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Sun S, Luo S, Chen J, Zhang O, Wu Q, Zeng N, Bi J, Zheng C, Yan T, Li Z, Chen J, Zhang Y, Lang B. Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells alleviate valproate-induced immune stress and social deficiency in rats. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1431689. [PMID: 39238940 PMCID: PMC11375615 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1431689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a set of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interactions and stereotypic behaviors. Current clinical care is palliative at the most and there remains huge unmet medical need to fully address the core symptoms of ASD. Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) are emerging as a promising candidate for ASD treatment, but the precise mechanism remains controversial. Methods In vitro studies we performed the transwell migration assay to explore the interaction between hUC-MSCs and the primary-cultured cortical neurons. Then we determined the therapeutic effects of intravenous administration of hUC-MSCs in rats challenged with valproic acid (VPA) during gestation, a well-defined rat model of autism. Results Our studies showed that hUC-MSCs promoted the growth of primary-cultured cortical neurons. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that hUC-MSCs significantly alleviated microglial activation in the brain, especially in the anterior cingulate cortex, and effectively improved the sociability of the VPA-exposed rats. Discussion These results offer valuable insights for clinical translation and further research on the mechanisms of hUC-MSCs in psychiatric disorders characterized by microglial activation, particularly in cases of autism, shall be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shixiong Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shilin Luo
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation, Xiangya Boai Rehabilitation Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ou Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Xiangya Boai Rehabilitation Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qiongying Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation, Xiangya Boai Rehabilitation Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Nianju Zeng
- Department of Rehabilitation, Xiangya Boai Rehabilitation Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jinlian Bi
- Department of Rehabilitation, Xiangya Boai Rehabilitation Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chunbing Zheng
- Changsha Institute of Industrial Technology for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Hunan Yuanpin Cell Technology Co. Ltd. (Yuanpin Biotech), Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Tenglong Yan
- Changsha Institute of Industrial Technology for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Hunan Yuanpin Cell Technology Co. Ltd. (Yuanpin Biotech), Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhiyuan Li
- Department of Rehabilitation, Xiangya Boai Rehabilitation Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jindong Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Rehabilitation, Xiangya Boai Rehabilitation Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yilei Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Xiangya Boai Rehabilitation Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Bing Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Abdelgawad FE, Abd El-Rahman GI, Behairy A, Abd-Elhakim YM, Saber TM, Metwally MMM, El-Fatah SSA, Samaha MM, Saber T, Aglan MA. Thymol's modulation of cellular macromolecules, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and NF-kB/caspase-3 signaling in the liver of imidacloprid-exposed rats. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 109:104492. [PMID: 38838874 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2024.104492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
We evaluated whether thymol (THY) (30 mg/kg b.wt) could relieve the adverse effects of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid (IMD) (22.5 mg/kg b.wt) on the liver in a 56-day oral experiment and the probable underlying mechanisms. THY significantly suppressed the IMD-associated increase in hepatic enzyme leakage. Besides, the IMD-induced dyslipidemia was considerably corrected by THY. Moreover, THY significantly repressed the IMD-induced hepatic oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, and inflammation. Of note, the Feulgen, mercuric bromophenol blue, and PAS-stained hepatic tissue sections analysis declared that treatment with THY largely rescued the IMD-induced depletion of the DNA, total proteins, and polysaccharides. Moreover, THY treatment did not affect the NF-kB p65 immunoexpression but markedly downregulated the Caspase-3 in the hepatocytes of the THY+IMD-treated group than the IMD-treated group. Conclusively, THY could efficiently protect against IMD-induced hepatotoxicity, probably through protecting cellular macromolecules and antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fathy Elsayed Abdelgawad
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah 42351, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Ghada I Abd El-Rahman
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Amany Behairy
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Yasmina M Abd-Elhakim
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt.
| | - Taghred M Saber
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Mohamed M M Metwally
- Department of Pathology and Clinical pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, King Salman international University, Ras sidr Egypt; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Samaa Salah Abd El-Fatah
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Mariam M Samaha
- Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Taisir Saber
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed Abdelrahman Aglan
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
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He C, Zhou H, Chen L, Liu Z. NEAT1 Promotes Valproic Acid-Induced Autism Spectrum Disorder by Recruiting YY1 to Regulate UBE3A Transcription. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04309-y. [PMID: 38922486 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04309-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a significant role in autism. Herein, we explored the functional role and possible molecular mechanisms of NEAT1 in valproic acid (VPA)-induced autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A VPA-induced ASD rat model was constructed, and a series of behavioral tests were performed to examine motor coordination and learning-memory abilities. qRT-PCR and western blot assays were used to evaluate target gene expression levels. Loss-and-gain-of-function assays were conducted to explore the functional role of NEAT1 in ASD development. Furthermore, a combination of mechanistic experiments and bioinformatic tools was used to assess the relationship and regulatory role of the NEAT1-YY1-UBE3A axis in ASD cellular processes. Results showed that VPA exposure induced autism-like developmental delays and behavioral abnormalities in the VPA-induced ASD rat model. We found that NEAT1 was elevated in rat hippocampal tissues after VPA exposure. NEAT1 promoted VPA-induced autism-like behaviors and mitigated apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in VPA-induced ASD rats. Notably, NEAT1 knockdown improved autism-related behaviors and ameliorated hippocampal neuronal damage. Mechanistically, it was observed that NEAT1 recruited the transcription factor YY1 to regulate UBE3A expression. Additionally, in vitro experiments further confirmed that NEAT1 knockdown mitigated hippocampal neuronal damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation through the YY1/UBE3A axis. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that NEAT1 is highly expressed in ASD, and its inhibition prominently suppresses hippocampal neuronal injury and oxidative stress through the YY1/UBE3A axis, thereby alleviating ASD development. This provides a new direction for ASD-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuping He
- Department of Children's Health, Chenzhou First People's Hospital, No. 6, Feihong Road, Suxian District, Chenzhou, 423000, Hunan, China
| | - Huimei Zhou
- Department of Children's Health, Chenzhou First People's Hospital, No. 6, Feihong Road, Suxian District, Chenzhou, 423000, Hunan, China.
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Children's Health, Chenzhou First People's Hospital, No. 6, Feihong Road, Suxian District, Chenzhou, 423000, Hunan, China
| | - Zeying Liu
- Department of Children's Health, Chenzhou First People's Hospital, No. 6, Feihong Road, Suxian District, Chenzhou, 423000, Hunan, China
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Fard YA, Sadeghi EN, Pajoohesh Z, Gharehdaghi Z, Khatibi DM, Khosravifar S, Pishkari Y, Nozari S, Hijazi A, Pakmehr S, Shayan SK. Epigenetic underpinnings of the autistic mind: Histone modifications and prefrontal excitation/inhibition imbalance. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2024:e32986. [PMID: 38837296 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is complex neurobehavioral condition influenced by several cellular and molecular mechanisms that are often concerned with synaptogenesis and synaptic activity. Based on the excitation/inhibition (E/I) imbalance theory, ASD could be the result of disruption in excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission across the brain. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the chief regulator of executive function and can be affected by altered neuronal excitation and inhibition in the course of ASD. The molecular mechanisms involved in E/I imbalance are subject to epigenetic regulation. In ASD, altered enrichment and spreading of histone H3 and H4 modifications such as the activation-linked H3K4me2/3, H3K9ac, and H3K27ac, and repression-linked H3K9me2, H3K27me3, and H4K20me2 in the PFC result in dysregulation of molecules mediating synaptic excitation (ARC, EGR1, mGluR2, mGluR3, GluN2A, and GluN2B) and synaptic inhibition (BSN, EphA7, SLC6A1). Histone modifications are a dynamic component of the epigenetic regulatory elements with a pronounced effect on patterns of gene expression with regards to any biological process. The excitation/inhibition imbalance associated with ASD is based on the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity in different regions of the brain, including the PFC, the ultimate outcome of which is highly influenced by transcriptional activity of relevant genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zohreh Pajoohesh
- Faculty of Medicine, Zabol Univeristy of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran
| | - Zahra Gharehdaghi
- Department of Pharmacology, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran
| | | | | | - Yasamin Pishkari
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shadi Nozari
- School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmed Hijazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Sepideh Karkon Shayan
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
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Sandhu A, Rawat K, Gautam V, Bhatia A, Grover S, Saini L, Saha L. Ameliorating effect of pioglitazone on prenatal valproic acid-induced behavioral and neurobiological abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2024; 237:173721. [PMID: 38307465 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopment disorder that mainly arises due to abnormalities in different brain regions, resulting in behavioral deficits. Besides its diverse phenotypical features, ASD is associated with complex and varied etiology, presenting challenges in understanding its precise neuro-pathophysiology. Pioglitazone was reported to have a fundamental role in neuroprotection in various other neurological disorders. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of pioglitazone in the prenatal valproic acid (VPA)-model of ASD in Wistar rats. Pregnant female Wistar rats received VPA on Embryonic day (E.D12.5) to induce autistic-like-behavioral and neurobiological alterations in their offspring. VPA-exposed rats presented core behavioral symptoms of ASD such as deficits in social interaction, poor spatial and learning behavior, increased anxiety, locomotory and repetitive activity, and decreased exploratory activity. Apart from these, VPA exposure also stimulated neurochemical and histopathological neurodegeneration in various brain regions. We administered three different doses of pioglitazone i.e., 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg in rats to assess various parameters. Of all the doses, our study highlighted that 10 mg/kg pioglitazone efficiently attenuated the autistic symptoms along with other neurochemical alterations such as oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis. Moreover, pioglitazone significantly attenuated the neurodegeneration by restoring the neuronal loss in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Taken together, our study suggests that pioglitazone exhibits therapeutic potential in alleviating behavioral abnormalities induced by prenatal VPA exposure in rats. However, further research is needed to fully understand and establish pioglitazone's effectiveness in treating ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arushi Sandhu
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), 4th Floor, Research Block B, Chandigarh 160012, India
| | - Kajal Rawat
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), 4th Floor, Research Block B, Chandigarh 160012, India
| | - Vipasha Gautam
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), 4th Floor, Research Block B, Chandigarh 160012, India
| | - Alka Bhatia
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biotechnology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education andResearch (PGIMER), 2nd Floor, Research Block B, Chandigarh 160012, India
| | - Sandeep Grover
- Department of Psychiatry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh 160012, India
| | - Lokesh Saini
- Department of Paediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur 342001, Rajasthan, India
| | - Lekha Saha
- Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), 4th Floor, Research Block B, Chandigarh 160012, India.
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