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Dudas A, Nakahara TS, Pellissier LP, Chamero P. Parenting behaviors in mice: Olfactory mechanisms and features in models of autism spectrum disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105686. [PMID: 38657845 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Rodents, along with numerous other mammals, heavily depend on olfactory cues to navigate their social interactions. Processing of olfactory sensory inputs is mediated by conserved brain circuits that ultimately trigger social behaviors, such as social interactions and parental care. Although innate, parenting is influenced by internal states, social experience, genetics, and the environment, and any significant disruption of these factors can impact the social circuits. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms and social circuits from the olfactory epithelium to central processing that initiate parental behaviors and their dysregulations that may contribute to the social impairments in mouse models of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We discuss recent advances of the crucial role of olfaction in parental care, its consequences for social interactions, and the reciprocal influence on social interaction impairments in mouse models of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Dudas
- Team biology of GPCR Signaling systems (BIOS), CNRS, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, Nouzilly F-37380, France
| | - Thiago S Nakahara
- Team Neuroendocrine Integration of Reproduction and Behavior (INERC), CNRS, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, Nouzilly F-37380, France
| | - Lucie P Pellissier
- Team biology of GPCR Signaling systems (BIOS), CNRS, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, Nouzilly F-37380, France.
| | - Pablo Chamero
- Team Neuroendocrine Integration of Reproduction and Behavior (INERC), CNRS, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, Nouzilly F-37380, France.
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2
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Lau KA, Yang X, Rioult-Pedotti MS, Tang S, Appleman M, Zhang J, Tian Y, Marino C, Yao M, Jiang Q, Tsuda AC, Huang YWA, Cao C, Marshall J. A PSD-95 peptidomimetic mitigates neurological deficits in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 230:102513. [PMID: 37536482 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a severe cognitive disorder caused by loss of neuronal expression of the E3 ubiquitin ligase UBE3A. In an AS mouse model, we previously reported a deficit in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling, and set out to develop a therapeutic that would restore normal signaling. We demonstrate that CN2097, a peptidomimetic compound that binds postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), a TrkB associated scaffolding protein, mitigates deficits in PLC-CaMKII and PI3K/mTOR pathways to restore synaptic plasticity and learning. Administration of CN2097 facilitated long-term potentiation (LTP) and corrected paired-pulse ratio. As the BDNF-mTORC1 pathway is critical for inhibition of autophagy, we investigated whether autophagy was disrupted in AS mice. We found aberrantly high autophagic activity attributable to a concomitant decrease in mTORC1 signaling, resulting in decreased levels of synaptic proteins, including Synapsin-1 and Shank3. CN2097 increased mTORC1 activity to normalize autophagy and restore hippocampal synaptic protein levels. Importantly, treatment mitigated cognitive and motor dysfunction. These findings support the use of neurotrophic therapeutics as a valuable approach for treating AS pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara A Lau
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Mengia S Rioult-Pedotti
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Stephen Tang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Mark Appleman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Jianan Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, China.
| | - Yuyang Tian
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Caitlin Marino
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Mudi Yao
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Qin Jiang
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Ayumi C Tsuda
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Yu-Wen Alvin Huang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Cong Cao
- Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, China.
| | - John Marshall
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
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3
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Xing L, Simon JM, Ptacek TS, Yi JJ, Loo L, Mao H, Wolter JM, McCoy ES, Paranjape SR, Taylor-Blake B, Zylka MJ. Autism-linked UBE3A gain-of-function mutation causes interneuron and behavioral phenotypes when inherited maternally or paternally in mice. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112706. [PMID: 37389991 PMCID: PMC10530456 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112706] [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: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The E3 ubiquitin ligase Ube3a is biallelically expressed in neural progenitors and glial cells, suggesting that UBE3A gain-of-function mutations might cause neurodevelopmental disorders irrespective of parent of origin. Here, we engineered a mouse line that harbors an autism-linked UBE3AT485A (T503A in mouse) gain-of-function mutation and evaluated phenotypes in animals that inherited the mutant allele paternally, maternally, or from both parents. We find that paternally and maternally expressed UBE3AT503A results in elevated UBE3A activity in neural progenitors and glial cells. Expression of UBE3AT503A from the maternal allele, but not the paternal one, leads to a persistent elevation of UBE3A activity in neurons. Mutant mice display behavioral phenotypes that differ by parent of origin. Expression of UBE3AT503A, irrespective of its parent of origin, promotes transient embryonic expansion of Zcchc12 lineage interneurons. Phenotypes of Ube3aT503A mice are distinct from Angelman syndrome model mice. Our study has clinical implications for a growing number of disease-linked UBE3A gain-of-function mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Xing
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jeremy M Simon
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7264, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Travis S Ptacek
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jason J Yi
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lipin Loo
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hanqian Mao
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Justin M Wolter
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7264, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Eric S McCoy
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Smita R Paranjape
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Bonnie Taylor-Blake
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Mark J Zylka
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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4
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Sun J, Liu Y, Hao X, Baudry M, Bi X. Lack of UBE3A-Mediated Regulation of Synaptic SK2 Channels Contributes to Learning and Memory Impairment in the Female Mouse Model of Angelman Syndrome. Neural Plast 2022; 2022:3923384. [PMID: 36237484 PMCID: PMC9553421 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3923384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe developmental delay, motor impairment, language and cognition deficits, and often with increased seizure activity. AS is caused by deficiency of UBE3A, which is both an E3 ligase and a cofactor for transcriptional regulation. We previously showed that the small conductance potassium channel protein SK2 is a UBE3A substrate, and that increased synaptic SK2 levels contribute to impairments in synaptic plasticity and fear-conditioning memory, as inhibition of SK2 channels significantly improved both synaptic plasticity and fear memory in male AS mice. In the present study, we investigated UBE3a-mediated regulation of synaptic plasticity and fear-conditioning in female AS mice. Results from both western blot and immunofluorescence analyses showed that synaptic SK2 levels were significantly increased in hippocampus of female AS mice, as compared to wild-type (WT) littermates. Like in male AS mice, long-term potentiation (LTP) was significantly reduced while long-term depression (LTD) was enhanced at hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapses of female AS mice, as compared to female WT mice. Both alterations were significantly reduced by treatment with the SK2 inhibitor, apamin. The shunting effect of SK2 channels on NMDA receptor was significantly larger in female AS mice as compared to female WT mice. Female AS mice also showed impairment in both contextual and tone memory recall, and this impairment was significantly reduced by apamin treatment. Our results indicate that like male AS mice, female AS mice showed significant impairment in both synaptic plasticity and fear-conditioning memory due to increased levels of synaptic SK2 channels. Any therapeutic strategy to reduce SK2-mediated inhibition of NMDAR should be beneficial to both male and female patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiandong Sun
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
| | - Xiaoning Hao
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
| | - Michel Baudry
- College of Dental Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
| | - Xiaoning Bi
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
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Tanas JK, Kerr DD, Wang L, Rai A, Wallaard I, Elgersma Y, Sidorov MS. Multidimensional analysis of behavior predicts genotype with high accuracy in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:426. [PMID: 36192373 PMCID: PMC9529912 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02206-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss of expression of the maternal copy of the UBE3A gene. Individuals with AS have a multifaceted behavioral phenotype consisting of deficits in motor function, epilepsy, cognitive impairment, sleep abnormalities, as well as other comorbidities. Effectively modeling this behavioral profile and measuring behavioral improvement will be crucial for the success of ongoing and future clinical trials. Foundational studies have defined an array of behavioral phenotypes in the AS mouse model. However, no single behavioral test is able to fully capture the complex nature of AS-in mice, or in children. We performed multidimensional analysis (principal component analysis + k-means clustering) to quantify the performance of AS model mice (n = 148) and wild-type littermates (n = 138) across eight behavioral domains. This approach correctly predicted the genotype of mice based on their behavioral profile with ~95% accuracy, and remained effective with reasonable sample sizes (n = ~12-15). Multidimensional analysis was effective using different combinations of behavioral inputs and was able to detect behavioral improvement as a function of treatment in AS model mice. Overall, multidimensional behavioral analysis provides a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of preclinical treatments for AS. Multidimensional analysis of behavior may also be applied to rodent models of related neurodevelopmental disorders, and may be particularly valuable for disorders where individual behavioral tests are less reliable than in AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph K. Tanas
- grid.239560.b0000 0004 0482 1586Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC USA
| | - Devante D. Kerr
- grid.239560.b0000 0004 0482 1586Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC USA ,grid.257127.40000 0001 0547 4545Howard University, Washington, DC USA
| | - Li Wang
- grid.239560.b0000 0004 0482 1586Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC USA
| | - Anika Rai
- grid.239560.b0000 0004 0482 1586Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC USA
| | - Ilse Wallaard
- grid.5645.2000000040459992XDepartment of Clinical Genetics and the ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ype Elgersma
- grid.5645.2000000040459992XDepartment of Clinical Genetics and the ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Michael S. Sidorov
- grid.239560.b0000 0004 0482 1586Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC USA ,grid.253615.60000 0004 1936 9510Departments of Pediatrics and Pharmacology & Physiology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC USA
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6
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Generation and Characterization of a Novel Angelman Syndrome Mouse Model with a Full Deletion of the Ube3a Gene. Cells 2022; 11:cells11182815. [PMID: 36139390 PMCID: PMC9496699 DOI: 10.3390/cells11182815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by deficits in maternally inherited UBE3A. The disease is characterized by intellectual disability, impaired motor skills, and behavioral deficits, including increased anxiety and autism spectrum disorder features. The mouse models used so far in AS research recapitulate most of the cardinal AS characteristics. However, they do not mimic the situation found in the majority of AS patients who have a large deletion spanning 4–6 Mb. There is also a large variability in phenotypes reported in the available models, which altogether limits development of therapeutics. Therefore, we have generated a mouse model in which the Ube3a gene is deleted entirely from the 5′ UTR to the 3′ UTR of mouse Ube3a isoform 2, resulting in a deletion of 76 kb. To investigate its phenotypic suitability as a model for AS, we employed a battery of behavioral tests directed to reveal AS pathology and to find out whether this model better mirrors AS development compared to other available models. We found that the maternally inherited Ube3a-deficient line exhibits robust motor dysfunction, as seen in the rotarod and DigiGait tests, and displays abnormalities in additional behavioral paradigms, including reduced nest building and hypoactivity, although no apparent cognitive phenotype was observed in the Barnes maze and novel object recognition tests. The AS mice did, however, underperform in more complex cognition tasks, such as place reversal in the IntelliCage system, and exhibited a different circadian rhythm activity pattern. We show that the novel UBE3A-deficient model, based on a whole-gene deletion, is suitable for AS research, as it recapitulates important phenotypes characteristic of AS. This new mouse model provides complementary possibilities to study the Ube3a gene and its function in health and disease as well as possible therapeutic interventions to restore function.
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Panov J, Kaphzan H. An Association Study of DNA Methylation and Gene Expression in Angelman Syndrome: A Bioinformatics Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169139. [PMID: 36012404 PMCID: PMC9409443 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the loss of function of the E3-ligase UBE3A. Despite multiple studies, AS pathophysiology is still obscure and has mostly been explored in rodent models of the disease. In recent years, a growing body of studies has utilized omics datasets in the attempt to focus research regarding the pathophysiology of AS. Here, for the first time, we utilized a multi-omics approach at the epigenomic level and the transcriptome level, for human-derived neurons. Using publicly available datasets for DNA methylation and gene expression, we found genome regions in proximity to gene promoters and intersecting with gene-body regions that were differentially methylated and differentially expressed in AS. We found that overall, the genome in AS postmortem brain tissue was hypo-methylated compared to healthy controls. We also found more upregulated genes than downregulated genes in AS. Many of these dysregulated genes in neurons obtained from AS patients are known to be critical for neuronal development and synaptic functioning. Taken together, our results suggest a list of dysregulated genes that may be involved in AS development and its pathological features. Moreover, these genes might also have a role in neurodevelopmental disorders similar to AS.
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8
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Cosgrove JA, Kelly LK, Kiffmeyer EA, Kloth AD. Sex-dependent influence of postweaning environmental enrichment in Angelman syndrome model mice. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2468. [PMID: 34985196 PMCID: PMC8865162 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutation or loss of UBE3A and marked by intellectual disability, ataxia, autism-like symptoms, and other atypical behaviors. One route to treatment may lie in the role that environment plays early in postnatal life. Environmental enrichment (EE) is one manipulation that has shown therapeutic potential in preclinical models of many brain disorders, including neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we examined whether postweaning EE can rescue behavioral phenotypes in Ube3a maternal deletion mice (AS mice), and whether any improvements are sex-dependent. METHODS Male and female mice (C57BL/6J Ube3atm1Alb mice and wild-type (WT) littermates; ≥10 mice/group) were randomly assigned to standard housing (SH) or EE at weaning. EE had a larger footprint, a running wheel, and a variety of toys that promoted foraging, burrowing, and climbing. Following 6 weeks of EE, animals were submitted to a battery of tests that reliably elicit behavioral deficits in AS mice, including rotarod, open field, marble burying, and forced swim; weights were also monitored. RESULTS In male AS-EE mice, we found complete restoration of motor coordination, marble burying, and forced swim behavior to the level of WT-SH mice. We also observed a complete normalization of exploratory distance traveled in the open field, but we found no rescue of vertical behavior or center time. AS-EE mice also had weights comparable to WT-SH mice. Intriguingly, in the female AS-EE mice, we found a failure of EE to rescue the same behavioral deficits relative to female WT-SH mice. CONCLUSIONS Environmental enrichment is an effective route to correcting the most penetrant phenotypes in male AS mice but not female AS mice. This finding has important implications for the translatability of early behavioral intervention for AS patients, most importantly the potential dependency of treatment response on sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jameson A. Cosgrove
- Department of BiologyAugustana University2001 S. Summit AvenueSioux FallsSouth DakotaUSA
| | - Lauren K. Kelly
- Department of BiologyAugustana University2001 S. Summit AvenueSioux FallsSouth DakotaUSA
| | - Elizabeth A. Kiffmeyer
- Department of BiologyAugustana University2001 S. Summit AvenueSioux FallsSouth DakotaUSA
| | - Alexander D. Kloth
- Department of BiologyAugustana University2001 S. Summit AvenueSioux FallsSouth DakotaUSA
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9
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Negrón-Moreno PN, Diep DT, Guoynes CD, Sidorov MS. Dissociating motor impairment from five-choice serial reaction time task performance in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:968159. [PMID: 36212189 PMCID: PMC9539753 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.968159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a single-gene neurodevelopmental disorder associated with cognitive and motor impairment, seizures, lack of speech, and disrupted sleep. AS is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the UBE3A gene, and approaches to reinstate functional UBE3A are currently in clinical trials in children. Behavioral testing in a mouse model of AS (Ube3a m-/p+ ) represents an important tool to assess the effectiveness of current and future treatments preclinically. Existing behavioral tests effectively model motor impairments, but not cognitive impairments, in Ube3a m-/p+ mice. Here we tested the hypothesis that the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT) can be used to assess cognitive behaviors in Ube3a m-/p+ mice. Ube3a m-/p+ mice had more omissions during 5CSRTT training than wild-type littermate controls, but also showed impaired motor function including open field hypoactivity and delays in eating pellet rewards. Motor impairments thus presented an important confound for interpreting this group difference in omissions. We report that despite hypoactivity during habituation, Ube3a m-/p+ mice had normal response latencies to retrieve rewards during 5CSRTT training. We also accounted for delays in eating pellet rewards by assessing omissions solely on trials where eating delays would not impact results. Thus, the increase in omissions in Ube3a m-/p+ mice is likely not caused by concurrent motor impairments. This work underscores the importance of considering how known motor impairments in Ube3a m-/p+ mice may affect behavioral performance in other domains. Our results also provide guidance on how to design a 5CSRTT protocol that is best suited for future studies in Ube3a mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola N Negrón-Moreno
- University of Puerto Rico-Cayey, Cayey, PR, United States.,Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - David T Diep
- University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, United States.,Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Caleigh D Guoynes
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Michael S Sidorov
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States.,Departments of Pediatrics and Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
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10
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Sell GL, Xin W, Cook EK, Zbinden MA, Schaffer TB, O'Meally RN, Cole RN, Margolis SS. Deleting a UBE3A substrate rescues impaired hippocampal physiology and learning in Angelman syndrome mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19414. [PMID: 34593829 PMCID: PMC8484563 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97898-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, loss-of-function mutations in the UBE3A gene lead to the neurodevelopmental disorder Angelman syndrome (AS). AS patients have severe impairments in speech, learning and memory, and motor coordination, for which there is currently no treatment. In addition, UBE3A is duplicated in > 1-2% of patients with autism spectrum disorders-a further indication of the significant role it plays in brain development. Altered expression of UBE3A, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is hypothesized to lead to impaired levels of its target proteins, but identifying the contribution of individual UBE3A targets to UBE3A-dependent deficits remains of critical importance. Ephexin5 is a putative UBE3A substrate that has restricted expression early in development, regulates synapse formation during hippocampal development, and is abnormally elevated in AS mice, modeled by maternally-derived Ube3a gene deletion. Here, we report that Ephexin5 can be directly ubiquitylated by UBE3A. Furthermore, removing Ephexin5 from AS mice specifically rescued hippocampus-dependent behaviors, CA1 physiology, and deficits in dendritic spine number. Our findings identify Ephexin5 as a key driver of hippocampal dysfunction and related behavioral deficits in AS mouse models. These results demonstrate the exciting potential of targeting Ephexin5, and possibly other UBE3A substrates, to improve symptoms of AS and other UBE3A-related developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle L Sell
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wood Basic Science Building Room 517, 725 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Wendy Xin
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
- Department of Neurology and the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Emily K Cook
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wood Basic Science Building Room 517, 725 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Mark A Zbinden
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wood Basic Science Building Room 517, 725 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Human Metabolome Technologies America, Inc., Boston, MA, 02134, USA
| | - Thomas B Schaffer
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wood Basic Science Building Room 517, 725 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- NextCure Inc., Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Robert N O'Meally
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wood Basic Science Building Room 517, 725 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Robert N Cole
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wood Basic Science Building Room 517, 725 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Seth S Margolis
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wood Basic Science Building Room 517, 725 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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11
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Rayi PR, Kaphzan H. Electrophysiological Characterization of Regular and Burst Firing Pyramidal Neurons of the Dorsal Subiculum in an Angelman Syndrome Mouse Model. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:670998. [PMID: 34512263 PMCID: PMC8427506 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.670998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a debilitating neurogenetic disorder characterized by severe developmental delay, speech impairment, gait ataxia, sleep disturbances, epilepsy, and a unique behavioral phenotype. AS is caused by a microdeletion or mutation in the maternal 15q11-q13 chromosome region containing UBE3A gene. The hippocampus is one of the important brain regions affected in AS mice leading to substantial hippocampal-dependent cognitive and behavioral deficits. Recent studies have suggested an abnormal increase in the α1-Na/K-ATPase (α1-NaKA) in AS mice as the precipitating factor leading to the hippocampal deficits. A subsequent study showed that the hippocampal-dependent behavioral deficits occur as a result of altered calcium (Ca+2) dynamics in the CA1 pyramidal neurons (PNs) caused by the elevated α1-NaKA expression levels in the AS mice. Nonetheless, a causal link between hippocampal deficits and major behavioral phenotypes in AS is still obscure. Subiculum, a region adjacent to the hippocampal CA1 is the major output source of the hippocampus and plays an important role in the transfer of information from the CA1 region to the cortical areas. However, in spite of the robust hippocampal deficits and several known electrophysiological alterations in multiple brain regions in AS mice, the neuronal properties of the subicular neurons were never investigated in these mice. Additionally, subicular function is also implied in many neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and epilepsy that share some common features with AS. Therefore, given the importance of the subiculum in these neuropsychiatric disorders and the altered electrophysiological properties of the hippocampal CA1 PNs projecting to the subiculum, we sought to examine the subicular PNs. We performed whole-cell recordings from dorsal subiculum of both WT and AS mice and found three distinct populations of PNs based on their ability to fire bursts or single action potentials following somatic current injection: strong bursting, weak bursting, and regular firing neurons. We found no overall differences in the distribution of these different subicular PN populations among AS and WT controls. However, the different cell types showed distinct alterations in their intrinsic membrane properties. Further, none of these populations were altered in their excitatory synaptic properties. Altogether, our study characterized the different subtypes of PNs in the subicular region of an AS mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prudhvi Raj Rayi
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hanoch Kaphzan
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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12
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Panov J, Kaphzan H. Angelman Syndrome and Angelman-like Syndromes Share the Same Calcium-Related Gene Signatures. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9870. [PMID: 34576033 PMCID: PMC8469403 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman-like syndromes are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that entail clinical presentation similar to Angelman Syndrome (AS). In our previous study, we showed that calcium signaling is disrupted in AS, and we identified calcium-target and calcium-regulating gene signatures that are able to differentiate between AS and their controls in different models. In the herein study, we evaluated these sets of calcium-target and calcium-regulating genes as signatures of AS-like and non-AS-like syndromes. We collected a number of RNA-seq datasets of various AS-like and non-AS-like syndromes and performed Principle Component Analysis (PCA) separately on the two sets of signature genes to visualize the distribution of samples on the PC1-PC2 plane. In addition to the evaluation of calcium signature genes, we performed differential gene expression analyses to identify calcium-related genes dysregulated in each of the studied syndromes. These analyses showed that the calcium-target and calcium-regulating signatures differentiate well between AS-like syndromes and their controls. However, in spite of the fact that many of the non-AS-like syndromes have multiple differentially expressed calcium-related genes, the calcium signatures were not efficient classifiers for non-AS-like neurodevelopmental disorders. These results show that features based on clinical presentation are reflected in signatures derived from bioinformatics analyses and suggest the use of bioinformatics as a tool for classification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hanoch Kaphzan
- Laboratory for Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders, Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel;
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13
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Lyons-Warren AM, Herman I, Hunt PJ, Arenkiel BR. A systematic-review of olfactory deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders: From mouse to human. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:110-121. [PMID: 33610612 PMCID: PMC8142839 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory impairment is a common clinical motif across neurodevelopmental disorders, suggesting olfactory circuits are particularly vulnerable to disease processes and can provide insight into underlying disease mechanisms. The mouse olfactory bulb is an ideal model system to study mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disease due to its anatomical accessibility, behavioral relevance, ease of measuring circuit input and output, and the feature of adult neurogenesis. Despite the clinical relevance and experimental benefits, olfactory testing across animal models of neurodevelopmental disease has been inconsistent and non-standardized. Here we performed a systematic literature review of olfactory function testing in mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders, and identified intriguing inconsistencies that include evidence for both increased and decreased acuity in odor detection in various mouse models of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Based on our identified gaps in the literature, we recommend direct comparison of different mouse models of ASD using standardized tests for odor detection and discrimination. This review provides a framework to guide future olfactory function testing in mouse models of neurodevelopmental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel M Lyons-Warren
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience; Clinical Care Center, Suite 1250, 6621 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America;,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Isabella Herman
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience; Clinical Care Center, Suite 1250, 6621 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America;,Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular & Human Genetics; 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1170.12, Houston TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Patrick J Hunt
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular & Human Genetics; 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1170.12, Houston TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Benjamin R Arenkiel
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular & Human Genetics; 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1170.12, Houston TX 77030, United States of America;,Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience; 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1170.12, Houston TX 77030, United States of America;,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030 USA.,McNair Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
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14
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Rudolph S, Guo C, Pashkovski SL, Osorno T, Gillis WF, Krauss JM, Nyitrai H, Flaquer I, El-Rifai M, Datta SR, Regehr WG. Cerebellum-Specific Deletion of the GABA A Receptor δ Subunit Leads to Sex-Specific Disruption of Behavior. Cell Rep 2021; 33:108338. [PMID: 33147470 PMCID: PMC7700496 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Granule cells (GCs) of the cerebellar input layer express high-affinity δ GABAA subunit-containing GABAA receptors (δGABAARs) that respond to ambient GABA levels and context-dependent neuromodulators like steroids. We find that GC-specific deletion of δGABAA (cerebellar [cb] δ knockout [KO]) decreases tonic inhibition, makes GCs hyperexcitable, and in turn, leads to differential activation of cb output regions as well as many cortical and subcortical brain areas involved in cognition, anxiety-like behaviors, and the stress response. Cb δ KO mice display deficits in many behaviors, but motor function is normal. Strikingly, δGABAA deletion alters maternal behavior as well as spontaneous, stress-related, and social behaviors specifically in females. Our findings establish that δGABAARs enable the cerebellum to control diverse behaviors not previously associated with the cerebellum in a sex-dependent manner. These insights may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie behavioral abnormalities in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders that display a gender bias. Rudolph et al. show that deletion of the neuromodulator and hormone-sensitive δGABAA receptor subunit from cerebellar granule cells results in anxiety-like behaviors and female-specific deficits in social behavior and maternal care. δGABAA deletion is associated with hyperexcitability of the cerebellar input layer and altered activation of many stress-related brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Rudolph
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chong Guo
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stan L Pashkovski
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tomas Osorno
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Winthrop F Gillis
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jeremy M Krauss
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hajnalka Nyitrai
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Isabella Flaquer
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mahmoud El-Rifai
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Wade G Regehr
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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15
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Simchi L, Kaphzan H. Aberrant aggressive behavior in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. Sci Rep 2021; 11:47. [PMID: 33420192 PMCID: PMC7794213 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79984-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder due to the absence of the E3-ligase protein, UBE3A. Inappropriate social interactions, usually hyper-sociability, is a part of that syndrome. In addition, clinical surveys and case reports describe aggressive behavior in AS individuals as a severe difficulty for caretakers. A mouse model for AS recapitulates most of the human AS phenotypes. However, very few studies utilized this mouse model for investigating affiliative social behavior, and not even a single study examined aggressive behavior. Hence, the aim of the herein study was to examine affiliative and aggressive social behavior. For that, we utilized a battery of behavioral paradigms, and performed detailed analyses of these behaviors. AS mice exhibited a unique characteristic of reduced habituation towards a social stimulus in comparison to their wild-type (WT) littermates. However, overall there were no additional marked differences in affiliative social behavior. In contrast to the mild changes in affiliative behavior, there was a striking enhanced aggression in the AS mice compared to their WT littermates. The herein findings emphasize the use of AS mouse model in characterizing and measuring inappropriate aggressive behavior, and suggests these as tools for investigating therapeutic interventions aimed at attenuating aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilach Simchi
- Laboratory for Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders, Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mt. Carmel, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hanoch Kaphzan
- Laboratory for Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders, Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mt. Carmel, 3498838, Haifa, Israel.
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16
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Arakawa H. From Multisensory Assessment to Functional Interpretation of Social Behavioral Phenotype in Transgenic Mouse Models for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:592408. [PMID: 33329141 PMCID: PMC7717939 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.592408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common heterogeneous disorder, defined solely by the core behavioral characteristics, including impaired social interaction and restricted and repeated behavior. Although an increasing number of studies have been performed extensively, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the core symptoms of ASD remain largely unknown. Transgenic mouse models provide a useful tool for evaluating genetic and neuronal mechanisms underlying ASD pathology, which are prerequisites for validating behavioral phenotypes that mimic the core symptoms of human ASD. The purpose of this review is to propose a better strategy for analyzing and interpreting social investigatory behaviors in transgenic mouse models of ASD. Mice are nocturnal, and employ multimodal processing mechanisms for social communicative behaviors, including those that involve olfactory and tactile senses. Most behavioral paradigms that have been developed for measuring a particular ASD-like behavior in mouse models, such as social recognition, preference, and discrimination tests, are based on the evaluation of distance-based investigatory behavior in response to social stimuli. This investigatory behavior in mice is regulated by multimodal processing involving with two different motives: first, an olfactory-based novelty assessment, and second, tactile-based social contact, in a temporally sequential manner. Accurate interpretation of investigatory behavior exhibited by test mice can be achieved by functional analysis of these multimodal, sequential behaviors, which will lead to a better understanding of the specific features of social deficits associated with ASD in transgenic mouse models, at high temporal and spatial resolutions.
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17
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Moreira-de-Sá A, Gonçalves FQ, Lopes JP, Silva HB, Tomé ÂR, Cunha RA, Canas PM. Adenosine A 2A receptors format long-term depression and memory strategies in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 146:105137. [PMID: 33049319 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss of function of the maternally inherited Ube3a neuronal protein, whose main features comprise severe intellectual disabilities and motor impairments. Previous studies with the Ube3am-/p+ mouse model of AS revealed deficits in synaptic plasticity and memory. Since adenosine A2A receptors (A2AR) are powerful modulators of aberrant synaptic plasticity and A2AR blockade prevents memory dysfunction in various brain diseases, we tested if A2AR could control deficits of memory and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in AS. We observed that Ube3am-/p+ mice were unable to resort to hippocampal-dependent search strategies when tested for learning and memory in the Morris water maze; this was associated with a decreased magnitude of long-term depression (LTD) in CA1 hippocampal circuits. There was an increased density of A2AR in the hippocampus of Ube3am-/p+ mice and their chronic treatment with the selective A2AR antagonist SCH58261 (0.1 mg/kg/day, ip) restored both hippocampal-dependent learning strategies, as well as LTD deficits. Altogether, this study provides the first evidence of a role of A2AR as a new prospective therapeutic target to manage learning deficits in AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Moreira-de-Sá
- CNC- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Q Gonçalves
- CNC- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João P Lopes
- CNC- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Henrique B Silva
- CNC- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ângelo R Tomé
- CNC- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo A Cunha
- CNC- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paula M Canas
- CNC- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal.
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18
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Panov J, Simchi L, Feuermann Y, Kaphzan H. Bioinformatics Analyses of the Transcriptome Reveal Ube3a-Dependent Effects on Mitochondrial-Related Pathways. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21114156. [PMID: 32532103 PMCID: PMC7312912 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The UBE3A gene encodes the ubiquitin E3-ligase protein, UBE3A, which is implicated in severe neurodevelopmental disorders. Lack of UBE3A expression results in Angelman syndrome, while UBE3A overexpression, due to genomic 15q duplication, results in autism. The cellular roles of UBE3A are not fully understood, yet a growing body of evidence indicates that these disorders involve mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress. We utilized bioinformatics approaches to delineate the effects of murine Ube3a deletion on the expression of mitochondrial-related genes and pathways. For this, we generated an mRNA sequencing dataset from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) in which both alleles of Ube3a gene were deleted and their wild-type controls. Since oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysregulation might not be exhibited in the resting baseline state, we also activated mitochondrial functioning in the cells of these two genotypes using TNFα application. Transcriptomes of the four groups of MEFs, Ube3a+/+ and Ube3a-/-, with or without the application of TNFα, were analyzed using various bioinformatics tools and machine learning approaches. Our results indicate that Ube3a deletion affects the gene expression profiles of mitochondrial-associated pathways. We further confirmed these results by analyzing other publicly available human transcriptome datasets of Angelman syndrome and 15q duplication syndrome.
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19
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Simchi L, Panov J, Morsy O, Feuermann Y, Kaphzan H. Novel Insights into the Role of UBE3A in Regulating Apoptosis and Proliferation. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9051573. [PMID: 32455880 PMCID: PMC7290732 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9051573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The UBE3A gene codes for a protein with two known functions, a ubiquitin E3-ligase which catalyzes ubiquitin binding to substrate proteins and a steroid hormone receptor coactivator. UBE3A is most famous for its critical role in neuronal functioning. Lack of UBE3A protein expression leads to Angelman syndrome (AS), while its overexpression is associated with autism. In spite of extensive research, our understanding of UBE3A roles is still limited. We investigated the cellular and molecular effects of Ube3a deletion in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and Angelman syndrome (AS) mouse model hippocampi. Cell cultures of MEFs exhibited enhanced proliferation together with reduced apoptosis when Ube3a was deleted. These findings were supported by transcriptome and proteome analyses. Furthermore, transcriptome analyses revealed alterations in mitochondria-related genes. Moreover, an analysis of adult AS model mice hippocampi also found alterations in the expression of apoptosis- and proliferation-associated genes. Our findings emphasize the role UBE3A plays in regulating proliferation and apoptosis and sheds light into the possible effects UBE3A has on mitochondrial involvement in governing this balance.
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20
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JNK signaling activation in the Ube3a maternal deficient mouse model: its specific inhibition prevents post-synaptic protein-enriched fraction alterations and cognitive deficits in Angelman Syndrome model. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 140:104812. [PMID: 32087286 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficiency of the E3 ubiquitin ligase UBE3A leads to the neurodevelopmental disorder Angelman syndrome (AS), while higher levels are linked to autism spectrum disorder. The mechanisms underlying the downstream effects of UBE3A loss or gain of function in these disorders are still not well understood, and treatments are still lacking. Here, using the Ube3a maternal loss (Ube3am-/p+) mouse model, we report an important JNK signaling activation in the hippocampus, cortex and cerebellum correlating with the onset of behavioral defects and biochemical marker alterations in the post-synaptic element, suggesting important spine pathology. JNK activation occurs at 7 and persists up till 23 weeks in Ube3am-/p+ mice in two different cellular compartments: the nucleus and the post-synaptic protein-enriched fraction. To study JNK's role in Ube3am-/p+ pathology we treated mice with the specific JNK inhibitor peptide, D-JNKI1, from 7 to 23 weeks of age. Preventing JNK action in vivo restores the post-synaptic protein-enriched fraction defects and the cognitive impairment in these mice. Our results imply a critical role of UBE3A-JNK signaling in the pathogenesis of UBE3A-related disorders. In particular, it was clear that JNK is a key player in regulating AS synaptic alterations and the correlated cognitive impairments, in fact, its specific inhibition tackles Ube3am-/p+ pathology. This study sheds new light on the neuronal functions of UBE3A and offers new prospects for understanding the pathogenesis of UBE3A-related disorders.
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