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Zarate-Lopez D, Torres-Chávez AL, Gálvez-Contreras AY, Gonzalez-Perez O. Three Decades of Valproate: A Current Model for Studying Autism Spectrum Disorder. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:260-289. [PMID: 37873949 PMCID: PMC10788883 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x22666231003121513] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with increased prevalence and incidence in recent decades. Its etiology remains largely unclear, but it seems to involve a strong genetic component and environmental factors that, in turn, induce epigenetic changes during embryonic and postnatal brain development. In recent decades, clinical studies have shown that inutero exposure to valproic acid (VPA), a commonly prescribed antiepileptic drug, is an environmental factor associated with an increased risk of ASD. Subsequently, prenatal VPA exposure in rodents has been established as a reliable translational model to study the pathophysiology of ASD, which has helped demonstrate neurobiological changes in rodents, non-human primates, and brain organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. This evidence supports the notion that prenatal VPA exposure is a valid and current model to replicate an idiopathic ASD-like disorder in experimental animals. This review summarizes and describes the current features reported with this animal model of autism and the main neurobiological findings and correlates that help elucidate the pathophysiology of ASD. Finally, we discuss the general framework of the VPA model in comparison to other environmental and genetic ASD models.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Zarate-Lopez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Ana Laura Torres-Chávez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Alma Yadira Gálvez-Contreras
- Department of Neuroscience, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, México
| | - Oscar Gonzalez-Perez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
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2
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Morozova EA, Belousova MV, Morozov DV, Gabelko DI, Bogolyubova VV. [Genetic aspects of speech disorders in children]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2023; 123:87-91. [PMID: 37942978 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro202312309287] [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] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Speech disorders still remains one of the cornerstones of pediatric neurology. Against the backdrop of gene diagnostic development, there are a huge amount of information about the role of genetic and chromosomal abnormalities in pathogenesis of speech disorders. In present article authors presenting an actual data on genetic basis of different types of speech disorders. Moreover, authors describing a clinical case of a patient with genetically determined developmental disorder, caused by KMT5B mutation validated by Sanger method.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Morozova
- Kazan State Medical Academy - Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Kazan, Russia
| | - M V Belousova
- Kazan State Medical Academy - Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Kazan, Russia
| | - D V Morozov
- Kazan State Medical Academy - Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Kazan, Russia
| | - D I Gabelko
- Kazan State Medical Academy - Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Kazan, Russia
| | - V V Bogolyubova
- Kazan State Medical Academy - Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Kazan, Russia
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3
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Guo R, Xing QS. Roles of Wnt Signaling Pathway and ROR2 Receptor in Embryonic Development: An Update Review Article. Epigenet Insights 2022; 15:25168657211064232. [PMID: 35128307 PMCID: PMC8808015 DOI: 10.1177/25168657211064232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt family is a large class of highly conserved cysteine-rich secretory glycoproteins that play a vital role in various cellular and physiological courses through different signaling pathways during embryogenesis and tissue homeostasis 3. Wnt5a is a secreted glycoprotein that belongs to the noncanonical Wnt family and is involved in a wide range of developmental and tissue homeostasis. A growing body of evidence suggests that Wnt5a affects embryonic development, signaling through various receptors, starting with the activation of β-catenin by Wnt5a. In addition to affecting planar cell polarity and Ca2+ pathways, β-catenin also includes multiple signaling cascades that regulate various cell functions. Secondly, Wnt5a can bind to Ror receptors to mediate noncanonical Wnt signaling and a significant ligand for Ror2 in vertebrates. Consistent with the multiple functions of Wnt5A/Ror2 signaling, Wnt5A knockout mice exhibited various phenotypic defects, including an inability to extend the anterior and posterior axes of the embryo. Numerous essential roles of Wnt5a/Ror2 in development have been demonstrated. Therefore, Ror signaling pathway become a necessary target for diagnosing and treating human diseases. The Wnt5a- Ror2 signaling pathway as a critical factor has attracted extensive attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Guo
- Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Quan Sheng Xing
- Qingdao University-Affiliated Hospital of Women and Children, Qingdao, China
- Quan Sheng Xing, Qingdao University-Affiliated Hospital of Women and Children, tongfu road 6, shibei district, Qingdao 266000, China.
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Chien YL, Chen YC, Chiu YN, Tsai WC, Gau SSF. A translational exploration of the effects of WNT2 variants on altered cortical structures in autism spectrum disorder. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2021; 46:E647-E658. [PMID: 34862305 PMCID: PMC8648347 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.210022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that cortical anatomy may be aytpical in autism spectrum disorder. The wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 2 (WNT2), a candidate gene for autism spectrum disorder, may regulate cortical development. However, it is unclear whether WNT2 variants are associated with altered cortical thickness in autism spectrum disorder. METHODS In a sample of 118 people with autism spectrum disorder and 122 typically developing controls, we investigated cortical thickness using FreeSurfer software. We then examined the main effects of the WNT2 variants and the interactions of group × SNP and age × SNP for each hemisphere and brain region that was altered in people with autism spectrum disorder. RESULTS Compared to neurotypical controls, people with autism spectrum disorder showed reduced mean cortical thickness in both hemispheres and 9 cortical regions after false discovery rate correction, including the right cingulate gyrus, the orbital gyrus, the insula, the inferior frontal gyrus (orbital part and triangular part), the lateral occipitotemporal gyrus, the posterior transverse collateral sulcus, the lateral sulcus and the superior temporal sulcus. In the full sample, 2 SNPs of WNT2 (rs6950765 and rs2896218) showed age × SNP interactions for the mean cortical thickness of both hemispheres, the middle-posterior cingulate cortex and the superior temporal cortex. LIMITATIONS We examined the genetic effect for each hemisphere and the 9 regions that were altered in autism spectrum disorder. The age effect we found in this cross-sectional study needs to be examined in longitudinal studies. CONCLUSION Based on neuroimaging and genetic data, our findings suggest that WNT2 variants might be associated with altered cortical thickness in autism spectrum disorder. Whether and how these WNT2 variants might involve cortical thinning requires further investigation. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov no. NCT01582256. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION National Institutes of Health no. NCT00494754.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- From the Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan (Chien, Chen, Chiu, Tsai, Gau); and the Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (Chen, Gau)
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5
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El Khouri E, Ghoumid J, Haye D, Giuliano F, Drevillon L, Briand-Suleau A, De La Grange P, Nau V, Gaillon T, Bienvenu T, Jacquemin-Sablon H, Goossens M, Amselem S, Giurgea I. Wnt/β-catenin pathway and cell adhesion deregulation in CSDE1-related intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:3572-3585. [PMID: 33867523 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01072-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Among the genetic factors playing a key role in the etiology of intellectual disabilities (IDs) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), several encode RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). In this study, we deciphered the molecular and cellular bases of ID-ASD in a patient followed from birth to the age of 21, in whom we identified a de novo CSDE1 (Cold Shock Domain-containing E1) nonsense variation. CSDE1 encodes an RBP that regulates multiple cellular pathways by monitoring the translation and abundance of target transcripts. Analyses performed on the patient's primary fibroblasts showed that the identified CSDE1 variation leads to haploinsufficiency. We identified through RNA-seq assays the Wnt/β-catenin signaling and cellular adhesion as two major deregulated pathways. These results were further confirmed by functional studies involving Wnt-specific luciferase and substrate adhesion assays. Additional data support a disease model involving APC Down-Regulated-1 (APCDD1) and cadherin-2 (CDH2), two components of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, CDH2 being also pivotal for cellular adhesion. Our study, which relies on both the deep phenotyping and long-term follow-up of a patient with CSDE1 haploinsufficiency and on ex vivo studies, sheds new light on the CSDE1-dependent deregulated pathways in ID-ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- E El Khouri
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Maladies génétiques d'expression pédiatrique, Département de Génétique médicale, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - J Ghoumid
- Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.,Service de Génétique Clinique, Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - D Haye
- Service de Génétique Médicale Centre, Hospitalo-Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France
| | - F Giuliano
- Service de Génétique Médicale Centre, Hospitalo-Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France
| | - L Drevillon
- Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.,CHU Caen Normandie, Caen, France
| | - A Briand-Suleau
- Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.,Service de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaires, Hôpital Cochin, INSERM UMR1266 - Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP) and University of Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - V Nau
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Maladies génétiques d'expression pédiatrique, Département de Génétique médicale, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - T Gaillon
- Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Henri Mondor, Créteil, France
| | - T Bienvenu
- Service de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaires, Hôpital Cochin, INSERM UMR1266 - Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP) and University of Paris, Paris, France
| | - H Jacquemin-Sablon
- INSERM UMR1053 Bordeaux Research in Translational Oncology, BaRITOn, Bordeaux, France
| | - M Goossens
- Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Henri Mondor, Créteil, France
| | - S Amselem
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Maladies génétiques d'expression pédiatrique, Département de Génétique médicale, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - I Giurgea
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Maladies génétiques d'expression pédiatrique, Département de Génétique médicale, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France. .,Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.
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6
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Lin PI, Moni MA, Gau SSF, Eapen V. Identifying Subgroups of Patients With Autism by Gene Expression Profiles Using Machine Learning Algorithms. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:637022. [PMID: 34054599 PMCID: PMC8149626 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.637022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: The identification of subgroups of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may partially remedy the problems of clinical heterogeneity to facilitate the improvement of clinical management. The current study aims to use machine learning algorithms to analyze microarray data to identify clusters with relatively homogeneous clinical features. Methods: The whole-genome gene expression microarray data were used to predict communication quotient (SCQ) scores against all probes to select differential expression regions (DERs). Gene set enrichment analysis was performed for DERs with a fold-change >2 to identify hub pathways that play a role in the severity of social communication deficits inherent to ASD. We then used two machine learning methods, random forest classification (RF) and support vector machine (SVM), to identify two clusters using DERs. Finally, we evaluated how accurately the clusters predicted language impairment. Results: A total of 191 DERs were initially identified, and 54 of them with a fold-change >2 were selected for the pathway analysis. Cholesterol biosynthesis and metabolisms pathways appear to act as hubs that connect other trait-associated pathways to influence the severity of social communication deficits inherent to ASD. Both RF and SVM algorithms can yield a classification accuracy level >90% when all 191 DERs were analyzed. The ASD subtypes defined by the presence of language impairment, a strong indicator for prognosis, can be predicted by transcriptomic profiles associated with social communication deficits and cholesterol biosynthesis and metabolism. Conclusion: The results suggest that both RF and SVM are acceptable options for machine learning algorithms to identify AD subgroups characterized by clinical homogeneity related to prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-I Lin
- School of Psychiatry, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Mohammad Ali Moni
- School of Psychiatry, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- School of Psychiatry, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
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Kumar S, Reynolds K, Ji Y, Gu R, Rai S, Zhou CJ. Impaired neurodevelopmental pathways in autism spectrum disorder: a review of signaling mechanisms and crosstalk. J Neurodev Disord 2019; 11:10. [PMID: 31202261 PMCID: PMC6571119 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-019-9268-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The development of an autistic brain is a highly complex process as evident from the involvement of various genetic and non-genetic factors in the etiology of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite being a multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder, autistic patients display a few key characteristics, such as the impaired social interactions and elevated repetitive behaviors, suggesting the perturbation of specific neuronal circuits resulted from abnormal signaling pathways during brain development in ASD. A comprehensive review for autistic signaling mechanisms and interactions may provide a better understanding of ASD etiology and treatment. Main body Recent studies on genetic models and ASD patients with several different mutated genes revealed the dysregulation of several key signaling pathways, such as WNT, BMP, SHH, and retinoic acid (RA) signaling. Although no direct evidence of dysfunctional FGF or TGF-β signaling in ASD has been reported so far, a few examples of indirect evidence can be found. This review article summarizes how various genetic and non-genetic factors which have been reported contributing to ASD interact with WNT, BMP/TGF-β, SHH, FGF, and RA signaling pathways. The autism-associated gene ubiquitin-protein ligase E3A (UBE3A) has been reported to influence WNT, BMP, and RA signaling pathways, suggesting crosstalk between various signaling pathways during autistic brain development. Finally, the article comments on what further studies could be performed to gain deeper insights into the understanding of perturbed signaling pathways in the etiology of ASD. Conclusion The understanding of mechanisms behind various signaling pathways in the etiology of ASD may help to facilitate the identification of potential therapeutic targets and design of new treatment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine of Shriners Hospitals for Children, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, 2425 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
| | - Kurt Reynolds
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine of Shriners Hospitals for Children, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, 2425 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Yu Ji
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine of Shriners Hospitals for Children, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, 2425 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Ran Gu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine of Shriners Hospitals for Children, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, 2425 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Sunil Rai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine of Shriners Hospitals for Children, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, 2425 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Chengji J Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine of Shriners Hospitals for Children, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, 2425 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
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8
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Wong CT, Bestard-Lorigados I, Crawford DA. Autism-related behaviors in the cyclooxygenase-2-deficient mouse model. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12506. [PMID: 30027581 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an endogenous lipid molecule involved in normal brain development. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) is the main regulator of PGE2 synthesis. Emerging clinical and molecular research provides compelling evidence that abnormal COX2/PGE2 signaling is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We previously found that COX2 knockout mice had dysregulated expression of many ASD genes belonging to important biological pathways for neurodevelopment. The present study is the first to show the connection between irregular COX2/PGE2 signaling and autism-related behaviors in male and female COX2-deficient knockin, (COX)-2- , mice at young (4-6 weeks) or adult (8-11 weeks) ages. Autism-related behaviors were prominent in male (COX)-2- mice for most behavioral tests. In the open field test, (COX)-2- mice traveled more than controls and adult male (COX)-2- mice spent less time in the center indicating elevated hyperactive and anxiety-linked behaviors. (COX)-2- mice also buried more marbles, with males burying more than females, suggesting increased anxiety and repetitive behaviors. Young male (COX)-2- mice fell more frequently in the inverted screen test revealing motor deficits. The three-chamber sociability test found that adult female (COX)-2- mice spent less time in the novel mouse chamber indicative of social abnormalities. In addition, male (COX)-2- mice showed altered expression of several autism-linked genes: Wnt2, Glo1, Grm5 and Mmp9. Overall, our findings offer new insight into the involvement of disrupted COX2/PGE2 signaling in ASD pathology with age-related differences and greater impact on males. We propose that (COX)-2- mice might serve as a novel model system to study specific types of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine T Wong
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Isabel Bestard-Lorigados
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dorota A Crawford
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Rai-Bhogal R, Wong C, Kissoondoyal A, Davidson J, Li H, Crawford DA. Maternal exposure to prostaglandin E 2 modifies expression of Wnt genes in mouse brain - An autism connection. Biochem Biophys Rep 2018; 14:43-53. [PMID: 29872733 PMCID: PMC5986660 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2018.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a lipid signaling molecule important for brain development and function. Various genetic and environmental factors can influence the level of PGE2 and increase the risk of developing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We have previously shown that in neuronal cell lines and mouse brain, PGE2 can interfere with the Wnt canonical pathway, which is essential during early brain development. Higher levels of PGE2 increased Wnt-dependent motility and proliferation of neuroectodermal stem cells, and modified the expression of Wnt genes previously linked to autism disorders. We also recently established a cross-talk between these two pathways in the prenatal mouse brain lacking PGE2 producing enzyme (COX-/-). The current study complements the published data and reveals that PGE2 signaling also converges with the Wnt canonical pathway in the developing mouse brain after maternal exposure to PGE2 at the onset of neurogenesis. We found significant changes in the expression level of Wnt-target genes, Mmp7, Wnt2, and Wnt3a, during prenatal and early postnatal stages. Interestingly, we observed variability in the expression level of these genes between genetically-identical pups within the same pregnancy. Furthermore, we found that all the affected genes have been previously associated with disorders of the central nervous system, including autism. We determined that prenatal exposure to PGE2 affects the Wnt pathway at the level of β-catenin, the major downstream regulator of Wnt-dependent gene transcription. We discuss how these results add new knowledge into the molecular mechanisms by which PGE2 may interfere with neuronal development during critical periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravneet Rai-Bhogal
- Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3
| | - Christine Wong
- Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3.,School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3
| | - Ashby Kissoondoyal
- Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3.,School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3
| | - Jennilee Davidson
- Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3
| | - Hongyan Li
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3
| | - Dorota A Crawford
- Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3.,School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3
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10
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Kuo PH, Chuang LC, Su MH, Chen CH, Chen CH, Wu JY, Yen CJ, Wu YY, Liu SK, Chou MC, Chou WJ, Chiu YN, Tsai WC, Gau SSF. Genome-Wide Association Study for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwanese Han Population. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138695. [PMID: 26398136 PMCID: PMC4580585 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with strong genetic components. Several recent genome-wide association (GWA) studies in Caucasian samples have reported a number of gene regions and loci correlated with the risk of ASD--albeit with very little consensus across studies. METHODS A two-stage GWA study was employed to identify common genetic variants for ASD in the Taiwanese Han population. The discovery stage included 315 patients with ASD and 1,115 healthy controls, using the Affymetrix SNP array 6.0 platform for genotyping. Several gene regions were then selected for fine-mapping and top markers were examined in extended samples. Single marker, haplotype, gene-based, and pathway analyses were conducted for associations. RESULTS Seven SNPs had p-values ranging from 3.4~9.9*10-6, but none reached the genome-wide significant level. Five of them were mapped to three known genes (OR2M4, STYK1, and MNT) with significant empirical gene-based p-values in OR2M4 (p = 3.4*10(-5)) and MNT (p = 0.0008). Results of the fine-mapping study showed single-marker associations in the GLIS1 (rs12082358 and rs12080993) and NAALADL2 (rs3914502 and rs2222447) genes, and gene-based associations for the OR2M3-OR2T5 (olfactory receptor genes, p = 0.02), and GLIPR1/KRR1 gene regions (p = 0.015). Pathway analyses revealed important pathways for ASD, such as olfactory and G protein-coupled receptors signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS We reported Taiwanese Han specific susceptibility genes and variants for ASD. However, further replication in other Asian populations is warranted to validate our findings. Investigation in the biological functions of our reported genetic variants might also allow for better understanding on the underlying pathogenesis of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Hsiu Kuo
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Research Center for Genes, Environment and Human Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Chung Chuang
- Department of Nursing, Cardinal Tien Junior College of Healthcare & Management, I-Lan, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Hsin Su
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsiang Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hsiun Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jer-Yuarn Wu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Jen Yen
- Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Yu Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Kai Liu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Taoyaun Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Miao-Chun Chou
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Jiun Chou
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Nan Chiu
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Che Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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11
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Jung JY, DeLuca TF, Nelson TH, Wall DP. A literature search tool for intelligent extraction of disease-associated genes. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2014; 21:399-405. [PMID: 23999671 PMCID: PMC3994846 DOI: 10.1136/amiajnl-2012-001563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Revised: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To extract disorder-associated genes from the scientific literature in PubMed with greater sensitivity for literature-based support than existing methods. METHODS We developed a PubMed query to retrieve disorder-related, original research articles. Then we applied a rule-based text-mining algorithm with keyword matching to extract target disorders, genes with significant results, and the type of study described by the article. RESULTS We compared our resulting candidate disorder genes and supporting references with existing databases. We demonstrated that our candidate gene set covers nearly all genes in manually curated databases, and that the references supporting the disorder-gene link are more extensive and accurate than other general purpose gene-to-disorder association databases. CONCLUSIONS We implemented a novel publication search tool to find target articles, specifically focused on links between disorders and genotypes. Through comparison against gold-standard manually updated gene-disorder databases and comparison with automated databases of similar functionality we show that our tool can search through the entirety of PubMed to extract the main gene findings for human diseases rapidly and accurately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Yoon Jung
- Center for Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Todd F DeLuca
- Center for Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tristan H Nelson
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dennis P Wall
- Center for Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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12
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Wong CT, Ahmad E, Li H, Crawford DA. Prostaglandin E2 alters Wnt-dependent migration and proliferation in neuroectodermal stem cells: implications for autism spectrum disorders. Cell Commun Signal 2014; 12:19. [PMID: 24656144 PMCID: PMC4233645 DOI: 10.1186/1478-811x-12-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a natural lipid-derived molecule that is involved in important physiological functions. Abnormal PGE2 signalling has been associated with pathologies of the nervous system. Previous studies provide evidence for the interaction of PGE2 and canonical Wnt signalling pathways in non-neuronal cells. Since the Wnt pathway is crucial in the development and organization of the brain, the main goal of this study is to determine whether collaboration between these pathways exists in neuronal cell types. We report that PGE2 interacts with canonical Wnt signalling through PKA and PI-3K in neuroectodermal (NE-4C) stem cells. We used time-lapse microscopy to determine that PGE2 increases the final distance from origin, path length travelled, and the average speed of migration in Wnt-activated cells. Furthermore, PGE2 alters distinct cellular phenotypes that are characteristic of Wnt-induced NE-4C cells, which corresponds to the modified splitting behaviour of the cells. We also found that in Wnt-induced cells the level of β-catenin protein was increased and the expression levels of Wnt-target genes (Ctnnb1, Ptgs2, Ccnd1, Mmp9) was significantly upregulated in response to PGE2 treatment. This confirms that PGE2 activated the canonical Wnt signalling pathway. Furthermore, the upregulated genes have been previously associated with ASD. Our findings show, for the first time, evidence for cross-talk between PGE2 and Wnt signalling in neuronal cells, where PKA and PI-3K might act as mediators between the two pathways. Given the importance of PGE2 and Wnt signalling in prenatal development of the nervous system, our study provides insight into how interaction between these two pathways may influence neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dorota A Crawford
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada.
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13
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Martin PM, Yang X, Robin N, Lam E, Rabinowitz JS, Erdman CA, Quinn J, Weiss LA, Hamilton SP, Kwok PY, Moon RT, Cheyette BNR. A rare WNT1 missense variant overrepresented in ASD leads to increased Wnt signal pathway activation. Transl Psychiatry 2013; 3:e301. [PMID: 24002087 PMCID: PMC3784764 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2013.75] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Revised: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/24/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling, which encompasses multiple biochemical pathways that regulate neural development downstream of extracellular Wnt glycoprotein ligands, has been suggested to contribute to major psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We used next-generation sequencing and Sequenom genotyping technologies to resequence 10 Wnt signaling pathway genes in 198 ASD patients and 240 matched controls. Results for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of interest were confirmed in a second set of 91 ASD and 144 control samples. We found a significantly increased burden of extremely rare missense variants predicted to be deleterious by PolyPhen-2, distributed across seven genes in the ASD sample (3.5% in ASD vs 0.8% in controls; Fisher's exact test, odds ratio (OR)=4.37, P=0.04). We also found a missense variant in WNT1 (S88R) that was overrepresented in the ASD sample (8 A/T in 267 ASD (minor allele frequency (MAF)=1.69%) vs 1 A/T in 377 controls (MAF=0.13%), OR=13.0, Fisher's exact test, P=0.0048; OR=8.2 and P=0.053 after correction for population stratification). Functional analysis revealed that WNT1-S88R is more active than wild-type WNT1 in assays for the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our findings of a higher burden in ASD of rare missense variants distributed across 7 of 10 Wnt signaling pathway genes tested, and of a functional variant at the WNT1 locus associated with ASD, support that dysfunction of this pathway contributes to ASD susceptibility. Given recent findings of common molecular mechanisms in ASD, schizophrenia and affective disorders, these loci merit scrutiny in other psychiatric conditions as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- P-M Martin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - X Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - N Robin
- Department of Pharmacology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - E Lam
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - J S Rabinowitz
- Department of Pharmacology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - C A Erdman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - J Quinn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - L A Weiss
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - S P Hamilton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - P-Y Kwok
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - R T Moon
- Department of Pharmacology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - B N R Cheyette
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Rock Hall Room 284D, 1550 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158-2324, USA. E-mail:
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14
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Panaccione I, Napoletano F, Forte AM, Kotzalidis GD, Del Casale A, Rapinesi C, Brugnoli C, Serata D, Caccia F, Cuomo I, Ambrosi E, Simonetti A, Savoja V, De Chiara L, Danese E, Manfredi G, Janiri D, Motolese M, Nicoletti F, Girardi P, Sani G. Neurodevelopment in schizophrenia: the role of the wnt pathways. Curr Neuropharmacol 2013; 11:535-58. [PMID: 24403877 PMCID: PMC3763761 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x113119990037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2012] [Revised: 03/28/2013] [Accepted: 05/12/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To review the role of Wnt pathways in the neurodevelopment of schizophrenia. METHODS SYSTEMATIC PUBMED SEARCH, USING AS KEYWORDS ALL THE TERMS RELATED TO THE WNT PATHWAYS AND CROSSING THEM WITH EACH OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS: normal neurodevelopment and physiology, neurodevelopmental theory of schizophrenia, schizophrenia, and antipsychotic drug action. RESULTS Neurodevelopmental, behavioural, genetic, and psychopharmacological data point to the possible involvement of Wnt systems, especially the canonical pathway, in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and in the mechanism of antipsychotic drug action. The molecules most consistently found to be associated with abnormalities or in antipsychotic drug action are Akt1, glycogen synthase kinase3beta, and beta-catenin. However, the extent to which they contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia or to antipsychotic action remains to be established. CONCLUSIONS The study of the involvement of Wnt pathway abnormalities in schizophrenia may help in understanding this multifaceted clinical entity; the development of Wnt-related pharmacological targets must await the collection of more data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Panaccione
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Napoletano
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Maria Forte
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio D. Kotzalidis
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Del Casale
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Rapinesi
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Brugnoli
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Serata
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Caccia
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Cuomo
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Ambrosi
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessio Simonetti
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Savoja
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Lavinia De Chiara
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Danese
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Manfredi
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Delfina Janiri
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- NEUROMED, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Girardi
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
- Centro Lucio Bini, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Sani
- NESMOS Department (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
- Centro Lucio Bini, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Department of Clinical and Behavioural Neurology, Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Rome, Italy
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15
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Lin PI, Kuo PH, Chen CH, Wu JY, Gau SSF, Wu YY, Liu SK. Runs of homozygosity associated with speech delay in autism in a taiwanese han population: evidence for the recessive model. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72056. [PMID: 23977206 PMCID: PMC3745408 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Runs of homozygosity (ROH) may play a role in complex diseases. In the current study, we aimed to test if ROHs are linked to the risk of autism and related language impairment. We analyzed 546,080 SNPs in 315 Han Chinese affected with autism and 1,115 controls. ROH was defined as an extended homozygous haplotype spanning at least 500 kb. Relative extended haplotype homozygosity (REHH) for the trait-associated ROH region was calculated to search for the signature of selection sweeps. Totally, we identified 676 ROH regions. An ROH region on 11q22.3 was significantly associated with speech delay (corrected p = 1.73×10(-8)). This region contains the NPAT and ATM genes associated with ataxia telangiectasia characterized by language impairment; the CUL5 (culin 5) gene in the same region may modulate the neuronal migration process related to language functions. These three genes are highly expressed in the cerebellum. No evidence for recent positive selection was detected on the core haplotypes in this region. The same ROH region was also nominally significantly associated with speech delay in another independent sample (p = 0.037; combinatorial analysis Stouffer's z trend = 0.0005). Taken together, our findings suggest that extended recessive loci on 11q22.3 may play a role in language impairment in autism. More research is warranted to investigate if these genes influence speech pathology by perturbing cerebellar functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-I Lin
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hsiu Kuo
- Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsiang Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Jer-Yuarn Wu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Susan S-F. Gau
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Psychology, and School of Occupational Therapy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Yu Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital- Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Kai Liu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Taoyuan Mental Hospital, Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
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16
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Genetic insights into the functional elements of language. Hum Genet 2013; 132:959-86. [PMID: 23749164 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-013-1317-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Language disorders cover a wide range of conditions with heterologous and overlapping phenotypes and complex etiologies harboring both genetic and environmental influences. Genetic approaches including the identification of genes linked to speech and language phenotypes and the characterization of normal and aberrant functions of these genes have, in recent years, unraveled complex details of molecular and cognitive mechanisms and provided valuable insight into the biological foundations of language. Consistent with this approach, we have reviewed the functional aspects of allelic variants of genes which are currently known to be either causally associated with disorders of speech and language or impact upon the spectrum of normal language ability. We have also reviewed candidate genes associated with heritable speech and language disorders. In addition, we have evaluated language phenotypes and associated genetic components in developmental syndromes that, together with a spectrum of altered language abilities, manifest various phenotypes and offer details of multifactorial determinants of language function. Data from this review have revealed a predominance of regulatory networks involved in the control of differentiation and functioning of neurons, neuronal tracks and connections among brain structures associated with both cognitive and language faculties. Our findings, furthermore, have highlighted several multifactorial determinants in overlapping speech and language phenotypes. Collectively this analysis has revealed an interconnected developmental network and a close association of the language faculty with cognitive functions, a finding that has the potential to provide insight into linguistic hypotheses defining in particular, the contribution of genetic elements to and the modular nature of the language faculty.
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17
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Connecting signaling pathways underlying communication to ASD vulnerability. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2013; 113:97-133. [PMID: 24290384 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-418700-9.00004-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Language is a human-specific trait that likely facilitated the rapid increase in higher cognitive function in our species. A consequence of the selective pressures that have permitted language and cognition to flourish in humans is the unique vulnerability of humans to developing cognitive disorders such as autism. Therefore, progress in understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms of language evolution should provide insight into such disorders. Here, we discuss the few genes that have been identified in both autism-related pathways and language. We also detail the use of animal models to uncover the function of these genes at a mechanistic and circuit level. Finally, we present the use of comparative genomics to identify novel genes and gene networks involved in autism. Together, all of these approaches will allow for a broader and deeper view of the molecular brain mechanisms involved in the evolution of language and the gene disruptions associated with autism.
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