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Bhandari R, Paliwal JK, Kuhad A. Neuropsychopathology of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Complex Interplay of Genetic, Epigenetic, and Environmental Factors. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 24:97-141. [PMID: 32006358 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-30402-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex heterogeneous consortium of pervasive development disorders (PDD) which ranges from atypical autism, autism, and Asperger syndrome affecting brain in the developmental stage. This debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder results in both core as well as associated symptoms. Core symptoms observed in autistic patients are lack of social interaction, pervasive, stereotyped, and restricted behavior while the associated symptoms include irritability, anxiety, aggression, and several comorbid disorders.ASD is a polygenic disorder and is multifactorial in origin. Copy number variations (CNVs) of several genes that regulate the synaptogenesis and signaling pathways are one of the major factors responsible for the pathogenesis of autism. The complex integration of various CNVs cause mutations in the genes which code for molecules involved in cell adhesion, voltage-gated ion-channels, scaffolding proteins as well as signaling pathways (PTEN and mTOR pathways). These mutated genes are responsible for affecting synaptic transmission by causing plasticity dysfunction responsible, in turn, for the expression of ASD.Epigenetic modifications affecting DNA transcription and various pre-natal and post-natal exposure to a variety of environmental factors are also precipitating factors for the occurrence of ASD. All of these together cause dysregulation of glutamatergic signaling as well as imbalance in excitatory: inhibitory pathways resulting in glial cell activation and release of inflammatory mediators responsible for the aberrant social behavior which is observed in autistic patients.In this chapter we review and provide insight into the intricate integration of various genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors which play a major role in the pathogenesis of this disorder and the mechanistic approach behind this integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjana Bhandari
- Pharmacology Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC-Centre of Advanced Study, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Jyoti K Paliwal
- Pharmacology Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC-Centre of Advanced Study, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Anurag Kuhad
- Pharmacology Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UGC-Centre of Advanced Study, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
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The Role of the Oxytocin/Arginine Vasopressin System in Animal Models of Autism Spectrum Disorder. ADVANCES IN ANATOMY EMBRYOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY 2017; 224:135-158. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-52498-6_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Gamsiz ED, Sciarra LN, Maguire AM, Pescosolido MF, van Dyck LI, Morrow EM. Discovery of Rare Mutations in Autism: Elucidating Neurodevelopmental Mechanisms. Neurotherapeutics 2015; 12:553-71. [PMID: 26105128 PMCID: PMC4489950 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-015-0363-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of highly genetic neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by language, social, cognitive, and behavioral abnormalities. ASD is a complex disorder with a heterogeneous etiology. The genetic architecture of autism is such that a variety of different rare mutations have been discovered, including rare monogenic conditions that involve autistic symptoms. Also, de novo copy number variants and single nucleotide variants contribute to disease susceptibility. Finally, autosomal recessive loci are contributing to our understanding of inherited factors. We will review the progress that the field has made in the discovery of these rare genetic variants in autism. We argue that mutation discovery of this sort offers an important opportunity to identify neurodevelopmental mechanisms in disease. The hope is that these mechanisms will show some degree of convergence that may be amenable to treatment intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ece D. Gamsiz
- />Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCB), and Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
- />Developmental Disorders Genetics Research Program, Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital and Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI USA
| | - Laura N. Sciarra
- />Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCB), and Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
- />Neuroscience Graduate Program (NSGP), Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | - Abbie M. Maguire
- />Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCB), and Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
- />Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCB) Graduate Training Program, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | - Matthew F. Pescosolido
- />Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCB), and Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
- />Neuroscience Graduate Program (NSGP), Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | - Laura I. van Dyck
- />Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCB), and Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | - Eric M. Morrow
- />Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCB), and Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
- />Developmental Disorders Genetics Research Program, Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital and Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI USA
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Spilioti M, Evangeliou AE, Tramma D, Theodoridou Z, Metaxas S, Michailidi E, Bonti E, Frysira H, Haidopoulou A, Asprangathou D, Tsalkidis AJ, Kardaras P, Wevers RA, Jakobs C, Gibson KM. Evidence for treatable inborn errors of metabolism in a cohort of 187 Greek patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:858. [PMID: 24399946 PMCID: PMC3871708 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
We screened for the presence of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) in 187 children (105 males; 82 females, ages 4–14 years old) who presented with confirmed features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Twelve patients (7%) manifested increased 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid (3-OH-IVA) excretion in urine, and minor to significant improvement in autistic features was observed in seven patients following supplementation with biotin. Five diagnoses included: Lesch Nyhan syndrome (2), succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency (2), and phenylketonuria (1) (2.7%). Additional metabolic disturbances suggestive of IEMs included two patients whose increased urine 3-OH-IVA was accompanied by elevated methylcitrate and lactate in sera, and 30 patients that showed abnormal glucose-loading tests. In the latter group, 16/30 patients manifested increased sera beta hydroxybutyrate (b-OH-b) production and 18/30 had a paradoxical increase of sera lactate. Six patients with elevated b-OH-b in sera showed improved autistic features following implementation of a ketogenic diet (KD). Five patients showed decreased serum ketone body production with glucose loading. Twelve of 187 patients demonstrated non-specific MRI pathology, while 25/187 had abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) findings. Finally, family history was positive for 22/187 patients (1st or 2nd degree relative with comparable symptomatology) and consanguinity was documented for 12/187 patients. Our data provide evidence for a new biomarker (3-OH-IVA) and novel treatment approaches in ASD patients. Concise 1 sentence take-home message: Detailed metabolic screening in a Greek cohort of ASD patients revealed biomarkers (urine 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid and serum b-OH-b) in 7% (13/187) of patients for whom biotin supplementation or institution of a KD resulted in mild to significant clinical improvement in autistic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Spilioti
- First Department of Neurology, AHEPA Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasios E Evangeliou
- Fourth Department of Pediatrics, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Despoina Tramma
- Fourth Department of Pediatrics, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Zoe Theodoridou
- Department of Special Educational Needs, St. Luke's Hospital Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Spyridon Metaxas
- Second ENT Department, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni Michailidi
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Crete Heraklion, Greece
| | - Eleni Bonti
- Department of Pediatrics, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Helen Frysira
- Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Agia Sophia Children's Hospital Athens, Greece
| | - A Haidopoulou
- Fourth Department of Pediatrics, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Despoina Asprangathou
- Fourth Department of Pediatrics, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Aggelos J Tsalkidis
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Thrace Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Kardaras
- Third Department of Pediatrics, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ron A Wevers
- Laboratory of Genetic, Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Department of Laboratory Medicine, RUNMC Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Cornelis Jakobs
- Metabolic Unit, Department of Clinical Chemistry, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - K Michael Gibson
- Section of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University Spokane, WA, USA
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de Lacy N, King BH. Revisiting the relationship between autism and schizophrenia: toward an integrated neurobiology. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2013; 9:555-87. [PMID: 23537488 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia and autism have been linked since their earliest descriptions. Both are disorders of cerebral specialization originating in the embryonic period. Genetic, molecular, and cytologic research highlights a variety of shared contributory mechanisms that may lead to patterns of abnormal connectivity arising from altered development and topology. Overt behavioral pathology likely emerges during or after neurosensitive periods in which resource demands overwhelm system resources and the individual's ability to compensate using interregional activation fails. We are at the threshold of being able to chart autism and schizophrenia from the inside out. In so doing, the door is opened to the consideration of new therapeutics that are developed based upon molecular, synaptic, and systems targets common to both disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina de Lacy
- University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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Gross C, Bassell GJ. Excess protein synthesis in FXS patient lymphoblastoid cells can be rescued with a p110β-selective inhibitor. Mol Med 2012; 18:336-45. [PMID: 22207187 DOI: 10.2119/molmed.2011.00363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2011] [Accepted: 12/05/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) plays a key role for neurotransmitter-mediated signaling upstream of neuronal protein synthesis. Functional loss of FMRP causes the inherited intellectual disability fragile X syndrome (FXS), and leads to increased and stimulus-insensitive neuronal protein synthesis in FXS animal models. Previous studies suggested that excess protein synthesis mediated by dysregulated signal transduction contributes to the majority of neurological defects in FXS, and might be a promising target for therapeutic strategies in patients. However, possible impairments in receptor-dependent protein synthesis have not been evaluated in patient cells so far. Using quantitative fluorescent metabolic labeling, we demonstrate that protein synthesis is exaggerated and cannot be further increased by cytokine stimulation in human fragile X lymphoblastoid cells. Our previous work suggested that loss of FMRP-mediated regulation of protein expression and enzymatic function of the PI3K catalytic subunit p110β contributes to dysregulated protein synthesis in a mouse model of FXS. Here, we demonstrate that these molecular mechanisms are recapitulated in FXS patient cells. Furthermore, we show that treatment with a p110β-selective antagonist rescues excess protein synthesis in synaptoneurosomes from an FXS mouse model and in patient cells. Our work suggests that dys-regulated protein synthesis and PI3K activity in patient cells might be suitable biomarkers to quantify the efficacy of drugs to ameliorate molecular mechanisms underlying FXS, and could be used for drug screens to refine treatment strategies for individual patients. Moreover, we provide rationale to pursue p110β-targeting treatments as potential therapy in FXS, and possibly other autism spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Gross
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
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Modi ME, Young LJ. The oxytocin system in drug discovery for autism: animal models and novel therapeutic strategies. Horm Behav 2012; 61:340-50. [PMID: 22206823 PMCID: PMC3483080 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2011] [Revised: 12/12/2011] [Accepted: 12/13/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Animal models and behavioral paradigms are critical for elucidating the neural mechanism involved in complex behaviors, including social cognition. Both genotype and phenotype based models have implicated the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) in the regulation of social behavior. Based on the findings in animal models, alteration of the OT system has been hypothesized to play a role in the social deficits associated with autism and other neuropsychiatric disorders. While the evidence linking the peptide to the etiology of the disorder is not yet conclusive, evidence from multiple animal models suggest modulation of the OT system may be a viable strategy for the pharmacological treatment of social deficits. In this review, we will discuss how animal models have been utilized to understand the role of OT in social cognition and how those findings can be applied to the conceptualization and treatment of the social impairments in ASD. Animal models with genetic alterations of the OT system, like the OT, OT receptor and CD38 knock-out mice, and those with phenotypic variation in social behavior, like BTBR inbred mice and prairie voles, coupled with behavioral paradigms with face and construct validity may prove to have predictive validity for identifying the most efficacious methods of stimulating the OT system to enhance social cognition in humans. The widespread use of strong animal models of social cognition has the potential yield pharmacological, interventions for the treatment social impairments psychiatric disorders. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Social Behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Larry J. Young
- Corresponding author. 954 Gatewood Road, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. (L.J. Young)
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