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Mozibullah M, Khatun M, Sikder M, Islam M, Sharmin M. Identifying Oncogenic Missense Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Human SAT1 Gene Using Computational Algorithms and Molecular Dynamics Tools. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2024; 7:e2130. [PMID: 39041636 PMCID: PMC11264109 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.2130] [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: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The human SAT1 gene encodes spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase 1 (SSAT1), a regulatory biological catalyst of polyamine catabolism. Numerous essential biological processes, such as cellular proliferation, differentiation, and survival, depend on polyamines like spermidine and spermine. Thus, SSAT1 is involved in key cellular activities such as proliferation and survival of cells and mediates various diseases including cancer. A plethora of studies established the involvement of missense single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in numerous pathological conditions due to their ability to adversely affect the structure and subsequent function of the protein. AIMS To date, an in silico study to identify the pathogenic missense SNPs of the human SAT1 gene has not been accomplished yet. This study aimed to filter the missense SNPs that were functionally detrimental and pathogenic. METHODS AND RESULTS The rs757435207 (I21N) was ascertained to be the most deleterious and pathogenic by all algorithmic tools. Stability and evolutionary conservation analysis tools also stated that I21N variant decreased the stability and was located in the highly conserved residue. Molecular dynamics simulation revealed that I21N caused substantial alterations in the conformational stability and dynamics of the SSAT1 protein. Consequently, the I21N variant could disrupt the native functional roles of the SSAT1 enzyme. CONCLUSION Therefore, the I21N variant was identified and concluded to be an oncogenic missense variant of the human SAT1 gene. Overall, the findings of this study would be a great directory of future experimental research to develop personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Mozibullah
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMawlana Bhashani Science and Technology UniversityTangailBangladesh
| | - Marina Khatun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMawlana Bhashani Science and Technology UniversityTangailBangladesh
| | - Md. Asaduzzaman Sikder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMawlana Bhashani Science and Technology UniversityTangailBangladesh
| | - Mohammod Johirul Islam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMawlana Bhashani Science and Technology UniversityTangailBangladesh
| | - Mehbuba Sharmin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMawlana Bhashani Science and Technology UniversityTangailBangladesh
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2
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Gonda X, Dome P, Serafini G, Pompili M. How to save a life: From neurobiological underpinnings to psychopharmacotherapies in the prevention of suicide. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 244:108390. [PMID: 36940791 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
The impact of suicide on our societies, mental healthcare, and public health is beyond questionable. Every year approximately 700 000 lives are lost due to suicide around the world (WHO, 2021); more people die by suicide than by homicide and war. Although suicide is a key issue and reducing suicide mortality is a global imperative, suicide is a highly complex biopsychosocial phenomenon, and in spite of several suicidal models developed in recent years and a high number of suicide risk factors identified, we still have neither a sufficient understanding of underpinnings of suicide nor adequate management strategies to reduce its prevalence. The present paper first overviews the background of suicidal behavior including its epidemiology, prevalence, age and gender correlations and its association with neuropsychiatric disorders as well as its clinical assessment. Then we give an overview of the etiological background, including its biopsychosocial contexts, genetics and neurobiology. Based on the above, we then provide a critical overview of the currently available intervention options to manage and reduce risk of suicide, including psychotherapeutic modalities, traditional medication classes also providing an up-to-date overview on the antisuicidal effects of lithium, as well as novel molecules such as esketamine and emerging medications and further molecules in development. Finally we give a critical overview on our current knowledge on using neuromodulatory and biological therapies, such as ECT, rTMS, tDCS and other options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xenia Gonda
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; NAP3.0-SE Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Hungarian Brain Research Program, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Peter Dome
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gianluca Serafini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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3
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Mamdani F, Weber MD, Bunney B, Burke K, Cartagena P, Walsh D, Lee FS, Barchas J, Schatzberg AF, Myers RM, Watson SJ, Akil H, Vawter MP, Bunney WE, Sequeira A. Identification of potential blood biomarkers associated with suicide in major depressive disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:159. [PMID: 35422091 PMCID: PMC9010430 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01918-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Suicides have increased to over 48,000 deaths yearly in the United States. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common diagnosis among suicides, and identifying those at the highest risk for suicide is a pressing challenge. The objective of this study is to identify changes in gene expression associated with suicide in brain and blood for the development of biomarkers for suicide. Blood and brain were available for 45 subjects (53 blood samples and 69 dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) samples in total). Samples were collected from MDD patients who died by suicide (MDD-S), MDDs who died by other means (MDD-NS) and non-psychiatric controls. We analyzed gene expression using RNA and the NanoString platform. In blood, we identified 14 genes which significantly differentiated MDD-S versus MDD-NS. The top six genes differentially expressed in blood were: PER3, MTPAP, SLC25A26, CD19, SOX9, and GAR1. Additionally, four genes showed significant changes in brain and blood between MDD-S and MDD-NS; SOX9 was decreased and PER3 was increased in MDD-S in both tissues, while CD19 and TERF1 were increased in blood but decreased in DLPFC. To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze matched blood and brain samples in a well-defined population of MDDs demonstrating significant differences in gene expression associated with completed suicide. Our results strongly suggest that blood gene expression is highly informative to understand molecular changes in suicide. Developing a suicide biomarker signature in blood could help health care professionals to identify subjects at high risk for suicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firoza Mamdani
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Matthieu D. Weber
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Blynn Bunney
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Kathleen Burke
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Preston Cartagena
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - David Walsh
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Francis S. Lee
- grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY USA
| | - Jack Barchas
- grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY USA
| | - Alan F. Schatzberg
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA USA
| | - Richard M. Myers
- grid.417691.c0000 0004 0408 3720Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL USA
| | - Stanley J. Watson
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Huda Akil
- grid.214458.e0000000086837370Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Marquis P. Vawter
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - William E. Bunney
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Adolfo Sequeira
- Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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Sachinvala ND, Teramoto N, Stergiou A. Proposed Neuroimmune Roles of Dimethyl Fumarate, Bupropion, S-Adenosylmethionine, and Vitamin D 3 in Affording a Chronically Ill Patient Sustained Relief from Inflammation and Major Depression. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E600. [PMID: 32878267 PMCID: PMC7563300 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We had discussed earlier that, after most of the primary author's multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms were lessened by prior neuroimmune therapies, use of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) gradually subdued his asthma and urticaria symptoms, as well as his MS-related intercostal cramping; and bupropion supplemented with S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and vitamin D3 (vit-D3) helped remit major depression (MD). Furthermore, the same cocktail (bupropion plus supplements), along with previously discussed routines (yoga, meditation, physical exercises, and timely use of medications for other illnesses), continued to subdue MD during new difficulties with craniopharyngioma, which caused bitemporal vision loss; sphenoid sinus infections, which caused cranial nerve-VI (CN6) palsy and diplopia; and through their treatments. Impressed by the benefit the four compounds provided, in this manuscript, we focus on explaining current neuroimmune literature proposals on how: (1) DMF impedes inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death in CNS and peripheral tissues; (2) Bupropion curbs anxiety, MD, and enhances alertness, libido, and moods; (3) SAMe silences oxidative stress and depression by multiple mechanisms; and (4) Vit-D3 helps brain development and functioning and subdues inflammation. we realize that herein we have reviewed proposed mechanisms of remedies we discovered by literature searches and physician assisted auto-experimentation; and our methods might not work with other patients. We present our experiences so readers are heartened to reflect upon their own observations in peer-reviewed forums and make available a wide body of information for the chronically ill and their physicians to benefit from.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Naozumi Teramoto
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Chiba Institute of Technology, 2-17-1, Tsudanuma, Narashino, Chiba 275-0016, Japan;
| | - Angeline Stergiou
- Department of Medicine, Fairfield Medical Center, 401 North Ewing, Lancaster, OH 43130, USA;
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Sandusky-Beltran LA, Kovalenko A, Ma C, Calahatian JIT, Placides DS, Watler MD, Hunt JB, Darling AL, Baker JD, Blair LJ, Martin MD, Fontaine SN, Dickey CA, Lussier AL, Weeber EJ, Selenica MLB, Nash KR, Gordon MN, Morgan D, Lee DC. Spermidine/spermine-N 1-acetyltransferase ablation impacts tauopathy-induced polyamine stress response. Alzheimers Res Ther 2019; 11:58. [PMID: 31253191 PMCID: PMC6599347 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-019-0507-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tau stabilizes microtubules; however, in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and tauopathies, tau becomes hyperphosphorylated, aggregates, and results in neuronal death. Our group recently uncovered a unique interaction between polyamine metabolism and tau fate. Polyamines exert an array of physiological effects that support neuronal function and cognitive processing. Specific stimuli can elicit a polyamine stress response (PSR), resulting in altered central polyamine homeostasis. Evidence suggests that elevations in polyamines following a short-term stressor are beneficial; however, persistent stress and subsequent PSR activation may lead to maladaptive polyamine dysregulation, which is observed in AD, and may contribute to neuropathology and disease progression. METHODS Male and female mice harboring tau P301L mutation (rTg4510) were examined for a tau-induced central polyamine stress response (tau-PSR). The direct effect of tau-PSR byproducts on tau fibrillization and oligomerization were measured using a thioflavin T assay and a N2a split superfolder GFP-Tau (N2a-ssGT) cell line, respectively. To therapeutically target the tau-PSR, we bilaterally injected caspase 3-cleaved tau truncated at aspartate 421 (AAV9 Tau ΔD421) into the hippocampus and cortex of spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT), a key regulator of the tau-PSR, knock out (SSAT-/-), and wild type littermates, and the effects on tau neuropathology, polyamine dysregulation, and behavior were measured. Lastly, cellular models were employed to further examine how SSAT repression impacted tau biology. RESULTS Tau induced a unique tau-PSR signature in rTg4510 mice, notably in the accumulation of acetylated spermidine. In vitro, higher-order polyamines prevented tau fibrillization but acetylated spermidine failed to mimic this effect and even promoted fibrillization and oligomerization. AAV9 Tau ΔD421 also elicited a unique tau-PSR in vivo, and targeted disruption of SSAT prevented the accumulation of acetylated polyamines and impacted several tau phospho-epitopes. Interestingly, SSAT knockout mice presented with altered behavior in the rotarod task, the elevated plus maze, and marble burying task, thus highlighting the impact of polyamine homeostasis within the brain. CONCLUSION These data represent a novel paradigm linking tau pathology and polyamine dysfunction and that targeting specific arms within the polyamine pathway may serve as new targets to mitigate certain components of the tau phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie A. Sandusky-Beltran
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
- 0000 0004 1936 8753grid.137628.9Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, 1 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Andrii Kovalenko
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Chao Ma
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - John Ivan T. Calahatian
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Devon S. Placides
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Mallory D. Watler
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Jerry B. Hunt
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - April L. Darling
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Jeremy D. Baker
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Laura J. Blair
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Mackenzie D. Martin
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Sarah N. Fontaine
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Chad A. Dickey
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - April L. Lussier
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Edwin J. Weeber
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Maj-Linda B. Selenica
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Kevin R. Nash
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
| | - Marcia N. Gordon
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
- 0000 0001 2150 1785grid.17088.36Department of Translational Science & Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, 400 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
| | - Dave Morgan
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
- 0000 0001 2150 1785grid.17088.36Department of Translational Science & Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, 400 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
| | - Daniel C. Lee
- 0000 0001 2353 285Xgrid.170693.aByrd Alzheimer’s Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 USA
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Lutz PE, Mechawar N, Turecki G. Neuropathology of suicide: recent findings and future directions. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:1395-1412. [PMID: 28696430 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 05/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Suicide is a major public health concern and a leading cause of death in most societies. Suicidal behaviour is complex and heterogeneous, likely resulting from several causes. It associates with multiple factors, including psychopathology, personality traits, early-life adversity and stressful life events, among others. Over the past decades, studies in fields ranging from neuroanatomy, genetics and molecular psychiatry have led to a model whereby behavioural dysregulation, including suicidal behaviour (SB), develops as a function of biological adaptations in key brain systems. More recently, the unravelling of the unique epigenetic processes that occur in the brain has opened promising avenues in suicide research. The present review explores the various facets of the current knowledge on suicidality and discusses how the rapidly evolving field of neurobehavioural epigenetics may fuel our ability to understand, and potentially prevent, SB.
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Affiliation(s)
- P-E Lutz
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - N Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - G Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
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7
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Niculescu AB, Le-Niculescu H, Levey DF, Phalen PL, Dainton HL, Roseberry K, Niculescu EM, Niezer JO, Williams A, Graham DL, Jones TJ, Venugopal V, Ballew A, Yard M, Gelbart T, Kurian SM, Shekhar A, Schork NJ, Sandusky GE, Salomon DR. Precision medicine for suicidality: from universality to subtypes and personalization. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:1250-1273. [PMID: 28809398 PMCID: PMC5582166 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Suicide remains a clear, present and increasing public health problem, despite being a potentially preventable tragedy. Its incidence is particularly high in people with overt or un(der)diagnosed psychiatric disorders. Objective and precise identification of individuals at risk, ways of monitoring response to treatments and novel preventive therapeutics need to be discovered, employed and widely deployed. We sought to investigate whether blood gene expression biomarkers for suicide (that is, a 'liquid biopsy' approach) can be identified that are more universal in nature, working across psychiatric diagnoses and genders, using larger cohorts than in previous studies. Such markers may reflect and/or be a proxy for the core biology of suicide. We were successful in this endeavor, using a comprehensive stepwise approach, leading to a wealth of findings. Steps 1, 2 and 3 were discovery, prioritization and validation for tracking suicidality, resulting in a Top Dozen list of candidate biomarkers comprising the top biomarkers from each step, as well as a larger list of 148 candidate biomarkers that survived Bonferroni correction in the validation step. Step 4 was testing the Top Dozen list and Bonferroni biomarker list for predictive ability for suicidal ideation (SI) and for future hospitalizations for suicidality in independent cohorts, leading to the identification of completely novel predictive biomarkers (such as CLN5 and AK2), as well as reinforcement of ours and others previous findings in the field (such as SLC4A4 and SKA2). Additionally, we examined whether subtypes of suicidality can be identified based on mental state at the time of high SI and identified four potential subtypes: high anxiety, low mood, combined and non-affective (psychotic). Such subtypes may delineate groups of individuals that are more homogenous in terms of suicidality biology and behavior. We also studied a more personalized approach, by psychiatric diagnosis and gender, with a focus on bipolar males, the highest risk group. Such a personalized approach may be more sensitive to gender differences and to the impact of psychiatric co-morbidities and medications. We compared testing the universal biomarkers in everybody versus testing by subtypes versus personalized by gender and diagnosis, and show that the subtype and personalized approaches permit enhanced precision of predictions for different universal biomarkers. In particular, LHFP appears to be a strong predictor for suicidality in males with depression. We also directly examined whether biomarkers discovered using male bipolars only are better predictors in a male bipolar independent cohort than universal biomarkers and show evidence for a possible advantage of personalization. We identified completely novel biomarkers (such as SPTBN1 and C7orf73), and reinforced previously known biomarkers (such as PTEN and SAT1). For diagnostic ability testing purposes, we also examined as predictors phenotypic measures as apps (for suicide risk (CFI-S, Convergent Functional Information for Suicidality) and for anxiety and mood (SASS, Simplified Affective State Scale)) by themselves, as well as in combination with the top biomarkers (the combination being our a priori primary endpoint), to provide context and enhance precision of predictions. We obtained area under the curves of 90% for SI and 77% for future hospitalizations in independent cohorts. Step 5 was to look for mechanistic understanding, starting with examining evidence for the Top Dozen and Bonferroni biomarkers for involvement in other psychiatric and non-psychiatric disorders, as a mechanism for biological predisposition and vulnerability. The biomarkers we identified also provide a window towards understanding the biology of suicide, implicating biological pathways related to neurogenesis, programmed cell death and insulin signaling from the universal biomarkers, as well as mTOR signaling from the male bipolar biomarkers. In particular, HTR2A increase coupled with ARRB1 and GSK3B decreases in expression in suicidality may provide a synergistic mechanistical corrective target, as do SLC4A4 increase coupled with AHCYL1 and AHCYL2 decrease. Step 6 was to move beyond diagnostics and mechanistical risk assessment, towards providing a foundation for personalized therapeutics. Items scored positive in the CFI-S and subtypes identified by SASS in different individuals provide targets for personalized (psycho)therapy. Some individual biomarkers are targets of existing drugs used to treat mood disorders and suicidality (lithium, clozapine and omega-3 fatty acids), providing a means toward pharmacogenomics stratification of patients and monitoring of response to treatment. Such biomarkers merit evaluation in clinical trials. Bioinformatics drug repurposing analyses with the gene expression biosignatures of the Top Dozen and Bonferroni-validated universal biomarkers identified novel potential therapeutics for suicidality, such as ebselen (a lithium mimetic), piracetam (a nootropic), chlorogenic acid (a polyphenol) and metformin (an antidiabetic and possible longevity promoting drug). Finally, based on the totality of our data and of the evidence in the field to date, a convergent functional evidence score prioritizing biomarkers that have all around evidence (track suicidality, predict it, are reflective of biological predisposition and are potential drug targets) brought to the fore APOE and IL6 from among the universal biomarkers, suggesting an inflammatory/accelerated aging component that may be a targetable common denominator.
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Affiliation(s)
- A B Niculescu
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Indianapolis VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA,INBRAIN, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Neuroscience Research Building 200B, 320 West 15th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. E-mail:
| | - H Le-Niculescu
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - D F Levey
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA,Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - P L Phalen
- Indianapolis VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - H L Dainton
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - K Roseberry
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - E M Niculescu
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - J O Niezer
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - A Williams
- Indianapolis VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - D L Graham
- Indianapolis VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - T J Jones
- Indianapolis VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - V Venugopal
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - A Ballew
- Marion County Coroner’s Office, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - M Yard
- INBRAIN, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - T Gelbart
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - S M Kurian
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - A Shekhar
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - N J Schork
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - G E Sandusky
- INBRAIN, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - D R Salomon
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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8
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Recent Progress in Functional Genomic Studies of Depression and Suicide. CURRENT GENETIC MEDICINE REPORTS 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40142-017-0112-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Monson ET, de Klerk K, Gaynor SC, Wagner AH, Breen ME, Parsons M, Casavant TL, Zandi PP, Potash JB, Willour VL. Whole-gene sequencing investigation of SAT1 in attempted suicide. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:888-95. [PMID: 27229768 PMCID: PMC5814250 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Suicidal behavior imposes a tremendous cost, with current US estimates reporting approximately 1.3 million suicide attempts and more than 40,000 suicide deaths each year. Several recent research efforts have identified an association between suicidal behavior and the expression level of the spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase 1 (SAT1) gene. To date, several SAT1 genetic variants have been inconsistently associated with altered gene expression and/or directly with suicidal behavior. To clarify the role SAT1 genetic variation plays in suicidal behavior risk, we present a whole-gene sequencing effort of SAT1 in 476 bipolar disorder subjects with a history of suicide attempt and 473 subjects with bipolar disorder but no suicide attempts. Agilent SureSelect target enrichment was used to sequence all exons, introns, promoter regions, and putative regulatory regions identified from the ENCODE project within 10 kb of SAT1. Individual variant, haplotype, and collapsing variant tests were performed. Our results identified no variant or assessed region of SAT1 that showed a significant association with attempted suicide, nor did any assessment show evidence for replication of previously reported associations. Overall, no evidence for SAT1 sequence variation contributing to the risk for attempted suicide could be identified. It is possible that past associations of SAT1 expression with suicidal behavior arise from variation not captured in this study, or that causal variants in the region are too rare to be detected within our sample. Larger sample sizes and broader sequencing efforts will likely be required to identify the source of SAT1 expression level associations with suicidal behavior. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T. Monson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Kelly de Klerk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Sophia C. Gaynor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Alex H. Wagner
- Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Genetics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA,McDonnel Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Marie E. Breen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Meredith Parsons
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Thomas L. Casavant
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Peter P. Zandi
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - James B. Potash
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Virginia L. Willour
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
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Limon A, Mamdani F, Hjelm BE, Vawter MP, Sequeira A. Targets of polyamine dysregulation in major depression and suicide: Activity-dependent feedback, excitability, and neurotransmission. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 66:80-91. [PMID: 27108532 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Revised: 04/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide characterized by altered neuronal activity in brain regions involved in the control of stress and emotion. Although multiple lines of evidence suggest that altered stress-coping mechanisms underlie the etiology of MDD, the homeostatic control of neuronal excitability in MDD at the molecular level is not well established. In this review, we examine past and current evidence implicating dysregulation of the polyamine system as a central factor in the homeostatic response to stress and the etiology of MDD. We discuss the cellular effects of abnormal metabolism of polyamines in the context of their role in sensing and modulation of neuronal, electrical, and synaptic activity. Finally, we discuss evidence supporting an allostatic model of depression based on a chronic elevation in polyamine levels resulting in self-sustained stress response mechanisms maintained by maladaptive homeostatic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agenor Limon
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92627, USA
| | - Firoza Mamdani
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92627, USA
| | - Brooke E Hjelm
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92627, USA
| | - Marquis P Vawter
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92627, USA
| | - Adolfo Sequeira
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92627, USA.
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11
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Guerra GP, Rubin MA, Mello CF. Modulation of learning and memory by natural polyamines. Pharmacol Res 2016; 112:99-118. [PMID: 27015893 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2016.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2016] [Revised: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Spermine and spermidine are natural polyamines that are produced mainly via decarboxylation of l-ornithine and the sequential transfer of aminopropyl groups from S-adenosylmethionine to putrescine by spermidine synthase and spermine synthase. Spermine and spermidine interact with intracellular and extracellular acidic residues of different nature, including nucleic acids, phospholipids, acidic proteins, carboxyl- and sulfate-containing polysaccharides. Therefore, multiple actions have been suggested for these polycations, including modulation of the activity of ionic channels, protein synthesis, protein kinases, and cell proliferation/death, within others. In this review we summarize these neurochemical/neurophysiological/morphological findings, particularly those that have been implicated in the improving and deleterious effects of spermine and spermidine on learning and memory of naïve animals in shock-motivated and nonshock-motivated tasks, from a historical perspective. The interaction with the opioid system, the facilitation and disruption of morphine-induced reward and the effect of polyamines and putative polyamine antagonists on animal models of cognitive diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Huntington, acute neuroinflammation and brain trauma are also reviewed and discussed. The increased production of polyamines in Alzheimer's disease and the biphasic nature of the effects of polyamines on memory and on the NMDA receptor are also considered. In light of the current literature on polyamines, which include the description of an inborn error of the metabolism characterized by mild-to moderate mental retardation and polyamine metabolism alterations in suicide completers, we can anticipate that polyamine targets may be important for the development of novel strategies and approaches for understanding the etiopathogenesis of important central disorders and their pharmacological treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Petri Guerra
- Department of Food Technology, Federal Technological University of Paraná, Campus Medianeira, Medianeira, PR 85884-000, Brazil
| | - Maribel Antonello Rubin
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.
| | - Carlos Fernando Mello
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.
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12
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Zinchuk MS, Guekht AB, Gulyaeva NV, Avedisova AS, Akzhigitov RG, Grishkina MN. [Biological basis of suicidal behavior]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2016. [PMID: 28635744 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro20161168194-101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Based on current clinical and classification concepts of suicidality, the biological parameters characteristic of suicidal behavior, completed and uncompleted suicides reported in the last few decades are discussed. The results obtained in the studies of neurotransmitter and other brain systems, immune system, lipid and other types of metabolism as well as data of neuroimaging brain studies and post-mortem investigation of brain structures are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Zinchuk
- Solov'ev Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - A B Guekht
- Solov'ev Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - N V Gulyaeva
- Solov'ev Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - A S Avedisova
- Solov'ev Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - R G Akzhigitov
- Solov'ev Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
| | - M N Grishkina
- Solov'ev Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russia
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13
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Pantazatos SP, Andrews SJ, Dunning-Broadbent J, Pang J, Huang YY, Arango V, Nagy PL, John Mann J. Isoform-level brain expression profiling of the spermidine/spermine N1-Acetyltransferase1 (SAT1) gene in major depression and suicide. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 79:123-34. [PMID: 25959060 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Low brain expression of the spermidine/spermine N-1 acetyltransferase (SAT1) gene, the rate-limiting enzyme involved in catabolism of polyamines that mediate the polyamine stress response (PSR), has been reported in depressed suicides. However, it is unknown whether this effect is associated with depression or with suicide and whether all or only specific isoforms expressed by SAT1, such as the primary 171 amino acid protein-encoding transcript (SSAT), or an alternative splice variant (SSATX) that is involved in SAT1 regulated unproductive splicing and transcription (RUST), are involved. We applied next generation sequencing (RNA-seq) to assess gene-level, isoform-level, and exon-level SAT1 expression differences between healthy controls (HC, N = 29), DSM-IV major depressive disorder suicides (MDD-S, N = 21) and MDD non-suicides (MDD, N = 9) in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann Area 9, BA9) of medication-free individuals postmortem. Using small RNA-seq, we also examined miRNA species putatively involved in SAT1 post-transcriptional regulation. A DSM-IV diagnosis was made by structured interview. Toxicology and history ruled out recent psychotropic medication. At the gene-level, we found low SAT1 expression in both MDD-S (vs. HC, p = 0.002) and MDD (vs. HC, p = 0.002). At the isoform-level, reductions in MDD-S (vs. HC) were most pronounced in four transcripts including SSAT and SSATX, while reductions in MDD (vs. HC) were pronounced in three transcripts, one of which was reduced in MDD relative to MDD-S (all p < 0.1 FDR corrected). We did not observe evidence for differential exon-usage (i.e. splicing) nor differences in miRNA expression. Results replicate the finding of low SAT1 brain expression in depressed suicides in an independent sample and implicate low SAT1 brain expression in MDD independent of suicide. Low expressions of both SSAT and SATX isoforms suggest that shared transcriptional mechanisms involved in RUST may account for low SAT1 brain expression in depressed suicides. Future studies are required to understand the functions and regulation of SAT1 isoforms, and how they relate to the pathogenesis of MDD and suicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spiro P Pantazatos
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, New York State Psychiatric Institute, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stuart J Andrews
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Jiuhong Pang
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yung-Yu Huang
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, New York State Psychiatric Institute, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Victoria Arango
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, New York State Psychiatric Institute, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter L Nagy
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - J John Mann
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, New York State Psychiatric Institute, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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14
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Sokolowski M, Wasserman J, Wasserman D. An overview of the neurobiology of suicidal behaviors as one meta-system. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:56-71. [PMID: 25178164 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Suicidal behaviors (SB) may be regarded as the outmost consequence of mental illnesses, or as a distinct entity per se. Regardless, the consequences of SB are very large to both society and affected individuals. The path leading to SB is clearly a complex one involving interactions between the subject's biology and environmental influences throughout life. With the aim to generate a representative and diversified overview of the different neurobiological components hypothesized or shown implicated across the entire SB field up to date by any approach, we selected and compiled a list of 212 gene symbols from the literature. An increasing number of novel gene (products) have been introduced as candidates, with half being implicated in SB in only the last 4 years. These candidates represent different neuro systems and functions and might therefore be regarded as competing or redundant explanations. We then adopted a unifying approach by treating them all as parts of the same meta-system, using bioinformatic tools. We present a network of all components connected by physical protein-protein interactions (the SB interactome). We proceeded by exploring the differences between the highly connected core (~30% of the candidate genes) and its peripheral parts, observing more functional homogeneity at the core, with multiple signal transduction pathways and actin-interacting proteins connecting a subset of receptors in nerve cell compartments as well as development/morphology phenotypes and the stress-sensitive synaptic plasticity processes of long term potentiation/depression. We suggest that SB neurobiology might also be viewed as one meta-system and perhaps be explained as intrinsic unbalances acting within the core or as imbalances arising between core and specific peripheral components.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Sokolowski
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Wasserman
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - D Wasserman
- 1] National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden [2] WHO Collaborating Centre for Research, Methods Development and Training in Suicide Prevention, Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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Niola P, Gross JA, Lopez JP, Chillotti C, Deiana V, Manchia M, Georgitsi M, Patrinos GP, Alda M, Turecki G, Del Zompo M, Squassina A. Lithium-induced differential expression of SAT1 in suicide completers and controls is not correlated with polymorphisms in the promoter region of the gene. Psychiatry Res 2014; 220:1167-8. [PMID: 25288042 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Revised: 09/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paola Niola
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Jeffrey A Gross
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Caterina Chillotti
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Valeria Deiana
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mirko Manchia
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Marianthi Georgitsi
- University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, University Campus, Rion, Patras, Greece
| | - George P Patrinos
- University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, University Campus, Rion, Patras, Greece
| | - Martin Alda
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Maria Del Zompo
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Alessio Squassina
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
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16
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Gross JA, Turecki G. Suicide and the polyamine system. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2014; 12:980-8. [PMID: 24040803 DOI: 10.2174/18715273113129990095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2012] [Revised: 12/02/2012] [Accepted: 12/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Suicide is a significant worldwide public health problem. Understanding the neurobiology is important as it can help us to better elucidate underlying etiological factors and provide opportunities for intervention. In recent years, many lines of research have suggested that the polyamine system may be dysregulated in suicidal behaviors. Initial research in animals provided evidence of a dysfunctional polyamine stress response system, while later work using post-mortem human brain tissue has suggested that molecular mechanisms may be at play in the suicide brain. In this review, we will describe the research that suggests the presence of alterations in the polyamine system in mental disorders and behavioral phenotypes, with particular attention to work on suicide. In addition, we will also describe potential avenues for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Gross
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Verdun, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada.
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Watanabe K, Watanabe T, Nakayama M. Cerebro-renal interactions: impact of uremic toxins on cognitive function. Neurotoxicology 2014; 44:184-93. [PMID: 25003961 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Revised: 06/13/2014] [Accepted: 06/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment (CI) associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has received attention as an important problem in recent years. Causes of CI with CKD are multifactorial, and include cerebrovascular disease, renal anemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism, dialysis disequilibrium, and uremic toxins (UTs). Among these causes, little is known about the role of UTs. We therefore selected 21 uremic compounds, and summarized reports of cerebro-renal interactions associated with UTs. Among the compounds, uric acid, indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate, interleukin 1-β, interleukin 6, TNF-α, and PTH were most likely to affect the cerebro-renal interaction dysfunction; however, sufficient data have not been obtained for other UTs. Notably, most of the data were not obtained under uremic conditions; therefore, the impact and mechanism of each UT on cognition and central nervous system in uremic state remains unknown. At present, impacts and mechanisms of UT effects on cognition are poorly understood. Clarifying the mechanisms and establishing novel therapeutic strategies for cerebro-renal interaction dysfunction is expected to be subject of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimio Watanabe
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension, Diabetology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Watanabe
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension, Diabetology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Masaaki Nakayama
- Department of Nephrology, Hypertension, Diabetology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan.
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Vaquero-Lorenzo C, López-Castromán J, Bermudo-Soriano CR, Saiz-Ruiz J, Fernández-Piqueras J, Baca-García E. Putative association between the -1415 T/C polymorphism of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT1) gene and alcohol use disorders in women and men. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2014; 40:240-3. [PMID: 24735382 DOI: 10.3109/00952990.2014.891039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The activity of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor, which responds to the levels of polyamines, modifies the neurotoxicity caused by ethanol. We aimed to investigate if the functionality of the spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT1) gene could be associated with a differential risk for alcoholism. METHODS We studied a sample of 586 subjects: 104 alcohol-dependent patients, 273 patients with psychiatric disorders but without substance dependence, and 209 healthy controls. After gender stratification, the allele frequency distribution of the SSAT1 gene was compared between these three groups. RESULTS In females, the TC genotype was significantly more frequent in alcohol-dependent patients than in non-alcohol-dependent psychiatric controls (χ(2 )= 7.509 df = 2, p = 0.023). A trend was found when alcohol-dependent females were compared with the healthy control group (χ(2 )= 4.897 df = 2, p = 0.086). No statistical differences were found among the males. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Gender differences in the regulation of SSAT1 gene expression may possibly be due to gender-specific effects of stress, ethanol toxicity, and/or polyamines levels. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concepción Vaquero-Lorenzo
- Department of Psychiatry, Jimenez Diaz Foundation, IIS, Madrid Autonoma University , CIBERSAM, Madrid , Spain
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Lopez JP, Fiori LM, Gross JA, Labonte B, Yerko V, Mechawar N, Turecki G. Regulatory role of miRNAs in polyamine gene expression in the prefrontal cortex of depressed suicide completers. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2014; 17:23-32. [PMID: 24025154 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145713000941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that play an important role in the post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA. These molecules have been the subject of growing interest as they are believed to control the regulation of a large number of genes, including those expressed in the brain. Evidence suggests that miRNAs could be involved in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. Alterations in metabolic enzymes of the polyamine system have been reported to play a role in predisposition to suicidal behaviour. We have previously shown the expression of the polyamine genes SAT1 and SMOX to be down-regulated in the brains of suicide completers. In this study, we hypothesized that the dysregulation of these genes in depressed suicide completers could be influenced by miRNA post-transcriptional regulation. Using a stringent target prediction analysis, we identified several miRNAs that target the 3'UTR of SAT1 and SMOX. We profiled the expression of 10 miRNAs in the prefrontal cortex (BA44) of suicide completers (N = 15) and controls (N = 16) using qRT-PCR. We found that several miRNAs showed significant up-regulation in the prefrontal cortex of suicide completers compared to psychiatric healthy controls. Furthermore, we demonstrated a significant correlation between these miRNAs and the expression levels of both SAT1 and SMOX. Our results suggest a relationship between miRNAs and polyamine gene expression in the suicide brain, and postulate a mechanism for SAT1 and SMOX down-regulation by post-transcriptional activity of miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pablo Lopez
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada
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Discovery and validation of blood biomarkers for suicidality. Mol Psychiatry 2013; 18:1249-64. [PMID: 23958961 PMCID: PMC3835939 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2013.95] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Revised: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Suicides are a leading cause of death in psychiatric patients, and in society at large. Developing more quantitative and objective ways (biomarkers) for predicting and tracking suicidal states would have immediate practical applications and positive societal implications. We undertook such an endeavor. First, building on our previous blood biomarker work in mood disorders and psychosis, we decided to identify blood gene expression biomarkers for suicidality, looking at differential expression of genes in the blood of subjects with a major mood disorder (bipolar disorder), a high-risk population prone to suicidality. We compared no suicidal ideation (SI) states and high SI states using a powerful intrasubject design, as well as an intersubject case-case design, to generate a list of differentially expressed genes. Second, we used a comprehensive Convergent Functional Genomics (CFG) approach to identify and prioritize from the list of differentially expressed gene biomarkers of relevance to suicidality. CFG integrates multiple independent lines of evidence-genetic and functional genomic data-as a Bayesian strategy for identifying and prioritizing findings, reducing the false-positives and false-negatives inherent in each individual approach. Third, we examined whether expression levels of the blood biomarkers identified by us in the live bipolar subject cohort are actually altered in the blood in an age-matched cohort of suicide completers collected from the coroner's office, and report that 13 out of the 41 top CFG scoring biomarkers (32%) show step-wise significant change from no SI to high SI states, and then to the suicide completers group. Six out of them (15%) remained significant after strict Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Fourth, we show that the blood levels of SAT1 (spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase 1), the top biomarker identified by us, at the time of testing for this study, differentiated future as well as past hospitalizations with suicidality, in a live cohort of bipolar disorder subjects, and exhibited a similar but weaker pattern in a live cohort of psychosis (schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder) subjects. Three other (phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), myristoylated alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate (MARCKS), and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 3 (MAP3K3)) of the six biomarkers that survived Bonferroni correction showed similar but weaker effects. Taken together, the prospective and retrospective hospitalization data suggests SAT1, PTEN, MARCKS and MAP3K3 might be not only state biomarkers but trait biomarkers as well. Fifth, we show how a multi-dimensional approach using SAT1 blood expression levels and two simple visual-analog scales for anxiety and mood enhances predictions of future hospitalizations for suicidality in the bipolar cohort (receiver-operating characteristic curve with area under the curve of 0.813). Of note, this simple approach does not directly ask about SI, which some individuals may deny or choose not to share with clinicians. Lastly, we conducted bioinformatic analyses to identify biological pathways, mechanisms and medication targets. Overall, suicidality may be underlined, at least in part, by biological mechanisms related to stress, inflammation and apoptosis.
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21
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Differential effect of lithium on spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase expression in suicidal behaviour. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2013; 16:2209-18. [PMID: 23768751 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145713000655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
An altered polyamine system has been suggested to play a key role in mood disorders and suicide, a hypothesis corroborated by the evidence that lithium inhibits the polyamine mediated stress response in the rat brain. Recent post-mortem studies have shown that spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT1), the key regulator of cellular polyamine content, is under-expressed in brains from suicide victims compared to controls. In our study we tested the effect of in vitro lithium treatment on SAT1 gene and protein expression in B lymphoblastoid cell lines (BLCLs) from bipolar disorder (BD) patients who committed suicide (and for which BLCLs were collected prior to their death), BD patients with high and low risk of suicide and a sample of non-psychiatric controls. Baseline mRNA levels were similar in the four groups of subjects (p > 0.05). Lithium had no effect in suicide completers (p > 0.05) while it significantly increased SAT1 expression in the high risk (p < 0.001) and low risk (p < 0.01) groups as well as in controls (p < 0.001). Protein and mRNA levels were not correlated; lithium significantly reduced protein levels only in the control sample (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that SAT1 transcription is influenced by lithium and that this effect is altered in BD patients who completed suicide, further supporting a role for polyamines in suicide.
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Sokolowski M, Ben-Efraim YJ, Wasserman J, Wasserman D. Glutamatergic GRIN2B and polyaminergic ODC1 genes in suicide attempts: associations and gene-environment interactions with childhood/adolescent physical assault. Mol Psychiatry 2013; 18:985-92. [PMID: 22850629 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2012.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2012] [Revised: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 06/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The complex etiology of suicidal behavior has frequently been investigated in relation to monoaminergic neurotransmission, but other neurosystems have shown alterations as well, involving excitatory glutamatergic and inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) molecular components, together with the modulating polyamines. Sufficiently powered and family-based association studies of glutamatergic and GABAergic genes with suicidal behavior are nonexistent, but several studies have been reported for polyamines. We therefore conducted, for the first time ever, an extensive family-based study of 113 candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in 24 glutamatergic and GABA genes, in addition to interrelated polyaminergic genes, on the outcome of severe suicide attempts (SAs). The family-based analysis (n=660 trios) was supplemented with gene-environment interaction (G × E), case-control (n=519 controls) and subgroup analyses. The main observations were the previously unreported association and linkage of SNPs rs2268115 and rs220557 in GRIN2B, as well as of SNPs rs1049500 and rs2302614 in ODC1 (P<10(-2)). Furthermore, GRIN2B haplotypic associations were observed, in particular with a four-SNP AGGC haplotype (rs1805247-rs1806201-rs1805482-rs2268115; P<10(-5)), and a third SNP rs7559979 in ODC1 showed G × E with serious childhood/adolescent physical assault (P<10(-4)). SA subjects were characterized by transdiagnostic trait anger and past year alcohol-drug use disorders, but not by alcohol-drug use at SA, depression, anxiety or psychosis diagnoses. We also discuss a first ever confirmatory observation of SNP rs6526342 (polyaminergic SAT1) in SA, originally identified in completed suicides. The results suggest that specific genetic variants in a subset of glutamatergic (GRIN2B) and polyaminergic (ODC1) neurosystem genes may be of importance in certain suicidal subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Sokolowski
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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Furczyk K, Schutová B, Michel TM, Thome J, Büttner A. The neurobiology of suicide - A Review of post-mortem studies. J Mol Psychiatry 2013; 1:2. [PMID: 25408895 PMCID: PMC4223890 DOI: 10.1186/2049-9256-1-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2012] [Accepted: 02/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurobiology of suicidal behaviour, which constitutes one of the most serious problems both in psychiatry and general medical practice, still remains to a large degree unclear. As a result, scientists constantly look for new opportunities of explaining the causes underlying suicidality. In order to elucidate the biological changes occurring in the brains of the suicide victims, studies based on post-mortem brain tissue samples are increasingly being used. These studies employ different research methods to provide an insight into abnormalities in brain functioning on various levels, including gene and protein expression, neuroplasticity and neurotransmission, as well as many other areas. The aim of this paper to summarize the available data on the post-mortem studies, to provide an overview of main research directions and the most up-to-date findings, and to indicate the possibilities of further research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Furczyk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimerstrasse 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Barbora Schutová
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimerstrasse 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Tanja M Michel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimerstrasse 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Johannes Thome
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rostock, Gehlsheimerstrasse 20, 18147 Rostock, Germany ; College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 PP UK
| | - Andreas Büttner
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Rostock, St.-Georg-Strasse 108, 18055 Rostock, Germany
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Gross JA, Fiori LM, Labonté B, Lopez JP, Turecki G. Effects of promoter methylation on increased expression of polyamine biosynthetic genes in suicide. J Psychiatr Res 2013; 47:513-9. [PMID: 23260169 PMCID: PMC5293536 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2012] [Revised: 11/23/2012] [Accepted: 11/30/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Suicide is among the leading causes of death worldwide. The polyamine system has been increasingly implicated in the neurobiology of suicide. Previous research has indicated that epigenetic mechanisms play a role in explaining dysregulation of polyamine genes in suicide completers. Nevertheless, regulatory mechanisms explaining polyamine biosynthetic genes displaying dysregulated expression in suicide completers, including ornithine decarboxylase antizymes 1 and 2 (OAZ1 and OAZ2), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AMD1), and arginase 2 (ARG2), have yet to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated methylation patterns in the promoter region of OAZ1, OAZ2, AMD1, and ARG2 in Brodmann area 44 from a group of 33 suicide completers and 31 non-suicide controls. We found significant site-specific differences in methylation in the promoter of ARG2 and AMD1 that were also significantly negatively correlated with gene expression. These findings provide further support for a role for the involvement of epigenetic modifications in the regulation of genes associated with polyamine biosynthesis, and which may contribute to the complexity of suicidal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A. Gross
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Verdun, Quebec, H4H 1R3
| | - Laura M. Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Verdun, Quebec, H4H 1R3
| | - Benoit Labonté
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Verdun, Quebec, H4H 1R3
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Verdun, Quebec, H4H 1R3
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, 6875 boul. Lasalle, Verdun, Quebec, H4H 1R3
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Effects of histone modifications on increased expression of polyamine biosynthetic genes in suicide. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2012; 15:1161-6. [PMID: 22008221 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145711001520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered polyamine metabolism has been consistently observed as underlying the suicide process. We recently performed a global analysis of polyamine gene expression across the brains of suicide completers, and identified up-regulation of four genes, arginase II (ARG2), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AMD1), and antizymes 1 and 2 (OAZ1 and OAZ2), which play essential roles in polyamine biosynthesis. To determine if a shared epigenetic mechanism is involved in their overexpression in the prefrontal cortex, we measured promoter levels of tri-methyl modified histone-3-lysine-4 (H3K4me3), a marker of open chromatin, and assessed its association with suicide and gene expression. We identified increased H3K4me3 in the promoter region of OAZ1 in suicide, and found that H3K4me3 was correlated with the expression of OAZ1 and ARG2. Overall, our findings indicate that the H3K4me3 modification plays an important role in the regulation of polyamine biosynthesis, and that this mechanism may be involved in the neurobiology of suicide.
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Fiori LM, Turecki G. Epigenetic regulation of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT1) in suicide. J Psychiatr Res 2011; 45:1229-35. [PMID: 21501848 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2010] [Revised: 03/02/2011] [Accepted: 03/24/2011] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
We have recently shown that the expression of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT1) is downregulated across the brains of suicide completers, and that its expression is influenced by genetic variations in the promoter. Several promoter polymorphisms in SAT1, including rs6526342, have been associated with suicide and other psychiatric disorders, and display haplotype-specific effects on expression. However, these effects cannot explain total variability in SAT1 expression, and other regulatory mechanisms, such as epigenetic factors, may also be at play. In this study, we assessed the involvement of epigenetic factors in controlling SAT1 expression in the prefrontal cortex of suicide completers by mapping CpG methylation across a 1880-bp region of the SAT1 promoter, and measuring levels of tri-methylated histone-3-lysine 27 (H3K27me3) at the promoter in suicide completers and controls. Our results demonstrated that CpG methylation was significantly negatively correlated with SAT1 expression. Although overall or site-specific CpG methylation was not associated with suicide or SAT1 expression, we observed high levels of methylation at the polymorphic CpG site created by rs6526342, indicating a relationship between promoter haplotypes and methylation. There was no association between H3K27me3 and suicide, nor was this modification associated with SAT1 expression. Overall, our results indicate that epigenetic factors in the promoter region of SAT1 influence gene expression levels, and may provide a mechanism for both our previous findings of haplotype-specific effects of promoter variations on SAT1 expression, as well as the widespread downregulation of SAT1 expression observed in the brains of suicide completers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Fiori LM, Bureau A, Labbe A, Croteau J, Noël S, Mérette C, Turecki G. Global gene expression profiling of the polyamine system in suicide completers. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2011; 14:595-605. [PMID: 21208503 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145710001574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, gene expression, genetic association, and metabolic studies have implicated the polyamine system in psychiatric conditions, including suicide. Given the extensive regulation of genes involved in polyamine metabolism, as well as their interconnections with the metabolism of other amino acids, we were interested in further investigating the expression of polyamine-related genes across the brain in order to obtain a more comprehensive view of the dysregulation of this system in suicide. To this end, we examined the expression of genes related to polyamine metabolism across 22 brain regions in a sample of 29 mood-disordered suicide completers and 16 controls, and identified 14 genes displaying differential expression. Among these, altered expression of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase, spermine oxidase, and spermine synthase, has previously been observed in brains of suicide completers, while the remainder of the genes represent novel findings. In addition to genes with direct involvement in polyamine metabolism, including S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase antizymes 1 and 2, and arginase II, we identified altered expression of several more distally related genes, including aldehyde dehydrogenase 3 family, member A2, brain creatine kinase, mitochondrial creatine kinase 1, glycine amidinotransferase, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 1, and arginyl-tRNA synthetase-like. Many of these genes displayed altered expression across several brain regions, strongly implying that dysregulated polyamine metabolism is a widespread phenomenon in the brains of suicide completers. This study provides a broader view of the nature and extent of the dysregulation of the polyamine system in suicide, and highlights the importance of this system in the neurobiology of suicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Fiori LM, Wanner B, Jomphe V, Croteau J, Vitaro F, Tremblay RE, Bureau A, Turecki G. Association of polyaminergic loci with anxiety, mood disorders, and attempted suicide. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15146. [PMID: 21152090 PMCID: PMC2994870 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2010] [Accepted: 10/26/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The polyamine system has been implicated in a number of psychiatric conditions, which display both alterations in polyamine levels and altered expression of genes related to polyamine metabolism. Studies have identified associations between genetic variants in spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT1) and both anxiety and suicide, and several polymorphisms appear to play important roles in determining gene expression. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We genotyped 63 polymorphisms, spread across four polyaminergic genes (SAT1, spermine synthase (SMS), spermine oxidase (SMOX), and ornithine aminotransferase like-1 (OATL1)), in 1255 French-Canadian individuals who have been followed longitudinally for 22 years. We assessed univariate associations with anxiety, mood disorders, and attempted suicide, as assessed during early adulthood. We also investigated the involvement of gene-environment interactions in terms of childhood abuse, and assessed internalizing and externalizing symptoms as endophenotypes mediating these interactions. Overall, each gene was associated with at least one main outcome: anxiety (SAT1, SMS), mood disorders (SAT1, SMOX), and suicide attempts (SAT1, OATL1). Several SAT1 polymorphisms displayed disease-specific risk alleles, and polymorphisms in this gene were involved in gene-gene interactions with SMS to confer risk for anxiety disorders, as well as gene-environment interactions between childhood physical abuse and mood disorders. Externalizing behaviors demonstrated significant mediation with regards to the association between OATL1 and attempted suicide, however there was no evidence that externalizing or internalizing behaviors were appropriate endophenotypes to explain the associations with mood or anxiety disorders. Finally, childhood sexual abuse did not demonstrate mediating influences on any of our outcomes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE These results demonstrate that genetic variants in polyaminergic genes are associated with psychiatric conditions, each of which involves a set of separate and distinct risk alleles. As several of these polymorphisms are associated with gene expression, these findings may provide mechanisms to explain the alterations in polyamine metabolism which have been observed in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Brigitte Wanner
- Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Valérie Jomphe
- Centre de recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jordie Croteau
- Centre de recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Richard E. Tremblay
- Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- School of Public Health and Population Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alexandre Bureau
- Centre de recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Fiori LM, Turecki G. Genetic and epigenetic influences on expression of spermine synthase and spermine oxidase in suicide completers. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2010; 13:725-36. [PMID: 20059804 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145709991167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the levels of spermine synthase (SMS) and spermine oxidase (SMOX), two enzymes involved in polyamine metabolism, have previously been observed in brains of suicide completers. To characterize the roles played by genetic and epigenetic factors in determining expression levels of these genes, as well as to identify potential mechanisms by which to explain our findings in suicide completers, we (1) assessed the role of promoter polymorphisms in determining expression in the brain and in vitro, and (2) examined CpG methylation and levels of methylated histone H3 lysine-27 in the promoter regions of these genes in the prefrontal cortex of suicide completers and healthy controls. We identified several promoter haplotypes in SMS and SMOX, but found no consistent effects of haplotype on expression levels in either the brain or in reporter gene assays performed in three different cell lines. We also found no overall effects of epigenetic factors in determining expression, with the exception of a relationship between CpG methylation at one site in the promoter of SMOX and its expression in Brodmann area 8/9. In conclusion, the genetic and epigenetic factors examined in this study show little influence on the expression levels of SMS and SMOX, and do not appear to be responsible for the dysregulated expression of these genes in suicide completers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Fiori LM, Turecki G. Association of the SAT1 in/del polymorphism with suicide completion. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2010; 153B:825-9. [PMID: 19851986 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.31040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have observed decreased expression of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT1) in the brains of suicide completers, and we previously identified a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of SAT1 which was associated with suicide completion and SAT1 expression in the brain. We recently characterized the haplotype structure of the SAT1 promoter region and identified an insertion/deletion (in/del) of 15 adenine residues. This variant appears to be a predictor of SAT1 expression, and we were thus interested in determining if the lower expressing deletion allele was found more frequently among suicide completers. To this end, we genotyped the in/del in a sample of 771 French-Canadian males, comprising 326 suicide completers and 445 non-suicide controls. We found no significant difference in the frequencies of the two alleles between suicide completers and controls in the entire sample. However, we observed a significantly higher frequency of the deletion in the depressed suicide completers compared to the depressed non-suicides. These results add support for a role of SAT1 in conferring a risk for suicide completion, in particular in the context of depressive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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