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Dalton GD, Siecinski SK, Nikolova VD, Cofer GP, Hornburg KJ, Qi Y, Johnson GA, Jiang YH, Moy SS, Gregory SG. Transcriptome analysis identifies an ASD-Like phenotype in oligodendrocytes and microglia from C58/J amygdala that is dependent on sex and sociability. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2024; 20:14. [PMID: 38898502 PMCID: PMC11188533 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-024-00240-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with higher incidence in males and is characterized by atypical verbal/nonverbal communication, restricted interests that can be accompanied by repetitive behavior, and disturbances in social behavior. This study investigated brain mechanisms that contribute to sociability deficits and sex differences in an ASD animal model. METHODS Sociability was measured in C58/J and C57BL/6J mice using the 3-chamber social choice test. Bulk RNA-Seq and snRNA-Seq identified transcriptional changes in C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala within which DMRseq was used to measure differentially methylated regions in amygdala. RESULTS C58/J mice displayed divergent social strata in the 3-chamber test. Transcriptional and pathway signatures revealed immune-related biological processes differ between C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala. Hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes were identified in C58/J versus C57BL/6J amygdala. snRNA-Seq data in C58/J amygdala identified differential transcriptional signatures within oligodendrocytes and microglia characterized by increased ASD risk gene expression and predicted impaired myelination that was dependent on sex and sociability. RNA velocity, gene regulatory network, and cell communication analysis showed diminished oligodendrocyte/microglia differentiation. Findings were verified using Bulk RNA-Seq and demonstrated oxytocin's beneficial effects on myelin gene expression. LIMITATIONS Our findings are significant. However, limitations can be noted. The cellular mechanisms linking reduced oligodendrocyte differentiation and reduced myelination to an ASD phenotype in C58/J mice need further investigation. Additional snRNA-Seq and spatial studies would determine if effects in oligodendrocytes/microglia are unique to amygdala or if this occurs in other brain regions. Oxytocin's effects need further examination to understand its' potential as an ASD therapeutic. CONCLUSIONS Our work demonstrates the C58/J mouse model's utility in evaluating the influence of sex and sociability on the transcriptome in concomitant brain regions involved in ASD. Our single-nucleus transcriptome analysis elucidates potential pathological roles of oligodendrocytes and microglia in ASD. This investigation provides details regarding regulatory features disrupted in these cell types, including transcriptional gene dysregulation, aberrant cell differentiation, altered gene regulatory networks, and changes to key pathways that promote microglia/oligodendrocyte differentiation. Our studies provide insight into interactions between genetic risk and epigenetic processes associated with divergent affiliative behavior and lack of positive sociability.
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Affiliation(s)
- George D Dalton
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - Stephen K Siecinski
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - Viktoriya D Nikolova
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | - Gary P Cofer
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | | | - Yi Qi
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - G Allan Johnson
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Yong-Hui Jiang
- Department of Genetics, Neuroscience, and Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Sheryl S Moy
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | - Simon G Gregory
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27701, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, 300 N. Duke Street, DUMC 104775, Durham, NC, 27701, USA.
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Yang X, Cheng B, Cheng S, Liu L, Pan C, Meng P, Li C, Chen Y, Zhang J, Zhang H, Zhang Z, Wen Y, Jia Y, Liu H, Zhang F. A genome-wide association study identifies candidate genes for sleep disturbances in depressed individuals. Hum Genomics 2024; 18:51. [PMID: 38778419 PMCID: PMC11110369 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-024-00609-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify candidate loci and genes related to sleep disturbances in depressed individuals and clarify the co-occurrence of sleep disturbances and depression from the genetic perspective. METHODS The study subjects (including 58,256 self-reported depressed individuals and 6,576 participants with PHQ-9 score ≥ 10, respectively) were collected from the UK Biobank, which were determined based on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and self-reported depression status, respectively. Sleep related traits included chronotype, insomnia, snoring and daytime dozing. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of sleep related traits in depressed individuals were conducted by PLINK 2.0 adjusting age, sex, Townsend deprivation index and 10 principal components as covariates. The CAUSALdb database was used to explore the mental traits associated with the candidate genes identified by the GWAS. RESULTS GWAS detected 15 loci significantly associated with chronotype in the subjects with self-reported depression, such as rs12736689 at RNASEL (P = 1.00 × 10- 09), rs509476 at RGS16 (P = 1.58 × 10- 09) and rs1006751 at RFX4 (P = 1.54 × 10- 08). 9 candidate loci were identified in the subjects with PHQ-9 ≥ 10, of which 2 loci were associated with insomnia such as rs115379847 at EVC2 (P = 3.50 × 10- 08), and 7 loci were associated with daytime dozing, such as rs140876133 at SMYD3 (P = 3.88 × 10- 08) and rs139156969 at ROBO2 (P = 3.58 × 10- 08). Multiple identified genes, such as RNASEL, RGS16, RFX4 and ROBO2 were reported to be associated with chronotype, depression or cognition in previous studies. CONCLUSION Our study identified several candidate genes related to sleep disturbances in depressed individuals, which provided new clues for understanding the biological mechanism underlying the co-occurrence of depression and sleep disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuena Yang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Bolun Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shiqiang Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Li Liu
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chuyu Pan
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Peilin Meng
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chun'e Li
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yujing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingxi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Huijie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yan Wen
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yumeng Jia
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Huan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
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Ordoñez-Razo RM, Gutierrez-López Y, Araujo-Solis MA, Benitez-King G, Ramírez-Sánchez I, Galicia G. Overexpression of miR-25 Downregulates the Expression of ROBO2 in Idiopathic Intellectual Disability. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3953. [PMID: 38612763 PMCID: PMC11011991 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic intellectual disability (IID) encompasses the cases of intellectual disability (ID) without a known cause and represents approximately 50% of all cases. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from the olfactory neuroepithelium (NEO) contain the same information as the cells found in the brain, but they are more accessible. Some miRNAs have been identified and associated with ID of known etiology. However, in idiopathic ID, the effect of miRNAs is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the miRNAs regulating the expression of mRNAs that may be involved in development of IID. Expression profiles were obtained using NPC-NEO cells from IID patients and healthy controls by microarray. A total of 796 miRNAs and 28,869 mRNAs were analyzed. Several miRNAs were overexpressed in the IID patients compared to controls. miR-25 had the greatest expression. In silico analysis showed that ROBO2 was the target for miR-25, with the highest specificity and being the most down-regulated. In vitro assay showed an increase of miR-25 expression induced a decrease in ROBO2 expression. In neurodevelopment, ROBO2 plays a crucial role in episodic learning and memory, so its down-regulation, caused by miR-25, could have a fundamental role in the intellectual disability that, until now, has been considered idiopathic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa María Ordoñez-Razo
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Genética Humana, Hospital de Pediatría “Dr. Silvestre Frenk Freund”, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Av. Cuauhtémoc 330, Col. Doctores, Mexico City CP 06725, Mexico; (Y.G.-L.); (G.G.)
| | - Yessica Gutierrez-López
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Genética Humana, Hospital de Pediatría “Dr. Silvestre Frenk Freund”, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Av. Cuauhtémoc 330, Col. Doctores, Mexico City CP 06725, Mexico; (Y.G.-L.); (G.G.)
| | - María Antonieta Araujo-Solis
- Departamento Clínico de Genética Médica, Hospital de Pediatría “Dr. Silvestre Frenk Freund”, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Av. Cuauhtémoc 330, Col. Doctores, Mexico City CP 06725, Mexico;
| | - Gloria Benitez-King
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología, Subdirección de Investigaciones Clínicas, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”, Calzada México Xochimilco No. 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, Mexico City CP 14370, Mexico;
| | - Israel Ramírez-Sánchez
- Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City CP 07738, Mexico;
| | - Gabriela Galicia
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Genética Humana, Hospital de Pediatría “Dr. Silvestre Frenk Freund”, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Av. Cuauhtémoc 330, Col. Doctores, Mexico City CP 06725, Mexico; (Y.G.-L.); (G.G.)
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Dalton GD, Siecinski SK, Nikolova VD, Cofer GP, Hornburg K, Qi Y, Johnson GA, Jiang YH, Moy SS, Gregory SG. Transcriptome Analysis Identifies An ASD-Like Phenotype In Oligodendrocytes And Microglia From C58/J Amygdala That Is Dependent On Sex and Sociability. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.15.575733. [PMID: 38293238 PMCID: PMC10827122 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.15.575733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Background Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with higher incidence in males and is characterized by atypical verbal/nonverbal communication, restricted interests that can be accompanied by repetitive behavior, and disturbances in social behavior. This study investigated brain mechanisms that contribute to sociability deficits and sex differences in an ASD animal model. Methods Sociability was measured in C58/J and C57BL/6J mice using the 3-chamber social choice test. Bulk RNA-Seq and snRNA-Seq identified transcriptional changes in C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala within which DMRseq was used to measure differentially methylated regions in amygdala. Results C58/J mice displayed divergent social strata in the 3-chamber test. Transcriptional and pathway signatures revealed immune-related biological processes differ between C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala. Hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes were identified in C58/J versus C57BL/6J amygdala. snRNA-Seq data in C58/J amygdala identified differential transcriptional signatures within oligodendrocytes and microglia characterized by increased ASD risk gene expression and predicted impaired myelination that was dependent on sex and sociability. RNA velocity, gene regulatory network, and cell communication analysis showed diminished oligodendrocyte/microglia differentiation. Findings were verified using bulk RNA-Seq and demonstrated oxytocin's beneficial effects on myelin gene expression. Limitations Our findings are significant. However, limitations can be noted. The cellular mechanisms linking reduced oligodendrocyte differentiation and reduced myelination to an ASD phenotype in C58/J mice need further investigation. Additional snRNA-Seq and spatial studies would determine if effects in oligodendrocytes/microglia are unique to amygdala or if this occurs in other brain regions. Oxytocin's effects need further examination to understand its potential as an ASD therapeutic. Conclusions Our work demonstrates the C58/J mouse model's utility in evaluating the influence of sex and sociability on the transcriptome in concomitant brain regions involved in ASD. Our single-nucleus transcriptome analysis elucidates potential pathological roles of oligodendrocytes and microglia in ASD. This investigation provides details regarding regulatory features disrupted in these cell types, including transcriptional gene dysregulation, aberrant cell differentiation, altered gene regulatory networks, and changes to key pathways that promote microglia/oligodendrocyte differentiation. Our studies provide insight into interactions between genetic risk and epigenetic processes associated with divergent affiliative behavior and lack of positive sociability.
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5
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Sullivan KG, Bashaw GJ. Commissureless acts as a substrate adapter in a conserved Nedd4 E3 ubiquitin ligase pathway to promote axon growth across the midline. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.13.562283. [PMID: 37905056 PMCID: PMC10614773 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.13.562283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
In both vertebrates and invertebrates, commissural neurons prevent premature responsiveness to the midline repellant Slit by downregulating surface levels of its receptor Roundabout1 (Robo1). In Drosophila, Commissureless (Comm) plays a critical role in this process; however, there is conflicting data on the underlying molecular mechanism. Here, we demonstrate that the conserved PY motifs in the cytoplasmic domain of Comm are required allow the ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation of Robo1. Disruption of these motifs prevents Comm from localizing to Lamp1 positive late endosomes and to promote axon growth across the midline in vivo. In addition, we conclusively demonstrate a role for Nedd4 in midline crossing. Genetic analysis shows that nedd4 mutations result in midline crossing defects in the Drosophila embryonic nerve cord, which can be rescued by introduction of exogenous Nedd4. Biochemical evidence shows that Nedd4 incorporates into a three-member complex with Comm and Robo in a PY motif-dependent manner. Finally, we present genetic evidence that Nedd4 acts with Comm in the embryonic nerve cord to downregulate Robo1 levels. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that Comm promotes midline crossing in the nerve cord by facilitating Robo ubiquitination by Nedd4, ultimately leading to its degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly G. Sullivan
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 415 Curie Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Greg J. Bashaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 415 Curie Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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6
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Bonaglia MC, Salvo E, Sironi M, Bertuzzo S, Errichiello E, Mattina T, Zuffardi O. Case Report: Decrypting an interchromosomal insertion associated with Marfan's syndrome: how optical genome mapping emphasizes the morbid burden of copy-neutral variants. Front Genet 2023; 14:1244983. [PMID: 37811140 PMCID: PMC10551147 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1244983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Optical genome mapping (OGM), which allows analysis of ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) DNA molecules, represents a response to the restriction created by short-read next-generation-sequencing, even in cases where the causative variant is a neutral copy-number-variant insensitive to quantitative investigations. This study aimed to provide a molecular diagnosis to a boy with Marfan syndrome (MFS) and intellectual disability (ID) carrying a de novo translocation involving chromosomes 3, 4, and 13 and a 1.7 Mb deletion at the breakpoint of chromosome 3. No FBN1 alteration explaining his Marfan phenotype was highlighted. UHMW gDNA was isolated from both the patient and his parents and processed using OGM. Genome assembly was followed by variant calling and annotation. Multiple strategies confirmed the results. The 3p deletion, which disrupted ROBO2, (MIM*602431) included three copy-neutral insertions. Two came from chromosome 13; the third contained 15q21.1, including the FBN1 from intron-45 onwards, thus explaining the MFS phenotype. We could not attribute the ID to a specific gene variant nor to the reshuffling of topologically associating domains (TADs). Our patient did not have vesicular reflux-2, as reported by missense alterations of ROBO2 (VUR2, MIM#610878), implying that reduced expression of all or some isoforms has a different effect than some of the point mutations. Indeed, the ROBO2 expression pattern and its role as an axon-guide suggests that its partial deletion is responsible for the patient's neurological phenotype. Conclusion: OGM testing 1) highlights copy-neutral variants that could remain invisible if no loss of heterozygosity is observed and 2) is mandatory before other molecular studies in the presence of any chromosomal rearrangement for an accurate genotype-phenotype relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eliana Salvo
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Lecco, Italy
| | - Manuela Sironi
- Bioinformatics, Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Lecco, Italy
| | - Sara Bertuzzo
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Lecco, Italy
| | - Edoardo Errichiello
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Neurogenetics Research Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Teresa Mattina
- Medical Genetics Unit, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- Clinic G.B. Morgagni, Catania, Italy
| | - Orsetta Zuffardi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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Chodkowski M, Zielezinski A, Anbalagan S. A ligand-receptor interactome atlas of the zebrafish. iScience 2023; 26:107309. [PMID: 37539027 PMCID: PMC10393773 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107309] [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: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies in zebrafish can unravel the functions of cellular communication and thus identify novel bench-to-bedside drugs targeting cellular communication signaling molecules. Due to the incomplete annotation of zebrafish proteome, the knowledge of zebrafish receptors, ligands, and tools to explore their interactome is limited. To address this gap, we de novo predicted the cellular localization of zebrafish reference proteome using deep learning algorithm. We combined the predicted and existing annotations on cellular localization of zebrafish proteins and created repositories of zebrafish ligands, membrane receptome, and interactome as well as associated diseases and targeting drugs. Unlike other tools, our interactome atlas is based on both the physical interaction data of zebrafish proteome and existing human ligand-receptor pair databases. The resources are available as R and Python scripts. DanioTalk provides a novel resource for researchers interested in targeting cellular communication in zebrafish, as we demonstrate in applications studying synapse and axo-glial interactome. DanioTalk methodology can be applied to build and explore the ligand-receptor atlas of other non-mammalian model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milosz Chodkowski
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland
| | - Andrzej Zielezinski
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland
| | - Savani Anbalagan
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland
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Meng W, Huan Y, Gao Y. Urinary proteome profiling for children with autism using data-independent acquisition proteomics. Transl Pediatr 2021; 10:1765-1778. [PMID: 34430425 PMCID: PMC8349970 DOI: 10.21037/tp-21-193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder. Objective and reliable biomarkers are crucial for the clinical diagnosis of autism. Urine can accumulate early changes of the whole body and is a sensitive source for disease biomarkers. METHODS The data-independent acquisition (DIA) strategy was used to identify differential proteins in the urinary proteome between autistic and non-autistic children aged 3-7 years. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were developed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of differential proteins. RESULTS A total of 118 differential proteins were identified in the urine between autistic and non-autistic children, of which 18 proteins were reported to be related to autism. Randomized grouping statistical analysis indicated that 91.5% of the differential proteins were reliable. Functional analysis revealed that some differential proteins were associated with axonal guidance signaling, endocannabinoid developing neuron pathway, synaptic long-term depression, agrin interactions at neuromuscular junction, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) signaling and synaptogenesis signaling pathway. The combination of cadherin-related family member 5 (CDHR5) and vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 4B (VPS4B) showed the best discriminative performance between autistic and non-autistic children with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.987. CONCLUSIONS The urinary proteome could distinguish between autistic children and non-autistic children. This study will provide a promising approach for future biomarker research of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenshu Meng
- Gene Engineering Drug and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhang Huan
- Gene Engineering Drug and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Youhe Gao
- Gene Engineering Drug and Biotechnology Beijing Key Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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9
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Chaudhari K, Gorla M, Chang C, Kania A, Bashaw GJ. Robo recruitment of the Wave regulatory complex plays an essential and conserved role in midline repulsion. eLife 2021; 10:e64474. [PMID: 33843588 PMCID: PMC8096436 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Roundabout (Robo) guidance receptor family induces axon repulsion in response to its ligand Slit by inducing local cytoskeletal changes; however, the link to the cytoskeleton and the nature of these cytoskeletal changes are poorly understood. Here, we show that the heteropentameric Scar/Wave Regulatory Complex (WRC), which drives Arp2/3-induced branched actin polymerization, is a direct effector of Robo signaling. Biochemical evidence shows that Slit triggers WRC recruitment to the Robo receptor's WRC-interacting receptor sequence (WIRS) motif. In Drosophila embryos, mutants of the WRC enhance Robo1-dependent midline crossing defects. Additionally, mutating Robo1's WIRS motif significantly reduces receptor activity in rescue assays in vivo, and CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis shows that the WIRS motif is essential for endogenous Robo1 function. Finally, axon guidance assays in mouse dorsal spinal commissural axons and gain-of-function experiments in chick embryos demonstrate that the WIRS motif is also required for Robo1 repulsion in mammals. Together, our data support an essential conserved role for the WIRS-WRC interaction in Robo1-mediated axon repulsion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Chaudhari
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Madhavi Gorla
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Chao Chang
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM)MontréalCanada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill UniversityMontréalCanada
| | - Artur Kania
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM)MontréalCanada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill UniversityMontréalCanada
| | - Greg J Bashaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
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Gonda Y, Namba T, Hanashima C. Beyond Axon Guidance: Roles of Slit-Robo Signaling in Neocortical Formation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:607415. [PMID: 33425915 PMCID: PMC7785817 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.607415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of the neocortex relies on intracellular and extracellular signaling molecules that are involved in the sequential steps of corticogenesis, ranging from the proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells to the migration and dendrite formation of neocortical neurons. Abnormalities in these steps lead to disruption of the cortical structure and circuit, and underly various neurodevelopmental diseases, including dyslexia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this review, we focus on the axon guidance signaling Slit-Robo, and address the multifaceted roles of Slit-Robo signaling in neocortical development. Recent studies have clarified the roles of Slit-Robo signaling not only in axon guidance but also in progenitor cell proliferation and migration, and the maturation of neocortical neurons. We further discuss the etiology of neurodevelopmental diseases, which are caused by defects in Slit-Robo signaling during neocortical formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Gonda
- Department of Histology and Neuroanatomy, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Namba
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE – Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Carina Hanashima
- Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
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Messina A, Boiti A, Vallortigara G. Asymmetric distribution of pallial‐expressed genes in zebrafish (
Danio rerio
). Eur J Neurosci 2020; 53:362-375. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences University of Trento Rovereto Italy
| | - Alessandra Boiti
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences University of Trento Rovereto Italy
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12
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Price KM, Wigg KG, Feng Y, Blokland K, Wilkinson M, He G, Kerr EN, Carter TC, Guger SL, Lovett MW, Strug LJ, Barr CL. Genome-wide association study of word reading: Overlap with risk genes for neurodevelopmental disorders. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12648. [PMID: 32108986 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Reading disabilities (RD) are the most common neurocognitive disorder, affecting 5% to 17% of children in North America. These children often have comorbid neurodevelopmental/psychiatric disorders, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The genetics of RD and their overlap with other disorders is incompletely understood. To contribute to this, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for word reading. Then, using summary statistics from neurodevelopmental/psychiatric disorders, we computed polygenic risk scores (PRS) and used them to predict reading ability in our samples. This enabled us to test the shared aetiology between RD and other disorders. The GWAS consisted of 5.3 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and two samples; a family-based sample recruited for reading difficulties in Toronto (n = 624) and a population-based sample recruited in Philadelphia [Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (PNC)] (n = 4430). The Toronto sample SNP-based analysis identified suggestive SNPs (P ~ 5 × 10-7 ) in the ARHGAP23 gene, which is implicated in neuronal migration/axon pathfinding. The PNC gene-based analysis identified significant associations (P < 2.72 × 10-6 ) for LINC00935 and CCNT1, located in the region of the KANSL2/CCNT1/LINC00935/SNORA2B/SNORA34/MIR4701/ADCY6 genes on chromosome 12q, with near significant SNP-based analysis. PRS identified significant overlap between word reading and intelligence (R2 = 0.18, P = 7.25 × 10-181 ), word reading and educational attainment (R2 = 0.07, P = 4.91 × 10-48 ) and word reading and ADHD (R2 = 0.02, P = 8.70 × 10-6 ; threshold for significance = 7.14 × 10-3 ). Overlap was also found between RD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as top-ranked genes were previously implicated in autism by rare and copy number variant analyses. These findings support shared risk between word reading, cognitive measures, educational outcomes and neurodevelopmental disorders, including ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Price
- Genetics and Development Division, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen G Wigg
- Genetics and Development Division, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yu Feng
- Genetics and Development Division, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kirsten Blokland
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Margaret Wilkinson
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gengming He
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth N Kerr
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tasha-Cate Carter
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Holland Bloorview Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sharon L Guger
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maureen W Lovett
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa J Strug
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cathy L Barr
- Genetics and Development Division, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To better understand the shared basis of language and mental health, this review examines the behavioral and neurobiological features of aberrant language in five major neuropsychiatric conditions. Special attention is paid to genes implicated in both language and neuropsychiatric disorders, as they reveal biological domains likely to underpin the processes controlling both. RECENT FINDINGS Abnormal language and communication are common manifestations of neuropsychiatric conditions, and children with impaired language are more likely to develop psychiatric disorders than their peers. Major themes in the genetics of both language and psychiatry include master transcriptional regulators, like FOXP2; key developmental regulators, like AUTS2; and mediators of neurotransmission, like GRIN2A and CACNA1C.
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14
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Zhu Z, Han X, Li Y, Han C, Deng M, Zhang Y, Shen Q, Cao Y, Li Z, Wang X, Gu J, Liu X, Yang Y, Zhang Q, Hu F. Identification of ROBO1/2 and SCEL as candidate genes in Kallmann syndrome with emerging bioinformatic analysis. Endocrine 2020; 67:224-232. [PMID: 31325086 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-019-02010-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Kallmann syndrome (KS) is a congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism that coincides with anosmia or hyposmia. Although this rare genetic disease has a very low incidence, it harbors a complicated genetic heterogeneity, which indicates X-linked, autosomal, and oligogenic inheritance of puberty, sexuality, reproductivity, and olfactory defects. There has been limited elucidation of molecular etiologies completed to date. Here, a chromosome reciprocal translocation (46, XX, t (3; 13) (p13; q22)) was identified in a 27-year-old Chinese female diagnosed with KS. Genome sequencing found an intronic breakpoint of SCEL in chromosome 13 and an intergenic breakpoint between ROBO1 and ROBO2 in chromosome 3. This translocation resulted in the reduced expression levels of these genes. An array-CGH test captured no abnormal genomic copy numbers of clinical significance. The basic features of all known KS-related genes were also reviewed and analyzed for their roles in KS onset with bioinformatic methods. Signal pathway and gene enrichment analysis of KS-related genes suggested that these genes have integrated functions in neuronal migration and differentiation. An interesting chromosome locational pattern of KS-related genes was also discovered. This study provided constructive clues for further investigations into the molecular etiology of KS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuobin Zhu
- Department of Genetics, Research Facility Center for Morphology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Han
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Li
- Medical Technology College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Conghui Han
- Department of Urology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Mengqiong Deng
- Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yuhao Zhang
- School of Anesthesiology of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qing Shen
- Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yijuan Cao
- Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zhenbei Li
- Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xitao Wang
- Department of Urology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Juan Gu
- Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yaru Yang
- Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Research Facility Center for Morphology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.
| | - Fangfang Hu
- Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China.
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15
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White matter alterations in adult with autism spectrum disorder evaluated using diffusion kurtosis imaging. Neuroradiology 2019; 61:1343-1353. [PMID: 31209529 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-019-02238-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is related to impairment in various white matter (WM) pathways. Utility of the recently developed two-compartment model of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) to analyse axial diffusivity of WM is restricted by several limitations. The present study aims to validate the utility of model-free DKI in the evaluation of WM alterations in ASD and analyse the potential relationship between DKI-evident WM alterations and personality scales. METHODS Overall, 15 participants with ASD and 15 neurotypical (NT) controls were scanned on a 3 T magnetic resonance (MR) scanner, and scores for autism quotient (AQ), systemising quotient (SQ) and empathising quotient (EQ) were obtained for both groups. Multishell diffusion-weighted MR data were acquired using two b-values (1000 and 2000 s/mm2). Differences in mean kurtosis (MK), radial kurtosis (RK) and axial kurtosis (AK) between the groups were evaluated using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Finally, the relationships between the kurtosis indices and personality quotients were examined. RESULTS The ASD group demonstrated significantly lower AK in the body and splenium of corpus callosum than the NT group; however, no other significant differences were identified. Negative correlations were found between AK and AQ or SQ, predominantly in WM areas related to social-emotional processing such as uncinate fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi. CONCLUSIONS Model-free DKI and its indices may represent a novel, objective method for detecting the disease severity and WM alterations in patients with ASD.
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16
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Anbalagan S, Blechman J, Gliksberg M, Gordon L, Rotkopf R, Dadosh T, Shimoni E, Levkowitz G. Robo2 regulates synaptic oxytocin content by affecting actin dynamics. eLife 2019; 8:45650. [PMID: 31180321 PMCID: PMC6590984 DOI: 10.7554/elife.45650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The regulation of neuropeptide level at the site of release is essential for proper neurophysiological functions. We focused on a prominent neuropeptide, oxytocin (OXT) in the zebrafish as an in vivo model to visualize and quantify OXT content at the resolution of a single synapse. We found that OXT-loaded synapses were enriched with polymerized actin. Perturbation of actin filaments by either cytochalasin-D or conditional Cofilin expression resulted in decreased synaptic OXT levels. Genetic loss of robo2 or slit3 displayed decreased synaptic OXT content and robo2 mutants displayed reduced mobility of the actin probe Lifeact-EGFP in OXT synapses. Using a novel transgenic reporter allowing real-time monitoring of OXT-loaded vesicles, we show that robo2 mutants display slower rate of vesicles accumulation. OXT-specific expression of dominant-negative Cdc42, which is a key regulator of actin dynamics and a downstream effector of Robo2, led to a dose-dependent increase in OXT content in WT, and a dampened effect in robo2 mutants. Our results link Slit3-Robo2-Cdc42, which controls local actin dynamics, with the maintenance of synaptic neuropeptide levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savani Anbalagan
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Janna Blechman
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Michael Gliksberg
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ludmila Gordon
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ron Rotkopf
- Bioinformatics Unit, LSCF, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.,Electron Microscopy Unit, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tali Dadosh
- Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eyal Shimoni
- Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gil Levkowitz
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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17
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Garbarino VR, Gilman TL, Daws LC, Gould GG. Extreme enhancement or depletion of serotonin transporter function and serotonin availability in autism spectrum disorder. Pharmacol Res 2019; 140:85-99. [PMID: 30009933 PMCID: PMC6345621 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A variety of human and animal studies support the hypothesis that serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) system dysfunction is a contributing factor to the development of autism in some patients. However, many questions remain about how developmental manipulation of various components that influence 5-HT signaling (5-HT synthesis, transport, metabolism) persistently impair social behaviors. This review will summarize key aspects of central 5-HT function important for normal brain development, and review evidence implicating perinatal disruptions in 5-HT signaling in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder. We discuss the importance, and relative dearth, of studies that explore the possible correlation to autism in the interactions between important intrinsic and extrinsic factors that may disrupt 5-HT homeostasis during development. In particular, we focus on exposure to 5-HT transport altering mechanisms such as selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors or genetic polymorphisms in primary or auxiliary transporters of 5-HT, and how they relate to neurological stores of serotonin and its precursors. A deeper understanding of the many mechanisms by which 5-HT signaling can be disrupted, alone and in concert, may contribute to an improved understanding of the etiologies and heterogeneous nature of this disorder. We postulate that extreme bidirectional perturbations of these factors during development likely compound or synergize to facilitate enduring neurochemical changes resulting in insufficient or excessive 5-HT signaling, that could underlie the persistent behavioral characteristics of autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina R Garbarino
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, United States; The Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, United States.
| | - T Lee Gilman
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, United States; Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, United States.
| | - Lynette C Daws
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, United States; Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, United States; Department of Pharmacology, United States.
| | - Georgianna G Gould
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, United States; Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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18
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Park SM, Plachez C, Huang S. Sex-Dependent Motor Deficit and Increased Anxiety-Like States in Mice Lacking Autism-Associated Gene Slit3. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:261. [PMID: 30483073 PMCID: PMC6243047 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered neuronal connectivity has been implicated in the pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). SLIT/ROBO signaling plays an important role in developmental processes of neuronal connectivity, including axon guidance, neuronal migration, and axonal and dendritic branching. Genetic evidence supports that SLIT3, one of the genes encoding SLITs, is associated with ASD. Yet the causal link between SLIT3 mutation and autism symptoms has not been examined. Here we assessed ASD-associated behaviors in Slit3 knockout (KO) mice. Our data showed that Slit3-KO mice exhibited reduced marble burying behaviors but normal social behaviors. In addition, Slit3-KO mice displayed hypolocomotion in the open field test and impaired motor coordination in the rotarod test. Anxiety-like behaviors were mainly observed in female KO mice assessed by three types of behavioral tests, namely, the open field test, elevated plus maze test, and light/dark box test. No differences were observed between KO and wildtype mice in recognition memory in the novel object recognition test or depression-like behavior in the tail suspension test. Taken together, loss of Slit3 may result in disrupted neural circuits related to motor function and increased anxiety-like states, which are co-occurring symptoms in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Mi Park
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits & Behavior, Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Céline Plachez
- Autism & Brain Development Laboratory, Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shiyong Huang
- Laboratory of Neural Circuits & Behavior, Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD, United States
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19
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Onnis L, Truzzi A, Ma X. Language development and disorders: Possible genes and environment interactions. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2018; 82:132-146. [PMID: 30077386 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2018.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Language development requires both basic cognitive mechanisms for learning language and a rich social context from which learning takes off. Disruptions in learning mechanisms, processing abilities, and/or social interactions increase the risks associated with social exclusion or developmental delays. Given the complexity of language processes, a multilevel approach is proposed where both cognitive mechanisms, genetic and environmental factors need to be probed together with their possible interactions. Here we review and discuss such interplay between environment and genetic predispositions in understanding language disorders, with a particular focus on a possible endophenotype, the ability for statistical sequential learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Onnis
- Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
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20
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Fukuda T, Yanagi S. Psychiatric behaviors associated with cytoskeletal defects in radial neuronal migration. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:3533-3552. [PMID: 28516224 PMCID: PMC11107632 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2539-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Normal development of the cerebral cortex is an important process for higher brain functions, such as language, and cognitive and social functions. Psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism, are thought to develop owing to various dysfunctions occurring during the development of the cerebral cortex. Radial neuronal migration in the embryonic cerebral cortex is a complex process, which is achieved by strict control of cytoskeletal dynamics, and impairments in this process are suggested to cause various psychiatric disorders. Our recent findings indicate that radial neuronal migration as well as psychiatric behaviors is rescued by controlling microtubule stability during the embryonic stage. In this review, we outline the relationship between psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism, and radial neuronal migration in the cerebral cortex by focusing on the cytoskeleton and centrosomes. New treatment strategies for psychiatric disorders will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshifumi Fukuda
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan.
| | - Shigeru Yanagi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan.
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21
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Justice ED, Barnum SJ, Kidd T. The WAGR syndrome gene PRRG4 is a functional homologue of the commissureless axon guidance gene. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006865. [PMID: 28859078 PMCID: PMC5578492 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
WAGR syndrome is characterized by Wilm's tumor, aniridia, genitourinary abnormalities and intellectual disabilities. WAGR is caused by a chromosomal deletion that includes the PAX6, WT1 and PRRG4 genes. PRRG4 is proposed to contribute to the autistic symptoms of WAGR syndrome, but the molecular function of PRRG4 genes remains unknown. The Drosophila commissureless (comm) gene encodes a short transmembrane protein characterized by PY motifs, features that are shared by the PRRG4 protein. Comm intercepts the Robo axon guidance receptor in the ER/Golgi and targets Robo for degradation, allowing commissural axons to cross the CNS midline. Expression of human Robo1 in the fly CNS increases midline crossing and this was enhanced by co-expression of PRRG4, but not CYYR, Shisa or the yeast Rcr genes. In cell culture experiments, PRRG4 could re-localize hRobo1 from the cell surface, suggesting that PRRG4 is a functional homologue of Comm. Comm is required for axon guidance and synapse formation in the fly, so PRRG4 could contribute to the autistic symptoms of WAGR by disturbing either of these processes in the developing human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D. Justice
- Department of Biology/ms 314, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Sarah J. Barnum
- Department of Biology/ms 314, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Thomas Kidd
- Department of Biology/ms 314, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, United States of America
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22
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Reilly J, Gallagher L, Chen JL, Leader G, Shen S. Bio-collections in autism research. Mol Autism 2017; 8:34. [PMID: 28702161 PMCID: PMC5504648 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0154-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders with diverse clinical manifestations and symptoms. In the last 10 years, there have been significant advances in understanding the genetic basis for ASD, critically supported through the establishment of ASD bio-collections and application in research. Here, we summarise a selection of major ASD bio-collections and their associated findings. Collectively, these include mapping ASD candidate genes, assessing the nature and frequency of gene mutations and their association with ASD clinical subgroups, insights into related molecular pathways such as the synapses, chromatin remodelling, transcription and ASD-related brain regions. We also briefly review emerging studies on the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to potentially model ASD in culture. These provide deeper insight into ASD progression during development and could generate human cell models for drug screening. Finally, we provide perspectives concerning the utilities of ASD bio-collections and limitations, and highlight considerations in setting up a new bio-collection for ASD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Reilly
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, BioMedical Sciences Building, National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway, Ireland
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Trinity Translational Medicine Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James Hospital Street, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - June L Chen
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062 China
| | - Geraldine Leader
- Irish Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN), Department of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Sanbing Shen
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, BioMedical Sciences Building, National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway, Ireland
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23
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Friocourt F, Chédotal A. The Robo3 receptor, a key player in the development, evolution, and function of commissural systems. Dev Neurobiol 2017; 77:876-890. [DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 12/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- François Friocourt
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision; 17 Rue Moreau Paris 75012 France
| | - Alain Chédotal
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision; 17 Rue Moreau Paris 75012 France
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24
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Gore BB, Miller SM, Jo YS, Baird MA, Hoon M, Sanford CA, Hunker A, Lu W, Wong RO, Zweifel LS. Roundabout receptor 2 maintains inhibitory control of the adult midbrain. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28394253 PMCID: PMC5419739 DOI: 10.7554/elife.23858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The maintenance of excitatory and inhibitory balance in the brain is essential for its function. Here we find that the developmental axon guidance receptor Roundabout 2 (Robo2) is critical for the maintenance of inhibitory synapses in the adult ventral tegmental area (VTA), a brain region important for the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Following selective genetic inactivation of Robo2 in the adult VTA of mice, reduced inhibitory control results in altered neural activity patterns, enhanced phasic dopamine release, behavioral hyperactivity, associative learning deficits, and a paradoxical inversion of psychostimulant responses. These behavioral phenotypes could be phenocopied by selective inactivation of synaptic transmission from local GABAergic neurons of the VTA, demonstrating an important function for Robo2 in regulating the excitatory and inhibitory balance of the adult brain. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23858.001 Although no two people are alike, we all share the same basic brain structure. This similarity arises because the same developmental program takes place in every human embryo. Specific genes are activated in a designated sequence to generate the structure of a typical human brain. But what happens to these genes when development is complete – do they remain active in the adult brain? A gene known as Robo2 encodes a protein that helps neurons find their way through the developing brain. Many of these neurons will ultimately form part of the brain’s reward system. This is a network of brain regions that communicate with one another using a chemical called dopamine. The reward system contributes to motivation, learning and memory, and also underlies drug addiction. In certain mental illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia, the dopamine-producing neurons in the reward system work incorrectly or die. To find out whether Robo2 is active in the mature nervous system, Gore et al. used genetic techniques to selectively remove the gene from the reward system of adult mice. Doing so reduced the ability of the dopamine neurons within the reward system to inhibit one another, which in turn increased their activity. This changed the behavior of the mice, making them hyperactive and less able to learn and remember. Cocaine makes normal mice more active; however, mice that lacked the Robo2 gene became less active when given cocaine. Overall, the work of Gore et al. suggests that developmental axon guidance genes remain important in the adult brain. Studying developmental genes such as Robo2 may therefore open up new treatment possibilities for a number of mental illnesses and brain disorders. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23858.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan B Gore
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Samara M Miller
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Yong Sang Jo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Madison A Baird
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Mrinalini Hoon
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Christina A Sanford
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Avery Hunker
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Weining Lu
- Department of Medicine, Renal Section, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, United States
| | - Rachel O Wong
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Larry S Zweifel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
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25
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Pérez C, Sawmiller D, Tan J. The role of heparan sulfate deficiency in autistic phenotype: potential involvement of Slit/Robo/srGAPs-mediated dendritic spine formation. Neural Dev 2016; 11:11. [PMID: 27089953 PMCID: PMC4836088 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-016-0066-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are the second most common developmental cause of disability in the United States. ASDs are accompanied with substantial economic and emotional cost. The brains of ASD patients have marked structural abnormalities, in the form of increased dendritic spines and decreased long distance connections. These structural differences may be due to deficiencies in Heparin Sulfate (HS), a proteoglycan involved in a variety of neurodevelopmental processes. Of particular interest is its role in the Slit/Robo pathway. The Slit/Robo pathway is known to be involved in the regulation of axonal guidance and dendritic spine formation. HS mediates the Slit/Robo interaction; without its presence Slit's repulsive activity is abrogated. Slit/Robo regulates dendritic spine formation through its interaction with srGAPs (slit-robo GTPase Activating Proteins), which leads to downstream signaling, actin cytoskeleton depolymerization and dendritic spine collapse. Through interference with this pathway, HS deficiency can lead to excess spine formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Pérez
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3515 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Darrell Sawmiller
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3515 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Jun Tan
- Rashid Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Silver Child Development Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3515 E Fletcher Ave., Tampa, FL 33613 USA
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26
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Ingason A, Giegling I, Hartmann AM, Genius J, Konte B, Friedl M, Ripke S, Sullivan PF, St. Clair D, Collier DA, O'Donovan MC, Mirnics K, Rujescu D. Expression analysis in a rat psychosis model identifies novel candidate genes validated in a large case-control sample of schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e656. [PMID: 26460480 PMCID: PMC4930128 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Revised: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antagonists of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor induce psychosis in healthy individuals and exacerbate schizophrenia symptoms in patients. In this study we have produced an animal model of NMDA receptor hypofunction by chronically treating rats with low doses of the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801. Subsequently, we performed an expression study and identified 20 genes showing altered expression in the brain of these rats compared with untreated animals. We then explored whether the human orthologs of these genes are associated with schizophrenia in the largest schizophrenia genome-wide association study published to date, and found evidence for association for 4 out of the 20 genes: SF3B1, FOXP1, DLG2 and VGLL4. Interestingly, three of these genes, FOXP1, SF3B1 and DLG2, have previously been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ingason
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - I Giegling
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - A M Hartmann
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - J Genius
- Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - B Konte
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - M Friedl
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | | | - S Ripke
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - P F Sullivan
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - D St. Clair
- Department of Mental Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - D A Collier
- King's College London, Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
| | - M C O'Donovan
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - K Mirnics
- Department of Psychiatry, Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - D Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Julius-Kühn-Strasse 7, Halle 06112, Germany. E-mail:
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27
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Charron F. Signaling from Within: Endocytic Trafficking of the Robo Receptor Is Required for Midline Axon Repulsion. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005441. [PMID: 26334304 PMCID: PMC4559454 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Charron
- Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Biology, McGill University, Quebec, Canada
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28
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Chance RK, Bashaw GJ. Slit-Dependent Endocytic Trafficking of the Robo Receptor Is Required for Son of Sevenless Recruitment and Midline Axon Repulsion. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005402. [PMID: 26335920 PMCID: PMC4559387 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how axon guidance receptors are activated by their extracellular ligands to regulate growth cone motility is critical to learning how proper wiring is established during development. Roundabout (Robo) is one such guidance receptor that mediates repulsion from its ligand Slit in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Here we show that endocytic trafficking of the Robo receptor in response to Slit-binding is necessary for its repulsive signaling output. Dose-dependent genetic interactions and in vitro Robo activation assays support a role for Clathrin-dependent endocytosis, and entry into both the early and late endosomes as positive regulators of Slit-Robo signaling. We identify two conserved motifs in Robo's cytoplasmic domain that are required for its Clathrin-dependent endocytosis and activation in vitro; gain of function and genetic rescue experiments provide strong evidence that these trafficking events are required for Robo repulsive guidance activity in vivo. Our data support a model in which Robo's ligand-dependent internalization from the cell surface to the late endosome is essential for receptor activation and proper repulsive guidance at the midline by allowing recruitment of the downstream effector Son of Sevenless in a spatially constrained endocytic trafficking compartment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca K. Chance
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Greg J. Bashaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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29
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Topoisomerases interlink genetic network underlying autism. Int J Dev Neurosci 2015; 47:361-8. [PMID: 26456455 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 07/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA topoisomerases belong to the group of proteins that play an important role in the organizational dynamics of the human genome. Their enzymatic activity solves topological strain rising from DNA supercoiling occurring during transcription. DNA topoisomerases are especially important for transcription of genes involved in neurodevelopment. Disruption of topoisomerase activity in animal models resulted in impaired neurodevelopment and changed brain architecture. Recent research revealed that topoisomerases induced expression of the same group of genes as those associated with autism. Transcriptional inhibition of neuronal genes during critical stages of brain development may be responsible for pathology of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. In this review we aim to outline the role of topoisomerase in neurodevelopment and its possible linkage to neuropathology of autism.
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30
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DNA methylation changes in the placenta are associated with fetal manganese exposure. Reprod Toxicol 2015; 57:43-9. [PMID: 25982381 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2015.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2014] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Adequate micronutrient intake, including manganese (Mn), is important for fetal development. Both Mn deficiencies and excess exposures are associated with later-life disease, and Mn accumulates in the placenta. Placental functional alterations may alter fetal programming and lifelong health, and we hypothesized that prenatal exposures to Mn may alter placental function through epigenetic mechanisms. Using Illumina's HumanMethylation450 BeadArray, DNA methylation of >485,000 CpG loci genome-wide was interrogated in 61 placental samples and Mn associations assessed genome-wide via omnibus test (p=0.045). 713 loci were associated with Mn exposure (p<0.0001). Five significantly differentially-methylated (p<1.3×10(-7)) loci reside in neurodevelopmental, fetal growth and cancer-related genes. cg22284422, within the uncharacterized LOC284276 gene, was associated with birth weight; for every 10% increase in methylation, lower birth weights were observed, with an average decrease of 293.44g. Our observations suggest a link between prenatal micronutrient levels, placental epigenetic status and birth weight, although these preliminary results require validation.
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31
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Abstract
Many neurological disorders are characterised by structural changes in neuronal connections, ranging from presymptomatic synaptic changes to the loss or rewiring of entire axon bundles. The molecular mechanisms that underlie this perturbed connectivity are poorly understood, but recent studies suggest a role for axon guidance proteins. Axon guidance proteins guide growing axons during development and control structural plasticity of synaptic connections in adults. Changes in expression or function of these proteins might induce pathological changes in neural circuits that predispose to, or cause, neurological diseases. For some neurological disorders, such as midline crossing disorders, investigators have identified causative mutations in genes for axon guidance. However, for most other disorders, evidence is correlative and further studies are needed to confirm the pathological role of defects in proteins for axon guidance. Importantly, further insight into how dysregulation of axon guidance proteins causes disease will help the development of therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eljo Y Van Battum
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Sara Brignani
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
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32
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Eicher JD, Gruen JR. Language impairment and dyslexia genes influence language skills in children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism Res 2014; 8:229-34. [PMID: 25448322 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Language and communication development is a complex process influenced by numerous environmental and genetic factors. Many neurodevelopment disorders include deficits in language and communication skills in their diagnostic criteria, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), language impairment (LI), and dyslexia. These disorders are polygenic and complex with a significant genetic component contributing to each. The similarity of language phenotypes and comorbidity of these disorders suggest that they may share genetic contributors. To test this, we examined the association of genes previously implicated in dyslexia, LI, and/or language-related traits with language skills in children with ASD. We used genetic and language data collected in the Autism Genome Research Exchange (AGRE) and Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) cohorts to perform a meta-analysis on performance on a receptive vocabulary task. There were associations with LI risk gene ATP2C2 and dyslexia risk gene MRPL19. Additionally, we found suggestive evidence of association with CMIP, GCFC2, KIAA0319L, the DYX2 locus (ACOT13, GPLD1, and FAM65B), and DRD2. Our results show that LI and dyslexia genes also contribute to language traits in children with ASD. These associations add to the growing literature of generalist genes that contribute to multiple related neurobehavioral traits. Future studies should examine whether other genetic contributors may be shared among these disorders and how risk variants interact with each other and the environment to modify clinical presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Eicher
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
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33
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St Pourcain B, Cents RA, Whitehouse AJ, Haworth CM, Davis OS, O’Reilly PF, Roulstone S, Wren Y, Ang QW, Velders FP, Evans DM, Kemp JP, Warrington NM, Miller L, Timpson NJ, Ring SM, Verhulst FC, Hofman A, Rivadeneira F, Meaburn EL, Price TS, Dale PS, Pillas D, Yliherva A, Rodriguez A, Golding J, Jaddoe VW, Jarvelin MR, Plomin R, Pennell CE, Tiemeier H, Davey Smith G. Common variation near ROBO2 is associated with expressive vocabulary in infancy. Nat Commun 2014; 5:4831. [PMID: 25226531 PMCID: PMC4175587 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Twin studies suggest that expressive vocabulary at ~24 months is modestly heritable. However, the genes influencing this early linguistic phenotype are unknown. Here we conduct a genome-wide screen and follow-up study of expressive vocabulary in toddlers of European descent from up to four studies of the EArly Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology consortium, analysing an early (15-18 months, 'one-word stage', N(Total) = 8,889) and a later (24-30 months, 'two-word stage', N(Total)=10,819) phase of language acquisition. For the early phase, one single-nucleotide polymorphism (rs7642482) at 3p12.3 near ROBO2, encoding a conserved axon-binding receptor, reaches the genome-wide significance level (P=1.3 × 10(-8)) in the combined sample. This association links language-related common genetic variation in the general population to a potential autism susceptibility locus and a linkage region for dyslexia, speech-sound disorder and reading. The contribution of common genetic influences is, although modest, supported by genome-wide complex trait analysis (meta-GCTA h(2)(15-18-months) = 0.13, meta-GCTA h(2)(24-30-months) = 0.14) and in concordance with additional twin analysis (5,733 pairs of European descent, h(2)(24-months) = 0.20).
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate St Pourcain
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, 15-23 Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Oral and Dental Sciences, University of Bristol, Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol BS1 2LY, UK
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Rolieke A.M. Cents
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Andrew J.O. Whitehouse
- Telethon Kids Institute, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, 100 Roberts Road, Subiaco, Western Australia 6008, Australia
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Claire M.A. Haworth
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- Medical Research Council, Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Oliver S.P. Davis
- Medical Research Council, Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, UCL, UCL Genetics Institute, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Paul F. O’Reilly
- Medical Research Council, Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Medical Research Council (MRC) Public Health England (PHE) Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Susan Roulstone
- Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit, University of the West of England, Frenchay Hospital, Frenchay Park Road, BS16 1LE Bristol, UK
| | - Yvonne Wren
- Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit, University of the West of England, Frenchay Hospital, Frenchay Park Road, BS16 1LE Bristol, UK
| | - Qi W. Ang
- School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia, 374 Bagot Road, Subiaco, Western Australia 6008, Australia
| | - Fleur P. Velders
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - David M. Evans
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, 15-23 Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, 37 Kent Street Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - John P. Kemp
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, 15-23 Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, 37 Kent Street Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Nicole M. Warrington
- School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia, 374 Bagot Road, Subiaco, Western Australia 6008, Australia
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, University of Queensland, 37 Kent Street Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Laura Miller
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Nicholas J. Timpson
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, 15-23 Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Susan M. Ring
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, 15-23 Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Frank C. Verhulst
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Albert Hofman
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fernando Rivadeneira
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emma L. Meaburn
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - Thomas S. Price
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Building 421, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-5158, USA
| | - Philip S. Dale
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of New Mexico, 1700 Lomas Boulevard NE Suite 1300, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Demetris Pillas
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Medical Research Council (MRC) Public Health England (PHE) Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Anneli Yliherva
- Faculty of Humanities, Logopedics, Child Language Research Center, University of Oulu, BOX 1000, Oulu 90014, Finland
| | - Alina Rodriguez
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Medical Research Council (MRC) Public Health England (PHE) Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
- Mid Sweden University Department for Psychology/Mittuniversitetet Avdelningen för psykologi, 83125 Östersund, Sweden
| | - Jean Golding
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Vincent W.V. Jaddoe
- Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Medical Research Council (MRC) Public Health England (PHE) Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
- Unit of Primary Care, Oulu University Hospital, Kajaanintie 50, PO Box 20, FI-90220, Oulu 90029, Finland
- Department of Children and Young People and Families, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Aapistie 1, Box 310, FI-90101 Oulu, Finland
- Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oulu, PO Box 5000, Oulu FI-90014, Finland
- Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, PO Box 5000, Aapistie 5A, OuluFI-90014, Finland
| | - Robert Plomin
- Medical Research Council, Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Craig E. Pennell
- School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia, 374 Bagot Road, Subiaco, Western Australia 6008, Australia
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - George Davey Smith
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, 15-23 Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
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34
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Blockus H, Chédotal A. The multifaceted roles of Slits and Robos in cortical circuits: from proliferation to axon guidance and neurological diseases. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2014; 27:82-8. [PMID: 24698714 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2014.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2014] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Slit repulsion, mediated by Robo receptors, is known to play a major role in axon guidance in the nervous system. However, recent studies have revealed that in the mammalian cortex these molecules are highly versatile and that their function extends far beyond axon guidance. They act at all phases of development to control neurogenesis, neuronal migration, axon patterning, dendritic outgrowth and spinogenesis. The expression of Robo receptors in cortical and thalamocortical axons (TCAs) is tightly regulated by a combination of transcription factors (TFs), proteases and activity. These findings also suggest that Slit and Robos have influenced the evolution of cortical circuits. Last, novel genetic evidence associates various neurological disorders, such as autism, to abnormal Slit/Robo signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Blockus
- INSERM UMR_S968, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR_S968, Institut de la vision, F-75012, France; CNRS, UMR7210, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Alain Chédotal
- INSERM UMR_S968, Institut de la Vision, F-75012 Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR_S968, Institut de la vision, F-75012, France; CNRS, UMR7210, F-75012 Paris, France.
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35
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Barak R, Lahmi R, Gevorkyan-Airapetov L, Levy E, Tzur A, Opatowsky Y. Crystal structure of the extracellular juxtamembrane region of Robo1. J Struct Biol 2014; 186:283-91. [PMID: 24607414 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2014.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Revised: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Robo receptors play pivotal roles in neurodevelopment, and their deregulation is implicated in several neuropathological conditions and cancers. To date, the mechanism of Robo activation and regulation remains obscure. Here we present the crystal structure of the juxtamembrane (JM) domains of human Robo1. The structure exhibits unexpectedly high backbone similarity to the netrin and RGM binding region of neogenin and DCC, which are functionally related receptors of Robo1. Comparison of these structures reveals a conserved surface that overlaps with a cluster of oncogenic and neuropathological mutations found in all Robo isoforms. The structure also reveals the intricate folding of the JM linker, which points to its role in Robo1 activation. Further experiments with cultured cells demonstrate that exposure or relief of the folded JM linker results in enhanced shedding of the Robo1 ectodomain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reut Barak
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Roxane Lahmi
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel; Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Institute, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Lada Gevorkyan-Airapetov
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Eliad Levy
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Amit Tzur
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel; Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Institute, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Yarden Opatowsky
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
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Chen B, Brinkmann K, Chen Z, Pak CW, Liao Y, Shi S, Henry L, Grishin NV, Bogdan S, Rosen MK. The WAVE regulatory complex links diverse receptors to the actin cytoskeleton. Cell 2014; 156:195-207. [PMID: 24439376 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2013] [Revised: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) controls actin cytoskeletal dynamics throughout the cell by stimulating the actin-nucleating activity of the Arp2/3 complex at distinct membrane sites. However, the factors that recruit the WRC to specific locations remain poorly understood. Here, we have identified a large family of potential WRC ligands, consisting of ∼120 diverse membrane proteins, including protocadherins, ROBOs, netrin receptors, neuroligins, GPCRs, and channels. Structural, biochemical, and cellular studies reveal that a sequence motif that defines these ligands binds to a highly conserved interaction surface of the WRC formed by the Sra and Abi subunits. Mutating this binding surface in flies resulted in defects in actin cytoskeletal organization and egg morphology during oogenesis, leading to female sterility. Our findings directly link diverse membrane proteins to the WRC and actin cytoskeleton and have broad physiological and pathological ramifications in metazoans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoyu Chen
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Klaus Brinkmann
- Institut für Neurobiologie, Universität Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Zhucheng Chen
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Chi W Pak
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yuxing Liao
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Shuoyong Shi
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Lisa Henry
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Nick V Grishin
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sven Bogdan
- Institut für Neurobiologie, Universität Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany.
| | - Michael K Rosen
- Department of Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Lucchese G, Capone G, Kanduc D. Peptide sharing between influenza A H1N1 hemagglutinin and human axon guidance proteins. Schizophr Bull 2014; 40:362-75. [PMID: 23378012 PMCID: PMC3932078 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbs197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiologic data suggest that maternal microbial infections may cause fetal neurodevelopmental disorders, potentially increasing susceptibility to heavy psychopathologies such as schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, autism, pervasive developmental disorders, bipolar disorders, psychosis, epilepsy, language and speech disorders, and cognitive impairment in adult offspring. However, the molecular pathomechanisms underlying such a relationship are not clear. Here we analyze the potential role of the maternal immune response to viral infection in determining fetal brain injuries that increase the risk of neurological disorders in the adult. We use influenza infection as a disease model and human axon guidance pathway, a key process in the formation of neural network during midgestation, as a potential fetal target of immune insults. Specifically, we examined influenza A H1N1 hemagglutinin (HA), an antigenic viral protein, for amino acid sequence similarity to a random library of 188 axon guidance proteins. We obtain the results that (1) contrary to any theoretical expectations, 45 viral pentapeptide matches are distributed throughout a subset of 36 guidance molecules; (2) in 24 guidance proteins, the peptide sharing with HA antigen involves already experimentally validated influenza HA epitopes; and (3) most of the axon guidance vs HA peptide overlap is conserved among influenza A viral strains and subsets. Taken together, our data indicate that immune cross-reactivity between influenza HA and axon guidance molecules is possible and may well represent a pathologic mechanism capable of determining neurodevelopmental disruption in the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guglielmo Lucchese
- To whom correspondence should be addressed; tel: +39.080.544.3321, fax: +39.080.544.3317, e-mail:
| | - Giovanni Capone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Darja Kanduc
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy,To whom correspondence should be addressed; tel: +39.080.544.3321, fax: +39.080.544.3317, e-mail:
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Abstract
Roundabout receptors (Robo) and their Slit ligands were discovered in the 1990s and found to be key players in axon guidance. Slit was initially described s an extracellular matrix protein that was expressed by midline glia in Drosophila. A few years later, it was shown that, in vertebrates and invertebrates, Slits acted as chemorepellents for axons crossing the midline. Robo proteins were originally discovered in Drosophila in a mutant screen for genes involved in the regulation of midline crossing. This ligand-receptor pair has since been implicated in a variety of other neuronal and non-neuronal processes ranging from cell migration to angiogenesis, tumourigenesis and even organogenesis of tissues such as kidneys, lungs and breasts.
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Fan WL, Ng CS, Chen CF, Lu MYJ, Chen YH, Liu CJ, Wu SM, Chen CK, Chen JJ, Mao CT, Lai YT, Lo WS, Chang WH, Li WH. Genome-wide patterns of genetic variation in two domestic chickens. Genome Biol Evol 2013; 5:1376-92. [PMID: 23814129 PMCID: PMC3730349 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evt097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestic chickens are excellent models for investigating the genetic basis of phenotypic diversity, as numerous phenotypic changes in physiology, morphology, and behavior in chickens have been artificially selected. Genomic study is required to study genome-wide patterns of DNA variation for dissecting the genetic basis of phenotypic traits. We sequenced the genomes of the Silkie and the Taiwanese native chicken L2 at ∼23- and 25-fold average coverage depth, respectively, using Illumina sequencing. The reads were mapped onto the chicken reference genome (including 5.1% Ns) to 92.32% genome coverage for the two breeds. Using a stringent filter, we identified ∼7.6 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 8,839 copy number variations (CNVs) in the mapped regions; 42% of the SNPs have not found in other chickens before. Among the 68,906 SNPs annotated in the chicken sequence assembly, 27,852 were nonsynonymous SNPs located in 13,537 genes. We also identified hundreds of shared and divergent structural and copy number variants in intronic and intergenic regions and in coding regions in the two breeds. Functional enrichments of identified genetic variants were discussed. Radical nsSNP-containing immunity genes were enriched in the QTL regions associated with some economic traits for both breeds. Moreover, genetic changes involved in selective sweeps were detected. From the selective sweeps identified in our two breeds, several genes associated with growth, appetite, and metabolic regulation were identified. Our study provides a framework for genetic and genomic research of domestic chickens and facilitates the domestic chicken as an avian model for genomic, biomedical, and evolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Lang Fan
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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McFadden K, Minshew NJ. Evidence for dysregulation of axonal growth and guidance in the etiology of ASD. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:671. [PMID: 24155705 PMCID: PMC3804918 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2013] [Accepted: 09/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Current theories concerning the cause of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have converged on the concept of abnormal development of brain connectivity. This concept is supported by accumulating evidence from functional imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and high definition fiber tracking studies which suggest altered microstructure in the axonal tracts connecting cortical areas may underly many of the cognitive manifestations of ASD. Additionally, large-scale genomic studies implicate numerous gene candidates known or suspected to mediate neuritic outgrowth and axonal guidance in fetal and perinatal life. Neuropathological observations in postmortem ASD brain samples further support this model and include subtle disturbances of cortical lamination and subcortical axonal morphology. Of note is the relatively common finding of poor differentiation of the gray–white junction associated with an excess superficial white matter or “interstitial” neurons (INs). INs are thought to be remnants of the fetal subplate, a transient structure which plays a key role in the guidance and morphogenesis of thalamocortical and cortico-cortical connections and the organization of cortical columnar architecture. While not discounting the importance of synaptic dysfunction in the etiology of ASD, this paper will briefly review the cortical abnormalities and genetic evidence supporting a model of dysregulated axonal growth and guidance as key developmental processes underlying the clinical manifestations of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn McFadden
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Witteveen JS, Middelman A, van Hulten JA, Martens GJM, Homberg JR, Kolk SM. Lack of serotonin reuptake during brain development alters rostral raphe-prefrontal network formation. Front Cell Neurosci 2013; 7:143. [PMID: 24109430 PMCID: PMC3790074 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 08/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Besides its "classical" neurotransmitter function, serotonin (5-HT) has been found to also act as a neurodevelopmental signal. During development, the 5-HT projection system, besides an external placental source, represents one of the earliest neurotransmitter systems to innervate the brain. One of the targets of the 5-HT projection system, originating in the brainstem raphe nuclei, is the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), an area involved in higher cognitive functions and important in the etiology of many neurodevelopmental disorders. Little is known, however, about the exact role of 5-HT and its signaling molecules in the formation of the raphe-prefrontal network. Using explant essays, we here studied the role of the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT), an important modulator of the 5-HT signal, in rostral raphe-prefrontal network formation. We found that the chemotrophic nature of the interaction between the origin (rostral raphe cluster) and a target (mPFC) of the 5-HT projection system was affected in rats lacking the 5-HTT (5-HTT(-/-)). While 5-HTT deficiency did not affect the dorsal raphe 5-HT-positive outgrowing neurites, the median raphe 5-HT neurites switched from a strong repulsive to an attractive interaction when co-cultured with the mPFC. Furthermore, the fasciculation of the mPFC outgrowing neurites was dependent on the amount of 5-HTT. In the mPFC of 5-HTT(-/-) pups, we observed clear differences in 5-HT innervation and the identity of a class of projection neurons of the mPFC. In the absence of the 5-HTT, the 5-HT innervation in all subareas of the early postnatal mPFC increased dramatically and the number of Satb2-positive callosal projection neurons was decreased. Together, these results suggest a 5-HTT dependency during early development of these brain areas and in the formation of the raphe-prefrontal network. The tremendous complexity of the 5-HT projection system and its role in several neurodevelopmental disorders highlights the need for further research in this largely unexplored area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefine S Witteveen
- Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen, Netherlands
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James G, Foster SR, Key B, Beverdam A. The expression pattern of EVA1C, a novel Slit receptor, is consistent with an axon guidance role in the mouse nervous system. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74115. [PMID: 24040182 PMCID: PMC3767613 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Accepted: 08/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Slit/Robo axon guidance families play a vital role in the formation of neural circuitry within select regions of the developing mouse nervous system. Typically Slits signal through the Robo receptors, however they also have Robo-independent functions. The novel Slit receptor Eva-1, recently discovered in C. elegans, and the human orthologue of which is located in the Down syndrome critical region on chromosome 21, could account for some of these Robo independent functions as well as provide selectivity to Robo-mediated axon responses to Slit. Here we investigate the expression of the mammalian orthologue EVA1C in regions of the developing mouse nervous system which have been shown to exhibit Robo-dependent and -independent responses to Slit. We report that EVA1C is expressed by axons contributing to commissures, tracts and nerve pathways of the developing spinal cord and forebrain. Furthermore it is expressed by axons that display both Robo-dependent and -independent functions of Slit, supporting a role for EVA1C in Slit/Robo mediated neural circuit formation in the developing nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory James
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Simon R. Foster
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Brian Key
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- * E-mail: (BK); (AB)
| | - Annemiek Beverdam
- School of Biomedical Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- * E-mail: (BK); (AB)
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Griesi-Oliveira K, Sunaga DY, Alvizi L, Vadasz E, Passos-Bueno MR. Stem cells as a good tool to investigate dysregulated biological systems in autism spectrum disorders. Autism Res 2013; 6:354-61. [PMID: 23801657 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 04/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Identification of the causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is hampered by their genetic heterogeneity; however, the different genetic alterations leading to ASD seem to be implicated in the disturbance of common molecular pathways or biological processes. In this scenario, the search for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ASD patients and controls is a good alternative to identify the molecular etiology of such disorders. Here, we employed genome-wide expression analysis to compare the transcriptome of stem cells of human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) of idiopathic autistic patients (n = 7) and control samples (n = 6). Nearly half of the 683 identified DEGs are expressed in the brain (P = 0.003), and a significant number of them are involved in mechanisms previously associated with ASD such as protein synthesis, cytoskeleton regulation, cellular adhesion and alternative splicing, which validate the use of SHEDs to disentangle the causes of autism. Autistic patients also presented overexpression of genes regulated by androgen receptor (AR), and AR itself, which in turn interacts with CHD8 (chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 8), a gene recently shown to be associated with the cause of autism and found to be upregulated in some patients tested here. These data provide a rationale for the mechanisms through which CHD8 leads to these diseases. In summary, our results suggest that ASD share deregulated pathways and revealed that SHEDs represent an alternative cell source to be used in the understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in the etiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Griesi-Oliveira
- Centro de Estudos do Genoma Humano, Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
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Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that results in behavioral, social and communication impairments. ASD has a substantial genetic component, with 88-95% trait concordance among monozygotic twins. Efforts to elucidate the causes of ASD have uncovered hundreds of susceptibility loci and candidate genes. However, owing to its polygenic nature and clinical heterogeneity, only a few of these markers represent clear targets for further analyses. In the present study, we used the linkage structure associated with published genetic markers of ASD to simultaneously improve candidate gene detection while providing a means of prioritizing markers of common genetic variation in ASD. We first mined the literature for linkage and association studies of single-nucleotide polymorphisms, copy-number variations and multi-allelic markers in Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) families. From markers that reached genome-wide significance, we calculated male-specific genetic distances, in light of the observed strong male bias in ASD. Four of 67 autism-implicated regions, 3p26.1, 3p26.3, 3q25-27 and 5p15, were enriched with differentially expressed genes in blood and brain from individuals with ASD. Of 30 genes differentially expressed across multiple expression data sets, 21 were within 10 cM of an autism-implicated locus. Among them, CNTN4, CADPS2, SUMF1, SLC9A9, NTRK3 have been previously implicated in autism, whereas others have been implicated in neurological disorders comorbid with ASD. This work leverages the rich multimodal genomic information collected on AGRE families to present an efficient integrative strategy for prioritizing autism candidates and improving our understanding of the relationships among the vast collection of past genetic studies.
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Jones-Davis DM, Yang M, Rider E, Osbun NC, da Gente GJ, Li J, Katz AM, Weber MD, Sen S, Crawley J, Sherr EH. Quantitative trait loci for interhemispheric commissure development and social behaviors in the BTBR T⁺ tf/J mouse model of autism. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61829. [PMID: 23613947 PMCID: PMC3626795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2012] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism and Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (AgCC) are interrelated behavioral and anatomic phenotypes whose genetic etiologies are incompletely understood. We used the BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) strain, exhibiting fully penetrant AgCC, a diminished hippocampal commissure, and abnormal behaviors that may have face validity to autism, to study the genetic basis of these disorders. Methods We generated 410 progeny from an F2 intercross between the BTBR and C57BL/6J strains. The progeny were phenotyped for social behaviors (as juveniles and adults) and commisural morphology, and genotyped using 458 markers. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified using genome scans; significant loci were fine-mapped, and the BTBR genome was sequenced and analyzed to identify candidate genes. Results Six QTL meeting genome-wide significance for three autism-relevant behaviors in BTBR were identified on chromosomes 1, 3, 9, 10, 12, and X. Four novel QTL for commissural morphology on chromosomes 4, 6, and 12 were also identified. We identified a highly significant QTL (LOD score = 20.2) for callosal morphology on the distal end of chromosome 4. Conclusions We identified several QTL and candidate genes for both autism-relevant traits and commissural morphology in the BTBR mouse. Twenty-nine candidate genes were associated with synaptic activity, axon guidance, and neural development. This is consistent with a role for these processes in modulating white matter tract development and aspects of autism-relevant behaviors in the BTBR mouse. Our findings reveal candidate genes in a mouse model that will inform future human and preclinical studies of autism and AgCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy M. Jones-Davis
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Mu Yang
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Eric Rider
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Nathan C. Osbun
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Gilberto J. da Gente
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jiang Li
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Adam M. Katz
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michael D. Weber
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Saunak Sen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline Crawley
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Elliott H. Sherr
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Quilter CR, Sargent CA, Bauer J, Bagga MR, Reiter CP, Hutchinson EL, Southwood OI, Evans G, Mileham A, Griffin DK, Affara NA. An association and haplotype analysis of porcine maternal infanticide: a model for human puerperal psychosis? Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2012; 159B:908-27. [PMID: 22976950 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2012] [Accepted: 08/09/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
An association analysis using the Illumina porcine SNP60 beadchip was performed to identify SNPs significantly associated with porcine maternal infanticide. We previously hypothesised that this was a good animal model for human puerperal psychosis, an extreme form of postnatal mood disorder. Animals were selected from carefully phenotyped unrelated infanticide and control groups (representing extremes of the phenotypic spectrum), from four different lines. Permutation and sliding window analyses and an analysis to see which haplotypes were in linkage disequilibrium (LD) were compared to identify concordant regions. Across all analyses, intervals on SSCs 1, 3, 4, 10, and 13 were constant, contained genes associated with psychiatric or neurological disorders and were significant in multiple lines. The strongest (near GWS) consistent candidate region across all analyses and all breeds was the one located on SSC3 with one peak at 23.4 Mb, syntenic to a candidate region for bipolar disorder and another at 31.9 Mb, syntenic to a candidate region for human puerperal psychosis (16p13). From the haplotype/LD analysis, two regions reached genome wide significance (GWS): the first on SSC4 (KHDRBS3 to FAM135B), which was significant (-logP 5.57) in one Duroc based breed and is syntenic to a region in humans associated with cognition and neurotism; the second on SSC15, which was significant (-log10P 5.68) in two breeds and contained PAX3, which is expressed in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- C R Quilter
- Human Molecular Genetics Group, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Demarco RS, Struckhoff EC, Lundquist EA. The Rac GTP exchange factor TIAM-1 acts with CDC-42 and the guidance receptor UNC-40/DCC in neuronal protrusion and axon guidance. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002665. [PMID: 22570618 PMCID: PMC3343084 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2011] [Accepted: 03/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms linking guidance receptors to cytoskeletal dynamics in the growth cone during axon extension remain mysterious. The Rho-family GTPases Rac and CDC-42 are key regulators of growth cone lamellipodia and filopodia formation, yet little is understood about how these molecules interact in growth cone outgrowth or how the activities of these molecules are regulated in distinct contexts. UNC-73/Trio is a well-characterized Rac GTP exchange factor in Caenorhabditis elegans axon pathfinding, yet UNC-73 does not control CED-10/Rac downstream of UNC-6/Netrin in attractive axon guidance. Here we show that C. elegans TIAM-1 is a Rac-specific GEF that links CDC-42 and Rac signaling in lamellipodia and filopodia formation downstream of UNC-40/DCC. We also show that TIAM-1 acts with UNC-40/DCC in axon guidance. Our results indicate that a CDC-42/TIAM-1/Rac GTPase signaling pathway drives lamellipodia and filopodia formation downstream of the UNC-40/DCC guidance receptor, a novel set of interactions between these molecules. Furthermore, we show that TIAM-1 acts with UNC-40/DCC in axon guidance, suggesting that TIAM-1 might regulate growth cone protrusion via Rac GTPases in response to UNC-40/DCC. Our results also suggest that Rac GTPase activity is controlled by different GEFs in distinct axon guidance contexts, explaining how Rac GTPases can specifically control multiple cellular functions. Axons extend great distances to make precise synaptic connections in the developing nervous system. Axons are guided to their targets by the growth cone, a dynamic structure at the axon distal tip that senses extracellular cues telling the axon where to go. In response to guidance cues, growth cones alter their shape and motility resulting in outgrowth and turning. The cytoskeleton (actin and microtubules) underlies growth cone motility and guidance. The signaling mechanisms linking guidance receptors to cytoskeletal change remain mysterious. Here, we define a new signaling mechanism downstream of the guidance receptor UNC-40/DCC involving the GTPases CDC-42 and Rac, which have long been known to control growth cone protrusion. We show that CDC-42 and Rac act in a linear pathway in axon guidance; CDC-42 acts upstream of the GTPase regulatory molecule TIAM-1, which is a GTP exchange factor specific for Rac and which activates Rac signaling. We also show that TIAM-1 acts with UNC-40/DCC signaling in protrusion and axon guidance. Our results imply that Rac GTPase function in axon guidance is complex and that distinct GEFs (TIAM-1 and UNC-73/Trio) might control Rac GTPases in different aspects of axon guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael S. Demarco
- Programs in Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Eric C. Struckhoff
- Programs in Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Erik A. Lundquist
- Programs in Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Higashida H. A personal view from a long-lasting collaborator on the research strategies of Marshall Nirenberg. Neurochem Int 2012; 61:821-7. [PMID: 22414530 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2012.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2011] [Revised: 01/19/2012] [Accepted: 02/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In this review, I summarized transition in Dr. Marshall Nirenberg's research interests during 1970s, from a view of a long-lasting collaborator. Nirenberg switched his research filed to neurobiology after his success in deciphering genetic code and being honored with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1968. His targets were to obtain genetically pure population of neurons, i.e. neuroblastoma clones, to make somatic hydrid cells, to culture neuronal and muscle cells, and to produce monoclonal antibodies against whole retinal or neuroblastoma cells. He studied neurotransmitters, receptors, cyclic nucleotides, cell differentiation, secretion, synapse formation, and chemical recognition. Especially he liked his hypothesis for opiate tolerance and dependency as a model of cellular memory. Through these studies, he seemed to devote all his time of about 50 years from 1960s to decoding brain memory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Biophysical Genetics, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
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Higashida H, Yokoyama S, Kikuchi M, Munesue T. CD38 and its role in oxytocin secretion and social behavior. Horm Behav 2012; 61:351-8. [PMID: 22227279 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2011] [Revised: 12/13/2011] [Accepted: 12/14/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Here, we review the functional roles of cyclic ADP-ribose and CD38, a transmembrane protein with ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity, in mouse social behavior via the regulation of oxytocin (OXT) release, an essential component of social cognition. Herein we describe data detailing the molecular mechanism of CD38-dependent OXT secretion in CD38 knockout mice. We also review studies that used OXT, OXT receptor (OXTR), or CD38 knockout mice. Additionally, we compare the behavioral impairments that occur in these knockout mice in relation to the OXT system and CD38. This review also examines autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is characterized by social and communication impairments, in relation to defects in the OXT system. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human CD38 gene are possible risk factors for ASD via inhibition of OXT function. Further analysis of CD38 in relation to the OXT system may provide a better understanding of the neuroendocrinological roles of OXT and CD38 in the hypothalamus and of the pathophysiology of ASD. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Social Behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Biophysical Genetics, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
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Higashida H, Yokoyama S, Huang JJ, Liu L, Ma WJ, Akther S, Higashida C, Kikuchi M, Minabe Y, Munesue T. Social memory, amnesia, and autism: brain oxytocin secretion is regulated by NAD+ metabolites and single nucleotide polymorphisms of CD38. Neurochem Int 2012; 61:828-38. [PMID: 22366648 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2012.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2011] [Revised: 01/27/2012] [Accepted: 01/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Previously, we demonstrated that CD38, a transmembrane protein with ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity, plays a critical role in mouse social behavior by regulating the release of oxytocin (OXT), which is essential for mutual recognition. When CD38 was disrupted, social amnesia was observed in Cd38 knockout mice. The autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), characterized by defects in reciprocal social interaction and communication, occur either sporadically or in a familial pattern. However, the etiology of ASDs remains largely unknown. Therefore, the theoretical basis for pharmacological treatments has not been established. Hence, there is a rationale for investigating single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human CD38 gene in ASD subjects. We found several SNPs in this gene. The SNP rs3796863 (C>A) was associated with high-functioning autism (HFA) in American samples from the Autism Gene Resource Exchange. Although this finding was partially confirmed in low-functioning autism subjects in Israel, it has not been replicated in Japanese HFA subjects. The second SNP of interest, rs1800561 (4693C>T), leads to the substitution of an arginine (R) at codon 140 by tryptophan (W; R140W) in CD38. This mutation was found in four probands of ASD and in family members of three pedigrees with variable levels of ASD or ASD traits. The plasma levels of OXT in ASD subjects with the R140W allele were lower than those in ASD subjects lacking this allele. The OXT levels were unchanged in healthy subjects with or without this mutation. One proband with the R140W allele receiving intranasal OXT for approximately 3years showed improvement in areas of social approach, eye contact and communication behaviors, emotion, irritability, and aggression. Five other ASD subjects with mental deficits received nasal OXT for various periods; three subjects showed improved symptoms, while two showed little or no effect. These results suggest that SNPs in CD38 may be possible risk factors for ASD by abrogating OXT function and that some ASD subjects can be treated with OXT in preliminary clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Biophysical Genetics, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
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