1
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Kaiser J, Risteska A, Muller AG, Sun H, Lei B, Nay K, Means AR, Cousin MA, Drewry DH, Oakhill JS, Kemp BE, Hannan AJ, Berk M, Febbraio MA, Gundlach AL, Hill-Yardin EL, Scott JW. Convergence on CaMK4: a key modulator of autism-associated signaling pathways in neurons. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01696-2. [PMID: 39442785 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2024] [Revised: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 10/15/2024] [Indexed: 10/25/2024]
Abstract
Although the precise underlying cause(s) of autism spectrum disorder remain unclear, more than 1000 rare genetic variations are associated with the condition. For a large number of people living with profound autism, this genetic heterogeneity has impeded the identification of common biological targets for therapy development for core and comorbid traits that include significant impairments in social communication, and repetitive and restricted behaviors. A substantial number of genes associated with autism encode proteins involved in signal transduction and synaptic transmission that are critical for brain development and function. CAMK4 is an emerging risk gene for autism spectrum disorder that encodes the Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-4 (CaMK4) enzyme. CaMK4 is a key component of a Ca2+-activated signaling pathway that regulates neurodevelopment and synaptic plasticity. In this review, we discuss three genetic variants of CAMK4 found in individuals with hyperkinetic movement disorder and comorbid neurological symptoms including autism spectrum disorder that are likely pathogenic with monogenic effect. We also comment on four other genetic variations in CAMK4 that display associations with autism spectrum disorder, as well as twelve examples of autism-associated variations in other genes that impact CaMK4 signaling pathways. Finally, we highlight three environmental risk factors that impact CaMK4 signaling based on studies in preclinical models of autism and/or clinical cohorts. Overall, we review molecular, genetic, physiological, and environmental evidence that suggest defects in the CaMK4 signaling pathway may play an important role in a common autism pathogenesis network across numerous patient groups, and propose CaMK4 as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Kaiser
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Mary McKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alana Risteska
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Abbey G Muller
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Haoxiong Sun
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bethany Lei
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kevin Nay
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthony R Means
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Margot A Cousin
- Center for Individualized Medicine, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - David H Drewry
- Structural Genomic Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jonathan S Oakhill
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Mary McKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bruce E Kemp
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Berk
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mark A Febbraio
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew L Gundlach
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elisa L Hill-Yardin
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - John W Scott
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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2
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Sgadò P, Pross A, Lamanna J, Adiletta A. Face processing in animal models: implications for autism spectrum disorder. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1462272. [PMID: 39184326 PMCID: PMC11341390 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1462272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Processing facial features is crucial to identify social partners (prey, predators, or conspecifics) and recognize and accurately interpret emotional expressions. Numerous studies in both human and non-human primates provided evidence promoting the notion of inherent mechanisms for detecting facial features. These mechanisms support a representation of faces independent of prior experiences and are vital for subsequent development in social and language domains. Moreover, deficits in processing faces are a reliable biomarker of autism spectrum disorder, appearing early and correlating with symptom severity. Face processing, however, is not only a prerogative of humans: other species also show remarkable face detection abilities. In this review, we present an overview of the current literature on face detection in vertebrate models that could be relevant to the study of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Sgadò
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandra Pross
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Jacopo Lamanna
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and Communication (BNC), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Adiletta
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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3
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Antón-Bolaños N, Faravelli I, Faits T, Andreadis S, Kastli R, Trattaro S, Adiconis X, Wei A, Sampath Kumar A, Di Bella DJ, Tegtmeyer M, Nehme R, Levin JZ, Regev A, Arlotta P. Brain Chimeroids reveal individual susceptibility to neurotoxic triggers. Nature 2024; 631:142-149. [PMID: 38926573 PMCID: PMC11338177 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07578-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Interindividual genetic variation affects the susceptibility to and progression of many diseases1,2. However, efforts to study how individual human brains differ in normal development and disease phenotypes are limited by the paucity of faithful cellular human models, and the difficulty of scaling current systems to represent multiple people. Here we present human brain Chimeroids, a highly reproducible, multidonor human brain cortical organoid model generated by the co-development of cells from a panel of individual donors in a single organoid. By reaggregating cells from multiple single-donor organoids at the neural stem cell or neural progenitor cell stage, we generate Chimeroids in which each donor produces all cell lineages of the cerebral cortex, even when using pluripotent stem cell lines with notable growth biases. We used Chimeroids to investigate interindividual variation in the susceptibility to neurotoxic triggers that exhibit high clinical phenotypic variability: ethanol and the antiepileptic drug valproic acid. Individual donors varied in both the penetrance of the effect on target cell types, and the molecular phenotype within each affected cell type. Our results suggest that human genetic background may be an important mediator of neurotoxin susceptibility and introduce Chimeroids as a scalable system for high-throughput investigation of interindividual variation in processes of brain development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Antón-Bolaños
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Irene Faravelli
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tyler Faits
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sophia Andreadis
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rahel Kastli
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sebastiano Trattaro
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xian Adiconis
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anqi Wei
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Abhishek Sampath Kumar
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Daniela J Di Bella
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Matthew Tegtmeyer
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ralda Nehme
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joshua Z Levin
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aviv Regev
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Boston, MA, USA
- Genentech, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Paola Arlotta
- Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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4
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Wikarska A, Roszak K, Roszek K. Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Purinergic Signaling in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Bridging the Gap between Cell-Based Strategies and Neuro-Immune Modulation. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1310. [PMID: 38927517 PMCID: PMC11201695 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12061310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is still increasing, which means that this neurodevelopmental lifelong pathology requires special scientific attention and efforts focused on developing novel therapeutic approaches. It has become increasingly evident that neuroinflammation and dysregulation of neuro-immune cross-talk are specific hallmarks of ASD, offering the possibility to treat these disorders by factors modulating neuro-immunological interactions. Mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy has already been postulated as one of the therapeutic approaches for ASD; however, less is known about the molecular mechanisms of stem cell influence. One of the possibilities, although still underestimated, is the paracrine purinergic activity of MSCs, by which stem cells ameliorate inflammatory reactions. Modulation of adenosine signaling may help restore neurotransmitter balance, reduce neuroinflammation, and improve overall brain function in individuals with ASD. In our review article, we present a novel insight into purinergic signaling, including but not limited to the adenosinergic pathway and its role in neuroinflammation and neuro-immune cross-talk modulation. We anticipate that by achieving a greater understanding of the purinergic signaling contribution to ASD and related disorders, novel therapeutic strategies may be devised for patients with autism in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Katarzyna Roszek
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Torun, Poland; (A.W.); (K.R.)
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5
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Zhao HH, Haddad G. Brain organoid protocols and limitations. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1351734. [PMID: 38572070 PMCID: PMC10987830 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1351734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Stem cell-derived organoid technology is a powerful tool that revolutionizes the field of biomedical research and extends the scope of our understanding of human biology and diseases. Brain organoids especially open an opportunity for human brain research and modeling many human neurological diseases, which have lagged due to the inaccessibility of human brain samples and lack of similarity with other animal models. Brain organoids can be generated through various protocols and mimic whole brain or region-specific. To provide an overview of brain organoid technology, we summarize currently available protocols and list several factors to consider before choosing protocols. We also outline the limitations of current protocols and challenges that need to be solved in future investigation of brain development and pathobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen H. Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Gabriel Haddad
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- The Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, United States
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Wang J, Zou L, Jiang P, Yao M, Xu Q, Hong Q, Zhu J, Chi X. Vitamin A ameliorates valproic acid-induced autism-like symptoms in developing zebrafish larvae by attenuating oxidative stress and apoptosis. Neurotoxicology 2024; 101:93-101. [PMID: 38191030 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.12.015] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social deficits and repetitive/stereotyped behaviors. Prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) has been reported to induce ASD-like symptoms in human and rodents. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of ASD have not been well elucidated. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms underlying VPA-induced ASD-like behaviors using zebrafish model and investigated whether vitamin A could prevent VPA-induced neurotoxicity. Here, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 25 and 50 μM VPA from 4 to 96 h post fertilization (hpf) and the neurotoxicity was assessed. Our results showed that VPA affected the normal development of zebrafish larvae and induced ASD-like behaviors, including reduced locomotor activity, decreased distance near conspecifics, impaired social interaction and repetitive swimming behaviors. Exposure to VPA decreased the GFP signal in transgenic HuC:egfp zebrafish according to the negative effect of VPA on the expression of neurodevelopmental genes. In addition, VPA enhanced oxidative stress by promoting the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and inhibiting the activity of superoxide dismutase, then triggered apoptosis by upregulation of apoptotic genes. These adverse outcomes were mitigated by vitamin A, suggesting that vitamin A rescued VPA-induced ASD-like symptoms by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis. Overall, this study identified vitamin A as a promising strategy for future therapeutic regulator of VPA-induced ASD-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Wang
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital), Nanjing 210004, PR China
| | - Li Zou
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital), Nanjing 210004, PR China; Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210036, PR China
| | - Peiyun Jiang
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital), Nanjing 210004, PR China
| | - Mengmeng Yao
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital), Nanjing 210004, PR China
| | - Qu Xu
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital), Nanjing 210004, PR China
| | - Qin Hong
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital), Nanjing 210004, PR China
| | - Jiansheng Zhu
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China.
| | - Xia Chi
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital), Nanjing 210004, PR China.
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Mulaudzi PE, Abrahamse H, Crous A. Insights on Three Dimensional Organoid Studies for Stem Cell Therapy in Regenerative Medicine. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2024; 20:509-523. [PMID: 38095787 PMCID: PMC10837234 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10655-6] [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] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Regenerative medicine has developed as a promising discipline that utilizes stem cells to address limitations in traditional therapies, using innovative techniques to restore and repair damaged organs and tissues. One such technique is the generation of three-dimensional (3D) organoids in stem cell therapy. Organoids are 3D constructs that resemble specific organs' structural and functional characteristics and are generated from stem cells or tissue-specific progenitor cells. The use of 3D organoids is advantageous in comparison to traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture by bridging the gap between in vivo and in vitro research. This review aims to provide an overview of the advancements made towards regenerative medicine using stem cells to generate organoids, explore the techniques used in generating 3D organoids and their applications and finally elucidate the challenges and future directions in regenerative medicine using 3D organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Precious Earldom Mulaudzi
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein, 2028, South Africa
| | - Heidi Abrahamse
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein, 2028, South Africa
| | - Anine Crous
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein, 2028, South Africa.
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Dorsey SG, Mocci E, Lane MV, Krueger BK. Rapid effects of valproic acid on the fetal brain transcriptome: Implications for brain development and autism. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3684653. [PMID: 38260618 PMCID: PMC10802704 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3684653/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
There is an increased incidence of autism among the children of women who take the anti-epileptic, mood-stabilizing drug, valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy; moreover, exposure to VPA in utero causes autistic-like symptoms in rodents and non-human primates. Analysis of RNA-seq data obtained from E12.5 fetal mouse brains 3 hours after VPA administration to the pregnant dam revealed that VPA rapidly and significantly increased or decreased the expression of approximately 7,300 genes. No significant sex differences in VPA-induced gene expression were observed. Expression of 399 autism risk genes was significantly altered by VPA as was expression of 255 genes that have been reported to play fundamental roles in fetal brain development but are not otherwise linked to autism. Expression of genes associated with intracellular signaling pathways, neurogenesis, and excitation-inhibition balance as well as synaptogenesis, neuronal fate determination, axon and dendritic development, neuroinflammation, circadian rhythms, and epigenetic modulation of gene expression was dysregulated by VPA. The goal of this study was to identify mouse genes that are: (a) significantly up- or down-regulated by VPA in the fetal brain and (b) known to be associated with autism and/or to play a role in embryonic neurodevelopmental processes, perturbation of which has the potential to alter brain connectivity and, consequently behavior, in the adult. The set of genes meeting these criteria provides potential targets for future hypothesis-driven studies to elucidate the proximal causes of errors in brain connectivity underlying neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan G. Dorsey
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Sciences, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Evelina Mocci
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Sciences, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21201
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Malcolm V. Lane
- Translational Toxicology/Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Bruce K. Krueger
- Departments of Physiology and Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
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9
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Zarate-Lopez D, Torres-Chávez AL, Gálvez-Contreras AY, Gonzalez-Perez O. Three Decades of Valproate: A Current Model for Studying Autism Spectrum Disorder. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:260-289. [PMID: 37873949 PMCID: PMC10788883 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x22666231003121513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with increased prevalence and incidence in recent decades. Its etiology remains largely unclear, but it seems to involve a strong genetic component and environmental factors that, in turn, induce epigenetic changes during embryonic and postnatal brain development. In recent decades, clinical studies have shown that inutero exposure to valproic acid (VPA), a commonly prescribed antiepileptic drug, is an environmental factor associated with an increased risk of ASD. Subsequently, prenatal VPA exposure in rodents has been established as a reliable translational model to study the pathophysiology of ASD, which has helped demonstrate neurobiological changes in rodents, non-human primates, and brain organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. This evidence supports the notion that prenatal VPA exposure is a valid and current model to replicate an idiopathic ASD-like disorder in experimental animals. This review summarizes and describes the current features reported with this animal model of autism and the main neurobiological findings and correlates that help elucidate the pathophysiology of ASD. Finally, we discuss the general framework of the VPA model in comparison to other environmental and genetic ASD models.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Zarate-Lopez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Ana Laura Torres-Chávez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Alma Yadira Gálvez-Contreras
- Department of Neuroscience, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, México
| | - Oscar Gonzalez-Perez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
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10
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Chen CM, Wu CC, Kim Y, Hsu WY, Tsai YC, Chiu SL. Enhancing social behavior in an autism spectrum disorder mouse model: investigating the underlying mechanisms of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum intervention. Gut Microbes 2024; 16:2359501. [PMID: 38841895 PMCID: PMC11164232 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2359501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting over 1% of the global population. Individuals with ASD often exhibit complex behavioral conditions, including significant social difficulties and repetitive behaviors. Moreover, ASD often co-occurs with several other conditions, including intellectual disabilities and anxiety disorders. The etiology of ASD remains largely unknown owing to its complex genetic variations and associated environmental risks. Ultimately, this poses a fundamental challenge for the development of effective ASD treatment strategies. Previously, we demonstrated that daily supplementation with the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PS128 (PS128) alleviates ASD symptoms in children. However, the mechanism underlying this improvement in ASD-associated behaviors remains unclear. Here, we used a well-established ASD mouse model, induced by prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA), to study the physiological roles of PS128 in vivo. Overall, we showed that PS128 selectively ameliorates behavioral abnormalities in social and spatial memory in VPA-induced ASD mice. Morphological examination of dendritic architecture further revealed that PS128 facilitated the restoration of dendritic arborization and spine density in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of ASD mice. Notably, PS128 was crucial for restoring oxytocin levels in the paraventricular nucleus and oxytocin receptor signaling in the hippocampus. Moreover, PS128 alters the gut microbiota composition and increases the abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. and PS128-induced changes in Bifidobacterium abundance positively correlated with PS128-induced behavioral improvements. Together, our results show that PS128 treatment can effectively ameliorate ASD-associated behaviors and reinstate oxytocin levels in VPA-induced mice, thereby providing a promising strategy for the future development of ASD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Ming Chen
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Research and Development Department, Bened Biomedical Co. Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chen Wu
- Research and Development Department, Bened Biomedical Co. Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yebeen Kim
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology and Neuroscience Program of Academia Sinica, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Yu Hsu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology and Neuroscience Program of Academia Sinica, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Chieh Tsai
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Ling Chiu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology and Neuroscience Program of Academia Sinica, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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11
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Zhang W, Zhang M, Xu Z, Yan H, Wang H, Jiang J, Wan J, Tang B, Liu C, Chen C, Meng Q. Human forebrain organoid-based multi-omics analyses of PCCB as a schizophrenia associated gene linked to GABAergic pathways. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5176. [PMID: 37620341 PMCID: PMC10449845 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40861-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying genes whose expression is associated with schizophrenia (SCZ) risk by transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) facilitates downstream experimental studies. Here, we integrated multiple published datasets of TWAS, gene coexpression, and differential gene expression analysis to prioritize SCZ candidate genes for functional study. Convergent evidence prioritized Propionyl-CoA Carboxylase Subunit Beta (PCCB), a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene, as an SCZ risk gene. However, the PCCB's contribution to SCZ risk has not been investigated before. Using dual luciferase reporter assay, we identified that SCZ-associated SNPs rs6791142 and rs35874192, two eQTL SNPs for PCCB, showed differential allelic effects on transcriptional activities. PCCB knockdown in human forebrain organoids (hFOs) followed by RNA sequencing analysis revealed dysregulation of genes enriched with multiple neuronal functions including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic synapse. The metabolomic and mitochondrial function analyses confirmed the decreased GABA levels resulted from inhibited tricarboxylic acid cycle in PCCB knockdown hFOs. Multielectrode array recording analysis showed that PCCB knockdown in hFOs resulted into SCZ-related phenotypes including hyper-neuroactivities and decreased synchronization of neural network. In summary, this study utilized hFOs-based multi-omics analyses and revealed that PCCB downregulation may contribute to SCZ risk through regulating GABAergic pathways, highlighting the mitochondrial function in SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendiao Zhang
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Neurology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhenhong Xu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Neurology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Hongye Yan
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Neurology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Huimin Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Neurology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Jiamei Jiang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Neurology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Juan Wan
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Neurology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Beisha Tang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Neurology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
| | - Chao Chen
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410008, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China.
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China.
| | - Qingtuan Meng
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Neurology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421000, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
- MOE Key Lab of Rare Pediatric Diseases & School of Life Sciences, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
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12
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Walter TJ, Suter RK, Ayad NG. An overview of human single-cell RNA sequencing studies in neurobiological disease. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 184:106201. [PMID: 37321420 PMCID: PMC10470823 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurobiological disorders are highly prevalent medical conditions that contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a technique that measures gene expression in individual cells. In this review, we survey scRNA-seq studies of tissues from patients suffering from neurobiological disease. This includes postmortem human brains and organoids derived from peripheral cells. We highlight a range of conditions, including epilepsy, cognitive disorders, substance use disorders, and mood disorders. These findings provide new insights into neurobiological disease in multiple ways, including discovering novel cell types or subtypes involved in disease, proposing new pathophysiological mechanisms, uncovering novel drug targets, or identifying potential biomarkers. We discuss the quality of these findings and suggest potential future directions and areas open for additional research, including studies of non-cortical brain regions and additional conditions such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and sleeping disorders. We argue that additional scRNA-seq of tissues from patients suffering from neurobiological disease could advance our understanding and treatment of these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Jordan Walter
- Georgetown University, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, 3970 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington D.C. 20007, USA.
| | - Robert K Suter
- Georgetown University, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, 3970 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington D.C. 20007, USA
| | - Nagi G Ayad
- Georgetown University, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, 3970 Reservoir Rd NW, Washington D.C. 20007, USA
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13
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Adlakha YK. Human 3D brain organoids: steering the demolecularization of brain and neurological diseases. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:221. [PMID: 37400464 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01523-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding of human brain development, dysfunction and neurological diseases has remained limited and challenging due to inability to recapitulate human brain-specific features in animal models. Though the anatomy and physiology of the human brain has been understood in a remarkable way using post-mortem, pathological samples of human and animal models, however, modeling of human brain development and neurological diseases remains a challenge owing to distinct complexity of human brain. In this perspective, three-dimensional (3D) brain organoids have shown a beam of light. Tremendous growth in stem cell technologies has permitted the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells under 3D culture conditions into brain organoids, which recapitulate the unique features of human brain in many ways and also offer the detailed investigation of brain development, dysfunction and neurological diseases. Their translational value has also emerged and will benefit the society once the protocols for the upscaling of brain organoids are in place. Here, we summarize new advancements in methods for generation of more complex brain organoids including vascularized and mixed lineage tissue from PSCs. How synthetic biomaterials and microfluidic technology is boosting brain organoid development, has also been highlighted. We discuss the applications of brain organoids in studying preterm birth associated brain dysfunction; viral infections mediated neuroinflammation, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. We also highlight the translational value of brain organoids and current challenges that the field is experiencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogita K Adlakha
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Maternal and Child Health Domain, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India.
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14
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Kilpatrick S, Irwin C, Singh KK. Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) and organoid models of autism: opportunities and limitations. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:217. [PMID: 37344450 PMCID: PMC10284884 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02510-6] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder caused by genetic or environmental perturbations during early development. Diagnoses are dependent on the identification of behavioral abnormalities that likely emerge well after the disorder is established, leaving critical developmental windows uncharacterized. This is further complicated by the incredible clinical and genetic heterogeneity of the disorder that is not captured in most mammalian models. In recent years, advancements in stem cell technology have created the opportunity to model ASD in a human context through the use of pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), which can be used to generate 2D cellular models as well as 3D unguided- and region-specific neural organoids. These models produce profoundly intricate systems, capable of modeling the developing brain spatiotemporally to reproduce key developmental milestones throughout early development. When complemented with multi-omics, genome editing, and electrophysiology analysis, they can be used as a powerful tool to profile the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this complex disorder. In this review, we will explore the recent advancements in hPSC-based modeling, discuss present and future applications of the model to ASD research, and finally consider the limitations and future directions within the field to make this system more robust and broadly applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah Kilpatrick
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Courtney Irwin
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karun K Singh
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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15
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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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16
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Chen A, Wang M, Xu C, Zhao Y, Xian P, Li Y, Zheng W, Yi X, Wu S, Wang Y. Glycolysis mediates neuron specific histone acetylation in valproic acid-induced human excitatory neuron differentiation. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1151162. [PMID: 37089691 PMCID: PMC10118002 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1151162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy exposure of valproic acid (VPA) is widely adopted as a model of environmental factor induced autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Increase of excitatory/inhibitory synaptic transmission ratio has been proposed as the mechanism of VPA induced ASD. How this happened, particularly at the level of excitatory neuron differentiation in human neural progenitor cells (NPCs) remains largely unclear. Here, we report that VPA exposure remarkably inhibited human NPC proliferation and induced excitatory neuronal differentiation without affecting inhibitory neurons. Following VPA treatment, mitochondrial dysfunction was observed before neuronal differentiation, as showed by ultrastructural changes, respiratory complex activity, mitochondrial membrane potential and oxidation levels. Meanwhile, extracellular acidification assay revealed an elevation of glycolysis by VPA stimulation. Interestingly, inhibiting glycolysis by 2-deoxy-d-glucose-6-phosphate (2-DG) efficiently blocked the excitatory neuronal differentiation of human NPCs induced by VPA. Furthermore, 2-DG treatment significantly compromised the VPA-induced expression of H3ac and H3K9ac, and the VPA-induced binding of H3K9ac on the promoter of Ngn2 and Mash1, two key transcription factors of excitatory neuron fate determination. These data, for the first time, demonstrated that VPA biased excitatory neuron differentiation by glycolysis-mediated histone acetylation of neuron specific transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Mengmeng Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chao Xu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Youyi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases and Shaanxi Engineering Research, Center for Dental Materials and Advanced Manufacture, Department of Anesthesiology, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Panpan Xian
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuqian Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Weian Zheng
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- School of Life Sciences and Research Center for Natural Peptide Drugs, Shaanxi Engineering and Technological Research Center for Conversation and Utilization of Regional Biological Resources, Yan’an University, Yan’an, China
| | - Xuyang Yi
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shengxi Wu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- Shengxi Wu,
| | - Yazhou Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- *Correspondence: Yazhou Wang,
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17
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Wang L, Owusu-Hammond C, Sievert D, Gleeson JG. Stem Cell-Based Organoid Models of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:622-631. [PMID: 36759260 PMCID: PMC10022535 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The past decade has seen an explosion in the identification of genetic causes of neurodevelopmental disorders, including Mendelian, de novo, and somatic factors. These discoveries provide opportunities to understand cellular and molecular mechanisms as well as potential gene-gene and gene-environment interactions to support novel therapies. Stem cell-based models, particularly human brain organoids, can capture disease-associated alleles in the context of the human genome, engineered to mirror disease-relevant aspects of cellular complexity and developmental timing. These models have brought key insights into neurodevelopmental disorders as diverse as microcephaly, autism, and focal epilepsy. However, intrinsic organoid-to-organoid variability, low levels of certain brain-resident cell types, and long culture times required to reach maturity can impede progress. Several recent advances incorporate specific morphogen gradients, mixtures of diverse brain cell types, and organoid engraftment into animal models. Together with nonhuman primate organoid comparisons, mechanisms of human neurodevelopmental disorders are emerging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- From the Department of Neuroscience, Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - Charlotte Owusu-Hammond
- From the Department of Neuroscience, Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - David Sievert
- From the Department of Neuroscience, Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - Joseph G Gleeson
- From the Department of Neuroscience, Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California.
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18
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Zhang W, Zhang M, Xu Z, Yan H, Wang H, Jiang J, Wan J, Tang B, Liu C, Chen C, Meng Q. Human forebrain organoids-based multi-omics analyses reveal PCCB's regulation on GABAergic system contributing to schizophrenia. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2674668. [PMID: 37034773 PMCID: PMC10081387 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2674668/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Identifying genes whose expression is associated with schizophrenia (SCZ) risk by transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) facilitates downstream experimental studies. Here, we integrated multiple published datasets of TWAS (including FUSION, PrediXcan, summary-data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR), joint-tissue imputation approach with Mendelian randomization (MR-JTI)), gene coexpression, and differential gene expression analysis to prioritize SCZ candidate genes for functional study. Convergent evidence prioritized Propionyl-CoA Carboxylase Subunit Beta ( PCCB ), a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene, as an SCZ risk gene. However, the PCCB ’s contribution to SCZ risk has not been investigated before. Using dual luciferase reporter assay, we identified that SCZ-associated SNP rs35874192, an eQTL SNP for PCCB , showed differential allelic effects on transcriptional activities. PCCB knockdown in human forebrain organoids (hFOs) followed by RNA-seq revealed dysregulation of genes enriched with multiple neuronal functions including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic synapse, as well as genes dysregulated in postmortem brains of SCZ patients or in cerebral organoids derived from SCZ patients. The metabolomic and mitochondrial function analyses confirmed the deceased GABA levels resulted from reduced tricarboxylic acid cycle in PCCB knockdown hFOs. Multielectrode array recording analysis showed that PCCB knockdown in hFOs resulted into SCZ-related phenotypes including hyper-neuroactivities and decreased synchronization of neural network. In summary, this study utilized hFOs-based multi-omics data and revealed that PCCB downregulation may contribute to SCZ risk through regulating GABAergic system, highlighting the mitochondrial function in SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendiao Zhang
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University
| | - Ming Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University
| | - Zhenhong Xu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China
| | - Hongye Yan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China
| | - Huimin Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China
| | - Jiamei Jiang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China
| | - Juan Wan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China
| | | | | | | | - Qingtuan Meng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China
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19
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Modeling Autism Spectrum Disorders with Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Brain Organoids. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020260. [PMID: 36830629 PMCID: PMC9953447 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders that affect communication and social interactions and present with restricted interests and repetitive behavior patterns. The susceptibility to ASD is strongly influenced by genetic/heritable factors; however, there is still a large gap in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the neurobiology of ASD. Significant progress has been made in identifying ASD risk genes and the possible convergent pathways regulated by these gene networks during development. The breakthrough of cellular reprogramming technology has allowed the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from individuals with syndromic and idiopathic ASD, providing patient-specific cell models for mechanistic studies. In the past decade, protocols for developing brain organoids from these cells have been established, leading to significant advances in the in vitro reproducibility of the early steps of human brain development. Here, we reviewed the most relevant literature regarding the application of brain organoids to the study of ASD, providing the current state of the art, and discussing the impact of such models on the field, limitations, and opportunities for future development.
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20
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Grebenyuk S, Abdel Fattah AR, Kumar M, Toprakhisar B, Rustandi G, Vananroye A, Salmon I, Verfaillie C, Grillo M, Ranga A. Large-scale perfused tissues via synthetic 3D soft microfluidics. Nat Commun 2023; 14:193. [PMID: 36635264 PMCID: PMC9837048 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35619-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The vascularization of engineered tissues and organoids has remained a major unresolved challenge in regenerative medicine. While multiple approaches have been developed to vascularize in vitro tissues, it has thus far not been possible to generate sufficiently dense networks of small-scale vessels to perfuse large de novo tissues. Here, we achieve the perfusion of multi-mm3 tissue constructs by generating networks of synthetic capillary-scale 3D vessels. Our 3D soft microfluidic strategy is uniquely enabled by a 3D-printable 2-photon-polymerizable hydrogel formulation, which allows for precise microvessel printing at scales below the diffusion limit of living tissues. We demonstrate that these large-scale engineered tissues are viable, proliferative and exhibit complex morphogenesis during long-term in-vitro culture, while avoiding hypoxia and necrosis. We show by scRNAseq and immunohistochemistry that neural differentiation is significantly accelerated in perfused neural constructs. Additionally, we illustrate the versatility of this platform by demonstrating long-term perfusion of developing neural and liver tissue. This fully synthetic vascularization platform opens the door to the generation of human tissue models at unprecedented scale and complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei Grebenyuk
- Laboratory of Bioengineering and Morphogenesis, Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Abdel Rahman Abdel Fattah
- Laboratory of Bioengineering and Morphogenesis, Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Stem Cell Institute Leuven and Department of Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Burak Toprakhisar
- Stem Cell Institute Leuven and Department of Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gregorius Rustandi
- Laboratory of Bioengineering and Morphogenesis, Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anja Vananroye
- Laboratory of Soft Matter, Rheology and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Idris Salmon
- Laboratory of Bioengineering and Morphogenesis, Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Catherine Verfaillie
- Stem Cell Institute Leuven and Department of Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mark Grillo
- Grillo Consulting Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Adrian Ranga
- Laboratory of Bioengineering and Morphogenesis, Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Al-Khannaq M, Lytton J. Regulation of K +-Dependent Na +/Ca 2+-Exchangers (NCKX). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010598. [PMID: 36614039 PMCID: PMC9820825 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Potassium-dependent sodium-calcium exchangers (NCKX) have emerged as key determinants of calcium (Ca2+) signaling and homeostasis, especially in environments where ion concentrations undergo large changes, such as excitatory cells and transport epithelia. The regulation of NCKX transporters enables them to respond to the changing cellular environment thereby helping to shape the extent and kinetics of Ca2+ signals. This review examines the current knowledge of the different ways in which NCKX activity can be modulated. These include (i) cellular and dynamic subcellular location (ii); changes in protein expression mediated at the gene, transcript, or protein level (iii); genetic changes resulting in altered protein structure or expression (iv); regulation via changes in substrate concentration (v); and post-translational modification, partner protein interactions, and allosteric regulation. Detailed mechanistic understanding of NCKX regulation is an emerging area of research with the potential to provide important new insights into transporter function, the control of Ca2+ signals, and possible interventions for dysregulated Ca2+ homeostasis.
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Zang Z, Yin H, Du Z, Xie R, Yang L, Cai Y, Wang L, Zhang D, Li X, Liu T, Gong H, Gao J, Yang H, Warner M, Gustafsson JA, Xu H, Fan X. Valproic acid exposure decreases neurogenic potential of outer radial glia in human brain organoids. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1023765. [PMID: 36523605 PMCID: PMC9744776 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1023765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Valproic acid (VPA) exposure during pregnancy leads to a higher risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) susceptibility in offspring. Human dorsal forebrain organoids were used to recapitulate course of cortical neurogenesis in the developing human brain. Combining morphological characterization with massive parallel RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on organoids to analyze the pathogenic effects caused by VPA exposure and critical signaling pathway. We found that VPA exposure in organoids caused a reduction in the size and impairment in the proliferation and expansion of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in a dose-dependent manner. VPA exposure typically decreased the production of outer radial glia-like cells (oRGs), a subtype of NPCs contributing to mammalian neocortical expansion and delayed their fate toward upper-layer neurons. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that VPA exposure influenced ASD risk gene expression in organoids, which markedly overlapped with irregulated genes in brains or organoids originating from ASD patients. We also identified that VPA-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation is essential for sustaining cortical neurogenesis and oRGs output. Taken together, our study establishes the use of dorsal forebrain organoids as an effective platform for modeling VPA-induced teratogenic pathways involved in the cortical neurogenesis and oRGs output, which might contribute to ASD pathogenesis in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenle Zang
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Huachun Yin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Zhulin Du
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Ruxin Xie
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Ling Yang
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Yun Cai
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Liuyongwei Wang
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Tianyao Liu
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Gong
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Junwei Gao
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Margaret Warner
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jan-Ake Gustafsson
- Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Haiwei Xu
- Southwest Hospital and Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaotang Fan
- Department of Developmental Neuropsychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
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