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Salerno JA, Rehen S. Human pluripotent stem cells as a translational toolkit in psychedelic research in vitro. iScience 2024; 27:109631. [PMID: 38628967 PMCID: PMC11019282 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Psychedelics, recognized for their impact on perception, are resurging as promising treatments with rapid onset for mood and substance use disorders. Despite increasing evidence from clinical trials, questions persist about the cellular and molecular mechanisms and their precise correlation with treatment outcomes. Murine neurons and immortalized non-neural cell lines harboring overexpressed constructs have shed light on neuroplastic changes mediated by the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) as the primary mechanism. However, limitations exist in capturing human- and disease-specific traits. Here, we discuss current accomplishments and prospects for incorporating human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) to complement these models. PSCs can differentiate into various brain cell types, mirroring endogenous expression patterns and cell identities to recreate disease phenotypes. Brain organoids derived from PSCs resemble cell diversity and patterning, while region-specific organoids simulate circuit-level phenotypes. PSC-based models hold significant promise to illuminate the cellular and molecular substrates of psychedelic-induced phenotypic recovery in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Alexandre Salerno
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Morphological Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Biomedical Institute, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Stevens Rehen
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Usona Institute, Fitchburg, WI, USA
- Promega Corporation, Madison, WI, USA
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2
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Gameiro‐Ros I, Popova D, Prytkova I, Pang ZP, Liu Y, Dick D, Bucholz KK, Agrawal A, Porjesz B, Goate AM, Xuei X, Kamarajan C, Tischfield JA, Edenberg HJ, Slesinger PA, Hart RP. 5. Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism: Functional genomics. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12855. [PMID: 37533187 PMCID: PMC10550792 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder is a complex genetic disorder, involving genetic, neural, and environmental factors, and their interactions. The Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) has been investigating these factors and identified putative alcohol use disorder risk genes through genome-wide association studies. In this review, we describe advances made by COGA in elucidating the functional changes induced by alcohol use disorder risk genes using multimodal approaches with human cell lines and brain tissue. These studies involve investigating gene regulation in lymphoblastoid cells from COGA participants and in post-mortem brain tissues. High throughput reporter assays are being used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms in which alternate alleles differ in driving gene expression. Specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (both coding or noncoding) have been modeled using induced pluripotent stem cells derived from COGA participants to evaluate the effects of genetic variants on transcriptomics, neuronal excitability, synaptic physiology, and the response to ethanol in human neurons from individuals with and without alcohol use disorder. We provide a perspective on future studies, such as using polygenic risk scores and populations of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to identify signaling pathways related with responses to alcohol. Starting with genes or loci associated with alcohol use disorder, COGA has demonstrated that integration of multimodal data within COGA participants and functional studies can reveal mechanisms linking genomic variants with alcohol use disorder, and potential targets for future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Gameiro‐Ros
- Nash Family Department of NeuroscienceIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Dina Popova
- Human Genetics Institute of New JerseyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Iya Prytkova
- Nash Family Department of NeuroscienceIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Zhiping P. Pang
- Human Genetics Institute of New JerseyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey and Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNew JerseyUSA
| | - Yunlong Liu
- Department of Medical and Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Danielle Dick
- Rutgers Addiction Research Center, Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Kathleen K. Bucholz
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesSUNY Downstate Health Sciences UniversityBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | - Alison M. Goate
- Nash Family Department of NeuroscienceIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Xiaoling Xuei
- Department of Medical and Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesSUNY Downstate Health Sciences UniversityBrooklynNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Jay A. Tischfield
- Human Genetics Institute of New JerseyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
- Department of GeneticsRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Howard J. Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Department of Medical and Molecular GeneticsIndiana UniversityIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Paul A. Slesinger
- Nash Family Department of NeuroscienceIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Ronald P. Hart
- Human Genetics Institute of New JerseyRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
- Department of Cell Biology and NeuroscienceRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
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3
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Abstract
Diseases associated with nicotine dependence in the form of habitual tobacco use are a major cause of premature death in the United States. The majority of tobacco smokers will relapse within the first month of attempted abstinence. Smoking cessation agents increase the likelihood that smokers can achieve long-term abstinence. Nevertheless, currently available smoking cessation agents have limited utility and fail to prevent relapse in the majority of smokers. Pharmacotherapy is therefore an effective strategy to aid smoking cessation efforts but considerable risk of relapse persists even when the most efficacious medications currently available are used. The past decade has seen major breakthroughs in our understanding of the molecular, cellular, and systems-level actions of nicotine in the brain that contribute to the development and maintenance of habitual tobacco use. In parallel, large-scale human genetics studies have revealed allelic variants that influence vulnerability to tobacco use disorder. These advances have revealed targets for the development of novel smoking cessation agents. Here, we summarize current efforts to develop smoking cessation therapeutics and highlight opportunities for future efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Lengel
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Paul J. Kenny
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Drug Discovery Institute (DDI), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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4
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Ruan S, Xie J, Wang L, Guo L, Li Y, Fan W, Ji R, Gong Z, Xu Y, Mao J, Xie J. Nicotine alleviates MPTP-induced nigrostriatal damage through modulation of JNK and ERK signaling pathways in the mice model of Parkinson's disease. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1088957. [PMID: 36817162 PMCID: PMC9932206 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1088957] [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: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Nicotine (Nic) has previously been proven to reduce neurodegeneration in the models of Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study is intended to investigate the detailed mechanisms related to the potential neuroprotective effects of Nic in vivo. Methods: We established a PD model using 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced C57BL6 mice (25 mg/kg/d, 5 d, i.p.) to investigate the neuropharmacological modulation of Nic pretreatment (2.5 mg/kg/d, 5 d, i.p., 30 min before MPTP injection) from the perspectives of neurobehavioral assessment, the pathological alterations, microglial cell inflammation and MAPK signaling pathways in specific brain regions. Results: The open field test, elevated plus maze, rotarod and traction test suggested that Nic pretreatment could significantly improve MPTP-induced motor impairment and had an anxiolytic effect. Nic was found to improve neuroapoptosis, enhance tyrosine hydroxylase activity, and reduce the accumulation of the phosphorylated α-synuclein in the substantia nigra and striatal regions of PD mice by TUNEL and immunohistochemical assays. Immuno-fluorescent method for labeling Iba1 and CD68 indicated that Nic remarkably alleviates the activation of microglia which represents the M1 polarization state in the mice brain under MPTP stimulation. No significant difference in the expression of p38/MAPK pathway was found in the nigrostriatal regions, while Nic could significantly inhibit the elevated p-JNK/JNK ratio and increase the declined p-ERK/ERK ratio in the substantia nigra of MPTP-exposed brains, which was further confirmed by the pretreatment of CYP2A5 inhibitor to decline the metabolic activity of Nic. Discussion: The molecular signaling mechanism by which Nic exerts its neuroprotective effects against PD may be achieved by regulating the JNK and ERK signaling pathways in the nigra-striatum related brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Ruan
- Flavour Science Research Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China,Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jiqing Xie
- Technology and Research Center, China Tobacco Jiangsu Industrial Co., Ltd.,, Nanjing, China
| | - Linhai Wang
- Flavour Science Research Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Lulu Guo
- Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yan Li
- Flavour Science Research Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wu Fan
- Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Rongzhan Ji
- Technology and Research Center, China Tobacco Jiangsu Industrial Co., Ltd.,, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhenlin Gong
- Technology and Research Center, China Tobacco Jiangsu Industrial Co., Ltd.,, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yan Xu, ; Jian Mao,
| | - Jian Mao
- Flavour Science Research Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China,Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yan Xu, ; Jian Mao,
| | - Jianping Xie
- Flavour Science Research Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China,Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, China
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5
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Gabriel R, Boreland AJ, Pang ZP. Whole Cell Patch Clamp Electrophysiology in Human Neuronal Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2683:259-273. [PMID: 37300782 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3287-1_21] [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] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Whole cell patch clamp recording techniques are commonly used to assay membrane excitability, ion channel function, and synaptic activity in neurons. However, assaying these functional properties of human neurons remains difficult because of the difficulty in obtaining human neuronal cells. Recent advents in stem cell biology, especially the development of the induced pluripotent stem cells, made it possible to generate human neuronal cells in both 2-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures and 3D brain-organoid cultures. Here, we describe the whole cell patch clamp methods of recording neuronal physiology from human neuronal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Gabriel
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Andrew J Boreland
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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6
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Brynildsen JK, Yang K, Lemchi C, Dani JA, De Biasi M, Blendy JA. A common SNP in Chrna5 enhances morphine reward in female mice. Neuropharmacology 2022; 218:109218. [PMID: 35973602 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109218] [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: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) D398N (rs16969968) in CHRNA5, the gene encoding the α5 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR), has been associated with both nicotine and opiate dependence in human populations. Expression of this SNP on presynaptic VTA dopaminergic (DA) neurons is known to cause a reduction in calcium signaling, leading to alterations in transmitter signaling and altered responses to drugs of abuse. To examine the impact of the Chrna5 SNP on opiate reward and underlying dopaminergic mechanisms, mice harboring two copies of the risk-associated allele (Chrna5 A/A) at a location equivalent to human rs16969968 were generated via CRISPR/cas9 genome editing. We sought to determine whether Chrna5 A/A mice show differences in sensitivity to rewarding properties of morphine using the conditioned place preference paradigm. When mice were tested two weeks after conditioning, female Chrna5 A/A mice showed significantly enhanced preference for the morphine-paired chamber relative to WT females, suggesting that this genotype may enhance opioid reward specifically in females. In contrast, Chrna5 genotype had no effect on locomotor sensitization in male or female mice. Relative to WT females, peak amplitude of ACh-gated currents recorded from VTA DA neurons in Chrna5 A/A females was potentiated 1 day after conditioning with morphine. Increased FOS expression was also observed in Chrna5 A/A mice relative to WT mice following exposure to the morphine CPP chamber. We propose that impaired α5 nAChR subunit function alters DA neuron response following repeated morphine exposures, and that this early cellular response could contribute to enhanced opiate reward two weeks after conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Crystal Lemchi
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, USA
| | | | - Mariella De Biasi
- Department of Neuroscience, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, USA.
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7
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SONG XUAN, GAO HAIYUN, HERRUP KARL, HART RONALDP. Optimized splitting of mixed-species RNA sequencing data. J Bioinform Comput Biol 2022; 20:2250001. [PMID: 34991436 PMCID: PMC9081140 DOI: 10.1142/s0219720022500019] [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] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Gene expression studies using xenograft transplants or co-culture systems, usually with mixed human and mouse cells, have proven to be valuable to uncover cellular dynamics during development or in disease models. However, the mRNA sequence similarities among species presents a challenge for accurate transcript quantification. To identify optimal strategies for analyzing mixed-species RNA sequencing data, we evaluate both alignment-dependent and alignment-independent methods. Alignment of reads to a pooled reference index is effective, particularly if optimal alignments are used to classify sequencing reads by species, which are re-aligned with individual genomes, generating [Formula: see text] accuracy across a range of species ratios. Alignment-independent methods, such as convolutional neural networks, which extract the conserved patterns of sequences from two species, classify RNA sequencing reads with over 85% accuracy. Importantly, both methods perform well with different ratios of human and mouse reads. While non-alignment strategies successfully partitioned reads by species, a more traditional approach of mixed-genome alignment followed by optimized separation of reads proved to be the more successful with lower error rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- XUAN SONG
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - HAI YUN GAO
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - KARL HERRUP
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - RONALD P. HART
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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8
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Guo H, Liu L, Nishiga M, Cong L, Wu JC. Deciphering pathogenicity of variants of uncertain significance with CRISPR-edited iPSCs. Trends Genet 2021; 37:1109-1123. [PMID: 34509299 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variants play an important role in conferring risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). With the rapid development of next-generation sequencing (NGS), thousands of genetic variants associated with CVDs have been identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), but the function of more than 40% of genetic variants is still unknown. This gap of knowledge is a barrier to the clinical application of the genetic information. However, determining the pathogenicity of a variant of uncertain significance (VUS) is challenging due to the lack of suitable model systems and accessible technologies. By combining clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), unprecedented advances are now possible in determining the pathogenicity of VUS in CVDs. Here, we summarize recent progress and new strategies in deciphering pathogenic variants for CVDs using CRISPR-edited human iPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongchao Guo
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lichao Liu
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Masataka Nishiga
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Le Cong
- Department of Pathology and Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Joseph C Wu
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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Brynildsen JK, Blendy JA. Linking the CHRNA5 SNP to drug abuse liability: From circuitry to cellular mechanisms. Neuropharmacology 2021; 186:108480. [PMID: 33539855 PMCID: PMC7958463 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Genetics are known to be a significant risk factor for drug abuse. In human populations, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) D398N in the gene CHRNA5 has been associated with addiction to nicotine, opioids, cocaine, and alcohol. In this paper, we review findings from studies in humans, rodent models, and cell lines and provide evidence that collectively suggests that the Chrna5 SNP broadly influences the response to drugs of abuse in a manner that is not substance-specific. This finding has important implications for our understanding of the role of the cholinergic system in reward and addiction vulnerability. This article is part of the special issue on 'Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse.'
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K Brynildsen
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julie A Blendy
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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10
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Scholze P, Huck S. The α5 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subunit Differentially Modulates α4β2 * and α3β4 * Receptors. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 12:607959. [PMID: 33343327 PMCID: PMC7744819 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.607959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotine, the principal reinforcing compound in tobacco, acts in the brain by activating neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). This review summarizes our current knowledge regarding how the α5 accessory nAChR subunit, encoded by the CHRNA5 gene, differentially modulates α4β2* and α3β4* receptors at the cellular level. Genome-wide association studies have linked a gene cluster in chromosomal region 15q25 to increased susceptibility to nicotine addiction, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and peripheral arterial disease. Interestingly, this gene cluster contains a non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the human CHRNA5 gene, causing an aspartic acid (D) to asparagine (N) substitution at amino acid position 398 in the α5 nAChR subunit. Although other SNPs have been associated with tobacco smoking behavior, efforts have focused predominantly on the D398 and N398 variants in the α5 subunit. In recent years, significant progress has been made toward understanding the role that the α5 nAChR subunit—and the role of the D398 and N398 variants—plays on nAChR function at the cellular level. These insights stem primarily from a wide range of experimental models, including receptors expressed heterologously in Xenopus oocytes, various cell lines, and neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), as well as endogenous receptors in genetically engineered mice and—more recently—rats. Despite providing a wealth of available data, however, these studies have yielded conflicting results, and our understanding of the modulatory role that the α5 subunit plays remains incomplete. Here, we review these reports and the various techniques used for expression and analysis in order to examine how the α5 subunit modulates key functions in α4β2* and α3β4* receptors, including receptor trafficking, sensitivity, efficacy, and desensitization. In addition, we highlight the strikingly different role that the α5 subunit plays in Ca2+ signaling between α4β2* and α3β4* receptors, and we discuss whether the N398 α5 subunit variant can partially replace the D398 variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Scholze
- Department of Pathobiology of the Nervous System, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sigismund Huck
- Department of Pathobiology of the Nervous System, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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11
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Scarnati MS, Boreland AJ, Joel M, Hart RP, Pang ZP. Differential sensitivity of human neurons carrying μ opioid receptor (MOR) N40D variants in response to ethanol. Alcohol 2020; 87:97-109. [PMID: 32561311 PMCID: PMC7958146 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The acute and chronic effects of alcohol on the brain and behavior are linked to alterations in inhibitory synaptic transmission. Alcohol's most consistent effect at the synaptic level is probably a facilitation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release, as seen from several rodent studies. The impact of alcohol on GABAergic neurotransmission in human neurons is unknown, due to a lack of a suitable experimental model. Human neurons can also be used to model effects of genetic variants linked with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). The A118G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs1799971) of the OPRM1 gene encoding the N40D (D40 minor allele) mu-opioid receptor (MOR) variant has been linked with individuals who have an AUD. However, while N40D is clearly associated with other drugs of abuse, involvement with AUDs is controversial. In this study, we employed Ascl1-and Dlx2-induced inhibitory neuronal cells (AD-iNs) generated from human iPS cell lines carrying N40D variants, and investigated the impact of ethanol acutely and chronically on GABAergic synaptic transmission. We found that N40 AD-iNs display a stronger facilitation (versus D40) of spontaneous and miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current frequency in response to acute ethanol application. Quantitative immunocytochemistry of Synapsin 1+ synaptic puncta revealed a similar synapse number between N40 and D40 iNs, suggesting an ethanol modulation of presynaptic GABA release without affecting synapse density. Interestingly, D40 iNs exposed to chronic intermittent ethanol application caused a significant increase in mIPSC frequency, with only a modest enhancement observed in N40 iNs. These data suggest that the MOR genotype may confer differential sensitivity to synaptic output, which depends on ethanol exposure time and concentration for AD-iNs and may help explain alcohol dependence in individuals who carry the MOR D40 SNPs. Furthermore, this study supports the use of human neuronal cells carrying risk-associated genetic variants linked to disease, as in vitro models to assay the synaptic actions of alcohol on human neuronal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Scarnati
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Andrew J Boreland
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Marisa Joel
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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Lieberman R, Jensen KP, Clinton K, Levine ES, Kranzler HR, Covault J. Molecular Correlates of Topiramate and GRIK1 rs2832407 Genotype in Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Cultures. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:1561-1570. [PMID: 32574382 PMCID: PMC7491603 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing evidence that the anticonvulsant topiramate is efficacious in reducing alcohol consumption. Further, an intronic single nucleotide polymorphism (rs2832407, C A) in the GRIK1 gene, which encodes the GluK1 subunit of the excitatory kainate receptor, predicted topiramate's effectiveness in reducing heavy drinking in a clinical trial. The molecular correlates of GRIK1 genotype that may relate to topiramate's ability to reduce drinking remain unknown. METHODS We differentiated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) characterized by GRIK1 rs2832407 genotype from 8 A/A and 8 C/C donors into forebrain-lineage neural cultures. Our differentiation protocol yielded mixed neural cultures enriched for glutamatergic neurons. Basal mRNA expression of the GRIK1 locus was examined via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The effects of acute topiramate exposure on excitatory spontaneous synaptic activity were examined via whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. Results were compared and contrasted between iPSC donor genotypes. RESULTS Although characterization of the GRIK1 locus revealed no effect of rs2832407 genotype on GRIK1 isoform mRNA expression, a significant difference was observed on GRIK1 antisense-2 expression, which was greater in C/C neural cultures. Differential effects of acute exposure to 5 μM topiramate were observed on spontaneous synaptic activity in A/A versus C/C neurons, with a smaller reduction in excitatory event frequency observed in C/C donor neurons. CONCLUSIONS This work highlights the use of iPSC technologies to study pharmacogenetic treatment effects in psychiatric disorders and furthers our understanding of the molecular effects of topiramate exposure in human neural cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lieberman
- Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030-1410
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA 06030
| | - Kevin P. Jensen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516
| | - Kaitlin Clinton
- Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030-1410
| | - Eric S. Levine
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA 06030
| | - Henry R. Kranzler
- Center for Studies of Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- VISN4 MIRECC, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Jonathan Covault
- Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030-1410
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13
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Icick R, Forget B, Cloëz-Tayarani I, Pons S, Maskos U, Besson M. Genetic susceptibility to nicotine addiction: Advances and shortcomings in our understanding of the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster contribution. Neuropharmacology 2020; 177:108234. [PMID: 32738310 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, robust human genetic findings have been instrumental in elucidating the heritable basis of nicotine addiction (NA). They highlight coding and synonymous polymorphisms in a cluster on chromosome 15, encompassing the CHRNA5, CHRNA3 and CHRNB4 genes, coding for three subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). They have inspired an important number of preclinical studies, and will hopefully lead to the definition of novel drug targets for treating NA. Here, we review these candidate gene and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and their direct implication in human brain function and NA-related phenotypes. We continue with a description of preclinical work in transgenic rodents that has led to a mechanistic understanding of several of the genetic hits. We also highlight important issues with regards to CHRNA3 and CHRNB4 where we are still lacking a dissection of their role in NA, including even in preclinical models. We further emphasize the use of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived models for the analysis of synonymous and intronic variants on a human genomic background. Finally, we indicate potential avenues to further our understanding of the role of this human genetic variation. This article is part of the special issue on 'Contemporary Advances in Nicotine Neuropharmacology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Icick
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; Département de Psychiatrie et de Médecine Addictologique, Groupe Hospitalier Saint-Louis, Lariboisière, Fernand Widal, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75010, France; INSERM UMR-S1144, Paris, F-75006, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France
| | - Benoît Forget
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Isabelle Cloëz-Tayarani
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France
| | - Stéphanie Pons
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France
| | - Uwe Maskos
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France
| | - Morgane Besson
- Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR3571, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France; FHU "NOR-SUD", Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, F-75001, France.
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14
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Addiction associated N40D mu-opioid receptor variant modulates synaptic function in human neurons. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:1406-1419. [PMID: 31481756 PMCID: PMC7051890 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0507-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The OPRM1 A118G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs1799971) gene variant encoding the N40D µ-opioid receptor (MOR) has been associated with dependence on opiates and other drugs of abuse but its mechanism is unknown. The frequency of G-allele carriers is ~40% in Asians, ~16% in Europeans, and ~3% in African-Americans. With opioid abuse-related deaths rising at unprecedented rates, understanding these mechanisms may provide a path to therapy. Here we generated homozygous N40D subject-specific induced inhibitory neuronal cells (iNs) from seven human-induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines from subjects of European descent (both male and female) and probed the impact of N40D MOR regulation on synaptic transmission. We found that D40 iNs exhibit consistently stronger suppression (versus N40) of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) across multiple subjects. To mitigate the confounding effects of background genetic variation on neuronal function, the regulatory effects of MORs on synaptic transmission were recapitulated in two sets of independently engineered isogenic N40D iNs. In addition, we employed biochemical analysis and observed differential N-linked glycosylation of human MOR N40D. This study identifies neurophysiological and molecular differences between human MOR variants that may predict altered opioid responsivity and/or dependence in this subset of individuals.
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15
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McNeill RV, Ziegler GC, Radtke F, Nieberler M, Lesch KP, Kittel-Schneider S. Mental health dished up-the use of iPSC models in neuropsychiatric research. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2020; 127:1547-1568. [PMID: 32377792 PMCID: PMC7578166 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-020-02197-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Genetic and molecular mechanisms that play a causal role in mental illnesses are challenging to elucidate, particularly as there is a lack of relevant in vitro and in vivo models. However, the advent of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has provided researchers with a novel toolbox. We conducted a systematic review using the PRISMA statement. A PubMed and Web of Science online search was performed (studies published between 2006–2020) using the following search strategy: hiPSC OR iPSC OR iPS OR stem cells AND schizophrenia disorder OR personality disorder OR antisocial personality disorder OR psychopathy OR bipolar disorder OR major depressive disorder OR obsessive compulsive disorder OR anxiety disorder OR substance use disorder OR alcohol use disorder OR nicotine use disorder OR opioid use disorder OR eating disorder OR anorexia nervosa OR attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder OR gaming disorder. Using the above search criteria, a total of 3515 studies were found. After screening, a final total of 56 studies were deemed eligible for inclusion in our study. Using iPSC technology, psychiatric disease can be studied in the context of a patient’s own unique genetic background. This has allowed great strides to be made into uncovering the etiology of psychiatric disease, as well as providing a unique paradigm for drug testing. However, there is a lack of data for certain psychiatric disorders and several limitations to present iPSC-based studies, leading us to discuss how this field may progress in the next years to increase its utility in the battle to understand psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhiannon V McNeill
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Georg C Ziegler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Radtke
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Nieberler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Kittel-Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
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16
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Maskos U. The nicotinic receptor alpha5 coding polymorphism rs16969968 as a major target in disease: Functional dissection and remaining challenges. J Neurochem 2020; 154:241-250. [PMID: 32078158 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are major signalling molecules in the central and peripheral nervous system. Over the last decade, they have been linked to a number of major human psychiatric and neurological conditions, like smoking, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and many others. Human Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) have robustly identified genetic alterations at a locus of chromosome 15q to several of these diseases. In this review, we discuss a major coding polymorphism in the alpha5 subunit, referred to as α5SNP, and its functional dissection in vitro and in vivo. Its presence at high frequency in many human populations lends itself to pharmaceutical intervention in the context of 'positive allosteric modulators' (PAMs). We will present the prospects of this novel treatment, and the remaining challenges to identify suitable molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Maskos
- Department of Neuroscience, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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17
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Fantuzzo JA, Robles DA, Mirabella VR, Hart RP, Pang ZP, Zahn JD. Development of a high-throughput arrayed neural circuitry platform using human induced neurons for drug screening applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:1140-1152. [PMID: 32064487 PMCID: PMC7339603 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc01179j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Proper brain function relies on the precise arrangement and flow of information between diverse neural subtypes. Developing improved human cell-based models which faithfully mimic biologically relevant connectivity patterns may improve drug screening efforts given the limited success of animal models to predict safety and efficacy of therapeutics in human clinical trials. To address this need, we have developed experimental models of defined neural circuitries through the compartmentalization of neuronal cell subtypes in a 96 well plate-based platform where each microwell is divided into two compartments connected by microchannels allowing high-throughput screening (HTS) of small molecules. We demonstrate that we can generate subtype-specific excitatory and inhibitory induced neuronal cells (iNs) from human stem cell lines and that these neurons form robust functional circuits with defined connectivity. Through the use of the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP6f, we monitor calcium ion transients generated during neuronal firing between and within compartments. We further demonstrate functionality of the circuit by perturbing network activity through the addition of glutamate receptor blockers using automated liquid handling. Lastly, we show that we can stimulate network activity in defined neuronal subtypes through the expression of the designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) hM3Dq and application of the ligand clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). Our results demonstrate the formation of functional neural circuits in a high-throughput platform that is compatible with compound screening, representing an important step towards developing new screening platforms for studying and ultimately treating psychiatric brain disorders that arise from disordered neural circuit function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Fantuzzo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. and Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Denise A Robles
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
| | - Vincent R Mirabella
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA and Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, 675 Hoes Lane West, Research Tower, Third Floor, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA and Pediatrics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, One Robert Wood Johnson Place, MEB Third, PO Box 19, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA and Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, 675 Hoes Lane West, Research Tower, Third Floor, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA and Pediatrics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, One Robert Wood Johnson Place, MEB Third, PO Box 19, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Zahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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18
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Logan S, Arzua T, Canfield SG, Seminary ER, Sison SL, Ebert AD, Bai X. Studying Human Neurological Disorders Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: From 2D Monolayer to 3D Organoid and Blood Brain Barrier Models. Compr Physiol 2019; 9:565-611. [PMID: 30873582 PMCID: PMC6705133 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c180025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neurological disorders have emerged as a predominant healthcare concern in recent years due to their severe consequences on quality of life and prevalence throughout the world. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of these diseases and the interactions between different brain cell types is essential for the development of new therapeutics. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are invaluable tools for neurological disease modeling, as they have unlimited self-renewal and differentiation capacity. Mounting evidence shows: (i) various brain cells can be generated from iPSCs in two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures; and (ii) further advances in 3D culture systems have led to the differentiation of iPSCs into organoids with multiple brain cell types and specific brain regions. These 3D organoids have gained widespread attention as in vitro tools to recapitulate complex features of the brain, and (iii) complex interactions between iPSC-derived brain cell types can recapitulate physiological and pathological conditions of blood-brain barrier (BBB). As iPSCs can be generated from diverse patient populations, researchers have effectively applied 2D, 3D, and BBB models to recapitulate genetically complex neurological disorders and reveal novel insights into molecular and genetic mechanisms of neurological disorders. In this review, we describe recent progress in the generation of 2D, 3D, and BBB models from iPSCs and further discuss their limitations, advantages, and future ventures. This review also covers the current status of applications of 2D, 3D, and BBB models in drug screening, precision medicine, and modeling a wide range of neurological diseases (e.g., neurodegenerative diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, brain injury, and neuropsychiatric disorders). © 2019 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 9:565-611, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Logan
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Thiago Arzua
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Scott G. Canfield
- Department of Cellular & Integrative Physiology, IU School of Medicine-Terre Haute, Terre Haute, IN, USA
| | - Emily R. Seminary
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Samantha L. Sison
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Allison D. Ebert
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Xiaowen Bai
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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19
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Scarnati MS, Halikere A, Pang ZP. Using human stem cells as a model system to understand the neural mechanisms of alcohol use disorders: Current status and outlook. Alcohol 2019; 74:83-93. [PMID: 30087005 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorders (AUDs), which include alcohol abuse and dependence, are among the most common types of neuropsychiatric disorders in the United States (U.S.). Approximately 14% of the U.S. population is affected in a single year, thus placing a tremendous burden on individuals from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Animal models have been pivotal in revealing the basic mechanisms of how alcohol impacts neuronal function, yet there are currently limited effective therapies developed based on these studies. This is mainly due to a limited understanding of the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying AUDs in humans, which leads to a lack of targeted therapeutics. Furthermore, compounding factors including genetic background, gene copy number variants, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) as well as environmental and social factors that affect and promote the development of AUDs are complex and heterogeneous. Recent developments in stem cell biology, especially the human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell development and differentiation technologies, has provided us a unique opportunity to model neuropsychiatric disorders like AUDs in a manner that is highly complementary to animal studies, but that maintains fidelity with complex human genetic contexts. Patient-specific neuronal cells derived from iPS cells can then be used for drug discovery and precision medicine, e.g. for pathway-directed development in alcoholism. Here, we review recent work employing iPS cell technology to model and elucidate the genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms of AUDs in a human neuronal background and provide our perspective on future development in this direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Scarnati
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
| | - Apoorva Halikere
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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20
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Fantuzzo JA, Hart RP, Zahn JD, Pang ZP. Compartmentalized Devices as Tools for Investigation of Human Brain Network Dynamics. Dev Dyn 2019; 248:65-77. [PMID: 30117633 PMCID: PMC6312734 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders have traditionally been difficult to study due to the complexity of the human brain and limited availability of human tissue. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells provide a promising avenue to further our understanding of human disease mechanisms, but traditional 2D cell cultures can only provide a limited view of the neural circuits. To better model complex brain neurocircuitry, compartmentalized culturing systems and 3D organoids have been developed. Early compartmentalized devices demonstrated how neuronal cell bodies can be isolated both physically and chemically from neurites. Soft lithographic approaches have advanced this approach and offer the tools to construct novel model platforms, enabling circuit-level studies of disease, which can accelerate mechanistic studies and drug candidate screening. In this review, we describe some of the common technologies used to develop such systems and discuss how these lithographic techniques have been used to advance our understanding of neuropsychiatric disease. Finally, we address other in vitro model platforms such as 3D culture systems and organoids and compare these models with compartmentalized models. We ask important questions regarding how we can further harness iPS cells in these engineered culture systems for the development of improved in vitro models. Developmental Dynamics 248:65-77, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Fantuzzo
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Jeffrey D Zahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Research Tower, Piscataway, New Jersey
- Pediatrics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
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21
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Prytkova I, Goate A, Hart RP, Slesinger PA. Genetics of Alcohol Use Disorder: A Role for Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells? Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:1572-1590. [PMID: 29897633 PMCID: PMC6120805 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects millions of people and costs nearly 250 billion dollars annually. Few effective FDA-approved treatments exist, and more are needed. AUDs have a strong heritability, but only a few genes have been identified with a large effect size on disease phenotype. Genomewide association studies (GWASs) have identified common variants with low effect sizes, most of which are in noncoding regions of the genome. Animal models frequently fail to recapitulate key molecular features of neuropsychiatric disease due to the polygenic nature of the disease, partial conservation of coding regions, and significant disparity in noncoding regions. By contrast, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) derived from patients provide a powerful platform for evaluating genes identified by GWAS and modeling complex interactions in the human genome. hiPSCs can be differentiated into a wide variety of human cells, including neurons, glia, and hepatic cells, which are compatible with numerous functional assays and genome editing techniques. In this review, we focus on current applications and future directions of patient hiPSC-derived central nervous system cells for modeling AUDs in addition to highlighting successful applications of hiPSCs in polygenic neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iya Prytkova
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Alison Goate
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ronald P. Hart
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway NJ 08854, USA
| | - Paul A. Slesinger
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
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22
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Pérez‐Morales R, González‐Zamora A, González‐Delgado MF, Calleros Rincón EY, Olivas Calderón EH, Martínez‐Ramírez OC, Rubio J. CHRNA3
rs1051730 and
CHRNA5
rs16969968 polymorphisms are associated with heavy smoking, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a mexican population. Ann Hum Genet 2018; 82:415-424. [DOI: 10.1111/ahg.12264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Pérez‐Morales
- Laboratorio de Biología Celulary Molecular Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango Durango México
| | - Alberto González‐Zamora
- Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango Durango México
| | - María Fernanda González‐Delgado
- Laboratorio de Biología Celulary Molecular Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango Durango México
| | - Esperanza Y. Calleros Rincón
- Laboratorio de Biología Celulary Molecular Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango Durango México
| | - Edgar H. Olivas Calderón
- Laboratorio de Biología Celulary Molecular Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango Durango México
| | | | - Julieta Rubio
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México México
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Ferguson LB, Harris RA, Mayfield RD. From gene networks to drugs: systems pharmacology approaches for AUD. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:1635-1662. [PMID: 29497781 PMCID: PMC6298603 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4855-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The alcohol research field has amassed an impressive number of gene expression datasets spanning key brain areas for addiction, species (humans as well as multiple animal models), and stages in the addiction cycle (binge/intoxication, withdrawal/negative effect, and preoccupation/anticipation). These data have improved our understanding of the molecular adaptations that eventually lead to dysregulation of brain function and the chronic, relapsing disorder of addiction. Identification of new medications to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD) will likely benefit from the integration of genetic, genomic, and behavioral information included in these important datasets. Systems pharmacology considers drug effects as the outcome of the complex network of interactions a drug has rather than a single drug-molecule interaction. Computational strategies based on this principle that integrate gene expression signatures of pharmaceuticals and disease states have shown promise for identifying treatments that ameliorate disease symptoms (called in silico gene mapping or connectivity mapping). In this review, we suggest that gene expression profiling for in silico mapping is critical to improve drug repurposing and discovery for AUD and other psychiatric illnesses. We highlight studies that successfully apply gene mapping computational approaches to identify or repurpose pharmaceutical treatments for psychiatric illnesses. Furthermore, we address important challenges that must be overcome to maximize the potential of these strategies to translate to the clinic and improve healthcare outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura B Ferguson
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A4800, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Intitute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - R Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A4800, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Roy Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A4800, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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24
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Collo G, Cavalleri L, Zoli M, Maskos U, Ratti E, Merlo Pich E. Alpha6-Containing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Mediate Nicotine-Induced Structural Plasticity in Mouse and Human iPSC-Derived Dopaminergic Neurons. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:572. [PMID: 29910731 PMCID: PMC5992464 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons are considered a critical substrate for the reinforcing and sensitizing effects of nicotine and tobacco dependence. While the role of the α4 and β2 subunit containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α4β2∗nAChRs) in mediating nicotine effects on DA release and DA neuron activity has been widely explored, less information is available on their role in the morphological adaptation of the DA system to nicotine, eventually leading to dysfunctional behaviors observed in nicotine dependence. In particular, no information is available on the role of α6∗nAChRs in nicotine-induced structural plasticity in rodents and no direct evidence exists regarding the occurrence of structural plasticity in human DA neurons exposed to nicotine. To approach this problem, we used two parallel in vitro systems, mouse primary DA neuron cultures from E12.5 embryos and human DA neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of healthy donors, identified using TH+ immunoreactivity. In both systems, nicotine 1–10 μM produced a dose-dependent increase of maximal dendrite length, number of primary dendrites, and soma size when measured after 3 days in culture. These effects were blocked by pretreatments with the α6∗nAChR antagonists α-conotoxin MII and α-conotoxin PIA, as well as by the α4β2nAChR antagonist dihydro-β-erythroidine (DHβE) in both mouse and human DA neurons. Nicotine was also ineffective when the primary DA neurons were obtained from null mutant mice for either the α6 subunit or both the α4 and α6 subunits of nAChR. When pregnant mice were exposed to nicotine from gestational day 15, structural plasticity was also observed in the midbrain DA neurons of postnatal day 1 offspring only in wild-type mice and not in both null mutant mice. This study confirmed the critical role of α4α6∗nAChRs in mediating nicotine-induced structural plasticity in both mouse and human DA neurons, supporting the translational relevance of neurons differentiated from human iPSCs for pharmacological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ginetta Collo
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Laura Cavalleri
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Michele Zoli
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Uwe Maskos
- Unité de Neurobiologie Intégrative des Systèmes Cholinergiques, CNRS UMR 3571, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Emiliangelo Ratti
- Neuroscience Therapeutic Area Unit, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co., Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Emilio Merlo Pich
- The Division of Brain Science, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Neuroscience Therapeutic Area Unit, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Zurich, Switzerland
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25
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O'Neill HC, Wageman CR, Sherman SE, Grady SR, Marks MJ, Stitzel JA. The interaction of the Chrna5 D398N variant with developmental nicotine exposure. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 17:e12474. [PMID: 29573323 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in CHRNA5 (rs16969968, change from an aspartic acid [D] to asparagine [N] at position 398 of the human α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit) has been associated with increased risk for nicotine dependence. Consequently, carriers of the risk variant may be at elevated risk for in utero nicotine exposure. To assess whether this gene-environment interaction might impact nicotine intake in developmental nicotine-exposed offspring, we utilized a mouse expressing this human SNP. D and N dams drank nicotine (100 μg/mL) in 0.2% saccharin water or 0.2% saccharin water alone (vehicle) as their sole source of fluid from 30 days prior to breeding until weaning of offspring. The nicotine (D Nic, N Nic) or vehicle (D Veh, N Veh) exposed offspring underwent a 2-bottle choice test between postnatal ages of 30 to 46 days. N Nic offspring consumed the most nicotine at the highest concentration (400 μg/mL) compared with all other groups. In contrast, D Nic offspring drank the least amount of nicotine at all concentrations tested. Nicotine-stimulated dopamine (DA) release measured from striatal synaptosomes was increased in D Nic offspring, while decreased in N Nic offspring relative to their genotype-matched controls. These data suggest that the α5 variant influences the effect of developmental nicotine exposure on nicotine intake of exposed offspring. This gene-environment interaction on striatal DA release may provide motivation for increased nicotine seeking in N Nic offspring and reduced consumption in D Nic offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C O'Neill
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
| | - C R Wageman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
| | - S E Sherman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
| | - S R Grady
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
| | - M J Marks
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
| | - J A Stitzel
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.,Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
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26
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Lieberman R, Kranzler HR, Levine ES, Covault J. Examining the effects of alcohol on GABA A receptor mRNA expression and function in neural cultures generated from control and alcohol dependent donor induced pluripotent stem cells. Alcohol 2018; 66:45-53. [PMID: 29156239 PMCID: PMC5743620 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Factors influencing the development of alcohol-use disorder (AUD) are complex and heterogeneous. While animal models have been crucial to identifying actions of alcohol on neural cells, human-derived in vitro systems that reflect an individual's genetic background hold promise in furthering our understanding of the molecular and functional effects of alcohol exposure and the pathophysiology of AUD. In this report, we utilized induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs)-derived neural cell cultures obtained from healthy individuals (CTLs) and those with alcohol dependence (ADs) to 1) examine the effect of 21-day alcohol exposure on mRNA expression of three genes encoding GABAA receptor subunits (GABRA1, GABRG2, and GABRD) using quantitative PCR, and 2) examine the effect of acute and chronic alcohol exposure on GABA-evoked currents using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. iPSCs from CTLs and ADs were differentiated into neural cultures enriched for forebrain-type excitatory glutamate neurons. Following 21-day alcohol exposure, significant treatment effects were observed in GABRA1, GABRG2, and GABRD mRNA expression. A modestly significant interaction between treatment and donor phenotype was observed for GABRD, which was increased in cell cultures derived from ADs. No effect of acute or chronic alcohol was observed on GABA-evoked currents in neurons from either CTLs or ADs. This work extends findings examining the effects of alcohol on the GABAA receptor in human cell in vitro model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lieberman
- Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, 06030-1410, USA
| | - Henry R Kranzler
- Center for Studies of Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; VISN4 MIRECC, Crescenz Philadelphia VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Eric S Levine
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, 06030, USA
| | - Jonathan Covault
- Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, 06030-1410, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06268, USA.
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Intellicount: High-Throughput Quantification of Fluorescent Synaptic Protein Puncta by Machine Learning. eNeuro 2017; 4:eN-MNT-0219-17. [PMID: 29218324 PMCID: PMC5718246 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0219-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Synapse formation analyses can be performed by imaging and quantifying fluorescent signals of synaptic markers. Traditionally, these analyses are done using simple or multiple thresholding and segmentation approaches or by labor-intensive manual analysis by a human observer. Here, we describe Intellicount, a high-throughput, fully-automated synapse quantification program which applies a novel machine learning (ML)-based image processing algorithm to systematically improve region of interest (ROI) identification over simple thresholding techniques. Through processing large datasets from both human and mouse neurons, we demonstrate that this approach allows image processing to proceed independently of carefully set thresholds, thus reducing the need for human intervention. As a result, this method can efficiently and accurately process large image datasets with minimal interaction by the experimenter, making it less prone to bias and less liable to human error. Furthermore, Intellicount is integrated into an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) that provides a set of valuable features, including automated and multifunctional figure generation, routine statistical analyses, and the ability to run full datasets through nested folders, greatly expediting the data analysis process.
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