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Yan C, Liu Z. The role of periaqueductal gray astrocytes in anxiety-like behavior induced by acute stress. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 720:150073. [PMID: 38754161 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150073] [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: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Astrocytes in the central nervous system play a vital role in modulating synaptic transmission and neuronal activation by releasing gliotransmitters. The 5-HTergic neurons in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) are important in anxiety processing. However, it remains uncertain whether the regulation of astrocytic activity on vlPAG 5-HTergic neurons is involved in anxiety processing. Here, through chemogenetic manipulation, we explored the impact of astrocytic activity in the PAG on the regulation of anxiety. To determine the role of astrocytes in the control of anxiety, we induced anxiety-like behaviors in mice through foot shock and investigated their effects on synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability in vlPAG 5-HTergic neurons. Foot shock caused anxiety-like behaviors, which were accompanied with the increase of the amplitude and frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs), the area of slow inward currents (SICs), and the spike frequency of action potentials (AP) in vlPAG 5-HTergic neurons. The chemogenetic inhibition of vlPAG astrocytes was found to attenuate stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors and decrease the heightened synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability of vlPAG 5-HTergic neurons. Conversely, chemogenetic activation of vlPAG astrocytes triggered anxiety-like behaviors, enhanced synaptic transmission, and increased the excitability of vlPAG 5-HTergic neurons in unstressed mice. In summary, this study has provided initial insights into the pathway by which astrocytes influence behavior through the rapid regulation of associated neurons. This offers a new perspective for the investigation of the biological mechanisms underlying anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanting Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, 199 Chang'an South Road, Xi'an, 710062, China; Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, 555 Qiangye Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, 199 Chang'an South Road, Xi'an, 710062, China.
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O'Donovan SM, Shan D, Wu X, Choi JH, McCullumsmith RE. Dysregulated Transcript Expression but Not Function of the Glutamate Transporter EAAT2 in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2024:sbae092. [PMID: 38825587 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbae092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a serious mental illness with complex pathology, including abnormalities in the glutamate system. Glutamate is rapidly removed from the synapse by excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs). Changes in the expression and localization of the primary glutamate transporter EAAT2 are found in the brain in central nervous system (CNS) disorders including SCZ. We hypothesize that neuronal expression and function of EAAT2 are increased in the frontal cortex in subjects diagnosed with SCZ. STUDY DESIGN EAAT2 protein expression and glutamate transporter function were assayed in synaptosome preparations from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of SCZ subjects and age- and sex-matched nonpsychiatrically ill controls. EAAT2 splice variant transcript expression was assayed in enriched populations of neurons and astrocytes from the DLPFC. Pathway analysis of publicly available transcriptomic datasets was carried out to identify biological changes associated with EAAT2 perturbation in different cell types. RESULTS We found no significant changes in EAAT2 protein expression or glutamate uptake in the DLPFC in SCZ subjects compared with controls (n = 10/group). Transcript expression of EAAT2 and signaling molecules associated with EAAT2b trafficking (CaMKIIa and DLG1) were significantly altered in enriched populations of astrocytes and pyramidal neurons (P < .05) in SCZ (n = 16/group). These changes were not associated with antipsychotic medications. Pathway analysis also identified cell-type-specific enrichment of biological pathways associated with perturbation of astrocyte (immune pathways) and neuronal (metabolic pathways) EAAT2 expression. CONCLUSIONS Overall, these data support the growing body of evidence for the role of dysregulation of the glutamate system in the pathophysiology of SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dan Shan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Xiaojun Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Jae Hyuk Choi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
- Promedica Neuroscience Institute, Toledo, OH, USA
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Devine EA, Imami AS, Eby H, Hamoud AR, Golchin H, Ryan W, Sahay S, Shedroff EA, Arvay T, Joyce AW, Asah SM, Walss-Bass C, O'Donovan S, McCullumsmith RE. Neuronal alterations in AKT isotype expression in schizophrenia. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3940448. [PMID: 38559131 PMCID: PMC10980160 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3940448/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is characterized by substantial alterations in brain function, and previous studies suggest insulin signaling pathways, particularly involving AKT, are implicated in the pathophysiology of the disorder. This study demonstrates elevated mRNA expression of AKT1-3 in neurons from schizophrenia subjects, contrary to unchanged or diminished total AKT protein expression reported in previous postmortem studies, suggesting a potential decoupling of transcript and protein levels. Sex-specific differential AKT activity was observed, indicating divergent roles in males and females with schizophrenia. Alongside AKT, upregulation of PDPK1, a critical component of the insulin signaling pathway, and several protein phosphatases known to regulate AKT were detected. Moreover, enhanced expression of the transcription factor FOXO1, a regulator of glucose metabolism, hints at possible compensatory mechanisms related to insulin signaling dysregulation. Findings were largely independent of antipsychotic medication use, suggesting inherent alterations in schizophrenia. These results highlight the significance of AKT and related signaling pathways in schizophrenia, proposing that these changes might represent a compensatory response to a primary defect of conical insulin signaling pathways. This research underscores the need for a detailed understanding of these signaling pathways for the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Devine
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Ali S Imami
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Hunter Eby
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Abdul-Rizaq Hamoud
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Hasti Golchin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - William Ryan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Smita Sahay
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Shedroff
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Taylen Arvay
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Alex W Joyce
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Sophie M Asah
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Consuelo Walss-Bass
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sinead O'Donovan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
- Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
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4
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Sahay S, Devine EA, McCullumsmith RE, O’Donovan SM. Adenosine Receptor mRNA Expression in Frontal Cortical Neurons in Schizophrenia. Cells 2023; 13:32. [PMID: 38201235 PMCID: PMC10778287 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010032] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a devastating neuropsychiatric disorder associated with the dysregulation of glutamate and dopamine neurotransmitter systems. The adenosine system is an important neuroregulatory system in the brain that modulates glutamate and dopamine signaling via the ubiquitously expressed adenosine receptors; however, adenosine A1 and A2A receptor (A1R and A2AR) mRNA expression is poorly understood in specific cell subtypes in the frontal cortical brain regions implicated in this disorder. In this study, we assayed A1R and A2AR mRNA expression via qPCR in enriched populations of pyramidal neurons, which were isolated from postmortem anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) tissue from schizophrenia (n = 20) and control (n = 20) subjects using laser microdissection (LMD). A1R expression was significantly increased in female schizophrenia subjects compared to female control subjects (t(13) = -4.008, p = 0.001). A1R expression was also significantly decreased in female control subjects compared to male control subjects, suggesting sex differences in basal A1R expression (t(17) = 2.137, p = 0.047). A significant, positive association was found between dementia severity (clinical dementia rating (CDR) scores) and A2AR mRNA expression (Spearman's r = 0.424, p = 0.009). A2AR mRNA expression was significantly increased in unmedicated schizophrenia subjects, suggesting that A2AR expression may be normalized by chronic antipsychotic treatment (F(1,14) = 9.259, p = 0.009). Together, these results provide novel insights into the neuronal expression of adenosine receptors in the ACC in schizophrenia and suggest that receptor expression changes may be sex-dependent and associated with cognitive decline in these subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Sahay
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (S.S.); (R.E.M.)
| | - Emily A. Devine
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
| | - Robert E. McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (S.S.); (R.E.M.)
- Neuroscience Institute Promedica, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
| | - Sinead M. O’Donovan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (S.S.); (R.E.M.)
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Ju S, Shin Y, Han S, Kwon J, Choi TG, Kang I, Kim SS. The Gut-Brain Axis in Schizophrenia: The Implications of the Gut Microbiome and SCFA Production. Nutrients 2023; 15:4391. [PMID: 37892465 PMCID: PMC10610543 DOI: 10.3390/nu15204391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia, a severe mental illness affecting about 1% of the population, manifests during young adulthood, leading to abnormal mental function and behavior. Its multifactorial etiology involves genetic factors, experiences of adversity, infection, and gene-environment interactions. Emerging research indicates that maternal infection or stress during pregnancy may also increase schizophrenia risk in offspring. Recent research on the gut-brain axis highlights the gut microbiome's potential influence on central nervous system (CNS) function and mental health, including schizophrenia. The gut microbiota, located in the digestive system, has a significant role to play in human physiology, affecting immune system development, vitamin synthesis, and protection against pathogenic bacteria. Disruptions to the gut microbiota, caused by diet, medication use, environmental pollutants, and stress, may lead to imbalances with far-reaching effects on CNS function and mental health. Of interest are short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), metabolic byproducts produced by gut microbes during fermentation. SCFAs can cross the blood-brain barrier, influencing CNS activity, including microglia and cytokine modulation. The dysregulation of neurotransmitters produced by gut microbes may contribute to CNS disorders, including schizophrenia. This review explores the potential relationship between SCFAs, the gut microbiome, and schizophrenia. Our aim is to deepen the understanding of the gut-brain axis in schizophrenia and to elucidate its implications for future research and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songhyun Ju
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (Y.S.); (S.H.); (J.K.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonhwa Shin
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (Y.S.); (S.H.); (J.K.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunhee Han
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (Y.S.); (S.H.); (J.K.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Juhui Kwon
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (Y.S.); (S.H.); (J.K.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Gyu Choi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
| | - Insug Kang
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (Y.S.); (S.H.); (J.K.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Soo Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (Y.S.); (S.H.); (J.K.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
- Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
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6
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Verkhratsky A, Butt A, Li B, Illes P, Zorec R, Semyanov A, Tang Y, Sofroniew MV. Astrocytes in human central nervous system diseases: a frontier for new therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:396. [PMID: 37828019 PMCID: PMC10570367 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01628-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Astroglia are a broad class of neural parenchymal cells primarily dedicated to homoeostasis and defence of the central nervous system (CNS). Astroglia contribute to the pathophysiology of all neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders in ways that can be either beneficial or detrimental to disorder outcome. Pathophysiological changes in astroglia can be primary or secondary and can result in gain or loss of functions. Astroglia respond to external, non-cell autonomous signals associated with any form of CNS pathology by undergoing complex and variable changes in their structure, molecular expression, and function. In addition, internally driven, cell autonomous changes of astroglial innate properties can lead to CNS pathologies. Astroglial pathophysiology is complex, with different pathophysiological cell states and cell phenotypes that are context-specific and vary with disorder, disorder-stage, comorbidities, age, and sex. Here, we classify astroglial pathophysiology into (i) reactive astrogliosis, (ii) astroglial atrophy with loss of function, (iii) astroglial degeneration and death, and (iv) astrocytopathies characterised by aberrant forms that drive disease. We review astroglial pathophysiology across the spectrum of human CNS diseases and disorders, including neurotrauma, stroke, neuroinfection, autoimmune attack and epilepsy, as well as neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders. Characterising cellular and molecular mechanisms of astroglial pathophysiology represents a new frontier to identify novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Verkhratsky
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Achucarro Centre for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, LT-01102, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Arthur Butt
- Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Baoman Li
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Peter Illes
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Rudolf Boehm Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, 04109, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robert Zorec
- Celica Biomedical, Lab Cell Engineering, Technology Park, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology-Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alexey Semyanov
- Department of Physiology, Jiaxing University College of Medicine, 314033, Jiaxing, China
| | - Yong Tang
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
- Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of TCM), Ministry of Education/Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China.
| | - Michael V Sofroniew
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Alemán-Gómez Y, Baumgartner T, Klauser P, Cleusix M, Jenni R, Hagmann P, Conus P, Do KQ, Bach Cuadra M, Baumann PS, Steullet P. Multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Depicts Widespread and Subregion Specific Anomalies in the Thalamus of Early-Psychosis and Chronic Schizophrenia Patients. Schizophr Bull 2023; 49:196-207. [PMID: 36065156 PMCID: PMC9810016 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbac113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Although the thalamus has a central role in schizophrenia pathophysiology, contributing to sensory, cognitive, and sleep alterations, the nature and dynamics of the alterations occurring within this structure remain largely elusive. Using a multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approach, we examined whether anomalies: (1) differ across thalamic subregions/nuclei, (2) are already present in the early phase of psychosis (EP), and (3) worsen in chronic schizophrenia (SCHZ). STUDY DESIGN T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted images were analyzed to estimate gray matter concentration (GMC) and microstructural parameters obtained from the spherical mean technique (intra-neurite volume fraction [VFINTRA)], intra-neurite diffusivity [DIFFINTRA], extra-neurite mean diffusivity [MDEXTRA], extra-neurite transversal diffusivity [TDEXTRA]) within 7 thalamic subregions. RESULTS Compared to age-matched controls, the thalamus of EP patients displays previously unreported widespread microstructural alterations (VFINTRA decrease, TDEXTRA increase) that are associated with similar alterations in the whole brain white matter, suggesting altered integrity of white matter fiber tracts in the thalamus. In both patient groups, we also observed more localized and heterogenous changes (either GMC decrease, MDEXTRA increase, or DIFFINTRA decrease) in mediodorsal, posterior, and ventral anterior parts of the thalamus in both patient groups, suggesting that the nature of the alterations varies across subregions. GMC and DIFFINTRA in the whole thalamus correlate with global functioning, while DIFFINTRA in the subregion encompassing the medial pulvinar is significantly associated with negative symptoms in SCHZ. CONCLUSION Our data reveals both widespread and more localized thalamic anomalies that are already present in the early phase of psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasser Alemán-Gómez
- Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Prilly, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Baumgartner
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paul Klauser
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Prilly, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, Service of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Martine Cleusix
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Prilly, Switzerland
| | - Raoul Jenni
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Prilly, Switzerland
| | - Patric Hagmann
- Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Conus
- Department of Psychiatry, Service of General Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kim Q Do
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Prilly, Switzerland
| | - Meritxell Bach Cuadra
- Medical Image Analysis Laboratory (MIAL), Centre d’Imagerie BioMédicale (CIBM), Switzerland
- Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philipp S Baumann
- Department of Psychiatry, Service of General Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Steullet
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Prilly, Switzerland
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8
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Saavedra J, Nascimento M, Liz MA, Cardoso I. Key brain cell interactions and contributions to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1036123. [PMID: 36523504 PMCID: PMC9745159 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1036123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide, with the two major hallmarks being the deposition of extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Additionally, early pathological events such as cerebrovascular alterations, a compromised blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction, culminate in neuron loss and cognitive deficits. AD symptoms reflect a loss of neuronal circuit integrity in the brain; however, neurons do not operate in isolation. An exclusively neurocentric approach is insufficient to understand this disease, and the contribution of other brain cells including astrocytes, microglia, and vascular cells must be integrated in the context. The delicate balance of interactions between these cells, required for healthy brain function, is disrupted during disease. To design successful therapies, it is critical to understand the complex brain cellular connections in AD and the temporal sequence of their disturbance. In this review, we discuss the interactions between different brain cells, from physiological conditions to their pathological reactions in AD, and how this basic knowledge can be crucial for developing new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Saavedra
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Nascimento
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Márcia A. Liz
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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9
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Alnafisah R, Lundh A, Asah SM, Hoeflinger J, Wolfinger A, Hamoud AR, McCullumsmith RE, O'Donovan SM. Altered purinergic receptor expression in the frontal cortex in schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 8:96. [PMID: 36376358 PMCID: PMC9663420 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-022-00312-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
ATP functions as a neurotransmitter, acting on the ubiquitously expressed family of purinergic P2 receptors. In schizophrenia (SCZ), the pathways that modulate extracellular ATP and its catabolism to adenosine are dysregulated. However, the effects of altered ATP availability on P2 receptor expression in the brain in SCZ have not been assessed. We assayed P2 receptor mRNA and protein expression in the DLPFC and ACC in subjects diagnosed with SCZ and matched, non-psychiatrically ill controls (n = 20-22/group). P2RX7, P2RX4 and male P2RX5 mRNA expression were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the DLPFC in SCZ. Expression of P2RX7 protein isoform was also significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the DLPFC in SCZ. Significant increases in P2RX4 and male P2RX5 mRNA expression may be associated with antipsychotic medication effects. We found that P2RX4 and P2RX7 mRNA are significantly correlated with the inflammatory marker SERPINA3, and may suggest an association between upregulated P2XR and neuroinflammation in SCZ. These findings lend support for brain-region dependent dysregulation of the purinergic system in SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rawan Alnafisah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Anna Lundh
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Sophie M Asah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Julie Hoeflinger
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Alyssa Wolfinger
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | | | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
- Neurosciences Institute, Promedica, Toledo, OH, USA
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10
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Almeida D, Turecki G. Profiling cell-type specific gene expression in post-mortem human brain samples through laser capture microdissection. Methods 2022; 207:3-10. [PMID: 36064002 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2022.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcriptome of a cell constitutes an essential piece of cellular identity and contributes to the multifaceted complexity and heterogeneity of cell-types within the mammalian brain. Thus, while a wealth of studies have investigated transcriptomic alterations underlying the pathophysiology of diseases of the brain, their use of bulk-tissue homogenates makes it difficult to tease apart whether observed differences are explained by disease state or cellular composition. Cell-type-specific enrichment strategies are, therefore, crucial in the context of gene expression profiling. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is one such strategy that allows for the capture of specific cell-types, or regions of interest, under microscopic visualization. In this review, we focus on using LCM for cell-type specific gene expression profiling in post-mortem human brain samples. We begin with a discussion of various LCM systems, followed by a walk-through of each step in the LCM to gene expression profiling workflow and a description of some of the limitations associated with LCM. Throughout the review, we highlight important considerations when using LCM with post-mortem human brain samples. Whenever applicable, commercially available kits that have proven successful in the context of LCM with post-mortem human brain samples are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Almeida
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4H 1R3
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4H 1R3; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A 1A1.
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11
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Uezato A, Jitoku D, Shimazu D, Yamamoto N, Kurumaji A, Iwayama Y, Toyota T, Yoshikawa T, Haroutunian V, Bentea E, Meller J, Sullivan CR, Meador-Woodruff JH, McCullumsmith RE, Nishikawa T. Differential genetic associations and expression of PAPST1/SLC35B2 in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2022; 129:913-924. [PMID: 35501530 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-022-02503-7] [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: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Lithium's inhibitory effect on enzymes involved in sulfation process, such as inhibition of 3'(2')-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate (PAP) phosphatase, is a possible mechanism of its therapeutic effect for bipolar disorder (BD). 3'-Phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) is translocated from cytosol to Golgi lumen by PAPS transporter 1 (PAPST1/SLC35B2), where it acts as a sulfa donor. Since SLC35B2 was previously recognized as a molecule that facilitates the release of D-serine, a co-agonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate type glutamate receptor, altered function of SLC35B2 might be associated with the pathophysiology of BD and schizophrenia (SCZ). We performed genetic association analyses of the SLC35B2 gene using Japanese cohorts with 366 BD cases and 370 controls and 2012 SCZ cases and 2170 controls. We then investigated expression of SLC35B2 mRNA in postmortem brains by QPCR using a Caucasian cohort with 33 BD and 34 SCZ cases and 34 controls and by in situ hybridization using a Caucasian cohort with 37 SCZ and 29 controls. We found significant associations between three SNPs (rs575034, rs1875324, and rs3832441) and BD, and significantly reduced SLC35B2 mRNA expression in postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of BD. Moreover, we observed normalized SLC35B2 mRNA expression in BD subgroups who were medicated with lithium. While there was a significant association of SLC35B2 with SCZ (SNP rs2233437), its expression was not changed in SCZ. These findings indicate that SLC35B2 might be differentially involved in the pathophysiology of BD and SCZ by influencing the sulfation process and/or glutamate system in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihito Uezato
- School of Health and Welfare, International University of Health and Welfare, Tochigi, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daisuke Jitoku
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Dai Shimazu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
- Musashishinjo-Kokorono Clinic, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Naoki Yamamoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
- Center for Basic Medical Research, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, International University of Health and Welfare, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Akeo Kurumaji
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
- Shimousa-Nakayama Mental Clinic, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Iwayama
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics Research, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Toyota
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Laboratory for Molecular Pathology of Psychiatric Disorders, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takeo Yoshikawa
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Office of the Center Director, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Vahram Haroutunian
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Eduard Bentea
- Neurosciences TA Biology, UCB BioPharma SPRL, Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
| | - Jarek Meller
- Departments of Environmental Health, Electrical Engineering and Computing Systems and Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | | | - James H Meador-Woodruff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
- Promedica, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Toru Nishikawa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, and Pharmacological Research Center, Showa University, 1-5-8, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555, Japan.
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12
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Henkel ND, Wu X, O'Donovan SM, Devine EA, Jiron JM, Rowland LM, Sarnyai Z, Ramsey AJ, Wen Z, Hahn MK, McCullumsmith RE. Schizophrenia: a disorder of broken brain bioenergetics. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:2393-2404. [PMID: 35264726 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01494-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A substantial and diverse body of literature suggests that the pathophysiology of schizophrenia is related to deficits of bioenergetic function. While antipsychotics are an effective therapy for the management of positive psychotic symptoms, they are not efficacious for the complete schizophrenia symptom profile, such as the negative and cognitive symptoms. In this review, we discuss the relationship between dysfunction of various metabolic pathways across different brain regions in relation to schizophrenia. We contend that several bioenergetic subprocesses are affected across the brain and such deficits are a core feature of the illness. We provide an overview of central perturbations of insulin signaling, glycolysis, pentose-phosphate pathway, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation in schizophrenia. Importantly, we discuss pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions that target these pathways and how such interventions may be exploited to improve the symptoms of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D Henkel
- Department of Neurosciences, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA.
| | - Xiajoun Wu
- Department of Neurosciences, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Sinead M O'Donovan
- Department of Neurosciences, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Emily A Devine
- Department of Neurosciences, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Jessica M Jiron
- Department of Neurosciences, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Laura M Rowland
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Zoltan Sarnyai
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Amy J Ramsey
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zhexing Wen
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Cell Biology, and Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Margaret K Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
- Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH, USA
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13
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Astrocytes in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: A Review of Postmortem Evidence. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 26:153-172. [PMID: 34888835 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-77375-5_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Glial cell types in the central nervous system (CNS) include microglia, oligodendrocytes and the most diverse type, astrocytes. Clinical and experimental evidence suggest critical roles for astrocytes in the pathogenesis of CNS disease. Here, we summarize the extensive morphological heterogeneity and physiological properties of different astrocyte subtypes. We review postmortem studies, discussing astrocyte-related changes found in the brain in subjects diagnosed with the neuropsychiatric disorders schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Finally, we discuss the potential effects of psychotropic medication on these findings. In summary, postmortem studies highlight that the morphology of astrocytes and the expression of functionally important astrocyte markers are altered in the brain in neuropsychiatric disorders and may play a role in the pathophysiology of these serious mental illnesses.
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Maly IV, Morales MJ, Pletnikov MV. Astrocyte Bioenergetics and Major Psychiatric Disorders. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 26:173-227. [PMID: 34888836 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-77375-5_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Ongoing research continues to add new elements to the emerging picture of involvement of astrocyte energy metabolism in the pathophysiology of major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, and addictions. This review outlines what is known about the energy metabolism in astrocytes, the most numerous cell type in the brain, and summarizes the recent work on how specific perturbations of astrocyte bioenergetics may contribute to the neuropsychiatric conditions. The role of astrocyte energy metabolism in mental health and disease is reviewed on the organism, organ, and cell level. Data arising from genomic, metabolomic, in vitro, and neurobehavioral studies is critically analyzed to suggest future directions in research and possible metabolism-focused therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan V Maly
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Michael J Morales
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Mikhail V Pletnikov
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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15
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Wu X, Shukla R, Alganem K, Zhang X, Eby HM, Devine EA, Depasquale E, Reigle J, Simmons M, Hahn MK, Au-Yeung C, Asgariroozbehani R, Hahn CG, Haroutunian V, Meller J, Meador-Woodruff J, McCullumsmith RE. Transcriptional profile of pyramidal neurons in chronic schizophrenia reveals lamina-specific dysfunction of neuronal immunity. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:7699-7708. [PMID: 34272489 PMCID: PMC8761210 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01205-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
While the pathophysiology of schizophrenia has been extensively investigated using homogenized postmortem brain samples, few studies have examined changes in brain samples with techniques that may attribute perturbations to specific cell types. To fill this gap, we performed microarray assays on mRNA isolated from anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) superficial and deep pyramidal neurons from 12 schizophrenia and 12 control subjects using laser-capture microdissection. Among all the annotated genes, we identified 134 significantly increased and 130 decreased genes in superficial pyramidal neurons, while 93 significantly increased and 101 decreased genes were found in deep pyramidal neurons, in schizophrenia compared to control subjects. In these differentially expressed genes, we detected lamina-specific changes of 55 and 31 genes in superficial and deep neurons in schizophrenia, respectively. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied to the entire pre-ranked differential expression gene lists to gain a complete pathway analysis throughout all annotated genes. Our analysis revealed overrepresented groups of gene sets in schizophrenia, particularly in immunity and synapse-related pathways, suggesting the disruption of these pathways plays an important role in schizophrenia. We also detected other pathways previously demonstrated in schizophrenia pathophysiology, including cytokine and chemotaxis, postsynaptic signaling, and glutamatergic synapses. In addition, we observed several novel pathways, including ubiquitin-independent protein catabolic process. Considering the effects of antipsychotic treatment on gene expression, we applied a novel bioinformatics approach to compare our differential expression gene profiles with 51 antipsychotic treatment datasets, demonstrating that our results were not influenced by antipsychotic treatment. Taken together, we found pyramidal neuron-specific changes in neuronal immunity, synaptic dysfunction, and olfactory dysregulation in schizophrenia, providing new insights for the cell-subtype specific pathophysiology of chronic schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Wu
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Rammohan Shukla
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Khaled Alganem
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Hunter M. Eby
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Emily A. Devine
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Erica Depasquale
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - James Reigle
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Micah Simmons
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Margaret K. Hahn
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5T 1R8,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A8
| | - Christy Au-Yeung
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5T 1R8
| | - Roshanak Asgariroozbehani
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5T 1R8,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A8
| | - Chang-Gyu Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Jefferson University Hospitals, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Vahram Haroutunian
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, USA,James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jarek Meller
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - James Meador-Woodruff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Robert E. McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, USA,Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH, USA,Author for correspondence: Robert E. McCullumsmith, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Block Health Science Building, Mail Stop 1007, Toledo, OH 43614,
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16
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Zhang X, Alnafisah RS, Hamoud ARA, Shukla R, Wen Z, McCullumsmith RE, O'Donovan SM. Role of Astrocytes in Major Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:2715-2730. [PMID: 33411227 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03212-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the primary homeostatic cells of the central nervous system, essential for normal neuronal development and function, metabolism and response to injury and inflammation. Here, we review postmortem studies examining changes in astrocytes in subjects diagnosed with the neuropsychiatric disorders schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BPD). We discuss the astrocyte-related changes described in the brain in these disorders and the potential effects of psychotropic medication on these findings. Finally, we describe emerging tools that can be used to study the role of astrocytes in neuropsychiatric illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Rawan S Alnafisah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Abdul-Rizaq A Hamoud
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Rammohan Shukla
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Zhexing Wen
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Cell Biology, and Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.,Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Sinead M O'Donovan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Block Health Science Building, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
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17
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Nesbit N, Wallace R, Harihar S, Zhou M, Jung JY, Silberstein M, Lee PH. Genomewide alteration of histone H3K4 methylation underlies genetic vulnerability to psychopathology. J Genet 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12041-021-01294-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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18
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Chang CY, Luo DZ, Pei JC, Kuo MC, Hsieh YC, Lai WS. Not Just a Bystander: The Emerging Role of Astrocytes and Research Tools in Studying Cognitive Dysfunctions in Schizophrenia. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22105343. [PMID: 34069523 PMCID: PMC8160762 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is one of the core symptoms in schizophrenia, and it is predictive of functional outcomes and therefore useful for treatment targets. Rather than improving cognitive deficits, currently available antipsychotics mainly focus on positive symptoms, targeting dopaminergic/serotoninergic neurons and receptors in the brain. Apart from investigating the neural mechanisms underlying schizophrenia, emerging evidence indicates the importance of glial cells in brain structure development and their involvement in cognitive functions. Although the etiopathology of astrocytes in schizophrenia remains unclear, accumulated evidence reveals that alterations in gene expression and astrocyte products have been reported in schizophrenic patients. To further investigate the role of astrocytes in schizophrenia, we highlighted recent progress in the investigation of the effect of astrocytes on abnormalities in glutamate transmission and impairments in the blood–brain barrier. Recent advances in animal models and behavioral methods were introduced to examine schizophrenia-related cognitive deficits and negative symptoms. We also highlighted several experimental tools that further elucidate the role of astrocytes. Instead of focusing on schizophrenia as a neuron-specific disorder, an additional astrocytic perspective provides novel and promising insight into its causal mechanisms and treatment. The involvement of astrocytes in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and other brain disorders is worth further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Yuan Chang
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; (C.-Y.C.); (D.-Z.L.); (J.-C.P.); (Y.-C.H.)
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan;
| | - Da-Zhong Luo
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; (C.-Y.C.); (D.-Z.L.); (J.-C.P.); (Y.-C.H.)
| | - Ju-Chun Pei
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; (C.-Y.C.); (D.-Z.L.); (J.-C.P.); (Y.-C.H.)
| | - Ming-Che Kuo
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan;
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100225, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chen Hsieh
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; (C.-Y.C.); (D.-Z.L.); (J.-C.P.); (Y.-C.H.)
| | - Wen-Sung Lai
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; (C.-Y.C.); (D.-Z.L.); (J.-C.P.); (Y.-C.H.)
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-2-3366-3112; Fax: +886-2-3362-9909
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Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe and clinically heterogenous mental disorder
affecting approximately 1% of the population worldwide. Despite
tremendous achievements in the field of schizophrenia research, its
precise aetiology remains elusive. Besides dysfunctional neuronal
signalling, the pathophysiology of schizophrenia appears to involve
molecular and functional abnormalities in glial cells, including
astrocytes. This article provides a concise overview of the current
evidence supporting altered astrocyte activity in schizophrenia, which
ranges from findings obtained from post-mortem immunohistochemical
analyses, genetic association studies and transcriptomic
investigations, as well as from experimental investigations of
astrocyte functions in animal models. Integrating the existing data
from these research areas strongly suggests that astrocytes have the
capacity to critically affect key neurodevelopmental and homeostatic
processes pertaining to schizophrenia pathogenesis, including
glutamatergic signalling, synaptogenesis, synaptic pruning and
myelination. The further elucidation of astrocytes functions in health
and disease may, therefore, offer new insights into how these glial
cells contribute to abnormal brain development and functioning
underlying this debilitating mental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Notter
- Tina Notter, Institute of
Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich,
Switzerland. Emails: ;
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20
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Nesbit N, Wallace R, Harihar S, Zhou M, Jung JY, Silberstein M, Lee PH. Genomewide alteration of histone H3K4 methylation underlies genetic vulnerability to psychopathology. J Genet 2021; 100:44. [PMID: 34282735 PMCID: PMC8459212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulated histone methylation has emerged as a recurring theme in multiple neuropsychiatric disorders. However, it is yet unclear whether the altered histone methylation is associated with aetiologic mechanisms or an outcome of disease manifestation. In this study, we examined the genomewide association studies datasets of three major psychiatric disorders, schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BIP), and major depression disorder (MDD), which represents a total of 231,783 cases and 425,444 controls, to clarify the relationship. Our gene-set enrichment analysis results identified statistically significant association of genes involved in three histone methylation biological processes with the three adult-onset psychiatric disorders, which is mainly driven by the histone H3K4 methylation pathway (GO: 0051568). Further analysis of histone H3K4 methylation pathway genes revealed a widespread role of the genes in brain function and disease; 29 (52%) and 41 genes (73.2%) were associated with at least one brain-related trait or brain disorder, respectively. Spatiotemporal gene expression analysis suggests that these pathway genes play a critical role during the prenatal period and are consistent regulators in the cerebral cortex throughout an individual's life. AUTS2, DNMT1 and TET2 are genes of particular interest due to their pervasive role in various aspects of brain function. Our findings support a critical aetiologic role of H3K4 methylation genes shared across SCZ, BIP and MDD, providing new direction for the development of epigenetically-focussed drugs targeting common causal factors of these devastating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Nesbit
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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21
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Mabry SJ, McCollum LA, Farmer CB, Bloom ES, Roberts RC. Evidence for altered excitatory and inhibitory tone in the post-mortem substantia nigra in schizophrenia. World J Biol Psychiatry 2020; 21:339-356. [PMID: 31062628 PMCID: PMC6891153 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2019.1615638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: The substantia nigra (SN) receives glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs that regulate dopaminergic neuronal activity. Imaging studies have shown hyperactivity of the SN in schizophrenia (SZ) patients. We examined neurochemically defined inputs to the SN, synaptic density, and neuromelanin content that might contribute to or reflect this hyperexcitability.Methods: Glutamatergic axon terminals were identified by the immunohistochemical localisation of vGLUT1 and vGLUT2; GABA inputs were identified by the immunohistochemical localisation of GAD67. Neuromelanin granules are visible in unstained sections and thus were assessed in unstained sections. Optical densitometry was measured to assess the density of vGLUT1, vGLUT2 or GAD67 immunolabelled axon terminals and neuromelanin granules. Electron microscopy was used to quantify synaptic and mitochondrial density.Results: Compared to controls, SZ subjects had nonsignificant trends toward a decrease in vGLUT1, and an increase in both vGLUT2 and GAD67. vGLUT1 was negatively correlated with GAD67 in normal controls (NCs) and positively correlated in SZ subjects. A correlation of coefficient analysis showed a significant difference between the negative correlation in NCs and the positive correlation in SZ subjects. Frequency histograms showed the distribution of neuromelanin density was different in SZ subjects compared to NCs. Synaptic density data showed a decrease in inhibitory synapses in SZ subjects. Mitochondrial density was normal in SZ subjects.Conclusions: Synaptic density alterations and the lack of a positive correlation between GAD67 and vGLUT1 could contribute to hyperactivity in the SN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J. Mabry
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
| | - Lesley A. McCollum
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
| | - Charlene B. Farmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
| | - Emma S. Bloom
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
| | - Rosalinda C. Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
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22
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Moody CL, Funk AJ, Devine E, Devore Homan RC, Boison D, McCullumsmith RE, O’Donovan SM. Adenosine Kinase Expression in the Frontal Cortex in Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2020; 46:690-698. [PMID: 32275755 PMCID: PMC7147579 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbz086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The adenosine hypothesis of schizophrenia posits that reduced availability of the neuromodulator adenosine contributes to dysregulation of dopamine and glutamate transmission and the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. It has been proposed that increased expression of the enzyme adenosine kinase (ADK) may drive hypofunction of the adenosine system. While animal models of ADK overexpression support such a role for altered ADK, the expression of ADK in schizophrenia has yet to be examined. In this study, we assayed ADK gene and protein expression in frontocortical tissue from schizophrenia subjects. In the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), ADK-long and -short splice variant expression was not significantly altered in schizophrenia compared to controls. There was also no significant difference in ADK splice variant expression in the frontal cortex of rats treated chronically with haloperidol-decanoate, in a study to identify the effect of antipsychotics on ADK gene expression. ADK protein expression was not significantly altered in the DLPFC or anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). There was no significant effect of antipsychotic medication on ADK protein expression in the DLPFC or ACC. Overall, our results suggest that increased ADK expression does not contribute to hypofunction of the adenosine system in schizophrenia and that alternative mechanisms are involved in dysregulation of this system in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassidy L Moody
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Adam J Funk
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
| | - Emily Devine
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
| | | | - Detlev Boison
- Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
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23
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Parkin GM, Gibbons A, Udawela M, Dean B. Excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT)1 and EAAT2 mRNA levels are altered in the prefrontal cortex of subjects with schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res 2020; 123:151-158. [PMID: 32065951 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT)1 and EAAT2 mediate glutamatergic neurotransmission and prevent excitotoxicity through binding and transportation of glutamate into glia. These EAATs may be regulated by metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), which is also expressed by glia. Whilst we have data from an Affymetrix™ Human Exon 1.0 ST Array showing higher levels of EAAT1 mRNA (+36%) in Brodmann's are (BA)9 of subjects with schizophrenia, there is evidence that EAAT1 and EAAT2, as well as mGluR5 levels, are altered in the cortex of subjects with the disorder. Hence, we measured mRNA levels of these genes in other cortical regions in subjects with that disorder. EAAT1, EAAT2 and mGluR5 mRNA were measured, in triplicate, using Quantitative PCR in BA10 and BA46 from subjects with schizophrenia (n = 20) and age and sex matched controls (n = 18). Levels of mRNA were normalised to the geometric mean of two reference genes, transcription factor B1, mitochondrial (TFB1M) and S-phase kinase-associated protein 1A (SKP1A), for which mRNA did not vary between diagnostic groups in either region. Normalised levels of EAAT1 and EAAT2 mRNA were significantly higher in BA10 (EAAT1: U = 58, p = 0.0002; EAAT2 U = 70, p = 0.0009), but not BA46 (EAAT1: U = 122, p = 0.09; EAAT2: U = 136, p = 0.21), from subjects with schizophrenia compared to controls. mGluR5 levels in BA10 (U = 173, p=0.85) and BA46 (U = 178, p = 0.96) did not vary by cohort. Our data suggests that region-specific increases in cortical EAAT1 and EAAT2 mRNA are involved in schizophrenia pathophysiology and that disrupted glutamate uptake in schizophrenia may be of particular significance in BA10.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia M Parkin
- The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; The Cooperative Research Centre for Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Andrew Gibbons
- The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Madhara Udawela
- The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; The Cooperative Research Centre for Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brian Dean
- The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; The Cooperative Research Centre for Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; The Centre for Mental Health, The Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University, Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia
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24
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Velásquez E, Martins-de-Souza D, Velásquez I, Carneiro GRA, Schmitt A, Falkai P, Domont GB, Nogueira FCS. Quantitative Subcellular Proteomics of the Orbitofrontal Cortex of Schizophrenia Patients. J Proteome Res 2019; 18:4240-4253. [PMID: 31581776 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.9b00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic disease characterized by the impairment of mental functions with a marked social dysfunction. A quantitative proteomic approach using iTRAQ labeling and SRM, applied to the characterization of mitochondria (MIT), crude nuclear fraction (NUC), and cytoplasm (CYT), can allow the observation of dynamic changes in cell compartments providing valuable insights concerning schizophrenia physiopathology. Mass spectrometry analyses of the orbitofrontal cortex from 12 schizophrenia patients and 8 healthy controls identified 655 protein groups in the MIT fraction, 1500 in NUC, and 1591 in CYT. We found 166 groups of proteins dysregulated among all enriched cellular fractions. Through the quantitative proteomic analysis, we detect as the main biological pathways those related to calcium and glutamate imbalance, cell signaling disruption of CREB activation, axon guidance, and proteins involved in the activation of NF-kB signaling along with the increase of complement protein C3. Based on our data analysis, we suggest the activation of NF-kB as a possible pathway that links the deregulation of glutamate, calcium, apoptosis, and the activation of the immune system in schizophrenia patients. All MS data are available in the ProteomeXchange Repository under the identifier PXD015356 and PXD014350.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Velásquez
- Proteomics Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-909 , Brazil
| | - Daniel Martins-de-Souza
- Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biology , University of Campinas (UNICAMP) , Campinas 13083-970 , Brazil.,Experimental Medicine Research Cluster (EMRC) University of Campinas , Campinas 13083-887 , SP , Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Biomarcadores em Neuropsiquiatria (INBION) , Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientı́fico e Tecnológico (CNPq) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | | | - Gabriel Reis Alves Carneiro
- Laboratory of Proteomics, LADETEC, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-598 , Brazil
| | - Andrea Schmitt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) , 80539 Munich , Germany
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) , 80539 Munich , Germany
| | - Gilberto B Domont
- Proteomics Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-909 , Brazil
| | - Fabio C S Nogueira
- Proteomics Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-909 , Brazil.,Laboratory of Proteomics, LADETEC, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-598 , Brazil
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25
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Sullivan CR, Koene RH, Hasselfeld K, O'Donovan S, Ramsey A, McCullumsmith RE. Neuron-specific deficits of bioenergetic processes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:1319-1328. [PMID: 29497148 PMCID: PMC6119539 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0035-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a devastating illness that affects over 2 million people in the United States and costs society billions of dollars annually. New insights into the pathophysiology of schizophrenia are needed to provide the conceptual framework to facilitate development of new treatment strategies. We examined bioenergetic pathways in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of subjects with schizophrenia and control subjects using western blot analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme/substrate assays. Laser-capture microdissection-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to examine these pathways at the cellular level. We found decreases in hexokinase (HXK) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) activity in the DLPFC, as well as decreased PFK1 mRNA expression. In pyramidal neurons, we found an increase in monocarboxylate transporter 1 mRNA expression, and decreases in HXK1, PFK1, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), and GLUT3 mRNA expression. These results suggest abnormal bioenergetic function, as well as a neuron-specific defect in glucose utilization, in the DLPFC in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney R. Sullivan
- Corresponding author: , Phone number: 513-558-4855, Mail address: 231 Albert Sabin Way, Care 5830, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45267-2827
| | - Rachael H. Koene
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Kathryn Hasselfeld
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Sinead O'Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Amy Ramsey
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert E. McCullumsmith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
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26
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Genetic Variation in Long-Range Enhancers. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2019; 42:35-50. [PMID: 31396896 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2019_110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Cis-regulatory elements (CREs), including insulators, promoters, and enhancers, play critical roles in the establishment and maintenance of normal cellular function. Within each cell, the 3D structure of chromatin is arranged in specific patterns to expose the CREs required for optimal spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression. CREs can act over large distances along the linear genome, facilitated by looping of the intervening chromatin to allow direct interaction between distal regulatory elements and their target genes. A number of pathologies are associated with dysregulation of CRE function, including developmental disorders, cancers, and neuropsychiatric disease. A majority of known neuropsychiatric disease risk loci are noncoding, and increasing evidence suggests that they contribute to disease through disruption of CREs. As such, rather than directly altering the amino acid content of proteins, these variants are instead thought to affect where, when, and to what extent a given gene is expressed. The distances over which CREs can operate often render their target genes difficult to identify. Furthermore, as many risk loci contain multiple variants in high linkage disequilibrium, identification of the causative single nucleotide polymorphism(s) therein is not straightforward. Thus, deciphering the genetic etiology of complex neuropsychiatric disorders presents a significant challenge.
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27
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Kim Y, Vadodaria KC, Lenkei Z, Kato T, Gage FH, Marchetto MC, Santos R. Mitochondria, Metabolism, and Redox Mechanisms in Psychiatric Disorders. Antioxid Redox Signal 2019; 31:275-317. [PMID: 30585734 PMCID: PMC6602118 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2018.7606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Significance: Our current knowledge of the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms causing psychiatric disorders is modest, but genetic susceptibility and environmental factors are central to the etiology of these conditions. Autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder show genetic gene risk overlap and share symptoms and metabolic comorbidities. The identification of such common features may provide insights into the development of these disorders. Recent Advances: Multiple pieces of evidence suggest that brain energy metabolism, mitochondrial functions and redox balance are impaired to various degrees in psychiatric disorders. Since mitochondrial metabolism and redox signaling can integrate genetic and environmental environmental factors affecting the brain, it is possible that they are implicated in the etiology and progression of psychiatric disorders. Critical Issue: Evidence for direct links between cellular mitochondrial dysfunction and disease features are missing. Future Directions: A better understanding of the mitochondrial biology and its intracellular connections to the nuclear genome, the endoplasmic reticulum and signaling pathways, as well as its role in intercellular communication in the organism, is still needed. This review focuses on the findings that implicate mitochondrial dysfunction, the resultant metabolic changes and oxidative stress as important etiological factors in the context of psychiatric disorders. We also propose a model where specific pathophysiologies of psychiatric disorders depend on circuit-specific impairments of mitochondrial dysfunction and redox signaling at specific developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeni Kim
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, South Korea
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Krishna C. Vadodaria
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Zsolt Lenkei
- Laboratory of Dynamic of Neuronal Structure in Health and Disease, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (UMR_S1266 INSERM, University Paris Descartes), Paris, France
| | - Tadafumi Kato
- Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
| | - Fred H. Gage
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Maria C. Marchetto
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Renata Santos
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
- Laboratory of Dynamic of Neuronal Structure in Health and Disease, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (UMR_S1266 INSERM, University Paris Descartes), Paris, France
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28
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Sullivan CR, Mielnik CA, O'Donovan SM, Funk AJ, Bentea E, DePasquale EA, Alganem K, Wen Z, Haroutunian V, Katsel P, Ramsey AJ, Meller J, McCullumsmith RE. Connectivity Analyses of Bioenergetic Changes in Schizophrenia: Identification of Novel Treatments. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:4492-4517. [PMID: 30338483 PMCID: PMC7584383 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1390-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
We utilized a cell-level approach to examine glycolytic pathways in the DLPFC of subjects with schizophrenia (n = 16) and control (n = 16) and found decreased mRNA expression of glycolytic enzymes in pyramidal neurons, but not astrocytes. To replicate these novel bioenergetic findings, we probed independent datasets for bioenergetic targets and found similar abnormalities. Next, we used a novel strategy to build a schizophrenia bioenergetic profile by a tailored application of the Library of Integrated Network-Based Cellular Signatures data portal (iLINCS) and investigated connected cellular pathways, kinases, and transcription factors using Enrichr. Finally, with the goal of identifying drugs capable of "reversing" the bioenergetic schizophrenia signature, we performed a connectivity analysis with iLINCS and identified peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists as promising therapeutic targets. We administered a PPAR agonist to the GluN1 knockdown model of schizophrenia and found it improved long-term memory. Taken together, our findings suggest that tailored bioinformatics approaches, coupled with the LINCS library of transcriptional signatures of chemical and genetic perturbagens, may be employed to identify novel treatment strategies for schizophrenia and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catharine A Mielnik
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | | | - Adam J Funk
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Eduard Bentea
- Neurosciences TA Biology, UCB BioPharma SPRL, Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
| | - Erica A DePasquale
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Khaled Alganem
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Zhexing Wen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Vahram Haroutunian
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Pavel Katsel
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Amy J Ramsey
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Jarek Meller
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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29
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Muñoz-Ballester C, Santana N, Perez-Jimenez E, Viana R, Artigas F, Sanz P. In vivo glutamate clearance defects in a mouse model of Lafora disease. Exp Neurol 2019; 320:112959. [PMID: 31108086 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.112959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by epilepsy, neurodegeneration and insoluble polyglucosan accumulation in brain and other peripheral tissues. Although in the last two decades we have increased our knowledge on the molecular basis underlying the pathophysiology of LD, only a small part of the research in LD has paid attention to the mechanisms triggering one of the most lethal features of the disease: epilepsy. Recent studies in our laboratory suggested that a dysfunction in the activity of the mouse astrocytic glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) could contribute to epilepsy in LD. In this work, we present new in vivo evidence of a GLT-1 dysfunction, contributing to increased levels of extracellular glutamate in the hippocampus of a mouse model of Lafora disease (Epm2b-/-, lacking the E3-ubiquitin ligase malin). According to our results, Epm2b-/- mice showed an increased neuronal activity, as assessed by c-fos expression, in the hippocampus, an area directly correlated to epileptogenesis. This brain area presented lesser ability to remove synaptic glutamate after local GLT-1 blockade with dihydrokainate (DHK), in comparison to Epm2b+/+ animals, suggesting that these animals have a compromised glutamate clearance when a challenging condition was presented. These results correlate with a hippocampal upregulation of the minor isoform of the Glt-1 gene, named Glt-1b, which has been associated with compensatory mechanisms activated in response to neuronal stress. In conclusion, the hippocampus of Epm2b-/- mice presents an in vivo impairment in glutamate uptake which could contribute to epileptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Muñoz-Ballester
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - N Santana
- Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomédiques de Barcelona, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Perez-Jimenez
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - R Viana
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain
| | - F Artigas
- Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomédiques de Barcelona, CSIC, Barcelona, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Sanz
- IBV-CSIC. Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Valencia, Spain; CIBERER. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, group U742, Valencia, Spain.
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30
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Sullivan CR, Mielnik CA, Funk A, O'Donovan SM, Bentea E, Pletnikov M, Ramsey AJ, Wen Z, Rowland LM, McCullumsmith RE. Measurement of lactate levels in postmortem brain, iPSCs, and animal models of schizophrenia. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5087. [PMID: 30911039 PMCID: PMC6433855 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41572-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Converging evidence suggests bioenergetic defects contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and may underlie cognitive dysfunction. The transport and metabolism of lactate energetically couples astrocytes and neurons and supports brain bioenergetics. We examined the concentration of lactate in postmortem brain (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) in subjects with schizophrenia, in two animal models of schizophrenia, the GluN1 knockdown mouse model and mutant disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) mouse model, as well as inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a schizophrenia subject with the DISC1 mutation. We found increased lactate in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (p = 0.043, n = 16/group) in schizophrenia, as well as in frontal cortical neurons differentiated from a subject with schizophrenia with the DISC1 mutation (p = 0.032). We also found a decrease in lactate in mice with induced expression of mutant human DISC1 specifically in astrocytes (p = 0.049). These results build upon the body of evidence supporting bioenergetic dysfunction in schizophrenia, and suggests changes in lactate are a key feature of this often devastating severe mental illness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catharine A Mielnik
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto Ontario M5S, 1A8, Toronto, Canada
| | - Adam Funk
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Sinead M O'Donovan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Eduard Bentea
- Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mikhail Pletnikov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, USA
| | - Amy J Ramsey
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto Ontario M5S, 1A8, Toronto, Canada
| | - Zhexing Wen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
| | - Laura M Rowland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, USA
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31
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González-Peñas J, Costas J, Villamayor MJG, Xu B. Enrichment of rare genetic variants in astrocyte gene enriched co-expression modules altered in postmortem brain samples of schizophrenia. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 121:305-314. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
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32
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Kim R, Healey KL, Sepulveda-Orengo MT, Reissner KJ. Astroglial correlates of neuropsychiatric disease: From astrocytopathy to astrogliosis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 87:126-146. [PMID: 28989099 PMCID: PMC5889368 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 09/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Complex roles for astrocytes in health and disease continue to emerge, highlighting this class of cells as integral to function and dysfunction of the nervous system. In particular, escalating evidence strongly implicates a range of changes in astrocyte structure and function associated with neuropsychiatric diseases including major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and addiction. These changes can range from astrocytopathy, degeneration, and loss of function, to astrogliosis and hypertrophy, and can be either adaptive or maladaptive. Evidence from the literature indicates a myriad of changes observed in astrocytes from both human postmortem studies as well as preclinical animal models, including changes in expression of glial fibrillary protein, as well as changes in astrocyte morphology and astrocyte-mediated regulation of synaptic function. In this review, we seek to provide a comprehensive assessment of these findings and consequently evidence for common themes regarding adaptations in astrocytes associated with neuropsychiatric disease. While results are mixed across conditions and models, general findings indicate decreased astrocyte cellular features and gene expression in depression, chronic stress and anxiety, but increased inflammation in schizophrenia. Changes also vary widely in response to different drugs of abuse, with evidence reflective of features of astrocytopathy to astrogliosis, varying across drug classes, route of administration and length of withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Kim
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, CB 3270, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Kati L Healey
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, CB 3270, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Marian T Sepulveda-Orengo
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, CB 3270, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Kathryn J Reissner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, CB 3270, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States..
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33
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Cell-subtype-specific changes in adenosine pathways in schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1667-1674. [PMID: 29483661 PMCID: PMC6006250 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0028-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Prior work in animal models implicates abnormalities of adenosine metabolism in astrocytes as a possible pathophysiological mechanism underlying the symptoms of schizophrenia. In the present study, we sought to reverse-translate these findings back to the human brain in schizophrenia, focusing on the following questions: (1) Which components of the adenosine system are dysregulated in schizophrenia, and (2) are these changes limited to astrocytes? To address these questions, we captured enriched populations of DLPFC pyramidal neurons and astrocytes from schizophrenia and control subjects using laser capture microdissection and assessed expression of adenosine system components using qPCR. Interestingly, we found changes in enriched populations of astrocytes and neurons spanning metabolic and catabolic pathways. Ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 (ENTPD1) and ENTPD2 mRNA levels were significantly decreased (p < 0.05, n = 16 per group) in enriched populations of astrocytes; in pyramidal neurons equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1) and adenosine A1 receptor mRNA levels were significantly decreased, with an increase in adenosine deaminase (ADA) (p < 0.05, n = 16 per group). Rodent studies suggest that some of our findings (A1R and ENTPD2) may be due to treatment with antipsychotics. Our findings suggest changes in expression of genes involved in regulating metabolism of ATP in enriched populations of astrocytes, leading to lower availability of substrates needed to generate adenosine. In pyramidal neurons, changes in ENT1 and ADA mRNA may suggest increased catabolism of adenosine. These results offer new insights into the cell-subtype-specific pathophysiology of the adenosine system in this illness.
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Blood-brain barrier regulation in psychiatric disorders. Neurosci Lett 2018; 726:133664. [PMID: 29966749 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a dynamic interface between the peripheral blood supply and the cerebral parenchyma, controlling the transport of material to and from the brain. Tight junctions between the endothelial cells of the cerebral microvasculature limit the passage of large, negatively charged molecules via paracellular diffusion whereas transcellular transportation across the endothelial cell is controlled by a number of mechanisms including transporter proteins, endocytosis, and diffusion. Here, we review the evidence that perturbation of these processes may underlie the development of psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and affective disorders. Increased permeability of the BBB appears to be a common factor in these disorders, leading to increased infiltration of peripheral material into the brain culminating in neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. However, although there is no common mechanism underpinning BBB dysfunction even within each particular disorder, the tight junction protein claudin-5 may be a clinically relevant target given that both clinical and pre-clinical research has linked it to schizophrenia, ASD, and depression. Additionally, we discuss the clinical significance of the BBB in diagnosis (genetic markers, dynamic contrast-enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging, and blood biomarkers) and in treatment (drug delivery).
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35
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Parkin GM, Udawela M, Gibbons A, Dean B. Glutamate transporters, EAAT1 and EAAT2, are potentially important in the pathophysiology and treatment of schizophrenia and affective disorders. World J Psychiatry 2018; 8:51-63. [PMID: 29988908 PMCID: PMC6033743 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v8.i2.51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the human brain and it has been shown that prolonged activation of the glutamatergic system leads to nerve damage and cell death. Following release from the pre-synaptic neuron and synaptic transmission, glutamate is either taken up into the pre-synaptic neuron or neighbouring glia by transmembrane glutamate transporters. Excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT) 1 and EAAT2 are Na+-dependant glutamate transporters expressed predominantly in glia cells of the central nervous system. As the most abundant glutamate transporters, their primary role is to modulate levels of glutamatergic excitability and prevent spill over of glutamate beyond the synapse. This role is facilitated through the binding and transportation of glutamate into astrocytes and microglia. The function of EAAT1 and EAAT2 is heavily regulated at the levels of gene expression, post-transcriptional splicing, glycosylation states and cell-surface trafficking of the protein. Both glutamatergic dysfunction and glial dysfunction have been proposed to be involved in psychiatric disorder. This review will present an overview of the roles that EAAT1 and EAAT2 play in modulating glutamatergic activity in the human brain, and mount an argument that these two transporters could be involved in the aetiologies of schizophrenia and affective disorders as well as represent potential drug targets for novel therapies for those disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia M Parkin
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
- CRC for Mental Health, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
| | - Madhara Udawela
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
- CRC for Mental Health, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
| | - Andrew Gibbons
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Brian Dean
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
- CRC for Mental Health, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
- Research Centre for Mental Health, the Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University, Hawthorne VIC 3122, Australia
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36
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Sullivan CR, O'Donovan SM, McCullumsmith RE, Ramsey A. Defects in Bioenergetic Coupling in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:739-750. [PMID: 29217297 PMCID: PMC5891385 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic neurotransmission relies on maintenance of the synapse and meeting the energy demands of neurons. Defects in excitatory and inhibitory synapses have been implicated in schizophrenia, likely contributing to positive and negative symptoms as well as impaired cognition. Recently, accumulating evidence has suggested that bioenergetic systems, important in both synaptic function and cognition, are abnormal in psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia. Animal models of synaptic dysfunction demonstrated endophenotypes of schizophrenia as well as bioenergetic abnormalities. We report findings on the bioenergetic interplay of astrocytes and neurons and discuss how dysregulation of these pathways may contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, highlighting metabolic systems as important therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney R Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Sinead M O'Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
| | - Amy Ramsey
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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37
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Duarte JMN, Xin L. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Schizophrenia: Evidence for Glutamatergic Dysfunction and Impaired Energy Metabolism. Neurochem Res 2018; 44:102-116. [PMID: 29616444 PMCID: PMC6345729 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-018-2521-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In the past couple of decades, major efforts were made to increase reliability of metabolic assessments by magnetic resonance methods. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been valuable for providing in vivo evidence and investigating biomarkers in neuropsychiatric disorders, namely schizophrenia. Alterations of glutamate and glutamine levels in brains of schizophrenia patients relative to healthy subjects are generally interpreted as markers of glutamatergic dysfunction. However, only a small fraction of MRS-detectable glutamate is involved in neurotransmission. Here we review and discuss brain metabolic processes that involve glutamate and that are likely to be implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- João M N Duarte
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, BMC C11, Sölvegatan 19, 221 84, Lund, Sweden. .,Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Lijing Xin
- Animal Imaging and Technology Core (AIT), Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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38
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Fakhoury M. Microglia and Astrocytes in Alzheimer's Disease: Implications for Therapy. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 16:508-518. [PMID: 28730967 PMCID: PMC5997862 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666170720095240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 291] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of neurons, which typically leads to severe impairments in cognitive functions including memory and learning. Key pathological features of this disease include the deposition of highly insoluble amyloid β peptides and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the brain. Mounting evidence also implicates sustained glial-mediated inflammation as a major contributor of the neurodegenerative processes and cognitive deficits observed in AD. METHODS This paper provides an overview of findings from both human and animal studies investigating the role of microglia and astrocytes in AD, and discusses potential avenues for therapeutic intervention. RESULTS Glial-mediated inflammation is a 'double-edged sword', performing both detrimental and beneficial functions in AD. Despite tremendous effort in elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying AD pathology, to date, there is no treatment that could prevent or cure this disease. Current treatments are only useful in slowing down the progression of AD and helping patients manage some of their behavioral and cognitive symptoms. CONCLUSION A better understanding of the role of microglia and astrocytes in the regulation of AD pathology is needed as this could pave the way for new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Fakhoury
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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39
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Mei YY, Wu DC, Zhou N. Astrocytic Regulation of Glutamate Transmission in Schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:544. [PMID: 30459650 PMCID: PMC6232167 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
According to the glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia, the abnormality of glutamate transmission induced by hypofunction of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) is causally associated with the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the changes in glutamate transmission in schizophrenia are not fully understood. Astrocytes, the major regulatory glia in the brain, modulate not only glutamate metabolism but also glutamate transmission. Here we review the recent progress in understanding the role of astrocytes in schizophrenia. We focus on the astrocytic mechanisms of (i) glutamate synthesis via the glutamate-glutamine cycle, (ii) glutamate clearance by excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs), (iii) D-serine release to activate NMDARs, and (iv) glutamatergic target engagement biomarkers. Abnormality in these processes is highly correlated with schizophrenia phenotypes. These findings will shed light upon further investigation of pathogenesis as well as improvement of biomarkers and therapies for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ying Mei
- Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Dong Chuan Wu
- Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ning Zhou
- Translational Medicine Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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40
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Pollak TA, Drndarski S, Stone JM, David AS, McGuire P, Abbott NJ. The blood-brain barrier in psychosis. Lancet Psychiatry 2018; 5:79-92. [PMID: 28781208 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(17)30293-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Blood-brain barrier pathology is recognised as a central factor in the development of many neurological disorders, but much less is known about the role of the blood-brain barrier in psychiatric disorders. We review post-mortem, serum-biomarker, CSF-biomarker, and neuroimaging studies that have examined blood-brain barrier structure and function in schizophrenia and related psychoses. We consider how blood-brain barrier dysfunction could relate to glutamatergic and inflammatory abnormalities, which are increasingly understood to play a part in the pathogenesis of psychosis. Mechanisms by which the blood-brain barrier and its associated solute transporters moderate CNS availability of antipsychotic drugs are summarised. We conclude that the complex nature of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in psychosis might be relevant to many aspects of disrupted neuronal and synaptic function, increased permeability to inflammatory molecules, disrupted glutamate homoeostasis, impaired action of antipsychotics, and development of antipsychotic resistance. Future research should address the longitudinal course of blood-brain barrier alterations in psychosis, to determine whether blood-brain barrier dysfunction is a cause or consequence of the pathology associated with the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Pollak
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | | | - James M Stone
- Department of Neuroimaging, Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Anthony S David
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Philip McGuire
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - N Joan Abbott
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, UK
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41
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O'Donovan SM, Sullivan CR, McCullumsmith RE. The role of glutamate transporters in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2017; 3:32. [PMID: 28935880 PMCID: PMC5608761 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-017-0037-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Altered glutamate transporter expression is a common feature of many neuropsychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia. Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are responsible for the reuptake of glutamate, preventing non-physiological spillover from the synapse. Postmortem studies have revealed significant dysregulation of EAAT expression in various brain regions at the cellular and subcellular level. Recent animal studies have also demonstrated a role for glutamate spillover as a mechanism of disease. In this review, we describe current evidence for the role of glutamate transporters in regulating synaptic plasticity and transmission. In neuropsychiatric conditions, EAAT splice variant expression is altered. There are changes in the localization of the transporters and disruption of the metabolic and structural protein network that supports EAAT activity. This results in aberrant neuroplasticity and excitatory signaling, contributing to the symptoms associated with neuropsychiatric disease. Understanding the complex functions of glutamate transporters will clarify the relevance of their role in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinead M O'Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA.
| | - Courtney R Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
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42
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Fournier M, Monin A, Ferrari C, Baumann PS, Conus P, Do K. Implication of the glutamate-cystine antiporter xCT in schizophrenia cases linked to impaired GSH synthesis. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2017; 3:31. [PMID: 28924227 PMCID: PMC5603608 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-017-0035-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
xCT is the specific chain of the cystine/glutamate antiporter, which is widely reported to support anti-oxidant defenses in vivo. xCT is therefore at the crossroads between two processes that are involved in schizophrenia: oxidative stress and glutamatergic neurotransmission. But data from human studies implicating xCT in the illness and clarifying the upstream mechanisms of xCT imbalance are still scarce. Low glutathione (GSH) levels and genetic risk in GCLC (Glutamate–Cysteine Ligase Catalytic subunit), the gene of limiting synthesizing enzyme for GSH, are both associated with schizophrenia. In the present study, we aimed at determining if xCT regulation by the redox system is involved in schizophrenia pathophysiology. We assessed whether modulating GCLC expression impact on xCT expression and activity (i) in fibroblasts from patients and controls with different GCLC genotypes which are known to affect GCLC regulation and GSH levels; (ii) in rat brain glial cells, i.e., astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, with a knock-down of GCLC. Our results highlight that decreased GCLC expression leads to an upregulation of xCT levels in patients’ fibroblasts as well as in astrocytes. These results support the implication of xCT dysregulation in illness pathophysiology and further indicate that it can result from redox changes. Additionally, we showed that these anomalies may already take place at early stages of psychosis and be more prominent in a subgroup of patients with GCLC high-risk genotypes. These data add to the existing evidence identifying the inflammatory/redox systems as important targets to treat schizophrenia already at early stages. Deficit of antioxidant synthesis in schizophrenia leads to oxidative stress and changes in neurotransmitter transporter. Led by Kim Do, a team of researchers from Lausanne University in Switzerland investigated the role of the cell-surface transport protein xCT in schizophrenia. They found that an enzyme responsible for antioxidant production is disturbed in patients. This leads to decreased antioxidant levels and consequently to oxidative stress—i.e. the accumulation of reactive oxygen molecules, damaging the cells component and impairing cell functioning—which in turn affects the functioning of the antioxidant pathway, including xCT. xCT, which exports the neurotransmitter glutamate, is thus overproduced in schizophrenia. The resulting increase of neurotransmitter activity, alongside the increase in oxidative stress, is thought to play a major role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, including at early stages of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Fournier
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, Switzerland
| | - A Monin
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, Switzerland
| | - C Ferrari
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, Switzerland
| | - P S Baumann
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, Switzerland.,Department of Psychiatry, Service of general psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, Switzerland
| | - P Conus
- Department of Psychiatry, Service of general psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, Switzerland
| | - K Do
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, Switzerland.
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43
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Murphy-Royal C, Dupuis J, Groc L, Oliet SHR. Astroglial glutamate transporters in the brain: Regulating neurotransmitter homeostasis and synaptic transmission. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:2140-2151. [PMID: 28150867 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes, the major glial cell type in the central nervous system (CNS), are critical for brain function and have been implicated in various disorders of the central nervous system. These cells are involved in a wide range of cerebral processes including brain metabolism, control of central blood flow, ionic homeostasis, fine-tuning synaptic transmission, and neurotransmitter clearance. Such varied roles can be efficiently carried out due to the intimate interactions astrocytes maintain with neurons, the vasculature, as well as with other glial cells. Arguably, one of the most important functions of astrocytes in the brain is their control of neurotransmitter clearance. This is particularly true for glutamate whose timecourse in the synaptic cleft needs to be controlled tightly under physiological conditions to maintain point-to-point excitatory transmission, thereby limiting spillover and activation of more receptors. Most importantly, accumulation of glutamate in the extracellular space can trigger excessive activation of glutamatergic receptors and lead to excitotoxicity, a trademark of many neurodegenerative diseases. It is thus of utmost importance for both physiological and pathophysiological reasons to understand the processes that control glutamate time course within the synaptic cleft and regulate its concentrations in the extracellular space. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciaran Murphy-Royal
- Neurocentre Magendie, Inserm U1215, Bordeaux, France.,Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Julien Dupuis
- Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, CNRS UMR 5297, Bordeaux, France
| | - Laurent Groc
- Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, CNRS UMR 5297, Bordeaux, France
| | - Stéphane H R Oliet
- Neurocentre Magendie, Inserm U1215, Bordeaux, France.,Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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44
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Fullard JF, Halene TB, Giambartolomei C, Haroutunian V, Akbarian S, Roussos P. Understanding the genetic liability to schizophrenia through the neuroepigenome. Schizophr Res 2016; 177:115-124. [PMID: 26827128 PMCID: PMC4963306 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2016.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Revised: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The Psychiatric Genomics Consortium-Schizophrenia Workgroup (PGC-SCZ) recently identified 108 loci associated with increased risk for schizophrenia (SCZ). The vast majority of these variants reside within non-coding sequences of the genome and are predicted to exert their effects by affecting the mechanism of action of cis regulatory elements (CREs), such as promoters and enhancers. Although a number of large-scale collaborative efforts (e.g. ENCODE) have achieved a comprehensive mapping of CREs in human cell lines or tissue homogenates, it is becoming increasingly evident that many risk-associated variants are enriched for expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTLs) and CREs in specific tissues or cells. As such, data derived from previous research endeavors may not capture fully cell-type and/or region specific changes associated with brain diseases. Coupling recent technological advances in genomics with cell-type specific methodologies, we are presented with an unprecedented opportunity to better understand the genetics of normal brain development and function and, in turn, the molecular basis of neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we will outline ongoing efforts towards this goal and will discuss approaches with the potential to shed light on the mechanism(s) of action of cell-type specific cis regulatory elements and their putative roles in disease, with particular emphasis on understanding the manner in which the epigenome and CREs influence the etiology of SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F. Fullard
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tobias B. Halene
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 3), James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | | | - Vahram Haroutunian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 3), James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Science and Institute for Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 3), James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
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