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Burton CL, Longaretti A, Zlatanovic A, Gomes GM, Tonini R. Striatal insights: a cellular and molecular perspective on repetitive behaviors in pathology. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1386715. [PMID: 38601025 PMCID: PMC11004256 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1386715] [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: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals often behave repetitively and predictably. These repetitive behaviors can have a component that is learned and ingrained as habits, which can be evolutionarily advantageous as they reduce cognitive load and the expenditure of attentional resources. Repetitive behaviors can also be conscious and deliberate, and may occur in the absence of habit formation, typically when they are a feature of normal development in children, or neuropsychiatric disorders. They can be considered pathological when they interfere with social relationships and daily activities. For instance, people affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, Huntington's disease and Gilles de la Tourette syndrome can display a wide range of symptoms like compulsive, stereotyped and ritualistic behaviors. The striatum nucleus of the basal ganglia is proposed to act as a master regulator of these repetitive behaviors through its circuit connections with sensorimotor, associative, and limbic areas of the cortex. However, the precise mechanisms within the striatum, detailing its compartmental organization, cellular specificity, and the intricacies of its downstream connections, remain an area of active research. In this review, we summarize evidence across multiple scales, including circuit-level, cellular, and molecular dimensions, to elucidate the striatal mechanisms underpinning repetitive behaviors and offer perspectives on the implicated disorders. We consider the close relationship between behavioral output and transcriptional changes, and thereby structural and circuit alterations, including those occurring through epigenetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Raffaella Tonini
- Neuromodulation of Cortical and Subcortical Circuits Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
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Tener SJ, Lin Z, Park SJ, Oraedu K, Ulgherait M, Van Beek E, Martínez-Muñiz A, Pantalia M, Gatto JA, Volpi J, Stavropoulos N, Ja WW, Canman JC, Shirasu-Hiza M. Neuronal knockdown of Cullin3 as a Drosophila model of autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1541. [PMID: 38233464 PMCID: PMC10794434 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51657-9] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in Cullin-3 (Cul3), a conserved gene encoding a ubiquitin ligase, are strongly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we characterize ASD-related pathologies caused by neuron-specific Cul3 knockdown in Drosophila. We confirmed that neuronal Cul3 knockdown causes short sleep, paralleling sleep disturbances in ASD. Because sleep defects and ASD are linked to metabolic dysregulation, we tested the starvation response of neuronal Cul3 knockdown flies; they starved faster and had lower triacylglyceride levels than controls, suggesting defects in metabolic homeostasis. ASD is also characterized by increased biomarkers of oxidative stress; we found that neuronal Cul3 knockdown increased sensitivity to hyperoxia, an exogenous oxidative stress. Additional hallmarks of ASD are deficits in social interactions and learning. Using a courtship suppression assay that measures social interactions and memory of prior courtship, we found that neuronal Cul3 knockdown reduced courtship and learning compared to controls. Finally, we found that neuronal Cul3 depletion alters the anatomy of the mushroom body, a brain region required for memory and sleep. Taken together, the ASD-related phenotypes of neuronal Cul3 knockdown flies establish these flies as a genetic model to study molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying ASD pathology, including metabolic and oxidative stress dysregulation and neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Tener
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Zhi Lin
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Scarlet J Park
- Department of Neuroscience, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Kairaluchi Oraedu
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Matthew Ulgherait
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Emily Van Beek
- Waksman Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Andrés Martínez-Muñiz
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Meghan Pantalia
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Jared A Gatto
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Julia Volpi
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | | | - William W Ja
- Department of Neuroscience, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Julie C Canman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Mimi Shirasu-Hiza
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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Gao N, Liu Z, Wang H, Shen C, Dong Z, Cui W, Xiong WC, Mei L. Deficiency of Cullin 3, a Protein Encoded by a Schizophrenia and Autism Risk Gene, Impairs Behaviors by Enhancing the Excitability of Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) DA Neurons. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6249-6267. [PMID: 37558490 PMCID: PMC10490515 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0247-23.2023] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The dopaminergic neuromodulator system is fundamental to brain functions. Abnormal dopamine (DA) pathway is implicated in psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia (SZ) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Mutations in Cullin 3 (CUL3), a core component of the Cullin-RING ubiquitin E3 ligase complex, have been associated with SZ and ASD. However, little is known about the function and mechanism of CUL3 in the DA system. Here, we show that CUL3 is critical for the function of DA neurons and DA-relevant behaviors in male mice. CUL3-deficient mice exhibited hyperactive locomotion, deficits in working memory and sensorimotor gating, and increased sensitivity to psychostimulants. In addition, enhanced DA signaling and elevated excitability of the VTA DA neurons were observed in CUL3-deficient animals. Behavioral impairments were attenuated by dopamine D2 receptor antagonist haloperidol and chemogenetic inhibition of DA neurons. Furthermore, we identified HCN2, a hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic nucleotide-gated channel, as a potential target of CUL3 in DA neurons. Our study indicates that CUL3 controls DA neuronal activity by maintaining ion channel homeostasis and provides insight into the role of CUL3 in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study provides evidence that Cullin 3 (CUL3), a core component of the Cullin-RING ubiquitin E3 ligase complex that has been associated with autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, controls the excitability of dopamine (DA) neurons in mice. Its DA-specific heterozygous deficiency increased spontaneous locomotion, impaired working memory and sensorimotor gating, and elevated response to psychostimulants. We showed that CUL3 deficiency increased the excitability of VTA DA neurons, and inhibiting D2 receptor or DA neuronal activity attenuated behavioral deficits of CUL3-deficient mice. We found HCN2, a hyperpolarization-activated channel, as a target of CUL3 in DA neurons. Our findings reveal CUL3's role in DA neurons and offer insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannan Gao
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Zhipeng Liu
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Hongsheng Wang
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Chen Shen
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Zhaoqi Dong
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Wanpeng Cui
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Wen-Cheng Xiong
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
| | - Lin Mei
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
- Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
- Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Beijing, China 100069
- Capital Medical University, Beijing, China 100069
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Lin P, Yang J, Wu S, Ye T, Zhuang W, Wang W, Tan T. Current trends of high-risk gene Cul3 in neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1215110. [PMID: 37575562 PMCID: PMC10416632 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1215110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cul3 encodes Cullin-3, a core component of the ubiquitin E3 ligase that is involved in protein ubiquitination. Recent studies have identified Cul3 as a high-confidence risk gene in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), especially autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Different strategies have been used to generate animal models with Cul3 deficiency in the central nervous system, including whole-brain knockout (KO), cell-type specific conditional KO (cKO), and brain region-specific knockdown. In this review, we revisited the basic properties of CUL3 and its function under physiological and pathological conditions. Recent clinical studies including case reports and large cohort sequencing studies related to CUl3 in NDDs have been summarized. Moreover, we characterized the behavioral, electrophysiological, and molecular changes in newly developed Cul3 deficiency models. This would guide further studies related to Cul3 in CNS and provide potential therapeutic targets for Cul3-deficiency-induced NDDs, including ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Lin
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shumin Wu
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tong Ye
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenting Zhuang
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Tao Tan
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Ji Q, Li SJ, Zhao JB, Xiong Y, Du XH, Wang CX, Lu LM, Tan JY, Zhu ZR. Genetic and neural mechanisms of sleep disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder: a review. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1079683. [PMID: 37200906 PMCID: PMC10185750 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1079683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The incidence of sleep disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is very high. Sleep disorders can exacerbate the development of ASD and impose a heavy burden on families and society. The pathological mechanism of sleep disorders in autism is complex, but gene mutations and neural abnormalities may be involved. Methods In this review, we examined literature addressing the genetic and neural mechanisms of sleep disorders in children with ASD. The databases PubMed and Scopus were searched for eligible studies published between 2013 and 2023. Results Prolonged awakenings of children with ASD may be caused by the following processes. Mutations in the MECP2, VGAT and SLC6A1 genes can decrease GABA inhibition on neurons in the locus coeruleus, leading to hyperactivity of noradrenergic neurons and prolonged awakenings in children with ASD. Mutations in the HRH1, HRH2, and HRH3 genes heighten the expression of histamine receptors in the posterior hypothalamus, potentially intensifying histamine's ability to promote arousal. Mutations in the KCNQ3 and PCDH10 genes cause atypical modulation of amygdala impact on orexinergic neurons, potentially causing hyperexcitability of the hypothalamic orexin system. Mutations in the AHI1, ARHGEF10, UBE3A, and SLC6A3 genes affect dopamine synthesis, catabolism, and reuptake processes, which can elevate dopamine concentrations in the midbrain. Secondly, non-rapid eye movement sleep disorder is closely related to the lack of butyric acid, iron deficiency and dysfunction of the thalamic reticular nucleus induced by PTCHD1 gene alterations. Thirdly, mutations in the HTR2A, SLC6A4, MAOA, MAOB, TPH2, VMATs, SHANK3, and CADPS2 genes induce structural and functional abnormalities of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and amygdala, which may disturb REM sleep. In addition, the decrease in melatonin levels caused by ASMT, MTNR1A, and MTNR1B gene mutations, along with functional abnormalities of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, may lead to abnormal sleep-wake rhythm transitions. Conclusion Our review revealed that the functional and structural abnormalities of sleep-wake related neural circuits induced by gene mutations are strongly correlated with sleep disorders in children with ASD. Exploring the neural mechanisms of sleep disorders and the underlying genetic pathology in children with ASD is significant for further studies of therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Ji
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Si-Jia Li
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun-Bo Zhao
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yun Xiong
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Du
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chun-Xiang Wang
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li-Ming Lu
- College of Educational Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing-Yao Tan
- College of Educational Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhi-Ru Zhu
- Department of Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Zhi-Ru Zhu,
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