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Lee KH, Stafford AM, Pacheco-Vergara M, Cichewicz K, Canales CP, Seban N, Corea M, Rahbarian D, Bonekamp KE, Gillie GR, Cruz DP, Gill AM, Hwang HE, Uhl KL, Jager TE, Shinawi M, Li X, Obenaus A, Crandall SR, Jeong J, Nord AS, Kim CH, Vogt D. Complimentary vertebrate Wac models exhibit phenotypes relevant to DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.26.595966. [PMID: 38826421 PMCID: PMC11142245 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.26.595966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Monogenic syndromes are associated with neurodevelopmental changes that result in cognitive impairments, neurobehavioral phenotypes including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and seizures. Limited studies and resources are available to make meaningful headway into the underlying molecular mechanisms that result in these symptoms. One such example is DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome (DESSH), a rare disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the WAC gene. Individuals with DESSH syndrome exhibit a recognizable craniofacial gestalt, developmental delay/intellectual disability, neurobehavioral symptoms that include autism, ADHD, behavioral difficulties and seizures. However, no thorough studies from a vertebrate model exist to understand how these changes occur. To overcome this, we developed both murine and zebrafish Wac/wac deletion mutants and studied whether their phenotypes recapitulate those described in individuals with DESSH syndrome. We show that the two Wac models exhibit craniofacial and behavioral changes, reminiscent of abnormalities found in DESSH syndrome. In addition, each model revealed impacts to GABAergic neurons and further studies showed that the mouse mutants are susceptible to seizures, changes in brain volumes that are different between sexes and relevant behaviors. Finally, we uncovered transcriptional impacts of Wac loss of function that will pave the way for future molecular studies into DESSH. These studies begin to uncover some biological underpinnings of DESSH syndrome and elucidate the biology of Wac, with advantages in each model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Han Lee
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - April M Stafford
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Maria Pacheco-Vergara
- Department of Molecular Pathology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Karol Cichewicz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Cesar P Canales
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Nicolas Seban
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Melissa Corea
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Darlene Rahbarian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Kelly E. Bonekamp
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Grant R. Gillie
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Dariangelly Pacheco Cruz
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Alyssa M Gill
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Hye-Eun Hwang
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Katie L Uhl
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | | | - Marwan Shinawi
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Xiaopeng Li
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Andre Obenaus
- Director, Preclinical and Translational Imaging Center, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Shane R Crandall
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Juhee Jeong
- Department of Molecular Pathology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Alex S Nord
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis 95618, USA
| | - Cheol-Hee Kim
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Daniel Vogt
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Cording KR, Tu EM, Wang H, Agopyan-Miu AHCW, Bateup HS. Cntnap2 loss drives striatal neuron hyperexcitability and behavioral inflexibility. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.09.593387. [PMID: 38766169 PMCID: PMC11100810 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.09.593387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by two major diagnostic criteria - persistent deficits in social communication and interaction, and the presence of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (RRBs). Evidence from both human and animal model studies of ASD suggest that alteration of striatal circuits, which mediate motor learning, action selection, and habit formation, may contribute to the manifestation of RRBs. CNTNAP2 is a syndromic ASD risk gene, and loss of function of Cntnap2 in mice is associated with RRBs. How loss of Cntnap2 impacts striatal neuron function is largely unknown. In this study, we utilized Cntnap2-/- mice to test whether altered striatal neuron activity contributes to aberrant motor behaviors relevant to ASD. We find that Cntnap2-/- mice exhibit increased cortical drive of striatal projection neurons (SPNs), with the most pronounced effects in direct pathway SPNs. This enhanced drive is likely due to increased intrinsic excitability of SPNs, which make them more responsive to cortical inputs. We also find that Cntnap2-/- mice exhibit spontaneous repetitive behaviors, increased motor routine learning, and cognitive inflexibility. Increased corticostriatal drive, in particular of the direct pathway, may contribute to the acquisition of repetitive, inflexible behaviors in Cntnap2 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R. Cording
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Emilie M. Tu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Hongli Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | | | - Helen S. Bateup
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
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Sadakata M, Fujii K, Kaneko R, Hosoya E, Sugimoto H, Kawabata-Iwakawa R, Kasamatsu T, Hongo S, Koshidaka Y, Takase A, Iijima T, Takao K, Sadakata T. Maternal immunoglobulin G affects brain development of mouse offspring. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:114. [PMID: 38698428 PMCID: PMC11064405 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03100-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Maternal immunoglobulin (Ig)G is present in breast milk and has been shown to contribute to the development of the immune system in infants. In contrast, maternal IgG has no known effect on early childhood brain development. We found maternal IgG immunoreactivity in microglia, which are resident macrophages of the central nervous system of the pup brain, peaking at postnatal one week. Strong IgG immunoreactivity was observed in microglia in the corpus callosum and cerebellar white matter. IgG stimulation of primary cultured microglia activated the type I interferon feedback loop by Syk. Analysis of neonatal Fc receptor knockout (FcRn KO) mice that could not take up IgG from their mothers revealed abnormalities in the proliferation and/or survival of microglia, oligodendrocytes, and some types of interneurons. Moreover, FcRn KO mice also exhibited abnormalities in social behavior and lower locomotor activity in their home cages. Thus, changes in the mother-derived IgG levels affect brain development in offsprings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mizuki Sadakata
- Education and Research Support Center, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan.
| | - Kazuki Fujii
- Department of Behavioral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Kaneko
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Emi Hosoya
- Education and Research Support Center, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Hisako Sugimoto
- Education and Research Support Center, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Reika Kawabata-Iwakawa
- Division of Integrated Oncology Research, Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Tetsuhiro Kasamatsu
- Department of Medical Technology and Clinical Engineering, Gunma University of Health and Walfare, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-0823, Japan
| | - Shoko Hongo
- Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Yumie Koshidaka
- Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Akinori Takase
- Medical Science College Office, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan
| | - Takatoshi Iijima
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan
| | - Keizo Takao
- Department of Behavioral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
- Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Tetsushi Sadakata
- Education and Research Support Center, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan.
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Shih YC, Nelson L, Janeček M, Peixoto RT. Late onset and regional heterogeneity of synaptic deficits in cortical PV interneurons of Shank3B -/- mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.23.568500. [PMID: 38045377 PMCID: PMC10690261 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.23.568500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy and epileptiform patterns of cortical activity are highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), but the neural substrates and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the onset of cortical dysfunction in ASD remains elusive. Reduced cortical expression of Parvalbumin (PV) has been widely observed in ASD mouse models and human postmortem studies, suggesting a crucial role of PV interneurons (PVINs) in ASD pathogenesis. Shank3B -/- mice carrying a Δ13-16 deletion in SHANK3 exhibit cortical hyperactivity during postnatal development and reduced sensory responses in cortical GABAergic interneurons in adulthood. However, whether these phenotypes are associated with PVIN dysfunction is unknown. Using whole-cell electrophysiology and a viral-based strategy to label PVINs during postnatal development, we performed a developmental characterization of AMPAR miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in PVINs and pyramidal (PYR) neurons of layer (L) 2/3 mPFC in Shank3B -/- mice. Surprisingly, reduced mEPSC frequency was observed in both PYR and PVIN populations, but only in adulthood. At P15, when cortical hyperactivity is already observed, both neuron types exhibited normal mEPSC amplitude and frequency, suggesting that glutamatergic connectivity deficits in these neurons emerge as compensatory mechanisms. Additionally, we found normal mEPSCs in adult PVINs of L2/3 somatosensory cortex, revealing region-specific phenotypic differences of cortical PVINs in Shank3B -/- mice. Together, these results demonstrate that loss of Shank3 alters PVIN function but suggest that PVIN glutamatergic synapses are a suboptimal therapeutic target for normalizing early cortical imbalances in SHANK3-associated disorders. More broadly, these findings underscore the complexity of interneuron dysfunction in ASDs, prompting further exploration of region and developmental stage specific phenotypes for understanding and developing effective interventions.
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Ciancone-Chama AG, Bonaldo V, Biasini E, Bozzi Y, Balasco L. Gene Expression Profiling in Trigeminal Ganglia from Cntnap2 -/- and Shank3b -/- Mouse Models of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neuroscience 2023; 531:75-85. [PMID: 37699442 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Sensory difficulties represent a crucial issue in the life of autistic individuals. The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders describes both hyper- and hypo-responsiveness to sensory stimulation as a criterion for the diagnosis autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Among the sensory domain affected in ASD, altered responses to tactile stimulation represent the most commonly reported sensory deficits. Although tactile abnormalities have been reported in monogenic cohorts of patients and genetic mouse models of ASD, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. Traditionally, autism research has focused on the central nervous system as the target to infer the neurobiological bases of such tactile abnormalities. Nonetheless, the peripheral nervous system represents the initial site of processing of sensory information and a potential site of dysfunction in the sensory cascade. Here we investigated the gene expression deregulation in the trigeminal ganglion (which directly receives tactile information from whiskers) in two genetic models of syndromic autism (Shank3b and Cntnap2 mutant mice) at both adult and juvenile ages. We found several neuronal and non-neuronal markers involved in inhibitory, excitatory, neuroinflammatory and sensory neurotransmission to be differentially regulated within the trigeminal ganglia of both adult and juvenile Shank3b and Cntnap2 mutant mice. These results may help in disentangling the multifaced complexity of sensory abnormalities in autism and open avenues for the development of peripherally targeted treatments for tactile sensory deficits exhibited in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra G Ciancone-Chama
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Valerio Bonaldo
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology - CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Povo, TN, Italy
| | - Emiliano Biasini
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology - CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Povo, TN, Italy
| | - Yuri Bozzi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy; CNR Neuroscience Institute, via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Luigi Balasco
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068 Rovereto, TN, Italy.
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Wang HC, Feldman DE. Degraded tactile coding in the Cntnap2 mouse model of autism. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.29.560240. [PMID: 37808857 PMCID: PMC10557772 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.29.560240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Atypical sensory processing in autism involves altered neural circuit function and neural coding in sensory cortex, but the nature of coding disruption is poorly understood. We characterized neural coding in L2/3 of whisker somatosensory cortex (S1) of Cntnap2-/- mice, an autism model with pronounced hypofunction of parvalbumin (PV) inhibitory circuits. We tested for both excess spiking, which is often hypothesized in autism models with reduced inhibition, and alterations in somatotopic coding, using c-fos immunostaining and 2-photon calcium imaging in awake mice. In Cntnap2-/- mice, c-fos-(+) neuron density was elevated in L2/3 of S1 under spontaneous activity conditions, but comparable to control mice after whisker stimulation, suggesting that sensory-evoked spiking was relatively normal. 2-photon GCaMP8m imaging in L2/3 pyramidal cells revealed no increase in whisker-evoked response magnitude, but instead showed multiple signs of degraded somatotopic coding. These included broadening of whisker tuning curves, blurring of the whisker map, and blunting of the point representation of each whisker. These altered properties were more pronounced in noisy than sparse sensory conditions. Tuning instability, assessed over 2-3 weeks of longitudinal imaging, was also significantly increased in Cntnap2-/- mice. Thus, Cntnap2-/- mice show no excess spiking, but a degraded and unstable tactile code in S1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Chin Wang
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Daniel E Feldman
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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Toudji I, Toumi A, Chamberland É, Rossignol E. Interneuron odyssey: molecular mechanisms of tangential migration. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1256455. [PMID: 37779671 PMCID: PMC10538647 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1256455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical GABAergic interneurons are critical components of neural networks. They provide local and long-range inhibition and help coordinate network activities involved in various brain functions, including signal processing, learning, memory and adaptative responses. Disruption of cortical GABAergic interneuron migration thus induces profound deficits in neural network organization and function, and results in a variety of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders including epilepsy, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. It is thus of paramount importance to elucidate the specific mechanisms that govern the migration of interneurons to clarify some of the underlying disease mechanisms. GABAergic interneurons destined to populate the cortex arise from multipotent ventral progenitor cells located in the ganglionic eminences and pre-optic area. Post-mitotic interneurons exit their place of origin in the ventral forebrain and migrate dorsally using defined migratory streams to reach the cortical plate, which they enter through radial migration before dispersing to settle in their final laminar allocation. While migrating, cortical interneurons constantly change their morphology through the dynamic remodeling of actomyosin and microtubule cytoskeleton as they detect and integrate extracellular guidance cues generated by neuronal and non-neuronal sources distributed along their migratory routes. These processes ensure proper distribution of GABAergic interneurons across cortical areas and lamina, supporting the development of adequate network connectivity and brain function. This short review summarizes current knowledge on the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling cortical GABAergic interneuron migration, with a focus on tangential migration, and addresses potential avenues for cell-based interneuron progenitor transplants in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikram Toudji
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Asmaa Toumi
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Émile Chamberland
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Elsa Rossignol
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Monday HR, Wang HC, Feldman DE. Circuit-level theories for sensory dysfunction in autism: convergence across mouse models. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1254297. [PMID: 37745660 PMCID: PMC10513044 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1254297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit a diverse range of behavioral features and genetic backgrounds, but whether different genetic forms of autism involve convergent pathophysiology of brain function is unknown. Here, we analyze evidence for convergent deficits in neural circuit function across multiple transgenic mouse models of ASD. We focus on sensory areas of neocortex, where circuit differences may underlie atypical sensory processing, a central feature of autism. Many distinct circuit-level theories for ASD have been proposed, including increased excitation-inhibition (E-I) ratio and hyperexcitability, hypofunction of parvalbumin (PV) interneuron circuits, impaired homeostatic plasticity, degraded sensory coding, and others. We review these theories and assess the degree of convergence across ASD mouse models for each. Behaviorally, our analysis reveals that innate sensory detection behavior is heightened and sensory discrimination behavior is impaired across many ASD models. Neurophysiologically, PV hypofunction and increased E-I ratio are prevalent but only rarely generate hyperexcitability and excess spiking. Instead, sensory tuning and other aspects of neural coding are commonly degraded and may explain impaired discrimination behavior. Two distinct phenotypic clusters with opposing neural circuit signatures are evident across mouse models. Such clustering could suggest physiological subtypes of autism, which may facilitate the development of tailored therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah R. Monday
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | | | - Daniel E. Feldman
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
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Robinson BG, Oster BA, Robertson K, Kaltschmidt JA. Loss of ASD-Related Molecule Cntnap2 Affects Colonic Motility in Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.17.537221. [PMID: 37131706 PMCID: PMC10153124 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.17.537221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are highly prevalent among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the molecular link between ASD and GI dysfunction remains poorly understood. The enteric nervous system (ENS) is critical for normal GI motility and has been shown to be altered in mouse models of ASD and other neurological disorders. Contactin-associated protein-like 2 (Cntnap2) is an ASD-related synaptic cell-adhesion molecule important for sensory processing. In this study, we examine the role of Cntnap2 in GI motility by characterizing Cntnap2's expression in the ENS and assessing GI function in Cntnap2 mutant mice. We find Cntnap2 expression predominately in enteric sensory neurons. We further assess in-vivo and ex-vivo GI motility in Cntnap2 mutants and show altered transit time and colonic motility patterns. The overall organization of the ENS appears undisturbed. Our results suggest that Cntnap2 plays a role in GI function and may provide a molecular link between ASD and GI dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz G. Robinson
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Neurosciences IDP Graduate Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Beau A. Oster
- Nevada ENDURE Program, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Keiramarie Robertson
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Neurosciences IDP Graduate Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Julia A. Kaltschmidt
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Shafique A, Sultan T, Alzahrani F, Hun Seo G, Alkuraya FS, Naz S. Genomic Analysis of Multiplex Consanguineous Families Reveals Causes of Neurodevelopmental Disorders with Epilepsy. Gene 2023:147599. [PMID: 37393059 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147599] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) are a diverse group of disorders that affect the development of the nervous system. Epilepsy is a common phenotypic aspect of NDD. METHODS We recruited eight consanguineous families from Pakistan which segregated recessively inherited NDD with epilepsy. Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) and Electroencephalogram (EEG) were completed. Exome sequencing was carried out for selected participants from each family. The exome data were analyzed for exonic and splice-site variants that had allele frequencies of less than 0.01 in public databases. RESULTS Clinical investigations determined that developmental delay, intellectual disability and seizures were manifested by most patients in early childhood. EEG findings were abnormal in the participants of four families. MRI revealed demyelination orcerebral atrophic changes in multiple participants. We identified four novel homozygous variants including nonsense andmissense variants in OCLN, ALDH7A1, IQSEC2 and COL3A1, segregating with the phenotypes in the participants of four families. Previously reported homozygous variants of CNTNAP2, TRIT1 and NARS1 were found in individuals from three families. Clinical utility was observed in directing treatment in case of patients with an ALDH7A1 variant which included pyridoxine administration and enabling accurate counseling about the natural history and recurrence risk. CONCLUSION Our results add to the clinical and molecular delineation of very rare NDD with epilepsy. The high success rate of exome sequencing is likely attributable to the expectation of homozygous variants in patients of consanguineous families, and in one case, the availability of positional mapping data that greatly aided the variant prioritization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anum Shafique
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Tipu Sultan
- Children's Hospital & the Institute of Child Health, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Fatema Alzahrani
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Translational Genomics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | | | - Fowzan S Alkuraya
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Translational Genomics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Sadaf Naz
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
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Gandhi T, Canepa CR, Adeyelu TT, Adeniyi PA, Lee CC. Neuroanatomical Alterations in the CNTNAP2 Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Brain Sci 2023; 13:891. [PMID: 37371370 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with neurodevelopmental alterations, including atypical forebrain cellular organization. Mutations in several ASD-related genes often result in cerebral cortical anomalies, such as the abnormal developmental migration of excitatory pyramidal cells and the malformation of inhibitory neuronal circuitry. Notably here, mutations in the CNTNAP2 gene result in ectopic superficial cortical neurons stalled in lower cortical layers and alterations to the balance of cortical excitation and inhibition. However, the broader circuit-level implications of these findings have not been previously investigated. Therefore, we assessed whether ectopic cortical neurons in CNTNAP2 mutant mice form aberrant connections with higher-order thalamic nuclei, potentially accounting for some autistic behaviors, such as repetitive and hyperactive behaviors. Furthermore, we assessed whether the development of parvalbumin-positive (PV) cortical interneurons and their specialized matrix support structures, called perineuronal nets (PNNs), were altered in these mutant mice. We found alterations in both ectopic neuronal connectivity and in the development of PNNs, PV neurons and PNNs enwrapping PV neurons in various sensory cortical regions and at different postnatal ages in the CNTNAP2 mutant mice, which likely lead to some of the cortical excitation/inhibition (E/I) imbalance associated with ASD. These findings suggest neuroanatomical alterations in cortical regions that underlie the emergence of ASD-related behaviors in this mouse model of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Gandhi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
| | - Cade R Canepa
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
| | - Tolulope T Adeyelu
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
| | - Philip A Adeniyi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
| | - Charles C Lee
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA
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12
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Mann RS, Allman BL, Schmid S. Developmental changes in electrophysiological properties of auditory cortical neurons in the Cntnap2 knockout rat. J Neurophysiol 2023; 129:937-947. [PMID: 36947880 PMCID: PMC10110732 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00029.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Disruptions in the CNTNAP2 gene are known to cause language impairments and symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Importantly, knocking out this gene in rodents results in ASD-like symptoms that include auditory processing deficits. This study used in vitro patch-clamp electrophysiology to examine developmental alterations in auditory cortex pyramidal neurons of Cntnap2-/- rats, hypothesizing that CNTNAP2 is essential for maintaining intrinsic neuronal properties and synaptic wiring in the developing auditory cortex. Whole cell patch-clamp recordings were conducted in wildtype and Cntnap2-/- littermates at three postnatal age ranges (P8-12, P18-21, and P70-90). Consistent changes across age were seen in all measures of intrinsic membrane properties and spontaneous synaptic input. Intrinsic cell properties such as action potential half-widths, rheobase, and action-potential firing frequencies were different between wildtype and Cntnap2-/- rats predominantly during the juvenile stage (P18-21), whereas adult Cntnap2-/- rats showed higher frequencies of spontaneous and mini postsynaptic currents (sPSCs; mPSCs), with lower sPSC amplitudes. These results indicate that intrinsic cell properties are altered in Cntnap2-/- rats during the juvenile age, leading to a hyperexcitable phenotype during this stage of synaptic remodeling and refinement. Although intrinsic properties eventually normalize by reaching adulthood, changes in synaptic input, potentially caused by the differences in intrinsic membrane properties, seem to manifest in the adult age and are presumably responsible for the hyperreactive behavioral phenotype. In conjunction with a previous study, the present results also indicate a large influence of breeding scheme, i.e., pre- or postnatal environment, on the impact of Cntnap2 on cellular physiology.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study shows that neurons in the auditory cortex of Cntnap2 knockout rats are hyperexcitable only during the juvenile age, whereas resulting changes in synaptic input persist in the adult. In conjunction with a previous study, the present results indicate that it is not the genes alone, but also the influence of pre- and postnatal environment, that shape neuronal function, highlighting the importance of early intervention in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajkamalpreet S Mann
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian L Allman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Susanne Schmid
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Zong F, Min X, Zhang Y, Li Y, Zhang X, Liu Y, He K. Circadian time- and sleep-dependent modulation of cortical parvalbumin-positive inhibitory neurons. EMBO J 2023; 42:e111304. [PMID: 36477886 PMCID: PMC9890233 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022111304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parvalbumin-positive neurons (PVs) are the main class of inhibitory neurons in the mammalian central nervous system. By examining diurnal changes in synaptic and neuronal activity of PVs in the supragranular layer of the mouse primary visual cortex (V1), we found that both PV input and output are modulated in a time- and sleep-dependent manner throughout the 24-h day. We first show that PV-evoked inhibition is stronger by the end of the light cycle (ZT12) relative to the end of the dark cycle (ZT0), which is in line with the lower inhibitory input of PV neurons at ZT12 than at ZT0. Interestingly, PV inhibitory and excitatory synaptic transmission slowly oscillate in opposite directions during the light/dark cycle. Although excitatory synapses are predominantly regulated by experience, inhibitory synapses are regulated by sleep, via acetylcholine activating M1 receptors. Consistent with synaptic regulation of PVs, we further show in vivo that spontaneous PV activity displays daily rhythm mainly determined by visual experience, which negatively correlates with the activity cycle of surrounding pyramidal neurons and the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus-evoked responses in V1. These findings underscore the physiological significance of PV's daily modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang‐Jiao Zong
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Present address:
Qingdao University School of PharmacyQingdaoChina
| | - Xia Min
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yan Zhang
- Shanghai Open UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yu‐Ke Li
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xue‐Ting Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yang Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Kai‐Wen He
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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14
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Ahmed NY, Knowles R, Liu L, Yan Y, Li X, Schumann U, Wang Y, Sontani Y, Reynolds N, Natoli R, Wen J, Del Pino I, Mi D, Dehorter N. Developmental deficits of MGE-derived interneurons in the Cntnap2 knockout mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1112062. [PMID: 36819097 PMCID: PMC9930104 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1112062] [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: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Interneurons are fundamental cells for maintaining the excitation-inhibition balance in the brain in health and disease. While interneurons have been shown to play a key role in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in adult mice, little is known about how their maturation is altered in the developing striatum in ASD. Here, we aimed to track striatal developing interneurons and elucidate the molecular and physiological alterations in the Cntnap2 knockout mouse model. Using Stereo-seq and single-cell RNA sequencing data, we first characterized the pattern of expression of Cntnap2 in the adult brain and at embryonic stages in the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE), a transitory structure producing most cortical and striatal interneurons. We found that Cntnap2 is enriched in the striatum, compared to the cortex, particularly in the developing striatal cholinergic interneurons. We then revealed enhanced MGE-derived cell proliferation, followed by increased cell loss during the canonical window of developmental cell death in the Cntnap2 knockout mice. We uncovered specific cellular and molecular alterations in the developing Lhx6-expressing cholinergic interneurons of the striatum, which impacts interneuron firing properties during the first postnatal week. Overall, our work unveils some of the mechanisms underlying the shift in the developmental trajectory of striatal interneurons which greatly contribute to the ASD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noorya Yasmin Ahmed
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Rhys Knowles
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Lixinyu Liu
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Yiming Yan
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohan Li
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ulrike Schumann
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Yumeng Wang
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Yovina Sontani
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Nathan Reynolds
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Riccardo Natoli
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Jiayu Wen
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Isabel Del Pino
- Institute of Neurosciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
| | - Da Mi
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Nathalie Dehorter
- The Australian National University, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, ACT, Australia,*Correspondence: Nathalie Dehorter,
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15
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Cifuentes-Diaz C, Canali G, Garcia M, Druart M, Manett T, Savariradjane M, Guillaume C, Le Magueresse C, Goutebroze L. Differential impacts of Cntnap2 heterozygosity and Cntnap2 null homozygosity on axon and myelinated fiber development in mouse. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1100121. [PMID: 36793543 PMCID: PMC9922869 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1100121] [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: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, a large variety of alterations of the Contactin Associated Protein 2 (CNTNAP2) gene, encoding Caspr2, have been identified in several neuronal disorders, including neurodevelopmental disorders and peripheral neuropathies. Some of these alterations are homozygous but most are heterozygous, and one of the current challenges is to estimate to what extent they could affect the functions of Caspr2 and contribute to the development of these pathologies. Notably, it is not known whether the disruption of a single CNTNAP2 allele could be sufficient to perturb the functions of Caspr2. To get insights into this issue, we questioned whether Cntnap2 heterozygosity and Cntnap2 null homozygosity in mice could both impact, either similarly or differentially, some specific functions of Caspr2 during development and in adulthood. We focused on yet poorly explored functions of Caspr2 in axon development and myelination, and performed a morphological study from embryonic day E17.5 to adulthood of two major brain interhemispheric myelinated tracts, the anterior commissure (AC) and the corpus callosum (CC), comparing wild-type (WT), Cntnap2 -/- and Cntnap2 +/- mice. We also looked for myelinated fiber abnormalities in the sciatic nerves of mutant mice. Our work revealed that Caspr2 controls the morphology of the CC and AC throughout development, axon diameter at early developmental stages, cortical neuron intrinsic excitability at the onset of myelination, and axon diameter and myelin thickness at later developmental stages. Changes in axon diameter, myelin thickness and node of Ranvier morphology were also detected in the sciatic nerves of the mutant mice. Importantly, most of the parameters analyzed were affected in Cntnap2 +/- mice, either specifically, more severely, or oppositely as compared to Cntnap2 -/- mice. In addition, Cntnap2 +/- mice, but not Cntnap2 -/- mice, showed motor/coordination deficits in the grid-walking test. Thus, our observations show that both Cntnap2 heterozygosity and Cntnap2 null homozygosity impact axon and central and peripheral myelinated fiber development, but in a differential manner. This is a first step indicating that CNTNAP2 alterations could lead to a multiplicity of phenotypes in humans, and raising the need to evaluate the impact of Cntnap2 heterozygosity on the other neurodevelopmental functions of Caspr2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Cifuentes-Diaz
- Inserm, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1270, Paris, France,Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, Sorbonne University, Paris, France,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Giorgia Canali
- Inserm, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1270, Paris, France,Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, Sorbonne University, Paris, France,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Marta Garcia
- Inserm, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1270, Paris, France,Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, Sorbonne University, Paris, France,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Mélanie Druart
- Inserm, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1270, Paris, France,Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, Sorbonne University, Paris, France,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Taylor Manett
- Inserm, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1270, Paris, France,Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, Sorbonne University, Paris, France,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Mythili Savariradjane
- Inserm, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1270, Paris, France,Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, Sorbonne University, Paris, France,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Camille Guillaume
- Inserm, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1270, Paris, France,Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, Sorbonne University, Paris, France,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Corentin Le Magueresse
- Inserm, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1270, Paris, France,Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, Sorbonne University, Paris, France,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France
| | - Laurence Goutebroze
- Inserm, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1270, Paris, France,Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, Sorbonne University, Paris, France,Institut du Fer à Moulin, Paris, France,*Correspondence: Laurence Goutebroze,
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16
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Yang Y, Booker SA, Clegg JM, Quintana-Urzainqui I, Sumera A, Kozic Z, Dando O, Martin Lorenzo S, Herault Y, Kind PC, Price DJ, Pratt T. Identifying foetal forebrain interneurons as a target for monogenic autism risk factors and the polygenic 16p11.2 microdeletion. BMC Neurosci 2023; 24:5. [PMID: 36658491 PMCID: PMC9850541 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-022-00771-3] [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: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum condition or 'autism' is associated with numerous genetic risk factors including the polygenic 16p11.2 microdeletion. The balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the cerebral cortex is hypothesised to be critical for the aetiology of autism making improved understanding of how risk factors impact on the development of these cells an important area of research. In the current study we aim to combine bioinformatics analysis of human foetal cerebral cortex gene expression data with anatomical and electrophysiological analysis of a 16p11.2+/- rat model to investigate how genetic risk factors impact on inhibitory neuron development. METHODS We performed bioinformatics analysis of single cell transcriptomes from gestational week (GW) 8-26 human foetal prefrontal cortex and anatomical and electrophysiological analysis of 16p11.2+/- rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus at post-natal day (P) 21. RESULTS We identified a subset of human interneurons (INs) first appearing at GW23 with enriched expression of a large fraction of risk factor transcripts including those expressed from the 16p11.2 locus. This suggests the hypothesis that these foetal INs are vulnerable to mutations causing autism. We investigated this in a rat model of the 16p11.2 microdeletion. We found no change in the numbers or position of either excitatory or inhibitory neurons in the somatosensory cortex or CA1 of 16p11.2+/- rats but found that CA1 Sst INs were hyperexcitable with an enlarged axon initial segment, which was not the case for CA1 pyramidal cells. LIMITATIONS The human foetal gene expression data was acquired from cerebral cortex between gestational week (GW) 8 to 26. We cannot draw inferences about potential vulnerabilities to genetic autism risk factors for cells not present in the developing cerebral cortex at these stages. The analysis 16p11.2+/- rat phenotypes reported in the current study was restricted to 3-week old (P21) animals around the time of weaning and to a single interneuron cell-type while in human 16p11.2 microdeletion carriers symptoms likely involve multiple cell types and manifest in the first few years of life and on into adulthood. CONCLUSIONS We have identified developing interneurons in human foetal cerebral cortex as potentially vulnerable to monogenic autism risk factors and the 16p11.2 microdeletion and report interneuron phenotypes in post-natal 16p11.2+/- rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Yang
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - Sam A Booker
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - James M Clegg
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Idoia Quintana-Urzainqui
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69012, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Sumera
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Zrinko Kozic
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Owen Dando
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Sandra Martin Lorenzo
- CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, IGBMC, 1 rue Laurent Fries, 67404, Illkirch, France
| | - Yann Herault
- CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, IGBMC, 1 rue Laurent Fries, 67404, Illkirch, France
| | - Peter C Kind
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - David J Price
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Pratt
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom. .,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.
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17
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Royero P, Quatraccioni A, Früngel R, Silva MH, Bast A, Ulas T, Beyer M, Opitz T, Schultze JL, Graham ME, Oberlaender M, Becker A, Schoch S, Beck H. Circuit-selective cell-autonomous regulation of inhibition in pyramidal neurons by Ste20-like kinase. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111757. [PMID: 36476865 PMCID: PMC9756112 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111757] [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: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintaining an appropriate balance between excitation and inhibition is critical for neuronal information processing. Cortical neurons can cell-autonomously adjust the inhibition they receive to individual levels of excitatory input, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We describe that Ste20-like kinase (SLK) mediates cell-autonomous regulation of excitation-inhibition balance in the thalamocortical feedforward circuit, but not in the feedback circuit. This effect is due to regulation of inhibition originating from parvalbumin-expressing interneurons, while inhibition via somatostatin-expressing interneurons is unaffected. Computational modeling shows that this mechanism promotes stable excitatory-inhibitory ratios across pyramidal cells and ensures robust and sparse coding. Patch-clamp RNA sequencing yields genes differentially regulated by SLK knockdown, as well as genes associated with excitation-inhibition balance participating in transsynaptic communication and cytoskeletal dynamics. These data identify a mechanism for cell-autonomous regulation of a specific inhibitory circuit that is critical to ensure that a majority of cortical pyramidal cells participate in information coding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Royero
- Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research, University of Bonn, University of Bonn Medical Center, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53105 Bonn, Germany,International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anne Quatraccioni
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, 53127 Bonn, Germany,International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior, Bonn, Germany
| | - Rieke Früngel
- In Silico Brain Sciences Group, Max-Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – Caesar, Bonn, Germany,International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mariella Hurtado Silva
- Synapse Proteomics, Children’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Arco Bast
- In Silico Brain Sciences Group, Max-Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – Caesar, Bonn, Germany,International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Ulas
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V., Bonn, Germany,PRECISE Platform for Single Cell Genomics and Epigenomics, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V. and University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany,Genomics & Immunoregulation, LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Marc Beyer
- PRECISE Platform for Single Cell Genomics and Epigenomics, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V. and University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany,Immunogenomics & Neurodegeneration, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e.V., Bonn, Germany
| | - Thoralf Opitz
- Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research, University of Bonn, University of Bonn Medical Center, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Joachim L. Schultze
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V., Bonn, Germany,PRECISE Platform for Single Cell Genomics and Epigenomics, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) e.V. and University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany,Genomics & Immunoregulation, LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mark E. Graham
- Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research, University of Bonn, University of Bonn Medical Center, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Marcel Oberlaender
- In Silico Brain Sciences Group, Max-Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – Caesar, Bonn, Germany
| | - Albert Becker
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Susanne Schoch
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Bonn, Section for Translational Epilepsy Research, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Heinz Beck
- Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research, University of Bonn, University of Bonn Medical Center, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53105 Bonn, Germany,Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e.V., Bonn, Germany,Corresponding author
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18
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Abstract
Recent advances in genomics have revealed a wide spectrum of genetic variants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders at an unprecedented scale. An increasing number of studies have consistently identified mutations-both inherited and de novo-impacting the function of specific brain circuits. This suggests that, during brain development, alterations in distinct neural circuits, cell types, or broad regulatory pathways ultimately shaping synapses might be a dysfunctional process underlying these disorders. Here, we review findings from human studies and animal model research to provide a comprehensive description of synaptic and circuit mechanisms implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. We discuss how specific synaptic connections might be commonly disrupted in different disorders and the alterations in cognition and behaviors emerging from imbalances in neuronal circuits. Moreover, we review new approaches that have been shown to restore or mitigate dysfunctional processes during specific critical windows of brain development. Considering the heterogeneity of neurodevelopmental disorders, we also highlight the recent progress in developing improved clinical biomarkers and strategies that will help to identify novel therapeutic compounds and opportunities for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Exposito-Alonso
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom;
- Current affiliation: Division of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
| | - Beatriz Rico
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom;
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19
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Li D, Wu Q, Han X. Application of Medial Ganglionic Eminence Cell Transplantation in Diseases Associated With Interneuron Disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:939294. [PMID: 35865112 PMCID: PMC9294455 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.939294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory projection neurons and inhibitory interneurons primarily accomplish the neural activity of the cerebral cortex, and an imbalance of excitatory-inhibitory neural networks may lead to neuropsychiatric diseases. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons mediate inhibition, and the embryonic medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) is a source of GABAergic interneurons. After transplantation, MGE cells migrate to different brain regions, differentiate into multiple subtypes of GABAergic interneurons, integrate into host neural circuits, enhance synaptic inhibition, and have tremendous application value in diseases associated with interneuron disorders. In the current review, we describe the fate of MGE cells derived into specific interneurons and the related diseases caused by interneuron loss or dysfunction and explore the potential of MGE cell transplantation as a cell-based therapy for a variety of interneuron disorder-related diseases, such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease.
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20
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Chaudry S, Vasudevan N. mTOR-Dependent Spine Dynamics in Autism. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:877609. [PMID: 35782388 PMCID: PMC9241970 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.877609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction as well as repetitive behaviors and restricted range of interests. ASC are complex genetic disorders with moderate to high heritability, and associated with atypical patterns of neural connectivity. Many of the genes implicated in ASC are involved in dendritic spine pruning and spine development, both of which can be mediated by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Consistent with this idea, human postmortem studies have shown increased spine density in ASC compared to controls suggesting that the balance between autophagy and spinogenesis is altered in ASC. However, murine models of ASC have shown inconsistent results for spine morphology, which may underlie functional connectivity. This review seeks to establish the relevance of changes in dendritic spines in ASC using data gathered from rodent models. Using a literature survey, we identify 20 genes that are linked to dendritic spine pruning or development in rodents that are also strongly implicated in ASC in humans. Furthermore, we show that all 20 genes are linked to the mTOR pathway and propose that the mTOR pathway regulating spine dynamics is a potential mechanism underlying the ASC signaling pathway in ASC. We show here that the direction of change in spine density was mostly correlated to the upstream positive or negative regulation of the mTOR pathway and most rodent models of mutant mTOR regulators show increases in immature spines, based on morphological analyses. We further explore the idea that these mutations in these genes result in aberrant social behavior in rodent models that is due to these altered spine dynamics. This review should therefore pave the way for further research on the specific genes outlined, their effect on spine morphology or density with an emphasis on understanding the functional role of these changes in ASC.
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21
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Trnski S, Nikolić B, Ilic K, Drlje M, Bobic-Rasonja M, Darmopil S, Petanjek Z, Hranilovic D, Jovanov-Milosevic N. The Signature of Moderate Perinatal Hypoxia on Cortical Organization and Behavior: Altered PNN-Parvalbumin Interneuron Connectivity of the Cingulate Circuitries. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:810980. [PMID: 35295859 PMCID: PMC8919082 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.810980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was designed in a rat model to determine the hallmarks of possible permanent behavioral and structural brain alterations after a single moderate hypoxic insult. Eighty-two Wistar Han (RccHan: WIST) rats were randomly subjected to hypoxia (pO2 73 mmHg/2 h) or normoxia at the first postnatal day. The substantially increased blood lactate, a significantly decreased cytochrome-C-oxygenase expression in the brain, and depleted subventricular zone suggested a high vulnerability of subset of cell populations to oxidative stress and consequent tissue response even after a single, moderate, hypoxic event. The results of behavioral tests (open-field, hole-board, social-choice, and T-maze) applied at the 30–45th and 70–85th postnatal days revealed significant hyperactivity and a slower pace of learning in rats subjected to perinatal hypoxia. At 3.5 months after hypoxic insult, the histochemical examination demonstrated a significantly increased number of specific extracellular matrix—perineuronal nets and increased parvalbumin expression in a subpopulation of interneurons in the medial and retrosplenial cingulate cortex of these animals. Conclusively, moderate perinatal hypoxia in rats causes a long-lasting reorganization of the connectivity in the cingulate cortex and consequent alterations of related behavioral and cognitive abilities. This non-invasive hypoxia model in the rat successfully and complementarily models the moderate perinatal hypoxic injury in fetuses and prematurely born human babies and may enhance future research into new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for perinatal medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Trnski
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Barbara Nikolić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Katarina Ilic
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroimaging, BRAIN Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matea Drlje
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mihaela Bobic-Rasonja
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Sanja Darmopil
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Zdravko Petanjek
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dubravka Hranilovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Natasa Jovanov-Milosevic
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- *Correspondence: Natasa Jovanov-Milosevic,
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22
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Riemersma IW, Havekes R, Kas MJH. Spatial and Temporal Gene Function Studies in Rodents: Towards Gene-Based Therapies for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Genes (Basel) 2021; 13:28. [PMID: 35052369 PMCID: PMC8774890 DOI: 10.3390/genes13010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that is characterized by differences in social interaction, repetitive behaviors, restricted interests, and sensory differences beginning early in life. Especially sensory symptoms are highly correlated with the severity of other behavioral differences. ASD is a highly heterogeneous condition on multiple levels, including clinical presentation, genetics, and developmental trajectories. Over a thousand genes have been implicated in ASD. This has facilitated the generation of more than two hundred genetic mouse models that are contributing to understanding the biological underpinnings of ASD. Since the first symptoms already arise during early life, it is especially important to identify both spatial and temporal gene functions in relation to the ASD phenotype. To further decompose the heterogeneity, ASD-related genes can be divided into different subgroups based on common functions, such as genes involved in synaptic function. Furthermore, finding common biological processes that are modulated by this subgroup of genes is essential for possible patient stratification and the development of personalized early treatments. Here, we review the current knowledge on behavioral rodent models of synaptic dysfunction by focusing on behavioral phenotypes, spatial and temporal gene function, and molecular targets that could lead to new targeted gene-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Martien J. H. Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Neurobiology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands; (I.W.R.); (R.H.)
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23
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Dysfunction of Trio GEF1 involves in excitatory/inhibitory imbalance and autism-like behaviors through regulation of interneuron migration. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:7621-7640. [PMID: 33963279 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01109-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of highly inheritable neurodevelopmental disorders. Functional mutations in TRIO, especially in the GEF1 domain, are strongly implicated in ASDs, whereas the underlying neurobiological pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms remain to be clarified. Here we characterize the abnormal morphology and behavior of embryonic migratory interneurons (INs) upon Trio deficiency or GEF1 mutation in mice, which are mediated by the Trio GEF1-Rac1 activation and involved in SDF1α/CXCR4 signaling. In addition, the migration deficits are specifically associated with altered neural microcircuit, decreased inhibitory neurotransmission, and autism-like behaviors, which are reminiscent of some features observed in patients with ASDs. Furthermore, restoring the excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalance via activation of GABA signaling rescues autism-like deficits. Our findings demonstrate a critical role of Trio GEF1 mediated signaling in IN migration and E/I balance, which are related to autism-related behavioral phenotypes.
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24
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Paterno R, Marafiga JR, Ramsay H, Li T, Salvati KA, Baraban SC. Hippocampal gamma and sharp-wave ripple oscillations are altered in a Cntnap2 mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109970. [PMID: 34758298 PMCID: PMC8783641 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Impaired synaptic neurotransmission may underly circuit alterations contributing to behavioral autism spectrum disorder (ASD) phenotypes. A critical component of impairments reported in somatosensory and prefrontal cortex of ASD mouse models are parvalbumin (PV)-expressing fast-spiking interneurons. However, it remains unknown whether PV interneurons mediating hippocampal networks crucial to navigation and memory processing are similarly impaired. Using PV-labeled transgenic mice, a battery of behavioral assays, in vitro patch-clamp electrophysiology, and in vivo 32-channel silicon probe local field potential recordings, we address this question in a Cntnap2-null mutant mouse model representing a human ASD risk factor gene. Cntnap2-/- mice show a reduction in hippocampal PV interneuron density, reduced inhibitory input to CA1 pyramidal cells, deficits in spatial discrimination ability, and frequency-dependent circuit changes within the hippocampus, including alterations in gamma oscillations, sharp-wave ripples, and theta-gamma modulation. Our findings highlight hippocampal involvement in ASD and implicate interneurons as a potential therapeutical target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalia Paterno
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Weill Institute of Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Joseane Righes Marafiga
- Neurophysiology and Neurochemistry of Neuronal Excitability and Synaptic Plasticity Laboratory, Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Harrison Ramsay
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Weill Institute of Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Tina Li
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Weill Institute of Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kathryn A Salvati
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Weill Institute of Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Scott C Baraban
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Weill Institute of Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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25
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Möhrle D, Wang W, Whitehead SN, Schmid S. GABA B Receptor Agonist R-Baclofen Reverses Altered Auditory Reactivity and Filtering in the Cntnap2 Knock-Out Rat. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:710593. [PMID: 34489651 PMCID: PMC8417788 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.710593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered sensory information processing, and auditory processing, in particular, is a common impairment in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). One prominent hypothesis for the etiology of ASD is an imbalance between neuronal excitation and inhibition. The selective GABAB receptor agonist R-Baclofen has been shown previously to improve social deficits and repetitive behaviors in several mouse models for neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD, and its formulation Arbaclofen has been shown to ameliorate social avoidance symptoms in some individuals with ASD. The present study investigated whether R-Baclofen can remediate ASD-related altered sensory processing reliant on excitation/inhibition imbalance in the auditory brainstem. To assess a possible excitation/inhibition imbalance in the startle-mediating brainstem underlying ASD-like auditory-evoked behaviors, we detected and quantified brain amino acid levels in the nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis (PnC) of rats with a homozygous loss-of-function mutation in the ASD-linked gene Contactin-associated protein-like 2 (Cntnap2) and their wildtype (WT) littermates using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI MS). Abnormal behavioral read-outs of brainstem auditory signaling in Cntnap2 KO rats were accompanied by increased levels of GABA, glutamate, and glutamine in the PnC. We then compared the effect of R-Baclofen on behavioral read-outs of brainstem auditory signaling in Cntnap2 KO and WT rats. Auditory reactivity, sensory filtering, and sensorimotor gating were tested in form of acoustic startle response input-output functions, short-term habituation, and prepulse inhibition before and after acute administration of R-Baclofen (0.75, 1.5, and 3 mg/kg). Systemic R-Baclofen treatment improved disruptions in sensory filtering in Cntnap2 KO rats and suppressed exaggerated auditory startle responses, in particular to moderately loud sounds. Lower ASR thresholds in Cntnap2 KO rats were increased in a dose-dependent fashion, with the two higher doses bringing thresholds close to controls, whereas shorter ASR peak latencies at the threshold were further exacerbated. Impaired prepulse inhibition increased across various acoustic prepulse conditions after administration of R-Baclofen in Cntnap2 KO rats, whereas R-Baclofen did not affect prepulse inhibition in WT rats. Our findings suggest that GABAB receptor agonists may be useful for pharmacologically targeting multiple aspects of sensory processing disruptions involving neuronal excitation/inhibition imbalances in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorit Möhrle
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Wenxuan Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Shawn N Whitehead
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Susanne Schmid
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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26
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Deemyad T, Puig S, Papale AE, Qi H, LaRocca GM, Aravind D, LaNoce E, Urban NN. Lateralized Decrease of Parvalbumin+ Cells in the Somatosensory Cortex of ASD Models Is Correlated with Unilateral Tactile Hypersensitivity. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:554-568. [PMID: 34347040 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control of excitatory networks contributes to cortical functions. Increasing evidence indicates that parvalbumin (PV+)-expressing basket cells (BCs) are a major player in maintaining the balance between excitation (E) and inhibition (I). Disruption of E/I balance in cortical networks is believed to be a hallmark of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we report a lateralized decrease in the number of PV+ BCs in L2/3 of the somatosensory cortex in the dominant hemisphere of Shank3-/- and Cntnap2-/- mouse models of ASD. The dominant hemisphere was identified during a reaching task to establish each animal's dominant forepaw. Double labeling with anti-PV antibody and a biotinylated lectin (Vicia villosa lectin [VVA]) showed that the number of BCs was not different but rather, some BCs did not express PV (PV-), resulting in an elevated number of PV- VVA+ BCs. Finally, we showed that dominant hindpaws had higher mechanical sensitivity when compared with the other hindpaws. This mechanical hypersensitivity in the dominant paw strongly correlated with the decrease in the number of PV+ interneurons and reduced PV expression in the corresponding cortex. Together, these results suggest that the hypersensitivity in ASD patients could be due to decreased inhibitory inputs to the dominant somatosensory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Deemyad
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Stephanie Puig
- Department of Psychiatry, Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Andrew E Papale
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Hang Qi
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Gregory M LaRocca
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Deepthi Aravind
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Emma LaNoce
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Nathaniel N Urban
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.,Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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27
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Nelson AD, Bender KJ. Dendritic Integration Dysfunction in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:201-221. [PMID: 34139699 DOI: 10.1159/000516657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that affect cognition, social interaction, and learning, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), have a strong genetic component. Our current understanding of risk genes highlights two main groups of dysfunction: those in genes that act as chromatin modifiers and those in genes that encode for proteins localized at or near synapses. Understanding how dysfunction in these genes contributes to phenotypes observed in ASD and ID remains a major question in neuroscience. In this review, we highlight emerging evidence suggesting that dysfunction in dendrites - regions of neurons that receive synaptic input - may be key to understanding features of neuronal processing affected in these disorders. Dendritic integration plays a fundamental role in sensory processing, cognition, and conscious perception, processes hypothesized to be impaired in NDDs. Many high-confidence ASD genes function within dendrites where they control synaptic integration and dendritic excitability. Further, increasing evidence demonstrates that several ASD/ID genes, including chromatin modifiers and transcription factors, regulate the expression or scaffolding of dendritic ion channels, receptors, and synaptic proteins. Therefore, we discuss how dysfunction of subsets of NDD-associated genes in dendrites leads to defects in dendritic integration and excitability and may be one core phenotype in ASD and ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Nelson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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28
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Sensitive period for rescuing parvalbumin interneurons connectivity and social behavior deficits caused by TSC1 loss. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3653. [PMID: 34135323 PMCID: PMC8209106 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23939-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway controls several aspects of neuronal development. Mutations in regulators of mTORC1, such as Tsc1 and Tsc2, lead to neurodevelopmental disorders associated with autism, intellectual disabilities and epilepsy. The correct development of inhibitory interneurons is crucial for functional circuits. In particular, the axonal arborisation and synapse density of parvalbumin (PV)-positive GABAergic interneurons change in the postnatal brain. How and whether mTORC1 signaling affects PV cell development is unknown. Here, we show that Tsc1 haploinsufficiency causes a premature increase in terminal axonal branching and bouton density formed by mutant PV cells, followed by a loss of perisomatic innervation in adult mice. PV cell-restricted Tsc1 haploinsufficient and knockout mice show deficits in social behavior. Finally, we identify a sensitive period during the third postnatal week during which treatment with the mTOR inhibitor Rapamycin rescues deficits in both PV cell innervation and social behavior in adult conditional haploinsufficient mice. Our findings reveal a role of mTORC1 signaling in the regulation of the developmental time course and maintenance of cortical PV cell connectivity and support a mechanistic basis for the targeted rescue of autism-related behaviors in disorders associated with deregulated mTORC1 signaling.
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29
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Klune CB, Jin B, DeNardo LA. Linking mPFC circuit maturation to the developmental regulation of emotional memory and cognitive flexibility. eLife 2021; 10:e64567. [PMID: 33949949 PMCID: PMC8099425 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and its abundant connections with other brain regions play key roles in memory, cognition, decision making, social behaviors, and mood. Dysfunction in mPFC is implicated in psychiatric disorders in which these behaviors go awry. The prolonged maturation of mPFC likely enables complex behaviors to emerge, but also increases their vulnerability to disruption. Many foundational studies have characterized either mPFC synaptic or behavioral development without establishing connections between them. Here, we review this rich body of literature, aligning major events in mPFC development with the maturation of complex behaviors. We focus on emotional memory and cognitive flexibility, and highlight new work linking mPFC circuit disruption to alterations of these behaviors in disease models. We advance new hypotheses about the causal connections between mPFC synaptic development and behavioral maturation and propose research strategies to establish an integrated understanding of neural architecture and behavioral repertoires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra B Klune
- Physiology Department, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Graduate Program, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
| | - Benita Jin
- Physiology Department, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
- Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Graduate Program, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
| | - Laura A DeNardo
- Physiology Department, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
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30
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Yang J, Yang X, Tang K. Interneuron development and dysfunction. FEBS J 2021; 289:2318-2336. [PMID: 33844440 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding excitation and inhibition balance in the brain begins with the tale of two basic types of neurons, glutamatergic projection neurons and GABAergic interneurons. The diversity of cortical interneurons is contributed by multiple origins in the ventral forebrain, various tangential migration routes, and complicated regulations of intrinsic factors, extrinsic signals, and activities. Abnormalities of interneuron development lead to dysfunction of interneurons and inhibitory circuits, which are highly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, and intellectual disability. In this review, we mainly discuss recent findings on the development of cortical interneuron and on neurodevelopmental disorders related to interneuron dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Yang
- Precise Genome Engineering Center, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, China
| | - Xiong Yang
- Precise Genome Engineering Center, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, China
| | - Ke Tang
- Precise Genome Engineering Center, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, China
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31
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Filice F, Janickova L, Henzi T, Bilella A, Schwaller B. The Parvalbumin Hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:577525. [PMID: 33390904 PMCID: PMC7775315 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.577525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-a type of neurodevelopmental disorder-is increasing and is around 2% in North America, Asia, and Europe. Besides the known genetic link, environmental, epigenetic, and metabolic factors have been implicated in ASD etiology. Although highly heterogeneous at the behavioral level, ASD comprises a set of core symptoms including impaired communication and social interaction skills as well as stereotyped and repetitive behaviors. This has led to the suggestion that a large part of the ASD phenotype is caused by changes in a few and common set of signaling pathways, the identification of which is a fundamental aim of autism research. Using advanced bioinformatics tools and the abundantly available genetic data, it is possible to classify the large number of ASD-associated genes according to cellular function and pathways. Cellular processes known to be impaired in ASD include gene regulation, synaptic transmission affecting the excitation/inhibition balance, neuronal Ca2+ signaling, development of short-/long-range connectivity (circuits and networks), and mitochondrial function. Such alterations often occur during early postnatal neurodevelopment. Among the neurons most affected in ASD as well as in schizophrenia are those expressing the Ca2+-binding protein parvalbumin (PV). These mainly inhibitory interneurons present in many different brain regions in humans and rodents are characterized by rapid, non-adaptive firing and have a high energy requirement. PV expression is often reduced at both messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in human ASD brain samples and mouse ASD (and schizophrenia) models. Although the human PVALB gene is not a high-ranking susceptibility/risk gene for either disorder and is currently only listed in the SFARI Gene Archive, we propose and present supporting evidence for the Parvalbumin Hypothesis, which posits that decreased PV level is causally related to the etiology of ASD (and possibly schizophrenia).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Beat Schwaller
- Section of Medicine, Anatomy, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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32
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Regulatory Elements Inserted into AAVs Confer Preferential Activity in Cortical Interneurons. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0211-20.2020. [PMID: 33199411 PMCID: PMC7768279 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0211-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical interneuron (CIN) dysfunction is thought to play a major role in neuropsychiatric conditions like epilepsy, schizophrenia and autism. It is therefore essential to understand how the development, physiology, and functions of CINs influence cortical circuit activity and behavior in model organisms such as mice and primates. While transgenic driver lines are powerful tools for studying CINs in mice, this technology is limited in other species. An alternative approach is to use viral vectors such as AAV, which can be used in multiple species including primates and also have potential for therapeutic use in humans. Thus, we sought to discover gene regulatory enhancer elements (REs) that can be used in viral vectors to drive expression in specific cell types. The present study describes the systematic genome-wide identification of putative REs (pREs) that are preferentially active in immature CINs by histone modification chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing (ChIP-seq). We evaluated two novel pREs in AAV vectors, alongside the well-established Dlx I12b enhancer, and found that they drove CIN-specific reporter expression in adult mice. We also showed that the identified Arl4d pRE could drive sufficient expression of channelrhodopsin for optogenetic rescue of behavioral deficits in the Dlx5/6+/- mouse model of fast-spiking CIN dysfunction.
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Fernandes D, Santos SD, Coutinho E, Whitt JL, Beltrão N, Rondão T, Leite MI, Buckley C, Lee HK, Carvalho AL. Disrupted AMPA Receptor Function upon Genetic- or Antibody-Mediated Loss of Autism-Associated CASPR2. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:4919-4931. [PMID: 30843029 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders share susceptibility genes, suggesting a common origin. One such gene is CNTNAP2 encoding contactin-associated protein 2 (CASPR2), which harbours mutations associated to autism, schizophrenia, and intellectual disability. Antibodies targeting CASPR2 have also been recently described in patients with several neurological disorders, such as neuromyotonia, Morvan's syndrome, and limbic encephalitis. Despite the clear implication of CNTNAP2 and CASPR2 in neuropsychiatric disorders, the pathogenic mechanisms associated with alterations in CASPR2 function are unknown. Here, we show that Caspr2 is expressed in excitatory synapses in the cortex, and that silencing its expression in vitro or in vivo decreases the synaptic expression of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors and the amplitude of AMPA receptor-mediated currents. Furthermore, Caspr2 loss of function blocks synaptic scaling in vitro and experience-dependent homoeostatic synaptic plasticity in the visual cortex. Patient CASPR2 antibodies decrease the dendritic levels of Caspr2 and synaptic AMPA receptor trafficking, and perturb excitatory transmission in the visual cortex. These results suggest that mutations in CNTNAP2 may contribute to alterations in AMPA receptor function and homoeostatic plasticity, and indicate that antibodies from anti-CASPR2 encephalitis patients affect cortical excitatory transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Fernandes
- Synapse Biology Group, CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal.,PDBEB, Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine, CNC & Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra (IIIUC), 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal.,Solomon Snyder Department of Neurosciences, Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Sandra D Santos
- Synapse Biology Group, CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ester Coutinho
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Jessica L Whitt
- Solomon Snyder Department of Neurosciences, Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Nuno Beltrão
- Synapse Biology Group, CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Tiago Rondão
- Synapse Biology Group, CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal.,Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - M Isabel Leite
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Camilla Buckley
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Hey-Kyoung Lee
- Solomon Snyder Department of Neurosciences, Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Ana Luísa Carvalho
- Synapse Biology Group, CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal.,Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
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34
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Wundrach D, Martinetti LE, Stafford AM, Bilinovich SM, Angara K, Prokop JW, Crandall SR, Vogt D. A Human TSC1 Variant Screening Platform in Gabaergic Cortical Interneurons for Genotype to Phenotype Assessments. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:573409. [PMID: 33071758 PMCID: PMC7539171 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.573409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The TSC1 and TSC2 genes are connected to multiple syndromes from Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with uncertainty if genetic variants cause all or subsets of phenotypes based on the location and type of change. For TSC1, few have addressed if non-TSC associated genetic variants have direct contributions to changes in neurological genotype-to-phenotype impacts, including elevated rates of ASD and seizures. Dominant variants cause TSC, yet TSC1 has many heritable variants not dominant for TSC that are poorly understood in neurological function, with some associated with ASD. Herein, we examined how missense variants in TSC1, R336W, T360N, T393I, S403L, and H732Y, impacted the development of cortical inhibitory interneurons, cell-types whose molecular, cellular, and physiological properties are altered after the loss of mouse TSC1. We found these variants complemented a known phenotype caused by loss of TSC1, increased cell size. However, distinct variants, particularly S403L showed deficits in complementing an increase in parvalbumin levels and exhibited smaller amplitude after hyperpolarizations. Overall, these data show that subtle phenotypes can be induced by some TSC1 missense variants and provide an in vivo system to assess TSC1 variants’ neurological impact better.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean Wundrach
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Luis E Martinetti
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - April M Stafford
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Stephanie M Bilinovich
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Kartik Angara
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Jeremy W Prokop
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States.,Center for Research in Autism, Intellectual and other Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Shane R Crandall
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Daniel Vogt
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States.,Center for Research in Autism, Intellectual and other Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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35
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Bartholome O, de la Brassinne Bonardeaux O, Neirinckx V, Rogister B. A Composite Sketch of Fast-Spiking Parvalbumin-Positive Neurons. Cereb Cortex Commun 2020; 1:tgaa026. [PMID: 34296100 PMCID: PMC8153048 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Parvalbumin-positive neurons are inhibitory neurons that release GABA and are mostly represented by fast-spiking basket or chandelier cells. They constitute a minor neuronal population, yet their peculiar profiles allow them to react quickly to any event in the brain under normal or pathological conditions. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge about the fundamentals of fast-spiking parvalbumin-positive neurons, focusing on their morphology and specific channel/protein content. Next, we will explore their development, maturation, and migration in the brain. Finally, we will unravel their potential contribution to the physiopathology of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bernard Rogister
- GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium.,Neurology Department, CHU, Academic Hospital, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium
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36
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Pai ELL, Chen J, Fazel Darbandi S, Cho FS, Chen J, Lindtner S, Chu JS, Paz JT, Vogt D, Paredes MF, Rubenstein JLR. Maf and Mafb control mouse pallial interneuron fate and maturation through neuropsychiatric disease gene regulation. eLife 2020; 9:e54903. [PMID: 32452758 PMCID: PMC7282818 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Maf (c-Maf) and Mafb transcription factors (TFs) have compensatory roles in repressing somatostatin (SST+) interneuron (IN) production in medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) secondary progenitors in mice. Maf and Mafb conditional deletion (cDKO) decreases the survival of MGE-derived cortical interneurons (CINs) and changes their physiological properties. Herein, we show that (1) Mef2c and Snap25 are positively regulated by Maf and Mafb to drive IN morphological maturation; (2) Maf and Mafb promote Mef2c expression which specifies parvalbumin (PV+) INs; (3) Elmo1, Igfbp4 and Mef2c are candidate markers of immature PV+ hippocampal INs (HIN). Furthermore, Maf/Mafb neonatal cDKOs have decreased CINs and increased HINs, that express Pnoc, an HIN specific marker. Our findings not only elucidate key gene targets of Maf and Mafb that control IN development, but also identify for the first time TFs that differentially regulate CIN vs. HIN production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Ling-Lin Pai
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Jin Chen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Siavash Fazel Darbandi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Frances S Cho
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Neurology, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone InstitutesSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Jiapei Chen
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone InstitutesSan FranciscoUnited States
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Susan Lindtner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Julia S Chu
- Department of Neurology, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Jeanne T Paz
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Neurology, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone InstitutesSan FranciscoUnited States
- The Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Daniel Vogt
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State UniversityGrand RapidsUnited States
| | - Mercedes F Paredes
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Neurology, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- The Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - John LR Rubenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- The Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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37
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Markicevic M, Fulcher BD, Lewis C, Helmchen F, Rudin M, Zerbi V, Wenderoth N. Cortical Excitation:Inhibition Imbalance Causes Abnormal Brain Network Dynamics as Observed in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:4922-4937. [PMID: 32313923 PMCID: PMC7391279 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal brain development manifests itself at different spatial scales. However, whether abnormalities at the cellular level can be diagnosed from network activity measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is largely unknown, yet of high clinical relevance. Here a putative mechanism reported in neurodevelopmental disorders, that is, excitation-to-inhibition ratio (E:I), was chemogenetically increased within cortical microcircuits of the mouse brain and measured via fMRI. Increased E:I caused a significant "reduction" of long-range connectivity, irrespective of whether excitatory neurons were facilitated or inhibitory Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons were suppressed. Training a classifier on fMRI signals, we were able to accurately classify cortical areas exhibiting increased E:I. This classifier was validated in an independent cohort of Fmr1y/- knockout mice, a model for autism with well-documented loss of parvalbumin neurons and chronic alterations of E:I. Our findings demonstrate a promising novel approach towards inferring microcircuit abnormalities from macroscopic fMRI measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Markicevic
- Neural Control of Movement Lab, HEST, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ben D Fulcher
- School of Physics, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Christopher Lewis
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Fritjof Helmchen
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Rudin
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Valerio Zerbi
- Neural Control of Movement Lab, HEST, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Wenderoth
- Neural Control of Movement Lab, HEST, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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38
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Pai ELL, Vogt D, Clemente-Perez A, McKinsey GL, Cho FS, Hu JS, Wimer M, Paul A, Fazel Darbandi S, Pla R, Nowakowski TJ, Goodrich LV, Paz JT, Rubenstein JLR. Mafb and c-Maf Have Prenatal Compensatory and Postnatal Antagonistic Roles in Cortical Interneuron Fate and Function. Cell Rep 2020; 26:1157-1173.e5. [PMID: 30699346 PMCID: PMC6602795 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mafb and c-Maf transcription factor (TF) expression is enriched in medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) lineages, beginning in late-secondary progenitors and continuing into mature parvalbumin (PV+) and somatostatin (SST+) interneurons. However, the functions of Maf TFs in MGE development remain to be elucidated. Herein, Mafb and c-Maf were conditionally deleted, alone and together, in the MGE and its lineages. Analyses of Maf mutant mice revealed redundant functions of Mafb and c-Maf in secondary MGE progenitors, where they repress the generation of SST+ cortical and hippocampal interneurons. By contrast, Mafb and c-Maf have distinct roles in postnatal cortical interneuron (CIN) morphological maturation, synaptogenesis, and cortical circuit integration. Thus, Mafb and c-Maf have redundant and opposing functions at different steps in CIN development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Ling-Lin Pai
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Daniel Vogt
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Alexandra Clemente-Perez
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Gabriel L McKinsey
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Frances S Cho
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jia Sheng Hu
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Matt Wimer
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Anirban Paul
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Siavash Fazel Darbandi
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Ramon Pla
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Tomasz J Nowakowski
- Department of Anatomy, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Lisa V Goodrich
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jeanne T Paz
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - John L R Rubenstein
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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39
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Möhrle D, Fernández M, Peñagarikano O, Frick A, Allman B, Schmid S. What we can learn from a genetic rodent model about autism. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 109:29-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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40
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Interneuron deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders: Implications for disease pathology and interneuron-based therapies. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2020; 24:81-88. [PMID: 31870698 PMCID: PMC7152321 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2019.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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41
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Gao R, Pratt CP, Yoon S, Martin-de-Saavedra MD, Forrest MP, Penzes P. CNTNAP2 is targeted to endosomes by the polarity protein PAR3. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 51:1074-1086. [PMID: 31730244 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
A decade of genetic studies has established contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2) as a prominent susceptibility gene associated with multiple neurodevelopmental disorders. The development and characterization of Cntnap2 knockout models in multiple species have bolstered this claim by establishing clear connections with certain endophenotypes. Despite these remarkable in vivo findings, CNTNAP2's molecular functions are relatively unexplored, highlighting the need to identify novel protein partners. Here, we characterized an interaction between CNTNAP2 and partitioning-defective 3 (PAR3)-a polarity molecule isolated in a yeast two-hybrid screen with CNTNAP2's C-terminus. We provide evidence that the two proteins interact via PDZ domain-mediated binding, that CNTNAP2+ /PAR3+ complexes are largely associated with clathrin-coated endocytic vesicles in heterologous cells and that PAR3 causes an enlargement of CNTNAP2 puncta size. Live imaging and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) reveals that PAR3 limits the mobility of CNTNAP2. Finally, overexpression of PAR3 but not a PAR3 mutant lacking all PDZ domains (PAR3∆PDZall) can cluster endogenous CNTNAP2 in primary neurons. Collectively, we conclude that PAR3 regulates CNTNAP2 spatial localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoqi Gao
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christopher P Pratt
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sehyoun Yoon
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Marc P Forrest
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Peter Penzes
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,Northwestern University, Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, Chicago, IL, USA
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42
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Malik R, Pai ELL, Rubin AN, Stafford AM, Angara K, Minasi P, Rubenstein JL, Sohal VS, Vogt D. Tsc1 represses parvalbumin expression and fast-spiking properties in somatostatin lineage cortical interneurons. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4994. [PMID: 31676823 PMCID: PMC6825152 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12962-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Medial ganglionic eminence (MGE)-derived somatostatin (SST)+ and parvalbumin (PV)+ cortical interneurons (CINs), have characteristic molecular, anatomical and physiological properties. However, mechanisms regulating their diversity remain poorly understood. Here, we show that conditional loss of the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) gene, Tsc1, which inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (MTOR), causes a subset of SST+ CINs, to express PV and adopt fast-spiking (FS) properties, characteristic of PV+ CINs. Milder intermediate phenotypes also occur when only one allele of Tsc1 is deleted. Notably, treatment of adult mice with rapamycin, which inhibits MTOR, reverses the phenotypes. These data reveal novel functions of MTOR signaling in regulating PV expression and FS properties, which may contribute to TSC neuropsychiatric symptoms. Moreover, they suggest that CINs can exhibit properties intermediate between those classically associated with PV+ or SST+ CINs, which may be dynamically regulated by the MTOR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Malik
- Department of Psychiatry and UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, 675 Nelson Rising Ln, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, 1550 4th St., San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Sloan-Swartz Center for Theoretical Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, 1550 4th St., San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Emily Ling-Lin Pai
- Department of Psychiatry and UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, 675 Nelson Rising Ln, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Neuroscience Program, UCSF, University of California San Francisco, 1550 4th St., San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, 1550 4th St., San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Anna N Rubin
- Department of Psychiatry and UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, 675 Nelson Rising Ln, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, 1550 4th St., San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - April M Stafford
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, 400 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Kartik Angara
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, 400 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Petros Minasi
- Department of Psychiatry and UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, 675 Nelson Rising Ln, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - John L Rubenstein
- Department of Psychiatry and UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, 675 Nelson Rising Ln, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Neuroscience Program, UCSF, University of California San Francisco, 1550 4th St., San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, 1550 4th St., San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Vikaas S Sohal
- Department of Psychiatry and UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, 675 Nelson Rising Ln, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, 1550 4th St., San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
- Sloan-Swartz Center for Theoretical Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, 1550 4th St., San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Daniel Vogt
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, 400 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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Hali S, Kim J, Kwak TH, Lee H, Shin CY, Han DW. Modelling monogenic autism spectrum disorder using mouse cortical organoids. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 521:164-171. [PMID: 31653345 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.10.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Variants of the contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2), which is a member of the neurexin family of proteins, function as cell adhesion molecules. The loss of CNTNAP2 function leads to autism spectrum disorder in humans and to autistic behaviours in mice. However, the functional effects of these mutations at the cellular level during fetal developmental periods remain elusive. Here, we studied mouse cortical organoids (mCOs) derived from Cntnap2-/- (knockout, KO) mouse induced pluripotent stem cells (miPSCs). Our results showed that KO mCOs displayed inhibitory-neuron-specific defects. At the neural progenitor stage, the GABAergic-neurogenesis-governing transcriptional network was dysregulated in the absence of Cntnap2. Our findings suggest that, in the early fetal cortical development, the cell adhesion molecule Cntnap2 plays a crucial role in the regulation of the differentiation of GABAergic neurons in the organoid platform. The reduced number of GABAergic neurons was efficiently restored in KO mCOs by treatment with the antiepileptic drug retigabine, showing the effectiveness of Cntnap2 KO mCOs in the therapeutic targeting of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Hali
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 143-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonghun Kim
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hwan Kwak
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 143-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunseong Lee
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Young Shin
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Center for Neuroscience Research, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 143-701, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dong Wook Han
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea; School of Biotechnology and Healthcare, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, 529020, China.
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44
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Sohal VS, Rubenstein JLR. Excitation-inhibition balance as a framework for investigating mechanisms in neuropsychiatric disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:1248-1257. [PMID: 31089192 PMCID: PMC6742424 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0426-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 438] [Impact Index Per Article: 87.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In 2003 Rubenstein and Merzenich hypothesized that some forms of Autism (ASD) might be caused by a reduction in signal-to-noise in key neural circuits, which could be the result of changes in excitatory-inhibitory (E-I) balance. Here, we have clarified the concept of E-I balance, and updated the original hypothesis in light of the field's increasingly sophisticated understanding of neuronal circuits. We discuss how specific developmental mechanisms, which reduce inhibition, affect cortical and hippocampal functions. After describing how mutations of some ASD genes disrupt inhibition in mice, we close by suggesting that E-I balance represents an organizing framework for understanding findings related to pathophysiology and for identifying appropriate treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikaas S. Sohal
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - John L. R. Rubenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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Stolp HB, Fleiss B, Arai Y, Supramaniam V, Vontell R, Birtles S, Yates AG, Baburamani AA, Thornton C, Rutherford M, Edwards AD, Gressens P. Interneuron Development Is Disrupted in Preterm Brains With Diffuse White Matter Injury: Observations in Mouse and Human. Front Physiol 2019; 10:955. [PMID: 31417418 PMCID: PMC6683859 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm brain injury, occurring in approximately 30% of infants born <32 weeks gestational age, is associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The mechanism of gray matter injury in preterm born children is unclear and likely to be multifactorial; however, inflammation, a high predictor of poor outcome in preterm infants, has been associated with disrupted interneuron maturation in a number of animal models. Interneurons are important for regulating normal brain development, and disruption in interneuron development, and the downstream effects of this, has been implicated in the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we utilize postmortem tissue from human preterm cases with or without diffuse white matter injury (WMI; PMA range: 23+2 to 28+1 for non-WMI group, 26+6 to 30+0 for WMI group, p = 0.002) and a model of inflammation-induced preterm diffuse white matter injury (i.p. IL-1β, b.d., 10 μg/kg/injection in male CD1 mice from P1–5). Data from human preterm infants show deficits in interneuron numbers in the cortex and delayed growth of neuronal arbors at this early stage of development. In the mouse, significant reduction in the number of parvalbumin-positive interneurons was observed from postnatal day (P) 10. This decrease in parvalbumin neuron number was largely rectified by P40, though there was a significantly smaller number of parvalbumin positive cells associated with perineuronal nets in the upper cortical layers. Together, these data suggest that inflammation in the preterm brain may be a contributor to injury of specific interneuron in the cortical gray matter. This may represent a potential target for postnatal therapy to reduce the incidence and/or severity of neurodevelopmental disorders in preterm infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen B Stolp
- Department for Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bobbi Fleiss
- Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Université de Paris, NeuroDiderot, Inserm, Paris, France.,School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Yoko Arai
- Université de Paris, NeuroDiderot, Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Veena Supramaniam
- Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Regina Vontell
- Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Sebastian Birtles
- Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Abi G Yates
- Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ana A Baburamani
- Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Thornton
- Department for Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mary Rutherford
- Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - A David Edwards
- Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pierre Gressens
- Department of Perinatal Imaging & Health, Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Université de Paris, NeuroDiderot, Inserm, Paris, France
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46
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Cell migration promotes dynamic cellular interactions to control cerebral cortex morphogenesis. Nat Rev Neurosci 2019; 20:318-329. [DOI: 10.1038/s41583-019-0148-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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47
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Gao R, Zaccard CR, Shapiro LP, Dionisio LE, Martin-de-Saavedra MD, Piguel NH, Pratt CP, Horan KE, Penzes P. The CNTNAP2-CASK complex modulates GluA1 subcellular distribution in interneurons. Neurosci Lett 2019; 701:92-99. [PMID: 30779956 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
GABAergic interneurons are emerging as prominent substrates in the pathophysiology of multiple neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, intellectual disability, and epilepsy. Interneuron excitatory activity is influenced by 2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazol-4-yl) propanoic acid receptors (AMPARs), which in turn affects excitatory transmission in the central nervous system. Yet how dysregulation of interneuronal AMPARs distinctly contributes to the molecular underpinning of neurobiological disease is drastically underexplored. Contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2) is a neurexin-related adhesion molecule shown to mediate AMPAR subcellular distribution while calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase (CASK) is a multi-functional scaffold involved with glutamate receptor trafficking. Mutations in both genes have overlapping disease associations, including autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, and epilepsy, thus suggesting converging perturbations of excitatory/inhibitory balance. Our lab has previously shown that CNTNAP2 stabilizes interneuron dendritic arbors through CASK and that CNTNAP2 regulates AMPAR subunit GluA1 trafficking in excitatory neurons. The interaction between these three proteins, however, has not been studied in interneurons. Using biochemical techniques, structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and shRNA technology, we first confirm that these three proteins interact in mouse brain, and then examined relationship between CNTNAP2, CASK and GluA1 in mature interneurons. Using SIM, we ascertain that a large fraction of endogenous CNTNAP2, CASK, and GluA1 molecules collectively colocalize together in a tripartite manner. Finally, individual knockdown of either CNTNAP2 or CASK similarly alter GluA1 levels and localization. These findings offer insight to molecular mechanisms underlying GluA1 regulation in interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoqi Gao
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA
| | - Colleen R Zaccard
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA
| | - Lauren P Shapiro
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA
| | - Leonardo E Dionisio
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA
| | | | - Nicolas H Piguel
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA
| | - Christopher P Pratt
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA
| | - Katherine E Horan
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA
| | - Peter Penzes
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, 60611 IL, USA; Northwestern University Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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48
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Antoine MW, Langberg T, Schnepel P, Feldman DE. Increased Excitation-Inhibition Ratio Stabilizes Synapse and Circuit Excitability in Four Autism Mouse Models. Neuron 2019; 101:648-661.e4. [PMID: 30679017 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Distinct genetic forms of autism are hypothesized to share a common increase in excitation-inhibition (E-I) ratio in cerebral cortex, causing hyperexcitability and excess spiking. We provide a systematic test of this hypothesis across 4 mouse models (Fmr1-/y, Cntnap2-/-, 16p11.2del/+, Tsc2+/-), focusing on somatosensory cortex. All autism mutants showed reduced feedforward inhibition in layer 2/3 coupled with more modest, variable reduction in feedforward excitation, driving a common increase in E-I conductance ratio. Despite this, feedforward spiking, synaptic depolarization, and spontaneous spiking were largely normal. Modeling revealed that E and I conductance changes in each mutant were quantitatively matched to yield stable, not increased, synaptic depolarization for cells near spike threshold. Correspondingly, whisker-evoked spiking was not increased in vivo despite detectably reduced inhibition. Thus, elevated E-I ratio is a common circuit phenotype but appears to reflect homeostatic stabilization of synaptic drive rather than driving network hyperexcitability in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle W Antoine
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Tomer Langberg
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Philipp Schnepel
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Daniel E Feldman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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Keller JM, Frega M. Past, Present, and Future of Neuronal Models In Vitro. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2019; 22:3-17. [PMID: 31073930 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-11135-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Over the past century, robust methods were developed that enable the isolation, culture, and dynamic observation of mammalian neuronal networks in vitro. But even if neuronal culture cannot yet fully recapitulate the normal brain, the knowledge that has been acquired from these surrogate in vitro models is invaluable. Indeed, neuronal culture has continued to propel basic neuroscience research, proving that in vitro systems have legitimacy when it comes to studying either the healthy or diseased human brain. Furthermore, scientific advancement typically parallels technical refinements in the field. A pertinent example is that a collective drive in the field of neuroscience to better understand the development, organization, and emergent properties of neuronal networks is being facilitated by progressive advances in micro-electrode array (MEA) technology. In this chapter, we briefly review the emergence of neuronal cell culture as a technique, the current trends in human stem cell-based modeling, and the technologies used to monitor neuronal communication. We conclude by highlighting future prospects that are evolving specifically out of the combination of human neuronal models and MEA technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M Keller
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Monica Frega
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
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50
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Comprehensive cross-disorder analyses of CNTNAP2 suggest it is unlikely to be a primary risk gene for psychiatric disorders. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007535. [PMID: 30586385 PMCID: PMC6324819 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2) gene is a member of the neurexin superfamily. CNTNAP2 was first implicated in the cortical dysplasia-focal epilepsy (CDFE) syndrome, a recessive disease characterized by intellectual disability, epilepsy, language impairments and autistic features. Associated SNPs and heterozygous deletions in CNTNAP2 were subsequently reported in autism, schizophrenia and other psychiatric or neurological disorders. We aimed to comprehensively examine evidence for the role of CNTNAP2 in susceptibility to psychiatric disorders, by the analysis of multiple classes of genetic variation in large genomic datasets. In this study we used: i) summary statistics from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) GWAS for seven psychiatric disorders; ii) examined all reported CNTNAP2 structural variants in patients and controls; iii) performed cross-disorder analysis of functional or previously associated SNPs; and iv) conducted burden tests for pathogenic rare variants using sequencing data (4,483 ASD and 6,135 schizophrenia cases, and 13,042 controls). The distribution of CNVs across CNTNAP2 in psychiatric cases from previous reports was no different from controls of the database of genomic variants. Gene-based association testing did not implicate common variants in autism, schizophrenia or other psychiatric phenotypes. The association of proposed functional SNPs rs7794745 and rs2710102, reported to influence brain connectivity, was not replicated; nor did predicted functional SNPs yield significant results in meta-analysis across psychiatric disorders at either SNP-level or gene-level. Disrupting CNTNAP2 rare variant burden was not higher in autism or schizophrenia compared to controls. Finally, in a CNV mircroarray study of an extended bipolar disorder family with 5 affected relatives we previously identified a 131kb deletion in CNTNAP2 intron 1, removing a FOXP2 transcription factor binding site. Quantitative-PCR validation and segregation analysis of this CNV revealed imperfect segregation with BD. This large comprehensive study indicates that CNTNAP2 may not be a robust risk gene for psychiatric phenotypes. Genetic mutations that disrupt both copies of the CNTNAP2 gene lead to severe disease, characterized by profound intellectual disability, epilepsy, language difficulties and autistic traits, leading to the hypothesis that this gene may also be involved in autism given some overlapping clinical features with this disease. Indeed, several large DNA deletions affecting one of the two copies of CNTNAP2 were found in some patients with autism, and later also in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ADHD and epilepsy, suggesting that this gene was implicated in several psychiatric or neurologic diseases. Other studies considered genetic sequence variations that are common in the general population, and suggested that two such sequence variations in CNTNAP2 predispose to psychiatric diseases by influencing the functionality and connectivity of the brain. To better understand the involvement of CNTNAP2 in risk of mental illness, we performed several genetic analyses using a series of large publicly available or in-house datasets, comprising many thousands of patients and controls. Furthermore, we report the deletion of one copy of CNTNAP2 in two patients with bipolar disorder and one unaffected relative from an extended family where five relatives were affected with this condition. Despite the previous consideration of CNTNAP2 as a strong candidate gene for autism or schizophrenia, we show little evidence across multiple classes of DNA variation, that CNTNAP2 is likely to play a major role in risk of psychiatric diseases.
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