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Du WJ, Yang H, Tong F, Liu S, Zhang C, Chen Y, Yan Y, Xiang YW, Hua LY, Gong Y, Xu ZX, Liu X, Jiang X, Lu M, Guan JS, Han Q. Ash1L ameliorates psoriasis via limiting neuronal activity-dependent release of miR-let-7b. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:1107-1127. [PMID: 37766518 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16254] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Psoriasis is a common autoimmune skin disease that significantly diminishes patients' quality of life. Interactions between primary afferents of the somatosensory system and the cutaneous immune system mediate the pathogenesis of psoriasis. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of how primary sensory neurons regulate psoriasis formation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Skin and total RNA were extracted from wild-type (WT) and ASH1-like histone lysine methyltransferase (Ash1l+/- ) mice in both naive and imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis models. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) were then performed. Microfluidic chamber coculture was used to investigate the interaction between somatosensory neurons and bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) ex vivo. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were used to evaluate neuronal excitability after Ash1L haploinsufficiency in primary sensory neurons. KEY RESULTS The haploinsufficiency of ASH1L, a histone methyltransferase, in primary sensory neurons causes both neurite hyperinnervation and increased neuronal excitability, which promote miR-let-7b release from primary afferents in the skin in a neuronal activity-dependent manner. With a 'GUUGUGU' core sequence, miR-let-7b functions as an endogenous ligand of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and stimulates the activation of dermal dendritic cells (DCs) and interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis, ultimately exacerbating the symptoms of psoriasis. Thus, by limiting miR-let-7b release from primary afferents, ASH1L prevents dermal DC activation and ameliorates psoriasis. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Somatosensory neuron ASH1L modulates the cutaneous immune system by limiting neuronal activity-dependent release of miR-let-7b, which can directly activate dermal DCs via TLR7 and ultimately lead to aggravated psoriatic lesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Jie Du
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yeying Chen
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE, NHC, CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuze Yan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Wei Xiang
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling-Yang Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ye Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Xiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xingyu Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingfang Lu
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE, NHC, CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingjian Han
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Vacharasin JM, Ward JA, McCord MM, Cox K, Imitola J, Lizarraga SB. Neuroimmune mechanisms in autism etiology - untangling a complex problem using human cellular models. OXFORD OPEN NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 3:kvae003. [PMID: 38665176 PMCID: PMC11044813 DOI: 10.1093/oons/kvae003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1 in 36 people and is more often diagnosed in males than in females. Core features of ASD are impaired social interactions, repetitive behaviors and deficits in verbal communication. ASD is a highly heterogeneous and heritable disorder, yet its underlying genetic causes account only for up to 80% of the cases. Hence, a subset of ASD cases could be influenced by environmental risk factors. Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a response to inflammation during pregnancy, which can lead to increased inflammatory signals to the fetus. Inflammatory signals can cross the placenta and blood brain barriers affecting fetal brain development. Epidemiological and animal studies suggest that MIA could contribute to ASD etiology. However, human mechanistic studies have been hindered by a lack of experimental systems that could replicate the impact of MIA during fetal development. Therefore, mechanisms altered by inflammation during human pre-natal brain development, and that could underlie ASD pathogenesis have been largely understudied. The advent of human cellular models with induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) and organoid technology is closing this gap in knowledge by providing both access to molecular manipulations and culturing capability of tissue that would be otherwise inaccessible. We present an overview of multiple levels of evidence from clinical, epidemiological, and cellular studies that provide a potential link between higher ASD risk and inflammation. More importantly, we discuss how stem cell-derived models may constitute an ideal experimental system to mechanistically interrogate the effect of inflammation during the early stages of brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janay M Vacharasin
- Department of Biological Sciences, and Center for Childhood Neurotherapeutics, Univ. of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Francis Marion University, 4822 East Palmetto Street, Florence, S.C. 29506, USA
| | - Joseph A Ward
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, & Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute of Brain Science, Brown University, 70 Ship Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Mikayla M McCord
- Department of Biological Sciences, and Center for Childhood Neurotherapeutics, Univ. of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Kaitlin Cox
- Department of Biological Sciences, and Center for Childhood Neurotherapeutics, Univ. of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Jaime Imitola
- Laboratory of Neural Stem Cells and Functional Neurogenetics, UConn Health, Departments of Neuroscience, Neurology, Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-5357, USA
| | - Sofia B Lizarraga
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, & Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute of Brain Science, Brown University, 70 Ship Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
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Leung CS, Rosenzweig SJ, Yoon B, Marinelli NA, Hollingsworth EW, Maguire AM, Cowen MH, Schmidt M, Imitola J, Gamsiz Uzun ED, Lizarraga SB. Dysregulation of the chromatin environment leads to differential alternative splicing as a mechanism of disease in a human model of autism spectrum disorder. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:1634-1646. [PMID: 36621967 PMCID: PMC10162432 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1 in 44 children. Chromatin regulatory proteins are overrepresented among genes that contain high risk variants in ASD. Disruption of the chromatin environment leads to widespread dysregulation of gene expression, which is traditionally thought of as a mechanism of disease pathogenesis associated with ASD. Alternatively, alterations in chromatin dynamics could also lead to dysregulation of alternative splicing, which is understudied as a mechanism of ASD pathogenesis. The anticonvulsant valproic acid (VPA) is a well-known environmental risk factor for ASD that acts as a class I histone deacetylase inhibitor. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying defects in human neuronal development associated with exposure to VPA are understudied. To dissect how VPA exposure and subsequent chromatin hyperacetylation influence molecular signatures involved in ASD pathogenesis, we conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in human cortical neurons that were treated with VPA. We observed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched for mRNA splicing, mRNA processing, histone modification and metabolism related gene sets. Furthermore, we observed widespread increases in the number and the type of alternative splicing events. Analysis of differential transcript usage (DTU) showed that exposure to VPA induces extensive alterations in transcript isoform usage across neurodevelopmentally important genes. Finally, we find that DEGs and genes that display DTU overlap with known ASD-risk genes. Altogether, these findings suggest that, in addition to differential gene expression, changes in alternative splicing correlated with alterations in the chromatin environment could act as an additional mechanism of disease in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin S Leung
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Shoshana J Rosenzweig
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Brian Yoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Nicholas A Marinelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Ethan W Hollingsworth
- UCONN Health Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Translational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Abbie M Maguire
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Mara H Cowen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Michael Schmidt
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Jaime Imitola
- UCONN Health Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Translational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Ece D Gamsiz Uzun
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital and Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Sofia B Lizarraga
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science (BITS), Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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Ritchie FD, Lizarraga SB. The role of histone methyltransferases in neurocognitive disorders associated with brain size abnormalities. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:989109. [PMID: 36845425 PMCID: PMC9950662 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.989109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain size is controlled by several factors during neuronal development, including neural progenitor proliferation, neuronal arborization, gliogenesis, cell death, and synaptogenesis. Multiple neurodevelopmental disorders have co-morbid brain size abnormalities, such as microcephaly and macrocephaly. Mutations in histone methyltransferases that modify histone H3 on Lysine 36 and Lysine 4 (H3K36 and H3K4) have been identified in neurodevelopmental disorders involving both microcephaly and macrocephaly. H3K36 and H3K4 methylation are both associated with transcriptional activation and are proposed to sterically hinder the repressive activity of the Polycomb Repressor Complex 2 (PRC2). During neuronal development, tri-methylation of H3K27 (H3K27me3) by PRC2 leads to genome wide transcriptional repression of genes that regulate cell fate transitions and neuronal arborization. Here we provide a review of neurodevelopmental processes and disorders associated with H3K36 and H3K4 histone methyltransferases, with emphasis on processes that contribute to brain size abnormalities. Additionally, we discuss how the counteracting activities of H3K36 and H3K4 modifying enzymes vs. PRC2 could contribute to brain size abnormalities which is an underexplored mechanism in relation to brain size control.
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Epigenetic switch controls social actions. Neuron 2022; 110:1085-1087. [PMID: 35390284 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in epigenetic factors are associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this issue of Neuron, Yan et al. (2022) show that the antagonism of ASH1L and PRC2 switches the equilibrium of histone methylation at the ephrin receptor A7 locus, causing decreased EphA7 expression, deficits in synaptic pruning, and ASD-like behaviors.
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