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Thöny B, Ng J, Kurian MA, Mills P, Martinez A. Mouse models for inherited monoamine neurotransmitter disorders. J Inherit Metab Dis 2024; 47:533-550. [PMID: 38168036 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Several mouse models have been developed to study human defects of primary and secondary inherited monoamine neurotransmitter disorders (iMND). As the field continues to expand, current defects in corresponding mouse models include enzymes and a molecular co-chaperone involved in monoamine synthesis and metabolism (PAH, TH, PITX3, AADC, DBH, MAOA, DNAJC6), tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) cofactor synthesis and recycling (adGTPCH1/DRD, arGTPCH1, PTPS, SR, DHPR), and vitamin B6 cofactor deficiency (ALDH7A1), as well as defective monoamine neurotransmitter packaging (VMAT1, VMAT2) and reuptake (DAT). No mouse models are available for human DNAJC12 co-chaperone and PNPO-B6 deficiencies, disorders associated with recessive variants that result in decreased stability and function of the aromatic amino acid hydroxylases and decreased neurotransmitter synthesis, respectively. More than one mutant mouse is available for some of these defects, which is invaluable as different variant-specific (knock-in) models may provide more insights into underlying mechanisms of disorders, while complete gene inactivation (knock-out) models often have limitations in terms of recapitulating complex human diseases. While these mouse models have common phenotypic traits also observed in patients, reflecting the defective homeostasis of the monoamine neurotransmitter pathways, they also present with disease-specific manifestations with toxic accumulation or deficiency of specific metabolites related to the specific gene affected. This review provides an overview of the currently available models and may give directions toward selecting existing models or generating new ones to investigate novel pathogenic mechanisms and precision therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beat Thöny
- Division of Metabolism and Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Joanne Ng
- Genetic Therapy Accelerator Centre, University College London, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Manju A Kurian
- Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK
| | - Philippa Mills
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Aurora Martinez
- Department of Biomedicine and Center for Translational Research in Parkinson's Disease, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
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Ke T, Poquette KE, Amro Gazze SL, Carvelli L. Amphetamine Exposure during Embryogenesis Alters Expression and Function of Tyrosine Hydroxylase and the Vesicular Monoamine Transporter in Adult C. elegans. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4219. [PMID: 38673805 PMCID: PMC11050232 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084219] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Amphetamines (Amph) are psychostimulants broadly used as physical and cognitive enhancers. However, the long-term effects of prenatal exposure to Amph have been poorly investigated. Here, we show that continuous exposure to Amph during early development induces long-lasting changes in histone methylation at the C. elegans tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) homolog cat-2 and the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) homologue cat-1 genes. These Amph-induced histone modifications are correlated with enhanced expression and function of CAT-2/TH and higher levels of dopamine, but decreased expression of CAT-1/VMAT in adult animals. Moreover, while adult animals pre-exposed to Amph do not show obvious behavioral defects, when challenged with Amph they exhibit Amph hypersensitivity, which is associated with a rapid increase in cat-2/TH mRNA. Because C. elegans has helped reveal neuronal and epigenetic mechanisms that are shared among animals as diverse as roundworms and humans, and because of the evolutionary conservation of the dopaminergic response to psychostimulants, data collected in this study could help us to identify the mechanisms through which Amph induces long-lasting physiological and behavioral changes in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Ke
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA (K.E.P.); (S.L.A.G.)
| | - Katie E. Poquette
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA (K.E.P.); (S.L.A.G.)
| | - Sophia L. Amro Gazze
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA (K.E.P.); (S.L.A.G.)
| | - Lucia Carvelli
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA (K.E.P.); (S.L.A.G.)
- Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
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Zhao F, Cheng Z, Piao J, Cui R, Li B. Dopamine Receptors: Is It Possible to Become a Therapeutic Target for Depression? Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:947785. [PMID: 36059987 PMCID: PMC9428607 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.947785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine and its receptors are currently recognized targets for the treatment of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, some drug use addictions, as well as depression. Dopamine receptors are widely distributed in various regions of the brain, but their role and exact contribution to neuropsychiatric diseases has not yet been thoroughly studied. Based on the types of dopamine receptors and their distribution in different brain regions, this paper reviews the current research status of the molecular, cellular and circuit mechanisms of dopamine and its receptors involved in depression. Multiple lines of investigation of these mechanisms provide a new future direction for understanding the etiology and treatment of depression and potential new targets for antidepressant treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyi Zhao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Engineering Laboratory for Screening of Antidepressant Drugs, Jilin Province Development and Reform Commission, Changchun, China
| | - Ziqian Cheng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Engineering Laboratory for Screening of Antidepressant Drugs, Jilin Province Development and Reform Commission, Changchun, China
| | - Jingjing Piao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Engineering Laboratory for Screening of Antidepressant Drugs, Jilin Province Development and Reform Commission, Changchun, China
| | - Ranji Cui
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Engineering Laboratory for Screening of Antidepressant Drugs, Jilin Province Development and Reform Commission, Changchun, China
| | - Bingjin Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Engineering Laboratory for Screening of Antidepressant Drugs, Jilin Province Development and Reform Commission, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Bingjin Li,
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Humanized substitutions of Vmat1 in mice alter amygdala-dependent behaviors associated with the evolution of anxiety. iScience 2022; 25:104800. [PMID: 35992083 PMCID: PMC9385864 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Jiang S, Berger S, Hu Y, Bartsch D, Tian Y. Alterations of the Motor and Olfactory Functions Related to Parkinson's Disease in Transgenic Mice With a VMAT2-Deficiency in Dopaminergic Neurons. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:356. [PMID: 32410942 PMCID: PMC7198702 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, with approximately six million people affected worldwide. Vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) dysfunction has recently become a hot topic in the pathophysiology of PD, and the advent of transgenic mice has also accelerated the development of behavioral studies in animal models. However, there are only a few systematic behavioral tests that embrace abundant motor and non-motor performance in a unique mutant mouse model which correspond to the varied symptoms observed in human PD. The aim of this study is to evaluate the responsibility of the unique reduction of dopamine in the varied motor and non-motor symptoms of PD via a transgenic mice model. We analyzed neurotransmitter concentrations in the brain tissue of 18-month-old mutant mice, with selective inactivation of one allele of Vmat2 in dopaminergic neurons (VMAT2DATcre-HET) to confirm the selective reduction of dopamine, and then examined behavioral functions. Neurochemical tests showed lower dopamine concentrations in specific brain regions of VMAT2DATcre-HET mice, especially the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra and striatum, together with relatively unchanging concentrations of norepinephrine and serotonin, demonstrating the dopaminergic specificity of this mouse model. Behavioral tasks showed impairments in several motor functions and major defects in olfactory abilities in the VMAT2DATcre-HET mice. However, no significant changes were found in the majority of non-motor tests, such as emotional performance and sleep patterns. We concluded from this study that the selective inactivation of one allele of the Vmat2 gene in dopaminergic neurons was related to dopamine reduction, resulting in phenotypes resembling some of the major deficits in PD, especially those of motor symptoms and olfactory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Jiang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University Faculty of Medicine in Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Berger
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University Faculty of Medicine in Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Yajuan Hu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Dusan Bartsch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University Faculty of Medicine in Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Yanghua Tian
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Mental Health, Hefei, China
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Sato DX, Ishii Y, Nagai T, Ohashi K, Kawata M. Human-specific mutations in VMAT1 confer functional changes and multi-directional evolution in the regulation of monoamine circuits. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:220. [PMID: 31791232 PMCID: PMC6889191 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1543-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurochemicals like serotonin and dopamine play crucial roles in human cognitive and emotional functions. Vesicular monoamine transporter 1 (VMAT1) transports monoamine neurotransmitters, and its variant (136Thr) is associated with various psychopathological symptoms and reduced monoamine uptake relative to 136Ile. We previously showed that two human-specific amino acid substitutions (Glu130Gly and Asn136Thr/Ile) of VMAT1 were subject to positive natural selection. However, the potential functional alterations caused by these substitutions (Glu130Gly and Asn136Thr) remain unclear. To assess functional changes in VMAT1 from an evolutionary perspective, we reconstructed ancestral residues and examined the role of these substitutions in monoamine uptake in vitro using fluorescent false neurotransmitters (FFN), which are newly developed substances used to quantitatively assay VMATs. RESULTS Immunoblotting confirmed that all the transfected YFP-VMAT1 variants are properly expressed in HEK293T cells at comparable levels, and no significant difference was seen in the density and the size of vesicles among them. Our fluorescent assays revealed a significant difference in FFN206 uptake among VMAT1 variants: 130Glu/136Asn, 130Glu/136Thr, and 130Gly/136Ile showed significantly higher levels of FFN206 uptake than 130Gly/136Asn and 130Gly/136Thr, indicating that both 130Glu and 136Ile led to increased neurotransmitter uptake, for which 136Thr and 136Asn were comparable by contrast. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that monoamine uptake by VMAT1 initially declined (from 130Glu/136Asn to 130Gly/136Thr) in human evolution, possibly resulting in higher susceptibility to the external environment of our ancestors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiki X Sato
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Yuu Ishii
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Nagai
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Ohashi
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Masakado Kawata
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan.
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