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Prytkova I, Liu Y, Fernando M, Gameiro-Ros I, Popova D, Kamarajan C, Xuei X, Chorlian DB, Edenberg HJ, Tischfield JA, Porjesz B, Pang ZP, Hart RP, Goate A, Slesinger PA. Upregulated GIRK2 Counteracts Ethanol-Induced Changes in Excitability and Respiration in Human Neurons. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0918232024. [PMID: 38350999 PMCID: PMC11026340 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0918-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of electroencephalographic endophenotypes for alcohol use disorder (AUD) has identified noncoding polymorphisms within the KCNJ6 gene. KCNJ6 encodes GIRK2, a subunit of a G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channel that regulates neuronal excitability. We studied the effect of upregulating KCNJ6 using an isogenic approach with human glutamatergic neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (male and female donors). Using multielectrode arrays, population calcium imaging, single-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, and mitochondrial stress tests, we find that elevated GIRK2 acts in concert with 7-21 d of ethanol exposure to inhibit neuronal activity, to counteract ethanol-induced increases in glutamate response, and to promote an increase intrinsic excitability. Furthermore, elevated GIRK2 prevented ethanol-induced changes in basal and activity-dependent mitochondrial respiration. These data support a role for GIRK2 in mitigating the effects of ethanol and a previously unknown connection to mitochondrial function in human glutamatergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iya Prytkova
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Yiyuan Liu
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Michael Fernando
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Isabel Gameiro-Ros
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Dina Popova
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203
| | - Xiaoling Xuei
- Departments of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - David B Chorlian
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203
| | - Howard J Edenberg
- Departments of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Jay A Tischfield
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York 11203
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology and The Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
| | - Alison Goate
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Paul A Slesinger
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
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Popova D, Sun J, Chow HM, Hart RP. A critical review of ethanol effects on neuronal firing: A metabolic perspective. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 48:450-458. [PMID: 38217065 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Ethanol metabolism is relatively understudied in neurons, even though changes in neuronal metabolism are known to affect their activity. Recent work demonstrates that ethanol is preferentially metabolized over glucose as a source of carbon and energy, and it reprograms neurons to a state of reduced energy potential and diminished capacity to utilize glucose once ethanol is exhausted. Ethanol intake has been associated with changes in neuronal firing and specific brain activity (EEG) patterns have been linked with risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Furthermore, a haplotype of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel subunit, GIRK2, which plays a critical role in regulating excitability of neurons, has been linked with AUD and shown to be directly regulated by ethanol. At the same time, overexpression of GIRK2 prevents ethanol-induced metabolic changes. Based on the available evidence, we conclude that the mechanisms underlying the effects of ethanol on neuronal metabolism are a novel target for developing therapies for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Popova
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jacquelyne Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Hei-Man Chow
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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3
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Prytkova I, Liu Y, Fernando M, Gameiro-Ros I, Popova D, Kamarajan C, Xuei X, Chorlian DB, Edenberg HJ, Tischfield JA, Porjesz B, Pang ZP, Hart RP, Goate A, Slesinger PA. Upregulated GIRK2 counteracts ethanol-induced changes in excitability & respiration in human neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.03.22.533236. [PMID: 36993693 PMCID: PMC10055374 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.22.533236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) of electroencephalographic endophenotypes for alcohol use disorder (AUD) has identified non-coding polymorphisms within the KCNJ6 gene. KCNJ6 encodes GIRK2, a subunit of a G protein-coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium channel that regulates neuronal excitability. How changes in GIRK2 affect human neuronal excitability and the response to repeated ethanol exposure is poorly understood. Here, we studied the effect of upregulating KCNJ6 using an isogenic approach with human glutamatergic neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (male and female donors). Using multi-electrode-arrays, population calcium imaging, single-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, and mitochondrial stress tests, we find that elevated GIRK2 acts in concert with 7-21 days of ethanol exposure to inhibit neuronal activity, to counteract ethanol-induced increases in glutamate response, and to promote an increase intrinsic excitability. Furthermore, elevated GIRK2 prevented ethanol-dependent changes in basal and activity-dependent mitochondrial respiration. These data support a role for GIRK2 in mitigating the effects of ethanol and a previously unknown connection to mitochondrial function in human glutamatergic neurons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major health problem that has worsened since COVID, affecting over 100 million people worldwide. While it is known that heritability contributes to AUD, specific genes and their role in neuronal function remain poorly understood, especially in humans. In the current manuscript, we focused on the inwardly-rectifying potassium channel GIRK2, which has been identified in an AUD-endophenotype genome-wide association study. We used human excitatory neurons derived from healthy donors to study the impact of GIRK2 expression. Our results reveal that elevated GIRK2 counteracts ethanol-induced increases in glutamate response and intracellular calcium, as well as deficits in activity-dependent mitochondrial respiration. The role of GIRK2 in mitigating ethanol-induced hyper-glutamatergic and mitochondrial offers therapeutic promise for treating AUD.
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4
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Johnson EC, Salvatore JE, Lai D, Merikangas AK, Nurnberger JI, Tischfield JA, Xuei X, Kamarajan C, Wetherill L, Rice JP, Kramer JR, Kuperman S, Foroud T, Slesinger PA, Goate AM, Porjesz B, Dick DM, Edenberg HJ, Agrawal A. The collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism: Genetics. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12856. [PMID: 37387240 PMCID: PMC10550788 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
This review describes the genetic approaches and results from the family-based Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA). COGA was designed during the linkage era to identify genes affecting the risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and related problems, and was among the first AUD-focused studies to subsequently adopt a genome-wide association (GWAS) approach. COGA's family-based structure, multimodal assessment with gold-standard clinical and neurophysiological data, and the availability of prospective longitudinal phenotyping continues to provide insights into the etiology of AUD and related disorders. These include investigations of genetic risk and trajectories of substance use and use disorders, phenome-wide association studies of loci of interest, and investigations of pleiotropy, social genomics, genetic nurture, and within-family comparisons. COGA is one of the few AUD genetics projects that includes a substantial number of participants of African ancestry. The sharing of data and biospecimens has been a cornerstone of the COGA project, and COGA is a key contributor to large-scale GWAS consortia. COGA's wealth of publicly available genetic and extensive phenotyping data continues to provide a unique and adaptable resource for our understanding of the genetic etiology of AUD and related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. Johnson
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Jessica E. Salvatore
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Dongbing Lai
- Department of Medical & Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Alison K. Merikangas
- Department of Biomedical and Health InformaticsChildren's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - John I. Nurnberger
- Department of Medical & Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Department of PsychiatryIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | | | - Xiaoling Xuei
- Department of Medical & Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Health Sciences UniversityBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Leah Wetherill
- Department of Medical & Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | | | - John P. Rice
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - John R. Kramer
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of MedicineUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - Samuel Kuperman
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of MedicineUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - Tatiana Foroud
- Department of Medical & Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Paul A. Slesinger
- Departments of Neuroscience and Pharmacological SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Alison M. Goate
- Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Neuroscience, and NeurologyIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Health Sciences UniversityBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Danielle M. Dick
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Howard J. Edenberg
- Department of Medical & Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyIndiana UniversityIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
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5
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Gameiro‐Ros I, Popova D, Prytkova I, Pang ZP, Liu Y, Dick D, Bucholz KK, Agrawal A, Porjesz B, Goate AM, Xuei X, Kamarajan C, Tischfield JA, Edenberg HJ, Slesinger PA, Hart RP. 5. Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism: Functional genomics. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12855. [PMID: 37533187 PMCID: PMC10550792 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder is a complex genetic disorder, involving genetic, neural, and environmental factors, and their interactions. The Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) has been investigating these factors and identified putative alcohol use disorder risk genes through genome-wide association studies. In this review, we describe advances made by COGA in elucidating the functional changes induced by alcohol use disorder risk genes using multimodal approaches with human cell lines and brain tissue. These studies involve investigating gene regulation in lymphoblastoid cells from COGA participants and in post-mortem brain tissues. High throughput reporter assays are being used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms in which alternate alleles differ in driving gene expression. Specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (both coding or noncoding) have been modeled using induced pluripotent stem cells derived from COGA participants to evaluate the effects of genetic variants on transcriptomics, neuronal excitability, synaptic physiology, and the response to ethanol in human neurons from individuals with and without alcohol use disorder. We provide a perspective on future studies, such as using polygenic risk scores and populations of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to identify signaling pathways related with responses to alcohol. Starting with genes or loci associated with alcohol use disorder, COGA has demonstrated that integration of multimodal data within COGA participants and functional studies can reveal mechanisms linking genomic variants with alcohol use disorder, and potential targets for future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Gameiro‐Ros
- Nash Family Department of NeuroscienceIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Dina Popova
- Human Genetics Institute of New JerseyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Iya Prytkova
- Nash Family Department of NeuroscienceIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Zhiping P. Pang
- Human Genetics Institute of New JerseyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey and Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNew JerseyUSA
| | - Yunlong Liu
- Department of Medical and Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Danielle Dick
- Rutgers Addiction Research Center, Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Kathleen K. Bucholz
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesSUNY Downstate Health Sciences UniversityBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Alison M. Goate
- Nash Family Department of NeuroscienceIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Xiaoling Xuei
- Department of Medical and Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesSUNY Downstate Health Sciences UniversityBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Jay A. Tischfield
- Human Genetics Institute of New JerseyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
- Department of GeneticsRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Howard J. Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Department of Medical and Molecular GeneticsIndiana UniversityIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Paul A. Slesinger
- Nash Family Department of NeuroscienceIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Ronald P. Hart
- Human Genetics Institute of New JerseyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
- Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
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6
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Meyers JL, Brislin SJ, Kamarajan C, Plawecki MH, Chorlian D, Anohkin A, Kuperman S, Merikangas A, Pandey G, Kinreich S, Pandey A, Edenberg HJ, Bucholz KK, Almasy L, Porjesz B. The collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism: Brain function. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12862. [PMID: 37587903 PMCID: PMC10550791 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and related health conditions result from a complex interaction of genetic, neural and environmental factors, with differential impacts across the lifespan. From its inception, the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) has focused on the importance of brain function as it relates to the risk and consequences of alcohol use and AUD, through the examination of noninvasively recorded brain electrical activity and neuropsychological tests. COGA's sophisticated neurophysiological and neuropsychological measures, together with rich longitudinal, multi-modal family data, have allowed us to disentangle brain-related risk and resilience factors from the consequences of prolonged and heavy alcohol use in the context of genomic and social-environmental influences over the lifespan. COGA has led the field in identifying genetic variation associated with brain functioning, which has advanced the understanding of how genomic risk affects AUD and related disorders. To date, the COGA study has amassed brain function data on over 9871 participants, 7837 with data at more than one time point, and with notable diversity in terms of age (from 7 to 97), gender (52% female), and self-reported race and ethnicity (28% Black, 9% Hispanic). These data are available to the research community through several mechanisms, including directly through the NIAAA, through dbGAP, and in collaboration with COGA investigators. In this review, we provide an overview of COGA's data collection methods and specific brain function measures assessed, and showcase the utility, significance, and contributions these data have made to our understanding of AUD and related disorders, highlighting COGA research findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn L. Meyers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Sarah J. Brislin
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNew JerseyUSA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | | | - David Chorlian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Andrey Anohkin
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Samuel Kuperman
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of IowaIowa CityIndianaUSA
| | - Alison Merikangas
- Department of Biomedical and Health InformaticsChildren's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Penn‐CHOP Lifespan Brain InstituteUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Gayathri Pandey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Sivan Kinreich
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Ashwini Pandey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Howard J. Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyIndiana UniversityBloomingtonIndianaUSA
| | - Kathleen K. Bucholz
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | | | - Laura Almasy
- Department of Biomedical and Health InformaticsChildren's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Penn‐CHOP Lifespan Brain InstituteUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesState University of New York Downstate Medical CenterBrooklynNew YorkUSA
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7
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Contreras A, Djebari S, Temprano-Carazo S, Múnera A, Gruart A, Delgado-Garcia JM, Jiménez-Díaz L, Navarro-López JD. Impairments in hippocampal oscillations accompany the loss of LTP induced by GIRK activity blockade. Neuropharmacology 2023:109668. [PMID: 37474000 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Learning and memory occurrence requires of hippocampal long-term synaptic plasticity and precise neural activity orchestrated by brain network oscillations, both processes reciprocally influencing each other. As G-protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels rule synaptic plasticity that supports hippocampal-dependent memory, here we assessed their unknown role in hippocampal oscillatory activity in relation to synaptic plasticity induction. In alert male mice, pharmacological GIRK modulation did not alter neural oscillations before long-term potentiation (LTP) induction. However, after an LTP generating protocol, both gain- and loss-of basal GIRK activity transformed LTP into long-term depression, but only specific suppression of constitutive GIRK activity caused a disruption of network synchronization (δ, α, γ bands), even leading to long-lasting ripples and fast ripples pathological oscillations. Together, our data showed that constitutive GIRK activity plays a key role in the tuning mechanism of hippocampal oscillatory activity during long-term synaptic plasticity processes that underlies hippocampal-dependent cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Contreras
- NeuroPhysiology & Behavior Laboratory, Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Souhail Djebari
- NeuroPhysiology & Behavior Laboratory, Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sara Temprano-Carazo
- NeuroPhysiology & Behavior Laboratory, Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Alejandro Múnera
- NeuroPhysiology & Behavior Laboratory, Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain; Behavioral Neurophysiology Laboratory, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 111321, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Agnès Gruart
- Division of Neurosciences, University Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | | | - Lydia Jiménez-Díaz
- NeuroPhysiology & Behavior Laboratory, Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Juan D Navarro-López
- NeuroPhysiology & Behavior Laboratory, Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain.
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8
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Popova D, Gameiro-Ros I, Youssef MM, Zalamea P, Morris AD, Prytkova I, Jadali A, Kwan KY, Kamarajan C, Salvatore JE, Xuei X, Chorlian DB, Porjesz B, Kuperman S, Dick DM, Goate A, Edenberg HJ, Tischfield JA, Pang ZP, Slesinger PA, Hart RP. Alcohol reverses the effects of KCNJ6 (GIRK2) noncoding variants on excitability of human glutamatergic neurons. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:746-758. [PMID: 36207584 PMCID: PMC9542475 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01818-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Synonymous and noncoding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the KCNJ6 gene, encoding G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channel subunit 2 (GIRK2), have been linked with increased electroencephalographic frontal theta event-related oscillations (ERO) in subjects diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD). To identify molecular and cellular mechanisms while retaining the appropriate genetic background, we generated induced excitatory glutamatergic neurons (iN) from iPSCs derived from four AUD-diagnosed subjects with KCNJ6 variants ("Affected: AF") and four control subjects without variants ("Unaffected: UN"). Neurons were analyzed for changes in gene expression, morphology, excitability and physiological properties. Single-cell RNA sequencing suggests that KCNJ6 AF variant neurons have altered patterns of synaptic transmission and cell projection morphogenesis. Results confirm that AF neurons express lower levels of GIRK2, have greater neurite area, and elevated excitability. Interestingly, exposure to intoxicating concentrations of ethanol induces GIRK2 expression and reverses functional effects in AF neurons. Ectopic overexpression of GIRK2 alone mimics the effect of ethanol to normalize induced excitability. We conclude that KCNJ6 variants decrease GIRK2 expression and increase excitability and that this effect can be minimized or reduced with ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Popova
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Isabel Gameiro-Ros
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark M Youssef
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Petronio Zalamea
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Ayeshia D Morris
- Joint Program in Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Iya Prytkova
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Azadeh Jadali
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Kelvin Y Kwan
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Jessica E Salvatore
- Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Xiaoling Xuei
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - David B Chorlian
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Samuel Kuperman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Danielle M Dick
- Rutgers Addiction Research Center, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Alison Goate
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Howard J Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana Univ School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jay A Tischfield
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Child Health Institute, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Paul A Slesinger
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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Kleschevnikov AM. Enhanced GIRK2 channel signaling in Down syndrome: A feasible role in the development of abnormal nascent neural circuits. Front Genet 2022; 13:1006068. [PMID: 36171878 PMCID: PMC9510977 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1006068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The most distinctive feature of Down syndrome (DS) is moderate to severe cognitive impairment. Genetic, molecular, and neuronal mechanisms of this complex DS phenotype are currently under intensive investigation. It is becoming increasingly clear that the abnormalities arise from a combination of initial changes caused by triplication of genes on human chromosome 21 (HSA21) and later compensatory adaptations affecting multiple brain systems. Consequently, relatively mild initial cognitive deficits become pronounced with age. This pattern of changes suggests that one approach to improving cognitive function in DS is to target the earliest critical changes, the prevention of which can change the ‘trajectory’ of the brain development and reduce the destructive effects of the secondary alterations. Here, we review the experimental data on the role of KCNJ6 in DS-specific brain abnormalities, focusing on a putative role of this gene in the development of abnormal neural circuits in the hippocampus of genetic mouse models of DS. It is suggested that the prevention of these early abnormalities with pharmacological or genetic means can ameliorate cognitive impairment in DS.
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Therapeutic potential of targeting G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels in the central nervous system. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 223:107808. [PMID: 33476640 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels (Kir3/GirK) are important for maintaining resting membrane potential, cell excitability and inhibitory neurotransmission. Coupled to numerous G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), they mediate the effects of many neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and hormones contributing to the general homeostasis and particular synaptic plasticity processes, learning, memory and pain signaling. A growing number of behavioral and genetic studies suggest a critical role for the appropriate functioning of the central nervous system, as well as their involvement in many neurologic and psychiatric conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases, mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy, alcoholism and drug addiction. Hence, GirK channels emerge as a very promising tool to be targeted in the current scenario where these conditions already are or will become a global public health problem. This review examines recent findings on the physiology, function, dysfunction, and pharmacology of GirK channels in the central nervous system and highlights the relevance of GirK channels as a worthful potential target to improve therapies for related diseases.
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Vornholt E, Drake J, Mamdani M, McMichael G, Taylor ZN, Bacanu SA, Miles MF, Vladimirov VI. Network preservation reveals shared and unique biological processes associated with chronic alcohol abuse in NAc and PFC. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243857. [PMID: 33332381 PMCID: PMC7745987 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic alcohol abuse has been linked to the disruption of executive function and allostatic conditioning of reward response dysregulation in the mesocorticolimbic pathway (MCL). Here, we analyzed genome-wide mRNA and miRNA expression from matched cases with alcohol dependence (AD) and controls (n = 35) via gene network analysis to identify unique and shared biological processes dysregulated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). We further investigated potential mRNA/miRNA interactions at the network and individual gene expression levels to identify the neurobiological mechanisms underlying AD in the brain. By using genotyped and imputed SNP data, we identified expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) uncovering potential genetic regulatory elements for gene networks associated with AD. At a Bonferroni corrected p≤0.05, we identified significant mRNA (NAc = 6; PFC = 3) and miRNA (NAc = 3; PFC = 2) AD modules. The gene-set enrichment analyses revealed modules preserved between PFC and NAc to be enriched for immune response processes, whereas genes involved in cellular morphogenesis/localization and cilia-based cell projection were enriched in NAc modules only. At a Bonferroni corrected p≤0.05, we identified significant mRNA/miRNA network module correlations (NAc = 6; PFC = 4), which at an individual transcript level implicated miR-449a/b as potential regulators for cellular morphogenesis/localization in NAc. Finally, we identified eQTLs (NAc: mRNA = 37, miRNA = 9; PFC: mRNA = 17, miRNA = 16) which potentially mediate alcohol's effect in a brain region-specific manner. Our study highlights the neurotoxic effects of chronic alcohol abuse as well as brain region specific molecular changes that may impact the development of alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Vornholt
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Integrative Life Sciences Doctoral Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - John Drake
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, United States of America
| | - Mohammed Mamdani
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Gowon McMichael
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Zachary N. Taylor
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Silviu-Alin Bacanu
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Michael F. Miles
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- VCU-Alcohol Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Vladimir I. Vladimirov
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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12
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Ziegler GC, Röser C, Renner T, Hahn T, Ehlis AC, Weber H, Dempfle A, Walitza S, Jacob C, Romanos M, Fallgatter AJ, Reif A, Lesch KP. KCNJ6 variants modulate reward-related brain processes and impact executive functions in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2020; 183:247-257. [PMID: 31099984 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
KCNJ6, encoding a potassium channel subunit, regulates the excitability of dopaminergic neurons and is expressed in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-relevant brain regions. As a potential ADHD risk gene, KCNJ6, therefore, may contribute to the endophenotypic variation of the disorder. The impact of two SNPs, rs7275707 and rs6517442, both located in the transcriptional control region of KCNJ6, on reporter gene expression was explored in cultured cells. The KCNJ6 variants were then tested for association with ADHD and personality traits in a family-based sample (165 affected children) and an adult case-control sample (450 patients, 426 controls). Furthermore, the genotypic influence on performance in an n-back task and a cued continuous performance test (cCPT) was investigated by electroencephalography recordings. Finally, rs6517442 function was assessed by a reward anticipation paradigm using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Different haplotypes of rs7275707 and rs6517442 significantly influenced KCNJ6 gene expression proving their functional relevance on the molecular level. In the family-based children sample rs7275707 was associated with ADHD (p = .038). Moreover, rs7275707 showed association with the personality trait of Reward Dependence (p = .031). In the ADHD group, both rs7275707 and rs6517442 influenced the Go-centroid location in the cCPT and the N200 amplitude in the n-back task. Furthermore, ventral striatal activation was impacted by rs6517442 during reward anticipation. Our data indicate that functional variants of KCNJ6 influence brain activity during reward-related and executive processes supporting the view of a differential, age-dependent modulatory impact of dopamine-related brain processes in ADHD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg C Ziegler
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, ADHD Clinical Research Unit, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Röser
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, ADHD Clinical Research Unit, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Renner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tim Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Ann-Christine Ehlis
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Heike Weber
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, ADHD Clinical Research Unit, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Astrid Dempfle
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Christian Albrecht-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Susanne Walitza
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Jacob
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, ADHD Clinical Research Unit, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medius Hospital of Kirchheim, Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany
| | - Marcel Romanos
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas J Fallgatter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, ADHD Clinical Research Unit, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, ADHD Clinical Research Unit, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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Anokhin AP. The genetics of brain function and psychophysiology: An introduction to the special issue. Int J Psychophysiol 2017; 115:1-3. [PMID: 28259534 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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