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Narayanan R, Levone BR, Winterer J, Nanda P, Müller A, Lobriglio T, Fiore R, Germain PL, Mihailovich M, Testa G, Schratt G. miRNA-mediated inhibition of an actomyosin network in hippocampal pyramidal neurons restricts sociability in adult male mice. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114429. [PMID: 38968074 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Social deficits are frequently observed in patients suffering from neurodevelopmental disorders, but the molecular mechanisms regulating sociability are still poorly understood. We recently reported that the loss of the microRNA (miRNA) cluster miR-379-410 leads to hypersocial behavior and anxiety in mice. Here, we show that ablating miR-379-410 in excitatory neurons of the postnatal mouse hippocampus recapitulates hypersociability, but not anxiety. At the cellular level, miR-379-410 loss in excitatory neurons leads to larger dendritic spines, increased excitatory synaptic transmission, and upregulation of an actomyosin gene network. Re-expression of three cluster miRNAs, as well as pharmacological inhibition of the actomyosin activator ROCK, is sufficient to reinstate normal sociability in miR-379-410 knockout mice. Several actomyosin genes and miR-379-410 family members are reciprocally dysregulated in isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons harboring a deletion present in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome, characterized by hypersocial behavior. Together, our results show an miRNA-actomyosin pathway involved in social behavior regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramanathan Narayanan
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Brunno Rocha Levone
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jochen Winterer
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Prakruti Nanda
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Müller
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Lobriglio
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Roberto Fiore
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Luc Germain
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Laboratory of Molecular and Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Laboratory of Statistical Bioinformatics, IMLS, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marija Mihailovich
- European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, Milan, Italy; Human Technopole, Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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Bar E, Fischer I, Rokach M, Elad-Sfadia G, Shirenova S, Ophir O, Trangle SS, Okun E, Barak B. Neuronal deletion of Gtf2i results in developmental microglial alterations in a mouse model related to Williams syndrome. Glia 2024; 72:1117-1135. [PMID: 38450767 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24519] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a heterozygous microdeletion, characterized by hypersociability and unique neurocognitive abnormalities. Of the deleted genes, GTF2I has been linked to hypersociability in WS. We have recently shown that Gtf2i deletion from forebrain excitatory neurons, referred to as Gtf2i conditional knockout (cKO) mice leads to multi-faceted myelination deficits associated with the social behaviors affected in WS. These deficits were potentially mediated also by microglia, as they present a close relationship with oligodendrocytes. To study the impact of altered myelination, we characterized these mice in terms of microglia over the course of development. In postnatal day 30 (P30) Gtf2i cKO mice, cortical microglia displayed a more ramified state, as compared with wild type (controls). However, postnatal day 4 (P4) microglia exhibited high proliferation rates and an elevated activation state, demonstrating altered properties related to activation and inflammation in Gtf2i cKO mice compared with control. Intriguingly, P4 Gtf2i cKO-derived microglial cells exhibited significantly elevated myelin phagocytosis in vitro compared to control mice. Lastly, systemic injection of clemastine to P4 Gtf2i cKO and control mice until P30, led to a significant interaction between genotypes and treatments on the expression levels of the phagocytic marker CD68, and a significant reduction of the macrophage/microglial marker Iba1 transcript levels in the cortex of the Gtf2i cKO treated mice. Our data thus implicate microglia as important players in WS, and that early postnatal manipulation of microglia might be beneficial in treating inflammatory and myelin-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ela Bar
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry & Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Inbar Fischer
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - May Rokach
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Galit Elad-Sfadia
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sophie Shirenova
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Omer Ophir
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sari Schokoroy Trangle
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Eitan Okun
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Boaz Barak
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Adams JW, Vinokur A, de Souza JS, Austria C, Guerra BS, Herai RH, Wahlin KJ, Muotri AR. Loss of GTF2I promotes neuronal apoptosis and synaptic reduction in human cellular models of neurodevelopment. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113867. [PMID: 38416640 PMCID: PMC11002531 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113867] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Williams syndrome (WS), a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by hemizygous loss of 26-28 genes at 7q11.23, characteristically portray a hypersocial phenotype. Copy-number variations and mutations in one of these genes, GTF2I, are associated with altered sociality and are proposed to underlie hypersociality in WS. However, the contribution of GTF2I to human neurodevelopment remains poorly understood. Here, human cellular models of neurodevelopment, including neural progenitors, neurons, and three-dimensional cortical organoids, are differentiated from CRISPR-Cas9-edited GTF2I-knockout (GTF2I-KO) pluripotent stem cells to investigate the role of GTF2I in human neurodevelopment. GTF2I-KO progenitors exhibit increased proliferation and cell-cycle alterations. Cortical organoids and neurons demonstrate increased cell death and synaptic dysregulation, including synaptic structural dysfunction and decreased electrophysiological activity on a multielectrode array. Our findings suggest that changes in synaptic circuit integrity may be a prominent mediator of the link between alterations in GTF2I and variation in the phenotypic expression of human sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Adams
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Annabelle Vinokur
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Janaína S de Souza
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Charles Austria
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Bruno S Guerra
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Experimental Multiuser Laboratory, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR 80215-901, Brazil
| | - Roberto H Herai
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Experimental Multiuser Laboratory, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR 80215-901, Brazil
| | - Karl J Wahlin
- Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Alysson R Muotri
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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Gnanadesikan GE, Tandon D, Bray EE, Kennedy BS, Tennenbaum SR, MacLean EL, vonHoldt BM. Transposons in the Williams-Beuren Syndrome Critical Region are Associated with Social Behavior in Assistance Dogs. Behav Genet 2024; 54:196-211. [PMID: 38091228 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10166-7] [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: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
A strong signature of selection in the domestic dog genome is found in a five-megabase region of chromosome six in which four structural variants derived from transposons have previously been associated with human-oriented social behavior, such as attentional bias to social stimuli and social interest in strangers. To explore these genetic associations in more phenotypic detail-as well as their role in training success in a specialized assistance dog program-we genotyped 1001 assistance dogs from Canine Companions for Independence®, including both successful graduates and dogs released from the training program for behaviors incompatible with their working role. We collected phenotypes on each dog using puppy-raiser questionnaires, trainer questionnaires, and both cognitive and behavioral tests. Using Bayesian mixed models, we found strong associations (95% credibility intervals excluding zero) between genotypes and certain behavioral measures, including separation-related problems, aggression when challenged or corrected, and reactivity to other dogs. Furthermore, we found moderate differences in the genotypes of dogs who graduated versus those who did not; insertions in GTF2I showed the strongest association with training success (β = 0.23, CI95% = - 0.04, 0.49), translating to an odds-ratio of 1.25 for one insertion. Our results provide insight into the role of each of these four transposons in canine sociability and may inform breeding and training practices for working dog organizations. Furthermore, the observed importance of the gene GTF2I supports the emerging consensus that variation in GTF2I genotypes and expression have important consequences for social behavior broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gitanjali E Gnanadesikan
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
- Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
| | - Dhriti Tandon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Emily E Bray
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, 95402, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Oro Valley, AZ, 85737, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Brenda S Kennedy
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, 95402, USA
| | - Stavi R Tennenbaum
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Evan L MacLean
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Oro Valley, AZ, 85737, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Bridgett M vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
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Nir Sade A, Levy G, Schokoroy Trangle S, Elad Sfadia G, Bar E, Ophir O, Fischer I, Rokach M, Atzmon A, Parnas H, Rosenberg T, Marco A, Elroy Stein O, Barak B. Neuronal Gtf2i deletion alters mitochondrial and autophagic properties. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1269. [PMID: 38097729 PMCID: PMC10721858 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05612-5] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Gtf2i encodes the general transcription factor II-I (TFII-I), with peak expression during pre-natal and early post-natal brain development stages. Because these stages are critical for proper brain development, we studied at the single-cell level the consequences of Gtf2i's deletion from excitatory neurons, specifically on mitochondria. Here we show that Gtf2i's deletion resulted in abnormal morphology, disrupted mRNA related to mitochondrial fission and fusion, and altered autophagy/mitophagy protein expression. These changes align with elevated reactive oxygen species levels, illuminating Gtf2i's importance in neurons mitochondrial function. Similar mitochondrial issues were demonstrated by Gtf2i heterozygous model, mirroring the human condition in Williams syndrome (WS), and by hemizygous neuronal Gtf2i deletion model, indicating Gtf2i's dosage-sensitive role in mitochondrial regulation. Clinically relevant, we observed altered transcript levels related to mitochondria, hypoxia, and autophagy in frontal cortex tissue from WS individuals. Our study reveals mitochondrial and autophagy-related deficits shedding light on WS and other Gtf2i-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Nir Sade
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Gilad Levy
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sari Schokoroy Trangle
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Galit Elad Sfadia
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ela Bar
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Omer Ophir
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Inbar Fischer
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - May Rokach
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Andrea Atzmon
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine & Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hadar Parnas
- Neuro-Epigenetics Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tali Rosenberg
- Neuro-Epigenetics Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Asaf Marco
- Neuro-Epigenetics Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Orna Elroy Stein
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Shmunis School of Biomedicine & Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Boaz Barak
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Ophir O, Levy G, Bar E, Kimchi Feldhorn O, Rokach M, Elad Sfadia G, Barak B. Deletion of Gtf2i via Systemic Administration of AAV-PHP.eB Virus Increases Social Behavior in a Mouse Model of a Neurodevelopmental Disorder. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2273. [PMID: 37626769 PMCID: PMC10452363 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by distinctive cognitive and personality profiles which also impacts various physiological systems. The syndrome arises from the deletion of about 25 genes located on chromosome 7q11.23, including Gtf2i. Prior research indicated a strong association between pre-natal Gtf2i deletion, and the hyper-social phenotypes observed in WS, as well as myelination deficits. As most studies addressed pre-natal Gtf2i deletion in mouse models, post-natal neuronal roles of Gtf2i were unknown. To investigate the impact of post-natal deletion of neuronal Gtf2i on hyper-sociability, we intravenously injected an AAV-PHP.eB virus expressing Cre-recombinase under the control of αCaMKII, a promoter in a mouse model with floxed Gtf2i. This targeted deletion was performed in young mice, allowing for precise and efficient brain-wide infection leading to the exclusive removal of Gtf2i from excitatory neurons. As a result of such gene deletion, the mice displayed hyper-sociability, increased anxiety, impaired cognition, and hyper-mobility, relative to controls. These findings highlight the potential of systemic viral manipulation as a gene-editing technique to modulate behavior-regulating genes during the post-natal stage, thus presenting novel therapeutic approaches for addressing neurodevelopmental dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Ophir
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Gilad Levy
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ela Bar
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- The School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry & Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | | | - May Rokach
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Galit Elad Sfadia
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Boaz Barak
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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7
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Nygaard KR, Maloney SE, Swift RG, McCullough KB, Wagner RE, Fass SB, Garbett K, Mirnics K, Veenstra‐VanderWeele J, Dougherty JD. Extensive characterization of a Williams syndrome murine model shows Gtf2ird1-mediated rescue of select sensorimotor tasks, but no effect on enhanced social behavior. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12853. [PMID: 37370259 PMCID: PMC10393419 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12853] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Williams syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder exhibiting cognitive and behavioral abnormalities, including increased social motivation, risk of anxiety and specific phobias along with perturbed motor function. Williams syndrome is caused by a microdeletion of 26-28 genes on chromosome 7, including GTF2IRD1, which encodes a transcription factor suggested to play a role in the behavioral profile of Williams syndrome. Duplications of the full region also lead to frequent autism diagnosis, social phobias and language delay. Thus, genes in the region appear to regulate social motivation in a dose-sensitive manner. A "complete deletion" mouse, heterozygously eliminating the syntenic Williams syndrome region, has been deeply characterized for cardiac phenotypes, but direct measures of social motivation have not been assessed. Furthermore, the role of Gtf2ird1 in these behaviors has not been addressed in a relevant genetic context. Here, we have generated a mouse overexpressing Gtf2ird1, which can be used both to model duplication of this gene alone and to rescue Gtf2ird1 expression in the complete deletion mice. Using a comprehensive behavioral pipeline and direct measures of social motivation, we provide evidence that the Williams syndrome critical region regulates social motivation along with motor and anxiety phenotypes, but that Gtf2ird1 complementation is not sufficient to rescue most of these traits, and duplication does not decrease social motivation. However, Gtf2ird1 complementation does rescue light-aversive behavior and performance on select sensorimotor tasks, perhaps indicating a role for this gene in sensory processing or integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla R. Nygaard
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Susan E. Maloney
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Research CenterWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Raylynn G. Swift
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Katherine B. McCullough
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Rachael E. Wagner
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Stuart B. Fass
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | | | - Karoly Mirnics
- Psychiatry, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience, Munroe‐Meyer Institute for Genetics and RehabilitationUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Jeremy Veenstra‐VanderWeele
- Departments of Psychiatry and PediatricsColumbia University, New York State Psychiatric Institute, and Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, New York‐Presbyterian HospitalNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Joseph D. Dougherty
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Research CenterWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
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8
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Jeon YS, Jeong D, Kweon H, Kim JH, Kim CY, Oh Y, Lee YH, Kim CH, Kim SG, Jeong JW, Kim E, Lee SH. Adolescent Parvalbumin Expression in the Left Orbitofrontal Cortex Shapes Sociability in Female Mice. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1555-1571. [PMID: 36717231 PMCID: PMC10008055 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0918-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The adolescent social experience is essential for the maturation of the prefrontal cortex in mammalian species. However, it still needs to be determined which cortical circuits mature with such experience and how it shapes adult social behaviors in a sex-specific manner. Here, we examined social-approaching behaviors in male and female mice after postweaning social isolation (PWSI), which deprives social experience during adolescence. We found that the PWSI, particularly isolation during late adolescence, caused an abnormal increase in social approaches (hypersociability) only in female mice. We further found that the PWSI female mice showed reduced parvalbumin (PV) expression in the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFCL). When we measured neural activity in the female OFCL, a substantial number of neurons showed higher activity when mice sniffed other mice (social sniffing) than when they sniffed an object (object sniffing). Interestingly, the PWSI significantly reduced both the number of activated neurons and the activity level during social sniffing in female mice. Similarly, the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown of PV in the OFCL during late adolescence enhanced sociability and reduced the social sniffing-induced activity in adult female mice via decreased excitability of PV+ neurons and reduced synaptic inhibition in the OFCL Moreover, optogenetic activation of excitatory neurons or optogenetic inhibition of PV+ neurons in the OFCL enhanced sociability in female mice. Our data demonstrate that the adolescent social experience is critical for the maturation of PV+ inhibitory circuits in the OFCL; this maturation shapes female social behavior via enhancing social representation in the OFCL SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Adolescent social isolation often changes adult social behaviors in mammals. Yet, we do not fully understand the sex-specific effects of social isolation and the brain areas and circuits that mediate such changes. Here, we found that adolescent social isolation causes three abnormal phenotypes in female but not male mice: hypersociability, decreased PV+ neurons in the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFCL), and decreased socially evoked activity in the OFCL Moreover, parvalbumin (PV) deletion in the OFCL in vivo caused the same phenotypes in female mice by increasing excitation compared with inhibition within the OFCL Our data suggest that adolescent social experience is required for PV maturation in the OFCL, which is critical for evoking OFCL activity that shapes social behaviors in female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Seon Jeon
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Daun Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Hanseul Kweon
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Jae-Hyun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Choong Yeon Kim
- School of Electrical Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Youngbin Oh
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Young-Ho Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Chan Hyuk Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Sang-Gyu Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Jae-Woong Jeong
- School of Electrical Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Eunjoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Seung-Hee Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea
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9
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Nygaard KR, Maloney SE, Swift RG, McCullough KB, Wagner RE, Fass SB, Garbett K, Mirnics K, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, Dougherty JD. Extensive characterization of a Williams Syndrome murine model shows Gtf2ird1 -mediated rescue of select sensorimotor tasks, but no effect on enhanced social behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.18.523029. [PMID: 36711815 PMCID: PMC9882309 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.18.523029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Williams Syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder exhibiting cognitive and behavioral abnormalities, including increased social motivation, risk of anxiety and specific phobias along with perturbed motor function. Williams Syndrome is caused by a microdeletion of 26-28 genes on chromosome 7, including GTF2IRD1 , which encodes a transcription factor suggested to play a role in the behavioral profile of Williams Syndrome. Duplications of the full region also lead to frequent autism diagnosis, social phobias, and language delay. Thus, genes in the region appear to regulate social motivation in a dose-sensitive manner. A 'Complete Deletion' mouse, heterozygously eliminating the syntenic Williams Syndrome region, has been deeply characterized for cardiac phenotypes, but direct measures of social motivation have not been assessed. Furthermore, the role of Gtf2ird1 in these behaviors has not been addressed in a relevant genetic context. Here, we have generated a mouse overexpressing Gtf2ird1 , which can be used both to model duplication of this gene alone and to rescue Gtf2ird1 expression in the Complete Deletion mice. Using a comprehensive behavioral pipeline and direct measures of social motivation, we provide evidence that the Williams Syndrome Critical Region regulates social motivation along with motor and anxiety phenotypes, but that Gtf2ird1 complementation is not sufficient to rescue most of these traits, and duplication does not decrease social motivation. However, Gtf2ird1 complementation does rescue light-aversive behavior and performance on select sensorimotor tasks, perhaps indicating a role for this gene in sensory processing or integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla R. Nygaard
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Susan E. Maloney
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Raylynn G. Swift
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Katherine B. McCullough
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Rachael E. Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Stuart B. Fass
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | - Karoly Mirnics
- Psychiatry, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience, Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198-5450
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute; and Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, New York-Presbyterian Hospital
| | - Joseph D. Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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10
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Davenport CM, Teubner BJW, Han SB, Patton MH, Eom TY, Garic D, Lansdell BJ, Shirinifard A, Chang TC, Klein J, Pruett-Miller SM, Blundon JA, Zakharenko SS. Innate frequency-discrimination hyperacuity in Williams-Beuren syndrome mice. Cell 2022; 185:3877-3895.e21. [PMID: 36152627 PMCID: PMC9588278 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a rare disorder caused by hemizygous microdeletion of ∼27 contiguous genes. Despite neurodevelopmental and cognitive deficits, individuals with WBS have spared or enhanced musical and auditory abilities, potentially offering an insight into the genetic basis of auditory perception. Here, we report that the mouse models of WBS have innately enhanced frequency-discrimination acuity and improved frequency coding in the auditory cortex (ACx). Chemogenetic rescue showed frequency-discrimination hyperacuity is caused by hyperexcitable interneurons in the ACx. Haploinsufficiency of one WBS gene, Gtf2ird1, replicated WBS phenotypes by downregulating the neuropeptide receptor VIPR1. VIPR1 is reduced in the ACx of individuals with WBS and in the cerebral organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells with the WBS microdeletion. Vipr1 deletion or overexpression in ACx interneurons mimicked or reversed, respectively, the cellular and behavioral phenotypes of WBS mice. Thus, the Gtf2ird1-Vipr1 mechanism in ACx interneurons may underlie the superior auditory acuity in WBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Davenport
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Brett J W Teubner
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Seung Baek Han
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Mary H Patton
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Tae-Yeon Eom
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Dusan Garic
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Benjamin J Lansdell
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Abbas Shirinifard
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ti-Cheng Chang
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jonathon Klein
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shondra M Pruett-Miller
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Jay A Blundon
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
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11
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Blok LER, Boon M, van Reijmersdal B, Höffler KD, Fenckova M, Schenck A. Genetics, molecular control and clinical relevance of habituation learning. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104883. [PMID: 36152842 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Habituation is the most fundamental form of learning. As a firewall that protects our brain from sensory overload, it is indispensable for cognitive processes. Studies in humans and animal models provide increasing evidence that habituation is affected in autism and related monogenic neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). An integrated application of habituation assessment in NDDs and their animal models has unexploited potential for neuroscience and medical care. With the aim to gain mechanistic insights, we systematically retrieved genes that have been demonstrated in the literature to underlie habituation. We identified 258 evolutionarily conserved genes across species, describe the biological processes they converge on, and highlight regulatory pathways and drugs that may alleviate habituation deficits. We also summarize current habituation paradigms and extract the most decisive arguments that support the crucial role of habituation for cognition in health and disease. We conclude that habituation is a conserved, quantitative, cognition- and disease-relevant process that can connect preclinical and clinical work, and hence is a powerful tool to advance research, diagnostics, and treatment of NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Elisabeth Rosalie Blok
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Marina Boon
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Boyd van Reijmersdal
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Kira Daniela Höffler
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Michaela Fenckova
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Branisovska 31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Annette Schenck
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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12
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Grad M, Nir A, Levy G, Trangle SS, Shapira G, Shomron N, Assaf Y, Barak B. Altered White Matter and microRNA Expression in a Murine Model Related to Williams Syndrome Suggests That miR-34b/c Affects Brain Development via Ptpru and Dcx Modulation. Cells 2022; 11:cells11010158. [PMID: 35011720 PMCID: PMC8750756 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a multisystem neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a de novo hemizygous deletion of ~26 genes from chromosome 7q11.23, among them the general transcription factor II-I (GTF2I). By studying a novel murine model for the hypersociability phenotype associated with WS, we previously revealed surprising aberrations in myelination and cell differentiation properties in the cortices of mutant mice compared to controls. These mutant mice had selective deletion of Gtf2i in the excitatory neurons of the forebrain. Here, we applied diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and fiber tracking, which showed a reduction in the number of streamlines in limbic outputs such as the fimbria/fornix fibers and the stria terminalis, as well as the corpus callosum of these mutant mice compared to controls. Furthermore, we utilized next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of cortical small RNAs' expression (RNA-Seq) levels to identify altered expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), including two from the miR-34 cluster, known to be involved in prominent processes in the developing nervous system. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed the direct binding of miR-34c-5p to the 3'UTR of PTPRU-a gene involved in neural development that was elevated in the cortices of mutant mice relative to controls. Moreover, we found an age-dependent variation in the expression levels of doublecortin (Dcx)-a verified miR-34 target. Thus, we demonstrate the substantial effect a single gene deletion can exert on miRNA regulation and brain structure, and advance our understanding and, hopefully, treatment of WS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meitar Grad
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; (M.G.); (A.N.); (G.L.); (N.S.); (Y.A.)
| | - Ariel Nir
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; (M.G.); (A.N.); (G.L.); (N.S.); (Y.A.)
| | - Gilad Levy
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; (M.G.); (A.N.); (G.L.); (N.S.); (Y.A.)
| | - Sari Schokoroy Trangle
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
| | - Guy Shapira
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
- Edmond J. Safra Center for Bioinformatics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Noam Shomron
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; (M.G.); (A.N.); (G.L.); (N.S.); (Y.A.)
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
- Edmond J. Safra Center for Bioinformatics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Yaniv Assaf
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; (M.G.); (A.N.); (G.L.); (N.S.); (Y.A.)
- Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry & Biophysics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Boaz Barak
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; (M.G.); (A.N.); (G.L.); (N.S.); (Y.A.)
- Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
- Correspondence:
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13
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Kopp ND, Nygaard KR, Liu Y, McCullough KB, Maloney SE, Gabel HW, Dougherty JD. Functions of Gtf2i and Gtf2ird1 in the developing brain: transcription, DNA binding and long-term behavioral consequences. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:1498-1519. [PMID: 32313931 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gtf2ird1 and Gtf2i are two transcription factors (TFs) among the 28 genes deleted in Williams syndrome, and prior mouse models of each TF show behavioral phenotypes. Here we identify their genomic binding sites in the developing brain and test for additive effects of their mutation on transcription and behavior. GTF2IRD1 binding targets were enriched for transcriptional and chromatin regulators and mediators of ubiquitination. GTF2I targets were enriched for signal transduction proteins, including regulators of phosphorylation and WNT. Both TFs are highly enriched at promoters, strongly overlap CTCF binding and topological associating domain boundaries and moderately overlap each other, suggesting epistatic effects. Shared TF targets are enriched for reactive oxygen species-responsive genes, synaptic proteins and transcription regulators such as chromatin modifiers, including a significant number of highly constrained genes and known ASD genes. We next used single and double mutants to test whether mutating both TFs will modify transcriptional and behavioral phenotypes of single Gtf2ird1 mutants, though with the caveat that our Gtf2ird1 mutants, like others previously reported, do produce low levels of a truncated protein product. Despite little difference in DNA binding and transcriptome-wide expression, homozygous Gtf2ird1 mutation caused balance, marble burying and conditioned fear phenotypes. However, mutating Gtf2i in addition to Gtf2ird1 did not further modify transcriptomic or most behavioral phenotypes, suggesting Gtf2ird1 mutation alone was sufficient for the observed phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D Kopp
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kayla R Nygaard
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yating Liu
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Katherine B McCullough
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Susan E Maloney
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Harrison W Gabel
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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14
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Wang HG, Bavley CC, Li A, Jones RM, Hackett J, Bayleyen Y, Lee FS, Rajadhyaksha AM, Pitt GS. Scn2a severe hypomorphic mutation decreases excitatory synaptic input and causes autism-associated behaviors. JCI Insight 2021; 6:150698. [PMID: 34156984 PMCID: PMC8410058 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.150698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
SCN2A, encoding the neuronal voltage-gated Na+ channel NaV1.2, is one of the most commonly affected loci linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Most ASD-associated mutations in SCN2A are loss-of-function mutations, but studies examining how such mutations affect neuronal function and whether Scn2a mutant mice display ASD endophenotypes have been inconsistent. We generated a protein truncation variant Scn2a mouse model (Scn2aΔ1898/+) by CRISPR that eliminates the NaV1.2 channel's distal intracellular C-terminal domain, and we analyzed the molecular and cellular consequences of this variant in a heterologous expression system, in neuronal culture, in brain slices, and in vivo. We also analyzed multiple behaviors in WT and Scn2aΔ1898/+ mice and correlated behaviors with clinical data obtained in human subjects with SCN2A variants. Expression of the NaV1.2 mutant in a heterologous expression system revealed decreased NaV1.2 channel function, and cultured pyramidal neurons isolated from Scn2aΔ1898/+ forebrain showed correspondingly reduced voltage-gated Na+ channel currents without compensation from other CNS voltage-gated Na+ channels. Na+ currents in inhibitory neurons were unaffected. Consistent with loss of voltage-gated Na+ channel currents, Scn2aΔ1898/+ pyramidal neurons displayed reduced excitability in forebrain neuronal culture and reduced excitatory synaptic input onto the pyramidal neurons in brain slices. Scn2aΔ1898/+ mice displayed several behavioral abnormalities, including abnormal social interactions that reflect behavior observed in humans with ASD and with harboring loss-of-function SCN2A variants. This model and its cellular electrophysiological characterizations provide a framework for tracing how a SCN2A loss-of-function variant leads to cellular defects that result in ASD-associated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlotte C. Bavley
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, and
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anfei Li
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, and
| | - Rebecca M. Jones
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, White Plains, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Autism Research Program and
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jonathan Hackett
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Francis S. Lee
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, and
- Weill Cornell Autism Research Program and
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anjali M. Rajadhyaksha
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, and
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Autism Research Program and
| | - Geoffrey S. Pitt
- Cardiovascular Research Institute
- Weill Cornell Autism Research Program and
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15
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Kozel BA, Barak B, Ae Kim C, Mervis CB, Osborne LR, Porter M, Pober BR. Williams syndrome. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2021; 7:42. [PMID: 34140529 PMCID: PMC9437774 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-021-00276-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a relatively rare microdeletion disorder that occurs in as many as 1:7,500 individuals. WS arises due to the mispairing of low-copy DNA repetitive elements at meiosis. The deletion size is similar across most individuals with WS and leads to the loss of one copy of 25-27 genes on chromosome 7q11.23. The resulting unique disorder affects multiple systems, with cardinal features including but not limited to cardiovascular disease (characteristically stenosis of the great arteries and most notably supravalvar aortic stenosis), a distinctive craniofacial appearance, and a specific cognitive and behavioural profile that includes intellectual disability and hypersociability. Genotype-phenotype evidence is strongest for ELN, the gene encoding elastin, which is responsible for the vascular and connective tissue features of WS, and for the transcription factor genes GTF2I and GTF2IRD1, which are known to affect intellectual ability, social functioning and anxiety. Mounting evidence also ascribes phenotypic consequences to the deletion of BAZ1B, LIMK1, STX1A and MLXIPL, but more work is needed to understand the mechanism by which these deletions contribute to clinical outcomes. The age of diagnosis has fallen in regions of the world where technological advances, such as chromosomal microarray, enable clinicians to make the diagnosis of WS without formally suspecting it, allowing earlier intervention by medical and developmental specialists. Phenotypic variability is considerable for all cardinal features of WS but the specific sources of this variability remain unknown. Further investigation to identify the factors responsible for these differences may lead to mechanism-based rather than symptom-based therapies and should therefore be a high research priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth A. Kozel
- Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA
| | - Boaz Barak
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience and The School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Chong Ae Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carolyn B. Mervis
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA
| | - Lucy R. Osborne
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melanie Porter
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Barbara R. Pober
- Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
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16
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Osborne LR, Mervis CB. 7q11.23 deletion and duplication. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2021; 68:41-48. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2021.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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17
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Levy G, Barak B. Postnatal therapeutic approaches in genetic neurodevelopmental disorders. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:414-422. [PMID: 32985459 PMCID: PMC7996025 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.293133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic neurodevelopmental disorders are characterized by abnormal neurophysiological and behavioral phenotypes, affecting individuals worldwide. While the subject has been heavily researched, current treatment options relate mostly to alleviating symptoms, rather than targeting the altered genome itself. In this review, we address the neurogenetic basis of neurodevelopmental disorders, genetic tools that are enabling precision research of these disorders in animal models, and postnatal gene-therapy approaches for neurodevelopmental disorders derived from preclinical studies in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilad Levy
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Boaz Barak
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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18
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Dai L, Weiss RB, Dunn DM, Ramirez A, Paul S, Korenberg JR. Core transcriptional networks in Williams syndrome: IGF1-PI3K-AKT-mTOR, MAPK and actin signaling at the synapse echo autism. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:411-429. [PMID: 33564861 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene networks for disorders of social behavior provide the mechanisms critical for identifying therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Large behavioral phenotypic effects of small human deletions make the positive sociality of Williams syndrome (WS) ideal for determining transcriptional networks for social dysfunction currently based on DNA variations for disorders such as autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCHZ). Consensus on WS networks has been elusive due to the need for larger cohort size, sensitive genome-wide detection and analytic tools. We report a core set of WS network perturbations in a cohort of 58 individuals (34 with typical, 6 atypical deletions and 18 controls). Genome-wide exon-level expression arrays robustly detected changes in differentially expressed gene (DEG) transcripts from WS deleted genes that ranked in the top 11 of 12 122 transcripts, validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR, RNASeq and western blots. WS DEG's were strictly dosed in the full but not the atypical deletions that revealed a breakpoint position effect on non-deleted CLIP2, a caveat for current phenotypic mapping based on copy number variants. Network analyses tested the top WS DEG's role in the dendritic spine, employing GeneMANIA to harmonize WS DEGs with comparable query gene-sets. The results indicate perturbed actin cytoskeletal signaling analogous to the excitatory dendritic spines. Independent protein-protein interaction analyses of top WS DEGs generated a 100-node graph annotated topologically revealing three interacting pathways, MAPK, IGF1-PI3K-AKT-mTOR/insulin and actin signaling at the synapse. The results indicate striking similarity of WS transcriptional networks to genome-wide association study-based ASD and SCHZ risk suggesting common network dysfunction for these disorders of divergent sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Dai
- Center for Integrated Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Robert B Weiss
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Diane M Dunn
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Anna Ramirez
- Center for Integrated Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Sharan Paul
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Julie R Korenberg
- Center for Integrated Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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19
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Omics Application in Animal Science-A Special Emphasis on Stress Response and Damaging Behaviour in Pigs. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11080920. [PMID: 32796712 PMCID: PMC7464449 DOI: 10.3390/genes11080920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing stress resilience of livestock is important for ethical and profitable meat and dairy production. Susceptibility to stress can entail damaging behaviours, a common problem in pig production. Breeding animals with increased stress resilience is difficult for various reasons. First, studies on neuroendocrine and behavioural stress responses in farm animals are scarce, as it is difficult to record adequate phenotypes under field conditions. Second, damaging behaviours and stress susceptibility are complex traits, and their biology is not yet well understood. Dissecting complex traits into biologically better defined, heritable and easily measurable proxy traits and developing biomarkers will facilitate recording these traits in large numbers. High-throughput molecular technologies (“omics”) study the entirety of molecules and their interactions in a single analysis step. They can help to decipher the contributions of different physiological systems and identify candidate molecules that are representative of different physiological pathways. Here, we provide a general overview of different omics approaches and we give examples of how these techniques could be applied to discover biomarkers. We discuss the genetic dissection of the stress response by different omics techniques and we provide examples and outline potential applications of omics tools to understand and prevent outbreaks of damaging behaviours.
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Dang Y, Wan S, Zheng Y, Song T, Li C, Li Y, Zhang J. The Prenatal Diagnosis of Seven Fetuses with 7q11.23 Microdeletion or Microduplication. Fetal Pediatr Pathol 2020; 39:269-276. [PMID: 31402733 DOI: 10.1080/15513815.2019.1651802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Objective: There is scant information available about fetuses with 7q11.23 copy number variants (CNVs) found during pregnancy. We studied the clinical significance of 7q11.23 CNVs in prenatal diagnosis. Materials and methods: The amniocentesis was performed on pregnant women who underwent ultrasound (US) of fetal abnormalities. After karyotype analysis, CNVs were detected using BACs-on-Beads (BoBs) technique and chromosome microarray analysis (CMA). Results: Of seven fetuses with CNV of 7q11.23, five had microdeletions and two had microduplications. Case 1 had a 7q11.23 microdeletion along with other CNVs. Case 7 was a newborn with a normal phenotype and 7q11.23 microduplication. Conclusion: The CNVs in 7q11.23 results in many clinical manifestations, but the specificity of clinical features is not high. This study demonstrated that BoBs combined with CMA allows prenatal diagnosis of CNVs involving 7q11.23, and provide a clinical basis for prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling of such CNVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghui Dang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital Of AFMU (Air Force Medical University), Xi'an, China
| | - Shanning Wan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital Of AFMU (Air Force Medical University), Xi'an, China
| | - Yunyun Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital Of AFMU (Air Force Medical University), Xi'an, China
| | - Tingting Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital Of AFMU (Air Force Medical University), Xi'an, China
| | - Chunyan Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital Of AFMU (Air Force Medical University), Xi'an, China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital Of AFMU (Air Force Medical University), Xi'an, China
| | - Jianfang Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital Of AFMU (Air Force Medical University), Xi'an, China
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Maes T, Mascaró C, Rotllant D, Lufino MMP, Estiarte A, Guibourt N, Cavalcanti F, Griñan-Ferré C, Pallàs M, Nadal R, Armario A, Ferrer I, Ortega A, Valls N, Fyfe M, Martinell M, Castro Palomino JC, Buesa Arjol C. Modulation of KDM1A with vafidemstat rescues memory deficit and behavioral alterations. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233468. [PMID: 32469975 PMCID: PMC7259601 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription disequilibria are characteristic of many neurodegenerative diseases. The activity-evoked transcription of immediate early genes (IEGs), important for neuronal plasticity, memory and behavior, is altered in CNS diseases and governed by epigenetic modulation. KDM1A, a histone 3 lysine 4 demethylase that forms part of transcription regulation complexes, has been implicated in the control of IEG transcription. Here we report the development of vafidemstat (ORY-2001), a brain penetrant inhibitor of KDM1A and MAOB. ORY-2001 efficiently inhibits brain KDM1A at doses suitable for long term treatment, and corrects memory deficit as assessed in the novel object recognition testing in the Senescence Accelerated Mouse Prone 8 (SAMP8) model for accelerated aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Comparison with a selective KDM1A or MAOB inhibitor reveals that KDM1A inhibition is key for efficacy. ORY-2001 further corrects behavior alterations including aggression and social interaction deficits in SAMP8 mice and social avoidance in the rat rearing isolation model. ORY-2001 increases the responsiveness of IEGs, induces genes required for cognitive function and reduces a neuroinflammatory signature in SAMP8 mice. Multiple genes modulated by ORY-2001 are differentially expressed in Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Most strikingly, the amplifier of inflammation S100A9 is highly expressed in LOAD and in the hippocampus of SAMP8 mice, and down-regulated by ORY-2001. ORY-2001 is currently in multiple Phase IIa studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Maes
- Oryzon Genomics, S.A., Cornellà de Llobregat, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christian Griñan-Ferré
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mercè Pallàs
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roser Nadal
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Antonio Armario
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Isidro Ferrer
- Institut de Neuropatologia, Servei Anatomia Patologica, IDIBELL-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
| | | | - Nuria Valls
- Oryzon Genomics, S.A., Cornellà de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Matthew Fyfe
- Oryzon Genomics, S.A., Cornellà de Llobregat, Spain
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22
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Kopp N, McCullough K, Maloney SE, Dougherty JD. Gtf2i and Gtf2ird1 mutation do not account for the full phenotypic effect of the Williams syndrome critical region in mouse models. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 28:3443-3465. [PMID: 31418010 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a 1.5-1.8 Mbp deletion on chromosome 7q11.23, affecting the copy number of 26-28 genes. Phenotypes of WS include cardiovascular problems, craniofacial dysmorphology, deficits in visual-spatial cognition and a characteristic hypersocial personality. There are still no genes in the region that have been consistently linked to the cognitive and behavioral phenotypes, although human studies and mouse models have led to the current hypothesis that the general transcription factor 2 I family of genes, GTF2I and GTF2IRD1, are responsible. Here we test the hypothesis that these two transcription factors are sufficient to reproduce the phenotypes that are caused by deletion of the WS critical region (WSCR). We compare a new mouse model with loss of function mutations in both Gtf2i and Gtf2ird1 to an established mouse model lacking the complete WSCR. We show that the complete deletion (CD) model has deficits across several behavioral domains including social communication, motor functioning and conditioned fear that are not explained by loss of function mutations in Gtf2i and Gtf2ird1. Furthermore, transcriptome profiling of the hippocampus shows changes in synaptic genes in the CD model that are not seen in the double mutants. Thus, we have thoroughly defined a set of molecular and behavioral consequences of complete WSCR deletion and shown that genes or combinations of genes beyond Gtf2i and Gtf2ird1 are necessary to produce these phenotypic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Kopp
- Department of Genetics.,Department of Psychiatry
| | | | - Susan E Maloney
- Department of Psychiatry.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics.,Department of Psychiatry.,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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23
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Genes dysregulated in the blood of people with Williams syndrome are enriched in protein-coding genes positively selected in humans. Eur J Med Genet 2020; 63:103828. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2019.103828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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24
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Hui K, Katayama Y, Nakayama KI, Nomura J, Sakurai T. Characterizing vulnerable brain areas and circuits in mouse models of autism: Towards understanding pathogenesis and new therapeutic approaches. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 110:77-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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25
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Lugo M, Wong ZC, Billington CJ, Parrish PCR, Muldoon G, Liu D, Pober BR, Kozel BA. Social, neurodevelopmental, endocrine, and head size differences associated with atypical deletions in Williams-Beuren syndrome. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 182:1008-1020. [PMID: 32077592 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a multisystem disorder caused by a hemizygous deletion on 7q11.23 encompassing 26-28 genes. An estimated 2-5% of patients have "atypical" deletions, which extend in the centromeric and/or telomeric direction from the WBS critical region. To elucidate clinical differentiators among these deletion types, we evaluated 10 individuals with atypical deletions in our cohort and 17 individuals with similarly classified deletions previously described in the literature. Larger deletions in either direction often led to more severe developmental delays, while deletions containing MAGI2 were associated with infantile spasms and seizures in patients. In addition, head size was notably smaller in those with centromeric deletions including AUTS2. Because children with atypical deletions were noted to be less socially engaged, we additionally sought to determine how atypical deletions relate to social phenotypes. Using the Social Responsiveness Scale-2, raters scored individuals with atypical deletions as having different social characteristics to those with typical WBS deletions (p = .001), with higher (more impaired) scores for social motivation (p = .005) in the atypical deletion group. In recognizing these distinctions, physicians can better identify patients, including those who may already carry a clinical or FISH WBS diagnosis, who may benefit from additional molecular evaluation, screening, and therapy. In addition to the clinical findings, we note mild endocrine findings distinct from those typically seen in WBS in several patients with telomeric deletions that included POR. Further study in additional telomeric deletion cases will be needed to confirm this observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lugo
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina.,Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Zoë C Wong
- Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Charles J Billington
- Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine Training Program, National Human Genetics Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Phoebe C R Parrish
- Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.,Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Glennis Muldoon
- Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Phenotyping Service, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Delong Liu
- Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Barbara R Pober
- Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Beth A Kozel
- Translational Vascular Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.,Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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26
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Wassman ER, Ho KS, Bertrand D, Davis KW, Martin MM, Page S, Peiffer A, Prasad A, Serrano MA, Twede H, Vanzo R, Scherer SW, Uddin M, Hensel CH. Critical exon indexing improves clinical interpretation of copy number variants in neurodevelopmental disorders. NEUROLOGY-GENETICS 2019; 5:e378. [PMID: 32042908 PMCID: PMC6927359 DOI: 10.1212/nxg.0000000000000378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Objective To evaluate a new tool to aid interpretation of copy number variants (CNVs) in individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Methods Critical exon indexing (CEI) was used to identify genes with critical exons (CEGs) from clinically reported CNVs, which may contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). The 742 pathogenic CNVs and 1,363 variants of unknown significance (VUS) identified by chromosomal microarray analysis in 5,487 individuals with NDDs were subjected to CEI to identify CEGs. CEGs identified in a subsequent random series of VUS were evaluated for relevance to CNV interpretation. Results CEI identified a total of 2,492 unique CEGs in pathogenic CNVs and 953 in VUS compared with 259 CEGs in 6,965 CNVs from 873 controls. These differences are highly significant (p < 0.00001) whether compared as frequency, average, or normalized by CNV size. Twenty-one percent of VUS CEGs were not represented in Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, highlighting limitations of existing resources for identifying potentially impactful genes within CNVs. CEGs were highly correlated with other indices and known pathways of relevance. Separately, 136 random VUS reports were reevaluated, and 76% of CEGs had not been commented on. In multiple cases, further investigation yielded additional relevant literature aiding interpretation. As one specific example, we discuss GTF2I as a CEG, which likely alters interpretation of several reported duplication VUS in the Williams-Beuren region. Conclusions Application of CEI to CNVs in individuals with NDDs can identify genes of potential clinical relevance, aid laboratories in effectively searching the clinical literature, and support the clinical reporting of poorly annotated VUS.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Robert Wassman
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen S Ho
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Diana Bertrand
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kyle W Davis
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Megan M Martin
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephanie Page
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andreas Peiffer
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aparna Prasad
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Moises A Serrano
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hope Twede
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rena Vanzo
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohammed Uddin
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles H Hensel
- Lineagen Inc. (E.R.W., K.S.H., D.B., K.W.D., M.M.M., S.P., A. Peiffer, A. Prasad, M.A.S., H.T., R.V., C.H.H.); Life Designs Ventures (E.R.W.), Park City, UT; Department of Pediatrics (K.S.H., A. Peiffer), University of Utah; The Centre for Applied Genomics (S.W.S., M.U.), The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology (S.W.S), The Hospital for Sick Children; McLaughlin Centre (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Department of Molecular Genetics (S.W.S), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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27
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay A Osso
- UCSF Weill Neuroscience Graduate Program and Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jonah R Chan
- UCSF Weill Neuroscience Graduate Program and Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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28
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Barak B, Zhang Z, Liu Y, Nir A, Trangle SS, Ennis M, Levandowski KM, Wang D, Quast K, Boulting GL, Li Y, Bayarsaihan D, He Z, Feng G. Neuronal deletion of Gtf2i, associated with Williams syndrome, causes behavioral and myelin alterations rescuable by a remyelinating drug. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:700-708. [PMID: 31011227 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0380-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS), caused by a heterozygous microdeletion on chromosome 7q11.23, is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by hypersociability and neurocognitive abnormalities. Of the deleted genes, general transcription factor IIi (Gtf2i) has been linked to hypersociability in WS, although the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We show that selective deletion of Gtf2i in the excitatory neurons of the forebrain caused neuroanatomical defects, fine motor deficits, increased sociability and anxiety. Unexpectedly, 70% of the genes with significantly decreased messenger RNA levels in the mutant mouse cortex are involved in myelination, and mutant mice had reduced mature oligodendrocyte cell numbers, reduced myelin thickness and impaired axonal conductivity. Restoring myelination properties with clemastine or increasing axonal conductivity rescued the behavioral deficits. The frontal cortex from patients with WS similarly showed reduced myelin thickness, mature oligodendrocyte cell numbers and mRNA levels of myelination-related genes. Our study provides molecular and cellular evidence for myelination deficits in WS linked to neuronal deletion of Gtf2i.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boaz Barak
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. .,The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. .,The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Zicong Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ariel Nir
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sari S Trangle
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michaela Ennis
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kirsten M Levandowski
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dongqing Wang
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kathleen Quast
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Yi Li
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dashzeveg Bayarsaihan
- Department of Reconstructive Sciences, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Guoping Feng
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. .,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Benítez-Burraco A, Kimura R. Robust Candidates for Language Development and Evolution Are Significantly Dysregulated in the Blood of People With Williams Syndrome. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:258. [PMID: 30971880 PMCID: PMC6444191 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a clinical condition, involving cognitive deficits and an uneven language profile, which has been the object of intense inquiry over the last decades. Although WS results from the hemideletion of around two dozen genes in chromosome 7, no gene has yet been probed to account for, or contribute significantly to, the language problems exhibited by the affected people. In this paper we have relied on gene expression profiles in the peripheral blood of WS patients obtained by microarray analysis and show that several robust candidates for language disorders and/or for language evolution in the species, all of them located outside the hemideleted region, are up- or downregulated in the blood of subjects with WS. Most of these genes play a role in the development and function of brain areas involved in language processing, which exhibit structural and functional anomalies in people with this condition. Overall, these genes emerge as robust candidates for language dysfunction in WS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Ryo Kimura
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Niego A, Benítez-Burraco A. Williams Syndrome, Human Self-Domestication, and Language Evolution. Front Psychol 2019; 10:521. [PMID: 30936846 PMCID: PMC6431629 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Language evolution resulted from changes in our biology, behavior, and culture. One source of these changes might be human self-domestication. Williams syndrome (WS) is a clinical condition with a clearly defined genetic basis which results in a distinctive behavioral and cognitive profile, including enhanced sociability. In this paper we show evidence that the WS phenotype can be satisfactorily construed as a hyper-domesticated human phenotype, plausibly resulting from the effect of the WS hemideletion on selected candidates for domestication and neural crest (NC) function. Specifically, we show that genes involved in animal domestication and NC development and function are significantly dysregulated in the blood of subjects with WS. We also discuss the consequences of this link between domestication and WS for our current understanding of language evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Niego
- Ph.D. Program, Faculty of Humanities, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature, Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
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31
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Decreased Neuron Density and Increased Glia Density in the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (Brodmann Area 25) in Williams Syndrome. Brain Sci 2018; 8:brainsci8120209. [PMID: 30501059 PMCID: PMC6316781 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci8120209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Williams Syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a deletion of 25–28 genes on chromosome 7 and characterized by a specific behavioral phenotype, which includes hypersociability and anxiety. Here, we examined the density of neurons and glia in fourteen human brains in Brodmann area 25 (BA 25), in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), using a postmortem sample of five adult and two infant WS brains and seven age-, sex- and hemisphere-matched typically developing control (TD) brains. We found decreased neuron density, which reached statistical significance in the supragranular layers, and increased glia density and glia to neuron ratio, which reached statistical significance in both supra- and infragranular layers. Combined with our previous findings in the amygdala, caudate nucleus and frontal pole (BA 10), these results in the vmPFC suggest that abnormalities in frontostriatal and frontoamygdala circuitry may contribute to the anxiety and atypical social behavior observed in WS.
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32
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Toth M. The other side of the coin: Hypersociability. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12512. [PMID: 30101538 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Affiliative social motivation and behavior, that is, sociability that includes attachment, prosocial behavior (sharing, caring and helping) and empathy (the ability to understand and share the feelings of others), has high variability in the human population, with a portion of people outside of the normal range. While psychiatric disorders and autism spectrum disorders are typically associated with a deficit in social behavior, the opposite trait of hypersociability and indiscriminate friendliness are exhibited by individual with specific neurodevelopmental disorders and following early adverse care. Here we discuss both genetic and environmental factors that cause or increase the risk for developing pathological hypersociability from human to rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miklos Toth
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
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33
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Kopp ND, Parrish PCR, Lugo M, Dougherty JD, Kozel BA. Exome sequencing of 85 Williams-Beuren syndrome cases rules out coding variation as a major contributor to remaining variance in social behavior. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2018; 6:749-765. [PMID: 30008175 PMCID: PMC6160704 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Large, multigenic deletions at chromosome 7q11.23 result in a highly penetrant constellation of physical and behavioral symptoms known as Williams-Beuren syndrome (WS). Of particular interest is the unusual social-cognitive profile evidenced by deficits in social cognition and communication reminiscent of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that are juxtaposed with normal or even relatively enhanced social motivation. Interestingly, duplications in the same region also result in ASD-like phenotypes as well as social phobias. Thus, the region clearly regulates human social motivation and behavior, yet the relevant gene(s) have not been definitively identified. METHOD Here, we deeply phenotyped 85 individuals with WS and used exome sequencing to analyze common and rare variation for association with the remaining variance in social behavior as assessed by the Social Responsiveness Scale. RESULTS We replicated the previously reported unusual juxtaposition of behavioral symptoms in this new patient collection, but we did not find any new alleles of large effect in the targeted analysis of the remaining copy of genes in the Williams syndrome critical region. However, we report on two nominally significant SNPs in two genes that have been implicated in the cognitive and social phenotypes of Williams syndrome, BAZ1B and GTF2IRD1. Secondary discovery driven explorations focusing on known ASD genes and an exome wide scan do not highlight any variants of a large effect. CONCLUSIONS Whole exome sequencing of 85 individuals with WS did not support the hypothesis that there are variants of large effect within the remaining Williams syndrome critical region that contribute to the social phenotype. This deeply phenotyped and genotyped patient cohort with a defined mutation provides the opportunity for similar analyses focusing on noncoding variation and/or other phenotypic domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D. Kopp
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouri
| | - Phoebe C. R. Parrish
- National Heart Lung and Blood InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMaryland
| | - Michael Lugo
- National Heart Lung and Blood InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMaryland
- Department of PediatricsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouri
| | - Joseph D. Dougherty
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouri
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouri
| | - Beth A. Kozel
- National Heart Lung and Blood InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMaryland
- Department of PediatricsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouri
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Deurloo MHS, Turlova E, Chen WL, Lin YW, Tam E, Tassew NG, Wu M, Huang YC, Crawley JN, Monnier PP, Groffen AJA, Sun HS, Osborne LR, Feng ZP. Transcription Factor 2I Regulates Neuronal Development via TRPC3 in 7q11.23 Disorder Models. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 56:3313-3325. [PMID: 30120731 PMCID: PMC6477017 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1290-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) and 7q11.23 duplication syndrome (Dup7q11.23) are neurodevelopmental disorders caused by the deletion and duplication, respectively, of ~ 25 protein-coding genes on chromosome 7q11.23. The general transcription factor 2I (GTF2I, protein TFII-I) is one of these proteins and has been implicated in the neurodevelopmental phenotypes of WS and Dup7q11.23. Here, we investigated the effect of copy number alterations in Gtf2i on neuronal maturation and intracellular calcium entry mechanisms known to be associated with this process. Mice with a single copy of Gtf2i (Gtf2i+/Del) had increased axonal outgrowth and increased TRPC3-mediated calcium entry upon carbachol stimulation. In contrast, mice with 3 copies of Gtf2i (Gtf2i+/Dup) had decreases in axon outgrowth and in TRPC3-mediated calcium entry. The underlying mechanism was that TFII-I did not affect TRPC3 protein expression, while it regulated TRPC3 membrane translocation. Together, our results provide novel functional insight into the cellular mechanisms that underlie neuronal maturation in the context of the 7q11.23 disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marielle H S Deurloo
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 3306 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Department of Functional Genomics, CNCR, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ekaterina Turlova
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 3306 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 1184 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Wen-Liang Chen
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 3306 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 1184 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - You Wei Lin
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 3306 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Elaine Tam
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, MaRS Centre, 1515 West Tower, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Nardos G Tassew
- Vision Division, Krembil Research Institute, Krembil Discovery Tower, KDT-8-418, 60 Leonard Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Michael Wu
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 3306 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Ya-Chi Huang
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 3306 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Jacqueline N Crawley
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Philippe P Monnier
- Vision Division, Krembil Research Institute, Krembil Discovery Tower, KDT-8-418, 60 Leonard Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Alexander J A Groffen
- Department of Functional Genomics, CNCR, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hong-Shuo Sun
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 3306 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada. .,Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 1184 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
| | - Lucy R Osborne
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, MaRS Centre, 1515 West Tower, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada. .,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, MaRS Centre, 1515 West Tower, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada.
| | - Zhong-Ping Feng
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, 3306 Medical Sciences Building, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
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35
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Huguet G, Schramm C, Douard E, Jiang L, Labbe A, Tihy F, Mathonnet G, Nizard S, Lemyre E, Mathieu A, Poline JB, Loth E, Toro R, Schumann G, Conrod P, Pausova Z, Greenwood C, Paus T, Bourgeron T, Jacquemont S. Measuring and Estimating the Effect Sizes of Copy Number Variants on General Intelligence in Community-Based Samples. JAMA Psychiatry 2018; 75:447-457. [PMID: 29562078 PMCID: PMC5875373 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE; Copy number variants (CNVs) classified as pathogenic are identified in 10% to 15% of patients referred for neurodevelopmental disorders. However, their effect sizes on cognitive traits measured as a continuum remain mostly unknown because most of them are too rare to be studied individually using association studies. OBJECTIVE To measure and estimate the effect sizes of recurrent and nonrecurrent CNVs on IQ. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This study identified all CNVs that were 50 kilobases (kb) or larger in 2 general population cohorts (the IMAGEN project and the Saguenay Youth Study) with measures of IQ. Linear regressions, including functional annotations of genes included in CNVs, were used to identify features to explain their association with IQ. Validation was performed using intraclass correlation that compared IQ estimated by the model with empirical data. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Performance IQ (PIQ), verbal IQ (VIQ), and frequency of de novo CNV events. RESULTS The study included 2090 European adolescents from the IMAGEN study and 1983 children and parents from the Saguenay Youth Study. Of these, genotyping was performed on 1804 individuals from IMAGEN and 977 adolescents, 445 mothers, and 448 fathers (484 families) from the Saguenay Youth Study. We observed 4928 autosomal CNVs larger than 50 kb across both cohorts. For rare deletions, size, number of genes, and exons affect IQ, and each deleted gene is associated with a mean (SE) decrease in PIQ of 0.67 (0.19) points (P = 6 × 10-4); this is not so for rare duplications and frequent CNVs. Among 10 functional annotations, haploinsufficiency scores best explain the association of any deletions with PIQ with a mean (SE) decrease of 2.74 (0.68) points per unit of the probability of being loss-of-function intolerant (P = 8 × 10-5). Results are consistent across cohorts and unaffected by sensitivity analyses removing pathogenic CNVs. There is a 0.75 concordance (95% CI, 0.39-0.91) between the effect size on IQ estimated by our model and IQ loss calculated in previous studies of 15 recurrent CNVs. There is a close association between effect size on IQ and the frequency at which deletions occur de novo (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.84-0.87; P = 2.7 × 10-88). There is a 0.76 concordance (95% CI, 0.41-0.91) between de novo frequency estimated by the model and calculated using data from the DECIPHER database. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Models trained on nonpathogenic deletions in the general population reliably estimate the effect size of pathogenic deletions and suggest omnigenic associations of haploinsufficiency with IQ. This represents a new framework to study variants too rare to perform individual association studies and can help estimate the cognitive effect of undocumented deletions in the neurodevelopmental clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Huguet
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Catherine Schramm
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Elise Douard
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Lai Jiang
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Aurélie Labbe
- Département de Sciences de la Décision, HEC Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Frédérique Tihy
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Géraldine Mathonnet
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sonia Nizard
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Emmanuelle Lemyre
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alexandre Mathieu
- Department of Neurosciences, Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Genes, Synapses and Cognition Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | - Eva Loth
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, England
| | - Roberto Toro
- Department of Neurosciences, Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Genes, Synapses and Cognition Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, England
| | - Patricia Conrod
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, England
| | - Zdenka Pausova
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Celia Greenwood
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Departments of Human Genetics and Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tomas Paus
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,Child Mind Institute, New York, New York
| | - Thomas Bourgeron
- Department of Neurosciences, Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Genes, Synapses and Cognition Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France,Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Jacquemont
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Center Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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36
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Uddin M, Unda BK, Kwan V, Holzapfel NT, White SH, Chalil L, Woodbury-Smith M, Ho KS, Harward E, Murtaza N, Dave B, Pellecchia G, D’Abate L, Nalpathamkalam T, Lamoureux S, Wei J, Speevak M, Stavropoulos J, Hope KJ, Doble BW, Nielsen J, Wassman ER, Scherer SW, Singh KK. OTUD7A Regulates Neurodevelopmental Phenotypes in the 15q13.3 Microdeletion Syndrome. Am J Hum Genet 2018; 102:278-295. [PMID: 29395074 PMCID: PMC5985537 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Copy-number variations (CNVs) are strong risk factors for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. The 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome region contains up to ten genes and is associated with numerous conditions, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), epilepsy, schizophrenia, and intellectual disability; however, the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome remain unknown. We combined whole-genome sequencing, human brain gene expression (proteome and transcriptome), and a mouse model with a syntenic heterozygous deletion (Df(h15q13)/+ mice) and determined that the microdeletion results in abnormal development of cortical dendritic spines and dendrite outgrowth. Analysis of large-scale genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data identified OTUD7A as a critical gene for brain function. OTUD7A was found to localize to dendritic and spine compartments in cortical neurons, and its reduced levels in Df(h15q13)/+ cortical neurons contributed to the dendritic spine and dendrite outgrowth deficits. Our results reveal OTUD7A as a major regulatory gene for 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome phenotypes that contribute to the disease mechanism through abnormal cortical neuron morphological development.
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37
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Chailangkarn T, Noree C, Muotri AR. The contribution of GTF2I haploinsufficiency to Williams syndrome. Mol Cell Probes 2018; 40:45-51. [PMID: 29305905 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder involving hemideletion of as many as 26-28 genes, resulting in a constellation of unique physical, cognitive and behavior phenotypes. The haploinsufficiency effect of each gene has been studied and correlated with phenotype(s) using several models including WS subjects, animal models, and peripheral cell lines. However, links for most of the genes to WS phenotypes remains unclear. Among those genes, general transcription factor 2I (GTF2I) is of particular interest as its haploinsufficiency is possibly associated with hypersociability in WS. Here, we describe studies of atypical WS cases as well as mouse models focusing on GTF2I that support a role for this protein in the neurocognitive and behavioral profiles of WS individuals. We also review collective studies on diverse molecular functions of GTF2I that may provide mechanistic explanation for phenotypes recently reported in our relevant cellular model, namely WS induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons. Finally, in light of the progress in gene-manipulating approaches, we suggest their uses in revealing the neural functions of GTF2I in the context of WS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanathom Chailangkarn
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), Virology and Cell Technology Laboratory, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
| | - Chalongrat Noree
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, 25/25 Phuttamonthon 4 Road, Salaya, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Alysson R Muotri
- University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, UCSD Stem Cell Program, Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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38
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Martin LA, Iceberg E, Allaf G. Consistent hypersocial behavior in mice carrying a deletion of Gtf2i but no evidence of hyposocial behavior with Gtf2i duplication: Implications for Williams-Beuren syndrome and autism spectrum disorder. Brain Behav 2018; 8:e00895. [PMID: 29568691 PMCID: PMC5853625 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a developmental disorder caused by hemizygous deletion of human chromosome 7q11.23. Hypersocial behavior is one symptom of WBS and contrasts with hyposociality observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Interestingly, duplications of 7q11.23 have been associated with ASD. The social phenotype of WBS has been linked to GTF2I or general transcription factor IIi (TFII-I). Duplication of GTF2I has also been associated with ASD. Methods We compared mice having either a deletion (Gtf2i+/- ) or duplication (Gtf2i+/dup ) of Gtf2i to wild-type (Gtf2i+/+ ) littermate controls in a series of behavioral tasks including open-field activity monitoring, olfactory probes, a social choice task, social transmission of food preference, habituation-dishabituation, and operant social motivation paradigms. Results In open-field observations, Gtf2i+/- and Gtf2i+/dup mice demonstrated normal activity and thigmotaxis, and surprisingly, each strain showed a significant preference for a stimulus mouse that was not observed in Gtf2i+/+ siblings. Both Gtf2i+/- and Gtf2i+/dup mice demonstrated normal olfaction in buried food probes, but the Gtf2i+/- mice spent significantly more time investigating urine scent versus water, which was not observed in the other strains. Gtf2i+/- mice also spent significantly more time in nose-to-nose contact compared to Gtf2i+/+ siblings during the open-field encounter of the social transmission of food preference task. In operant tasks of social motivation, Gtf2i+/- mice made significantly more presses for social rewards than Gtf2i+/+ siblings, while there was no difference in presses for the Gtf2i+/dup mice. Discussion Results were remarkably consistent across testing paradigms supporting a role for GTF2i in the hypersocial phenotype of WBS and more broadly in the regulation of social behavior. Support was not observed for the role of GTF2i in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren A. Martin
- Department of Graduate PsychologyAzusa Pacific UniversityAzusaCAUSA
| | - Erica Iceberg
- Department of Graduate PsychologyAzusa Pacific UniversityAzusaCAUSA
| | - Gabriel Allaf
- Department of Biology and ChemistryAzusa Pacific UniversityAzusaCAUSA
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39
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Lew CH, Groeniger KM, Bellugi U, Stefanacci L, Schumann CM, Semendeferi K. A postmortem stereological study of the amygdala in Williams syndrome. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 223:1897-1907. [PMID: 29270815 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1592-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Perturbations to the amygdala have been observed in neurological disorders characterized by abnormalities in social behavior, such as autism and schizophrenia. Here, we quantitatively examined the amygdala in the postmortem human brains of male and female individuals diagnosed with Williams Syndrome (WS), a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a well-defined deletion of ~ 26 genes, and accompanied by a consistent behavioral profile that includes profound hypersociability. Using unbiased stereological sampling, we estimated nucleus volume, number of neurons, neuron density, and neuron soma area in four major amygdaloid nuclei- the lateral nucleus, basal nucleus, accessory basal nucleus, and central nucleus- in a sample of five adult and two infant WS brains and seven age-, sex- and hemisphere-matched typically developing control (TD) brains. Boundaries of the four nuclei examined were drawn on Nissl-stained coronal sections as four separate regions of interest for data collection. We found that the lateral nucleus contains significantly more neurons in WS compared to TD. WS and TD do not demonstrate significant differences in neuron number in the basal, accessory basal, or central nuclei, and there are no significant differences between WS and TD in nuclei volume, neuron density, and neuron soma area in any of the four nuclei. A similarly designed study reported a decrease in lateral nucleus neuron number in autism, mirroring the opposing extremes of the two disorders in the social domain. These results suggest that the number of neurons in the lateral nucleus may contribute to pathological disturbances in amygdala function and sociobehavioral phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline H Lew
- Department of Anthropology, Social Sciences Building Rm. 210, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0532, USA
| | - Kimberly M Groeniger
- Department of Anthropology, Social Sciences Building Rm. 210, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0532, USA
| | - Ursula Bellugi
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Lisa Stefanacci
- Department of Anthropology, Social Sciences Building Rm. 210, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0532, USA
| | - Cynthia M Schumann
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Katerina Semendeferi
- Department of Anthropology, Social Sciences Building Rm. 210, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0532, USA. .,Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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40
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Royston R, Howlin P, Waite J, Oliver C. Anxiety Disorders in Williams Syndrome Contrasted with Intellectual Disability and the General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:3765-3777. [PMID: 27696186 PMCID: PMC5676825 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2909-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with specific genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disability (ID), such as Williams syndrome (WS), are at increased risk for developing anxiety disorders. A systematic literature review identified sixteen WS papers that could generate pooled prevalence estimates of anxiety disorders for WS. A meta-analysis compared these estimates with prevalence estimates for the heterogeneous ID population and the general population. Estimated rates of anxiety disorders in WS were high. WS individuals were four times more likely to experience anxiety than individuals with ID, and the risk was also heightened compared to the general population. The results provide further evidence of an unusual profile of high anxiety in WS.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Royston
- The Cerebra Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - P Howlin
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - J Waite
- The Cerebra Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - C Oliver
- The Cerebra Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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41
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Kamps FS, Julian JB, Battaglia P, Landau B, Kanwisher N, Dilks DD. Dissociating intuitive physics from intuitive psychology: Evidence from Williams syndrome. Cognition 2017; 168:146-153. [PMID: 28683351 PMCID: PMC5572752 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2017.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Prior work suggests that our understanding of how things work ("intuitive physics") and how people work ("intuitive psychology") are distinct domains of human cognition. Here we directly test the dissociability of these two domains by investigating knowledge of intuitive physics and intuitive psychology in adults with Williams syndrome (WS) - a genetic developmental disorder characterized by severely impaired spatial cognition, but relatively spared social cognition. WS adults and mental-age matched (MA) controls completed an intuitive physics task and an intuitive psychology task. If intuitive physics is a distinct domain (from intuitive psychology), then we should observe differential impairment on the physics task for individuals with WS compared to MA controls. Indeed, adults with WS performed significantly worse on the intuitive physics than the intuitive psychology task, relative to controls. These results support the hypothesis that knowledge of the physical world can be disrupted independently from knowledge of the social world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederik S Kamps
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Joshua B Julian
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Peter Battaglia
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Barbara Landau
- Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Nancy Kanwisher
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Daniel D Dilks
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
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Sampaio A, Belsky J, Soares I, Mesquita A, Osório A, Gonçalves ÓF. Insights on Social Behavior From Studying Williams Syndrome. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Abstract
Background RNA-Seq is currently used routinely, and it provides accurate information on gene transcription. However, the method cannot accurately estimate duplicated genes expression. Several strategies have been previously used (drop duplicated genes, distribute uniformly the reads, or estimate expression), but all of them provide biased results. Results We provide here a tool, called mmquant, for computing gene expression, included duplicated genes. If a read maps at different positions, the tool detects that the corresponding genes are duplicated; it merges the genes and creates a merged gene. The counts of ambiguous reads is then based on the input genes and the merged genes. Conclusion mmquant is a drop-in replacement of the widely used tools htseq-count and featureCounts that handles multi-mapping reads in an unabiased way. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12859-017-1816-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Zytnicki
- MIAT, Toulouse INRA, BP 52627, Castanet-Tolosan cedex, 31326, France.
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44
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Crespi BJ, Procyshyn TL. Williams syndrome deletions and duplications: Genetic windows to understanding anxiety, sociality, autism, and schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 79:14-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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vonHoldt BM, Shuldiner E, Koch IJ, Kartzinel RY, Hogan A, Brubaker L, Wanser S, Stahler D, Wynne CDL, Ostrander EA, Sinsheimer JS, Udell MAR. Structural variants in genes associated with human Williams-Beuren syndrome underlie stereotypical hypersociability in domestic dogs. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1700398. [PMID: 28776031 PMCID: PMC5517105 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1700398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Although considerable progress has been made in understanding the genetic basis of morphologic traits (for example, body size and coat color) in dogs and wolves, the genetic basis of their behavioral divergence is poorly understood. An integrative approach using both behavioral and genetic data is required to understand the molecular underpinnings of the various behavioral characteristics associated with domestication. We analyze a 5-Mb genomic region on chromosome 6 previously found to be under positive selection in domestic dog breeds. Deletion of this region in humans is linked to Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS), a multisystem congenital disorder characterized by hypersocial behavior. We associate quantitative data on behavioral phenotypes symptomatic of WBS in humans with structural changes in the WBS locus in dogs. We find that hypersociability, a central feature of WBS, is also a core element of domestication that distinguishes dogs from wolves. We provide evidence that structural variants in GTF2I and GTF2IRD1, genes previously implicated in the behavioral phenotype of patients with WBS and contained within the WBS locus, contribute to extreme sociability in dogs. This finding suggests that there are commonalities in the genetic architecture of WBS and canine tameness and that directional selection may have targeted a unique set of linked behavioral genes of large phenotypic effect, allowing for rapid behavioral divergence of dogs and wolves, facilitating coexistence with humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridgett M. vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Emily Shuldiner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Translational Genetics and Genomics Unit, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ilana Janowitz Koch
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Rebecca Y. Kartzinel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Andrew Hogan
- Cancer Genetics and Comparative Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lauren Brubaker
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, OR 97331, USA
| | - Shelby Wanser
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, OR 97331, USA
| | - Daniel Stahler
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
| | - Clive D. L. Wynne
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Elaine A. Ostrander
- Cancer Genetics and Comparative Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Janet S. Sinsheimer
- Departments of Human Genetics and Biomathematics, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Monique A. R. Udell
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, OR 97331, USA
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Schwartzer JJ, Careaga M, Coburn MA, Rose DR, Hughes HK, Ashwood P. Behavioral impact of maternal allergic-asthma in two genetically distinct mouse strains. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 63:99-107. [PMID: 27622677 PMCID: PMC5346064 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent population-based studies of expecting mothers identified a unique profile of immune markers that are associated with an increased risk of having a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This immune profile, including increased levels of maternal and placental interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5, is consistent with an immune response found in an allergic-asthma phenotype. Allergies and asthma reflect an imbalance in immune responses including polarization towards T-helper type 2 (TH2) responses, with both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors affecting this T-cell polarization. Mouse strains provide a known and controlled source of genetic diversity to explore the role of genetic predisposition on environmental factors. In particular, the FVB background exhibits a skew towards TH2-mediated allergic-asthma response in traditional models of asthma whereas the C57 strain exhibits a more blunted TH2 polarized phenotype resulting in an attenuated allergic-asthma response. C57BL/6J (C57) and the sighted FVB.129P2-Pde6b(+) Tyr(c-ch)/Ant (FVB/Ant) lines were selected based on their characteristic high sociability and differing sensitivity to TH2-mediated stimuli. Based on the distinct allergy-sensitive immune responses of these two strains, we hypothesized that unique developmental consequences would occur in offspring following maternal allergy-asthma exposure. Female C57 and FVB/Ant dams were primed/sensitized with an exposure to ovalbumin (OVA) before pregnancy, then exposed to either aerosolized OVA or PBS-vehicle throughout gestation. Sera from pregnant dams were analyzed for changes in cytokine profiles using multiplex-arrays and offspring were assessed for changes in autism-like behavioral responses. Analysis of maternal sera revealed elevated IL-4 and IL-5 in OVA-treated dams of both strains but only C57 mice expressed increased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and IL-17. Behavioral assessments revealed strain-dependent changes in juvenile reciprocal social interaction in offspring of maternal allergic asthma dams. Moreover, mice of both strains showed decreased repetitive grooming and increased marble burying behavior when born to OVA-exposed dams. Together, these findings support the important role genetic predisposition plays in the effects of maternal immune activation and underscore differences in ASD-like behavioral outcomes across mouse strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared J. Schwartzer
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075
| | - Milo Careaga
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Morgan A. Coburn
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075
| | - Destanie R. Rose
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Heather K. Hughes
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Paul Ashwood
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
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47
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Roy AL. Pathophysiology of TFII-I: Old Guard Wearing New Hats. Trends Mol Med 2017; 23:501-511. [PMID: 28461154 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The biochemical properties of the signal-induced multifunctional transcription factor II-I (TFII-I) indicate that it is involved in a variety of gene regulatory processes. Although gene ablation in murine models and cell-based assays show that it is encoded by an essential gene, GTF2I/Gtf2i, its physiologic role in human disorders was relatively unknown until recently. Novel studies show that it is involved in an array of human diseases including neurocognitive disorders, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and cancer. Here I bring together these diverse observations to illustrate its multiple pathophysiologic functions and further conjecture on how these could be related to its known biochemical properties. I expect that a better understanding of these 'structure-function' relationships would lead to future diagnostic and/or therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananda L Roy
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Biomedical Research Center, National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging, 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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48
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Role of Splice Variants of Gtf2i, a Transcription Factor Localizing at Postsynaptic Sites, and Its Relation to Neuropsychiatric Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18020411. [PMID: 28212274 PMCID: PMC5343945 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18020411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Revised: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that various mRNAs were associated with postsynaptic density (PSD) purified from rat forebrain. Among the thousands of PSD-associated mRNAs, we highlight the biology of the general transcription factor II-I (Gtf2i) mRNA, focusing on the significance of its versatile splicing for targeting its own mRNA into dendrites, regulation of translation, and the effects of Gtf2i expression level as well as its relationship with neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Chailangkarn T, Muotri AR. Modeling Williams syndrome with induced pluripotent stem cells. NEUROGENESIS (AUSTIN, TEX.) 2017; 4:e1283187. [PMID: 28229087 PMCID: PMC5305168 DOI: 10.1080/23262133.2017.1283187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) like never before has opened novel opportunity to study diseases in relevant cell types. In our recent study, Williams syndrome (WS), a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder, that is caused by hemizygous deletion of 25-28 genes on chromosome 7, is of interest because of its unique cognitive and social profiles. Little is known about haploinsufficiency effect of those deleted genes on molecular and cellular phenotypes at the neural level due to the lack of relevant human cellular model. Using the cellular reprogramming approach, we reported that WS iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) has increased apoptosis and therefore increased doubling time, which could be rescued by complementation of frizzled 9, one of the genes typically deleted in WS. Moreover, WS iPSC-derived CTIP2-positive pyramidal neurons exhibit morphologic alterations including longer total dendrites and increasing dendritic spine number. In addition, WS iPSC-derived neurons show an increase in calcium transient frequency and synchronized activity likely due to increased number of dendritic spines and synapses. Our work integrated cross-level data from genetics to behavior of WS individuals and revealed altered cellular phenotypes in WS human NPCs and neurons that could be validated in other model systems such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in live subjects and postmortem brain tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanathom Chailangkarn
- University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Stem Cell Program, Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), La Jolla, CA, USA
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), Virology and Cell Technology Laboratory, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Alysson R. Muotri
- University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Stem Cell Program, Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), La Jolla, CA, USA
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50
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Swartz JR, Waller R, Bogdan R, Knodt AR, Sabhlok A, Hyde LW, Hariri AR. A Common Polymorphism in a Williams Syndrome Gene Predicts Amygdala Reactivity and Extraversion in Healthy Adults. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 81:203-210. [PMID: 26853120 PMCID: PMC4909599 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Revised: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Williams syndrome (WS), a genetic disorder resulting from hemizygous microdeletion of chromosome 7q11.23, has emerged as a model for identifying the genetic architecture of socioemotional behavior. Common polymorphisms in GTF2I, which is found within the WS microdeletion, have been associated with reduced social anxiety in the general population. Identifying neural phenotypes affected by these polymorphisms would help advance our understanding not only of this specific genetic association but also of the broader neurogenetic mechanisms of variability in socioemotional behavior. METHODS Through an ongoing parent protocol, the Duke Neurogenetics Study, we measured threat-related amygdala reactivity to fearful and angry facial expressions using functional magnetic resonance imaging, assessed trait personality using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, and imputed GTF2I rs13227433 from saliva-derived DNA using custom Illumina arrays. Participants included 808 non-Hispanic Caucasian, African American, and Asian university students. RESULTS The GTF2I rs13227433 AA genotype, previously associated with lower social anxiety, predicted decreased threat-related amygdala reactivity. An indirect effect of GTF2I genotype on the warmth facet of extraversion was mediated by decreased threat-related amygdala reactivity in women but not men. CONCLUSIONS A common polymorphism in the WS gene GTF2I associated with reduced social anxiety predicts decreased threat-related amygdala reactivity, which mediates an association between genotype and increased warmth in women. These results are consistent with reduced threat-related amygdala reactivity in WS and suggest that common variation in GTF2I contributes to broader variability in socioemotional brain function and behavior, with implications for understanding the neurogenetic bases of WS as well as social anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnna R. Swartz
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA,Correspondence to: Johnna Swartz, Address: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Campus Box 90086, 417 Chapel Drive, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, Phone: (919) 660-5789,
| | - Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ryan Bogdan
- Department of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Annchen R. Knodt
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Aditi Sabhlok
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Luke W. Hyde
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ahmad R. Hariri
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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