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Zhang H, Lu X, Lu B, Gullo G, Chen L. Measuring the composition of the tumor microenvironment with transcriptome analysis: past, present and future. Future Oncol 2024; 20:1207-1220. [PMID: 38362731 PMCID: PMC11318690 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2023-0658] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Interactions between tumor cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a vital role the mechanisms of immune evasion, by which cancer cells escape immune elimination. Thus, the characterization and quantification of different components in the TME is a hot topic in molecular biology and drug discovery. Since the development of transcriptome sequencing in bulk tissue, single cells and spatial dimensions, there are increasing methods emerging to deconvolute and subtype the TME. This review discusses and compares such computational strategies and downstream subtyping analyses. Integrative analyses of the transcriptome with other data, such as epigenetics and T-cell receptor sequencing, are needed to obtain comprehensive knowledge of the dynamic TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA
| | - Xinghua Lu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Binfeng Lu
- Center for Discovery & Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Giuseppe Gullo
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Villa Sofia Cervello Hospital, University of Palermo, 90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Lujia Chen
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA
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2
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Kotchetkov P, Blakeley N, Lacoste B. Involvement of brain metabolism in neurodevelopmental disorders. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 173:67-113. [PMID: 37993180 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) affect a significant portion of the global population and have a substantial social and economic impact worldwide. Most NDDs manifest in early childhood and are characterized by deficits in cognition, communication, social interaction and motor control. Due to a limited understanding of the etiology of NDDs, current treatment options primarily focus on symptom management rather than on curative solutions. Moreover, research on NDDs is problematic due to its reliance on a neurocentric approach. However, recent studies are broadening the scope of research on NDDs, to include dysregulations within a diverse network of brain cell types, including vascular and glial cells. This review aims to summarize studies from the past few decades on potential new contributions to the etiology of NDDs, with a special focus on metabolic signatures of various brain cells. In particular, we aim to convey how the metabolic functions are intimately linked to the onset and/or progression of common NDDs such as autism spectrum disorders, fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome and Down syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Kotchetkov
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Nicole Blakeley
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Baptiste Lacoste
- Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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3
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Perini S, Filosi M, Domenici E. Candidate biomarkers from the integration of methylation and gene expression in discordant autistic sibling pairs. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:109. [PMID: 37012247 PMCID: PMC10070641 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02407-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
While the genetics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been intensively studied, resulting in the identification of over 100 putative risk genes, the epigenetics of ASD has received less attention, and results have been inconsistent across studies. We aimed to investigate the contribution of DNA methylation (DNAm) to the risk of ASD and identify candidate biomarkers arising from the interaction of epigenetic mechanisms with genotype, gene expression, and cellular proportions. We performed DNAm differential analysis using whole blood samples from 75 discordant sibling pairs of the Italian Autism Network collection and estimated their cellular composition. We studied the correlation between DNAm and gene expression accounting for the potential effects of different genotypes on DNAm. We showed that the proportion of NK cells was significantly reduced in ASD siblings suggesting an imbalance in their immune system. We identified differentially methylated regions (DMRs) involved in neurogenesis and synaptic organization. Among candidate loci for ASD, we detected a DMR mapping to CLEC11A (neighboring SHANK1) where DNAm and gene expression were significantly and negatively correlated, independently from genotype effects. As reported in previous studies, we confirmed the involvement of immune functions in the pathophysiology of ASD. Notwithstanding the complexity of the disorder, suitable biomarkers such as CLEC11A and its neighbor SHANK1 can be discovered using integrative analyses even with peripheral tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Perini
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento (TN), Italy
| | - Michele Filosi
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento (TN), Italy
- EURAC Research, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Enrico Domenici
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento (TN), Italy.
- Fondazione The Microsoft Research - University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology (COSBI), Rovereto (TN), Italy.
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4
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Xie H, Liu S, Fu Y, Cheng Q, Wang P, Bi CL, Wang R, Chen MM, Fang M. Nuclear access of DNlg3 c-terminal fragment and its function in regulating innate immune response genes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 641:93-101. [PMID: 36525929 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuroligins (NLGNs) are one of the autism susceptibility genes, however, the mechanism that how dysfunction of NLGNs leads to Autism remains unclear. More and more studies have shown that the transcriptome alteration may be one of the important factors to generate Autism. Therefore, we are very concerned about whether Neuroligins would affect transcriptional regulation, which may at last lead to Autism. As a single-transmembrane receptor, proteolytic cleavage is one of the most important posttranslational modifications of NLGN proteins. In this study, we demonstrated the existence of DNlg3 C-terminal fragment. Studies in the S2 cells and HEK293T cells showed the evidence for nuclear access of the DNlg3 C-terminal fragment. Then we identified the possible targets of DNlg3 C-terminal fragment after its nuclear access by RNA-seq. The bioinformatics analysis indicated the transcriptome alteration between dnlg3 null flies and wild type flies focused on genes for the innate immune responses. These results were consistent with the infection hypotheses for autism. Our study revealed the nuclear access ability of DNlg3 c-terminal fragment and its possible function in transcriptional regulation of the innate immune response genes. This work provides the new links between synaptic adhesion molecule NLGNs and immune activation, which may help us to get a deeper understanding on the relationship between NLGNs and Autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Xie
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
| | - Si Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Yiqiu Fu
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Qian Cheng
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Ping Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Cai-Li Bi
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Rui Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Meng-Meng Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Ming Fang
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
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Devika K, Mahapatra D, Subramanian R, Ramana Murthy Oruganti V. Dense Attentive GAN-based One-Class Model for Detection of Autism and ADHD. JOURNAL OF KING SAUD UNIVERSITY - COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jksuci.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Vitamin D receptor gene variants and serum vitamin D in childhood autism spectrum disorder. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:9481-9488. [PMID: 35953654 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07829-9] [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: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the correlation between polymorphisms in vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and serum vitamin D, and to determine their role in predicting childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). METHODS Children with ASD and age- and gender- matched healthy controls were recruited from the Chinese Han population. Their serum 25(OH) vitamin D was measured using competitive chemiluminescent immunoassays. The TaqMan probe approach was applied to analyze the common VDR SNPs rs731236 (Taq1), rs11568820 (Cdx2), rs1544410 (BsmI), and rs228570 (FokI). Both linear and logistic regressions were applied in data analysis. RESULTS A total of 269 children with ASD and 320 healthy controls were recruited. Children with ASD had significantly lower levels of serum vitamin D and a significantly higher rate of vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/ml) compared to healthy controls (67.7% vs 34.1%). All these examined VDR SNPs were not correlated with serum vitamin D concentrations or vitamin D deficiency. Logistic regression analysis revealed that rs731236 and serum vitamin D were associated with childhood ASD. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.7285 for serum vitamin D. Children with both T/C genotype of rs731236 and vitamin D deficiency had a higher risk of being diagnosed with ASD. CONCLUSION All examined common VDR SNPs are not correlated with serum vitamin D concentrations or vitamin D deficiency. The combination of T/C phenotype of rs731236 and vitamin D deficiency are associated with a higher risk of childhood ASD. Vitamin D is a promising target in the prevention and treatment of this disease.
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Ouellette J, Lacoste B. From Neurodevelopmental to Neurodegenerative Disorders: The Vascular Continuum. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:749026. [PMID: 34744690 PMCID: PMC8570842 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.749026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural and functional integrity of the cerebral vasculature ensures proper brain development and function, as well as healthy aging. The inability of the brain to store energy makes it exceptionally dependent on an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients from the blood stream for matching colossal demands of neural and glial cells. Key vascular features including a dense vasculature, a tightly controlled environment, and the regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) all take part in brain health throughout life. As such, healthy brain development and aging are both ensured by the anatomical and functional interaction between the vascular and nervous systems that are established during brain development and maintained throughout the lifespan. During critical periods of brain development, vascular networks remodel until they can actively respond to increases in neural activity through neurovascular coupling, which makes the brain particularly vulnerable to neurovascular alterations. The brain vasculature has been strongly associated with the onset and/or progression of conditions associated with aging, and more recently with neurodevelopmental disorders. Our understanding of cerebrovascular contributions to neurological disorders is rapidly evolving, and increasing evidence shows that deficits in angiogenesis, CBF and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) are causally linked to cognitive impairment. Moreover, it is of utmost curiosity that although neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders express different clinical features at different stages of life, they share similar vascular abnormalities. In this review, we present an overview of vascular dysfunctions associated with neurodevelopmental (autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, Down Syndrome) and neurodegenerative (multiple sclerosis, Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases) disorders, with a focus on impairments in angiogenesis, CBF and the BBB. Finally, we discuss the impact of early vascular impairments on the expression of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Ouellette
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Neuroscience Program, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Baptiste Lacoste
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Neuroscience Program, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Autism Spectrum Disorder and Prenatal or Early Life Exposure to Pesticides: A Short Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182010991. [PMID: 34682738 PMCID: PMC8535369 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses have rapidly increased globally. Both environmental and genetic factors appear to contribute to the development of ASD. Several studies have shown a potential association between prenatal or postnatal pesticide exposure and the risk of developing ASD. Methods: We reviewed the available literature concerning the relationship between early life exposure to pesticides used in agriculture, such as organochlorines, organophosphates and pyrethroids, and ASD onset in childhood. We searched on Medline and Scopus for cohort or case–control studies published in English from 1977 to 2020. Results: A total of seven articles were selected for the review. We found a remarkable association between the maternal exposure to pyrethroid, as well as the exposure to organophosphate during pregnancy or in the first years of childhood, and the risk of ASD onset. This association was found to be less evident with organochlorine pesticides. Pregnancy seems to be the time when pesticide exposure appears to have the greatest impact on the onset of ASD in children. Conclusions: Among the different environmental pollutants, pesticides should be considered as emerging risk factors for ASD. The potential association identified between the exposure to pesticides and ASD needs to be implemented and confirmed by further epidemiological studies based on individual assessment both in outdoor and indoor conditions, including multiple confounding factors, and using statistical models that take into account single and multiple pesticide residues.
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Early-Life Environmental and Child Factors Associated with the Presence of Disruptive Behaviors in Seven-Year-Old Children with Autistic Traits in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:2747-2761. [PMID: 34247301 PMCID: PMC9114014 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05081-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
We studied the association of early-life environmental and child factors with disruptive behaviors in children with autistic traits around age 7, in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 6,401). Logistic regression with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator indicated that disruptive behaviors were associated with prenatal smoking, no seafood-consumption during pregnancy, breech presentation at delivery, neonatal feeding problems, low social-economic situation, suboptimal preschool family environment, maternal depression, maternal antisocial behavior, male sex, and difficult child temperament. Compared to controls, male sex, maternal depression, and suboptimal preschool family environment were related to autistic traits without disruptive behaviors. Thus, there may be a difference in early-life factors related to autism spectrum disorder with and without disruptive behaviors.
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Expression Analysis of VDR-Related LncRNAs in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Mol Neurosci 2021; 71:1403-1409. [PMID: 34125396 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-021-01858-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling has been reported to affect neurodevelopment, thus participating in the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We have measured expression amounts of VDR, CYP27B1, and two related long non-coding RNAs, namely SNHG6 and LINC00511, in the circulation of ASD patients compared with normal controls. Expression of CYP27B1 was remarkably higher in ASD cases compared with controls (posterior beta = 2.38, SE = 0.46, adjusted P value < 0.0001, 95% credible interval (CrI) for beta = [1.49, 3.27]). Level of SNHG6 was lower in ASD cases compared with controls (posterior beta = - 0.791, SE = 0.24, adjusted P value = 0.029, 95% CrI for beta = [- 1.27, - 0.33]). Expression levels of VDR and LINC00511 were similar between ASD cases and controls (P values = 0.97 and 0.46, respectively). Expressions of VDR, CYP27B1, SNHG6, and LINC00511 were not correlated with age of children. However, significant correlations were perceived between expressions of CYP27B1 and LINC00511 (r = 0.47, P < 0.0001), VDR and CYP27B1 (r = 0.42, P < 0.0001), and VDR and SNHG6 (r = 0.32, P < 0.0001). Therefore, these results imply dysregulation of a number of VDR-related genes in ASD patients.
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Abnormal negative feedback processing in individuals with autistic traits in the Iowa gambling task: Evidence from behavior and event-related potentials. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 165:36-46. [PMID: 33647381 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Value-based decision making plays an important role in social interaction. Previous studies have reported that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit deficits in terms of decision making. However, it is still unknown clearly whether individuals with high autistic traits within nonclinical populations employ abnormal neural substrates in value-based decision-making. To explore this issue, we investigated value-based decision making and its neural substrates in individuals with high and low autistic traits within a typically developing population who completed the revised Iowa gambling task (IGT) based on measurements of event-related potentials (ERPs). The IGT net scores were significantly lower in the group with high autistic traits than the group with low autistic traits in the fifth and sixth blocks. The ERP results showed that the feedback-related negativity (FRN) amplitude in individuals with high autistic traits allowed slight discrimination between positive and negative feedback in the low-risk option. The event-related spectral perturbations (ERSPs) and inter-trial coherence (ITC) of the theta-band frequency were also lower in the group with high autistic traits than the group with low autistic traits in the loss low-risk option. The results obtained in this study indicate that individuals with high autistic traits exhibit an unusual negative feedback process and relevant neural substrate. The FRN amplitude and theta-band oscillation may comprise a neural index of abnormal decision-making processes in individuals with high autistic traits. This study of a small sample may be considered an important step toward a more comprehensive understanding of the autism "spectrum" within a nonclinical population based on cognitive neuroscience.
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Imbriani G, Panico A, Grassi T, Idolo A, Serio F, Bagordo F, De Filippis G, De Giorgi D, Antonucci G, Piscitelli P, Colangelo M, Peccarisi L, Tumolo MR, De Masi R, Miani A, De Donno A. Early-Life Exposure to Environmental Air Pollution and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review of Available Evidence. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18031204. [PMID: 33572907 PMCID: PMC7908547 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has rapidly increased globally. Genetic and environmental factors both contribute to the development of ASD. Several studies showed linkage between prenatal, early postnatal air pollution exposure and the risk of developing ASD. We reviewed the available literature concerning the relationship between early-life exposure to air pollutants and ASD onset in childhood. We searched on Medline and Scopus for cohort or case-control studies published in English from 1977 to 2020. A total of 20 articles were selected for the review. We found a strong association between maternal exposure to particulate matter (PM) during pregnancy or in the first years of the children’s life and the risk of the ASD. This association was found to be stronger with PM2.5 and less evident with the other pollutants. Current evidence suggest that pregnancy is the period in which exposure to environmental pollutants seems to be most impactful concerning the onset of ASD in children. Air pollution should be considered among the emerging risk factors for ASD. Further epidemiological and toxicological studies should address molecular pathways involved in the development of ASD and determine specific cause–effect associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Imbriani
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Alessandra Panico
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Tiziana Grassi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Adele Idolo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
| | - Francesca Serio
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Francesco Bagordo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
| | - Giovanni De Filippis
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Donato De Giorgi
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Antonucci
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Prisco Piscitelli
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Manuela Colangelo
- Italian Association of Health, Environment and Society (AISAS), via De Gasperi 22, Lizzanello, 73023 Lecce, Italy;
| | - Luigi Peccarisi
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Medical Professional Association (OMCEO), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Tumolo
- Research Unit of Brindisi, c/o ex Osp. Di Summa, Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies, National Research Council, Piazza Di Summa, 72100 Brindisi, Italy;
- c/o Campus Ecotekne via Monteroni, Branch of Lecce, Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Roberto De Masi
- Local Health Authority ASL Le, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.D.F.); (D.D.G.); (G.A.); (P.P.); (L.P.); (R.D.M.)
- Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, “Francesco Ferrari” Hospital, 73042 Casarano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Miani
- Italian Society of Environmental Medicine, 02100 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, 02100 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella De Donno
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technology, University of Salento, via Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (G.I.); (A.P.); (A.I.); (F.S.); (F.B.); (A.D.D.)
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Miasko MH, Smail SW, Karim AY, Qadir MK, Bapir AA, Omar SA, Ismail II, Taha OS, Khudhur ZO, Jalal KF, Mustafa MQ, Awla HK, Saeed M, Safdar M. Association study of polymorphisms at A66G (rs1801394) of MTRR gene and autism spectrum disorders in a Kurdish population. GENE REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2020.100949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Mahmuda NA, Yokoyama S, Munesue T, Hayashi K, Yagi K, Tsuji C, Higashida H. One Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of the TRPM2 Channel Gene Identified as a Risk Factor in Bipolar Disorder Associates with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Japanese Population. Diseases 2020; 8:diseases8010004. [PMID: 32046066 PMCID: PMC7151227 DOI: 10.3390/diseases8010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) is a non-specific cation channel, resulting in Ca2+ influx at warm temperatures from 34 °C to 47 °C, thus including the body temperature range in mammals. TRPM2 channels are activated by β-NAD+, ADP-ribose (ADPR), cyclic ADPR, and 2′-deoxyadenosine 5′-diphosphoribose. It has been shown that TRPM2 cation channels and CD38, a type II or type III transmembrane protein with ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity, simultaneously play a role in heat-sensitive and NAD+ metabolite-dependent intracellular free Ca2+ concentration increases in hypothalamic oxytocinergic neurons. Subsequently, oxytocin (OT) is released to the brain. Impairment of OT release may induce social amnesia, one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The risk of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and variants of TRPM2 have been reported in bipolar disorder, but not in ASD. Therefore, it is reasonable to examine whether SNPs or haplotypes in TRPM2 are associated with ASD. Here, we report a case-control study with 147 ASD patients and 150 unselected volunteers at Kanazawa University Hospital in Japan. The sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction method together with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy was applied. Of 14 SNPs examined, one SNP (rs933151) displayed a significant p-value (OR = 0.1798, 95% CI = 0.039, 0.83; Fisher’s exact test; p = 0.0196). The present research data suggest that rs93315, identified as a risk factor for bipolar disorder, is a possible association factor for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naila Al Mahmuda
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan; (N.A.M.); (S.Y.); (T.M.); (C.T.)
- Faculty of Business Administration, Eastern University, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
| | - Shigeru Yokoyama
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan; (N.A.M.); (S.Y.); (T.M.); (C.T.)
| | - Toshio Munesue
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan; (N.A.M.); (S.Y.); (T.M.); (C.T.)
| | - Kenshi Hayashi
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan; (K.H.); (K.Y.)
| | - Kunimasa Yagi
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan; (K.H.); (K.Y.)
| | - Chiharu Tsuji
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan; (N.A.M.); (S.Y.); (T.M.); (C.T.)
| | - Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan; (N.A.M.); (S.Y.); (T.M.); (C.T.)
- Laboratory for Social Brain Studies, Research Institute of Molecular Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University named after Prof. V. F. Voino-Yasentsky, Krasnoyarsk 660022, Russia
- Correspondence:
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15
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An integrated transcriptomic analysis of autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11818. [PMID: 31413321 PMCID: PMC6694127 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48160-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not a single disease but a set of disorders. To find clues of ASD pathogenesis in transcriptomic data, we performed an integrated transcriptomic analysis of ASD. After screening based on several standards in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, we obtained 11 series of transcriptomic data of different human tissues of ASD patients and healthy controls. Multidimensional scaling analysis revealed that datasets from the same tissue had bigger similarity than from different tissues. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that differential expressed genes were significantly enriched in inflammation/immune response, mitochondrion-related function and oxidative phosphorylation. Interestingly, genes enriched in inflammation/immune response were up-regulated in the brain tissues and down-regulated in the blood. In addition, drug prediction provided several compounds which might reverse gene expression profiles of ASD patients. And we also replicated the methods and criteria of transcriptomic analysis with datasets of ASD animal models and healthy controls, the results from animal models consolidated the results of transcriptomic analysis of ASD human tissues. In general, the results of our study may provide researchers a new sight of understanding the etiology of ASD and clinicians the possibilities of developing medical therapies.
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Findings of male genital anomalies in a Turkish population with Autism Spectrum Disorders. ANADOLU KLINIĞI TIP BILIMLERI DERGISI 2019. [DOI: 10.21673/anadoluklin.460738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Iourov IY, Vorsanova SG, Yurov YB, Kutsev SI. Ontogenetic and Pathogenetic Views on Somatic Chromosomal Mosaicism. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E379. [PMID: 31109140 PMCID: PMC6562967 DOI: 10.3390/genes10050379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Intercellular karyotypic variability has been a focus of genetic research for more than 50 years. It has been repeatedly shown that chromosome heterogeneity manifesting as chromosomal mosaicism is associated with a variety of human diseases. Due to the ability of changing dynamically throughout the ontogeny, chromosomal mosaicism may mediate genome/chromosome instability and intercellular diversity in health and disease in a bottleneck fashion. However, the ubiquity of negligibly small populations of cells with abnormal karyotypes results in difficulties of the interpretation and detection, which may be nonetheless solved by post-genomic cytogenomic technologies. In the post-genomic era, it has become possible to uncover molecular and cellular pathways to genome/chromosome instability (chromosomal mosaicism or heterogeneity) using advanced whole-genome scanning technologies and bioinformatic tools. Furthermore, the opportunities to determine the effect of chromosomal abnormalities on the cellular phenotype seem to be useful for uncovering the intrinsic consequences of chromosomal mosaicism. Accordingly, a post-genomic review of chromosomal mosaicism in the ontogenetic and pathogenetic contexts appears to be required. Here, we review chromosomal mosaicism in its widest sense and discuss further directions of cyto(post)genomic research dedicated to chromosomal heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Y Iourov
- Yurov's Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Cytogenomics of the Brain, Mental Health Research Center, 117152 Moscow, Russia.
- Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Veltischev Research and Clinical Institute for Pediatrics of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 125412 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Svetlana G Vorsanova
- Yurov's Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Cytogenomics of the Brain, Mental Health Research Center, 117152 Moscow, Russia.
- Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Veltischev Research and Clinical Institute for Pediatrics of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 125412 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Yuri B Yurov
- Yurov's Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Cytogenomics of the Brain, Mental Health Research Center, 117152 Moscow, Russia.
- Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Veltischev Research and Clinical Institute for Pediatrics of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 125412 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Sergei I Kutsev
- Research Centre for Medical Genetics, 115522 Moscow, Russia.
- Molecular & Cell Genetics Department, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia.
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Arab AH, Elhawary NA. Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene Variants Confer Potential Vulnerability to Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Saudi Community. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2019; 15:3569-3581. [PMID: 31920317 PMCID: PMC6938732 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s230348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Several interacting genes or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are vulnerable to the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here we explored associations between SNPs in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene or combined genotypes and the risk of ASD in a Saudi community. SUBJECTS AND METHODS ASD severity symptoms were assessed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) criteria and scores on the childhood autism rating scale (CARS). Genomic DNA from buccal cells was analyzed for 112 cases and 104 healthy controls using TaqMan genotyping assays of 677C>T rs1801133 and 1298A>C rs1801131 SNPs in the MTHFR gene. SNPStats software was utilized to determine the best interactive model of inheritance of genotypic data. RESULTS Controls were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the examined SNPs. Our data showed associations between the 677C>T and 1298A>C SNPs and ASD risk (odds ratio [OR]= 5.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.1-9.8 and OR= 22.2; 95% CI, 7.9-62.3, respectively). Genotype associations of 677C>T and 1298A>C were identified in cases compared with controls (P= 0.0012 and P= 0.0008, respectively). The examined SNPs were significantly associated with ASD cases having ≥37 scores (codominant and recessive models; P= 0.001 and P= 0.0005, respectively). Six combined genotypes-C/C-A/A (42.9%), C/T-A/A (17.9%), C/T-C/C (14.5%), C/T-A/C (10.9%), T/T-C/C (10.9%), and T/T-A/A (3.6%)-were found in ASD cases. Global haplotype analysis showed a significant difference in haplotype distribution between cases and controls (P= 0.00057). The two SNPs were found to be in relatively strong linkage disequilibrium (D`= 0.63, r 2= 0.260). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that the 677C>T and 1298A>C SNPs add to each other for potential vulnerability to increase the risk of ASD, particularly if they can be confirmed in larger cohorts along with other genetic/environmental factors. Our study could create reference data for future genetic association studies in the Saudi population and for use by government and health experts to develop regional health management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arwa H Arab
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah21589, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: Arwa H Arab; Nasser A Elhawary Tel +966 55 369 2180 Email ;
| | - Nasser A Elhawary
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca21955, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Medical Genetics Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo11566, Egypt
- Correspondence: Arwa H Arab; Nasser A Elhawary Tel +966 55 369 2180 Email ;
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Joensuu M, Lanoue V, Hotulainen P. Dendritic spine actin cytoskeleton in autism spectrum disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:362-381. [PMID: 28870634 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are small actin-rich protrusions from neuronal dendrites that form the postsynaptic part of most excitatory synapses. Changes in the shape and size of dendritic spines correlate with the functional changes in excitatory synapses and are heavily dependent on the remodeling of the underlying actin cytoskeleton. Recent evidence implicates synapses at dendritic spines as important substrates of pathogenesis in neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although synaptic perturbations are not the only alterations relevant for these diseases, understanding the molecular underpinnings of the spine and synapse pathology may provide insight into their etiologies and could reveal new drug targets. In this review, we will discuss recent findings of defective actin regulation in dendritic spines associated with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merja Joensuu
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Vanessa Lanoue
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Pirta Hotulainen
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
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20
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Schieve LA, Shapira SK. Invited Commentary: Male Reproductive System Congenital Malformations and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Am J Epidemiol 2018; 187:664-667. [PMID: 29452336 PMCID: PMC5884740 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwx369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent developmental disorder. Studies indicate that while ASD etiology has a genetic component, the risk is polygenic, with gene-environment interactions being likely. The prenatal period is a critical exposure window for nongenetic risk factors. Previous studies have found positive associations between congenital malformations (all types) and ASD; a few also found specific associations between genitourinary system malformations and ASD; and one study found an association between hypospadias and ASD. In the accompanying article, Rotem et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2018;187(4):656-663) describe how they conducted a comprehensive analysis focusing on the shared risk of ASD with hypospadias or cryptorchidism, using existing data from a large Israeli health services system, which afforded several advantages because of the large sample size and low attrition of the patient population. The authors conducted a careful analysis, including sensitivity analyses, to account for risk factor and case misclassifications that might have occurred had they relied solely on preexisting diagnostic codes to define exposures and outcome. They observed positive associations between both hypospadias and cryptorchidism and ASD that were independent of numerous sociodemographic and pregnancy health factors. This study advances our understanding of ASD etiology and illustrates how existing data might be used to assess some ASD risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Schieve
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (Laura A. Schieve, Stuart K. Shapira)
| | - Stuart K. Shapira
- National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (Laura A. Schieve, Stuart K. Shapira)
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21
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Mo W, Liu J, Zhang Z, Yu H, Yang A, Qu F, Hu P, Liu Z, Hu F. A study of single nucleotide polymorphisms in CD157, AIM2 and JARID2 genes in Han Chinese children with autism spectrum disorder. Nord J Psychiatry 2018; 72:179-183. [PMID: 29216786 DOI: 10.1080/08039488.2017.1410570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental brain disorders caused by genetic and environmental factors. The objective of this study was to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes related to immune function were associated with ASD in Chinese Han children. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 201 children with ASD and 200 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were recruited from September 2012 to June 2106. A TaqMan probe-based approach was used to genotype SNPs corresponding to rs28532698 and rs4301112 in CD157, rs855867 in AIM2, and rs2237126 in JARID2. Case-control and case-only studies were performed to determine the contribution of SNPs to the predisposition of disease and its severity, respectively. RESULTS Our results revealed that the genotypes and allele frequencies of these SNPs were not significantly associated with childhood ASD and its severity in this population. CONCLUSIONS Results of our study suggest that these SNPs are not predictors of childhood ASD in the Chinese Han population. The discrepant results suggest the predictor roles of SNPs have to be determined in different ethnic populations due to genetic heterogeneity of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiming Mo
- a Department of Clinical Laboratory , Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital , Hangzhou , China
| | - Jun Liu
- a Department of Clinical Laboratory , Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital , Hangzhou , China
| | - Zengyu Zhang
- b Department of Pediatrics , Xiaoshan First People's Hospital , Hangzhou , China
| | - Hong Yu
- c Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health , Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital , Hangzhou , China
| | - Aiping Yang
- a Department of Clinical Laboratory , Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital , Hangzhou , China
| | - Fei Qu
- a Department of Clinical Laboratory , Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital , Hangzhou , China
| | - Pingfang Hu
- a Department of Clinical Laboratory , Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital , Hangzhou , China
| | - Zhuo Liu
- d Department of Internal Medicine , Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital , Hangzhou , China
| | - Fengpei Hu
- e Institute of Brain and Management Science , Zhejiang University of Technology , Hangzhou , China
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Zhang Z, Yu L, Li S, Liu J. Association Study of Polymorphisms in Genes Relevant to Vitamin B12 and Folate Metabolism with Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Han Chinese Population. Med Sci Monit 2018; 24:370-376. [PMID: 29348398 PMCID: PMC5785951 DOI: 10.12659/msm.905567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Both genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This case-control study examined the association between childhood ASD and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved with vitamin B12 and folate metabolism. Material/Methods Genotypes of transcobalamin 2 (TCN2) rs1801198, methionine synthase (MTR) rs1805087, methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) rs1801394, and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801133 were examined in 201 children with ASD and 200 healthy controls from the Han Chinese population. Results Our results showed no association of all examined SNPs with childhood ASD and its severity. Conclusions None of the examined SNPs were a risk factor for the susceptibility to childhood ASD and severity of the disease in a Han Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengyu Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiaoshan First People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (mainland)
| | - Lianfang Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiaoshan First People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (mainland)
| | - Sufang Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiaoshan First People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (mainland)
| | - Jun Liu
- Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (mainland)
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Polymorphisms in Vitamin D Receptor Genes in Association with Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder. DISEASE MARKERS 2018; 2018:7862892. [PMID: 29581796 PMCID: PMC5821970 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7862892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This case-control study aimed to determine the association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs731276 (TaqI), rs1568820 (Cdx2), rs1544410 (BsmI), and rs2228570 (FokI) in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene with susceptibility of childhood ASD and severity of the disease. A total of 201 children with ASD and 200 healthy controls from the Han Chinese population were recruited. SNP genotyping was carried out by TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR using genomic DNA extracted from blood cells. Among four examined SNPs, only the CT genotype (odds ratio (OR) = 1.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-3.68, P = 0.0351) and the C allele (OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.02-3.46, P = 0.0416) of the rs731276 were significantly associated with increased risks of childhood ASD. None of the SNPs were associated with severity of childhood ASD. Our results reveal that certain polymorphisms in the VDR gene are a risk factor related to childhood ASD in the Han Chinese population.
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Margari L, De Giacomo A, Craig F, Palumbi R, Peschechera A, Margari M, Picardi F, Caldarola M, Maghenzani MA, Dicuonzo F. Frontal lobe metabolic alterations in autism spectrum disorder: a 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2018; 14:1871-1876. [PMID: 30050301 PMCID: PMC6055909 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s165375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Recently, neuroimaging studies were performed using 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), revealing a quantitative alteration of neurochemicals (such as neurotransmitters and metabolites) in several brain regions of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The involvement of the frontal lobe in the neurobiology of ASD has long been documented in the literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the alterations of N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr) and choline/Cr (Cho/Cr) ratios in the frontal lobe subcortical white matter (WM) in ASD patients, in order to reveal any alteration of metabolites that might be the expression of specific clinical features of the disorder. PATIENTS AND METHODS An 1H-MRS study of the frontal lobe subcortical WM was performed in 75 children with ASD and in 50 age-matched controls to evaluate the functional activity of this brain region. RESULTS NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios were significantly altered in ASD, compared to control subjects. Moreover, in the ASD group, NAA/Cr was significantly lower in patients with a cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION Results from this study confirm the existence of brain metabolites' alterations in frontal lobe WM in children with ASD, supporting the relevance of this brain region in the clinical expressions of this disorder, including its role in the cognitive impairment. Further 1H-MRS investigations will allow to comprehensively explain the relationship between metabolic alteration in a specific brain region and specific clinical features of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Margari
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Andrea De Giacomo
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Francesco Craig
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Unit for Severe Disabilities in Developmental Age and Young Adults, Developmental Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Brindisi, Italy
| | - Roberto Palumbi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Antonia Peschechera
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Mariella Margari
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Francesca Picardi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Neuroradiology Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Marina Caldarola
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Neuroradiology Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Marilena Anna Maghenzani
- Emergency Department, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Franca Dicuonzo
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Neuroradiology Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
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Heritability of the melatonin synthesis variability in autism spectrum disorders. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17746. [PMID: 29255243 PMCID: PMC5735101 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18016-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders with a complex genetic architecture. They are characterized by impaired social communication, stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests and are frequently associated with comorbidities such as intellectual disability, epilepsy and severe sleep disorders. Hyperserotonemia and low melatonin levels are among the most replicated endophenotypes reported in ASD, but their genetic causes remain largely unknown. Based on the biochemical profile of 717 individuals including 213 children with ASD, 128 unaffected siblings and 376 parents and other relatives, we estimated the heritability of whole-blood serotonin, platelet N-acetylserotonin (NAS) and plasma melatonin levels, as well as the two enzymes arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) and acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase (ASMT) activities measured in platelets. Overall, heritability was higher for NAS (0.72 ± 0.091) and ASMT (0.59 ± 0.097) compared with serotonin (0.31 ± 0.078), AANAT (0.34 ± 0.077) and melatonin (0.22 ± 0.071). Bivariate analyses showed high phenotypic and genetic correlations between traits of the second step of the metabolic pathway (NAS, ASMT and melatonin) indicating the contribution of shared genetic factors. A better knowledge of the heritability of the melatonin synthesis variability constitutes an important step to identify the factors that perturb this pathway in individuals with ASD.
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Schwartzer JJ, Careaga M, Coburn MA, Rose DR, Hughes HK, Ashwood P. Behavioral impact of maternal allergic-asthma in two genetically distinct mouse strains. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 63:99-107. [PMID: 27622677 PMCID: PMC5346064 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent population-based studies of expecting mothers identified a unique profile of immune markers that are associated with an increased risk of having a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This immune profile, including increased levels of maternal and placental interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5, is consistent with an immune response found in an allergic-asthma phenotype. Allergies and asthma reflect an imbalance in immune responses including polarization towards T-helper type 2 (TH2) responses, with both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors affecting this T-cell polarization. Mouse strains provide a known and controlled source of genetic diversity to explore the role of genetic predisposition on environmental factors. In particular, the FVB background exhibits a skew towards TH2-mediated allergic-asthma response in traditional models of asthma whereas the C57 strain exhibits a more blunted TH2 polarized phenotype resulting in an attenuated allergic-asthma response. C57BL/6J (C57) and the sighted FVB.129P2-Pde6b(+) Tyr(c-ch)/Ant (FVB/Ant) lines were selected based on their characteristic high sociability and differing sensitivity to TH2-mediated stimuli. Based on the distinct allergy-sensitive immune responses of these two strains, we hypothesized that unique developmental consequences would occur in offspring following maternal allergy-asthma exposure. Female C57 and FVB/Ant dams were primed/sensitized with an exposure to ovalbumin (OVA) before pregnancy, then exposed to either aerosolized OVA or PBS-vehicle throughout gestation. Sera from pregnant dams were analyzed for changes in cytokine profiles using multiplex-arrays and offspring were assessed for changes in autism-like behavioral responses. Analysis of maternal sera revealed elevated IL-4 and IL-5 in OVA-treated dams of both strains but only C57 mice expressed increased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, and IL-17. Behavioral assessments revealed strain-dependent changes in juvenile reciprocal social interaction in offspring of maternal allergic asthma dams. Moreover, mice of both strains showed decreased repetitive grooming and increased marble burying behavior when born to OVA-exposed dams. Together, these findings support the important role genetic predisposition plays in the effects of maternal immune activation and underscore differences in ASD-like behavioral outcomes across mouse strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared J. Schwartzer
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075
| | - Milo Careaga
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Morgan A. Coburn
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Department of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075
| | - Destanie R. Rose
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Heather K. Hughes
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Paul Ashwood
- The M.I.N.D. Institute, University of California, Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
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DiLalla LF, McCrary M, Diaz E. A review of endophenotypes in schizophrenia and autism: The next phase for understanding genetic etiologies. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2017; 175:354-361. [PMID: 28661580 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Many psychiatric disorders are caused by multiple genes and multiple environmental factors, making the identification of specific genetic risk factors for these disorders difficult. Endophenotypes are behaviors or characteristics that are intermediate between the genotype and a phenotype of interest. Because they are more directly related to the gene action than is the endpoint disorder, they may be useful in the identification of specific genes related to psychiatric disorders and the classification of disorders or traits that share an underlying genetic etiology. We discuss genetic and endophenotype research on schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in this review. Some of the psychophysiological endophenotypes that have been studied for schizophrenia include prepulse inhibition of the startle response, the antisaccadic task assessing frontal lobe function, inhibition of the P50 event-related potential (ERP), and other auditory ERP measures. Potential ASD endophenotypes include theory of mind, language skills (specifically, age at first spoken word and first spoken phrase), social skills, and certain brain functions, such as asynchronization of neural activity and brain responses to emotional faces. Because the link between genes and specific psychiatric disorders is difficult to determine, identification of endophenotypes is useful for beginning the search to identify specific genes that affect these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emma Diaz
- Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
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Yang PY, Menga YJ, Li T, Huang Y. Associations of endocrine stress-related gene polymorphisms with risk of autism spectrum disorders: Evidence from an integrated meta-analysis. Autism Res 2017; 10:1722-1736. [PMID: 28656683 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are related to serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) as two most monoaminergic polymorphic variations. However, multiple studies assessing rs4680 and 5-HTTLPR variants in ASD have reported inconsistent results. Therefore, we conducted an integrated meta-analysis to combine case-control and transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) studies to determine whether COMT and 5-HTT are associated with ASD. We searched multiple electronic databases (PubMed, EmBase and Web of Science) to identify studies assessing the rs4680 and 5-HTTLPR variants in ASD from Jan 1997 to Dec 2016. Then allelic data from case-control and TDT studies were analyzed by the Catmap package in the R software. A total of 5 studies were eligible for the meta-analysis of rs4680, including 3 case-control, 1 TDT and 1 TDT & case-control studies. Meanwhile, 22 studies of 5-HTTLPR were available, including 16 TDT, 4 case-control and 2 TDT & case-control studies. The current meta-analysis included 814 ASD cases, 741 controls and 311 families related to rs4680; 749 ASD cases, 1,118 controls and 1,861 families relevant to 5-HTTLPR were also evaluated. For rs4680, the pooled OR was 1.18 (95% CI = 0.87-1.59, P = 0.29, Pheterogeneity < 0.00001). There was no significant association of rs4680 with risk of ASD between the two subgroups. For 5-HTTLPR, the pooled OR was 1.05 (95% CI = 0.92-1.20, P = 0.4652, Pheterogeneity < 0.00001). Meanwhile, we found no significant risk in individual case-control or TDT studies. The above findings indicated that neither COMT rs4680 nor 5-HTT 5-HTTLPR polymorphism significantly affects ASD risk. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1722-1736. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY Our results showed no evidence of significant association of either COMT rs4680 or 5-HTT 5-HTTLPR variants with ASD, showing that these two genes may not be major susceptible genetic factors in ASD occurrence, and may have a reciprocal action with each other in combination with environmental factors. These findings further provide evidence that a single gene variant may not dictate autism occurrence, but possibly contributes to a specific phenotype or subtype of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Yuan Yang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ya-Jing Menga
- Psychiatric Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Li
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychiatric Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychiatric Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Liu J, Mo W, Zhang Z, Yu H, Yang A, Qu F, Hu P, Liu Z, Wang S. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in SLC19A1 and SLC25A9 Are Associated with Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Chinese Han Population. J Mol Neurosci 2017; 62:262-267. [PMID: 28536923 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-017-0929-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Genetic variants have been implicated in the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recent studies suggest that solute carriers (SLCs) may play a role in the etiology of ASD. This purpose of this study was to determine the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SLC19A1 and SLC25A12 genes with childhood ASD in a Chinese Han population. A total of 201 autistic children and 200 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were recruited. A TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR approach was used to determine genotypes of SNPs corresponding to rs1023159 and rs1051266 in SLC19A1, and rs2056202 and rs2292813 in SLC25A12. Our results showed that both the T/T genotype of rs1051266 (odds ratio (OR) = 1.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06-3.23, P = 0.0301) and the T allele (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.07-2.90, P = 0.0249) of rs2292813 were significantly associated with an increased risk of childhood ASD. In addition, the G-C haplotype of rs1023159-rs1051266 in SCL19A1 (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.51-0.98, P = 0.0389) and C-C haplotype of rs2056202-rs2292813 in SLC25A12 (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.35-0.96, P = 0.0325) were associated with decreased risks of childhood ASD. There was no significant association between genotypes and allele frequencies with the severity of the disease. Our study suggests that these genetic variants of SLC19A1 and SLC25A12 may be associated with risks for childhood ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311202, China.
| | - Weiming Mo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311202, China
| | - Zengyu Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Xiaoshan First Affiliated Hospital of HangzhouNormal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311201, China
| | - Hong Yu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311202, China
| | - Aiping Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311202, China
| | - Fei Qu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311202, China
| | - Pingfang Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311202, China
| | - Zhuo Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311202, China
| | - Shihu Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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Zhang YY, Gong JP, Li ZM. Autophagy and hepatic lipid metabolism. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2017; 25:491-497. [DOI: 10.11569/wcjd.v25.i6.491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is initially thought to be a non-selective process in which intracellular proteins or damaged organelles are degraded. It is activated when cells lack nutrients and energy. Autophagy degrades cytoplasmic components within lysosomes and reuses the energy of amino acids to promote cell survival and maintain the cytoplasmic content. Current evidence implicates autophagy in the regulation of lipid stores within the two main organs involved in maintaining lipid homeostasis, the liver and adipose tissue. Upregulation of autophagy may lead to conversion of white adipose tissue into brown adipose tissue, thus regulating energy expenditure and obesity. Discovering new therapeutic interventions to treat lipid and lipoprotein disorders is of great interest and the discovery of autophagy as a regulator of lipid metabolism has opened up a new avenue for this area. In the liver, autophagy can play a role in some common metabolic disorders, which needs further research.
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Ellis SE, Gupta S, Moes A, West AB, Arking DE. Exaggerated CpH methylation in the autism-affected brain. Mol Autism 2017; 8:6. [PMID: 28316770 PMCID: PMC5351204 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0119-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The etiology of autism, a complex, heritable, neurodevelopmental disorder, remains largely unexplained. Given the unexplained risk and recent evidence supporting a role for epigenetic mechanisms in the development of autism, we explored the role of CpG and CpH (H = A, C, or T) methylation within the autism-affected cortical brain tissue. METHODS Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) was completed, and analysis was carried out in 63 post-mortem cortical brain samples (Brodmann area 19) from 29 autism-affected and 34 control individuals. Analyses to identify single sites that were differentially methylated and to identify any global methylation alterations at either CpG or CpH sites throughout the genome were carried out. RESULTS We report that while no individual site or region of methylation was significantly associated with autism after multi-test correction, methylated CpH dinucleotides were markedly enriched in autism-affected brains (~2-fold enrichment at p < 0.05 cutoff, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS These results further implicate epigenetic alterations in pathobiological mechanisms that underlie autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon E. Ellis
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Simone Gupta
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Anna Moes
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Andrew B. West
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Dan E. Arking
- McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
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Mei D, Parrini E, Marini C, Guerrini R. The Impact of Next-Generation Sequencing on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Epilepsy in Paediatric Patients. Mol Diagn Ther 2017; 21:357-373. [DOI: 10.1007/s40291-017-0257-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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33
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Mitra AK, Dodge J, Van Ness J, Sokeye I, Van Ness B. A de novo splice site mutation in EHMT1 resulting in Kleefstra syndrome with pharmacogenomics screening and behavior therapy for regressive behaviors. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2016; 5:130-140. [PMID: 28361099 PMCID: PMC5370220 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Kleefstra syndrome (KS) is a rare autosomal dominant developmental disability, caused by microdeletions or intragenic mutations within the epigenetic regulator gene EHMT1 (euchromatic histone lysine N‐methyltransferase 1). In addition to common features of autism, young adult regressive behaviors have been reported. However, the genetic downstream effects of the reported deletions or mutations on KS phenotype have not yet been completely explored. While genetic backgrounds affecting drug metabolism can have a profound effect on therapeutic interventions, pharmacogenomic variations are seldom considered in directing psychotropic therapies. Methods In this report, we used next‐generation sequencing (exome sequencing and high‐throughput RNA sequencing) in a patient and his parents to identify causative genetic variants followed by pharmacogenomics‐guided clinical decision‐making for making positive changes toward his treatment strategies. The patient had an early autism diagnosis and showed significant regressive behaviors and physical aberrations at age 23. Results Exome sequencing identified a novel, de novo splice site variant NM_024757.4: c.2750‐1G>T in EHMT1, a candidate gene for Kleefstra syndrome, in the patient that results in exon skipping and downstream frameshift and termination. Gene expression results from the patient showed, when compared to his parents, there was a significant decreased expression of several reported gene variants associated with autism risk. Further, using a pharmacogenomics genotyping panel, we discovered that the patient had the CYP2D6 nonfunctioning variant genotype *4/*4 that results in very low metabolic activity on a number of psychotropic drugs, including fluvoxamine which he was prescribed. As reported here, a change in psychotropic drugs and intense behavior therapies resulted in a significant reversal of the regressive behaviors and physical aberrations. Conclusion These results demonstrate an individualized approach that integrated genetic information and behavior therapies, resulting in a dramatic improvement in regressive behaviors associated with KS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kumar Mitra
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology & Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota
| | | | - Jody Van Ness
- Eyebox Tools, Inc.MinneapolisMinnesota; Present address: Jody Van Ness, Institute for Community IntegrationUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesota
| | | | - Brian Van Ness
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology & Development University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota
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Echoes of the association between autism and epilepsy: A long translational research explanation. Epilepsy Behav 2016; 62:12-3. [PMID: 27441815 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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