1
|
Tan Q, Xu X, Zhou H, Jia J, Jia Y, Tu H, Zhou D, Wu X. A multi-ancestry cerebral cortex transcriptome-wide association study identifies genes associated with smoking behaviors. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02605-6. [PMID: 38816585 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02605-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) have provided valuable insight in identifying genes that may impact cigarette smoking. Most of previous studies, however, mainly focused on European ancestry. Limited TWAS studies have been conducted across multiple ancestries to explore genes that may impact smoking behaviors. In this study, we used cis-eQTL data of cerebral cortex from multiple ancestries in MetaBrain, including European, East Asian, and African samples, as reference panels to perform multi-ancestry TWAS analyses on ancestry-matched GWASs of four smoking behaviors including smoking initiation, smoking cessation, age of smoking initiation, and number of cigarettes per day in GWAS & Sequencing Consortium of Alcohol and Nicotine use (GSCAN). Multiple-ancestry fine-mapping approach was conducted to identify credible gene sets associated with these four traits. Enrichment and module network analyses were further performed to explore the potential roles of these identified gene sets. A total of 719 unique genes were identified to be associated with at least one of the four smoking traits across ancestries. Among those, 249 genes were further prioritized as putative causal genes in multiple ancestry-based fine-mapping approach. Several well-known smoking-related genes, including PSMA4, IREB2, and CHRNA3, showed high confidence across ancestries. Some novel genes, e.g., TSPAN3 and ANK2, were also identified in the credible sets. The enrichment analysis identified a series of critical pathways related to smoking such as synaptic transmission and glutamate receptor activity. Leveraging the power of the latest multi-ancestry GWAS and eQTL data sources, this study revealed hundreds of genes and relevant biological processes related to smoking behaviors. These findings provide new insights for future functional studies on smoking behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qilong Tan
- Department of Big Data in Health Science School of Public Health, Center of Clinical Big Data and Analytics of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- The Key Laboratory of Intelligent Preventive Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiaohang Xu
- Department of Big Data in Health Science School of Public Health, Center of Clinical Big Data and Analytics of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- The Key Laboratory of Intelligent Preventive Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hanyi Zhou
- Department of Big Data in Health Science School of Public Health, Center of Clinical Big Data and Analytics of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- The Key Laboratory of Intelligent Preventive Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Junlin Jia
- Department of Big Data in Health Science School of Public Health, Center of Clinical Big Data and Analytics of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- The Key Laboratory of Intelligent Preventive Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yubing Jia
- Department of Big Data in Health Science School of Public Health, Center of Clinical Big Data and Analytics of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- The Key Laboratory of Intelligent Preventive Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Huakang Tu
- Department of Big Data in Health Science School of Public Health, Center of Clinical Big Data and Analytics of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- The Key Laboratory of Intelligent Preventive Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dan Zhou
- Department of Big Data in Health Science School of Public Health, Center of Clinical Big Data and Analytics of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- The Key Laboratory of Intelligent Preventive Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xifeng Wu
- Department of Big Data in Health Science School of Public Health, Center of Clinical Big Data and Analytics of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- The Key Laboratory of Intelligent Preventive Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- School of Medicine and Health Science, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Nisar S, Haris M. Neuroimaging genetics approaches to identify new biomarkers for the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4995-5008. [PMID: 37069342 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02060-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Autism-spectrum disorders (ASDs) are developmental disabilities that manifest in early childhood and are characterized by qualitative abnormalities in social behaviors, communication skills, and restrictive or repetitive behaviors. To explore the neurobiological mechanisms in ASD, extensive research has been done to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers through a neuroimaging genetics approach. Neuroimaging genetics helps to identify ASD-risk genes that contribute to structural and functional variations in brain circuitry and validate biological changes by elucidating the mechanisms and pathways that confer genetic risk. Integrating artificial intelligence models with neuroimaging data lays the groundwork for accurate diagnosis and facilitates the identification of early diagnostic biomarkers for ASD. This review discusses the significance of neuroimaging genetics approaches to gaining a better understanding of the perturbed neurochemical system and molecular pathways in ASD and how these approaches can detect structural, functional, and metabolic changes and lead to the discovery of novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabah Nisar
- Laboratory of Molecular and Metabolic Imaging, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Mohammad Haris
- Laboratory of Molecular and Metabolic Imaging, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
- Center for Advanced Metabolic Imaging in Precision Medicine, Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Matrone C, Ferretti G. Semaphorin 3A influences neuronal processes that are altered in patients with autism spectrum disorder: Potential diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105338. [PMID: 37524141 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive disorder that most frequently manifests in early childhood and lasts for their entire lifespan. Several behavioural traits characterise the phenotype of patients with ASD, including difficulties in reciprocal social communication as well as compulsive/repetitive stereotyped verbal and non-verbal behaviours. Although multiple hypotheses have been proposed to explain the aetiology of ASD and many resources have been used to improve our understanding of ASD, several aspects remain largely unexplored. Class 3 semaphorins (SEMA3) are secreted proteins involved in the organisation of structural and functional connectivity in the brain that regulate synaptic and dendritic development. Alterations in brain connectivity and aberrant neuronal development have been described in some patients with ASD. Mutations and polymorphisms in SEMA3A and alterations in its receptors and signalling have been associated with some neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and epilepsy, which are comorbidities in ASD, but also with ASD itself. In addition, SEMA3A is a key regulator of the immune response and neuroinflammatory processes, which have been found to be dysregulated in mothers of children who develop ASD and in affected patients. In this review, we highlight neurodevelopmental-related processes in which SEMA3A is involved, which are altered in ASD, and provide a viewpoint emphasising the development of strategies targeting changes in the SEMA3A signal to identify patterns of anomalies distinctive of ASD or to predict the prognosis of affected patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Matrone
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Gabriella Ferretti
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Oh H, Lee S, Oh Y, Kim S, Kim YS, Yang Y, Choi W, Yoo YE, Cho H, Lee S, Yang E, Koh W, Won W, Kim R, Lee CJ, Kim H, Kang H, Kim JY, Ku T, Paik SB, Kim E. Kv7/KCNQ potassium channels in cortical hyperexcitability and juvenile seizure-related death in Ank2-mutant mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3547. [PMID: 37321992 PMCID: PMC10272139 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39203-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) represent neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social deficits, repetitive behaviors, and various comorbidities, including epilepsy. ANK2, which encodes a neuronal scaffolding protein, is frequently mutated in ASD, but its in vivo functions and disease-related mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we report that mice with Ank2 knockout restricted to cortical and hippocampal excitatory neurons (Ank2-cKO mice) show ASD-related behavioral abnormalities and juvenile seizure-related death. Ank2-cKO cortical neurons show abnormally increased excitability and firing rate. These changes accompanied decreases in the total level and function of the Kv7.2/KCNQ2 and Kv7.3/KCNQ3 potassium channels and the density of these channels in the enlengthened axon initial segment. Importantly, the Kv7 agonist, retigabine, rescued neuronal excitability, juvenile seizure-related death, and hyperactivity in Ank2-cKO mice. These results suggest that Ank2 regulates neuronal excitability by regulating the length of and Kv7 density in the AIS and that Kv7 channelopathy is involved in Ank2-related brain dysfunctions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyoseon Oh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Suho Lee
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Yusang Oh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Seongbin Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Young Seo Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Yeji Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, 162 Yeongudanjiro, Ochang, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 28119, Korea
| | - Woochul Choi
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Ye-Eun Yoo
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Heejin Cho
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Seungjoon Lee
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Esther Yang
- Department of Anatomy and Brain Korea 21 Graduate Program, Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Korea
| | - Wuhyun Koh
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, IBS, Daejeon, 34126, Korea
| | - Woojin Won
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, IBS, Daejeon, 34126, Korea
| | - Ryunhee Kim
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - C Justin Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, IBS, Daejeon, 34126, Korea
| | - Hyun Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Brain Korea 21 Graduate Program, Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Korea
| | - Hyojin Kang
- Division of National Supercomputing, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Jin Young Kim
- Research Center for Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, 162 Yeongudanjiro, Ochang, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 28119, Korea
| | - Taeyun Ku
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Se-Bum Paik
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Eunjoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Korea.
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Morais CG, Quental R, Lourenço L, Guardiano M, Silva C, Leão M. Detection of a de novo heterozygous ANK2 variant in a child with autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy: a case report. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2023. [DOI: 10.1186/s43042-023-00389-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not fully clarified. Next-generation sequencing technologies have greatly enhanced the identification of new genes associated with ASD. Variants in ANK2 gene are known to correlate with a broad spectrum of clinical cardiac phenotypes, but, more recently, it has also been pointed out as a candidate gene for the etiology of ASD.
Case presentation
We report the case of a female patient with ASD and epilepsy in whom clinical exome sequencing was performed for etiological enlightenment. A heterozygous variant of uncertain significance was identified in the ANK2 gene: c.3412C > T p.(Arg1138Ter). The child was submitted to a formal cardiac evaluation, ruling out cardiovascular abnormalities. The genetic variant was searched in her parents and was negative in both, suggesting a de novo variant, which favors its pathogenicity.
Conclusions
We recognize the challenge of assessing variant pathogenicity in candidate genes for ASD, and ANK2 gene is currently not associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database. Nonetheless, our case can be added to other published reports of de novo ANK2 variants in children with ASD and neurological phenotypes (including seizures), some without cardiac impairment. Hopefully, this study provides a more detailed phenotypical description that is often lacking, and it may contribute to a better understanding of the association between ANK2 and ASD.
Collapse
|
6
|
York NS, Sanchez-Arias JC, McAdam ACH, Rivera JE, Arbour LT, Swayne LA. Mechanisms underlying the role of ankyrin-B in cardiac and neurological health and disease. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:964675. [PMID: 35990955 PMCID: PMC9386378 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.964675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ANK2 gene encodes for ankyrin-B (ANKB), one of 3 members of the ankyrin family of proteins, whose name is derived from the Greek word for anchor. ANKB was originally identified in the brain (B denotes “brain”) but has become most widely known for its role in cardiomyocytes as a scaffolding protein for ion channels and transporters, as well as an interacting protein for structural and signaling proteins. Certain loss-of-function ANK2 variants are associated with a primarily cardiac-presenting autosomal-dominant condition with incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity characterized by a predisposition to supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, congenital and adult-onset structural heart disease, and sudden death. Another independent group of ANK2 variants are associated with increased risk for distinct neurological phenotypes, including epilepsy and autism spectrum disorders. The mechanisms underlying ANKB's roles in cells in health and disease are not fully understood; however, several clues from a range of molecular and cell biological studies have emerged. Notably, ANKB exhibits several isoforms that have different cell-type–, tissue–, and developmental stage– expression profiles. Given the conservation within ankyrins across evolution, model organism studies have enabled the discovery of several ankyrin roles that could shed important light on ANKB protein-protein interactions in heart and brain cells related to the regulation of cellular polarity, organization, calcium homeostasis, and glucose and fat metabolism. Along with this accumulation of evidence suggesting a diversity of important ANKB cellular functions, there is an on-going debate on the role of ANKB in disease. We currently have limited understanding of how these cellular functions link to disease risk. To this end, this review will examine evidence for the cellular roles of ANKB and the potential contribution of ANKB functional variants to disease risk and presentation. This contribution will highlight the impact of ANKB dysfunction on cardiac and neuronal cells and the significance of understanding the role of ANKB variants in disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole S. York
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Alexa C. H. McAdam
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Joel E. Rivera
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Laura T. Arbour
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Laura T. Arbour
| | - Leigh Anne Swayne
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Leigh Anne Swayne
| |
Collapse
|