An estimated 30% of women in Sub-Saharan Africa suffer from soil-transmitted helminth infection during pregnancy (SHIP), which has been shown to increase risk of pre-term birth, low birth weight, and maternal anemia. A previous study in Benin found that SHIP was associated with impaired cognitive and gross motor development scores in 635 one-year-old children. The objective of the present study was to follow children prospectively to investigate whether the association between SHIP and child neurocognitive and behavioral development persisted at age six. Principal findings Our prospective child cohort included 487 live-born singletons of pregnant women enrolled in the Malaria in Pregnancy Preventive Alternative Drugs clinical trial in Allada, Benin. SHIP was assessed at three antenatal visits (ANVs) through collection and testing of stool samples. Neurocognitive and behavioral development was assessed in six-year-old children by trained investigators using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children 2nd edition and the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Multiple linear regression models generated coefficients and 95% confidence intervals and potential mediating factors were tested. Prevalence of SHIP was 13% at the 1st ANV, 9% at the 2nd ANV, and 1% at delivery. SHIP was not associated with low neurocognitive scores in children at six years. Higher SDQ internalizing scores, indicating increased emotional impairments in children, were associated with helminth infection at the 2nd ANV/delivery 1.07 (95% CI 0.15, 2.00) and at least once during pregnancy 0.79 (95% CI 0.12, 1.46) in adjusted models. Mediation analysis did not reveal significant indirect effects of several mediators on this association. Conclusions Our study shows that while SHIP is not associated with impaired long-term neurocognitive development, infections may have significant negative impacts on emotional development in six-year-old children. SHIP remains a critical public health issue, and adequate prevention and treatment protocols should be enforced in low- and middle-income countries. Soil-transmitted helminth infections impact 1.5 billion individuals, primarily in low- and middle- income countries, each year and contribute to malnutrition, anemia, and impaired neurocognitive development in children. However, these infections in pregnancy and their impact on offspring have been less studied. One previous study found associations between soil-transmitted helminth infection during pregnancy and impaired cognitive functioning in offspring one year after birth. The current study aimed to follow these children prospectively until six years in order to confirm whether these associations persisted or not. Infections during pregnancy were no longer associated with cognitive or motor functioning in children; however, infections were associated with impaired behavioral development. Animal-based models have hypothesized maternal inflammation and poor birth outcomes to be the mechanisms behind this relationship; however, our findings did not support these mechanisms. This is one of very few prospective cohort studies in Sub-Saharan Africa to investigate these associations, and more research is needed to corroborate results. Limitations include limited power and the possibility that results are due to chance from multiple statistical tests. Adequate and accessible prevention and treatment efforts in pregnancy and childhood should be provided to populations in low- and middle- income countries at high risk of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Garrison
- Département Méthodes Quantitatives en Santé Publique (METIS), Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique, Rennes, France
- Université de Paris, Center of Research in Epidemiology and Statistics/CRESS, INSERM, INRA, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Universités, Université de Paris, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael Boivin
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology/Ophthalmology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Babak Khoshnood
- Département Méthodes Quantitatives en Santé Publique (METIS), Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique, Rennes, France
| | | | - Jules Alao
- Service de Pédiatrie, CHU de la Mère et de l’Enfant-Lagune de Cotonou, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Michael Mireku
- School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, England
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, England
| | - Moudachirou Ibikounle
- Centre de Recherche pour la lutte contre les Maladies Infectieuses Tropicales, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
| | | | - Michel Cot
- Université de Paris, MERIT, IRD, Paris, France
| | - Florence Bodeau-Livinec
- Département Méthodes Quantitatives en Santé Publique (METIS), Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique, Rennes, France
- Université de Paris, Center of Research in Epidemiology and Statistics/CRESS, INSERM, INRA, Paris, France
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174
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Singha SP, Memon S, Kazi SAF, Nizamani GS. Gamma aminobutyric acid signaling disturbances and altered astrocytic morphology associated with Bisphenol A induced cognitive impairments in rat offspring. Birth Defects Res 2021; 113:911-924. [PMID: 33655713 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-recognized endocrine disruptor and is globally used in the manufacture of many plastic items. Multiple studies suggest links between prenatal BPA exposure and alterations in neurodevelopment and behaviors in children, even at lower levels. This study was conducted to reveal the role of astrocyte morphology and Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling in BPA induced cognitive defects in the offspring of Wistar albino rats when exposed during the prenatal and postnatal periods. METHODS Dams of Wistar albino rats were exposed to a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight of BPA throughout the pregnancy and lactation period until the third postnatal day (PND). After delivery of pups, cognitive tests were carried out on the 21st, 24th, and 28th PNDs. Blood samples were collected for measurement of serum GABA levels. On the same day as the blood collections, pups were sacrificed and their right frontal cortices were dissected out. Immunohistochemical analysis for glial fibrillar acidic protein + astrocytes was conducted. RESULTS Pre and postnatal BPA exposure led to anxiety like behavior in pups. This exposure also resulted in reduced serum GABA concentrations. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed reduced astrocyte numbers as well as decreased numbers of dendritic spines in the BPA exposed pups. CONCLUSION BPA exposure during critical periods of development leads to cognitive impairments that correlate with the defects in the GABA signaling pathways and deteriorated morphology of the astrocytes in the offspring of the Wistar rats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samreen Memon
- Department of Anatomy, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan
| | | | - Ghulam Shah Nizamani
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, In Charge, Clinical Laboratory and Blood Bank, Isra University Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan
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175
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Altered circadian rhythms in a mouse model of neurodevelopmental disorders based on prenatal maternal immune activation. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 93:119-131. [PMID: 33412254 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder, exhibit various sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances that often persist and worsen throughout the lifespan. To study the interaction between circadian rhythm disruption and neurodevelopmental disorders, we utilized a mouse model based on prenatal maternal immune activation (MIA). We hypothesized that MIA exposure would lead to impaired circadian locomotor activity rhythms in adult mouse offspring. We induced MIA by injecting pregnant dams with polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly IC) at embryonic day 9.5, then aged resulting offspring to adulthood. We first confirmed that poly IC injection in pregnant dams elevated plasma levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. We then placed adult offspring in running wheels and subjected them to various lighting conditions. Overall, poly IC-exposed male offspring exhibited altered locomotor activity rhythms, reminiscent of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. In particular, we report increased (subjective) day activity across 3 different lighting conditions: 12 h of light, 12 h of dark (12:12LD), constant darkness (DD) and constant light. Further data analysis indicated that this was driven by increased activity in the beginning of the (subjective) day in 12:12LD and DD, and at the end of the day in 12:12LD. This effect was sex-dependent, as in utero poly IC exposure led overall to much milder alterations in locomotor activity rhythms in female offspring than in male offspring. We also confirmed that the observed behavioral impairments in adult poly IC-exposed offspring were not due to differences in maternal behavior. These data further our understanding of the link between circadian rhythm disruption and neurodevelopmental disorders and may have implications for mitigating risk to the disorders and/or informing the development of circadian-based therapies.
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176
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Church JS, Tamayo JM, Ashwood P, Schwartzer JJ. Repeated allergic asthma in early versus late pregnancy differentially impacts offspring brain and behavior development. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 93:66-79. [PMID: 33358979 PMCID: PMC7979463 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress during pregnancy and maternal inflammation are two common prenatal factors that impact offspring development. Asthma is the leading chronic condition complicating pregnancy and a common source of prenatal stress and inflammation. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to characterize the developmental impact of repeated allergic asthma inflammation during pregnancy on offspring behavioral outcomes and brain inflammation. METHODS Pregnant female C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) or PBS vehicle control and then randomly assigned to receive daily aerosol exposures to the same OVA or PBS treatment during early, gestational days (GD) 2-GD9, or late pregnancy, GD10-GD17. Maternal sera were collected after the first and last aerosol induction regimen and measured for concentrations of corticosterone, anti-OVA IgE, and cytokine profiles. Juvenile male and female offspring were assessed for locomotor and social behaviors and later as adults assessed for anxiety-like, and marble burying behaviors using a series of behavioral tasks. Offspring brains were evaluated for region-specific differences in cytokine concentrations. RESULTS In early gestation, both PBS and OVA-exposed dams had similar serum corticosterone concentration at the start (GD2) and end (GD9) of daily aerosol inductions. Only OVA-exposed dams showed elevations in cytokines that imply a diverse and robust T helper cell-mediated immune response. Male offspring of early OVA-exposed dams showed decreases in open-arm exploration in the elevated plus maze and increased marble burying without concomitant changes in locomotor activity or social interactions. These behavioral deficits in early OVA-exposed male offspring were associated with lower concentrations of G-CSF, IL-4, IL-7, IFNγ, and TNFα in the hypothalamus. In late gestation, both PBS and OVA-exposed dams had increased corticosterone levels at the end of daily aerosol inductions (GD17) compared to at the start of inductions (GD10). Male offspring from both PBS and OVA-exposed dams in late gestation showed similar decreases in open arm exploration on the elevated plus maze compared to OVA male offspring exposed in early gestation. No behavioral differences were present in female offspring across all treatment groups. However, females of dams exposed to OVA during early gestation displayed similar reductions as males in hypothalamic G-CSF, IL-7, IL-4, and IFNγ. DISCUSSION The inflammatory responses from maternal allergic asthma in early gestation and resulting increases in anxiety-like behavior in males support a link between the timing of prenatal insults and sex-specific developmental outcomes. Moreover, the heightened stress responses in late gestation and concomitant dampened inflammatory response to allergic asthma suggest that interactions between the maternal immune and stress-response systems shape early life fetal programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie S Church
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
| | - Juan M Tamayo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and the M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California at Davis, CA 95817, USA
| | - Paul Ashwood
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and the M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California at Davis, CA 95817, USA
| | - Jared J Schwartzer
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA.
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177
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine E Zengeler
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG), Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
| | - John R Lukens
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG), Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
- Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
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178
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Kalish BT, Kim E, Finander B, Duffy EE, Kim H, Gilman CK, Yim YS, Tong L, Kaufman RJ, Griffith EC, Choi GB, Greenberg ME, Huh JR. Maternal immune activation in mice disrupts proteostasis in the fetal brain. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:204-213. [PMID: 33361822 PMCID: PMC7854524 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00762-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Maternal infection and inflammation during pregnancy are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, but little is understood about the molecular mechanisms underlying this epidemiologic phenomenon. Here, we leveraged single-cell RNA sequencing to profile transcriptional changes in the mouse fetal brain in response to maternal immune activation (MIA) and identified perturbations in cellular pathways associated with mRNA translation, ribosome biogenesis and stress signaling. We found that MIA activates the integrated stress response (ISR) in male, but not female, MIA offspring in an interleukin-17a-dependent manner, which reduced global mRNA translation and altered nascent proteome synthesis. Moreover, blockade of ISR activation prevented the behavioral abnormalities as well as increased cortical neural activity in MIA male offspring. Our data suggest that sex-specific activation of the ISR leads to maternal inflammation-associated neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian T Kalish
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Eunha Kim
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin Finander
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erin E Duffy
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hyunju Kim
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Casey K Gilman
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yeong Shin Yim
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lilin Tong
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Randal J Kaufman
- Degenerative Disease Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eric C Griffith
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gloria B Choi
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michael E Greenberg
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Jun R Huh
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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179
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Panisi C, Guerini FR, Abruzzo PM, Balzola F, Biava PM, Bolotta A, Brunero M, Burgio E, Chiara A, Clerici M, Croce L, Ferreri C, Giovannini N, Ghezzo A, Grossi E, Keller R, Manzotti A, Marini M, Migliore L, Moderato L, Moscone D, Mussap M, Parmeggiani A, Pasin V, Perotti M, Piras C, Saresella M, Stoccoro A, Toso T, Vacca RA, Vagni D, Vendemmia S, Villa L, Politi P, Fanos V. Autism Spectrum Disorder from the Womb to Adulthood: Suggestions for a Paradigm Shift. J Pers Med 2021; 11:70. [PMID: 33504019 PMCID: PMC7912683 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11020070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The wide spectrum of unique needs and strengths of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a challenge for the worldwide healthcare system. With the plethora of information from research, a common thread is required to conceptualize an exhaustive pathogenetic paradigm. The epidemiological and clinical findings in ASD cannot be explained by the traditional linear genetic model, hence the need to move towards a more fluid conception, integrating genetics, environment, and epigenetics as a whole. The embryo-fetal period and the first two years of life (the so-called 'First 1000 Days') are the crucial time window for neurodevelopment. In particular, the interplay and the vicious loop between immune activation, gut dysbiosis, and mitochondrial impairment/oxidative stress significantly affects neurodevelopment during pregnancy and undermines the health of ASD people throughout life. Consequently, the most effective intervention in ASD is expected by primary prevention aimed at pregnancy and at early control of the main effector molecular pathways. We will reason here on a comprehensive and exhaustive pathogenetic paradigm in ASD, viewed not just as a theoretical issue, but as a tool to provide suggestions for effective preventive strategies and personalized, dynamic (from womb to adulthood), systemic, and interdisciplinary healthcare approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Panisi
- Fondazione Istituto Sacra Famiglia ONLUS, Cesano Boscone, 20090 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Franca Rosa Guerini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (M.C.); (M.S.)
| | | | - Federico Balzola
- Division of Gastroenterology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Pier Mario Biava
- Scientific Institute of Research and Care Multimedica, 20138 Milan, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Bolotta
- DIMES, School of Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (P.M.A.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Marco Brunero
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Ernesto Burgio
- ECERI—European Cancer and Environment Research Institute, Square de Meeus 38-40, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium;
| | - Alberto Chiara
- Dipartimento Materno Infantile ASST, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Mario Clerici
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (M.C.); (M.S.)
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Luigi Croce
- Centro Domino per l’Autismo, Universita’ Cattolica Brescia, 20139 Milan, Italy;
| | - Carla Ferreri
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (ISOF), 40129 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Niccolò Giovannini
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Ghezzo
- DIMES, School of Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (P.M.A.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Enzo Grossi
- Autism Research Unit, Villa Santa Maria Foundation, 22038 Tavernerio, Italy;
| | - Roberto Keller
- Adult Autism Centre DSM ASL Città di Torino, 10138 Turin, Italy;
| | - Andrea Manzotti
- RAISE Lab, Foundation COME Collaboration, 65121 Pescara, Italy;
| | - Marina Marini
- DIMES, School of Medicine, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (P.M.A.); (A.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Lucia Migliore
- Medical Genetics Laboratories, Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (L.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Lucio Moderato
- Fondazione Istituto Sacra Famiglia ONLUS, Cesano Boscone, 20090 Milan, Italy;
| | - Davide Moscone
- Associazione Spazio Asperger ONLUS, Centro Clinico CuoreMenteLab, 00141 Rome, Italy;
| | - Michele Mussap
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, Puericulture Institute and Neonatal Section, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, 09100 Cagliari, Italy; (M.M.); (V.F.)
| | - Antonia Parmeggiani
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS ISNB, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Valentina Pasin
- Milan Institute for health Care and Advanced Learning, 20124 Milano, Italy;
| | | | - Cristina Piras
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Marina Saresella
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, ONLUS, 20148 Milan, Italy; (M.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Andrea Stoccoro
- Medical Genetics Laboratories, Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (L.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Tiziana Toso
- Unione Italiana Lotta alla Distrofia Muscolare UILDM, 35100 Padova, Italy;
| | - Rosa Anna Vacca
- Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM), National Research Council of Italy, 70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - David Vagni
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council of Italy, 98164 Messina, Italy;
| | | | - Laura Villa
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Via Don Luigi Monza 20, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy;
| | - Pierluigi Politi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Vassilios Fanos
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, Puericulture Institute and Neonatal Section, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, 09100 Cagliari, Italy; (M.M.); (V.F.)
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, 09042 Cagliari, Italy
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180
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Sani G, Manchia M, Simonetti A, Janiri D, Paribello P, Pinna F, Carpiniello B. The Role of Gut Microbiota in the High-Risk Construct of Severe Mental Disorders: A Mini Review. Front Psychiatry 2021; 11:585769. [PMID: 33510657 PMCID: PMC7835325 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.585769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe mental disorders (SMD) are highly prevalent psychiatric conditions exerting an enormous toll on society. Therefore, prevention of SMD has received enormous attention in the last two decades. Preventative approaches are based on the knowledge and detailed characterization of the developmental stages of SMD and on risk prediction. One relevant biological component, so far neglected in high risk research, is microbiota. The human microbiota consists in the ensemble of microbes, including viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotes, that inhabit several ecological niches of the organism. Due to its demonstrated role in modulating illness and health, as well in influencing behavior, much interest has focused on the characterization of the microbiota inhabiting the gut. Several studies in animal models have shown the early modifications in the gut microbiota might impact on neurodevelopment and the onset of deficits in social behavior corresponding to distinct neurosignaling alterations. However, despite this evidence, only one study investigated the effect of altered microbiome and risk of developing mental disorders in humans, showing that individuals at risk for SMD had significantly different global microbiome composition than healthy controls. We then offer a developmental perspective and provided mechanistic insights on how changes in the microbiota could influence the risk of SMD. We suggest that the analysis of microbiota should be included in the comprehensive assessment generally performed in populations at high risk for SMD as it can inform predictive models and ultimately preventative strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Sani
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “Agostino Gemelli” Istituto di ricovero e cura a carattere scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Mirko Manchia
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Alessio Simonetti
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Delfina Janiri
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “Agostino Gemelli” Istituto di ricovero e cura a carattere scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Pasquale Paribello
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Federica Pinna
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Bernardo Carpiniello
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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181
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Challenges in researching the immune pathways between early life adversity and psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1597-1624. [DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
AbstractExposure to childhood adversity is a critical risk factor for the development of psychopathology. A growing field of research examines how exposure to childhood adversity is translated into biological risk for psychopathology through alterations in immune system functioning, most notably heightened levels of inflammation biomarkers. Though our knowledge about how childhood adversity can instantiate biological risk for psychopathology is growing, there remain many challenges and gaps in the field to understand how inflammation from childhood adversity contributes to psychopathology. This paper reviews research on the inflammatory outcomes arising from childhood adversity and presents four major challenges that future research must address: (a) the measurement of childhood adversity, (b) the measurement of inflammation, (c) the identification of mediators between childhood adversity and inflammation, and (d) the identification of moderators of inflammatory outcomes following childhood adversity. We discuss synergies and inconsistencies in the literature to summarize the current understanding of the association between childhood adversity, a proinflammatory phenotype, and the biological risk for psychopathology. We discuss the clinical implications of the inflammatory links between childhood adversity and psychopathology, including possibilities for intervention. Finally, this review conclude by delineates future directions for research, including issues of how best to detect, prevent, and understand these “hidden wounds” of childhood adversity.
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182
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Perinatal Exposure to Diesel Exhaust-Origin Secondary Organic Aerosol Induces Autism-Like Behavior in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020538. [PMID: 33430368 PMCID: PMC7828068 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication, poor social interactions, and repetitive behaviors. We aimed to examine autism-like behaviors and related gene expressions in rats exposed to diesel exhaust (DE)-origin secondary organic aerosol (DE-SOA) perinatally. Sprague–Dawley pregnant rats were exposed to clean air (control), DE, and DE-SOA in the exposure chamber from gestational day 14 to postnatal day 21. Behavioral phenotypes of ASD were investigated in 10~13-week-old offspring using a three-chambered social behavior test, social dominance tube test, and marble burying test. Prefrontal cortex was collected to examine molecular analyses including neurological and immunological markers and glutamate concentration, using RT-PCR and ELISA methods. DE-SOA-exposed male and female rats showed poor sociability and social novelty preference, socially dominant behavior, and increased repetitive behavior. Serotonin receptor (5-HT(5B)) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNAs were downregulated whereas interleukin 1 β (IL-β) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) mRNAs were upregulated in the prefrontal cortex of male and female rats exposed to DE-SOA. Glutamate concentration was also increased significantly in DE-SOA-exposed male and female rats. Our results indicate that perinatal exposure to DE-SOA may induce autism-like behavior by modulating molecules such as neurological and immunological markers in rats.
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183
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Placental origins of neonatal diseases: toward a precision medicine approach. Pediatr Res 2021; 89:377-383. [PMID: 33288874 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-020-01293-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The placenta is the single most reliable source for precise information on intrauterine environment, as well as maternal and fetal health. It mediates the physiology of two distinct yet highly interconnected individuals. The pathology that develops in the placenta, and the adaptations the placenta undergoes to mitigate this pathology, may influence the later life health of the mother and baby. Pathological placental examination provides a unique opportunity to explore and understand the intrauterine environment, as well as providing a record of events that may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. A number of placental lesions have been described in association with various neonatal morbidities. The purpose of this review is to summarize the evidence for the association of placental pathologic lesions with neurodevelopmental outcomes infants with specific neonatal morbidities, including (1) neonatal encephalopathy, (2) bronchopulmonary dysplasia, (3) congenital heart diseases, and (4) autism spectrum disorders. For each of these disease processes, we will also propose specific research priorities in future studies. We conclude with a hospital-specific protocol for triaging which placentas should receive histological evaluation as a fundamental first step for the field of neuroplacentology to guide precision-based therapeutic approaches in the affected newborns. IMPACT: The purpose of this review is to summarize the evidence for placental origins of neonatal diseases. We propose specific research priorities in the field of neuroplacentology in future studies. We also present a targeted hospital-based approach for triaging which placentas should receive histological evaluation.
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Inhibition of colony stimulating factor 1 receptor corrects maternal inflammation-induced microglial and synaptic dysfunction and behavioral abnormalities. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1808-1831. [PMID: 32071385 PMCID: PMC7431382 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0671-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) disrupts the central innate immune system during a critical neurodevelopmental period. Microglia are primary innate immune cells in the brain although their direct influence on the MIA phenotype is largely unknown. Here we show that MIA alters microglial gene expression with upregulation of cellular protrusion/neuritogenic pathways, concurrently causing repetitive behavior, social deficits, and synaptic dysfunction to layer V intrinsically bursting pyramidal neurons in the prefrontal cortex of mice. MIA increases plastic dendritic spines of the intrinsically bursting neurons and their interaction with hyper-ramified microglia. Treating MIA offspring by colony stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitors induces depletion and repopulation of microglia, and corrects protein expression of the newly identified MIA-associated neuritogenic molecules in microglia, which coalesces with correction of MIA-associated synaptic, neurophysiological, and behavioral abnormalities. Our study demonstrates that maternal immune insults perturb microglial phenotypes and influence neuronal functions throughout adulthood, and reveals a potent effect of colony stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitors on the correction of MIA-associated microglial, synaptic, and neurobehavioral dysfunctions.
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185
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Nakamura JP, Gillespie B, Gibbons A, Jaehne EJ, Du X, Chan A, Schroeder A, van den Buuse M, Sundram S, Hill RA. Maternal immune activation targeted to a window of parvalbumin interneuron development improves spatial working memory: Implications for autism. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 91:339-349. [PMID: 33096253 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) increases risk for neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring later in life through unknown causal mechanisms. Growing evidence implicates parvalbumin-containing GABAergic interneurons as a key target in rodent MIA models. We targeted a specific neurodevelopmental window of parvalbumin interneurons in a mouse MIA model to examine effects on spatial working memory, a key domain in ASD that can manifest as either impairments or improvements both clinically and in animal models. Pregnant dams received three consecutive intraperitoneal injections of Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C), 5 mg/kg) at gestational days 13, 14 and 15. Spatial working memory was assessed in young adult offspring using touchscreen operant chambers and the Trial-Unique Non-matching to Location (TUNL) task. Anxiety, novelty seeking and short-term memory were assessed using Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and Y-maze novelty preference tasks. Fluorescent immunohistochemistry was used to assess hippocampal parvalbumin cell density, intensity and co-expression with perineuronal nets. qPCR was used to assess the expression of putatively implicated gene pathways. MIA targeting a window of parvalbumin interneuron development increased spatial working memory performance on the TUNL touchscreen task which was not influenced by anxiety or novelty seeking behaviour. The model reduced fetal mRNA levels of Gad1 and adult hippocampal mRNA levels of Pvalb and the distribution of low intensity parvalbumin interneurons was altered. We speculate a specific timing window for parvalbumin interneuron development underpins the apparently paradoxical improved spatial working memory phenotype found both across several rodent models of autism and clinically in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay P Nakamura
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Brendan Gillespie
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Andrew Gibbons
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Emily J Jaehne
- School of Psychology and Public Health, Department of Psychology, La Trobe University, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Xin Du
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Aaron Chan
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Anna Schroeder
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- School of Psychology and Public Health, Department of Psychology, La Trobe University, Victoria 3086, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; The College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Suresh Sundram
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Rachel A Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia.
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186
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Lee BK, Eyles DW, Magnusson C, Newschaffer CJ, McGrath JJ, Kvaskoff D, Ko P, Dalman C, Karlsson H, Gardner RM. Developmental vitamin D and autism spectrum disorders: findings from the Stockholm Youth Cohort. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1578-1588. [PMID: 31695167 PMCID: PMC7200274 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0578-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Animal studies indicate that early life vitamin D is crucial for proper neurodevelopment. Few studies have examined whether maternal and neonatal vitamin D concentrations influence risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Participants were sampled from the Stockholm Youth Cohort, a register-based cohort in Sweden. Concentrations of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) were assessed from maternal and neonatal biosamples using a highly sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method. The maternal sample consisted of 449 ASD cases and 574 controls, the neonatal sample: 1399 ASD cases and 1607 controls; and the paired maternal-neonatal sample: 340 ASD cases and 426 controls. Maternal 25OHD was not associated with child ASD in the overall sample. However, in Nordic-born mothers, maternal 25OHD insufficiency (25 - <50 nmol/L) at ~11 weeks gestation was associated with 1.58 times higher odds of ASD (95% CI: 1.00, 2.49) as compared with 25OHD sufficiency (≥50 nmol/L). Neonatal 25OHD < 25 nmol/L was associated with 1.33 times higher odds of ASD (95% CI: 1.02, 1.75) as compared with 25OHD ≥ 50 nmol/L. Sibling-matched control analyses indicated these associations were not likely due to familial confounding. Children with both maternal 25OHD and neonatal 25OHD below the median had 1.75 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.86) times the odds of ASD compared with children with maternal and neonatal 25OHD both below the median. Our results are consistent with an increasing body of evidence suggesting that vitamin D concentrations in early life may be associated with increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian K. Lee
- grid.166341.70000 0001 2181 3113Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA USA ,A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Darryl W. Eyles
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD Australia ,grid.417162.70000 0004 0606 3563Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, QLD Australia
| | - Cecilia Magnusson
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Craig J. Newschaffer
- grid.166341.70000 0001 2181 3113Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Drexel University School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA USA ,A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - John J. McGrath
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD Australia ,grid.417162.70000 0004 0606 3563Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, QLD Australia ,grid.7048.b0000 0001 1956 2722National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - David Kvaskoff
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD Australia
| | - Pauline Ko
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD Australia ,grid.417162.70000 0004 0606 3563Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, QLD Australia
| | - Christina Dalman
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Håkan Karlsson
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Renee M. Gardner
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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187
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Volk HE, Park B, Hollingue C, Jones KL, Ashwood P, Windham GC, Lurman F, Alexeeff SE, Kharrazi M, Pearl M, Van de Water J, Croen LA. Maternal immune response and air pollution exposure during pregnancy: insights from the Early Markers for Autism (EMA) study. J Neurodev Disord 2020; 12:42. [PMID: 33327930 PMCID: PMC7745402 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-020-09343-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perinatal exposure to air pollution and immune system dysregulation are two factors consistently associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, little is known about how air pollution may influence maternal immune function during pregnancy. OBJECTIVES To assess the relationship between mid-gestational circulating levels of maternal cytokines/chemokines and previous month air pollution exposure across neurodevelopmental groups, and to assess whether cytokines/chemokines mediate the relationship between air pollution exposures and risk of ASD and/or intellectual disability (ID) in the Early Markers for Autism (EMA) study. METHODS EMA is a population-based, nested case-control study which linked archived maternal serum samples collected during weeks 15-19 of gestation for routine prenatal screening, birth records, and Department of Developmental Services (DDS) records. Children receiving DDS services for ASD without intellectual disability (ASD without ID; n = 199), ASD with ID (ASD with ID; n = 180), ID without ASD (ID; n = 164), and children from the general population (GP; n = 414) with no DDS services were included in this analysis. Serum samples were quantified for 22 cytokines/chemokines using Luminex multiplex analysis technology. Air pollution exposure for the month prior to maternal serum collection was assigned based on the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality System data using the maternal residential address reported during the prenatal screening visit. RESULTS Previous month air pollution exposure and mid-gestational maternal cytokine and chemokine levels were significantly correlated, though weak in magnitude (ranging from - 0.16 to 0.13). Ten pairs of mid-pregnancy immune markers and previous month air pollutants were significantly associated within one of the child neurodevelopmental groups, adjusted for covariates (p < 0.001). Mid-pregnancy air pollution was not associated with any neurodevelopmental outcome. IL-6 remained associated with ASD with ID even after adjusting for air pollution exposure. CONCLUSION This study suggests that maternal immune activation is associated with risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Furthermore, that prenatal air pollution exposure is associated with small, but perhaps biologically relevant, effects on maternal immune system function during pregnancy. Additional studies are needed to better evaluate how prenatal exposure to air pollution affects the trajectory of maternal immune activation during pregnancy, if windows of heightened susceptibility can be identified, and how these factors influence neurodevelopment of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E Volk
- Department of Mental Health, Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Kennedy Krieger Institute Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, 624 N. Broadway, HH833, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Bo Park
- Department of Public Health, California State University, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | - Calliope Hollingue
- Department of Mental Health, Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Kennedy Krieger Institute Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, 624 N. Broadway, HH833, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Karen L Jones
- UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Paul Ashwood
- UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Gayle C Windham
- Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | | | - Stacey E Alexeeff
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente of Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Martin Kharrazi
- Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | - Michelle Pearl
- Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | - Judy Van de Water
- UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente of Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
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188
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Maternal immune activation induces sustained changes in fetal microglia motility. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21378. [PMID: 33288794 PMCID: PMC7721716 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78294-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal infection or inflammation causes abnormalities in brain development associated with subsequent cognitive impairment and in an increased susceptibility to schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Maternal immune activation (MIA) and increases in serum cytokine levels mediates this association via effects on the fetal brain, and microglia can respond to maternal immune status, but consensus on how microglia may respond is lacking and no-one has yet examined if microglial process motility is impaired. In this study we investigated how MIA induced at two different gestational ages affected microglial properties at different developmental stages. Immune activation in mid-pregnancy increased IL-6 expression in embryonic microglia, but failed to cause any marked changes in morphology either at E18 or postnatally. In contrast MIA, particularly when induced earlier (at E12), caused sustained alterations in the patterns of microglial process motility and behavioral deficits. Our research has identified an important microglial property that is altered by MIA and which may contribute to the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms linking maternal immune status to subsequent risks for cognitive disease.
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189
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Critical Role of the Maternal Immune System in the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8120557. [PMID: 33271759 PMCID: PMC7760377 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8120557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by impairments in communication, social interaction, and the presence of restrictive and repetitive behaviours. Over the past decade, most of the research in ASD has focused on the contribution of genetics, with the identification of a variety of different genes and mutations. However, the vast heterogeneity in clinical presentations associated with this disorder suggests that environmental factors may be involved, acting as a “second hit” in already genetically susceptible individuals. To this regard, emerging evidence points towards a role for maternal immune system dysfunctions. This literature review considered evidence from epidemiological studies and aimed to discuss the pathological relevance of the maternal immune system in ASD by looking at the proposed mechanisms by which it alters the prenatal environment. In particular, this review focuses on the effects of maternal immune activation (MIA) by looking at foetal brain-reactive antibodies, cytokines and the microbiome. Despite the arguments presented here that strongly implicate MIA in the pathophysiology of ASD, further research is needed to fully understand the precise mechanisms by which they alter brain structure and behaviour. Overall, this review has not only shown the importance of the maternal immune system as a risk factor for ASD, but more importantly, has highlighted new promising pathways to target for the discovery of novel therapeutic interventions for the treatment of such a life-changing disorder.
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190
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Hirayama A, Wakusawa K, Fujioka T, Iwata K, Usui N, Kurita D, Kameno Y, Wakuda T, Takagai S, Hirai T, Nara T, Ito H, Nagano Y, Oowada S, Tsujii M, Tsuchiya KJ, Matsuzaki H. Simultaneous evaluation of antioxidative serum profiles facilitates the diagnostic screening of autism spectrum disorder in under-6-year-old children. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20602. [PMID: 33244118 PMCID: PMC7691362 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77328-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This case–control study aimed to assess oxidative stress alterations in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We used the MULTIS method, an electron spin resonance-based technique measuring multiple free radical scavenging activities simultaneously, in combination with conventional oxidative stress markers to investigate the ability of this MULTIS approach as a non-behavioural diagnostic tool for children with ASD. Serum samples of 39 children with ASD and 58 age-matched children with typical development were analysed. The ASD group showed decreased hydroxyl radical (·OH) and singlet oxygen scavenging activity with increased serum coenzyme Q10 oxidation rate, indicating a prooxidative tendency in ASD. By contrast, scavenging activities against superoxide (O2·−) and alkoxyl radical (RO·) were increased in the ASD group suggesting antioxidative shifts. In the subgroup analysis of 6-year-olds or younger, the combination of ·OH, O2·−, and RO· scavenging activities predicted ASD with high odds ratio (50.4), positive likelihood (12.6), and percentage of correct classification (87.0%). Our results indicate that oxidative stress in children with ASD is not simply elevated but rather shows a compensatory shift. MULTIS measurements may serve as a very powerful non-behavioural tool for the diagnosis of ASD in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aki Hirayama
- Center for Integrative Medicine, Tsukuba University of Technology, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Keisuke Wakusawa
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychiatry, Miyagi Children's Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Toru Fujioka
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.,United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keiko Iwata
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.,United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Life Science Innovation Center, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Noriyoshi Usui
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.,United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Life Science Innovation Center, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.,Center for Medical Research and Education, Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kurita
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Yosuke Kameno
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Tomoyasu Wakuda
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Shu Takagai
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Takaharu Hirai
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.,United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Takahiro Nara
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychiatry, Miyagi Children's Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hiromu Ito
- Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Yumiko Nagano
- Center for Integrative Medicine, Tsukuba University of Technology, Tsukuba, Japan
| | | | - Masatsugu Tsujii
- School of Contemporary Sociology, Chukyo University, Toyota, Japan
| | - Kenji J Tsuchiya
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Hideo Matsuzaki
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan. .,United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan. .,Life Science Innovation Center, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
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191
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Cavalcante MB, Cavalcante CTDMB, Sarno M, Barini R, Kwak-Kim J. Maternal immune responses and obstetrical outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 and possible health risks of offspring. J Reprod Immunol 2020; 143:103250. [PMID: 33249335 PMCID: PMC7676367 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2020.103250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Pregnant women with COVID-19 have proinflammatory immune responses. Maternal COVID-19 is associated with increased risk of preterm birth, IUGR and LBW. Vascular malperfusion, inflammation and thrombosis are major placental pathologies. Placental pathologies may progress even in asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. COVID-19 may increase long-term offspring risk for non-communicable disease.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread rapidly across the world. The vast majority of patients with COVID-19 manifest mild to moderate symptoms but may progress to severe cases or even mortalities. Young adults of reproductive age are the most affected population by SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, there is no consensus yet if pregnancy contributes to the severity of COVID-19. Initial studies of pregnant women have found that COVID-19 significantly increases the risk of preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, and low birth weight, which have been associated with non-communicable diseases in offspring. Besides, maternal viral infections with or without vertical transmission have been allied with neurological and behavioral disorders of the offspring. In this review, obstetrical outcomes of women with COVID-19 and possible risks for their offspring are discussed by reviewing maternal immune responses to COVID-19 based on the current evidence. Structural and systemic follow-up of offspring who are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in-utero is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Borges Cavalcante
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fortaleza University (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, CE, 60.811-905, Brazil; CONCEPTUS - Reproductive Medicine, Fortaleza, CE, 60.170-240, Brazil.
| | | | - Manoel Sarno
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, 40.026-010, Brazil; Harris Birthright Research Center for Fetal Medicine, "'King's College Hospital and Department of Fetal Medicine, University College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ricardo Barini
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Campinas University (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, 13.083-887, Brazil
| | - Joanne Kwak-Kim
- Reproductive Medicine and Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Sciences Department, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Vernon Hills, IL, 60061, USA
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192
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Sotgiu S, Manca S, Gagliano A, Minutolo A, Melis MC, Pisuttu G, Scoppola C, Bolognesi E, Clerici M, Guerini FR, Carta A. Immune regulation of neurodevelopment at the mother-foetus interface: the case of autism. Clin Transl Immunology 2020; 9:e1211. [PMID: 33209302 PMCID: PMC7662086 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by deficits in social communication and stereotypical behaviours. ASD’s aetiology remains mostly unclear, because of a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Recently, a strong consensus has developed around ASD’s immune‐mediated pathophysiology, which is the subject of this review. For many years, neuroimmunological studies tried to understand ASD as a prototypical antibody‐ or cell‐mediated disease. Other findings indicated the importance of autoimmune mechanisms such as familial and individual autoimmunity, adaptive immune abnormalities and the influence of infections during gestation. However, recent studies have challenged the idea that autism may be a classical autoimmune disease. Modern neurodevelopmental immunology shows the double‐edged nature of many immune effectors, which can be either beneficial or detrimental depending on tissue homeostasis, stressors, neurodevelopmental stage, inherited and de novo gene mutations and other variables. Nowadays, mother–child interactions in the prenatal environment appear to be crucial for the occurrence of ASD. Studies of animal maternal–foetal immune interaction are being fruitfully carried out using different combinations of type and timing of infection, of maternal immune response and foetal vulnerability and of resilience factors to hostile events. The derailed neuroimmune crosstalk through the placenta initiates and maintains a chronic foetal neuroglial activation, eventually causing the alteration of neurogenesis, migration, synapse formation and pruning. The importance of pregnancy can also allow early immune interventions, which can significantly reduce the increasing risk of ASD and its heavy social burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Sotgiu
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry Department of Medical Surgical and Experimental Sciences University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Salvatorica Manca
- Unità Operativa di Neuropsichiatria Infanzia e Adolescenza (UONPIA) ASSL Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Antonella Gagliano
- Child & Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit Department of Biomedical Sciences University of Cagliari Cagliari Italy
| | - Alessandra Minutolo
- Child & Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit Department of Biomedical Sciences University of Cagliari Cagliari Italy
| | - Maria Clotilde Melis
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry Department of Medical Surgical and Experimental Sciences University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Giulia Pisuttu
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry Department of Medical Surgical and Experimental Sciences University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Chiara Scoppola
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry Department of Medical Surgical and Experimental Sciences University of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | | | - Mario Clerici
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi - ONLUS Milan Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation University of Milano Milan Italy
| | | | - Alessandra Carta
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry Department of Medical Surgical and Experimental Sciences University of Sassari Sassari Italy
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193
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Béroule DG. Paradoxical Effects of a Cytokine and an Anticonvulsant Strengthen the Epigenetic/Enzymatic Avenue for Autism Research. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:585395. [PMID: 33262691 PMCID: PMC7686807 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.585395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal exposure to the valproate short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) during pregnancy is known to possibly induce autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in the offspring. By contrast, case studies have evidenced positive outcomes of this anticonvulsant drug in children with severe autism. Interestingly, the same paradoxical pattern applies to the IL-17a inflammatory cytokine involved in the immune system regulation. Such joint apparent contradictions can be overcome by pointing out that, among their respective signaling pathways, valproate and IL-17a share an enhancement of the “type A monoamine oxidase” (MAOA) enzyme carried by the X chromosome. In the Guided Propagation (GP) model of autism, such enzymatic rise triggers a prenatal epigenetic downregulation, which, without possible X-inactivation, and when coinciding with genetic expression variants of other brain enzymes, results in the delayed onset of autistic symptoms. The underlying imbalance of synaptic monoamines, serotonin in the first place, would reflect a mismatch between the environment to which the brain metabolism was prepared during gestation and the postnatal actual surroundings. Following a prenatal exposure to molecules that significantly elicit the MAOA gene expression, a daily treatment with the same metabolic impact would tend to recreate the fetal environment and contribute to rebalance monoamines, thus allowing proper neural circuits to gradually develop, provided behavioral re-education. Given the multifaceted other players than MAOA that are involved in the regulation of serotonin levels, potential compensatory effects are surveyed, which may underlie the autism heterogeneity. This explanatory framework opens up prospects regarding autism prevention and treatment, strikingly in line with current advances along the gut microbiome–brain axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- D G Béroule
- CNRS, Bat.508, Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay, BP 133, Orsay, France.,CRIIGEN, Paris, France
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194
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Masini E, Loi E, Vega-Benedetti AF, Carta M, Doneddu G, Fadda R, Zavattari P. An Overview of the Main Genetic, Epigenetic and Environmental Factors Involved in Autism Spectrum Disorder Focusing on Synaptic Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218290. [PMID: 33167418 PMCID: PMC7663950 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social interaction and communication, with restricted interests, activity and behaviors. ASD is highly familial, indicating that genetic background strongly contributes to the development of this condition. However, only a fraction of the total number of genes thought to be associated with the condition have been discovered. Moreover, other factors may play an important role in ASD onset. In fact, it has been shown that parental conditions and in utero and perinatal factors may contribute to ASD etiology. More recently, epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation and micro RNA alterations, have been associated with ASD and proposed as potential biomarkers. This review aims to provide a summary of the literature regarding ASD candidate genes, mainly focusing on synapse formation and functionality and relevant epigenetic and environmental aspects acting in concert to determine ASD onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Masini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy; (E.M.); (E.L.); (A.F.V.-B.)
| | - Eleonora Loi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy; (E.M.); (E.L.); (A.F.V.-B.)
| | - Ana Florencia Vega-Benedetti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy; (E.M.); (E.L.); (A.F.V.-B.)
| | - Marinella Carta
- Center for Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Azienda Ospedaliera Brotzu, 09121 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Doneddu
- Centro per l’Autismo e Disturbi correlati (CADc), Nuovo Centro Fisioterapico Sardo, 09131 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Roberta Fadda
- Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Patrizia Zavattari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy; (E.M.); (E.L.); (A.F.V.-B.)
- Correspondence:
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195
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Rahimi S, Peeri M, Azarbayjani MA, Anoosheh L, Ghasemzadeh E, Khalifeh N, Noroozi-Mahyari S, Deravi S, Saffari-Anaraki S, Hemat Zangeneh F, Salari AA. Long-term exercise from adolescence to adulthood reduces anxiety- and depression-like behaviors following maternal immune activation in offspring. Physiol Behav 2020; 226:113130. [PMID: 32791182 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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196
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Fitzgerald E, Hor K, Drake AJ. Maternal influences on fetal brain development: The role of nutrition, infection and stress, and the potential for intergenerational consequences. Early Hum Dev 2020; 150:105190. [PMID: 32948364 PMCID: PMC7481314 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
An optimal early life environment is crucial for ensuring ideal neurodevelopmental outcomes. Brain development consists of a finely tuned series of spatially and temporally constrained events, which may be affected by exposure to a sub-optimal intra-uterine environment. Evidence suggests brain development may be particularly vulnerable to factors such as maternal nutrition, infection and stress during pregnancy. In this review, we discuss how maternal factors such as these can affect brain development and outcome in offspring, and we also identify evidence which suggests that the outcome can, in many cases, be stratified by socio-economic status (SES), with individuals in lower brackets typically having a worse outcome. We consider the relevant epidemiological evidence and draw parallels to mechanisms suggested by preclinical work where appropriate. We also discuss possible transgenerational effects of these maternal factors and the potential mechanisms involved. We conclude that modifiable factors such as maternal nutrition, infection and stress are important contributors to atypical brain development and that SES also likely has a key role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamon Fitzgerald
- University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Kahyee Hor
- University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Amanda J Drake
- University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
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197
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Holingue C, Brucato M, Ladd-Acosta C, Hong X, Volk H, Mueller NT, Wang X, Fallin MD. Interaction between Maternal Immune Activation and Antibiotic Use during Pregnancy and Child Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2020; 13:2230-2241. [PMID: 33067915 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) has been implicated as a risk factor for the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though the conditions under which this elevated risk occurs are unclear. Animal literature demonstrates that antibiotic use, which affects the composition of the maternal gut microbiota, modifies the effect of MIA on neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring. The aim of this study was to assess whether antibiotic use during pregnancy modifies the association between MIA and subsequent risk of ASD, in a prospective birth cohort with 116 ASD cases and 860 typically developing (TD) child controls. There was no evidence of interaction between fever or genitourinary infection and antibiotic use on the odds of ASD in unadjusted or adjusted analyzes. However, we found evidence of an interaction between flu, specifically in second trimester, and antibiotic use at any point during pregnancy on the odds of ASD in the child. Among women who received an antibiotic during pregnancy, flu in trimester two was not associated with ASD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.99 [0.43-2.28]). Among women who were not exposed to an antibiotic at any point during pregnancy, flu in second trimester was significantly associated with increased odds of ASD (aOR = 4.05 [1.14-14.38], P = .03), after adjustment for child sex, child birth year, maternal age, gestational age, C-section delivery, and low birthweight. These findings should be treated as hypothesis-generating and suggest that antibiotic use may modify the influence that MIA has on autism risk in the child. LAY SUMMARY: We looked at whether the association between activation of the immune system during pregnancy and risk of the child developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) differed among women who did or did not take an antibiotic at any point during pregnancy. We examined 116 children with ASD and 860 without ASD and found that flu in second trimester was associated with increased ASD, but only among women who did not take an antibiotic during pregnancy. No other immune activation exposures seemed to interact with antibiotic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calliope Holingue
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Martha Brucato
- Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Christine Ladd-Acosta
- Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiumei Hong
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,The Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather Volk
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Noel T Mueller
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiaobin Wang
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,The Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - M Daniele Fallin
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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198
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Garcia-Gutierrez E, Narbad A, Rodríguez JM. Autism Spectrum Disorder Associated With Gut Microbiota at Immune, Metabolomic, and Neuroactive Level. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:578666. [PMID: 33117122 PMCID: PMC7578228 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.578666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence suggesting a link between the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome. Experimental and clinical studies have shown that patients diagnosed with ASD display alterations of the gut microbiota. These alterations do not only extend to the gut microbiota composition but also to the metabolites they produce, as a result of its connections with diet and the bidirectional interaction with the host. Thus, production of metabolites and neurotransmitters stimulate the immune system and influence the central nervous system (CNS) by stimulation of the vagal nerve, as an example of the gut-brain axis pathway. In this review we compose an overview of the interconnectivity of the different GI-related elements that have been associated with the development and severity of the ASD in patients and animal models. We review potential biomarkers to be used in future studies to unlock further connections and interventions in the treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enriqueta Garcia-Gutierrez
- Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Program, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Arjan Narbad
- Gut Microbes and Health Institute Strategic Program, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Juan Miguel Rodríguez
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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199
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Fernandez A, Dumon C, Guimond D, Tyzio R, Bonifazi P, Lozovaya N, Burnashev N, Ferrari DC, Ben-Ari Y. The GABA Developmental Shift Is Abolished by Maternal Immune Activation Already at Birth. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:3982-3992. [PMID: 30395185 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that maternal immune activation (MIA) leads to developmental brain disorders, but whether the pathogenic mechanism impacts neurons already at birth is not known. We now report that MIA abolishes in mice the oxytocin-mediated delivery γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shift from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing in CA3 pyramidal neurons, and this is restored by the NKCC1 chloride importer antagonist bumetanide. Furthermore, MIA hippocampal pyramidal neurons at birth have a more exuberant apical arbor organization and increased apical dendritic length than age-matched controls. The frequency of spontaneous glutamatergic postsynaptic currents is also increased in MIA offspring, as well as the pairwise correlation of the synchronized firing of active cells in CA3. These alterations produced by MIA persist, since at P14-15 GABA action remains depolarizing, produces excitatory action, and network activity remains elevated with a higher frequency of spontaneous glutamatergic postsynaptic currents. Therefore, the pathogenic actions of MIA lead to important morphophysiological and network alterations in the hippocampus already at birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Fernandez
- Neurochlore, Ben-Ari Institute of Neuroarcheology (IBEN), Bâtiment Beret-Delaage, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, MARSEILLE Cedex 09, France.,Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology (INMED), INSERM UMR1249, Marseille, France.,Aix-Marseille University UMR 1249, Marseille, France
| | - Camille Dumon
- Neurochlore, Ben-Ari Institute of Neuroarcheology (IBEN), Bâtiment Beret-Delaage, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, MARSEILLE Cedex 09, France.,Aix-Marseille University UMR 1249, Marseille, France
| | - Damien Guimond
- Neurochlore, Ben-Ari Institute of Neuroarcheology (IBEN), Bâtiment Beret-Delaage, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, MARSEILLE Cedex 09, France
| | - Roman Tyzio
- Neurochlore, Ben-Ari Institute of Neuroarcheology (IBEN), Bâtiment Beret-Delaage, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, MARSEILLE Cedex 09, France.,Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology (INMED), INSERM UMR1249, Marseille, France.,Aix-Marseille University UMR 1249, Marseille, France
| | - Paolo Bonifazi
- Biocruces Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.,IKERBASQUE: The Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Natalia Lozovaya
- Neurochlore, Ben-Ari Institute of Neuroarcheology (IBEN), Bâtiment Beret-Delaage, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, MARSEILLE Cedex 09, France
| | - Nail Burnashev
- Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology (INMED), INSERM UMR1249, Marseille, France.,Aix-Marseille University UMR 1249, Marseille, France
| | - Diana C Ferrari
- Neurochlore, Ben-Ari Institute of Neuroarcheology (IBEN), Bâtiment Beret-Delaage, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, MARSEILLE Cedex 09, France
| | - Yehezkel Ben-Ari
- Neurochlore, Ben-Ari Institute of Neuroarcheology (IBEN), Bâtiment Beret-Delaage, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, MARSEILLE Cedex 09, France.,Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology (INMED), INSERM UMR1249, Marseille, France
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200
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Maternal immune activation alters visual acuity and retinogeniculate axon pruning in offspring mice. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:518-523. [PMID: 32827701 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been found to have a variety of sensory processing deficits. Here we report that maternal immune activation, a known factor for ASD, alters visual acuity in the offspring mice. By intraperitoneally injecting polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) to induce maternal immune activation during embryonic days 10 to 14, we found that polyI:C treatment impairs visual acuity in young adult offspring mice as examined by their optomotor responses. Concurrently, polyI:C treatment suppresses retinogeniculate axon elimination, resulting in a high fraction of weak optical fibers innervating the relay neurons in the visual thalamus. The results link in-utero maternal inflammation to defective optical fiber pruning and arrested developmental strengthening of single optic fibers which may underlie impaired visual acuity.
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