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Flowers AE, Gonzalez TL, Wang Y, Santiskulvong C, Clark EL, Novoa A, Jefferies CA, Lawrenson K, Chan JL, Joshi NV, Zhu Y, Tseng HR, Wang ET, Ishimori M, Karumanchi SA, Williams J, Pisarska MD. High-throughput mRNA sequencing of human placenta shows sex differences across gestation. Placenta 2024; 150:8-21. [PMID: 38537412 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fetal sex affects fetal and maternal health outcomes in pregnancy, but this connection remains poorly understood. As the placenta is the route of fetomaternal communication and derives from the fetal genome, placental gene expression sex differences may explain these outcomes. OBJECTIVES We utilized next generation sequencing to study the normal human placenta in both sexes in first and third trimester to generate a normative transcriptome based on sex and gestation. STUDY DESIGN We analyzed 124 first trimester (T1, 59 female and 65 male) and 43 third trimester (T3, 18 female and 25 male) samples for sex differences within each trimester and sex-specific gestational differences. RESULTS Placenta shows more significant sexual dimorphism in T1, with 94 T1 and 26 T3 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The sex chromosomes contributed 60.6% of DEGs in T1 and 80.8% of DEGs in T3, excluding X/Y pseudoautosomal regions. There were 6 DEGs from the pseudoautosomal regions, only significant in T1 and all upregulated in males. The distribution of DEGs on the X chromosome suggests genes on Xp (the short arm) may be particularly important in placental sex differences. Dosage compensation analysis of X/Y homolog genes shows expression is primarily contributed by the X chromosome. In sex-specific analyses of first versus third trimester, there were 2815 DEGs common to both sexes upregulated in T1, and 3263 common DEGs upregulated in T3. There were 7 female-exclusive DEGs upregulated in T1, 15 female-exclusive DEGs upregulated in T3, 10 male-exclusive DEGs upregulated in T1, and 20 male-exclusive DEGs upregulated in T3. DISCUSSION This is the largest cohort of placentas across gestation from healthy pregnancies defining the normative sex dimorphic gene expression and sex common, sex specific and sex exclusive gene expression across gestation. The first trimester has the most sexually dimorphic transcripts, and the majority were upregulated in females compared to males in both trimesters. The short arm of the X chromosome and the pseudoautosomal region is particularly critical in defining sex differences in the first trimester placenta. As pregnancy is a dynamic state, sex specific DEGs across gestation may contribute to sex dimorphic changes in overall outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Flowers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Tania L Gonzalez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Yizhou Wang
- Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Chintda Santiskulvong
- CS Cancer Applied Genomics Shared Resource, CS Cancer, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Ekaterina L Clark
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Allynson Novoa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Caroline A Jefferies
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Kate Lawrenson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica L Chan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Nikhil V Joshi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Yazhen Zhu
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; California NanoSystems Institute, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Hsian-Rong Tseng
- California NanoSystems Institute, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Erica T Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Mariko Ishimori
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - S Ananth Karumanchi
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - John Williams
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Margareta D Pisarska
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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2
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Andres EM, Earnest KK, Xuan H, Zhong C, Rice ML, Raza MH. Innovative Family-Based Genetically Informed Series of Analyses of Whole-Exome Data Supports Likely Inheritance for Grammar in Children with Specific Language Impairment. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1119. [PMID: 37508616 PMCID: PMC10378399 DOI: 10.3390/children10071119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with specific language impairment (SLI) struggle with language acquisition despite average non-verbal intelligence and otherwise typical development. One SLI account focuses on grammar acquisition delay. The current study aimed to detect novel rare genetic variants associated with performance on a grammar assessment, the Test of Early Grammatical Impairment (TEGI), in English-speaking children. The TEGI was selected due to its sensitivity and specificity, consistently high heritability estimates, and its absence from all but one molecular genetic study. We performed whole exome sequencing (WES) in eight families with SLI (n = 74 total) and follow-up Sanger sequencing in additional unrelated probands (n = 146). We prioritized rare exonic variants shared by individuals with low TEGI performance (n = 34) from at least two families under two filtering workflows: (1) novel and (2) previously reported candidate genes. Candidate variants were observed on six new genes (PDHA2, PCDHB3, FURIN, NOL6, IQGAP3, and BAHCC1), and two genes previously reported for overall language ability (GLI3 and FLNB). We specifically suggest PCDHB3, a protocadherin gene, and NOL6 are critical for ribosome synthesis, as they are important targets of SLI investigation. The proposed SLI candidate genes associated with TEGI performance emphasize the utility of precise phenotyping and family-based genetic study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin M Andres
- Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | | | - Hao Xuan
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Cuncong Zhong
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Mabel L Rice
- Language Acquisition Studies Lab, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
- Child Language Doctoral Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
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3
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Abstract
Until fairly late in the nineteenth century, it was held that the brain was bilaterally symmetrical. With the discovery of left-brain dominance for language, the so-called "laws of symmetry" were revoked, and asymmetry was then seen as critical to the human condition, with the left hemisphere, in particular, assuming superordinate properties. I trace this idea from the early discoveries of the late nineteenth century through the split-brain studies of the 1960s, and beyond. Although the idea has persisted, the evidence has revealed widespread cerebral asymmetries in nonhuman animals, and even language and its asymmetries are increasingly understood to have evolved gradually, rather than in a single speciation event. The left hemisphere nevertheless seemed to take over a role previously taken by other structures, such as the pineal gland and the hippocampus minor, in a determined effort to place humans on a pedestal above all other species.
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4
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Wegmann R, Neri M, Schuierer S, Bilican B, Hartkopf H, Nigsch F, Mapa F, Waldt A, Cuttat R, Salick MR, Raymond J, Kaykas A, Roma G, Keller CG. CellSIUS provides sensitive and specific detection of rare cell populations from complex single-cell RNA-seq data. Genome Biol 2019; 20:142. [PMID: 31315641 PMCID: PMC6637521 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-019-1739-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We develop CellSIUS (Cell Subtype Identification from Upregulated gene Sets) to fill a methodology gap for rare cell population identification for scRNA-seq data. CellSIUS outperforms existing algorithms for specificity and selectivity for rare cell types and their transcriptomic signature identification in synthetic and complex biological data. Characterization of a human pluripotent cell differentiation protocol recapitulating deep-layer corticogenesis using CellSIUS reveals unrecognized complexity in human stem cell-derived cellular populations. CellSIUS enables identification of novel rare cell populations and their signature genes providing the means to study those populations in vitro in light of their role in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekka Wegmann
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Present Address: Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marilisa Neri
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sven Schuierer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Bilada Bilican
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, USA
- Present Address: Flagship Pioneering, Cambridge, USA
| | - Huyen Hartkopf
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, USA
| | - Florian Nigsch
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Felipa Mapa
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, USA
| | - Annick Waldt
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rachel Cuttat
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Max R. Salick
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, USA
- Present Address: Insitro, San Francisco, USA
| | - Joe Raymond
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, USA
| | - Ajamete Kaykas
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, USA
- Present Address: Insitro, San Francisco, USA
| | - Guglielmo Roma
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
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5
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Abstract
During the course of evolution the human brain has increased in size and complexity, ultimately these differences are the result of changes at the genetic level. Identifying and characterizing molecular evolution requires an understanding of both the genetic underpinning of the system as well as the comparative genetic tools to identify signatures of selection. This chapter aims to describe our current understanding of the genetics of human brain evolution. Primarily this is the story of the evolution of the human brain since our last common ape ancestor, but where relevant we will also discuss changes that are unique to the primate brain (compared to other mammals) or various other lineages in the evolution of humans more generally. It will focus on genetic changes that both directly affected the development and function of the brain as well as those that have indirectly influenced brain evolution through both prenatal and postnatal environment. This review is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to begin to construct a general framework for understanding the full array of data being generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Vallender
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States; Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, United States.
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6
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Styfhals R, Seuntjens E, Simakov O, Sanges R, Fiorito G. In silico Identification and Expression of Protocadherin Gene Family in Octopus vulgaris. Front Physiol 2019; 9:1905. [PMID: 30692932 PMCID: PMC6339937 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Connecting millions of neurons to create a functional neural circuit is a daunting challenge. Vertebrates developed a molecular system at the cell membrane to allow neurons to recognize each other by distinguishing self from non-self through homophilic protocadherin interactions. In mammals, the protocadherin gene family counts about 50 different genes. By hetero-multimerization, protocadherins are capable of generating an impressive number of molecular interfaces. Surprisingly, in the California two-spot octopus, Octopus bimaculoides, an invertebrate belonging to the Phylum Mollusca, over 160 protocadherins (PCDHs) have been identified. Here we briefly discuss the role of PCDHs in neural wiring and conduct a comparative study of the protocadherin gene family in two closely related octopus species, Octopus vulgaris and O. bimaculoides. A first glance at the expression patterns of protocadherins in O. vulgaris is also provided. Finally, we comment on PCDH evolution in the light of invertebrate nervous system plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Styfhals
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.,Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eve Seuntjens
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Oleg Simakov
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Development, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Remo Sanges
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.,Computational Genomics Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Graziano Fiorito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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7
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Meyfour A, Pooyan P, Pahlavan S, Rezaei-Tavirani M, Gourabi H, Baharvand H, Salekdeh GH. Chromosome-Centric Human Proteome Project Allies with Developmental Biology: A Case Study of the Role of Y Chromosome Genes in Organ Development. J Proteome Res 2017; 16:4259-4272. [PMID: 28914051 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.7b00446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
One of the main goals of Chromosome-Centric Human Proteome Project is to identify protein evidence for missing proteins (MPs). Here, we present a case study of the role of Y chromosome genes in organ development and how to overcome the challenges facing MPs identification by employing human pluripotent stem cell differentiation into cells of different organs yielding unprecedented biological insight into adult silenced proteins. Y chromosome is a male-specific sex chromosome which escapes meiotic recombination. From an evolutionary perspective, Y chromosome has preserved 3% of ancestral genes compared to 98% preservation of the X chromosome based on Ohno's law. Male specific region of Y chromosome (MSY) contains genes that contribute to central dogma and govern the expression of various targets throughout the genome. One of the most well-known functions of MSY genes is to decide the male-specific characteristics including sex, testis formation, and spermatogenesis, which are majorly formed by ampliconic gene families. Beyond its role in sex-specific gonad development, MSY genes in coexpression with their X counterparts, as single copy and broadly expressed genes, inhibit haplolethality and play a key role in embryogenesis. The role of X-Y related gene mutations in the development of hereditary syndromes suggests an essential contribution of sex chromosome genes to development. MSY genes, solely and independent of their X counterparts and/or in association with sex hormones, have a considerable impact on organ development. In this Review, we present major recent findings on the contribution of MSY genes to gonad formation, spermatogenesis, and the brain, heart, and kidney development and discuss how Y chromosome proteome project may exploit developmental biology to find missing proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Meyfour
- Department of Molecular Systems Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research , 81589-68433 Tehran, Iran.,Proteomics Research Center, Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , 19839-63113 Tehran, Iran
| | - Paria Pooyan
- Department of Molecular Systems Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research , 81589-68433 Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Pahlavan
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research , 81589-68433 Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Rezaei-Tavirani
- Proteomics Research Center, Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , 19839-63113 Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Gourabi
- Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute , 19395-4644 Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research , 81589-68433 Tehran, Iran.,Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture , 19395-4644 Tehran, Iran
| | - Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh
- Department of Molecular Systems Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research , 81589-68433 Tehran, Iran.,Department of Systems Biology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran , 31535-1897 Karaj, Iran
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8
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Johansson MM, Lundin E, Qian X, Mirzazadeh M, Halvardson J, Darj E, Feuk L, Nilsson M, Jazin E. Spatial sexual dimorphism of X and Y homolog gene expression in the human central nervous system during early male development. Biol Sex Differ 2016; 7:5. [PMID: 26759715 PMCID: PMC4710049 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-015-0056-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Renewed attention has been directed to the functions of the Y chromosome in the central nervous system during early human male development, due to the recent proposed involvement in neurodevelopmental diseases. PCDH11Y and NLGN4Y are of special interest because they belong to gene families involved in cell fate determination and formation of dendrites and axon. METHODS We used RNA sequencing, immunocytochemistry and a padlock probing and rolling circle amplification strategy, to distinguish the expression of X and Y homologs in situ in the human brain for the first time. To minimize influence of androgens on the sex differences in the brain, we focused our investigation to human embryos at 8-11 weeks post-gestation. RESULTS We found that the X- and Y-encoded genes are expressed in specific and heterogeneous cellular sub-populations of both glial and neuronal origins. More importantly, we found differential distribution patterns of X and Y homologs in the male developing central nervous system. CONCLUSIONS This study has visualized the spatial distribution of PCDH11X/Y and NLGN4X/Y in human developing nervous tissue. The observed spatial distribution patterns suggest the existence of an additional layer of complexity in the development of the male CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin M Johansson
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elin Lundin
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xiaoyan Qian
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Jonatan Halvardson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Darj
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lars Feuk
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Nilsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elena Jazin
- Department of Organismal Biology, EBC, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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9
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Leivada E, Boeckx C. Schizophrenia and cortical blindness: protective effects and implications for language. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:940. [PMID: 25506321 PMCID: PMC4246684 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The repeatedly noted absence of case-reports of individuals with schizophrenia and congenital/early developed blindness has led several authors to argue that the latter can confer protective effects against the former. In this work, we present a number of relevant case-reports from different syndromes that show comorbidity of congenital and early blindness with schizophrenia. On the basis of these reports, we argue that a distinction between different types of blindness in terms of the origin of the visual deficit, cortical or peripheral, is crucial for understanding the observed patterns of comorbidity. We discuss the genetic underpinnings and the brain structures involved in schizophrenia and blindness, with insights from language processing, laying emphasis on the three structures that particularly stand out: the occipital cortex, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), and the pulvinar. Last, we build on previous literature on the nature of the protective effects in order to offer novel insights into the nature of the protection mechanism from the perspective of the brain structures involved in each type of blindness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Leivada
- Department of Linguistics, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- Department of Linguistics, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Advanced Studies and Research (ICREA)Barcelona, Spain
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10
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Zhang P, Wu C, Liu N, Niu L, Yan Z, Feng Y, Xu R. Protocadherin 11 x regulates differentiation and proliferation of neural stem cell in vitro and in vivo. J Mol Neurosci 2014; 54:199-210. [PMID: 24647733 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-014-0275-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Protocadherin 11 X-linked (Pcdh11x) protein is a member of the cadherin superfamily with established roles in cell adhesion. Previous studies have shown the molecular biology and possible relevance of Pcdh11x with neurological disease in humans. However, little is known about the neurophysiological function of Pcdh11x in neural development. Here, we verified that Pcdh11x is primarily expressed in various brain areas including the cortex, hippocampus, and ventricular/subventricular zone (VZ/SVZ) at different embryonic stages. Furthermore, both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that Pcdh11x decreased neural differentiation but increased the neural proliferation. These observations demonstrate a crucial function for Pcdh11x during the development of central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- Bayi Brain Hospital, Bayi Clinical Medical Institute, Southern Medical University, Beijing, China
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11
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Crow TJ, Chance SA, Priddle TH, Radua J, James AC. Laterality interacts with sex across the schizophrenia/bipolarity continuum: an interpretation of meta-analyses of structural MRI. Psychiatry Res 2013; 210:1232-44. [PMID: 24011847 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2013.07.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2011] [Revised: 06/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Review of the first comprehensive meta-analysis of VBM (voxel-based morphometry) studies in schizophrenia indicates asymmetrical reductions of anterior cingulate gyrus to the right, and medial temporal lobe (including the uncus) and para-hippocampal gyrus to the left. In subsequent meta-analyses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder change in these limbic structures is systematically related to change in the insula. Deficits in insula (and para-hippocampal gyrus) to the left, and dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus to the right are greater in schizophrenic psychoses whereas deficits in anterior cingulate to the left and insula to the right are greater in bipolar illness. Thus (1) brain structures implicated in schizophrenia include those implicated in bipolar disorder, (2) the variation that separates the prototypical psychoses may be a subset of that relating to the structural asymmetry (the "torque") characteristic of the human brain, and (3) the meta-analysis of Bora et al. (2012) indicates that laterality of involvement of the insula and cingulate gyrus across the spectrum of bipolar and schizophrenic psychoses is critically dependent upon the sex ratio. Thus structural change underlying the continuum of psychosis relates to the interaction of laterality and sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Crow
- SANE POWIC, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK.
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12
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Lepage JF, Hong DS, Raman M, Marzelli M, Roeltgen DP, Lai S, Ross J, Reiss AL. Brain morphology in children with 47, XYY syndrome: a voxel- and surface-based morphometric study. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2013; 13:127-34. [PMID: 24308542 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Revised: 10/25/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The neurocognitive and behavioral profile of individuals with 47,XYY is increasingly documented; however, very little is known about the effect of a supernumerary Y-chromosome on brain development. Establishing the neural phenotype associated with 47,XYY may prove valuable in clarifying the role of Y-chromosome gene dosage effects, a potential factor in several neuropsychiatric disorders that show a prevalence bias toward males, including autism spectrum disorders. Here, we investigated brain structure in 10 young boys with 47,XYY and 10 age-matched healthy controls by combining voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM). The VBM results show the existence of altered gray matter volume (GMV) in the insular and parietal regions of 47,XYY relative to controls, changes that were paralleled by extensive modifications in white matter (WM) bilaterally in the frontal and superior parietal lobes. The SBM analyses corroborated these findings and revealed the presence of abnormal surface area and cortical thinning in regions with abnormal GMV and WMV. Overall, these preliminary results demonstrate a significant impact of a supernumerary Y-chromosome on brain development, provide a neural basis for the motor, speech and behavior regulation difficulties associated with 47,XYY and may relate to sexual dimorphism in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- J-F Lepage
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
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13
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Crow TJ. The XY gene hypothesis of psychosis: origins and current status. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2013; 162B:800-24. [PMID: 24123874 PMCID: PMC4065359 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2011] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in psychosis and their interaction with laterality (systematic departures from 50:50 left-right symmetry across the antero-posterior neural axis) are reviewed in the context of the X-Y gene hypothesis. Aspects of laterality (handedness/cerebral asymmetry/the torque) predict (1) verbal and non-verbal ability in childhood and across adult life and (2) anatomical, physiological, and linguistic variation relating to psychosis. Neuropsychological and MRI evidence from individuals with sex chromosome aneuploidies indicates that laterality is associated with an X-Y homologous gene pair. Within each mammalian species the complement of such X-Y gene pairs reflects their potential to account for taxon-specific sexual dimorphisms. As a consequence of the mechanism of meiotic suppression of unpaired chromosomes such X-Y gene pairs generate epigenetic variation around a species defining motif that is carried to the zygote with potential to initiate embryonic gene expression in XX or XY format. The Protocadherin11XY (PCDH11XY) gene pair in Xq21.3/Yp11.2 in probable coordination with a gene or genes within PAR2 (the second pseudo-autosomal region) is the prime candidate in relation to cerebral asymmetry and psychosis in Homo sapiens. The lately-described pattern of sequence variation associated with psychosis on the autosomes may reflect a component of the human genome's adjustment to selective pressures generated by the sexually dimorphic mate recognition system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Crow
- Department of Psychiatry, SANE POWIC, Warneford Hospital, University of OxfordOxford, UK
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Genetic insights into the functional elements of language. Hum Genet 2013; 132:959-86. [PMID: 23749164 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-013-1317-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Language disorders cover a wide range of conditions with heterologous and overlapping phenotypes and complex etiologies harboring both genetic and environmental influences. Genetic approaches including the identification of genes linked to speech and language phenotypes and the characterization of normal and aberrant functions of these genes have, in recent years, unraveled complex details of molecular and cognitive mechanisms and provided valuable insight into the biological foundations of language. Consistent with this approach, we have reviewed the functional aspects of allelic variants of genes which are currently known to be either causally associated with disorders of speech and language or impact upon the spectrum of normal language ability. We have also reviewed candidate genes associated with heritable speech and language disorders. In addition, we have evaluated language phenotypes and associated genetic components in developmental syndromes that, together with a spectrum of altered language abilities, manifest various phenotypes and offer details of multifactorial determinants of language function. Data from this review have revealed a predominance of regulatory networks involved in the control of differentiation and functioning of neurons, neuronal tracks and connections among brain structures associated with both cognitive and language faculties. Our findings, furthermore, have highlighted several multifactorial determinants in overlapping speech and language phenotypes. Collectively this analysis has revealed an interconnected developmental network and a close association of the language faculty with cognitive functions, a finding that has the potential to provide insight into linguistic hypotheses defining in particular, the contribution of genetic elements to and the modular nature of the language faculty.
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Priddle TH, Crow TJ. The protocadherin 11X/Y (PCDH11X/Y) gene pair as determinant of cerebral asymmetry in modern Homo sapiens. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2013; 1288:36-47. [PMID: 23600975 PMCID: PMC3752934 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Annett's right-shift theory proposes that human cerebral dominance (the functional and anatomical asymmetry or torque along the antero-posterior axis) and handedness are determined by a single “right-shift” gene. Familial transmission of handedness and specific deviations of cerebral dominance in sex chromosome aneuploidies implicate a locus within an X–Y homologous region of the sex chromosomes. The Xq21.3/Yp11.2 human-specific region of homology includes the protocadherin 11X/Y (PCDH11X/Y) gene pair, which encode cell adhesion molecules subject to accelerated evolution following the separation of the human and chimpanzee lineages six million years ago. PCDH11X and PCDH11Y, differentially regulated by retinoic acid, are highly expressed in the ventricular zone, subplate, and cortical plate of the developing cerebral cortex. Both proteins interact with β-catenin, a protein that plays a role in determining axis formation and regulating cortical size. In this way, the PCDH11X/Y gene pair determines cerebral asymmetry by initiating the right shift in Homo sapiens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Priddle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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Matsunaga E, Nambu S, Oka M, Okanoya K, Iriki A. Comparative analysis of protocadherin-11 X-linked expression among postnatal rodents, non-human primates, and songbirds suggests its possible involvement in brain evolution. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58840. [PMID: 23527036 PMCID: PMC3601081 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Protocadherin-11 is a cell adhesion molecule of the cadherin superfamily. Since, only in humans, its paralog is found on the Y chromosome, it is expected that protocadherin-11X/Y plays some role in human brain evolution or sex differences. Recently, a genetic mutation of protocadherin-11X/Y was reported to be associated with a language development disorder. Here, we compared the expression of protocadherin-11 X-linked in developing postnatal brains of mouse (rodent) and common marmoset (non-human primate) to explore its possible involvement in mammalian brain evolution. We also investigated its expression in the Bengalese finch (songbird) to explore a possible function in animal vocalization and human language faculties. Methodology/Principal Findings Protocadherin-11 X-linked was strongly expressed in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and brainstem. Comparative analysis between mice and marmosets revealed that in certain areas of marmoset brain, the expression was clearly enriched. In Bengalese finches, protocadherin-11 X-linked was expressed not only in nuclei of regions of the vocal production pathway and the tracheosyringeal hypoglossal nucleus, but also in areas homologous to the mammalian amygdala and hippocampus. In both marmosets and Bengalese finches, its expression in pallial vocal control areas was developmentally regulated, and no clear expression was seen in the dorsal striatum, indicating a similarity between songbirds and non-human primates. Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that the enriched expression of protocadherin-11 X-linked is involved in primate brain evolution and that some similarity exists between songbirds and primates regarding the neural basis for vocalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Matsunaga
- Laboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan.
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Savadjiev P, Whitford TJ, Hough ME, Clemm von Hohenberg C, Bouix S, Westin CF, Shenton ME, Crow TJ, James AC, Kubicki M. Sexually dimorphic white matter geometry abnormalities in adolescent onset schizophrenia. Cereb Cortex 2013; 24:1389-96. [PMID: 23307635 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The normal human brain is characterized by a pattern of gross anatomical asymmetry. This pattern, known as the "torque", is associated with a sexual dimorphism: The male brain tends to be more asymmetric than that of the female. This fact, along with well-known sex differences in brain development (faster in females) and onset of psychosis (earlier with worse outcome in males), has led to the theory that schizophrenia is a disorder in which sex-dependent abnormalities in the development of brain torque, the correlate of the capacity for language, cause alterations in interhemispheric connectivity, which are causally related to psychosis (Crow TJ, Paez P, Chance SE. 2007. Callosal misconnectivity and the sex difference in psychosis. Int Rev Psychiatry. 19(4):449-457.). To provide evidence toward this theory, we analyze the geometry of interhemispheric white matter connections in adolescent-onset schizophrenia, with a particular focus on sex, using a recently introduced framework for white matter geometry computation in diffusion tensor imaging data (Savadjiev P, Kindlmann GL, Bouix S, Shenton ME, Westin CF. 2010. Local white geometry from diffusion tensor gradients. Neuroimage. 49(4):3175-3186.). Our results reveal a pattern of sex-dependent white matter geometry abnormalities that conform to the predictions of Crow's torque theory and correlate with the severity of patients' symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to associate geometrical differences in white matter connectivity with torque in schizophrenia.
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