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Eghan K, Lee S, Yoo D, Kim CH, Kim WK. Adverse effects of bifenthrin exposure on neurobehavior and neurodevelopment in a zebrafish embryo/larvae model. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 341:140099. [PMID: 37690556 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Bifenthrin, a third-generation synthetic pyrethroid, is widely used as an agricultural insecticide. However, it can flow into surface and groundwater, leading to adverse consequences such as immunotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, hormone dysregulation, or neurotoxicity. Nevertheless, the entire range of its neurotoxic consequences, particularly in aquatic organisms, remains unclear. In this study, we conducted an extensive examination of how exposure to bifenthrin affects the behavior and nervous system function of aquatic vertebrates, using a zebrafish model and multiple-layered assays. We exposed wild-type and transgenic lines [tg(elavl3:eGFP) and tg(mbp:mGFP)] to bifenthrin from <3 h post-fertilization (hpf) to 120 hpf. Our findings indicate that bifenthrin exposure concentrations of 103.9 and 362.1 μg/L significantly affects the tail-coiling response at 24 hpf and the touch-evoked responses at 72 hpf. Moreover, it has a significant effect on various aspects of behavior such as body contact, distance between subjects, distance moved, and turn angle. We attribute these effects to changes in acetylcholinesterase and dopamine levels, which decrease in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, neuroimaging revealed neurogenesis defects, e.g., shortened brain and axon widths, and demyelination of oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. Additionally, the transcription of genes related to neurodevelopment (e.g., gap43, manf, gfap, nestin, sox2) were significantly upregulated and neurotransmitters (e.g., nlgn1, drd1, slc6a4a, ache) was significantly downregulated. In summary, our data shows that bifenthrin exposure has detrimental effects on neurodevelopmental and neurotransmission systems in the zebrafish embryo/larvae model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kojo Eghan
- Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, South Korea; Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, 34114, South Korea.
| | - Sangwoo Lee
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, 34114, South Korea.
| | - Donggon Yoo
- Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, South Korea; Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, 34114, South Korea.
| | - Cheol-Hee Kim
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, South Korea.
| | - Woo-Keun Kim
- Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, South Korea; Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon, 34114, South Korea.
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2
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Oleari R, Lettieri A, Manzini S, Paganoni A, André V, Grazioli P, Busnelli M, Duminuco P, Vitobello A, Philippe C, Bizaoui V, Storr HL, Amoruso F, Memi F, Vezzoli V, Massa V, Scheiffele P, Howard SR, Cariboni A. Autism-linked NLGN3 is a key regulator of gonadotropin-releasing hormone deficiency. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049996. [PMID: 36810932 PMCID: PMC10110398 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency (GD) is a disorder characterized by absent or delayed puberty, with largely unknown genetic causes. The purpose of this study was to obtain and exploit gene expression profiles of GnRH neurons during development to unveil novel biological mechanisms and genetic determinants underlying GD. Here, we combined bioinformatic analyses of immortalized and primary embryonic GnRH neuron transcriptomes with exome sequencing from GD patients to identify candidate genes implicated in the pathogenesis of GD. Among differentially expressed and filtered transcripts, we found loss-of-function (LoF) variants of the autism-linked neuroligin 3 (NLGN3) gene in two unrelated patients co-presenting with GD and neurodevelopmental traits. We demonstrated that NLGN3 is upregulated in maturing GnRH neurons and that NLGN3 wild-type, but not mutant, protein promotes neuritogenesis when overexpressed in developing GnRH cells. Our data represent proof of principle that this complementary approach can identify new candidate GD genes and demonstrate that LoF NLGN3 variants can contribute to GD. This novel genotype-phenotype correlation implies common genetic mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders, such as GD and autistic spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Oleari
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Antonella Lettieri
- CRC Aldo Ravelli for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20142, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20142, Italy
| | - Stefano Manzini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Alyssa Paganoni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Valentina André
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Paolo Grazioli
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20142, Italy
| | - Marco Busnelli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Paolo Duminuco
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Cusano Milanino 20095, Italy
| | - Antonio Vitobello
- Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, Fédération Hospitalo-Universitaire (FHU) TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon 21079, France
- INSERM UMR 1231 GAD (Génétique des Anomalies du Développement), Université de Bourgogne, Dijon 21070, France
| | - Christophe Philippe
- Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, Fédération Hospitalo-Universitaire (FHU) TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon 21079, France
- INSERM UMR 1231 GAD (Génétique des Anomalies du Développement), Université de Bourgogne, Dijon 21070, France
| | - Varoona Bizaoui
- Genetics and Neurodevelopment, Centre Hospitalier de l'Estran, Pontorson 50170, France
| | - Helen L. Storr
- Centre for Endocrinology William Harvey Research Institute Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
- Royal London Children's Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London E1 1BB, UK
| | - Federica Amoruso
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Fani Memi
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Valeria Vezzoli
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Cusano Milanino 20095, Italy
| | - Valentina Massa
- CRC Aldo Ravelli for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20142, Italy
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20142, Italy
| | | | - Sasha R. Howard
- Centre for Endocrinology William Harvey Research Institute Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
- Royal London Children's Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London E1 1BB, UK
| | - Anna Cariboni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
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3
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Role of nerves in neurofibromatosis type 1-related nervous system tumors. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:1137-1153. [PMID: 36327093 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00723-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that affects nearly 1 in 3000 infants. Neurofibromin inactivation and NF1 gene mutations are involved in various aspects of neuronal function regulation, including neuronal development induction, electrophysiological activity elevation, growth factor expression, and neurotransmitter release. NF1 patients often exhibit a predisposition to tumor development, especially in the nervous system, resulting in the frequent occurrence of peripheral nerve sheath tumors and gliomas. Recent evidence suggests that nerves play a role in the development of multiple tumor types, prompting researchers to investigate the nerve as a vital component in and regulator of the initiation and progression of NF1-related nervous system tumors. CONCLUSION In this review, we summarize existing evidence about the specific effects of NF1 mutation on neurons and emerging research on the role of nerves in neurological tumor development, promising a new set of selective and targeted therapies for NF1-related tumors.
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Dang NN, Li XB, Zhang M, Han C, Fan XY, Huang SH. NLGN3 Upregulates Expression of ADAM10 to Promote the Cleavage of NLGN3 via Activating the LYN Pathway in Human Gliomas. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:662763. [PMID: 34485271 PMCID: PMC8415229 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.662763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuron derived synaptic adhesion molecular neuroligin-3 (NLGN3) plays an important role in glioma growth. While the role of autocrine NLGN3 in glioma has not been well-studied. The expression of NLGN3 in glioma was detected using immunohistochemistry. We further explored its function and regulatory mechanism in U251 and U87 cells with high expression of NLGN3. Knockdown of endogenous NLGN3 significantly reduced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells and down-regulated the activity of the PI3K-AKT, ERK1/2, and LYN signaling pathways. In comparison, overexpression of NLGN3 yielded opposite results. Our results further demonstrate that LYN functions as a feedback mechanism to promote NLGN3 cleavage. This feedback regulation was achieved by upregulating the ADAM10 sheddase responsible for NLGN3 cleavage. Inhibition of ADAM10 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells; oppositely, the expression of ADAM10 was correlated with a higher likelihood of lower grade glioma (LGG) in the brain. Our study demonstrates that glioma-derived NLGN3 promotes glioma progression by upregulating activity of LYN and ADAM10, which in turn promote NLGN3 cleavage to form a positive feedback loop. This pathway may open a potential therapeutic window for the treatment of human glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning-Ning Dang
- Department of Dermatology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiao-Bing Li
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Mei Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Chen Han
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiao-Yong Fan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Shu-Hong Huang
- Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
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Shen C, Zhou Y, Tang C, He C, Zuo Z. Developmental exposure to mepanipyrim induces locomotor hyperactivity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 256:127106. [PMID: 32447115 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mepanipyrim is a widely used fungicide, and residues of mepanipyrim are frequently detected in commodities. However, the neurotoxicity and underlying mechanisms of mepanipyrim are still insufficiently understood. In this study, zebrafish embryos at 0.5-1.0 post-fertilization hours (hpf) were exposed to 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μg/L mepanipyrim for 7 days. Our results showed that mepanipyrim could cause the locomotor hyperactivity and increase the concentration of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) and the Na+/K+- and Ca2+-ATPase activities in zebrafish larvae. We have conducted the RNA-sequence and RT-qPCR to analyze the gene expressions. The mRNA expression levels of calcium/sodium ion conduction associated genes were observably up-regulated, demonstrating that mepanipyrim could enhance the cell energy metabolism, the synaptic transmission and skeletal muscle contraction, which were consistent with the locomotor hyperactivity. Meanwhile, exposure to mepanipyrim could significantly change the gene expression levels of gad1, bdnf, nlgn1, and type A and B GABA receptors in zebrafish larvae. This is the first study focusing on the underlying mechanisms of the neurotoxic effects that are induced by mepanipyrim.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China
| | - Yixi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China
| | - Chen Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China
| | - Chengyong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China
| | - Zhenghong Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China.
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Doostparast Torshizi A, Duan J, Wang K. Cell-Type-Specific Proteogenomic Signal Diffusion for Integrating Multi-Omics Data Predicts Novel Schizophrenia Risk Genes. PATTERNS (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 1:100091. [PMID: 32984858 PMCID: PMC7518509 DOI: 10.1016/j.patter.2020.100091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of diverse types of omics data on schizophrenia (SCZ) requires a systems approach to model the interplay between genome, transcriptome, and proteome. We introduce Markov affinity-based proteogenomic signal diffusion (MAPSD), a method to model intra-cellular protein trafficking paradigms and tissue-wise single-cell protein abundances. MAPSD integrates multi-omics data to amplify the signals at SCZ risk loci with small effect sizes, and reveal convergent disease-associated gene modules in the brain. We predicted a set of high-confidence SCZ risk loci followed by characterizing the subcellular localization of proteins encoded by candidate SCZ risk genes, and illustrated that most are enriched in neuronal cells in the cerebral cortex as well as Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. We demonstrated how the identified genes may be involved in neurodevelopment, how they may alter SCZ-related biological pathways, and how they facilitate drug repurposing. MAPSD is applicable in other polygenic diseases and can facilitate our understanding of disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abolfazl Doostparast Torshizi
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jubao Duan
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, North Shore University Health System, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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7
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Baseline mRNA expression differs widely between common laboratory strains of zebrafish. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4780. [PMID: 29555936 PMCID: PMC5859126 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23129-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Common strains of wildtype zebrafish (Danio rerio) have unique genomic features including SNPs and CNV, but strain information often goes unreported in the literature. As a result, the confounding effects of interstrain variation makes repetition of studies in zebrafish challenging. Here we analyze hepatic mRNA expression patterns between three common zebrafish strains (AB, Tuebingen (TU), and WIK) using Agilent 4 × 44 K gene expression microarrays to establish baseline mRNA expression across strains and between sexes. We observed wide variation in sex-specific gene expression within AB and WIK strains (141 genes in AB and 67 genes in WIK), but no significant variation between sexes within TU. After partitioning the dataset into male and female subsets, we detected 421 unique mRNA transcripts with statistically significant differential expression; 269 mRNA transcripts varied between males, 212 mRNA transcripts varied between females, and 59 mRNA transcripts varied across the three strains, regardless of sex. It is not surprising that mRNA expression profiles differ between sexes and strains, but it is imperative to characterize the differences. These results highlight the complexity of variation within zebrafish and underscore the value of this model system as a valid representation of normal variation present in other species, including humans.
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8
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Kozol RA, Abrams AJ, James DM, Buglo E, Yan Q, Dallman JE. Function Over Form: Modeling Groups of Inherited Neurological Conditions in Zebrafish. Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 9:55. [PMID: 27458342 PMCID: PMC4935692 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish are a unique cell to behavior model for studying the basic biology of human inherited neurological conditions. Conserved vertebrate genetics and optical transparency provide in vivo access to the developing nervous system as well as high-throughput approaches for drug screens. Here we review zebrafish modeling for two broad groups of inherited conditions that each share genetic and molecular pathways and overlap phenotypically: neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Intellectual Disability (ID) and Schizophrenia (SCZ), and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Cerebellar Ataxia (CATX), Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP) and Charcot-Marie Tooth Disease (CMT). We also conduct a small meta-analysis of zebrafish orthologs of high confidence neurodevelopmental disorder and neurodegenerative disease genes by looking at duplication rates and relative protein sizes. In the past zebrafish genetic models of these neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases have provided insight into cellular, circuit and behavioral level mechanisms contributing to these conditions. Moving forward, advances in genetic manipulation, live imaging of neuronal activity and automated high-throughput molecular screening promise to help delineate the mechanistic relationships between different types of neurological conditions and accelerate discovery of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Kozol
- Department of Biology, University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Alexander J. Abrams
- Department of Human Genetics, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, University of MiamiMiami, FL, USA
| | - David M. James
- Department of Biology, University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Elena Buglo
- Department of Human Genetics, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, University of MiamiMiami, FL, USA
| | - Qing Yan
- Department of Biology, University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL, USA
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Teles MC, Cardoso SD, Oliveira RF. Social Plasticity Relies on Different Neuroplasticity Mechanisms across the Brain Social Decision-Making Network in Zebrafish. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:16. [PMID: 26909029 PMCID: PMC4754415 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Social living animals need to adjust the expression of their behavior to their status within the group and to changes in social context and this ability (social plasticity) has an impact on their Darwinian fitness. At the proximate level social plasticity must rely on neuroplasticity in the brain social decision-making network (SDMN) that underlies the expression of social behavior, such that the same neural circuit may underlie the expression of different behaviors depending on social context. Here we tested this hypothesis in zebrafish by characterizing the gene expression response in the SDMN to changes in social status of a set of genes involved in different types of neural plasticity: bdnf, involved in changes in synaptic strength; npas4, involved in contextual learning and dependent establishment of GABAergic synapses; neuroligins (nlgn1 and nlgn2) as synaptogenesis markers; and genes involved in adult neurogenesis (wnt3 and neurod). Four social phenotypes were experimentally induced: Winners and Losers of a real-opponent interaction; Mirror-fighters, that fight their own image in a mirror and thus do not experience a change in social status despite the expression of aggressive behavior; and non-interacting fish, which were used as a reference group. Our results show that each social phenotype (i.e., Winners, Losers, and Mirror-fighters) present specific patterns of gene expression across the SDMN, and that different neuroplasticity genes are differentially expressed in different nodes of the network (e.g., BDNF in the dorsolateral telencephalon, which is a putative teleost homolog of the mammalian hippocampus). Winners expressed unique patterns of gene co-expression across the SDMN, whereas in Losers and Mirror-fighters the co-expression patterns were similar in the dorsal regions of the telencephalon and in the supracommissural nucleus of the ventral telencephalic area, but differents in the remaining regions of the ventral telencephalon. These results indicate that social plasticity relies on multiple neuroplasticity mechanisms across the SDMN, and that there is not a single neuromolecular module underlying this type of behavioral flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda C Teles
- Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada-Instituto UniversitárioLisboa, Portugal; Instituto Gulbenkian de CiênciaOeiras, Portugal; Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Centre for the UnknownLisboa, Portugal
| | - Sara D Cardoso
- Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada-Instituto UniversitárioLisboa, Portugal; Instituto Gulbenkian de CiênciaOeiras, Portugal; Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Centre for the UnknownLisboa, Portugal
| | - Rui F Oliveira
- Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada-Instituto UniversitárioLisboa, Portugal; Instituto Gulbenkian de CiênciaOeiras, Portugal; Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Centre for the UnknownLisboa, Portugal
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10
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Haron MH, Khan IA, Dasmahapatra AK. Developmental regulation of neuroligin genes in Japanese ricefish (Oryzias latipes) embryogenesis maintains the rhythm during ethanol-induced fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2014; 159:62-8. [PMID: 24126235 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2013.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2013] [Revised: 10/03/2013] [Accepted: 10/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Although prenatal alcohol exposure is the potential cause of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in humans, the molecular mechanism(s) of FASD is yet unknown. We have used Japanese ricefish (Oryzias latipes) embryogenesis as an animal model of FASD and reported that this model has effectively generated several phenotypic features in the cardiovasculature and neurocranial cartilages by developmental ethanol exposure which is analogous to human FASD phenotypes. As FASD is a neurobehavioral disorder, we are searching for a molecular target of ethanol that alters neurological functions. In this communication, we have focused on neuroligin genes (nlgn) which are known to be active at the postsynaptic side of both excitatory and inhibitory synapses of the central nervous system. There are six human NLGN homologs of Japanese ricefish reported in public data bases. We have partially cloned these genes and analyzed their expression pattern during normal development and also after exposing the embryos to ethanol. Our data indicate that the expression of all six nlgn genes in Japanese ricefish embryos is developmentally regulated. Although ethanol is able to induce developmental abnormalities in Japanese ricefish embryogenesis comparable to the FASD phenotypes, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis of nlgn mRNAs indicate unresponsiveness of these genes to ethanol. We conclude that the disruption of the developmental rhythm of Japanese ricefish embryogenesis by ethanol that leads to FASD may not affect the nlgn gene expression at the message level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona H Haron
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
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11
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Becker TS, Rinkwitz S. Zebrafish as a genomics model for human neurological and polygenic disorders. Dev Neurobiol 2012; 72:415-28. [PMID: 21465670 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.20888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Whole exome sequencing and, to a lesser extent, genome-wide association studies, have provided unprecedented advances in identifying genes and candidate genomic regions involved in the development of human disease. Further progress will come from sequencing the entire genome of multiple patients and normal controls to evaluate overall mutational burden and disease risk. A major challenge will be the interpretation of the resulting data and distinguishing true pathogenic mutations from rare benign variants.While in model organisms such as the zebrafish,mutants are sought that disrupt the function of individual genes, human mutations that cause, or are associated with, the development of disease, are often not acting in a Mendelian fashion, are frequently of small effect size, are late onset, and may reside in noncoding parts of the genome. The zebrafish model is uniquely poised for understanding human coding- and noncoding variants because of its sequenced genome, a large body of knowledge on gene expression and function, rapid generation time, and easy access to embryos. A critical advantage is the ease of zebrafish transgenesis, both for the testing of human regulatory DNA driving expression of fluorescent reporter proteins, and the expression of mutated disease-associated human proteins in specific neurons to rapidly model aspects of neurological disorders. The zebrafish affords progress both through its model genome and it is rapidly developing transparent model vertebrate embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S Becker
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.
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12
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Bottos A, Rissone A, Bussolino F, Arese M. Neurexins and neuroligins: synapses look out of the nervous system. Cell Mol Life Sci 2011; 68:2655-66. [PMID: 21394644 PMCID: PMC11115133 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-011-0664-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2010] [Revised: 02/16/2011] [Accepted: 02/22/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The scientific interest in the family of the so-called nervous vascular parallels has been growing steadily for the past 15 years, either by addition of new members to the group or, lately, by deepening the analysis of established concepts and mediators. Proteins governing both neurons and vascular cells are known to be involved in events such as cell fate determination and migration/guidance but not in the last and apparently most complex step of nervous system development, the formation and maturation of synapses. Hence, the recent addition to this family of the specific synaptic proteins, Neurexin and Neuroligin, is a double innovation. The two proteins, which were thought to be "simple" adhesive links between the pre- and post-synaptic sides of chemical synapses, are in fact extremely complex and modulate the most subtle synaptic activities. We will discuss the relevant data and the intriguing challenge of transferring synaptic activities to vascular functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Bottos
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Torino, IRCC, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment at Candiolo, Strada prov 142, km 3, 95, 10060 Candiolo (TO), Italy
| | - Alberto Rissone
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Torino, IRCC, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment at Candiolo, Strada prov 142, km 3, 95, 10060 Candiolo (TO), Italy
| | - Federico Bussolino
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Torino, IRCC, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment at Candiolo, Strada prov 142, km 3, 95, 10060 Candiolo (TO), Italy
| | - Marco Arese
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Torino, IRCC, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment at Candiolo, Strada prov 142, km 3, 95, 10060 Candiolo (TO), Italy
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The biological role of the glycinergic synapse in early zebrafish motility. Neurosci Res 2011; 71:1-11. [PMID: 21712054 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2011.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2011] [Revised: 04/08/2011] [Accepted: 04/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Glycine mediates fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the spinal cord, brainstem and retina. Loss of synaptic glycinergic transmission in vertebrates leads to a severe locomotion defect characterized by an exaggerated startle response accompanied by transient muscle rigidity in response to sudden acoustic or tactile stimuli. Several molecular components of the glycinergic synapse have been characterized as an outcome of genetic and physiological analyses of synaptogenesis in mammals. Recently, the glycinergic synapse has been studied using a forward genetic approach in zebrafish. This review aims to discuss molecular components of the glycinergic synapse, such as glycine receptor subunits, gephyrin, gephyrin-binding proteins and glycine transporters, as well as recent studies relevant to the genetic analysis of the glycinergic synapse in zebrafish.
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Abstract
Recent studies have identified the leucine rich repeat protein LRRTM2 as a post-synaptic ligand of Neurexins. Neurexins also bind the post-synaptic adhesion molecules, Neuroligins. All three families of genes have been implicated in the etiologies of neurodevelopmental disorders, specifically autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Does the binding promiscuity of Neurexins now suggest complex cooperativity or redundancy at the synapse? While recent studies in primary neuronal cultures and also systematic extracellular protein interaction screens suggest summative effects of these systems, we propose that studying these interactions in the developing zebrafish embryo or larvae may shed more light on their functions during synaptogenesis in vivo. These gene families have recently been extensively characterized in zebrafish, demonstrating high sequence conservation with the human genes. The simpler circuitry of the zebrafish, together with the characterization of the expression patterns down to single, identifiable neurons and the ability to knock-down or over-express multiple genes in a rapid way lend themselves to dissecting complex interaction pathways. Furthermore, the capability of performing high-throughput drug screens suggests that these small vertebrates may prove extremely useful in identifying pharmacological approaches to treating autism spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philip Washbourne
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403, USA
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