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Charron A, Pepino L, Malapert P, Debrauwer V, Castets F, Salio C, Moqrich A. Sex-related exacerbation of injury-induced mechanical hypersensitivity in GAD67 haplodeficient mice. Pain 2024; 165:192-201. [PMID: 37578506 PMCID: PMC10723643 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003012] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Decreased GABA levels in injury-induced loss of spinal inhibition are still under intense interest and debate. Here, we show that GAD67 haplodeficient mice exhibited a prolonged injury-induced mechanical hypersensitivity in postoperative, inflammatory, and neuropathic pain models. In line with this, we found that loss of 1 copy of the GAD67-encoding gene Gad1 causes a significant decrease in GABA contents in spinal GABAergic neuronal profiles. Consequently, GAD67 haplodeficient males and females were unresponsive to the analgesic effect of diazepam. Remarkably, all these phenotypes were more pronounced in GAD67 haplodeficient females. These mice had significantly much lower amount of spinal GABA content, exhibited an exacerbated pain phenotype during the second phase of the formalin test, developed a longer lasting mechanical hypersensitivity in the chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve model, and were unresponsive to the pain relief effect of the GABA-transaminase inhibitor phenylethylidenehydrazine. Our study provides strong evidence for a role of GABA levels in the modulation of injury-induced mechanical pain and suggests a potential role of the GABAergic system in the prevalence of some painful diseases among females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude Charron
- Aix-Marseille-université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Lucie Pepino
- Aix-Marseille-université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Pascale Malapert
- Aix-Marseille-université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Vincent Debrauwer
- Aix-Marseille-université, CNRS, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires de Marseille, UMR 7313, Campus Scientifique de St Jérôme, Marseille, France
| | - Francis Castets
- Aix-Marseille-université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, Marseille, France
| | - Chiara Salio
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Aziz Moqrich
- Aix-Marseille-université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, Case 907, Marseille, France
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2
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Perrottelli A, Marzocchi FF, Caporusso E, Giordano GM, Giuliani L, Melillo A, Pezzella P, Bucci P, Mucci A, Galderisi S. Advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder through induced pluripotent stem cell models. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2024; 49:E109-E125. [PMID: 38490647 PMCID: PMC10950363 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.230112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathophysiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder involves a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors that begins in the early stages of neurodevelopment. Recent advancements in the field of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer a promising tool for understanding the neurobiological alterations involved in these disorders and, potentially, for developing new treatment options. In this review, we summarize the results of iPSC-based research on schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, showing disturbances in neurodevelopmental processes, imbalance in glutamatergic-GABAergic transmission and neuromorphological alterations. The limitations of the reviewed literature are also highlighted, particularly the methodological heterogeneity of the studies, the limited number of studies developing iPSC models of both diseases simultaneously, and the lack of in-depth clinical characterization of the included samples. Further studies are needed to advance knowledge on the common and disease-specific pathophysiological features of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and to promote the development of new treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Luigi Giuliani
- From the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Melillo
- From the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | | | - Paola Bucci
- From the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Armida Mucci
- From the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
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3
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Rocks D, Purisic E, Gallo EF, Greally JM, Suzuki M, Kundakovic M. Egr1 is a sex-specific regulator of neuronal chromatin, synaptic plasticity, and behaviour. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.20.572697. [PMID: 38187614 PMCID: PMC10769422 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.20.572697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Sex differences are found in brain structure and function across species, and across brain disorders in humans1-3. The major source of brain sex differences is differential secretion of steroid hormones from the gonads across the lifespan4. Specifically, ovarian hormones oestrogens and progesterone are known to dynamically change structure and function of the adult female brain, having a major impact on psychiatric risk5-7. However, due to limited molecular studies in female rodents8, very little is still known about molecular drivers of female-specific brain and behavioural plasticity. Here we show that overexpressing Egr1, a candidate oestrous cycle-dependent transcription factor9, induces sex-specific changes in ventral hippocampal neuronal chromatin, gene expression, and synaptic plasticity, along with hippocampus-dependent behaviours. Importantly, Egr1 overexpression mimics the high-oestrogenic phase of the oestrous cycle, and affects behaviours in ovarian hormone-depleted females but not in males. We demonstrate that Egr1 opens neuronal chromatin directly across the sexes, although with limited genomic overlap. Our study not only reveals the first sex-specific chromatin regulator in the brain, but also provides functional evidence that this sex-specific gene regulation drives neuronal gene expression, synaptic plasticity, and anxiety- and depression-related behaviour. Our study exemplifies an innovative sex-based approach to studying neuronal gene regulation1 in order to understand sex-specific synaptic and behavioural plasticity and inform novel brain disease treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Rocks
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Eric Purisic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Eduardo F. Gallo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - John M. Greally
- Center for Epigenomics, Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Masako Suzuki
- Center for Epigenomics, Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
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4
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Swilley C, Lin Y, Zheng Y, Xu X, Liu M, Jarome T, Hodes GE, Xie H. Sex linked behavioral and hippocampal transcriptomic changes in mice with cell-type specific Egr1 loss. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1240209. [PMID: 37928724 PMCID: PMC10623684 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1240209] [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: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor EGR1 is instrumental in numerous neurological processes, encompassing learning and memory as well as the reaction to stress. Egr1 complete knockout mice demonstrate decreased depressive or anxiety-like behavior and impaired performance in spatial learning and memory. Nevertheless, the specific functions of Egr1 in distinct cell types have been largely underexplored. In this study, we cataloged the behavioral and transcriptomic character of Nestin-Cre mediated Egr1 conditional knockout (Egr1cKO) mice together with their controls. Although the conditional knockout did not change nociceptive or anxiety responses, it triggered changes in female exploratory activity during anxiety testing. Hippocampus-dependent spatial learning in the object location task was unaffected, but female Egr1cKO mice did exhibit poorer retention during testing on a contextual fear conditioning task compared to males. RNA-seq data analyses revealed that the presence of the floxed Egr1 cassette or Nestin-Cre driver alone exerts a subtle influence on hippocampal gene expression. The sex-related differences were amplified in Nestin-Cre mediated Egr1 conditional knockout mice and female mice are more sensitive to the loss of Egr1 gene. Differentially expressed genes resulted from the loss of Egr1 in neuronal cell lineage were significantly associated with the regulation of Wnt signaling pathway, extracellular matrix, and axon guidance. Altogether, our results demonstrate that Nestin-Cre and the loss of Egr1 in neuronal cell lineage have distinct impacts on hippocampal gene expression in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody Swilley
- Epigenomics and Computational Biology Lab, Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Yu Lin
- Epigenomics and Computational Biology Lab, Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Genetics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Yuze Zheng
- Epigenomics and Computational Biology Lab, Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Xiguang Xu
- Epigenomics and Computational Biology Lab, Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Min Liu
- Epigenomics and Computational Biology Lab, Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Timothy Jarome
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Georgia E. Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Hehuang Xie
- Epigenomics and Computational Biology Lab, Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Genetics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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5
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Chang SH, Chen HY, Shaw FZ, Shyu BC. Early- and late-phase changes of brain activity and early-phase neuromodulation in the posttraumatic stress disorder rat model. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 26:100554. [PMID: 37576348 PMCID: PMC10415797 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex syndrome that may occur after life-threatening events. Fear memory abnormalities may play vital roles in the pathogenesis of PTSD. Previous work has found that fear memories are not rigid; the retrieval of fear memories may change over time. Furthermore, prior studies suggest that theta wave (4 Hz) activity is highly correlated with fear expression in an animal model. However, the relationship between pathological fear memory and potential brain wave features in PTSD remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we hypothesized that after traumatic stress exposure, the longitudinal dynamics of abnormal fears in PTSD animal models could be reflected by the measurement of local field potentials (LFPs). Using a well-established modified single-prolonged stress and footshock (SPS & FS) PTSD rat model, animals were restrained for 2 h and subsequently subjected to 20 min of forced swimming, then exposed to diethyl ether until they lost consciousness and placed in a conditioning chamber for fear conditioning. To characterize the temporal changes, we characterized freezing behavior brain wave features during the conditioning chamber re-exposure in the early (10 and 30 min; 2, 4, and 6 h) and late (day 1, 3, 7, and 14) phases after traumatic stress exposure. Our results indicate that SPS & FS rats showed co-morbid PTSD phenotypes including significantly higher levels of anxiety-, depression-, and anhedonia-like behaviors, and impaired fear extinction. Delta wave (0.5-4 Hz) suppression in the medial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and ventral hippocampus occurred 10 and 30 min after traumatic stress, followed by continuous delta wave activity from 2 h to day 14, correlating with fear levels. tDCS reduced delta activity and alleviated PTSD-like phenotypes in the SPS & FS group. In this study, profiling abnormal fears with brain wave correlates may improve our understanding of time-dependent pathological fear memory retrieval in PTSD and facilitate the development of effective intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Han Chang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Cheng Kung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Huan-Yuan Chen
- Inflammation Core Facility, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Zen Shaw
- Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Bai-Chuang Shyu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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6
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Dowling KF, Dienel SJ, Barile Z, Bazmi HH, Lewis DA. Localization and Diagnostic Specificity of Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Transcript Alterations in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 94:322-331. [PMID: 37061080 PMCID: PMC10524522 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working memory (WM) deficits in schizophrenia are thought to reflect altered inhibition in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). This interpretation is supported by findings of lower transcript levels of the 2 enzymes, GAD67 and GAD65, which mediate basal and activity-dependent GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) synthesis, respectively. However, the relative magnitude, location within the depth of the DLPFC, and specificity to the disease process of schizophrenia of alterations in GAD67 and/or GAD65 remain unclear. METHODS Levels of GAD67 and GAD65 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in superficial (layers 2/superficial 3) and deep (deep layer 6/white matter) zones of the DLPFC were quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in subjects with schizophrenia (n = 41), major depression (n = 42), or bipolar disorder (n = 39) and unaffected comparison (n = 43) subjects. RESULTS Relative to the unaffected comparison group, GAD67 and GAD65 mRNA levels in the schizophrenia group were lower (p = .039, effect size = -0.69 and p = .027, effect size = -0.72, respectively) in the superficial zone but were unaltered in the deep zone. In the major depression group, only GAD67 mRNA levels were lower and only in the superficial zone (p = .089, effect size = 0.70). No differences were detected in the bipolar disorder group. Neither GAD67 nor GAD65 mRNA alterations were explained by psychosis, mood disturbance, or common comorbid factors. CONCLUSIONS Alterations in markers of GABA synthesis demonstrated transcript, DLPFC zone, and diagnostic specificity. Given the dependence of WM on GABA neurotransmission in the superficial DLPFC, our findings suggest that limitations to GABA synthesis in this location contribute to WM impairments in schizophrenia, especially during demanding WM tasks, when GABA synthesis requires the activity of both GAD67 and GAD65.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin F Dowling
- Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Neuroscience, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Samuel J Dienel
- Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Neuroscience, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Zackery Barile
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - H Holly Bazmi
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - David A Lewis
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Neuroscience, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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7
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Frackowiak J, Mazur-Kolecka B. Intraneuronal accumulation of amyloid-β peptides as the pathomechanism linking autism and its co-morbidities: epilepsy and self-injurious behavior - the hypothesis. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1160967. [PMID: 37305553 PMCID: PMC10250631 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1160967] [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: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with enhanced processing of amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) by secretase-α, higher blood levels of sAPPα and intraneuronal accumulation of N-terminally truncated Aβ peptides in the brain cortex - mainly in the GABAergic neurons expressing parvalbumin - and subcortical structures. Brain Aβ accumulation has been also described in epilepsy-the frequent ASD co-morbidity. Furthermore, Aβ peptides have been shown to induce electroconvulsive episodes. Enhanced production and altered processing of APP, as well as accumulation of Aβ in the brain are also frequent consequences of traumatic brain injuries which result from self-injurious behaviors, another ASD co-morbidity. We discuss distinct consequences of accumulation of Aβ in the neurons and synapses depending on the Aβ species, their posttranslational modifications, concentration, level of aggregation and oligomerization, as well as brain structures, cell types and subcellular structures where it occurs. The biological effects of Aβ species which are discussed in the context of the pathomechanisms of ASD, epilepsy, and self-injurious behavior include modulation of transcription-both activation and repression; induction of oxidative stress; activation and alteration of membrane receptors' signaling; formation of calcium channels causing hyper-activation of neurons; reduction of GABAergic signaling - all of which lead to disruption of functions of synapses and neuronal networks. We conclude that ASD, epilepsy, and self-injurious behaviors all contribute to the enhanced production and accumulation of Aβ peptides which in turn cause and enhance dysfunctions of the neuronal networks that manifest as autism clinical symptoms, epilepsy, and self-injurious behaviors.
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8
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Fujihara K. Beyond the γ-aminobutyric acid hypothesis of schizophrenia. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1161608. [PMID: 37168420 PMCID: PMC10165250 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1161608] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormalities in the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system have been reported in the postmortem brains of individuals with schizophrenia. In particular, the reduction of one of the GABA-synthesizing enzymes, the 67-kDa isoform of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD67), has garnered interest among researchers because of its role in the formation of γ-oscillations and its potential involvement in the cognitive dysfunction observed in schizophrenia. Although several animal models have been generated to simulate the alterations observed in postmortem brain studies, they exhibit inconsistent behavioral phenotypes, leading to conflicting views regarding their contributions to the pathogenesis and manifestation of schizophrenia symptoms. For instance, GAD67 knockout rats (also known as Gad1 knockout rats) exhibit marked impairments in spatial working memory, but other model animals do not. In this review, we summarize the phenotypic attributes of these animal models and contemplate the potential for secondary modifications that may arise from the disruption of the GABAergic nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuyuki Fujihara
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
- Department of Genetic and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
- *Correspondence: Kazuyuki Fujihara,
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9
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Rapanelli M, Williams JB, Ma K, Yang F, Zhong P, Patel R, Kumar M, Qin L, Rein B, Wang ZJ, Kassim B, Javidfar B, Couto L, Akbarian S, Yan Z. Targeting histone demethylase LSD1 for treatment of deficits in autism mouse models. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3355-3366. [PMID: 35296809 PMCID: PMC9477974 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01508-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale genetic studies have revealed that the most prominent genes disrupted in autism are chromatin regulators mediating histone methylation/demethylation, suggesting the central role of epigenetic dysfunction in this disorder. Here, we show that histone lysine 4 dimethylation (H3K4me2), a histone mark linked to gene activation, is significantly decreased in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of autistic human patients and mutant mice with the deficiency of top-ranking autism risk factor Shank3 or Cul3. A brief treatment of the autism models with highly potent and selective inhibitors of the H3K4me2 demethylase LSD1 (KDM1A) leads to the robust rescue of core symptoms of autism, including social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Concomitantly, LSD1 inhibition restores NMDA receptor function in PFC and AMPA receptor-mediated currents in striatum of Shank3-deficient mice. Genome-wide RNAseq and ChIPseq reveal that treatment of Shank3-deficient mice with the LSD1 inhibitor restores the expression and H3K4me2 occupancy of downregulated genes enriched in synaptic signaling and developmental processes. The immediate early gene tightly linked to neuronal plasticity, Egr1, is on the top list of rescued genes. The diminished transcription of Egr1 is recapitulated in PFC of autistic human patients. Overexpression of Egr1 in PFC of Shank3-deficient mice ameliorates social preference deficits. These results have for the first time revealed an important role of H3K4me2 abnormality in ASD pathophysiology, and the therapeutic potential of targeting H3K4me2 demethylase LSD1 or the downstream molecule Egr1 for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Rapanelli
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jamal B Williams
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kaijie Ma
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Fengwei Yang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Ping Zhong
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Rajvi Patel
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Manasa Kumar
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Luye Qin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin Rein
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Zi-Jun Wang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Bibi Kassim
- Department of Psychiatry; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Behnam Javidfar
- Department of Psychiatry; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lizette Couto
- Department of Psychiatry; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Department of Psychiatry; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhen Yan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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10
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Wu XL, Yan QJ, Zhu F. Abnormal synaptic plasticity and impaired cognition in schizophrenia. World J Psychiatry 2022; 12:541-557. [PMID: 35582335 PMCID: PMC9048451 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v12.i4.541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe mental illness that affects several brain domains with relation to cognition and behaviour. SCZ symptoms are typically classified into three categories, namely, positive, negative, and cognitive. The etiology of SCZ is thought to be multifactorial and poorly understood. Accumulating evidence has indicated abnormal synaptic plasticity and cognitive impairments in SCZ. Synaptic plasticity is thought to be induced at appropriate synapses during memory formation and has a critical role in the cognitive symptoms of SCZ. Many factors, including synaptic structure changes, aberrant expression of plasticity-related genes, and abnormal synaptic transmission, may influence synaptic plasticity and play vital roles in SCZ. In this article, we briefly summarize the morphology of the synapse, the neurobiology of synaptic plasticity, and the role of synaptic plasticity, and review potential mechanisms underlying abnormal synaptic plasticity in SCZ. These abnormalities involve dendritic spines, postsynaptic density, and long-term potentiation-like plasticity. We also focus on cognitive dysfunction, which reflects impaired connectivity in SCZ. Additionally, the potential targets for the treatment of SCZ are discussed in this article. Therefore, understanding abnormal synaptic plasticity and impaired cognition in SCZ has an essential role in drug therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiu-Lin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China
| | - Qiu-Jin Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China
| | - Fan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China
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11
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Li W, Lv L, Luo XJ. In vivo study sheds new light on the dendritic spine pathology hypothesis of schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1866-1868. [PMID: 35079121 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01449-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wenqiang Li
- Henan Mental Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, 453002, China.,Henan Key Lab of Biological Psychiatry, International Joint Research Laboratory for Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Henan, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, 453002, China
| | - Luxian Lv
- Henan Mental Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, 453002, China.,Henan Key Lab of Biological Psychiatry, International Joint Research Laboratory for Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Henan, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, 453002, China
| | - Xiong-Jian Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650204, China. .,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650204, China. .,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650204, China. .,KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650204, China.
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12
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Tallafuss A, Stednitz SJ, Voeun M, Levichev A, Larsch J, Eisen J, Washbourne P. Egr1 Is Necessary for Forebrain Dopaminergic Signaling during Social Behavior. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0035-22.2022. [PMID: 35346959 PMCID: PMC8994534 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0035-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding the link between behaviors and their regulatory molecular pathways is a major obstacle in treating neuropsychiatric disorders. The immediate early gene (IEG) EGR1 is implicated in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, and is linked to gene pathways associated with social behavior. Despite extensive knowledge of EGR1 gene regulation at the molecular level, it remains unclear how EGR1 deficits might affect the social component of these disorders. Here, we examined the social behavior of zebrafish with a mutation in the homologous gene egr1 Mutant fish exhibited reduced social approach and orienting, whereas other sensorimotor behaviors were unaffected. On a molecular level, expression of the dopaminergic biosynthetic enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), was strongly decreased in TH-positive neurons of the anterior parvocellular preoptic nucleus. These neurons are connected with basal forebrain (BF) neurons associated with social behavior. Chemogenetic ablation of around 30% of TH-positive neurons in this preoptic region reduced social attraction to a similar extent as the egr1 mutation. These results demonstrate the requirement of Egr1 and dopamine signaling during social interactions, and identify novel circuitry underlying this behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mae Voeun
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403
| | | | - Johannes Larsch
- Max Planck Institut für Neurobiologie, Martinsried, D-82152, Munich Germany
| | - Judith Eisen
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403
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13
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The 5-HT6R agonist E-6837 and the antagonist SB-271046 reverse the psychotic-like behaviors induced by ketamine. Behav Pharmacol 2022; 33:249-254. [DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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14
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Liu YP, Wu X, Meng JH, Xing JX, Xuan JF, Xia X, Yao J, Wang BJ. The effect of human GRIN1 gene 5' functional region on gene expression regulation in vitro. Gene 2022; 808:145973. [PMID: 34592350 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Abnormal expression of ionotropic glutamate receptor NMDA type subunit 1, the key subunit of the NMDA receptor, may be related to many neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, we explored the functional sequence of the 5' regulatory region of the human GRIN1 gene and discussed the transcription factors that may regulate gene expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twelve recombinant pGL3 vectors with gradually truncated fragment lengths were constructed, transfected into HEK-293, U87, and SK-N-SH cell lines, and analyzed through the luciferase reporter gene assay. JASPAR database is used to predict transcription factors. RESULTS In SK-N-SH and U87 cell lines, regions from -337 to -159 bp, -704 to -556 bp inhibited gene expression, while -556 to -337 bp upregulated gene expression. In HEK-293 and U87 cell lines, the expression of fragment -1703 to + 188 bp was significantly increased compared to adjacent fragments -1539 to + 188 bp and -1843 to + 188 bp. The protein expressions of fragments -2162 to + 188 bp and -2025 to + 188 bp, -1539 to + 188 bp and -1215 to + 188 bp, -1215 to + 188 bp and -1066 to + 188 bp were significantly different in HEK-293 and SK-N-SH cells. According to the predictions of the JASPAR database, the transcription factors REST, EGR1, and CREB1/HIC2 may bind the DNA sequences of GRIN1 gene from the -337 to -159, -556 to -337, and -704 to -556, respectively. In addition, zinc finger transcription factors may regulate the expression of other differentially expressed fragments. CONCLUSIONS Abnormal transcription regulation in the proximal promoter region of GRIN1 (-704 to + 188 bp) may be involved in the course of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Ping Liu
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China; Department of Clinic Pathology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, China.
| | - Xue Wu
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
| | - Jing-Hua Meng
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
| | - Jia-Xin Xing
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
| | - Jin-Feng Xuan
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
| | - Xi Xia
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
| | - Jun Yao
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
| | - Bao-Jie Wang
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
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15
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Smucny J, Dienel SJ, Lewis DA, Carter CS. Mechanisms underlying dorsolateral prefrontal cortex contributions to cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:292-308. [PMID: 34285373 PMCID: PMC8617156 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01089-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Kraepelin, in his early descriptions of schizophrenia (SZ), characterized the illness as having "an orchestra without a conductor." Kraepelin further speculated that this "conductor" was situated in the frontal lobes. Findings from multiple studies over the following decades have clearly implicated pathology of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as playing a central role in the pathophysiology of SZ, particularly with regard to key cognitive features such as deficits in working memory and cognitive control. Following an overview of the cognitive mechanisms associated with DLPFC function and how they are altered in SZ, we review evidence from an array of neuroscientific approaches addressing how these cognitive impairments may reflect the underlying pathophysiology of the illness. Specifically, we present evidence suggesting that alterations of the DLPFC in SZ are evident across a range of spatial and temporal resolutions: from its cellular and molecular architecture, to its gross structural and functional integrity, and from millisecond to longer timescales. We then present an integrative model based upon how microscale changes in neuronal signaling in the DLPFC can influence synchronized patterns of neural activity to produce macrocircuit-level alterations in DLPFC activation that ultimately influence cognition and behavior. We conclude with a discussion of initial efforts aimed at targeting DLPFC function in SZ, the clinical implications of those efforts, and potential avenues for future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Smucny
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Samuel J Dienel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - David A Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Cameron S Carter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA.
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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16
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Toritsuka M, Yoshino H, Makinodan M, Ikawa D, Kimoto S, Yamamuro K, Okamura K, Akamatsu W, Okada Y, Matsumoto T, Hashimoto K, Ogawa Y, Saito Y, Watanabe K, Aoki C, Takada R, Fukami SI, Hamano-Iwasa K, Okano H, Kishimoto T. Developmental dysregulation of excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA-polarity switch may underlie schizophrenia pathology: A monozygotic-twin discordant case analysis in human iPS cell-derived neurons. Neurochem Int 2021; 150:105179. [PMID: 34500023 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105179] [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: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a major psychiatric disorder, but the molecular mechanisms leading to its initiation or progression remain unclear. To elucidate the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, we used an in vitro neuronal cell culture model involving human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) derived from a monozygotic-twin discordant schizophrenia pair. The cultured neurons differentiated from hiPSCs were composed of a mixture of glutamatergic excitatory neurons and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic inhibitory neurons. In the electrophysiological analysis, a different pattern of spontaneous neuronal activity was observed under the condition without any stimulants. The frequency of spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic currents (sEPSCs) was significantly higher in the hiPSC-derived neurons of the patient with schizophrenia than in the control sibling at day-in-vitro 30. However, the synaptic formation was not different between the patient with schizophrenia and the control sibling during the same culture period. To explain underlying mechanisms of higher excitability of presynaptic cells, we focused on the potassium-chloride co-transporter KCC2, which contributes to excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA polarity switch in developing neurons. We also revealed the altered expression pattern of KCC2 in hiPSC-derived neurons from the patient with schizophrenia, which could contribute to understanding the pathology of schizophrenia in the developing nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michihiro Toritsuka
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan.
| | - Hiroki Yoshino
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Manabu Makinodan
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Daisuke Ikawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan; Sakai Municipal Mental Health Center, 4-3-1 Asahigaoka-naka-machi, Sakai-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka, 590-0808, Japan
| | - Sohei Kimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Yamamuro
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Kazuya Okamura
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Wado Akamatsu
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan; Center for Genomic and Regenerative Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8431, Japan
| | - Yohei Okada
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan; Department of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan
| | - Takuya Matsumoto
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Kazumichi Hashimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan; Department of Psychiatry, Tenri Hospital Shirakawa Branch, 604 Iwaya-cho, Tenri, Nara, 632-0003, Japan
| | - Yoichi Ogawa
- Department of Neurophysiology, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Saito
- Department of Neurophysiology, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Kyosuke Watanabe
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Chieko Aoki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Ryohei Takada
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Fukami
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Kaori Hamano-Iwasa
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Kishimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan
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17
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Riccardi C, Montemagni C, Del Favero E, Bellino S, Brasso C, Rocca P. Pharmacological Treatment for Social Cognition: Current Evidence. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7457. [PMID: 34299076 PMCID: PMC8307511 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is currently considered a core feature of schizophrenia (SZ) and is gaining attention as a fundamental therapeutic target. Standard treatment for SZ involves the use of antipsychotics that are successfully used to control positive symptoms and disorganized behaviour. However, it is still unclear whether they are effective on social cognition (SC) impairment. Furthermore, different medications are currently being studied to improve SC in patients with SZ. A literature search on this topic was conducted using the PubMed database. All kinds of publications (i.e., reviews, original contributions and case reports) written in English and published in the last 15 years were included. The aim of our literature review is to draw a picture of the current state of the pharmacological treatment of SC impairment in SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Paola Rocca
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini”, University of Turin, 10100 Turin, Italy; (C.R.); (C.M.); (E.D.F.); (S.B.); (C.B.)
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18
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Aksic M, Poleksic J, Aleksic D, Petronijevic N, Radonjic NV, Jakovcevski M, Kapor S, Divac N, Filipovic BR, Jakovcevski I. Maternal Deprivation in Rats Decreases the Expression of Interneuron Markers in the Neocortex and Hippocampus. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:670766. [PMID: 34168541 PMCID: PMC8217609 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.670766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress has profound effects on the development of the central nervous system. We exposed 9-day-old rat pups to a 24 h maternal deprivation (MD) and sacrificed them as young adults (60-day-old), with the aim to study the effects of early stress on forebrain circuitry. We estimated numbers of various immunohistochemically defined interneuron subpopulations in several neocortical regions and in the hippocampus. MD rats showed reduced numbers of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons in the CA1 region of the hippocampus and in the prefrontal cortex, compared with controls. Numbers of reelin-expressing and calretinin-expressing interneurons were also reduced in the CA1 and CA3 hippocampal areas, but unaltered in the neocortex of MD rats. The number of calbinin-expressing interneurons in the neocortex was similar in the MD rats compared with controls. We analyzed cell death in 15-day-old rats after MD and found no difference compared to control rats. Thus, our results more likely reflect the downregulation of markers than the actual loss of interneurons. To investigate synaptic activity in the hippocampus we immunostained for glutamatergic and inhibitory vesicular transporters. The number of inhibitory synapses was decreased in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus in MD rats, with the normal number of excitatory synapses. Our results indicate complex, cell type-specific, and region-specific alterations in the inhibitory circuitry induced by maternal deprivation. Such alterations may underlie symptoms of MD at the behavioral level and possibly contribute to mechanisms by which early life stress causes neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Aksic
- Institute of Anatomy Niko Miljanić, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Joko Poleksic
- Institute of Anatomy Niko Miljanić, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dubravka Aleksic
- Institute of Anatomy Niko Miljanić, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Natasa Petronijevic
- Institute of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nevena V Radonjic
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Maja Jakovcevski
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Slobodan Kapor
- Institute of Anatomy Niko Miljanić, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nevena Divac
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Branislav R Filipovic
- Institute of Anatomy Niko Miljanić, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Igor Jakovcevski
- Abteilung für Neuroanatomie und Molekulare Hirnforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Institut für Anatomie und Klinische Morphologie, Universität Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany
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19
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LINC00473 as an Immediate Early Gene under the Control of the EGR1 Transcription Factor. Noncoding RNA 2020; 6:ncrna6040046. [PMID: 33198374 PMCID: PMC7712511 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna6040046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Immediate early genes play an essential role in cellular responses to different stimuli. Many of them are transcription factors that regulate the secondary response gene expression. Non-coding RNAs may also be involved in this regulatory cascade. In fact, they are emerging as key actors of gene expression regulation, and evidence suggests that their dysregulation may underly pathological states. We previously took a snapshot of both coding and long non-coding RNAs differentially expressed in neuronal cells after brain-derived neurotrophic factor stimulation. Among these, the transcription factor EGR1 (a well-known immediate early gene) and LINC00473 (a primate-specific long non-coding RNA) that has emerged as an interesting RNA candidate involved in neuronal function and in cancer. In this work, we demonstrated that LINC00473 gene expression kinetics resembled that of immediate early genes in SH-SY5Y and HEK293T cells under different cell stimulation conditions. Moreover, we showed that the expression of LINC00473 is under the control of the transcription factor EGR1, providing evidence for an interesting functional relationship in neuron function.
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20
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Kerr J. Early Growth Response Gene Upregulation in Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Associated Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10111484. [PMID: 33114612 PMCID: PMC7692278 DOI: 10.3390/biom10111484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic multisystem disease exhibiting a variety of symptoms and affecting multiple systems. Psychological stress and virus infection are important. Virus infection may trigger the onset, and psychological stress may reactivate latent viruses, for example, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It has recently been reported that EBV induced gene 2 (EBI2) was upregulated in blood in a subset of ME/CFS patients. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the pattern of expression of early growth response (EGR) genes, important in EBV infection and which have also been found to be upregulated in blood of ME/CFS patients, paralleled that of EBI2. EGR gene upregulation was found to be closely associated with that of EBI2 in ME/CFS, providing further evidence in support of ongoing EBV reactivation in a subset of ME/CFS patients. EGR1, EGR2, and EGR3 are part of the cellular immediate early gene response and are important in EBV transcription, reactivation, and B lymphocyte transformation. EGR1 is a regulator of immune function, and is important in vascular homeostasis, psychological stress, connective tissue disease, mitochondrial function, all of which are relevant to ME/CFS. EGR2 and EGR3 are negative regulators of T lymphocytes and are important in systemic autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Kerr
- Department of Microbiology, Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), Colney Lane, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UY, UK
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21
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Charles James J, Funke K. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation reverses reduced excitability of rat visual cortex induced by dark rearing during early critical period. Dev Neurobiol 2020; 80:399-410. [PMID: 33006265 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Early critical period of visual cortex is characterized by enhanced activity-driven neuronal plasticity establishing the specificity of neuronal connections required for optimal processing of sensory signals. Deprivation from visual input by dark rearing (DR) during this period leads to a lasting impairment of visual performance. Previously, we demonstrated that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied with intermittent theta-burst (iTBS) pattern during the critical period improved the visual performance of the DR rats. In this study, we describe that the excitability of the binocular part of the visual cortex (V1b), as measured in acute brain slices by input-output ratios of field excitatory synaptic potentials (fEPSPs), is lowered in DR rats compared to normal controls. Verum rTMS applied with the iTBS pattern during DR reversed this DR effect, while no rTMS effect was evident in the non-DR (nDR) rats. In addition, verum rTMS reduced the number of neurons expressing the 67 kD isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD67), the calcium-binding protein calbindin (CB) and the zinc-finger transcription factor zif268/EGR1, as determined via immunohistochemistry, only in DR rats but not in nDR rats. Moreover, rTMS reduced the number of neurons expressing the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin (PV) only in nDR rats which showed more PV+ neurons compared to DR rats. This study confirms that iTBS-rTMS may be able to prevent or reverse the effects of DR on visual cortex physiology, likely through a modulation of the activity of inhibitory interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Klaus Funke
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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22
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Frackowiak J, Mazur-Kolecka B, Mehta P, Wegiel J. Enhanced accumulation of N-terminally truncated Aβ with and without pyroglutamate-11 modification in parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic neurons in idiopathic and dup15q11.2-q13 autism. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:58. [PMID: 32345355 PMCID: PMC7189730 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-00923-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism, the most frequent neurodevelopmental disorder of a very complex etiopathology, is associated with dysregulation of cellular homeostatic mechanisms, including processing of amyloid-β precursor protein (APP). Products of APP processing — N-terminally truncated amyloid-β peptide (N-tr-Aβ) species — are accumulated in autism in neurons and glia in the cortex, cerebellum, and subcortical structures of the brain. This process in neurons is correlated with increased oxidative stress. Because abnormally high levels of N-tr-Aβ are detected in only a fraction of neurons in the prefrontal cortex, we applied immunocytochemical staining and confocal microscopy in autopsy brain material from idiopathic and chromosome 15q11.2-q13 duplication (dup-15) autism to measure the load of N-tr-Aβ in the cells and synapses and to identify the subpopulation of neurons affected by these pathophysiological processes. The peptides accumulated in autism are N-terminally truncated; therefore, we produced a new antibody against Aβ truncated at N-terminal amino acid 11 modified to pyroglutamate to evaluate the presence and distribution of this peptide species in autism. We also quantified and characterized the oligomerization patterns of the Aβ-immunoreactive peptides in autism and control frozen brain samples. We provide morphological evidence, that in idiopathic and dup-15 autism, accumulation of N-tr-Aβ with and without pyroglutamate-11 modified N-terminus affects mainly the parvalbumin-expressing subpopulation of GABAergic neurons. N-tr-Aβ peptides are accumulated in neurons’ cytoplasm and nucleus as well as in GABAergic synapses. Aβ peptides with both C-terminus 40 and 42 were detected by immunoblotting in frozen cortex samples, in the form of dimers and complexes of the molecular sizes of 18-24kD and 32-34kD. We propose that deposition of N-tr-Aβ specifically affects the functions of the parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic neurons and results in a dysregulation of brain excitatory–inhibitory homeostasis in autism. This process may be the target of new therapies.
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23
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Osborne AL, Solowij N, Babic I, Lum JS, Newell KA, Huang XF, Weston-Green K. Effect of cannabidiol on endocannabinoid, glutamatergic and GABAergic signalling markers in male offspring of a maternal immune activation (poly I:C) model relevant to schizophrenia. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 95:109666. [PMID: 31202911 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The mainstay treatment for schizophrenia is antipsychotic drugs (APDs), which are mostly effective against the positive symptoms (e.g. hallucinations), but provide minimal benefits for the negative symptoms (e.g. social withdrawal) and cognitive deficits. We have recently shown that treatment with the non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), can improve cognition and social interaction deficits in a maternal immune activation (MIA) model relevant to the aetiology of schizophrenia, however, the mechanisms underlying this effect are unknown. An imbalance in the main excitatory (glutamate) and inhibitory (GABA) neurotransmitter systems in the brain plays a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Therefore, the endocannabinoid system could represent a therapeutic target for schizophrenia as a regulator of glutamate and GABA release via the CB1 receptor (CB1R). This study investigated the effects of chronic CBD treatment on markers of glutamatergic, GABAergic and endocannabinoid signalling in brain regions implicated in social behaviour and cognitive function, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HPC). Time-mated pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 16) were administered poly I:C (4 mg/kg, i.v.) or saline (control) on gestational day 15. Male offspring were injected with CBD (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle twice daily from postnatal day 56 for 3 weeks. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HPC) were collected for post-mortem receptor binding and Western blot analyses (n = 8 per group). CBD treatment attenuated poly I:C-induced deficits in cannabinoid CB1 receptor binding in the PFC and glutamate decarboxylase 67, the enzyme that converts glutamate to GABA, in the HPC. CBD treatment increased parvalbumin levels in the HPC, regardless of whether offspring were exposed to poly I:C in utero. Conversely, CBD did not affect N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor binding or protein levels of fatty acid amide hydrolase, the enzyme that degrades the endocannabinoid, anandamide. Overall, these findings show that CBD can restore cannabinoid/GABAergic signalling deficits in regions of the brain implicated in schizophrenia pathophysiology following maternal poly I:C exposure. These findings provide novel evidence for the potential mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of CBD treatment in the poly I:C model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh L Osborne
- Neuropharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Centre for Translational Neuroscience, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Nadia Solowij
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Ilijana Babic
- Neuropharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Centre for Translational Neuroscience, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Illawarra and Shoalhaven Health District, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia
| | - Jeremy S Lum
- Neuropharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Centre for Translational Neuroscience, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Kelly A Newell
- Neuropharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Centre for Translational Neuroscience, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Xu-Feng Huang
- Centre for Translational Neuroscience, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Katrina Weston-Green
- Neuropharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Centre for Translational Neuroscience, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
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24
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Dienel SJ, Lewis DA. Alterations in cortical interneurons and cognitive function in schizophrenia. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 131:104208. [PMID: 29936230 PMCID: PMC6309598 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Certain clinical features of schizophrenia, such as working memory disturbances, appear to emerge from altered gamma oscillatory activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Given the essential role of GABA neurotransmission in both working memory and gamma oscillations, understanding the cellular substrate for their disturbances in schizophrenia requires evidence from in vivo neuroimaging studies, which provide a means to link markers of GABA neurotransmission to gamma oscillations and working memory, and from postmortem studies, which provide insight into GABA neurotransmission at molecular and cellular levels of resolution. Here, we review findings from both types of studies which converge on the notions that 1) inhibitory GABA signaling in the PFC, especially between parvalbumin positive GABAergic basket cells and excitatory pyramidal cells, is required for gamma oscillatory activity and working memory function; and 2) disturbances in this signaling contribute to altered gamma oscillations and working memory in schizophrenia. Because the PFC is only one node in a distributed cortical network that mediates working memory, we also review evidence of GABA abnormalities in other cortical regions in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Dienel
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - David A Lewis
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, United States.
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25
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Giorgi O, Corda MG, Fernández-Teruel A. A Genetic Model of Impulsivity, Vulnerability to Drug Abuse and Schizophrenia-Relevant Symptoms With Translational Potential: The Roman High- vs. Low-Avoidance Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:145. [PMID: 31333426 PMCID: PMC6624787 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The bidirectional selective breeding of Roman high- (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rats for respectively rapid vs. poor acquisition of active avoidant behavior has generated two lines/strains that differ markedly in terms of emotional reactivity, with RHA rats being less fearful than their RLA counterparts. Many other behavioral traits have been segregated along the selection procedure; thus, compared with their RLA counterparts, RHA rats behave as proactive copers in the face of aversive conditions, display a robust sensation/novelty seeking (SNS) profile, and show high impulsivity and an innate preference for natural and drug rewards. Impulsivity is a multifaceted behavioral trait and is generally defined as a tendency to express actions that are poorly conceived, premature, highly risky or inappropriate to the situation, that frequently lead to unpleasant consequences. High levels of impulsivity are associated with several neuropsychiatric conditions including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and drug addiction. Herein, we review the behavioral and neurochemical differences between RHA and RLA rats and survey evidence that RHA rats represent a valid genetic model, with face, construct, and predictive validity, to investigate the neural underpinnings of behavioral disinhibition, novelty seeking, impulsivity, vulnerability to drug addiction as well as deficits in attentional processes, cognitive impairments and other schizophrenia-relevant traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria G Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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26
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Key role of soluble epoxide hydrolase in the neurodevelopmental disorders of offspring after maternal immune activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:7083-7088. [PMID: 30890645 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1819234116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal infection during pregnancy increases risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. In rodents, maternal immune activation (MIA) yields offspring with schizophrenia- and ASD-like behavioral abnormalities. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) plays a key role in inflammation associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we found higher levels of sEH in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of juvenile offspring after MIA. Oxylipin analysis showed decreased levels of epoxy fatty acids in the PFC of juvenile offspring after MIA, supporting increased activity of sEH in the PFC of juvenile offspring. Furthermore, expression of sEH (or EPHX2) mRNA in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurospheres from schizophrenia patients with the 22q11.2 deletion was higher than that of healthy controls. Moreover, the expression of EPHX2 mRNA in postmortem brain samples (Brodmann area 9 and 40) from ASD patients was higher than that of controls. Treatment with 1-trifluoromethoxyphenyl-3-(1-propionylpiperidin-4-yl)urea (TPPU), a potent sEH inhibitor, in juvenile offspring from prenatal day (P) 28 to P56 could prevent cognitive deficits and loss of parvalbumin (PV) immunoreactivity in the medial PFC of adult offspring after MIA. In addition, dosing of TPPU to pregnant mothers from E5 to P21 could prevent cognitive deficits, and social interaction deficits and PV immunoreactivity in the medial prefrontal cortex of juvenile offspring after MIA. These findings suggest that increased activity of sEH in the PFC plays a key role in the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring after MIA. Therefore, sEH represents a promising prophylactic or therapeutic target for neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring after MIA.
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27
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Gilbert TM, Zürcher NR, Wu CJ, Bhanot A, Hightower BG, Kim M, Albrecht DS, Wey HY, Schroeder FA, Rodriguez-Thompson A, Morin TM, Hart KL, Pellegrini AM, Riley MM, Wang C, Stufflebeam SM, Haggarty SJ, Holt DJ, Loggia ML, Perlis RH, Brown HE, Roffman JL, Hooker JM. PET neuroimaging reveals histone deacetylase dysregulation in schizophrenia. J Clin Invest 2018; 129:364-372. [PMID: 30530989 DOI: 10.1172/jci123743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) experience chronic cognitive deficits. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that regulate cognitive circuitry; however, the role of HDACs in cognitive disorders, including SCZ, remains unknown in humans. We previously determined that HDAC2 mRNA levels were lower in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) tissue from donors with SCZ compared with controls. Here we investigated the relationship between in vivo HDAC expression and cognitive impairment in patients with SCZ and matched healthy controls using [11C]Martinostat positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS In a case-control study, relative [11C]Martinostat uptake was compared between 14 patients with SCZ or schizoaffective disorder (SCZ/SAD) and 17 controls using hypothesis-driven region-of-interest analysis and unbiased whole brain voxel-wise approaches. Clinical measures, including the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery, were administered. RESULTS Relative HDAC expression was lower in the DLPFC of patients with SCZ/SAD compared with controls, and HDAC expression positively correlated with cognitive performance scores across groups. Patients with SCZ/SAD also showed lower relative HDAC expression in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal gyrus, and higher relative HDAC expression in the cerebral white matter, pons, and cerebellum compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide in vivo evidence of HDAC dysregulation in patients with SCZ and suggest that altered HDAC expression may impact cognitive function in humans. FUNDING National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Brain and Behavior Foundation, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), NIH Shared Instrumentation Grant Program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonya M Gilbert
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nicole R Zürcher
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christine J Wu
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anisha Bhanot
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Baileigh G Hightower
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Minhae Kim
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel S Albrecht
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hsiao-Ying Wey
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Frederick A Schroeder
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anais Rodriguez-Thompson
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas M Morin
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Misha M Riley
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Changning Wang
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Steven M Stufflebeam
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Center for Genomic Medicine.,Department of Neurology, and.,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daphne J Holt
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marco L Loggia
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Center for Genomic Medicine.,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hannah E Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joshua L Roffman
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jacob M Hooker
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
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28
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Kimoto S, Makinodan M, Kishimoto T. Neurobiology and treatment of social cognition in schizophrenia: Bridging the bed-bench gap. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 131:104315. [PMID: 30391541 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Social cognition refers to the psychological processes involved in the perception, encoding, storage, retrieval, and regulation of information about others and ourselves. This process is essential for survival and reproduction in complex social environments. Recent evidence suggests that impairments in social cognition frequently occur in schizophrenia, mainly contributing to poor functional outcomes, including the inability to engage in meaningful work and maintain satisfying interpersonal relationships. With the ambiguous definition of social cognition, the neurobiology underlying impaired social cognition remains unknown, and the effectiveness of currently available intervention strategies in schizophrenia remain limited. Considering the advances and challenges of translational research for schizophrenia, social cognition has been considered a high-priority domain for treatment development. Here, we describe the current state of the framework, clinical concerns, and intervention approaches for social cognition in schizophrenia. Next, we introduce translatable rodent models associated with schizophrenia that allow the evaluation of different components of social behaviors, providing deeper insights into the neural substrates of social cognition in schizophrenia. Our review presents a valuable perspective that indicates the necessity of building bridges between basic and clinical science researchers for the development of novel therapeutic approaches in impaired social cognition in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohei Kimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara, Japan.
| | - Manabu Makinodan
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Kishimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara, Japan
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29
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Paylor JW, Wendlandt E, Freeman TS, Greba Q, Marks WN, Howland JG, Winship IR. Impaired Cognitive Function after Perineuronal Net Degradation in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex. eNeuro 2018; 5:ENEURO.0253-18.2018. [PMID: 30627657 PMCID: PMC6325561 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0253-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are highly organized components of the extracellular matrix that surround a subset of mature neurons in the CNS. These structures play a critical role in regulating neuronal plasticity, particularly during neurodevelopment. Consistent with this role, their presence is associated with functional and structural stability of the neurons they ensheath. A loss of PNNs in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been suggested to contribute to cognitive impairment in disorders such as schizophrenia. However, the direct consequences of PNN loss in medial PFC (mPFC) on cognition has not been demonstrated. Here, we examined behavior after disruption of PNNs in mPFC of Long-Evans rats following injection of the enzyme chondroitinase ABC (ChABC). Our data show that ChABC-treated animals were impaired on tests of object oddity perception. Performance in the cross-modal object recognition (CMOR) task was not significantly different for ChABC-treated rats, although ChABC-treated rats were not able to perform above chance levels whereas control rats were. ChABC-treated animals were not significantly different from controls on tests of prepulse inhibition (PPI), set-shifting (SS), reversal learning, or tactile and visual object recognition memory. Posthumous immunohistochemistry confirmed significantly reduced PNNs in mPFC due to ChABC treatment. Moreover, PNN density in the mPFC predicted performance on the oddity task, where higher PNN density was associated with better performance. These findings suggest that PNN loss within the mPFC impairs some aspects of object oddity perception and recognition and that PNNs contribute to cognitive function in young adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W. Paylor
- Neurochemical Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2R3 Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Eszter Wendlandt
- Neurochemical Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2R3 Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Tara S. Freeman
- Neurochemical Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2R3 Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E1 Canada
| | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5E Canada
| | - Wendie N. Marks
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5E Canada
| | - John G. Howland
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, S7N 5E Canada
| | - Ian R. Winship
- Neurochemical Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2R3 Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E1 Canada
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30
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Datta D, Arnsten AF. Unique Molecular Regulation of Higher-Order Prefrontal Cortical Circuits: Insights into the Neurobiology of Schizophrenia. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018; 9:2127-2145. [PMID: 29470055 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with core deficits in cognitive abilities and impaired functioning of the newly evolved prefrontal association cortex (PFC). In particular, neuropathological studies of schizophrenia have found selective atrophy of the pyramidal cell microcircuits in deep layer III of the dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) and compensatory weakening of related GABAergic interneurons. Studies in monkeys have shown that recurrent excitation in these layer III microcircuits generates the precisely patterned, persistent firing needed for working memory and abstract thought. Importantly, excitatory synapses on layer III spines are uniquely regulated at the molecular level in ways that may render them particularly vulnerable to genetic and/or environmental insults. Glutamate actions are remarkably dependent on cholinergic stimulation, and there are inherent mechanisms to rapidly weaken connectivity, e.g. during stress. In particular, feedforward cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-calcium signaling rapidly weakens network connectivity and neuronal firing by opening nearby potassium channels. Many mechanisms that regulate this process are altered in schizophrenia and/or associated with genetic insults. Current data suggest that there are "dual hits" to layer III dlPFC circuits: initial insults to connectivity during the perinatal period due to genetic errors and/or inflammatory insults that predispose the cortex to atrophy, followed by a second wave of cortical loss during adolescence, e.g. driven by stress, at the descent into illness. The unique molecular regulation of layer III circuits may provide a nexus where inflammation disinhibits the neuronal response to stress. Understanding these mechanisms may help to illuminate dlPFC susceptibility in schizophrenia and provide insights for novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibyadeep Datta
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
| | - Amy F.T. Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, United States
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31
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Büki A, Horvath G, Benedek G, Ducza E, Kekesi G. Impaired GAD1 expression in schizophrenia‐related WISKET rat model with sex‐dependent aggressive behavior and motivational deficit. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12507. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Büki
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Szeged Szeged Hungary
| | - G. Horvath
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Szeged Szeged Hungary
| | - G. Benedek
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Szeged Szeged Hungary
| | - E. Ducza
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and BiopharmacyFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged Szeged Hungary
| | - G. Kekesi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Szeged Szeged Hungary
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32
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Transcriptome alterations of prefrontal cortical parvalbumin neurons in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:1606-1613. [PMID: 29112193 PMCID: PMC5938166 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is associated with dysfunction of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). This dysfunction is manifest as cognitive deficits that appear to arise from disturbances in gamma frequency oscillations. These oscillations are generated in DLPFC layer 3 (L3) via reciprocal connections between pyramidal cells (PCs) and parvalbumin (PV)-containing interneurons. The density of cortical PV neurons is not altered in SZ, but expression levels of several transcripts involved in PV cell function, including PV, are lower in the disease. However, the transcriptome of PV cells has not been comprehensively assessed in a large cohort of subjects with SZ. In this study, we combined an immunohistochemical approach, laser microdissection, and microarray profiling to analyze the transcriptome of DLPFC L3 PV cells in 36 matched pairs of SZ and unaffected comparison subjects. Over 800 transcripts in PV neurons were identified as differentially expressed in SZ subjects; most of these alterations have not previously been reported. The altered transcripts were enriched for pathways involved in mitochondrial function and tight junction signaling. Comparison with the transcriptome of L3 PCs from the same subjects revealed both shared and distinct disease-related effects on gene expression between cell types. Furthermore, network structures of gene pathways differed across cell types and subject groups. These findings provide new insights into cell type-specific molecular alterations in SZ which may point toward novel strategies for identifying therapeutic targets.
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33
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Gallo FT, Katche C, Morici JF, Medina JH, Weisstaub NV. Immediate Early Genes, Memory and Psychiatric Disorders: Focus on c-Fos, Egr1 and Arc. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:79. [PMID: 29755331 PMCID: PMC5932360 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 214] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many psychiatric disorders, despite their specific characteristics, share deficits in the cognitive domain including executive functions, emotional control and memory. However, memory deficits have been in many cases undervalued compared with other characteristics. The expression of Immediate Early Genes (IEGs) such as, c-fos, Egr1 and arc are selectively and promptly upregulated in learning and memory among neuronal subpopulations in regions associated with these processes. Changes in expression in these genes have been observed in recognition, working and fear related memories across the brain. Despite the enormous amount of data supporting changes in their expression during learning and memory and the importance of those cognitive processes in psychiatric conditions, there are very few studies analyzing the direct implication of the IEGs in mental illnesses. In this review, we discuss the role of some of the most relevant IEGs in relation with memory processes affected in psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco T Gallo
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cynthia Katche
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencias (IBCN) Dr. Eduardo de Robertis, Facultad de Medicina, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan F Morici
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge H Medina
- Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencias (IBCN) Dr. Eduardo de Robertis, Facultad de Medicina, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Noelia V Weisstaub
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Hoftman GD, Dienel SJ, Bazmi HH, Zhang Y, Chen K, Lewis DA. Altered Gradients of Glutamate and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Transcripts in the Cortical Visuospatial Working Memory Network in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:670-679. [PMID: 29357982 PMCID: PMC5862743 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 10/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visuospatial working memory (vsWM), which is impaired in schizophrenia, requires information transfer across multiple nodes in the cerebral cortex, including visual, posterior parietal, and dorsolateral prefrontal regions. Information is conveyed across these regions via the excitatory projections of glutamatergic pyramidal neurons located in layer 3, whose activity is modulated by local inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) neurons. Key properties of these neurons differ across these cortical regions. Consequently, in schizophrenia, alterations in the expression of gene products regulating these properties could disrupt vsWM function in different ways, depending on the region(s) affected. METHODS Here, we quantified the expression of markers of glutamate and GABA neurotransmission selectively in layer 3 of four cortical regions in the vsWM network from 20 matched pairs of schizophrenia and unaffected comparison subjects. RESULTS In comparison subjects, levels of glutamate transcripts tended to increase, whereas GABA transcript levels tended to decrease, from caudal to rostral, across cortical regions of the vsWM network. Composite measures across all transcripts revealed a significant effect of region, with the glutamate measure lowest in the primary visual cortex and highest in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, whereas the GABA measure showed the opposite pattern. In schizophrenia subjects, the expression levels of many of these transcripts were altered. However, this disease effect differed across regions, such that the caudal-to-rostral increase in the glutamate measure was blunted and the caudal-to-rostral decline in the GABA measure was enhanced in the illness. CONCLUSIONS Differential alterations in layer 3 glutamate and GABA neurotransmission across cortical regions may contribute to vsWM deficits in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil D. Hoftman
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Samuel J. Dienel
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Holly H. Bazmi
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of Statistics, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Kehui Chen
- Department of Statistics, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
| | - David A. Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
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Decreased white matter FA values in the left inferior frontal gyrus is a possible intermediate phenotype of schizophrenia: evidences from a novel group strategy. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2018; 268:89-98. [PMID: 27942861 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-016-0752-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Intermediate phenotype could be used to investigate genetic susceptibility. However, genetic and environmental heterogeneity may interfere with identification of intermediate phenotypes. In this study, we minimized these interferences by using a novel group strategy. A total of 22 drug-naive and first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients, along with 22 of their kin healthy siblings (HS), 22 non-kin healthy siblings (nHS) of other schizophrenia patients and 22 healthy controls (HC), were recruited. Brain imaging was acquired from the participants. Voxel-based analysis was used to investigate differences in white matter integrity derived from diffusion tensor imaging among the four groups. Two cognitive tests related to our findings were selected to confirm the related phenotypic changes. All of the FES, HS, and nHS groups showed decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) compared with the HC group (p < 0.05, FDR corrected). The scores of Hopkins Verbal learning Test-Revised and Animal Naming in FES patients were significantly lower than in participants belonging to the other three groups (p < 0.05). Significant correlation between Animal Naming scores and FA values in the left IFG was found in FES patients (r = 0.53, p = 0.01). Moreover, FES patients also showed decreased FA values in the left medial frontal gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, left parahippocampal gyrus, left posterior cingulate, and right middle temporal gyrus compared with HC (p < 0.05, FDR corrected). Decreased FA values in the left IFG is a possible intermediate phenotype of schizophrenia, and this finding supports the hypothesis that disrupted connectivity of white matter may be the key substrate of schizophrenia.
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36
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Renard J, Rushlow WJ, Laviolette SR. Effects of Adolescent THC Exposure on the Prefrontal GABAergic System: Implications for Schizophrenia-Related Psychopathology. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:281. [PMID: 30013490 PMCID: PMC6036125 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Marijuana is the most commonly used drug of abuse among adolescents. Considerable clinical evidence supports the hypothesis that adolescent neurodevelopmental exposure to high levels of the principal psychoactive component in marijuana, -delta-9-tetrahydrocanabinol (THC), is associated with a high risk of developing psychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia later in life. This marijuana-associated risk is believed to be related to increasing levels of THC found within commonly used marijuana strains. Adolescence is a highly vulnerable period for the development of the brain, where the inhibitory GABAergic system plays a pivotal role in the maturation of regulatory control mechanisms in the central nervous system (CNS). Specifically, adolescent neurodevelopment represents a critical period wherein regulatory connectivity between higher-order cortical regions and sub-cortical emotional processing circuits such as the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system is established. Emerging preclinical evidence demonstrates that adolescent exposure to THC selectively targets schizophrenia-related molecular and neuropharmacological signaling pathways in both cortical and sub-cortical regions, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and mesolimbic DA pathway, comprising the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). Prefrontal cortical GABAergic hypofunction is a key feature of schizophrenia-like neuropsychopathology. This GABAergic hypofunction may lead to the loss of control of the PFC to regulate proper sub-cortical DA neurotransmission, thereby leading to schizophrenia-like symptoms. This review summarizes preclinical evidence demonstrating that reduced prefrontal cortical GABAergic neurotransmission has a critical role in the sub-cortical DAergic dysregulation and schizophrenia-like behaviors observed following adolescent THC exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Renard
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Walter J Rushlow
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Steven R Laviolette
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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37
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de Bartolomeis A, Buonaguro EF, Latte G, Rossi R, Marmo F, Iasevoli F, Tomasetti C. Immediate-Early Genes Modulation by Antipsychotics: Translational Implications for a Putative Gateway to Drug-Induced Long-Term Brain Changes. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:240. [PMID: 29321734 PMCID: PMC5732183 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing amount of research aims at recognizing the molecular mechanisms involved in long-lasting brain architectural changes induced by antipsychotic treatments. Although both structural and functional modifications have been identified following acute antipsychotic administration in humans, currently there is scarce knowledge on the enduring consequences of these acute changes. New insights in immediate-early genes (IEGs) modulation following acute or chronic antipsychotic administration may help to fill the gap between primary molecular response and putative long-term changes. Moreover, a critical appraisal of the spatial and temporal patterns of IEGs expression may shed light on the functional "signature" of antipsychotics, such as the propensity to induce motor side effects, the potential neurobiological mechanisms underlying the differences between antipsychotics beyond D2 dopamine receptor affinity, as well as the relevant effects of brain region-specificity in their mechanisms of action. The interest for brain IEGs modulation after antipsychotic treatments has been revitalized by breakthrough findings such as the role of early genes in schizophrenia pathophysiology, the involvement of IEGs in epigenetic mechanisms relevant for cognition, and in neuronal mapping by means of IEGs expression profiling. Here we critically review the evidence on the differential modulation of IEGs by antipsychotics, highlighting the association between IEGs expression and neuroplasticity changes in brain regions impacted by antipsychotics, trying to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underpinning the effects of this class of drugs on psychotic, cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea de Bartolomeis
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Elisabetta F Buonaguro
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Latte
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Rossi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Federica Marmo
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Felice Iasevoli
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Carmine Tomasetti
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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Wang Y, Wu Z, Bai YT, Wu GY, Chen G. Gad67 haploinsufficiency reduces amyloid pathology and rescues olfactory memory deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2017; 12:73. [PMID: 29017573 PMCID: PMC5633901 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-017-0213-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder, affecting millions of people worldwide. Although dysfunction of multiple neurotransmitter systems including cholinergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic systems has been associated with AD progression the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We and others have recently found that GABA content is elevated in AD brains and linked to cognitive deficits in AD mouse models. The glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) is the major enzyme converting glutamate into GABA and has been implied in a number of neurological disorders such as epilepsy and schizophrenia. However, whether Gad67 is involved in AD pathology has not been well studied. Here, we investigate the functional role of GAD67 in an AD mouse model with Gad67 haploinsufficiency that is caused by replacing one allele of Gad67 with green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene during generation of GAD67-GFP mice. Methods To genetically reduce GAD67 in AD mouse brains, we crossed the Gad67 haploinsufficient mice (GAD67-GFP+/−) with 5xFAD mice (harboring 5 human familial AD mutations in APP and PS1 genes) to generate a new line of bigenic mice. Immunostaining, ELISA, electrophysiology and behavior test were applied to compare the difference between groups. Results We found that reduction of GAD67 resulted in a significant decrease of amyloid β production in 5xFAD mice. Concurrently, the abnormal astrocytic GABA and tonic GABA currents, as well as the microglial reactivity were significantly reduced in the 5xFAD mice with Gad67 haploinsufficiency. Importantly, the olfactory memory deficit of 5xFAD mice was rescued by Gad67 haploinsufficiency. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that GAD67 plays an important role in AD pathology, suggesting that GAD67 may be a potential drug target for modulating the progress of AD. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi: 10.1186/s13024-017-0213-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Zheng Wu
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Yu-Ting Bai
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Gang-Yi Wu
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University park, PA, 16802, USA. .,School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.
| | - Gong Chen
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University park, PA, 16802, USA.
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Layer 3 Excitatory and Inhibitory Circuitry in the Prefrontal Cortex: Developmental Trajectories and Alterations in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 81:862-873. [PMID: 27455897 PMCID: PMC5136518 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Convergent evidence suggests that schizophrenia is a disorder of neurodevelopment with alterations in both early and late developmental processes hypothesized to contribute to the disease process. Abnormalities in certain clinical features of schizophrenia, such as working memory impairments, depend on distributed neural circuitry including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and appear to arise during the protracted maturation of this circuitry across childhood and adolescence. In particular, the neural circuitry substrate for working memory in primates involves the coordinated activity of excitatory pyramidal neurons and a specific population of inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid neurons (i.e., parvalbumin-containing basket cells) in layer 3 of the DLPFC. Understanding the relationships between the normal development of-and the schizophrenia-associated alterations in-the DLPFC circuitry that subserves working memory could provide new insights into the nature of schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder. Consequently, we review the following in this article: 1) recent findings regarding alterations of DLPFC layer 3 circuitry in schizophrenia, 2) the developmental refinements in this circuitry that occur during the period when the working memory alterations in schizophrenia appear to arise and progress, and 3) how various adverse environmental exposures could contribute to developmental disturbances of this circuitry in individuals with schizophrenia.
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40
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Genetic Otx2 mis-localization delays critical period plasticity across brain regions. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:680-688. [PMID: 28194008 PMCID: PMC5400722 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of non-cell autonomous Otx2 homeoprotein in postnatal mouse visual cortex (V1) has been implicated in both the onset and closure of critical period (CP) plasticity. Here, we show that a genetic point mutation in the glycosaminoglycan recognition motif of Otx2 broadly delays the maturation of pivotal parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons not only in V1 but also in the primary auditory (A1) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Consequently, not only visual, but also auditory plasticity is delayed, including the experience-dependent expansion of tonotopic maps in A1 and the acquisition of acoustic preferences in mPFC, which mitigates anxious behavior. In addition, Otx2 mis-localization leads to dynamic turnover of selected perineuronal net (PNN) components well beyond the normal CP in V1 and mPFC. These findings reveal widespread actions of Otx2 signaling in the postnatal cortex controlling the maturational trajectory across modalities. Disrupted PV+ network function and deficits in PNN integrity are implicated in a variety of psychiatric illnesses, suggesting a potential global role for Otx2 function in establishing mental health.
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41
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Duclot F, Kabbaj M. The Role of Early Growth Response 1 (EGR1) in Brain Plasticity and Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:35. [PMID: 28321184 PMCID: PMC5337695 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now clearly established that complex interactions between genes and environment are involved in multiple aspects of neuropsychiatric disorders, from determining an individual's vulnerability to onset, to influencing its response to therapeutic intervention. In this perspective, it appears crucial to better understand how the organism reacts to environmental stimuli and provide a coordinated and adapted response. In the central nervous system, neuronal plasticity and neurotransmission are among the major processes integrating such complex interactions between genes and environmental stimuli. In particular, immediate early genes (IEGs) are critical components of these interactions as they provide the molecular framework for a rapid and dynamic response to neuronal activity while opening the possibility for a lasting and sustained adaptation through regulation of the expression of a wide range of genes. As a result, IEGs have been tightly associated with neuronal activity as well as a variety of higher order processes within the central nervous system such as learning, memory and sensitivity to reward. The immediate early gene and transcription factor early growth response 1 (EGR1) has thus been revealed as a major mediator and regulator of synaptic plasticity and neuronal activity in both physiological and pathological conditions. In this review article, we will focus on the role of EGR1 in the central nervous system. First, we will summarize the different factors influencing its activity. Then, we will analyze the amount of data, including genome-wide, that has emerged in the recent years describing the wide variety of genes, pathways and biological functions regulated directly or indirectly by EGR1. We will thus be able to gain better insights into the mechanisms underlying EGR1's functions in physiological neuronal activity. Finally, we will discuss and illustrate the role of EGR1 in pathological states with a particular interest in cognitive functions and neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL, USA
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42
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de Jonge JC, Vinkers CH, Hulshoff Pol HE, Marsman A. GABAergic Mechanisms in Schizophrenia: Linking Postmortem and In Vivo Studies. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:118. [PMID: 28848455 PMCID: PMC5554536 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and impairments in cognitive functioning. Evidence from postmortem studies suggests that alterations in cortical γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAergic) neurons contribute to the clinical features of schizophrenia. In vivo measurement of brain GABA levels using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) offers the possibility to provide more insight into the relationship between problems in GABAergic neurotransmission and clinical symptoms of schizophrenia patients. This study reviews and links alterations in the GABA system in postmortem studies, animal models, and human studies in schizophrenia. Converging evidence implicates alterations in both presynaptic and postsynaptic components of GABAergic neurotransmission in schizophrenia, and GABA may thus play an important role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. MRS studies can provide direct insight into the GABAergic mechanisms underlying the development of schizophrenia as well as changes during its course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen C de Jonge
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Christiaan H Vinkers
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Hilleke E Hulshoff Pol
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Anouk Marsman
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
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43
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Fromer M, Roussos P, Sieberts SK, Johnson JS, Kavanagh DH, Perumal TM, Ruderfer DM, Oh EC, Topol A, Shah HR, Klei LL, Kramer R, Pinto D, Gümüş ZH, Cicek AE, Dang KK, Browne A, Lu C, Xie L, Readhead B, Stahl EA, Xiao J, Parvizi M, Hamamsy T, Fullard JF, Wang YC, Mahajan MC, Derry JMJ, Dudley JT, Hemby SE, Logsdon BA, Talbot K, Raj T, Bennett DA, De Jager PL, Zhu J, Zhang B, Sullivan PF, Chess A, Purcell SM, Shinobu LA, Mangravite LM, Toyoshiba H, Gur RE, Hahn CG, Lewis DA, Haroutunian V, Peters MA, Lipska BK, Buxbaum JD, Schadt EE, Hirai K, Roeder K, Brennand KJ, Katsanis N, Domenici E, Devlin B, Sklar P. Gene expression elucidates functional impact of polygenic risk for schizophrenia. Nat Neurosci 2016; 19:1442-1453. [PMID: 27668389 PMCID: PMC5083142 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 735] [Impact Index Per Article: 91.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Over 100 genetic loci harbor schizophrenia-associated variants, yet how these variants confer liability is uncertain. The CommonMind Consortium sequenced RNA from dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of people with schizophrenia (N = 258) and control subjects (N = 279), creating a resource of gene expression and its genetic regulation. Using this resource, ∼20% of schizophrenia loci have variants that could contribute to altered gene expression and liability. In five loci, only a single gene was involved: FURIN, TSNARE1, CNTN4, CLCN3 or SNAP91. Altering expression of FURIN, TSNARE1 or CNTN4 changed neurodevelopment in zebrafish; knockdown of FURIN in human neural progenitor cells yielded abnormal migration. Of 693 genes showing significant case-versus-control differential expression, their fold changes were ≤ 1.33, and an independent cohort yielded similar results. Gene co-expression implicates a network relevant for schizophrenia. Our findings show that schizophrenia is polygenic and highlight the utility of this resource for mechanistic interpretations of genetic liability for brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menachem Fromer
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Psychiatry, JJ Peters Virginia Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | | | - Jessica S Johnson
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - David H Kavanagh
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Douglas M Ruderfer
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Edwin C Oh
- Center for Human Disease Modeling, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Neurology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aaron Topol
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hardik R Shah
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lambertus L Klei
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Robin Kramer
- Human Brain Collection Core, National Institutes of Health, NIMH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Dalila Pinto
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Zeynep H Gümüş
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - A Ercument Cicek
- Department of Computational Biology, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kristen K Dang
- Systems Biology, Sage Bionetworks, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Andrew Browne
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Cong Lu
- Department of Statistics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lu Xie
- Department of Statistics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ben Readhead
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eli A Stahl
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jianqiu Xiao
- Center for Human Disease Modeling, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mahsa Parvizi
- Center for Human Disease Modeling, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Tymor Hamamsy
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - John F Fullard
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ying-Chih Wang
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Milind C Mahajan
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Joel T Dudley
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Scott E Hemby
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, High Point, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Konrad Talbot
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Towfique Raj
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Philip L De Jager
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jun Zhu
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Patrick F Sullivan
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrew Chess
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shaun M Purcell
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Leslie A Shinobu
- CNS Drug Discovery Unit, Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Hiroyoshi Toyoshiba
- Integrated Technology Research Laboratories, Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Raquel E Gur
- Neuropsychiatry Section, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Chang-Gyu Hahn
- Neuropsychiatric Signaling Program, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David A Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Vahram Haroutunian
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Psychiatry, JJ Peters Virginia Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mette A Peters
- Systems Biology, Sage Bionetworks, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Barbara K Lipska
- Human Brain Collection Core, National Institutes of Health, NIMH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph D Buxbaum
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eric E Schadt
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Keisuke Hirai
- CNS Drug Discovery Unit, Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kathryn Roeder
- Department of Computational Biology, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Statistics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nicholas Katsanis
- Center for Human Disease Modeling, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Enrico Domenici
- Laboratory of Neurogenomic Biomarkers, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Bernie Devlin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Pamela Sklar
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Chung DW, Fish KN, Lewis DA. Pathological Basis for Deficient Excitatory Drive to Cortical Parvalbumin Interneurons in Schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 2016; 173:1131-1139. [PMID: 27444795 PMCID: PMC5089927 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Deficient excitatory drive to parvalbumin-containing cortical interneurons is proposed as a key neural substrate for altered gamma oscillations and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. However, a pathological entity producing such a deficit has not been identified. The authors tested the hypothesis that cortical parvalbumin interneurons receive fewer excitatory synaptic inputs in individuals with schizophrenia. METHOD Fluorescent immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, and post-image processing techniques were used to quantify the number of putative excitatory synapses (i.e., the overlap of vesicular glutamate transporter 1-positive [VGlut1+] puncta and postsynaptic density protein 95-positive [PSD95+] puncta) per surface area of parvalbumin-positive (PV+) or calretinin-positive (CR+) neurons in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from schizophrenia subjects and matched unaffected comparison subjects. RESULTS Mean density of VGlut1+/PSD95+ puncta on PV+ neurons was 18% lower in schizophrenia, a significant difference. This deficit was not influenced by methodological confounds or schizophrenia-associated comorbid factors, not present in monkeys chronically exposed to antipsychotic medications, and not present in CR+ neurons. Mean density of VGlut1+/PSD95+ puncta on PV+ neurons predicted the activity-dependent expression levels of parvalbumin and glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) in schizophrenia subjects but not comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS To the authors' knowledge, this is the first demonstration that excitatory synapse density is lower selectively on parvalbumin interneurons in schizophrenia and predicts the activity-dependent down-regulation of parvalbumin and GAD67. Because the activity of parvalbumin interneurons is required for generation of cortical gamma oscillations and working memory function, these findings reveal a novel pathological substrate for cortical dysfunction and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W. Chung
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Kenneth N. Fish
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - David A. Lewis
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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Reduced Labeling of Parvalbumin Neurons and Perineuronal Nets in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex of Subjects with Schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2206-14. [PMID: 26868058 PMCID: PMC4946056 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Revised: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in cortical parvalbumin (PV)-containing neurons, including a reduced density of detectable neurons and lower PV levels, have frequently been reported in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of schizophrenia subjects. Most PV neurons are surrounded by perineuronal nets (PNNs) and the density of PNNs, as detected by Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA) labeling, has been reported to be lower in schizophrenia. However, the nature of these PNN alterations, and their relationship to disease-related changes in PV neurons, has not been assessed. Using confocal microscopy, we quantified the densities and fluorescence intensities of PV neurons and PNNs labeled with WFA or immunoreactive for the major PNN protein, aggrecan, in the DLPFC from schizophrenia and matched comparison subjects. In schizophrenia, the densities of PV cells and of PNNs were not altered; however, the fluorescence intensities of PV immunoreactivity in cell bodies and of WFA labeling and aggrecan immunoreactivity in individual PNNs around PV cells were lower. These findings indicate that the normal complements of PV cells and PNNs are preserved in schizophrenia, but the levels of PV protein and of individual PNN components, especially the carbohydrate moieties on proteoglycans to which WFA binds, are lower. Given the roles of PV neurons in regulating DLPFC microcircuits and of PNNs in regulating PV cellular physiology, the identified alterations in PV neurons and their PNNs could contribute to DLPFC dysfunction in schizophrenia.
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Markedly Lower Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase 67 Protein Levels in a Subset of Boutons in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 79:1006-15. [PMID: 26364548 PMCID: PMC4744808 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Revised: 07/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Convergent findings indicate that cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic circuitry is altered in schizophrenia. Postmortem studies have consistently found lower levels of glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) messenger RNA (mRNA) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of subjects with schizophrenia. At the cellular level, the density of GABA neurons with detectable levels of GAD67 mRNA is ~30% lower across cortical layers. Knowing how this transcript deficit translates to GAD67 protein levels in axonal boutons is important for understanding the impact it might have on GABA synthesis. In addition, because reductions in GAD67 expression before, but not after, the maturation of GABAergic boutons results in a lower density of GABAergic boutons in mouse cortical cultures, knowing if GABAergic bouton density is altered in schizophrenia would provide insight into the timing of the GAD67 deficit. METHODS PFC tissue sections from 20 matched pairs of schizophrenia and comparison subjects were immunolabeled for the vesicular GABA transporter (vGAT) and GAD67. RESULTS vGAT+ bouton density did not differ between subject groups, consistent with findings that vGAT mRNA levels are unaltered in the illness and confirming that the number of cortical GABAergic boutons is not lower in schizophrenia. In contrast, in schizophrenia subjects, the proportion of vGAT+ boutons with detectable GAD67 levels (vGAT+/GAD67+ boutons) was 16% lower and mean GAD67 levels were 14% lower in the remaining vGAT+/GAD67+ boutons. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that GABA production is markedly reduced in a subset of boutons in the PFC of schizophrenia subjects and that this reduction likely occurs after the maturation of GABAergic boutons.
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Almeida MR, Mabasa L, Crane C, Park CS, Venâncio VP, Bianchi MLP, Antunes LMG. Maternal vitamin B6deficient or supplemented diets on expression of genes related to GABAergic, serotonergic, or glutamatergic pathways in hippocampus of rat dams and their offspring. Mol Nutr Food Res 2016; 60:1615-24. [DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201500950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 02/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mara Ribeiro Almeida
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto; University of São Paulo; São Paulo Brazil
- Department of Animal Sciences; North Dakota State University; Fargo North Dakota USA
| | - Lawrence Mabasa
- Department of Animal Sciences; North Dakota State University; Fargo North Dakota USA
| | - Courtney Crane
- Department of Animal Sciences; North Dakota State University; Fargo North Dakota USA
| | - Chung S Park
- Department of Animal Sciences; North Dakota State University; Fargo North Dakota USA
| | - Vinícius Paula Venâncio
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto; University of São Paulo; São Paulo Brazil
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Cassella SN, Hemmerle AM, Lundgren KH, Kyser TL, Ahlbrand R, Bronson SL, Richtand NM, Seroogy KB. Maternal immune activation alters glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 expression in the brains of adult rat offspring. Schizophr Res 2016; 171:195-9. [PMID: 26830319 PMCID: PMC4803111 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2016.01.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Revised: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Activation of the maternal innate immune system, termed "maternal immune activation" (MIA), represents a common environmental risk factor for schizophrenia. Whereas evidence suggests dysregulation of GABA systems may underlie the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, a role for MIA in alteration of GABAergic systems is less clear. Here, pregnant rats received either the viral mimetic polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid or vehicle injection on gestational day 14. Glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 (GAD67) mRNA expression was examined in male offspring at postnatal day (P)14, P30 and P60. At P60, GAD67 mRNA was elevated in hippocampus and thalamus and decreased in prefrontal cortex of MIA offspring. MIA-induced alterations in GAD expression could contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Cassella
- Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Ann M Hemmerle
- Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Kerstin H Lundgren
- Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Tara L Kyser
- Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Rebecca Ahlbrand
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Stefanie L Bronson
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Neil M Richtand
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; San Diego Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kim B Seroogy
- Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
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Demeter K, Török B, Fodor A, Varga J, Ferenczi S, Kovács KJ, Eszik I, Szegedi V, Zelena D. Possible contribution of epigenetic changes in the development of schizophrenia-like behavior in vasopressin-deficient Brattleboro rats. Behav Brain Res 2016; 300:123-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Transcranial direct current stimulation and neuroplasticity genes: implications for psychiatric disorders. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2016; 28:1-10. [PMID: 25877668 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2015.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and well-tolerated brain stimulation technique with promising efficacy as an add-on treatment for schizophrenia and for several other psychiatric disorders. tDCS modulates neuroplasticity; psychiatric disorders are established to be associated with neuroplasticity abnormalities. This review presents the summary of research on potential genetic basis of neuroplasticity-modulation mechanism underlying tDCS and its implications for treating various psychiatric disorders. METHOD A systematic review highlighting the genes involved in neuroplasticity and their role in psychiatric disorders was carried out. The focus was on the established genetic findings of tDCS response relationship with BDNF and COMT gene polymorphisms. RESULT Synthesis of these preliminary observations suggests the potential influence of neuroplastic genes on tDCS treatment response. These include several animal models, pharmacological studies, mentally ill and healthy human subject trials. CONCLUSION Taking into account the rapidly unfolding understanding of tDCS and the role of synaptic plasticity disturbances in neuropsychiatric disorders, in-depth evaluation of the mechanism of action pertinent to neuroplasticity modulation with tDCS needs further systematic research. Genes such as NRG1, DISC1, as well as those linked with the glutamatergic receptor in the context of their direct role in the modulation of neuronal signalling related to neuroplasticity aberrations, are leading candidates for future research in this area. Such research studies might potentially unravel observations that might have potential translational implications in psychiatry.
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