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Tavitian A, Somech J, Chamlian B, Liberman A, Galindez C, Schipper HM. Craniofacial anomalies in schizophrenia-relevant GFAP.HMOX1 0-12m mice. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38606671 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Subtle craniofacial dysmorphology has been reported in schizophrenia patients. This dysmorphology includes midline facial elongation, frontonasal anomalies and a sexually dimorphic deviation from normal directional asymmetry of the face, with male patients showing reduced and female patients showing enhanced facial asymmetry relative to healthy control subjects. GFAP.HMOX10-12m transgenic mice (Mus musculus) that overexpress heme oxygenase-1 in astrocytes recapitulate many schizophrenia-relevant neurochemical, neuropathological and behavioral features. As morphogenesis of the brain, skull and face are highly interrelated, we hypothesized that GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice may exhibit craniofacial anomalies similar to those reported in persons with schizophrenia. We examined craniofacial anatomy in male GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice and wild-type control mice at the early adulthood age of 6-8 months. We used computer vision techniques for the extraction and analysis of mouse head shape parameters from systematically acquired 2D digital images, and confirmed our results with landmark-based geometric morphometrics. We performed skull bone morphometry using digital calipers to take linear distance measurements between known landmarks. Relative to controls, adult male GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice manifested craniofacial dysmorphology including elongation of the nasal bones, alteration of head shape anisotropy and reduction of directional asymmetry in facial shape features. These findings demonstrate that GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice exhibit craniofacial anomalies resembling those described in schizophrenia patients, implicating heme oxygenase-1 in their development. As a preclinical mouse model, GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice provide a novel opportunity for the study of the etiopathogenesis of craniofacial and other anomalies in schizophrenia and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayda Tavitian
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Joseph Somech
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Badrouyk Chamlian
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Adrienne Liberman
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Carmela Galindez
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Hyman M Schipper
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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2
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Ye J, Huang Z, Li Q, Li Z, Lan Y, Wang Z, Ni C, Wu X, Jiang T, Li Y, Yang Q, Lim J, Ren CY, Jiang M, Li S, Jin P, Chen JH, Zhao C. Transition of allele-specific DNA hydroxymethylation at regulatory loci is associated with phenotypic variation in monozygotic twins discordant for psychiatric disorders. BMC Med 2023; 21:491. [PMID: 38082312 PMCID: PMC10714646 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03177-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BPD) are complex genetic mental illnesses. Their non-Mendelian features, such as those observed in monozygotic twins discordant for SCZ or BPD, are likely complicated by environmental modifiers of genetic effects. 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is an important epigenetic mark in gene regulation, and whether it is linked to genetic variants that contribute to non-Mendelian features remains largely unexplored. METHODS We combined the 5hmC-selective chemical labeling method (5hmC-seq) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of peripheral blood DNA obtained from monozygotic (MZ) twins discordant for SCZ or BPD to identify allelic imbalances in hydroxymethylome maps, and examined association of allele-specific hydroxymethylation (AShM) transition with disease susceptibility based on Bayes factors (BF) derived from the Bayesian generalized additive linear mixed model. We then performed multi-omics integrative analysis to determine the molecular pathogenic basis of those AShM sites. We finally employed luciferase reporter, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), PCR, FM4-64 imaging analysis, and RNA sequencing to validate the function of interested AShM sites in the human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells and human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T) cells. RESULTS We identified thousands of genetic variants associated with AShM imbalances that exhibited phenotypic variation-associated AShM changes at regulatory loci. These AShM marks showed plausible associations with SCZ or BPD based on their effects on interactions among transcription factors (TFs), DNA methylation levels, or other epigenomic marks and thus contributed to dysregulated gene expression, which ultimately increased disease susceptibility. We then validated that competitive binding of POU3F2 on the alternative allele at the AShM site rs4558409 (G/T) in PLLP-enhanced PLLP expression, while the hydroxymethylated alternative allele, which alleviated the POU3F2 binding activity at the rs4558409 site, might be associated with the downregulated PLLP expression observed in BPD or SCZ. Moreover, disruption of rs4558409 promoted neural development and vesicle trafficking. CONCLUSION Our study provides a powerful strategy for prioritizing regulatory risk variants and contributes to our understanding of the interplay between genetic and epigenetic factors in mediating SCZ or BPD susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junping Ye
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Zhanwang Huang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Qiyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongwei Li
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Yuting Lan
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongju Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Chaoying Ni
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Xiaohui Wu
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Tingyun Jiang
- The Third People's Hospital of Zhongshan, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Yujing Li
- Departments of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Qiong Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Junghwa Lim
- Departments of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Cun-Yan Ren
- Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Meijun Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Science), Guangdong Mental Health Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shufen Li
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Peng Jin
- Departments of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jian-Huan Chen
- Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
| | - Cunyou Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Science), Guangdong Mental Health Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Experimental Education/Administration Center, School of Basic Medical Science, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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3
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Waller R, Bury JJ, Appleby-Mallinder C, Wyles M, Loxley G, Babel A, Shekari S, Kazoka M, Wollff H, Al-Chalabi A, Heath PR, Shaw PJ, Kirby J. Establishing mRNA and microRNA interactions driving disease heterogeneity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient survival. Brain Commun 2023; 6:fcad331. [PMID: 38162899 PMCID: PMC10754318 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, associated with the degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons of the motor cortex, brainstem and spinal cord. Death in most patients results from respiratory failure within 3-4 years from symptom onset. However, due to disease heterogeneity some individuals survive only months from symptom onset while others live for several years. Identifying specific biomarkers that aid in establishing disease prognosis, particularly in terms of predicting disease progression, will help our understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathophysiology and could be used to monitor a patient's response to drugs and therapeutic agents. Transcriptomic profiling technologies are continually evolving, enabling us to identify key gene changes in biological processes associated with disease. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs typically associated with regulating gene expression, by degrading mRNA or reducing levels of gene expression. Being able to associate gene expression changes with corresponding microRNA changes would help to distinguish a more complex biomarker signature enabling us to address key challenges associated with complex diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The present study aimed to investigate the transcriptomic profile (mRNA and microRNA) of lymphoblastoid cell lines from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients to identify key signatures that are distinguishable in those patients who suffered a short disease duration (<12 months) (n = 22) compared with those that had a longer disease duration (>6 years) (n = 20). Transcriptional profiling of microRNA-mRNA interactions from lymphoblastoid cell lines in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients revealed differential expression of genes involved in cell cycle, DNA damage and RNA processing in patients with longer survival from disease onset compared with those with short survival. Understanding these particular microRNA-mRNA interactions and the pathways in which they are involved may help to distinguish potential therapeutic targets that could exert neuroprotective effects to prolong the life expectancy of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Waller
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Joanna J Bury
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Charlie Appleby-Mallinder
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Matthew Wyles
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - George Loxley
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Aditi Babel
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Saleh Shekari
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Mbombe Kazoka
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Helen Wollff
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, SE5 9RX, UK
- Department of Neurology, King’s College Hospital, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Paul R Heath
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Janine Kirby
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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4
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Abstract
How genetic and environmental risk factors interact to trigger the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains largely unknown. Seah et al. model stress hypersensitivity as a potential mechanism by examining transcriptomic responses to glucocorticoids in neurons derived from individuals with PTSD.
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Zhang X, Lee J, Goh WWB. An Investigation of How Normalisation and Local Modelling Techniques Confound Machine Learning Performance In a Mental Health Study. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09502. [PMID: 35663731 PMCID: PMC9156999 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Machine learning (ML) is increasingly deployed on biomedical studies for biomarker development (feature selection) and diagnostic/prognostic technologies (classification). While different ML techniques produce different feature sets and classification performances, less understood is how upstream data processing methods (e.g., normalisation) impact downstream analyses. Using a clinical mental health dataset, we investigated the impact of different normalisation techniques on classification model performance. Gene Fuzzy Scoring (GFS), an in-house developed normalisation technique, is compared against widely used normalisation methods such as global quantile normalisation, class-specific quantile normalisation and surrogate variable analysis. We report that choice of normalisation technique has strong influence on feature selection. with GFS outperforming other techniques. Although GFS parameters are tuneable, good classification model performance (ROC-AUC > 0.90) is observed regardless of the GFS parameter settings. We also contrasted our results against local modelling, which is meant to improve the resolution and meaningfulness of classification models built on heterogeneous data. Local models, when derived from non-biologically meaningful subpopulations, perform worse than global models. A deep dive however, revealed that the factors driving cluster formation has little to do with the phenotype-of-interest. This finding is critical, as local models are often seen as a superior means of clinical data modelling. We advise against such naivete. Additionally, we have developed a combinatorial reasoning approach using both global and local paradigms: This helped reveal potential data quality issues or underlying factors causing data heterogeneity that are often overlooked. It also assists to explain the model as well as provides directions for further improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore
| | - Jimmy Lee
- North Region & Department of Psychosis, Institute of Mental Health, 539747, Singapore
- Corresponding author.
| | - Wilson Wen Bin Goh
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 636921, Singapore
- Centre for Biomedical Informatics, Nanyang Technological University, 636921, Singapore
- Corresponding author.
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6
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Muhtaseb AW, Duan J. Modeling common and rare genetic risk factors of neuropsychiatric disorders in human induced pluripotent stem cells. Schizophr Res 2022:S0920-9964(22)00156-6. [PMID: 35459617 PMCID: PMC9735430 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and whole-exome sequencing of neuropsychiatric disorders, especially schizophrenia, have identified a plethora of common and rare disease risk variants/genes. Translating the mounting human genetic discoveries into novel disease biology and more tailored clinical treatments is tied to our ability to causally connect genetic risk variants to molecular and cellular phenotypes. When combined with the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) nuclease-mediated genome editing system, human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural cultures (both 2D and 3D organoids) provide a promising tractable cellular model for bridging the gap between genetic findings and disease biology. In this review, we first conceptualize the advances in understanding the disease polygenicity and convergence from the past decade of iPSC modeling of different types of genetic risk factors of neuropsychiatric disorders. We then discuss the major cell types and cellular phenotypes that are most relevant to neuropsychiatric disorders in iPSC modeling. Finally, we critically review the limitations of iPSC modeling of neuropsychiatric disorders and outline the need for implementing and developing novel methods to scale up the number of iPSC lines and disease risk variants in a systematic manner. Sufficiently scaled-up iPSC modeling and a better functional interpretation of genetic risk variants, in combination with cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and single-cell multi-omics methods, will enable the field to identify the specific and convergent molecular and cellular phenotypes in precision for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdurrahman W Muhtaseb
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, United States of America; Department of Human Genetics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States of America
| | - Jubao Duan
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States of America.
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7
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Guo B, Jiang T, Wu F, Ni H, Ye J, Wu X, Ni C, Jiang M, Ye L, Li Z, Zheng X, Li S, Yang Q, Wang Z, Huang X, Zhao C. LncRNA RP5-998N21.4 promotes immune defense through upregulation of IFIT2 and IFIT3 in schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 8:11. [PMID: 35232977 PMCID: PMC8888552 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-021-00195-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex polygenic disease that is affected by genetic, developmental, and environmental factors. Accumulating evidence indicates that environmental factors such as maternal infection and excessive prenatal neuroinflammation may contribute to the onset of schizophrenia by affecting epigenetic modification. We recently identified a schizophrenia-associated upregulated long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) RP5-998N21.4 by transcriptomic analysis of monozygotic twins discordant for schizophrenia. Importantly, we found that genes coexpressed with RP5-998N21.4 were enriched in immune defense-related biological processes in twin subjects and in RP5-998N21.4-overexpressing (OE) SK-N-SH cell lines. We then identified two genes encoding an interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeat (IFIT) 2 and 3, which play an important role in immune defense, as potential targets of RP5-998N21.4 by integrative analysis of RP5-998N21.4OE-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SK-N-SH cells and RP5-998N21.4-coexpressed schizophrenia-associated DEGs from twin subjects. We further demonstrated that RP5-998N21.4 positively regulates the transcription of IFIT2 and IFIT3 by binding to their promoter regions and affecting their histone modifications. In addition, as a general nuclear coactivator, RMB14 (encoding RNA binding motif protein 14) was identified to facilitate the regulatory role of RP5-998N21.4 in IFIT2 and IFIT3 transcription. Finally, we observed that RP5-998N21.4OE can enhance IFIT2- and IFIT3-mediated immune defense responses through activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) signaling pathway in U251 astrocytoma cells under treatment with the viral mimetic polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (poly I:C). Taken together, our findings suggest that lncRNA RP5-998N21.4 is a critical regulator of immune defense, providing etiological and therapeutic implications for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Guo
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tingyun Jiang
- The Third People's Hospital of Zhongshan, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Fengchun Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongyu Ni
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Junping Ye
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaohui Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chaoying Ni
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Meijun Jiang
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linyan Ye
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongwei Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianzhen Zheng
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shufen Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiong Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongju Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xingbing Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Cunyou Zhao
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. .,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. .,Experimental Education/Administration Center, School of Basic Medical Science, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. .,Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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8
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Zhu M, Liu Z, Guo Y, Sultana MS, Wu K, Lang X, Lv Q, Huang X, Yi Z, Li Z. Sex difference in the interrelationship between TNF-α and oxidative stress status in first-episode drug-naïve schizophrenia. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:202. [PMID: 34526062 PMCID: PMC8444364 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02261-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increasing evidence indicates that dysregulated TNF-α and oxidative stress (OxS) contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Additionally, previous evidence has demonstrated sex differences in many aspects of schizophrenia including clinical characteristics, cytokines, and OxS markers. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study investigating sex differences in the association between TNF-α, the OxS system, and their interaction with clinical symptoms in schizophrenia patients, especially in first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN) patients. Methods A total of 119 FEDN schizophrenia patients and 135 healthy controls were recruited for this study. Serum TNF-α, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was applied to evaluate psychotic symptoms. Two-way ANOVA, partial correlation analysis, and multivariate regression analysis were performed. Results A sex difference in MDA levels was demonstrated only in healthy controls (F = 7.06, pBonferroni = 0.045) and not seen in patients. Furthermore, only male patients had higher MDA levels than male controls (F = 8.19, pBonferroni = 0.03). Additionally, sex differences were observed in the association of TNF-α and MDA levels with psychotic symptoms (all pBonferroni < 0.05). The interaction of TNF-α and MDA was only associated with general psychopathology symptom in male patients (B = − 0.07, p = 0.02). Conclusion Our results demonstrate the sex difference in the relationship between TNF-α, MDA, and their interaction with psychopathological symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghuan Zhu
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 South Wan Ping Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.,Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shanghai Pudong New Area Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenjing Liu
- Qingdao Mental Health Center, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanhong Guo
- Qingdao Mental Health Center, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mst Sadia Sultana
- Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kang Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoe Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Qinyu Lv
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 South Wan Ping Road, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Xiao Huang
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Zhenghui Yi
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 South Wan Ping Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Zezhi Li
- Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 36 Mingxin Road, Guangzhou, 510370, China.
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9
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LncRNA-AC006129.1 reactivates a SOCS3-mediated anti-inflammatory response through DNA methylation-mediated CIC downregulation in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:4511-4528. [PMID: 32015466 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0662-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex genetic disorder, the non-Mendelian features of which are likely complicated by epigenetic factors yet to be elucidated. Here, we performed RNA sequencing of peripheral blood RNA from monozygotic twins discordant for schizophrenia, and identified a schizophrenia-associated upregulated long noncoding RNA (lncRNA, AC006129.1) that participates in the inflammatory response by enhancing SOCS3 and CASP1 expression in schizophrenia patients and further validated this finding in AC006129.1-overexpressing mice showing schizophrenia-related abnormal behaviors. We find that AC006129.1 binds to the promoter region of the transcriptional repressor Capicua (CIC), facilitates the interactions of DNA methyltransferases with the CIC promoter, and promotes DNA methylation-mediated CIC downregulation, thereby ameliorating CIC-induced SOCS3 and CASP1 repression. Derepression of SOCS3 enhances the anti-inflammatory response by inhibiting JAK/STAT-signaling activation. Our findings reveal an epigenetic mechanism with etiological and therapeutic implications for schizophrenia.
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Heme oxygenase-1 in blood and saliva during acute psychosis: A pilot study. Psychiatry Res 2021; 299:113857. [PMID: 33756209 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite the extensive prevalence of psychosis and schizophrenia spectrum disorders, their biological underpinnings remain largely unexplained. Recently, the overproduction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of heme, was associated with oxidative stress and a neurologic phenotype similar to schizophrenia in transgenic mice. We sought to evaluate, by comparing patients experiencing an acute psychotic episode, and age/sex-matched healthy control participants, whether there was an association between HO-1 overexpression and psychosis. This cross-sectional pilot study included 16 patients and 17 control participants. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to quantify HO-1 expression in blood and saliva. Four psychiatric questionnaires were used to measure psychiatric symptoms in participants. Higher levels of salivary HO-1 expression were detected in patients experiencing an acute psychotic episode when compared to control participants (84.01 vs. 61.26 ng/ml, p = 0.026), but plasma and lymphocyte HO-1 expression did not significantly differ between groups. Overexpression of HO-1 in saliva specimens was also positively associated with psychiatric symptom severity and disability. The overexpression of HO-1 in the saliva of patients with psychosis suggests that it may serve as a potential biomarker for this symptom which should be explored in larger clinical trials.
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Li HJ, Goff A, Rudzinskas SA, Jung Y, Dubey N, Hoffman J, Hipolito D, Mazzu M, Rubinow DR, Schmidt PJ, Goldman D. Altered estradiol-dependent cellular Ca 2+ homeostasis and endoplasmic reticulum stress response in Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:6963-6974. [PMID: 34035477 PMCID: PMC8613306 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01144-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is characterized by debilitating mood symptoms in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Prior studies of affected women have implicated a differential response to ovarian steroids. However, the molecular basis of these patients' differential response to hormone remains poorly understood. We performed transcriptomic analyses of lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) derived from women with PMDD and asymptomatic controls cultured under untreated (steroid-free), estradiol-treated (E2), and progesterone-treated (P4) conditions. Weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) of transcriptomes identified four gene modules with significant diagnosis x hormone interactions, including one enriched for neuronal functions. Next, in a gene-level analysis comparing transcriptional response to hormone across diagnoses, a generalized linear model identified 1522 genes differentially responsive to E2 (E2-DRGs). Among the top 10 E2-DRGs was a physically interacting network (NUCB1, DST, GCC2, GOLGB1) involved in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-Golgi function. qRT-PCR validation reproduced a diagnosis x E2 interaction (F(1,24)=7.01, p = 0.014) for NUCB1, a regulator of cellular Ca2+ and ER stress. Finally, we used a thapsigargin (Tg) challenge assay to test whether E2 induces differences in Ca2+ homeostasis and ER stress response in PMDD. PMDD LCLs had a 1.36-fold decrease in Tg-induced XBP1 splicing response compared to controls, and a 1.62-fold decreased response (p = 0.005), with a diagnosis x treatment interaction (F(3,33)=3.51, p = 0.026) in the E2-exposed condition. Altered hormone-dependent in cellular Ca2+ dynamics and ER stress may contribute to the pathophysiology of PMDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard J. Li
- grid.47100.320000000419368710Dept. of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA ,grid.416868.50000 0004 0464 0574Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Allison Goff
- grid.420085.b0000 0004 0481 4802Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Sarah A. Rudzinskas
- grid.416868.50000 0004 0464 0574Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Yonwoo Jung
- grid.420085.b0000 0004 0481 4802Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Neelima Dubey
- grid.416868.50000 0004 0464 0574Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Jessica Hoffman
- grid.416868.50000 0004 0464 0574Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Dion Hipolito
- grid.420085.b0000 0004 0481 4802Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Maria Mazzu
- grid.416868.50000 0004 0464 0574Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - David R. Rubinow
- grid.410711.20000 0001 1034 1720Dept. of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Peter J. Schmidt
- grid.416868.50000 0004 0464 0574Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - David Goldman
- grid.420085.b0000 0004 0481 4802Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
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Abstract
Schizophrenia is a serious neuropsychiatric disorder with abnormal age-related neurodevelopmental (or neurodegenerative) trajectories. Although an accelerated aging hypothesis of schizophrenia has been proposed, the quantitative study of the disruption of the physiological trajectory caused by schizophrenia is inconclusive. In this study, we employed 3 "epigenetic clock" methods to quantify the epigenetic age of a large sample size of whole blood (1069 samples from patients with schizophrenia vs 1264 samples from unaffected controls) and brain tissues (500 samples from patients with schizophrenia vs 711 samples from unaffected controls). We observed significant positive correlations between epigenetic age and chronological age in both blood and brain tissues from unaffected controls and patients with schizophrenia, as estimated by 3 methods. Furthermore, we observed that epigenetic age acceleration was significantly delayed in schizophrenia from the whole blood samples (aged 20-90 years) and brain frontal cortex tissues (aged 20-39 years). Intriguingly, the genes regulated by the epigenetic clock also contained schizophrenia-associated genes, displaying differential expression and methylation in patients with schizophrenia and involving in the regulation of cell activation and development. These findings were further supported by the dysregulated leukocyte composition in patients with schizophrenia. Our study presents quantitative evidence for a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia from the perspective of a skewed "epigenetic clock." Moreover, landmark changes in an easily accessible biological sample, blood, reveal the value of these epigenetic clock genes as peripheral biomarkers for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, and Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Genetic Testing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Junping; Ye
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, and Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Genetic Testing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongju Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, and Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Genetic Testing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Cunyou Zhao
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, and Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Genetic Testing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China; tel: (8620)-62789519, fax: (8620)-62789519, e-mail:
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Tavitian A, Cressatti M, Song W, Turk AZ, Galindez C, Smart A, Liberman A, Schipper HM. Strategic Timing of Glial HMOX1 Expression Results in Either Schizophrenia-Like or Parkinsonian Behavior in Mice. Antioxid Redox Signal 2020; 32:1259-1272. [PMID: 31847534 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2019.7937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Aims: In this original research communication, we assess the impact of shifting the window of glial HMOX1 overexpression in mice from early-to-midlife to mid-to-late life, resulting in two disparate conditions modeling schizophrenia (SCZ) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Mesolimbic hyperdopaminergia is a widely accepted feature of SCZ, while nigrostriatal hypodopaminergia is the sine qua non of idiopathic PD. Although the advent of parkinsonian features in SCZ patients after treatment with antidopaminergic agents is intuitive, subtle features of parkinsonism commonly observed in young, drug-naïve schizophrenics are not. Similarly, emergent psychosis in PD subjects receiving levodopa replacement is not unusual, whereas spontaneous hallucinosis in nonmedicated persons with idiopathic PD is enigmatic. Investigations using GFAP.HMOX1 mice may shed light on these clinical paradoxes. Results: Astroglial heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) overexpression in mice throughout embryogenesis until 6 or 12 months of age resulted in hyperdopaminergia, hyperkinesia/stereotypy ameliorated with clozapine, deficient prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response, reduced preference for social novelty, impaired nest building, and cognitive dysfunction reminiscent of SCZ. On the contrary, astroglial HO-1 overexpression between 8.5 and 19 months of age yielded a PD-like behavioral phenotype with hypodopaminergia, altered gait, locomotor incoordination, and reduced olfaction. Innovation: We conjecture that region-specific disparities in the susceptibility of dopaminergic and other circuitry to the trophic and degenerative influences of glial HMOX1 induction may permit the concomitant expression of mixed SCZ and PD traits within affected individuals. Conclusion: Elucidation of these converging mechanisms may (i) help better understand disease pathogenesis and (ii) identify HO-1 as a potential therapeutic target in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayda Tavitian
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marisa Cressatti
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Wei Song
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ariana Z Turk
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Carmela Galindez
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada
| | - Adam Smart
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Adrienne Liberman
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada
| | - Hyman M Schipper
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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Duan J, Sanders AR, Gejman PV. From Schizophrenia Genetics to Disease Biology: Harnessing New Concepts and Technologies. JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY AND BRAIN SCIENCE 2019; 4:e190014. [PMID: 31555746 PMCID: PMC6760308 DOI: 10.20900/jpbs.20190014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a severe mental disorder afflicting around 1% of the population. It is highly heritable but with complex genetics. Recent research has unraveled a plethora of risk loci for SZ. Accordingly, our conceptual understanding of SZ genetics has been rapidly evolving, from oligogenic models towards polygenic or even omnigenic models. A pressing challenge to the field, however, is the translation of the many genetic findings of SZ into disease biology insights leading to more effective treatments. Bridging this gap requires the integration of genetic findings and functional genomics using appropriate cellular models. Harnessing new technologies, such as the development of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) and the CRISPR/Cas-based genome/epigenome editing approach are expected to change our understanding of SZ disease biology to a fundamentally higher level. Here, we discuss some new developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jubao Duan
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Alan R. Sanders
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Pablo V. Gejman
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Abstract
Hippocampal abnormalities have been heavily implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The dentate gyrus of the hippocampus was shown to manifest an immature molecular profile in schizophrenia subjects, as well as in various animal models of the disorder. In this position paper, we advance a hypothesis that this immature molecular profile is accompanied by an identifiable immature morphology of the dentate gyrus granule cell layer. We adduce evidence for arrested maturation of the dentate gyrus in the human schizophrenia-affected brain, as well as multiple rodent models of the disease. Implications of this neurohistopathological signature for current theory regarding the development of schizophrenia are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayda Tavitian
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Wei Song
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Hyman M. Schipper
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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16
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Dopamine perturbation of gene co-expression networks reveals differential response in schizophrenia for translational machinery. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:278. [PMID: 30546022 PMCID: PMC6293320 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0325-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopaminergic hypothesis of schizophrenia (SZ) postulates that positive symptoms of SZ, in particular psychosis, are due to disturbed neurotransmission via the dopamine (DA) receptor D2 (DRD2). However, DA is a reactive molecule that yields various oxidative species, and thus has important non-receptor-mediated effects, with empirical evidence of cellular toxicity and neurodegeneration. Here we examine non-receptor-mediated effects of DA on gene co-expression networks and its potential role in SZ pathology. Transcriptomic profiles were measured by RNA-seq in B-cell transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines from 514 SZ cases and 690 controls, both before and after exposure to DA ex vivo (100 μM). Gene co-expression modules were identified using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis for both baseline and DA-stimulated conditions, with each module characterized for biological function and tested for association with SZ status and SNPs from a genome-wide panel. We identified seven co-expression modules under baseline, of which six were preserved in DA-stimulated data. One module shows significantly increased association with SZ after DA perturbation (baseline: P = 0.023; DA-stimulated: P = 7.8 × 10-5; ΔAIC = -10.5) and is highly enriched for genes related to ribosomal proteins and translation (FDR = 4 × 10-141), mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and neurodegeneration. SNP association testing revealed tentative QTLs underlying module co-expression, notably at FASTKD2 (top P = 2.8 × 10-6), a gene involved in mitochondrial translation. These results substantiate the role of translational machinery in SZ pathogenesis, providing insights into a possible dopaminergic mechanism disrupting mitochondrial function, and demonstrates the utility of disease-relevant functional perturbation in the study of complex genetic etiologies.
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