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Whelan TP, Daly E, Puts NA, Smith P, Allison C, Baron-Cohen S, Malievskaia E, Murphy DGM, McAlonan GM. The 'PSILAUT' protocol: an experimental medicine study of autistic differences in the function of brain serotonin targets of psilocybin. BMC Psychiatry 2024; 24:319. [PMID: 38658877 PMCID: PMC11044362 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05768-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The underlying neurobiology of the complex autism phenotype remains obscure, although accumulating evidence implicates the serotonin system and especially the 5HT2A receptor. However, previous research has largely relied upon association or correlation studies to link differences in serotonin targets to autism. To directly establish that serotonergic signalling is involved in a candidate brain function our approach is to change it and observe a shift in that function. We will use psilocybin as a pharmacological probe of the serotonin system in vivo. We will directly test the hypothesis that serotonergic targets of psilocybin - principally, but not exclusively, 5HT2A receptor pathways-function differently in autistic and non-autistic adults. METHODS The 'PSILAUT' "shiftability" study is a case-control study autistic and non-autistic adults. How neural responses 'shift' in response to low doses (2 mg and 5 mg) of psilocybin compared to placebo will be examined using multimodal techniques including functional MRI and EEG. Each participant will attend on up to three separate visits with drug or placebo administration in a double-blind and randomized order. RESULTS This study will provide the first direct evidence that the serotonin targets of psilocybin function differently in the autistic and non-autistic brain. We will also examine individual differences in serotonin system function. CONCLUSIONS This work will inform our understanding of the neurobiology of autism as well as decisions about future clinical trials of psilocybin and/or related compounds including stratification approaches. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT05651126.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias P Whelan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- COMPASS Pathfinder Ltd, London, UK
| | - Eileen Daly
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nicolaas A Puts
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paula Smith
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carrie Allison
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Declan G M Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
- NIHR-Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Grainne M McAlonan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK.
- NIHR-Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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Rodnyy AY, Kondaurova EM, Tsybko AS, Popova NK, Kudlay DA, Naumenko VS. The brain serotonin system in autism. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:1-20. [PMID: 37415576 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are among the most common neurodevelopmental diseases. These disorders are characterized by lack of social interaction, by repetitive behavior, and often anxiety and learning disabilities. The brain serotonin (5-HT) system is known to be crucially implicated in a wide range of physiological functions and in the control of different kinds of normal and pathological behavior. A growing number of studies indicate the involvement of the brain 5-HT system in the mechanisms underlying both ASD development and ASD-related behavioral disorders. There are some review papers describing the role of separate key players of the 5-HT system in an ASD and/or autistic-like behavior. In this review, we summarize existing data on the participation of all members of the brain 5-HT system, namely, 5-HT transporter, tryptophan hydroxylase 2, MAOA, and 5-HT receptors, in autism in human and various animal models. Additionally, we describe the most recent studies involving modern techniques for in vivo regulation of gene expression that are aimed at identifying exact roles of 5-HT receptors, MAOA, and 5-HT transporter in the mechanisms underlying autistic-like behavior. Altogether, results of multiple research articles show that the brain 5-HT system intimately partakes in the control of some types of ASD-related behavior, and that specific changes in a function of a certain 5-HT receptor, transporter, and/or enzyme may normalize this aberrant behavior. These data give hope that some of clinically used 5-HT-related drugs have potential for ASD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Ya Rodnyy
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Elena M Kondaurova
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Anton S Tsybko
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Nina K Popova
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Dmitry A Kudlay
- NRC Institute of Immunology FMBA of Russia, Kashirskoe Highway 24, Moscow 115522, Russia
- Sechenov's University, 8-2 Trubetskaya Str., Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Vladimir S Naumenko
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
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Alrfooh A, Smith RM. Genetic and epigenetic analysis of the serotonin 2A receptor in the context of cocaine abuse. Epigenetics 2022; 17:1246-1258. [PMID: 34813393 PMCID: PMC9543049 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.2005277] [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: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite more than 2 million American cocaine users monthly, there is no approved drug for treating cocaine use disorder. Cocaine use disorder has a multifactorial aetiology, including both genetic and environmental factors. Both cocaine use and genetic variations demonstrably alter DNA methylation and gene expression in the brain in a complex manner. How these factors interact in the context of cocaine abuse in humans is unknown. We propose that we can identify potential drug targets for treating cocaine use disorders by examining genetic, epigenetic, and expression changes in the brains of individuals that abused cocaine. In this study, we identified the interaction between the epigenetics changes (DNA CpG methylation) and genetic variants (SNPs) in the HTR2A gene in the context of cocaine addiction by using brain tissue collected from individuals that overdosed on cocaine (N = 14) and healthy matched controls (N = 16). We generated DNA CpG methylation profiles in eight regions of HTR2A harbouring frequent SNPs, measuring both allelic and total methylation, and compared these methylation profiles with HTR2A mRNA expression. Furthermore, we examined the influence of common variants rs6311 and rs6313 on cocaine abuse, methylation, and gene expression. We found evidence that rs6311 regulates HTR2A methylation, consistent with earlier studies. Furthermore, the minor alleles for rs6311 and rs6313 are associated with significantly increased expression of a splice isoform in which exon 2 is truncated in both cocaine and control samples. These results reveal specific roles for HTR2A in the context of cocaine abuse, highlighting opportunities to modulate this target for treating cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysheh Alrfooh
- Department Of Pharmaceutical Sciences And Experimental Therapeutics, College Of Pharmacy, University Of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ryan M. Smith
- Department Of Pharmaceutical Sciences And Experimental Therapeutics, College Of Pharmacy, University Of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Serotonin Receptors as Therapeutic Targets for Autism Spectrum Disorder Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126515. [PMID: 35742963 PMCID: PMC9223717 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by repetitive and stereotyped behaviors as well as difficulties with social interaction and communication. According to reports for prevalence rates of ASD, approximately 1~2% of children worldwide have been diagnosed with ASD. Although there are a couple of FDA (Food and Drug Administration)—approved drugs for ASD treatment such as aripiprazole and risperidone, they are efficient for alleviating aggression, hyperactivity, and self-injury but not the core symptoms. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) as a neurotransmitter plays a crucial role in the early neurodevelopmental stage. In particular, 5-HT has been known to regulate a variety of neurobiological processes including neurite outgrowth, dendritic spine morphology, shaping neuronal circuits, synaptic transmission, and synaptic plasticity. Given the roles of serotonergic systems, the 5-HT receptors (5-HTRs) become emerging as potential therapeutic targets in the ASD. In this review, we will focus on the recent development of small molecule modulators of 5-HTRs as therapeutic targets for the ASD treatment.
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Arredondo K, Myers C, Hansen-Kiss E, Mathew MT, Jayaraman V, Siemon A, Bartholomew D, Herman GE, Mori M. Phenotypic Spectrum in a Family Sharing a Heterozygous KCNQ3 Variant. J Child Neurol 2022; 37:517-523. [PMID: 35384780 DOI: 10.1177/08830738221089741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Mutations in KCNQ3 have classically been associated with benign familial neonatal and infantile seizures and more recently identified in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) findings. We present 4 affected patients from a family with a pathogenic mutation in KCNQ3 with a unique constellation of clinical findings. METHODS A family of 3 affected siblings and mother sharing a KCNQ3 pathogenic variant are described, including clinical history, genetic results, and EEG and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. RESULTS This family shows a variety of clinical manifestations, including neonatal seizures, developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, and anxiety. One child developed absence epilepsy, 2 children have infrequent convulsive seizures that have persisted into childhood, and their parent developed adult-onset epilepsy. An underlying c.1091G>A (R364H) variant in KCNQ3 was found in all affected individuals. CONCLUSIONS The phenotypic variability of KCNQ3 channelopathies continues to expand as more individuals and families are described, and the variant identified in this family adds to the understanding of the manifestations of KCNQ3-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Arredondo
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Cortlandt Myers
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Emily Hansen-Kiss
- Department of Diagnostic & Biomedical Sciences, 12340University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Dentistry, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mariam T Mathew
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Vijayakumar Jayaraman
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Amy Siemon
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Dennis Bartholomew
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Gail E Herman
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Mari Mori
- Department of Pediatrics, 12306The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Genetic & Genomic Medicine, 2650Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
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Al Dera H. Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorders and associated comorbidities: A pathophysiological review. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 148:112688. [PMID: 35149383 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that develop in early life due to interaction between several genetic and environmental factors and lead to alterations in brain function and structure. During the last decades, several mechanisms have been placed to explain the pathogenesis of autism. Unfortunately, these are reported in several studies and reviews which make it difficult to follow by the reader. In addition, some recent molecular mechanisms related to ASD have been unrevealed. This paper revises and highlights the major common molecular mechanisms responsible for the clinical symptoms seen in people with ASD, including the roles of common genetic factors and disorders, neuroinflammation, GABAergic signaling, and alterations in Ca+2 signaling. Besides, it covers the major molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in initiating the epileptic seizure, including the alterations in the GABAergic and glutamate signaling, vitamin and mineral deficiency, disorders of metabolism, and autoimmunity. Finally, this review also discusses sleep disorder patterns and the molecular mechanisms underlying them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussain Al Dera
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine at King Saud, Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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Liu J, Fu H, Kong J, Yu H, Zhang Z. Association between autism spectrum disorder and polymorphisms in genes encoding serotine and dopamine receptors. Metab Brain Dis 2021; 36:865-870. [PMID: 33644845 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-021-00699-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Dysfunctions of the neurotransmitter system are related to the development of many psychological diseases including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are correlated with varied susceptibility of ASD and response to treatments. The association between SNPs in genes encoding serotonin and dopamine receptors and childhood ASD was examined in a Chinese Han population. Both autistic children (n = 319) and age-and gender-matched healthy controls (n = 347) were recruited from a local district. Disease severity was evaluated by the childhood autism rating scale (CARS). SNPs of rs6311 and rs6313 in the serotonin receptor HTR2A gene, rs4630328 in the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) gene and rs167771 in the DRD3 gene were examined. The CC genotype of rs6311 was significantly associated with an increased risk of ASD (odds ratio (OD) = 1.8 vs TT, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-2.8, P = 0.0085). Carriers of the C allele of rs6311 had a significantly higher risk of childhood ASD (OD =1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.7, P = 0.0094). A strong linkage disequilibrium was observed between rs6311 and rs6313 (D' = 0.93, r2 = 0.86). There were significant correlations between haplotypes (T-A and C-G of rs6311-rs6313) and risk of childhood ASD. In contrast, the frequencies of genotypes and alleles of rs6313, rs4630328 and rs167771 were not significantly different between the case and control groups. All the SNPs examined were not associated with severity of the disease. Our study demonstrates that certain SNPs in the HTR2A gene, but not the DRD2 and DRD3, are associated with susceptibility to childhood ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Central Laboratory, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Xiaoshan Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311202, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Huamei Fu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiaoshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, 311202, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiangying Kong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiaoshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, 311202, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hong Yu
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Xiaoshan First Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zengyu Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiaoshan First Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
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Terock J, Weihs A, Teumer A, Klinger-König J, Janowitz D, Grabe HJ. Associations and interactions of the serotonin receptor genes 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and childhood trauma with alexithymia in two independent general-population samples. Psychiatry Res 2021; 298:113783. [PMID: 33567384 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies suggested that childhood trauma and a disturbed serotonergic neurotransmission are involved in the pathogenesis of alexithymia. Specifically, genetic polymorphisms of the serotonin receptors 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A were found to be associated with alexithymia. However, it is unclear whether these factors show main or interaction effects with childhood trauma on alexithymia. Data from two independent general-population cohorts of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-Trend: N=3,706, Age: range=20-83, 51.6% female, SHIP-LEGEND: N=2,162, Age: range=20-80, 52.5% female) were used. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were applied. Genotypes of rs6295 of 5-HT1A and rs6311 of 5-HT2A were determined. Ordinary least-squared regression models with robust standard errors were applied to investigate associations of the main and interaction effects of childhood maltreatment and the polymorphisms with alexithymia. Childhood trauma, but none of the investigated polymorphisms showed main effects on alexithymia. However, childhood trauma showed significant CTQ sum score x rs6295 interactions in male subjects in both samples such that the presence of the G-allele diminished the CTQ associated increase in the TAS-20 sum scores. Our results support a strong role of early life stress and interactions with rs6295 on alexithymic personality features at least in male subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Terock
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, HELIOS Hanseklinikum Stralsund, Stralsund, Germany.
| | - Antoine Weihs
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alexander Teumer
- Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Johanna Klinger-König
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Deborah Janowitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Hans J Grabe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases DZNE, Site Rostock/ Greifswald, Germany
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The rs6311 of serotonin receptor 2A (5-HT2A) gene is associated with alexithymia and mental health. J Affect Disord 2020; 272:277-282. [PMID: 32553368 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS Alexithymia, difficulties in identifying and describing one's own feelings, is related to substantial clinical practice. Inspired by the links between serotonin functions and affective disorders, this study investigated associations of the serotonin receptor 2A (5-HT2A) gene with alexithymia and mental health. METHODS We differentiated subjects according to two functional polymorphisms (i.e., rs6311 and rs6313) of 5-HT2A gene and scored alexithymia and mental health of college students with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90), respectively. RESULTS The analyses basing on sample 1 (N = 566) and sample 2 (N = 602) indicated that the G allele of rs6311 was related to higher score on the TAS-20 as compared to the AA genotype. The analysis with 467 individuals from sample 2 indicated that the rs6311 was associated with mental health, and this association was mediated by alexithymia. LIMITATIONS The potential confounding variables such as depression and anxiety were neglected in the analyses. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate the contribution of the 5-HT2A to alexithymia, and highlight the link between alexithymia and mental health at genetic level.
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Ceccarini MR, Tasegian A, Franzago M, Patria FF, Albi E, Codini M, Conte C, Bertelli M, Dalla Ragione L, Stuppia L, Beccari T. 5-HT2AR and BDNF gene variants in eating disorders susceptibility. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2020; 183:155-163. [PMID: 31746551 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Evidence from family and twin studies points to a genetic contribution to the etiology of eating disorders (EDs), confirmed by the association of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with this group of disorders. Previous reports have suggested that the serotonin receptor (5-HT2AR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) genes could be both involved in EDs susceptibility. In order to provide further evidence about such association, we focused our attention on two SNPs located in these genes carrying out a genetic association study on a large Italian cohort composed of 556 ED patients and 355 controls (CTRs). Obtained results confirm the presence of an association between 5-HT2AR and BDNF genes and the susceptibility to EDs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Tasegian
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Marica Franzago
- Department of Medicine and Aging, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.,Aging and Translational Medicine Research Center (CeSI-MeT), University "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | - F Filomena Patria
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Albi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Michela Codini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Carmela Conte
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Matteo Bertelli
- MAGI Euregio, Non Profit Genetic Testing Laboratory, Research Unit, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Laura Dalla Ragione
- University of Campus Biomedico, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie per l'uomo e l'ambiente, Rome, Italy
| | - Liborio Stuppia
- Aging and Translational Medicine Research Center (CeSI-MeT), University "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti-Pescara, Italy.,Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | - Tommaso Beccari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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Turovsky YA, Gureev AP, Vitkalova IY, Popov VN. Connection between polymorphisms in HTR2A, TPH2, BDNF, TOMM40 genes and the successful mastering of human-computer interfaces. J Genet 2019; 98:93. [PMID: 31767813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The development of human-computer interfaces in different individuals occur with different efficiencies, this is due to the individual characteristics of the genotype determined by the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of a person. Here, we checked the connection between the success of the acquisition of the brain-computer, eye-tracking, electromyographic, and respiratory interfaces and SNP of the TOMM40, BDNF, HTR2A and TPH2 genes. Here, we show that the T-allele in rs6313 of the HTR2A gene is associated with an increase in the number of correctly submitted commands of the electromyographic and eye-tracking interfaces. This is probably due to the fact that, the T-allele carriers decrease expression of this serotonin receptor. The decreased expression of HTR2A may be a reason for an increase in the number of accurately submitted commands. It was shown that the TT genotype of rs4290270 polymorphism was associated with an increase in the accuracy of work with the myographic interface. In addition, the association of subjective interfaces work time with polymorphisms rs429358 and rs2030324 was noted. Thus, the genotypic characteristics of individuals can be a predictive sign for the degree of success of mastering human-computer interfaces, which can allow to expand the understanding of training the neural mechanisms when working with this class of devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaroslav A Turovsky
- Laboratory of Medical Cybernetics, Voronezh State University, Voronezh 394018, Russia.
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Turovsky YA, Gureev AP, Vitkalova IY, Popov VN. Connection between polymorphisms in HTR2A, TPH2, BDNF, TOMM40 genes and the successful mastering of human–computer interfaces. J Genet 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12041-019-1138-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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Barrie ES, Pinsonneault JK, Sadee W, Hollway JA, Handen BL, Smith T, Arnold LE, Butter E, Hansen-Kiss E, Herman GE, Aman MG. Testing genetic modifiers of behavior and response to atomoxetine in autism spectrum disorder with ADHD. JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES 2018; 30:355-371. [PMID: 30197492 PMCID: PMC6128165 DOI: 10.1007/s10882-018-9590-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Frequent non-pathogenic genetic variants may act as moderators of phenotypic severity for complex disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We previously identified polymorphisms affecting mRNA expression of candidate genes, including tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH), and dopamine transporter (DAT, SLC6A3). METHOD We compare genotypes and (1) clinical response to atomoxetine, (2) scores from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), and (3) severity of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a cohort of patients with ASD from multiple study sites. RESULTS There was no association between CYP2D6 metabolizer status and atomoxetine response. TPH2 rs7305115 genotype was associated with ADI-R Restrictive/Repetitive Behavior score (p=0.03). DBH rs1611115 genotype was associated with ADI-R Social score (p=0.002) and Restrictive/Repetitive Behavior score (p=0.04). The DAT intron 8 5/6 repeat was associated with ADHD symptoms (ABC Hyperactivity p=0.01 and SNAP ADHD p=0.03), replicating a previous finding. CONCLUSIONS We find associations between ASD phenotypes and regulatory variants in catecholamine biosynthesis genes. This work may help guide future genetics studies related to ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth S. Barrie
- The Ohio State University
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
| | | | | | | | - Benjamin L. Handen
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
| | - Tristram Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center
| | | | - Eric Butter
- The Ohio State University
- Department of Psychology, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
| | | | - Gail E. Herman
- The Ohio State University
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
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Butovskaya ML, Butovskaya PR, Vasilyev VA, Sukhodolskaya JM, Fekhredtinova DI, Karelin DV, Fedenok JN, Mabulla AZP, Ryskov AP, Lazebny OE. Serotonergic gene polymorphisms (5-HTTLPR, 5HTR1A, 5HTR2A), and population differences in aggression: traditional (Hadza and Datoga) and industrial (Russians) populations compared. J Physiol Anthropol 2018; 37:10. [PMID: 29661255 PMCID: PMC5902989 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-018-0171-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Current knowledge on genetic basis of aggressive behavior is still contradictory. This may be due to the fact that the majority of studies targeting associations between candidate genes and aggression are conducted on industrial societies and mainly dealing with various types of psychopathology and disorders. Because of that, our study was carried on healthy adult individuals of both sex (n = 853). Methods Three populations were examined: two traditional (Hadza and Datoga) and one industrial (Russians), and the association of aggression with the following polymorphisms 5-HTTLPR, rs6295 (5HTR1A gene), and rs6311 (5HTR2A gene) were tested. Aggression was measured as total self-ratings on Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Results Distributions of allelic frequencies of 5-HTTLPR and 5HTR1A polymorphisms were significantly different among the three populations. Consequently, the association analyses for these two candidate genes were carried out separately for each population, while for the 5HTR2A polymorphism, it was conducted on the pooled data that made possible to introduce ethnic factor in the ANOVA model. The traditional biometrical approach revealed no sex differences in total aggression in all three samples. The three-way ANOVA (μ + 5-HTTLPR + 5HTR1A + 5HTR2A +ε) with measures of self-reported total aggression as dependent variable revealed significant effect of the second serotonin receptor gene polymorphism for the Hadza sample. For the Datoga, the interaction effect between 5-HTTLPR and 5HTR1A was significant. No significant effects of the used polymorphisms were obtained for Russians. The results of two-way ANOVA with ethnicity and the 5HTR2A polymorphism as main effects and their interactions revealed the highly significant effect of ethnicity, 5HTR2A polymorphism, and their interaction on total aggression. Conclusions Our data provided obvious confirmation for the necessity to consider the population origin, as well as cultural background of tested individuals, while searching for associations between genes and behavior, and demonstrated the role of cultural attitudes towards the use of in-group aggression. Our data partly explained the reasons for disagreement in results of different teams, searching for candidate-gene associations with behavior without considerations of culturally desirable norms. Previous studies suggested that the 5HTR2A gene polymorphism associates with aggression and criminality. Our data extended these findings, demonstrating the role of rs6311 (5HTR2A gene) in aggression in adult healthy men and women from our samples. We found that G-allele carriers were rated higher on total aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina L Butovskaya
- Department of Cross-Cultural Psychology and Human Ethology, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Ave. 32a, Moscow, Russia, 119334. .,Faculty of History, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Lomonosovsky Ave. 27-4, Moscow, Russia, 119192. .,Russian State University for the Humanities, Miusskaya Sq. 6, GSP-3, Moscow, Russia, 125993.
| | - Polina R Butovskaya
- Group for Population Immunogenetics, Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Gubkina St. 3, Moscow, Russia, 119333
| | - Vasiliy A Vasilyev
- Department of Genome Organization, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova St. 34/5, Moscow, Russia, 119334
| | - Jane M Sukhodolskaya
- Department of Genome Organization, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova St. 34/5, Moscow, Russia, 119334
| | - Dania I Fekhredtinova
- Department of Genome Organization, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova St. 34/5, Moscow, Russia, 119334
| | - Dmitri V Karelin
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-12, Moscow, Russia, 119991
| | - Julia N Fedenok
- Department of Cross-Cultural Psychology and Human Ethology, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Ave. 32a, Moscow, Russia, 119334
| | - Audax Z P Mabulla
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35091, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Alexey P Ryskov
- Department of Genome Organization, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova St. 34/5, Moscow, Russia, 119334
| | - Oleg E Lazebny
- Department of Evolutionary and Developmental Genetics, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova St. 26, Moscow, Russia, 119334
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15
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Gray JC, MacKillop J, Weafer J, Hernandez KM, Gao J, Palmer AA, de Wit H. Genetic analysis of impulsive personality traits: Examination of a priori candidates and genome-wide variation. Psychiatry Res 2018; 259:398-404. [PMID: 29120849 PMCID: PMC5742029 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.10.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Impulsive personality traits are heritable risk factors and putative endophenotypes for addiction and other psychiatric disorders involving disinhibition. This study examined the genetic basis of impulsive personality traits, defined as scores on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P). In 983 healthy young adults of European ancestry, the study examined genetic variation in relation to a combined phenotype of seven subscales based on high phenotypic intercorrelations. The study first tested 14 a priori loci that have previously been associated impulsive personality traits or closely related constructs. Second, the study included an exploratory genome-wide scan (i.e., GWAS), acknowledging that only relatively large effects would be detectable in a sample size of ~ 1000. A priori SNP analyses revealed a significant association between the combined impulsivity phenotype and two SNPs within the 5-HT2a receptor gene (HTR2A; rs6313 and rs6311). Follow-up analyses suggested that the effects were specific to the Motor and Non-planning subscales on the BIS-11, and also that the two loci were in linkage disequilibrium. The GWAS yielded no statistically significant findings. This study further implicates loci within HTR2A with certain forms of self-reported impulsivity and identifies candidates for future investigation from the genome-wide analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua C Gray
- Center for Deployment Psychology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - James MacKillop
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S4L8; Homewood Research Institute, Homewood Health Centre, Guelph, ON, Canada N1E 6K9
| | - Jessica Weafer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kyle M Hernandez
- Center for Research Informatics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Jianjun Gao
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92103, USA; Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92103, USA
| | - Abraham A Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92103, USA; Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92103, USA
| | - Harriet de Wit
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Matsunaga M, Kawamichi H, Umemura T, Hori R, Shibata E, Kobayashi F, Suzuki K, Ishii K, Ohtsubo Y, Noguchi Y, Ochi M, Yamasue H, Ohira H. Neural and Genetic Correlates of the Social Sharing of Happiness. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:718. [PMID: 29311795 PMCID: PMC5742108 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Happiness is regarded as one of the most fundamental human goals. Given recent reports that positive feelings are contagious (e.g., the presence of a happy person enhances others' happiness) because of the human ability to empathize (i.e., sharing emotions), empathic ability may be a key factor in increasing one's own subjective level of happiness. Based on previous studies indicating that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the serotonin 2A receptor gene [HTR2A rs6311 guanine (G) vs. adenine (A)] is associated with sensitivity to emotional stimuli and several mental disorders such as depression, we predicted that the polymorphism might be associated with the effect of sharing happiness. To elucidate the neural and genetic correlates of the effect of sharing happiness, we first performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a “happy feelings” evocation task (emotional event imagination task), during which we manipulated the valence of the imagined event (positive, neutral, or negative), as well as the presence of a friend experiencing a positive-valence event (presence or absence). We recruited young adult women for this fMRI study because empathic ability may be higher in women than in men. Participants felt happier (p < 0.01) and the mentalizing/theory-of-mind network, which spans the medial prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction, temporal poles, and precuneus, was significantly more active (p < 0.05) in the presence condition than in the absence condition regardless of event valence. Moreover, participants with the GG (p < 0.01) and AG (p < 0.05) genotypes of HTR2A experienced happier feelings as well as greater activation of a part of the mentalizing/theory-of-mind network (p < 0.05) during empathy for happiness (neutral/presence condition) than those with the AA genotype. In a follow-up study with a vignette-based questionnaire conducted in a relatively large sample, male and female participants were presented with the same imagined events wherein their valence and the presence of a friend were manipulated. Results showed genetic differences in happiness-related empathy regardless of sex (p < 0.05). Findings suggest that HTR2A polymorphisms are associated with the effect of sharing happiness by modulating the activity of the mentalizing/theory-of-mind network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Matsunaga
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kawamichi
- Division of Cerebral Integration, Department of System Neuroscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Umemura
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Reiko Hori
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Eiji Shibata
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Fumio Kobayashi
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Kohta Suzuki
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Keiko Ishii
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Yohsuke Ohtsubo
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Yasuki Noguchi
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Misaki Ochi
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Hidenori Yamasue
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Hideki Ohira
- Department of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences, Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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17
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Tsutiya A, Nakano Y, Hansen-Kiss E, Kelly B, Nishihara M, Goshima Y, Corsmeier D, White P, Herman GE, Ohtani-Kaneko R. Human CRMP4 mutation and disrupted Crmp4 expression in mice are associated with ASD characteristics and sexual dimorphism. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16812. [PMID: 29196732 PMCID: PMC5711804 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16782-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are more common among boys than girls. The mechanisms responsible for ASD symptoms and their sex differences remain mostly unclear. We previously identified collapsin response mediator protein 4 (CRMP4) as a protein exhibiting sex-different expression during sexual differentiation of the hypothalamic sexually dimorphic nucleus. This study investigated the relationship between the sex-different development of autistic features and CRMP4 deficiency. Whole-exome sequencing detected a de novo variant (S541Y) of CRMP4 in a male ASD patient. The expression of mutated mouse CRMP4 S540Y, which is homologous to human CRMP4 S541Y, in cultured hippocampal neurons derived from Crmp4-knockout (KO) mice had increased dendritic branching, compared to those transfected with wild-type (WT) Crmp4, indicating that this mutation results in altered CRMP4 function in neurons. Crmp4-KO mice showed decreased social interaction and several alterations of sensory responses. Most of these changes were more severe in male Crmp4-KO mice than in females. The mRNA expression levels of some genes related to neurotransmission and cell adhesion were altered in the brain of Crmp4-KO mice, mostly in a gender-dependent manner. These results indicate a functional link between a case-specific, rare variant of one gene, Crmp4, and several characteristics of ASD, including sexual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuhiro Tsutiya
- Institute of Life Innovation Studies, Toyo University, 1-1-1 Itakura, Oura, Gunma, 374-0193, Japan
- Clinical Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, St. Marianna University Graduate School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Yui Nakano
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Toyo University, 1-1-1 Itakura, Oura, Gunma, 374-0193, Japan
| | - Emily Hansen-Kiss
- The Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
| | - Benjamin Kelly
- The Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
| | - Masugi Nishihara
- Department of Veterinary Physiology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Yoshio Goshima
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fuku-ura, Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Don Corsmeier
- The Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
| | - Peter White
- The Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
| | - Gail E Herman
- The Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
| | - Ritsuko Ohtani-Kaneko
- Institute of Life Innovation Studies, Toyo University, 1-1-1 Itakura, Oura, Gunma, 374-0193, Japan.
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Toyo University, 1-1-1 Itakura, Oura, Gunma, 374-0193, Japan.
- Research Center for Biomedical Engineering, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama, 350-8585, Japan.
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18
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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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19
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Ruble CL, Smith RM, Calley J, Munsie L, Airey DC, Gao Y, Shin JH, Hyde TM, Straub RE, Weinberger DR, Nisenbaum LK. Genomic structure and expression of the human serotonin 2A receptor gene (HTR2A) locus: identification of novel HTR2A and antisense (HTR2A-AS1) exons. BMC Genet 2016; 17:16. [PMID: 26738766 PMCID: PMC4702415 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-015-0325-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The serotonin 2A receptor is widely implicated in genetic association studies and remains an important drug target for psychiatric, neurological, and cardiovascular conditions. RNA sequencing redefined the architecture of the serotonin 2A receptor gene (HTR2A), revealing novel mRNA transcript isoforms utilizing unannotated untranslated regions of the gene. Expression of these untranslated regions is modulated by common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), namely rs6311. Previous studies did not fully capture the complexity of the sense- and antisense-encoded transcripts with respect to novel exons in the HTR2A gene locus. Here, we comprehensively catalogued exons and RNA isoforms for both HTR2A and HTR2A-AS1 using RNA-Seq from human prefrontal cortex and multiple mouse tissues. We subsequently tested associations between expression of newfound gene features and common SNPs in humans. Results We find that the human HTR2A gene spans ~66 kilobases and consists of 7, rather than 4 exons. Furthermore, the revised human HTR2A-AS1 gene spans ~474 kilobases and consists of 18, rather than 3 exons. Three HTR2A exons directly overlap with HTR2A-AS1 exons, suggesting potential for complementary nucleotide interactions. The repertoire of possible mouse Htr2a splice isoforms is remarkably similar to humans and we also find evidence for overlapping sense-antisense transcripts in the same relative positions as the human transcripts. rs6311 and SNPs in high linkage disequilibrium are associated with HTR2A-AS1 expression, in addition to previously described associations with expression of the extended 5’ untranslated region of HTR2A. Conclusions Our proposed HTR2A and HTR2A-AS1 gene structures dramatically differ from current annotations, now including overlapping exons on the sense and anti-sense strands. We also find orthologous transcript isoforms expressed in mice, providing opportunities to elucidate the biological roles of the human isoforms using a model system. Associations between rs6311 and expression of HTR2A and HTR2A-AS1 suggest this polymorphism is capable of modulating the expression of the sense or antisense transcripts. Still unclear is whether these SNPs act directly on the expression of the sense or antisense transcripts and whether overlapping exons are capable of interacting through complimentary base-pairing. Additional studies are necessary to determine the extent and nature of interactions between the SNPs and the transcripts prior to interpreting these findings in the context of phenotypes associated with HTR2A. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12863-015-0325-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara L Ruble
- Tailored Therapeutics, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, ᅟ.
| | - Ryan M Smith
- Tailored Therapeutics, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, ᅟ.
| | - John Calley
- Tailored Therapeutics, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, ᅟ.
| | - Leanne Munsie
- Tailored Therapeutics, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, ᅟ.
| | - David C Airey
- Tailored Therapeutics, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, ᅟ.
| | - Yuan Gao
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, ᅟ.
| | - Joo Heon Shin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, ᅟ.
| | - Thomas M Hyde
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, ᅟ. .,Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, ᅟ.
| | | | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, ᅟ. .,Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuroscience, and the Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, ᅟ.
| | - Laura K Nisenbaum
- Tailored Therapeutics, Lilly Corporate Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, ᅟ.
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20
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Gong P, Liu J, Blue PR, Li S, Zhou X. Serotonin receptor gene (HTR2A) T102C polymorphism modulates individuals' perspective taking ability and autistic-like traits. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:575. [PMID: 26557070 PMCID: PMC4615938 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have indicated that empathic traits, such as perspective taking, are associated with the levels of serotonin in the brain and with autism spectrum conditions. Inspired by the finding that the serotonin receptor 2A gene (HTR2A) modulates the availability of serotonin, this study investigated to what extent HTR2A modulates individuals’ perspective taking ability and autistic-like traits. To examine the associations of the functional HTR2A polymorphism T102C (rs6313) with individuals’ perspective taking abilities and autistic-like traits, we differentiated individuals according to this polymorphism and measured empathic and autistic-like traits with Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) scale in 523 Chinese people. The results indicated that this polymorphism was significantly associated with the scores on Perspective Taking and Personal Distress subscales of IRI, and Communication subscale of AQ. Individuals with a greater number of the C alleles were less likely to spontaneously adopt the point of view of others, more likely to be anxious when observing the pain endured by others, and more likely to have communication problems. Moreover, the genotype effect on communication problems was mediated by individuals’ perspective taking ability. These findings provide evidence that the HTR2A T102C polymorphism is a predictor of individual differences in empathic and autistic-like traits and highlight the role of the gene in the connection between perspective taking and autistic-like traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingyuan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University Xi'an, China ; Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Department of Psychology, Peking University Beijing, China ; Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Henan University of Science and Technology Luoyang, China
| | - Jinting Liu
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Department of Psychology, Peking University Beijing, China ; China Center for Special Economic Zone Research, Shenzhen University Shenzhen, China ; Research Centre for Brain Function and Psychological Science, Shenzhen University Shenzhen, China
| | - Philip R Blue
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Department of Psychology, Peking University Beijing, China
| | - She Li
- Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Henan University of Science and Technology Luoyang, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhou
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Department of Psychology, Peking University Beijing, China ; Key Laboratory of Machine Perception (Ministry of Education), Peking University Beijing, China ; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University Beijing, China
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21
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Hranilovic D, Blazevic S, Stefulj J, Zill P. DNA Methylation Analysis of HTR2A Regulatory Region in Leukocytes of Autistic Subjects. Autism Res 2015; 9:204-9. [PMID: 26149086 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Disturbed brain and peripheral serotonin homeostasis is often found in subjects with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The role of the serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A) in the regulation of central and peripheral serotonin homeostasis, as well as its altered expression in autistic subjects, have implicated the HTR2A gene as a major candidate for the serotonin disturbance seen in autism. Several studies, yielding so far inconclusive results, have attempted to associate autism with a functional SNP -1438 G/A (rs6311) in the HTR2A promoter region, while possible contribution of epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, to HTR2A dysregulation in autism has not yet been investigated. In this study, we compared the mean DNA methylation within the regulatory region of the HTR2A gene between autistic and control subjects. DNA methylation was analysed in peripheral blood leukocytes using bisulfite conversion and sequencing of the HTR2A region containing rs6311 polymorphism. Autistic subjects of rs6311 AG genotype displayed higher mean methylation levels within the analysed region than the corresponding controls (P < 0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference for AA and GG carriers. Our study provides preliminary evidence for increased HTR2A promoter methylation in leukocytes of a portion of adult autistic subjects, indicating that epigenetic mechanisms might contribute to HTR2A dysregulation observed in individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dubravka Hranilovic
- Department of Animal Physiology, Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Sofia Blazevic
- Department of Animal Physiology, Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jasminka Stefulj
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology, Division of Molecular Biology, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.,Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Peter Zill
- Division of Psychiatric Genetics and Neurochemistry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Wang J, Tao Y, Song F, Sun Y, Ott J, Saffen D. Common Regulatory Variants ofCYFIP1Contribute to Susceptibility for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Classical Autism. Ann Hum Genet 2015; 79:329-340. [DOI: 10.1111/ahg.12121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- Institutes of Brain Science; Fudan University; Shanghai China
- School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources; Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, Ministry of Education; China
| | - Yu Tao
- Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine; Fudan University; Shanghai China
| | - Fan Song
- Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine; Fudan University; Shanghai China
| | - Yue Sun
- Institutes of Brain Science; Fudan University; Shanghai China
- School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai China
| | - Jurg Ott
- Institute of Psychology; Chinese Academy of Science; Beijing China
| | - David Saffen
- Institutes of Brain Science; Fudan University; Shanghai China
- School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai China
- Department of Cellular and Genetic Medicine; Fudan University; Shanghai China
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology; Fudan University; Shanghai China
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23
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Jaiswal P, Mohanakumar KP, Rajamma U. Serotonin mediated immunoregulation and neural functions: Complicity in the aetiology of autism spectrum disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 55:413-31. [PMID: 26021727 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Serotonergic system has long been implicated in the aetiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), since platelet hyperserotonemia is consistently observed in a subset of autistic patients, who respond well to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Apart from being a neurotransmitter, serotonin functions as a neurotrophic factor directing brain development and as an immunoregulator modulating immune responses. Serotonin transporter (SERT) regulates serotonin level in lymphoid tissues to ensure its proper functioning in innate and adaptive responses. Immunological molecules such as cytokines in turn regulate the transcription and activity of SERT. Dysregulation of serotonergic system could trigger signalling cascades that affect normal neural-immune interactions culminating in neurodevelopmental and neural connectivity defects precipitating behavioural abnormalities, or the disease phenotypes. Therefore, we suggest that a better understanding of the cross talk between serotonergic genes, immune systems and serotonergic neurotransmission will open wider avenues to develop pharmacological leads for addressing the core ASD behavioural deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Jaiswal
- Manovikas Biomedical Research and Diagnostic Centre, Manovikas Kendra, 482 Madudah, Plot I-24, Sector-J, EM Bypass, Kolkata 700 107, India
| | - Kochupurackal P Mohanakumar
- Division of Cell Biology & Physiology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700 032, India
| | - Usha Rajamma
- Manovikas Biomedical Research and Diagnostic Centre, Manovikas Kendra, 482 Madudah, Plot I-24, Sector-J, EM Bypass, Kolkata 700 107, India.
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