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Choudhury M, Fu T, Amoah K, Jun HI, Chan TW, Park S, Walker DW, Bahn JH, Xiao X. Widespread RNA hypoediting in schizophrenia and its relevance to mitochondrial function. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade9997. [PMID: 37027465 PMCID: PMC10081846 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade9997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
RNA editing, the endogenous modification of nucleic acids, is known to be altered in genes with important neurological function in schizophrenia (SCZ). However, the global profile and molecular functions of disease-associated RNA editing remain unclear. Here, we analyzed RNA editing in postmortem brains of four SCZ cohorts and uncovered a significant and reproducible trend of hypoediting in patients of European descent. We report a set of SCZ-associated editing sites via WGCNA analysis, shared across cohorts. Using massively parallel reporter assays and bioinformatic analyses, we observed that differential 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) editing sites affecting host gene expression were enriched for mitochondrial processes. Furthermore, we characterized the impact of two recoding sites in the mitofusin 1 (MFN1) gene and showed their functional relevance to mitochondrial fusion and cellular apoptosis. Our study reveals a global reduction of editing in SCZ and a compelling link between editing and mitochondrial function in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudra Choudhury
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ting Fu
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kofi Amoah
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hyun-Ik Jun
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tracey W. Chan
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sungwoo Park
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David W. Walker
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jae Hoon Bahn
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xinshu Xiao
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Li ML, Tang H, Shao Y, Wang MS, Xu HB, Wang S, Irwin DM, Adeola AC, Zeng T, Chen L, Li Y, Wu DD. Evolution and transition of expression trajectory during human brain development. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:72. [PMID: 32576137 PMCID: PMC7310562 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01633-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The remarkable abilities of the human brain are distinctive features that set us apart from other animals. However, our understanding of how the brain has changed in the human lineage remains incomplete, but is essential for understanding cognition, behavior, and brain disorders in humans. Here, we compared the expression trajectory in brain development between humans and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) to explore their divergent transcriptome profiles. RESULTS Results showed that brain development could be divided into two stages, with a demarcation date in a range between 25 and 26 postconception weeks (PCW) for humans and 17-23PCWfor rhesus macaques, rather than birth time that have been widely used as a uniform demarcation time of neurodevelopment across species. Dynamic network biomarker (DNB) analysis revealed that the two demarcation dates were transition phases during brain development, after which the brain transcriptome profiles underwent critical transitions characterized by highly fluctuating DNB molecules. We also found that changes between early and later brain developmental stages (as defined by the demarcation points) were substantially greater in the human brain than in the macaque brain. To explore the molecular mechanism underlying prolonged timing during early human brain development, we carried out expression heterochrony tests. Results demonstrated that compared to macaques, more heterochronic genes exhibited neoteny during early human brain development, consistent with the delayed demarcation time in the human lineage, and proving that neoteny in human brain development could be traced to the prenatal period. We further constructed transcriptional networks to explore the profile of early human brain development and identified the hub gene RBFOX1 as playing an important role in regulating early brain development. We also found RBFOX1 evolved rapidly in its non-coding regions, indicating that this gene played an important role in human brain evolution. Our findings provide evidence that RBFOX1 is a likely key hub gene in early human brain development and evolution. CONCLUSIONS By comparing gene expression profiles between humans and macaques, we found divergent expression trajectories between the two species, which deepens our understanding of the evolution of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Li Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Hui Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Yong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Ming-Shan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Hai-Bo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - David M Irwin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Banting and Best Diabetes Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Adeniyi C Adeola
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Tao Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Luonan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, Yunnan, China.
| | - Dong-Dong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
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Li ML, Wu SH, Zhang JJ, Tian HY, Shao Y, Wang ZB, Irwin DM, Li JL, Hu XT, Wu DD. 547 transcriptomes from 44 brain areas reveal features of the aging brain in non-human primates. Genome Biol 2019; 20:258. [PMID: 31779658 PMCID: PMC6883628 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-019-1866-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [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: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain aging is a complex process that depends on the precise regulation of multiple brain regions; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms behind this process remain to be clarified in non-human primates. RESULTS Here, we explore non-human primate brain aging using 547 transcriptomes originating from 44 brain areas in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). We show that expression connectivity between pairs of cerebral cortex areas as well as expression symmetry between the left and right hemispheres both decrease after aging. Although the aging mechanisms across different brain areas are largely convergent, changes in gene expression and alternative splicing vary at diverse genes, reinforcing the complex multifactorial basis of aging. Through gene co-expression network analysis, we identify nine modules that exhibit gain of connectivity in the aged brain and uncovered a hub gene, PGLS, underlying brain aging. We further confirm the functional significance of PGLS in mice at the gene transcription, molecular, and behavioral levels. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our study provides comprehensive transcriptomes on multiple brain regions in non-human primates and provides novel insights into the molecular mechanism of healthy brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Li Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Shi-Hao Wu
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Jin-Jin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Hang-Yu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Yong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Zheng-Bo Wang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedicine Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - David M Irwin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jia-Li Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China
| | - Xin-Tian Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
- National Research Facility for Phenotypic and Genetic Analysis of Model Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
| | - Dong-Dong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
- National Research Facility for Phenotypic and Genetic Analysis of Model Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, Yunnan, China.
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Fan Y, Luo R, Su LY, Xiang Q, Yu D, Xu L, Chen JQ, Bi R, Wu DD, Zheng P, Yao YG. Does the Genetic Feature of the Chinese Tree Shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) Support Its Potential as a Viable Model for Alzheimer's Disease Research? J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 61:1015-1028. [PMID: 29332044 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with increasing incidence across the world and no cure at the present time. An ideal animal model would facilitate the understanding of the pathogenesis of AD and discovery of potential therapeutic targets. The Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) has a closer genetic affinity to primates relative to rodents, and can attain ages of 8 years or older, which represents another advantage for the study of neurodegenerative diseases such as AD compared to primates. Here, we analyzed 131 AD-related genes in the Chinese tree shrew brain tissues based on protein sequence identity, positive selection, mRNA, and protein expression by comparing with those of human, rhesus monkey, and mouse. In particular, we focused on the Aβ and neurofibrillary tangles formation pathways, which are crucial to AD pathogenesis. The Chinese tree shrew had a generally higher sequence identity with human than that of mouse versus human for the AD pathway genes. There was no apparent selection on the tree shrew lineage for the AD-related genes. Moreover, expression pattern of the Aβ and neurofibrillary tangle formation pathway genes in tree shrew brain tissues resembled that of human brain tissues, with a similar aging-dependent effect. Our results provided an essential genetic basis for future AD research using the tree shrew as a viable model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Rongcan Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ling-Yan Su
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Qun Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Dandan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ling Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jia-Qi Chen
- Kunming Primate Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Rui Bi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Dong-Dong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Ping Zheng
- Kunming Primate Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Yong-Gang Yao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Kunming Primate Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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