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Zaki JK, Lago SG, Spadaro B, Rustogi N, Gangadin SS, Benacek J, Drexhage HA, de Witte LD, Kahn RS, Sommer IEC, Bahn S, Tomasik J. Exploring peripheral biomarkers of response to simvastatin supplementation in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2024; 266:66-74. [PMID: 38377869 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2024.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is one of the most debilitating mental disorders, and its diagnosis and treatment present significant challenges. Several clinical trials have previously evaluated the effectiveness of simvastatin, a lipid-lowering medication, as a novel add-on treatment for schizophrenia. However, treatment effects varied highly between patients and over time. In the present study, we aimed to identify biomarkers of response to simvastatin in recent-onset schizophrenia patients. To this end, we profiled relevant immune and metabolic markers in patient blood samples collected in a previous clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01999309) before simvastatin add-on treatment was initiated. Analysed sample types included serum, plasma, resting-state peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), as well as PBMC samples treated ex vivo with immune stimulants and simvastatin. Associations between the blood readouts and clinical endpoints were evaluated using multivariable linear regression. This revealed that changes in insulin receptor (IR) levels induced in B-cells by ex vivo simvastatin treatment inversely correlated with in vivo effects on cognition at the primary endpoint of 12 months, as measured using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia scale total score (standardised β ± SE = -0.75 ± 0.16, P = 2.2 × 10-4, Q = 0.029; n = 21 patients). This correlation was not observed in the placebo group (β ± SE = 0.62 ± 0.39, P = 0.17, Q = 0.49; n = 14 patients). The candidate biomarker explained 53.4 % of the variation in cognitive outcomes after simvastatin supplementation. Despite the small sample size, these findings suggest a possible interaction between the insulin signalling pathway and cognitive effects during simvastatin therapy. They also point to opportunities for personalized schizophrenia treatment through patient stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihan K Zaki
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Santiago G Lago
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Benedetta Spadaro
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nitin Rustogi
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Shiral S Gangadin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jiri Benacek
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hemmo A Drexhage
- Department of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lot D de Witte
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - René S Kahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Iris E C Sommer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Sabine Bahn
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Jakub Tomasik
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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2
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Crinion S, Morris DW, Lopez LM. Neuropsychiatric disorders, chronotype and sleep: A narrative review of GWAS findings and the application of Mendelian randomization to investigate causal relationships. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2024; 23:e12885. [PMID: 38359178 PMCID: PMC10869127 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been important for characterizing the genetic component and enhancing our understanding of the biological aetiology of both neuropsychiatric disorders and sleep-related phenotypes such as chronotype, which is our preference for morning or evening time. Mendelian randomization (MR) is a post-GWAS analysis that is used to infer causal relationships between potential risk factors and outcomes. MR uses genetic variants as instrumental variants for exposures to study the effect on outcomes. This review details the main results from GWAS of neuropsychiatric disorders and sleep-related phenotypes, and the application of MR to investigate their bidirectional relationship. The main results from MR studies of neuropsychiatric disorders and sleep-related phenotypes are summarized. These MR studies have identified 37 causal relationships between neuropsychiatric disorders and sleep-related phenotypes. MR studies identified evidence of a causal role for five neuropsychiatric disorders and symptoms (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, depressive symptoms, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia) on sleep-related phenotypes and evidence of a causal role for five sleep-related phenotypes (daytime napping, insomnia, morning person, long sleep duration and sleep duration) on risk for neuropsychiatric disorders. These MR results show a bidirectional relationship between neuropsychiatric disorders and sleep-related phenotypes and identify potential risk factors for follow-up studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane Crinion
- Centre for Neuroimaging, Cognition and Genomics, School of Biological and Chemical SciencesUniversity of GalwayGalwayIreland
- Department of BiologyMaynooth UniversityMaynoothIreland
| | - Derek W. Morris
- Centre for Neuroimaging, Cognition and Genomics, School of Biological and Chemical SciencesUniversity of GalwayGalwayIreland
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Tikhonova MA, Shvaikovskaya AA, Zhanaeva SY, Moysak GI, Akopyan AA, Rzaev JA, Danilenko KV, Aftanas LI. Concordance between the In Vivo Content of Neurospecific Proteins (BDNF, NSE, VILIP-1, S100B) in the Hippocampus and Blood in Patients with Epilepsy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:502. [PMID: 38203674 PMCID: PMC10779095 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010502] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The identification of reliable brain-specific biomarkers in periphery contributes to better understanding of normal neurophysiology and neuropsychiatric diseases. The neurospecific proteins BDNF, NSE, VILIP-1, and S100B play an important role in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders, including epilepsy. This study aimed to assess the correspondence of the expression of BDNF, NSE, VILIP-1, and S100B in the blood (serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)) to the in vivo hippocampal levels of subjects with drug-resistant epilepsy who underwent neurosurgery (N = 44) using multiplex solid-phase analysis, ELISA, and immunohistochemical methods, as well as to analyze the correlations and associations of the blood and hippocampal levels of these proteins with clinical parameters. We first studied the concordance between in vivo brain and blood levels of BDNF, NSE, VILIP-1, and S100B in epileptic patients. A positive correlation for NSE between hippocampal and PBMC levels was revealed. NSE levels in PBMCs were also significantly correlated with average seizure duration. BDNF levels in PBMCs were associated with seizure frequency and hippocampal sclerosis. Thus, NSE and BDNF levels in PBMCs may have potential as clinically significant biomarkers. Significant correlations between the levels of the neurospecific proteins studied herein suggest interactions between BDNF, NSE, VILIP-1, and S100B in the pathophysiology of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A. Tikhonova
- Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine (SRINM), 630117 Novosibirsk, Russia (S.Y.Z.); (L.I.A.)
| | - Anna A. Shvaikovskaya
- Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine (SRINM), 630117 Novosibirsk, Russia (S.Y.Z.); (L.I.A.)
| | - Svetlana Y. Zhanaeva
- Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine (SRINM), 630117 Novosibirsk, Russia (S.Y.Z.); (L.I.A.)
| | - Galina I. Moysak
- FSBI “Federal Center for Neurosurgery”, 630087 Novosibirsk, Russia (J.A.R.)
| | - Anna A. Akopyan
- Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine (SRINM), 630117 Novosibirsk, Russia (S.Y.Z.); (L.I.A.)
| | - Jamil A. Rzaev
- FSBI “Federal Center for Neurosurgery”, 630087 Novosibirsk, Russia (J.A.R.)
| | - Konstantin V. Danilenko
- Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine (SRINM), 630117 Novosibirsk, Russia (S.Y.Z.); (L.I.A.)
| | - Lyubomir I. Aftanas
- Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine (SRINM), 630117 Novosibirsk, Russia (S.Y.Z.); (L.I.A.)
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Zhang L, Wang CC, Chen X. Predicting drug-target binding affinity through molecule representation block based on multi-head attention and skip connection. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6782838. [PMID: 36411674 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Exiting computational models for drug-target binding affinity prediction have much room for improvement in prediction accuracy, robustness and generalization ability. Most deep learning models lack interpretability analysis and few studies provide application examples. Based on these observations, we presented a novel model named Molecule Representation Block-based Drug-Target binding Affinity prediction (MRBDTA). MRBDTA is composed of embedding and positional encoding, molecule representation block and interaction learning module. The advantages of MRBDTA are reflected in three aspects: (i) developing Trans block to extract molecule features through improving the encoder of transformer, (ii) introducing skip connection at encoder level in Trans block and (iii) enhancing the ability to capture interaction sites between proteins and drugs. The test results on two benchmark datasets manifest that MRBDTA achieves the best performance compared with 11 state-of-the-art models. Besides, through replacing Trans block with single Trans encoder and removing skip connection in Trans block, we verified that Trans block and skip connection could effectively improve the prediction accuracy and reliability of MRBDTA. Then, relying on multi-head attention mechanism, we performed interpretability analysis to illustrate that MRBDTA can correctly capture part of interaction sites between proteins and drugs. In case studies, we firstly employed MRBDTA to predict binding affinities between Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication-related proteins. Secondly, we compared true binding affinities between 3C-like proteinase and 185 drugs with those predicted by MRBDTA. The final results of case studies reveal reliable performance of MRBDTA in drug design for SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- School of Information and Control Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China
| | - Chun-Chun Wang
- School of Information and Control Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China
| | - Xing Chen
- School of Information and Control Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China.,Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China
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Tajik M, Baharfar M, Donald WA. Single-cell mass spectrometry. Trends Biotechnol 2022; 40:1374-1392. [PMID: 35562238 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Owing to recent advances in mass spectrometry (MS), tens to hundreds of proteins, lipids, and small molecules can be measured in single cells. The ability to characterize the molecular heterogeneity of individual cells is necessary to define the full assortment of cell subtypes and identify their function. We review single-cell MS including high-throughput, targeted, mass cytometry-based approaches and antibody-free methods for broad profiling of the proteome and metabolome of single cells. The advantages and disadvantages of different methods are discussed, as well as the challenges and opportunities for further improvements in single-cell MS. These methods is being used in biomedicine in several applications including revealing tumor heterogeneity and high-content drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Tajik
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Mahroo Baharfar
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - William A Donald
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia.
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6
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Tikhonova MA, Zhanaeva SY, Shvaikovskaya AA, Olkov NM, Aftanas LI, Danilenko KV. Neurospecific Molecules Measured in Periphery in Humans: How Do They Correlate with the Brain Levels? A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169193. [PMID: 36012459 PMCID: PMC9409387 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human brain state is usually estimated by brain-specific substances in peripheral tissues, but, for most analytes, a concordance between their content in the brain and periphery is unclear. In this systematic review, we summarized the investigated correlations in humans. PubMed was searched up to June 2022. We included studies measuring the same endogenous neurospecific analytes in the central nervous system and periphery in the same subjects. Not eligible were studies of cerebrospinal fluid, with significant blood–brain barrier disruption, of molecules with well-established blood-periphery concordance or measured in brain tumors. Seventeen studies were eligible. Four studies did not report on correlation and four revealed no significant correlation. Four molecules were examined twice. For BDNF, there was no correlation in both studies. For phenylalanine, glutamine, and glutamate, results were contradictory. Strong correlations were found for free tryptophan (r = 0.97) and translocator protein (r = 0.90). Thus, only for three molecules was there some certainty. BDNF in plasma or serum does not reflect brain content, whereas free tryptophan (in plasma) and translocator protein (in blood cells) can serve as peripheral biomarkers. We expect a breakthrough in the field with advanced in vivo metabolomic analyses, neuroimaging techniques, and blood assays for exosomes of brain origin.
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Lago SG, Tomasik J, van Rees GF, Rustogi N, Vázquez-Bourgon J, Papiol S, Suarez-Pinilla P, Crespo-Facorro B, Bahn S. Peripheral lymphocyte signaling pathway deficiencies predict treatment response in first-onset drug-naïve schizophrenia. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 103:37-49. [PMID: 35381347 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite being a major cause of disability worldwide, the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and molecular basis of treatment response heterogeneity continue to be unresolved. Recent evidence suggests that multiple aspects of pathophysiology, including genetic risk factors, converge on key cell signaling pathways and that exploration of peripheral blood cells might represent a practical window into cell signaling alterations in the disease state. We employed multiplexed phospho-specific flow cytometry to examine cell signaling epitope expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subtypes in drug-naïve schizophrenia patients (n = 49) relative to controls (n = 61) and relate these changes to serum immune response proteins, schizophrenia polygenic risk scores and clinical effects of treatment, including drug response and side effects, over the longitudinal course of antipsychotic treatment. This revealed both previously characterized (Akt1) and novel cell signaling epitopes (IRF-7 (pS477/pS479), CrkL (pY207), Stat3 (pS727), Stat3 (pY705) and Stat5 (pY694)) across PBMC subtypes which were associated with schizophrenia at disease onset, and correlated with type I interferon-related serum molecules CD40 and CXCL11. Alterations in Akt1 and IRF-7 (pS477/pS479) were additionally associated with polygenic risk of schizophrenia. Finally, changes in Akt1, IRF-7 (pS477/pS479) and Stat3 (pS727) predicted development of metabolic and cardiovascular side effects following antipsychotic treatment, while IRF-7 (pS477/pS479) and Stat3 (pS727) predicted early improvements in general psychopathology scores measured using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). These findings suggest that peripheral blood cells can provide an accessible surrogate model for intracellular signaling alterations in schizophrenia and have the potential to stratify subgroups of patients with different clinical outcomes or a greater risk of developing metabolic and cardiovascular side effects following antipsychotic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago G Lago
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jakub Tomasik
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Geertje F van Rees
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nitin Rustogi
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Javier Vázquez-Bourgon
- Department of Psychiatry, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, IDIVAL, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Santander, Spain
| | - Sergi Papiol
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
| | - Paula Suarez-Pinilla
- Department of Psychiatry, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, IDIVAL, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Santander, Spain
| | - Benedicto Crespo-Facorro
- Department of Psychiatry, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, IDIVAL, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Santander, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University Hospital Virgen del Rocio, IBiS, Sevilla, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Sabine Bahn
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Petrikis P, Polyzou A, Premeti K, Roumelioti A, Karampas A, Georgiou G, Grigoriadis D, Leondaritis G. GSK3β and mTORC1 Represent 2 Distinct Signaling Markers in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Drug-Naive, First Episode of Psychosis Patients. Schizophr Bull 2022; 48:1136-1144. [PMID: 35757972 PMCID: PMC9434466 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbac069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Schizophrenia is characterized by a complex interplay between genetic and environmental risk factors converging on prominent signaling pathways that orchestrate brain development. The Akt/GSK3β/mTORC1 pathway has long been recognized as a point of convergence and etiological mechanism, but despite evidence suggesting its hypofunction, it is still not clear if this is already established during the first episode of psychosis (FEP). STUDY DESIGN Here, we performed a systematic phosphorylation analysis of Akt, GSK3β, and S6, a mTORC1 downstream target, in fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells from drug-naive FEP patients and control subjects. STUDY RESULTS Our results suggest 2 distinct signaling endophenotypes in FEP patients. GSK3β hypofunction exhibits a promiscuous association with psychopathology, and it is normalized after treatment, whereas mTORC1 hypofunction represents a stable state. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides novel insight on the peripheral hypofunction of the Akt/GSK3β/mTORC1 pathway and highlights mTORC1 activity as a prominent integrator of altered peripheral immune and metabolic states in FEP patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandra Polyzou
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Kyriaki Premeti
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Argyro Roumelioti
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Andreas Karampas
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Georgios Georgiou
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Dionysios Grigoriadis
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - George Leondaritis
- To whom correspondence should be addressed; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences and Institute of Biosciences, University Research Center of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece; tel: +302651007555, fax: +302651007859, e-mail:
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9
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Targeting NMDA receptors in neuropsychiatric disorders by drug screening on human neurons derived from pluripotent stem cells. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:243. [PMID: 35680847 PMCID: PMC9184461 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02010-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
NMDA receptors (NMDARs), a prominent subtype of glutamatergic receptors, are implicated in the pathogenesis and development of neuropsychiatric disorders such as epilepsy, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia, and are therefore a potential therapeutic target in treating these disorders. Neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have provided the opportunity to investigate human NMDARs in their native environment. In this review, we describe the expression, function, and regulation of NMDARs in human iPSC-derived neurons and discuss approaches for utilizing human neurons for identifying potential drugs that target NMDARs in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. A challenge in studying NMDARs in human iPSC-derived neurons is a predominance of those receptors containing the GluN2B subunit and low synaptic expression, suggesting a relatively immature phenotype of these neurons and delayed development of functional NMDARs. We outline potential approaches for improving neuronal maturation of human iPSC-derived neurons and accelerating the functional expression of NMDARs. Acceleration of functional expression of NMDARs in human iPSC-derived neurons will improve the modeling of neuropsychiatric disorders and facilitate the discovery and development of novel therapeutics targeting NMDARs for the treatment of these disorders.
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Lago SG, Bahn S. The druggable schizophrenia genome: from repurposing opportunities to unexplored drug targets. NPJ Genom Med 2022; 7:25. [PMID: 35338153 PMCID: PMC8956592 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-022-00290-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
There have been no new drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia in several decades and treatment resistance represents a major unmet clinical need. The drugs that exist are based on serendipitous clinical observations rather than an evidence-based understanding of disease pathophysiology. In the present review, we address these bottlenecks by integrating common, rare, and expression-related schizophrenia risk genes with knowledge of the druggability of the human genome as a whole. We highlight novel drug repurposing opportunities, clinical trial candidates which are supported by genetic evidence, and unexplored therapeutic opportunities in the lesser-known regions of the schizophrenia genome. By identifying translational gaps and opportunities across the schizophrenia disease space, we discuss a framework for translating increasingly well-powered genetic association studies into personalized treatments for schizophrenia and initiating the vital task of characterizing clinically relevant drug targets in underexplored regions of the human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago G Lago
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Sabine Bahn
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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11
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Gao Y, Fan Y, Yang Z, Ma Q, Zhao B, He X, Gao F, Qian L, Wang W, Chen C, Chen Y, Gao C, Ma X, Zhu F. Systems biological assessment of altered cytokine responses to bacteria and fungi reveals impaired immune functionality in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1205-1216. [PMID: 34728799 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01362-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that complex interactions between the immune system and brain have important etiological and therapeutic implications in schizophrenia. However, the detailed cellular and molecular basis of immune dysfunction in schizophrenia remains poorly characterized. To better understand the immune changes and molecular pathways, we systemically compared the cytokine responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from patients with schizophrenia and controls against bacterial, fungal, and purified microbial ligands, and identified aberrant cytokine response patterns to various pathogens, as well as reduced cytokine production after stimulation with muramyl dipeptide (MDP) in schizophrenia. Subsequently, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on unstimulated and stimulated PBMCs from patients and controls and revealed widespread suppression of antiviral and inflammatory programs as well as impaired chemokine/cytokine-receptor interaction networks in various immune cell subpopulations of schizophrenic patients after MDP stimulation. Moreover, serum MDP levels were elevated in these patients and correlated with the course of the disease, suggesting increased bacterial translocation along with disease progression. In vitro assays revealed that MDP pretreatment altered the functional response of normal PBMCs to its re-stimulation, which partially recapitulated the impaired immune function in schizophrenia. In conclusion, we delineated the molecular and cellular landscape of impaired immune function in schizophrenia, and proposed a mutual interplay between innate immune impairment, reduced pathogen clearance, increased MDP translocation along schizophrenia development, and blunted innate immune response. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenic mechanisms that drive systemic immune activation, neuroinflammation, and brain abnormalities in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gao
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yajuan Fan
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Zai Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Qingyan Ma
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Binbin Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Xiaoyan He
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Fengjie Gao
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Li Qian
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Ce Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yunchun Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Chengge Gao
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Xiancang Ma
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China. .,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China. .,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.
| | - Feng Zhu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China. .,Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China. .,Clinical Research Center for Psychiatric Medicine of Shaanxi Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China. .,Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China.
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12
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Lago SG, Tomasik J, Bahn S. Functional patient-derived cellular models for neuropsychiatric drug discovery. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:128. [PMID: 33597511 PMCID: PMC7888004 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01243-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Mental health disorders are a leading cause of disability worldwide. Challenges such as disease heterogeneity, incomplete characterization of the targets of existing drugs and a limited understanding of functional interactions of complex genetic risk loci and environmental factors have compromised the identification of novel drug candidates. There is a pressing clinical need for drugs with new mechanisms of action which address the lack of efficacy and debilitating side effects of current medications. Here we discuss a novel strategy for neuropsychiatric drug discovery which aims to address these limitations by identifying disease-related functional responses ('functional cellular endophenotypes') in a variety of patient-derived cells, such as induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons and organoids or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Disease-specific alterations in cellular responses can subsequently yield novel drug screening targets and drug candidates. We discuss the potential of this approach in the context of recent advances in patient-derived cellular models, high-content single-cell screening of cellular networks and changes in the diagnostic framework of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago G. Lago
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jakub Tomasik
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sabine Bahn
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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13
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Dangond F, Donnelly A, Hohlfeld R, Lubetzki C, Kohlhaas S, Leocani L, Ciccarelli O, Stankoff B, Sormani MP, Chataway J, Bozzoli F, Cucca F, Melton L, Coetzee T, Salvetti M. Facing the urgency of therapies for progressive MS - a Progressive MS Alliance proposal. Nat Rev Neurol 2021; 17:185-192. [PMID: 33483719 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-020-00446-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Therapies for infiltrative inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) have advanced greatly, but neurodegeneration and compartmentalized inflammation remain virtually untargeted as in other diseases of the nervous system. Consequently, many therapies are available for the relapsing-remitting form of MS, but the progressive forms remain essentially untreated. The objective of the International Progressive MS Alliance is to expedite the development of effective therapies for progressive MS through new initiatives that foster innovative thinking and concrete advancements. Based on these principles, the Alliance is developing a new funding programme that will focus on experimental medicine trials. Here, we discuss the reasons behind the focus on experimental medicine trials, the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches and of the programme, and why we hope to advance therapies while improving the understanding of progression in MS. We are soliciting public and academic feedback, which will help shape the programme and future strategies of the Alliance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexis Donnelly
- Department of Computer Science, O'Reilly Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Reinhard Hohlfeld
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Biomedical Center and Hospital of the Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (Synergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Catherine Lubetzki
- Neurology Department, Sorbonne University, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | | | - Letizia Leocani
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.,Neurorehabilitation Department and Experimental Neurophysiology Unit, INSPE, Scientific Institute Hospital San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Olga Ciccarelli
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK.,National Institute for Health Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Bruno Stankoff
- Sorbonne University, Brain and Spine Institute, ICM, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Maria Pia Sormani
- Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genova, Genova, Italy.,IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Jeremy Chataway
- Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK.,National Institute for Health Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | | | - Francesco Cucca
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Lisa Melton
- MS Research Australia, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Marco Salvetti
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. .,IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo (INM) Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy.
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14
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Riether C, Radpour R, Kallen NM, Bürgin DT, Bachmann C, Schürch CM, Lüthi U, Arambasic M, Hoppe S, Albers CE, Baerlocher GM, Ochsenbein AF. Metoclopramide treatment blocks CD93-signaling-mediated self-renewal of chronic myeloid leukemia stem cells. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108663. [PMID: 33503440 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-renewal is a key characteristic of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) responsible for the development and maintenance of leukemia. In this study, we identify CD93 as an important regulator of self-renewal and proliferation of murine and human LSCs, but not hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The intracellular domain of CD93 promotes gene transcription via the transcriptional regulator SCY1-like pseudokinase 1 independently of ligation of the extracellular domain. In a drug library screen, we identify the anti-emetic agent metoclopramide as an efficient blocker of CD93 signaling. Metoclopramide treatment reduces murine and human LSCs in vitro and prolongs survival of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) mice through downregulation of pathways related to stemness and proliferation in LSCs. Overall, these results identify CD93 signaling as an LSC-specific regulator of self-renewal and proliferation and a targetable pathway to eliminate LSCs in CML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Riether
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Ramin Radpour
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nils M Kallen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Damian T Bürgin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Bachmann
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Graduate School of Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christian M Schürch
- Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ursina Lüthi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Miroslav Arambasic
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sven Hoppe
- Wirbelsäulenmedizin Bern, Hirslanden Salem-Spital, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christoph E Albers
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gabriela M Baerlocher
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Hematology and Central Hematology Laboratory, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Adrian F Ochsenbein
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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15
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Haggarty SJ, Karmacharya R, Perlis RH. Advances toward precision medicine for bipolar disorder: mechanisms & molecules. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:168-185. [PMID: 32636474 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0831-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Given its chronicity, contribution to disability and morbidity, and prevalence of more than 2%, the effective treatment, and prevention of bipolar disorder represents an area of significant unmet medical need. While more than half a century has passed since the introduction of lithium into widespread use at the birth of modern psychopharmacology, that medication remains a mainstay for the acute treatment and prevention of recurrent mania/hypomania and depression that characterize bipolar disorder. However, the continued limited understanding of how lithium modulates affective behavior and lack of validated cellular and animal models have resulted in obstacles to discovering more effective mood stabilizers with fewer adverse side effects. In particular, while there has been progress in developing new pharmacotherapy for mania, developing effective treatments for acute bipolar depression remain inadequate. Recent large-scale human genetic studies have confirmed the complex, polygenic nature of the risk architecture of bipolar disorder, and its overlap with other major neuropsychiatric disorders. Such discoveries have begun to shed light on the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. Coupled with broader advances in human neurobiology, neuropharmacology, noninvasive neuromodulation, and clinical trial design, we can envision novel therapeutic strategies informed by defined molecular mechanisms and neural circuits and targeted to the root cause of the pathophysiology. Here, we review recent advances toward the goal of better treatments for bipolar disorder, and we outline major challenges for the field of translational neuroscience that necessitate continued focus on fundamental research and discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Psychiatry & Neurology, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Rakesh Karmacharya
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, USA.,Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Center for Quantitative Health, Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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16
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Exploring cellular markers of metabolic syndrome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells across the neuropsychiatric spectrum. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 91:673-682. [PMID: 32898636 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.07.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that comorbidities between neuropsychiatric conditions and metabolic syndrome may precede and even exacerbate long-term side-effects of psychiatric medication, such as a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which result in increased mortality. In the present study we compare the expression of key metabolic proteins, including the insulin receptor (CD220), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and fatty acid translocase (CD36), on peripheral blood mononuclear cell subtypes from patients across the neuropsychiatric spectrum, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and autism spectrum conditions (n = 25/condition), relative to typical controls (n = 100). This revealed alterations in the expression of these proteins that were specific to schizophrenia. Further characterization of metabolic alterations in an extended cohort of first-onset antipsychotic drug-naïve schizophrenia patients (n = 58) and controls (n = 63) revealed that the relationship between insulin receptor expression in monocytes and physiological insulin sensitivity was disrupted in schizophrenia and that altered expression of the insulin receptor was associated with whole genome polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia. Finally, longitudinal follow-up of the schizophrenia patients over the course of antipsychotic drug treatment revealed that peripheral metabolic markers predicted changes in psychopathology and the principal side effect of weight gain at clinically relevant time points. These findings suggest that peripheral blood cells can provide an accessible surrogate model for metabolic alterations in schizophrenia and have the potential to stratify subgroups of patients with different clinical outcomes or a greater risk of developing metabolic complications following antipsychotic therapy.
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17
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Cholewinski T, Pereira D, Moerland M, Jacobs GE. MTORC1 signaling as a biomarker in major depressive disorder and its pharmacological modulation by novel rapid-acting antidepressants. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2021; 11:20451253211036814. [PMID: 34733478 PMCID: PMC8558816 DOI: 10.1177/20451253211036814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a multifactorial psychiatric disorder with obscure pathophysiology. A biomarker-based approach in combination with standardized interview-based instruments is needed to identify MDD subtypes and novel therapeutic targets. Recent findings support the impairment of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) in MDD. No well-established biomarkers of mTORC1 disease- and treatment-modulated activity are currently available for use in early phase antidepressant drug (AD) development. This review aims to summarize biomarkers of mTORC1 activity in MDD and to suggest how these could be implemented in future early clinical trials on mTORC1 modulating ADs. Therefore, a PubMed-based narrative literature review of the mTORC1 involvement in MDD was performed. We have summarized recent pre-clinical and clinical findings linking the MDD to the impaired activity of several key biomarkers related to mTORC1. Also, cases of restoration of these impairments by classical ADs and novel fast-acting investigational ADs are summarized. The presented biomarkers may be used to monitor pharmacological effects by novel rapid-acting mTORC1-targeting ADs. Based on findings in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells, we argue that those may serve as an ex vivo model for evaluation of mTORC1 activity and propose the use of the summarized biomarkers for this purpose. This could both facilitate the selection of a pharmacodynamically active dose and guide future early clinical efficacy studies in MDD. In conclusion, this review provides a blueprint for the rational development of rapid-acting mTORC1-targeting ADs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diana Pereira
- Centre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Gabriel E Jacobs
- Centre for Human Drug Research, Zernikedreef 8, 2333 CL Leiden, The Netherlands
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18
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Lago SG, Tomasik J, van Rees GF, Ramsey JM, Haenisch F, Cooper JD, Broek JA, Suarez-Pinilla P, Ruland T, Auyeug B, Mikova O, Kabacs N, Arolt V, Baron-Cohen S, Crespo-Facorro B, Bahn S. Exploring the neuropsychiatric spectrum using high-content functional analysis of single-cell signaling networks. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:2355-2372. [PMID: 30038233 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0123-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders overlap in symptoms and share genetic risk factors, challenging their current classification into distinct diagnostic categories. Novel cross-disorder approaches are needed to improve our understanding of the heterogeneous nature of neuropsychiatric diseases and overcome existing bottlenecks in their diagnosis and treatment. Here we employ high-content multi-parameter phospho-specific flow cytometry, fluorescent cell barcoding and automated sample preparation to characterize ex vivo signaling network responses (n = 1764) measured at the single-cell level in B and T lymphocytes across patients diagnosed with four major neuropsychiatric disorders: autism spectrum condition (ASC), bipolar disorder (BD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and schizophrenia (SCZ; n = 25 each), alongside matched healthy controls (n = 100). We identified 25 nodes (individual cell subtype-epitope-ligand combinations) significantly altered relative to the control group, with variable overlap between different neuropsychiatric diseases and heterogeneously expressed at the level of each individual patient. Reconstruction of the diagnostic categories from the altered nodes revealed an overlapping neuropsychiatric spectrum extending from MDD on one end, through BD and SCZ, to ASC on the other end. Network analysis showed that although the pathway structure of the epitopes was broadly preserved across the clinical groups, there were multiple discrete alterations in network connectivity, such as disconnections within the antigen/integrin receptor pathway and increased negative regulation within the Akt1 pathway in CD4+ T cells from ASC and SCZ patients, in addition to increased correlation of Stat1 (pY701) and Stat5 (pY694) responses in B cells from BD and MDD patients. Our results support the "dimensional" approach to neuropsychiatric disease classification and suggest potential novel drug targets along the neuropsychiatric spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago G Lago
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jakub Tomasik
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Geertje F van Rees
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jordan M Ramsey
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Frieder Haenisch
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jason D Cooper
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jantine A Broek
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paula Suarez-Pinilla
- Department of Psychiatry, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, IDIVAL, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Santander, Spain
| | - Tillmann Ruland
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Bonnie Auyeug
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Psychology Department, Edinburgh University, Scotland, UK
| | - Olya Mikova
- Foundation Biological Psychiatry, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Nikolett Kabacs
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Volker Arolt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,CLASS Clinic, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Benedicto Crespo-Facorro
- Department of Psychiatry, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, IDIVAL, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Santander, Spain
| | - Sabine Bahn
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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