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Huang JY, Tian Y, Wang HJ, Shen H, Wang H, Long S, Liao MH, Liu ZR, Wang ZM, Li D, Tao RR, Cui TT, Moriguchi S, Fukunaga K, Han F, Lu YM. Functional Genomic Analyses Identify Pathways Dysregulated in Animal Model of Autism. CNS Neurosci Ther 2016; 22:845-53. [PMID: 27321591 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders that display complicated behavioral symptoms. METHODS Using gene expressing profiling and the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we studied genes coregulated by similar factors such as genetic variants or environmental effects in the hippocampus in an animal model of autism. RESULTS From microarray data, we identified 21,388 robustly expressed genes of which 721 genes were found to be differently expressed in the valproic acid-treated group compared to the control group. WGCNA identified multiple co-expression modules known to associate with cognitive function, inflammation, synaptic, and positive regulation of protein kinase activating. Many of these modules, however, have not been previously linked to autism spectrum disorders which included G-protein signaling, immunity, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway. The downregulation of the highly connected (hub) genes Taar7h and Taar7b in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway was validated by qRT-PCR. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry further showed that TAAR7 expression was downregulated not only in valproic acid-treated animals, but also BTBR T+tf/J mice. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the advantages of gene microarrays to uncover co-expression modules associated with autism and suggests that Taars and related gene regulation networks may play a significant role in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yun Huang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yun Tian
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui-Juan Wang
- The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hong Shen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sen Long
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Hangzhou No. 7 People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mei-Hua Liao
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhi-Rong Liu
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ze-Ming Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Hangzhou No. 7 People's Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dan Li
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rong-Rong Tao
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tian-Tian Cui
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shigeki Moriguchi
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kohji Fukunaga
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Feng Han
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Ying-Mei Lu
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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