1
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Haikonen J, Szrinivasan R, Ojanen S, Rhee JK, Ryazantseva M, Sulku J, Zumaraite G, Lauri SE. GluK1 kainate receptors are necessary for functional maturation of parvalbumin interneurons regulating amygdala circuit function. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02641-2. [PMID: 38942774 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02641-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Parvalbumin expressing interneurons (PV INs) are key players in the local inhibitory circuits and their developmental maturation coincides with the onset of adult-type network dynamics in the brain. Glutamatergic signaling regulates emergence of the unique PV IN phenotype, yet the receptor mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Here we show that GluK1 subunit containing kainate receptors (KARs) are necessary for development and maintenance of the neurochemical and functional properties of PV INs in the lateral and basal amygdala (BLA). Ablation of GluK1 expression specifically from PV INs resulted in low parvalbumin expression and loss of characteristic high firing rate throughout development. In addition, we observed reduced spontaneous excitatory synaptic activity at adult GluK1 lacking PV INs. Intriguingly, inactivation of GluK1 expression in adult PV INs was sufficient to abolish their high firing rate and to reduce PV expression levels, suggesting a role for GluK1 in dynamic regulation of PV IN maturation state. The PV IN dysfunction in the absence of GluK1 perturbed the balance between evoked excitatory vs. inhibitory synaptic inputs and long-term potentiation (LTP) in LA principal neurons, and resulted in aberrant development of the resting-state functional connectivity between mPFC and BLA. Behaviorally, the absence of GluK1 from PV INs associated with hyperactivity and increased fear of novelty. These results indicate a critical role for GluK1 KARs in regulation of PV IN function across development and suggest GluK1 as a potential therapeutic target for pathologies involving PV IN malfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joni Haikonen
- HiLife Neuroscience Center and Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rakenduvadhana Szrinivasan
- HiLife Neuroscience Center and Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Simo Ojanen
- HiLife Neuroscience Center and Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jun Kyu Rhee
- HiLife Neuroscience Center and Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria Ryazantseva
- HiLife Neuroscience Center and Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Janne Sulku
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gabija Zumaraite
- HiLife Neuroscience Center and Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sari E Lauri
- HiLife Neuroscience Center and Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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2
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Gonzalez Burgos G, Miyamae T, Nishihata Y, Krimer OL, Wade K, Fish KN, Arion D, Cai ZL, Xue M, Stauffer WR, Lewis DA. Synaptic alterations in pyramidal cells following genetic manipulation of neuronal excitability in monkey prefrontal cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598658. [PMID: 38915638 PMCID: PMC11195287 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
In schizophrenia, layer 3 pyramidal neurons (L3PNs) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) are thought to receive fewer excitatory synaptic inputs and to have lower expression levels of activity-dependent genes and of genes involved in mitochondrial energy production. In concert, these findings from previous studies suggest that DLPFC L3PNs are hypoactive in schizophrenia, disrupting the patterns of activity that are crucial for working memory, which is impaired in the illness. However, whether lower PN activity produces alterations in inhibitory and/or excitatory synaptic strength has not been tested in the primate DLPFC. Here, we decreased PN excitability in rhesus monkey DLPFC in vivo using adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) to produce Cre recombinase-mediated overexpression of Kir2.1 channels, a genetic silencing tool that efficiently decreases neuronal excitability. In acute slices prepared from DLPFC 7-12 weeks post-AAV microinjections, Kir2.1-overexpressing PNs had a significantly reduced excitability largely attributable to highly specific effects of the AAV-encoded Kir2.1 channels. Moreover, recordings of synaptic currents showed that Kir2.1-overexpressing DLPFC PNs had reduced strength of excitatory synapses whereas inhibitory synaptic inputs were not affected. The decrease in excitatory synaptic strength was not associated with changes in dendritic spine number, suggesting that excitatory synapse quantity was unaltered in Kir2.1-overexpressing DLPFC PNs. These findings suggest that, in schizophrenia, the excitatory synapses on hypoactive L3PNs are weaker and thus might represent a substrate for novel therapeutic interventions. Significance Statement In schizophrenia, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) pyramidal neurons (PNs) have both transcriptional and structural alterations that suggest they are hypoactive. PN hypoactivity is thought to produce synaptic alterations in schizophrenia, however the effects of lower neuronal activity on synaptic function in primate DLPFC have not been examined. Here, we used, for the first time in primate neocortex, adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) to reduce PN excitability with Kir2.1 channel overexpression and tested if this manipulation altered the strength of synaptic inputs onto the Kir2.1-overexpressing PNs. Recordings in DLPFC slices showed that Kir2.1 overexpression depressed excitatory (but not inhibitory), synaptic currents, suggesting that, in schizophrenia, the hypoactivity of PNs might be exacerbated by reduced strength of the excitatory synapses they receive.
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3
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Chung Y, Dienel SJ, Belch MJ, Fish KN, Ermentrout GB, Lewis DA, Chung DW. Altered Rbfox1-Vamp1 pathway and prefrontal cortical dysfunction in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:1382-1391. [PMID: 38273110 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02417-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Deficient gamma oscillations in prefrontal cortex (PFC) of individuals with schizophrenia appear to involve impaired inhibitory drive from parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PVIs). Inhibitory drive from PVIs is regulated, in part, by RNA binding fox-1 homolog 1 (Rbfox1). Rbfox1 is spliced into nuclear or cytoplasmic isoforms, which regulate alternative splicing or stability of their target transcripts, respectively. One major target of cytoplasmic Rbfox1 is vesicle associated membrane protein 1 (Vamp1). Vamp1 mediates GABA release probability from PVIs, and the loss of Rbfox1 reduces Vamp1 levels which in turn impairs cortical inhibition. In this study, we investigated if the Rbfox1-Vamp1 pathway is altered in PVIs in PFC of individuals with schizophrenia by utilizing a novel strategy that combines multi-label in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. In the PFC of 20 matched pairs of schizophrenia and comparison subjects, cytoplasmic Rbfox1 protein levels were significantly lower in PVIs in schizophrenia and this deficit was not attributable to potential methodological confounds or schizophrenia-associated co-occurring factors. In a subset of this cohort, Vamp1 mRNA levels in PVIs were also significantly lower in schizophrenia and were predicted by lower cytoplasmic Rbfox1 protein levels across individual PVIs. To investigate the functional impact of Rbfox1-Vamp1 alterations in schizophrenia, we simulated the effect of lower GABA release probability from PVIs on gamma power in a computational model network of pyramidal neurons and PVIs. Our simulations showed that lower GABA release probability reduces gamma power by disrupting network synchrony while minimally affecting network activity. Finally, lower GABA release probability synergistically interacted with lower strength of inhibition from PVIs in schizophrenia to reduce gamma power non-linearly. Together, our findings suggest that the Rbfox1-Vamp1 pathway in PVIs is impaired in schizophrenia and that this alteration likely contributes to deficient PFC gamma power in the illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjin Chung
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Samuel J Dienel
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Matthew J Belch
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kenneth N Fish
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - G Bard Ermentrout
- Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - David A Lewis
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniel W Chung
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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4
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Fournier LA, Phadke RA, Salgado M, Brack A, Nocon JC, Bolshakova S, Grant JR, Padró Luna NM, Sen K, Cruz-Martín A. Overexpression of the schizophrenia risk gene C4 in PV cells drives sex-dependent behavioral deficits and circuit dysfunction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.27.575409. [PMID: 38328248 PMCID: PMC10849664 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.27.575409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Fast-spiking parvalbumin (PV)-positive cells are key players in orchestrating pyramidal neuron activity, and their dysfunction is consistently observed in myriad brain diseases. To understand how immune complement dysregulation - a prevalent locus of brain disease etiology - in PV cells may drive disease pathogenesis, we have developed a transgenic mouse line that permits cell-type specific overexpression of the schizophrenia-associated complement component 4 (C4) gene. We found that overexpression of mouse C4 (mC4) in PV cells causes sex-specific behavioral alterations and concomitant deficits in synaptic connectivity and excitability of PV cells of the prefrontal cortex. Using a computational network, we demonstrated that these microcircuit deficits led to hyperactivity and disrupted neural communication. Finally, pan-neuronal overexpression of mC4 failed to evoke the same deficits in behavior as PV-specific mC4 overexpression, suggesting that C4 perturbations in fast-spiking neurons are more harmful to brain function than pan-neuronal alterations. Together, these results provide a causative link between C4 and the vulnerability of PV cells in brain disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A. Fournier
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rhushikesh A. Phadke
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Maria Salgado
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alison Brack
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jian Carlo Nocon
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Hearing Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Sonia Bolshakova
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Bioinformatics MS Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jaylyn R. Grant
- Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, United States
- The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, Boston University, Boston, United States
| | - Nicole M. Padró Luna
- The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, Boston University, Boston, United States
- Biology Department, College of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Kamal Sen
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Hearing Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Alberto Cruz-Martín
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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5
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Adashek JJ, Pandya C, Maragakis NJ, De P, Cohen PR, Kato S, Kurzrock R. Neuregulin-1 and ALS19 (ERBB4): at the crossroads of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and cancer. BMC Med 2024; 22:74. [PMID: 38369520 PMCID: PMC10875826 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03293-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) is implicated in both cancer and neurologic diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); however, to date, there has been little cross-field discussion between neurology and oncology in regard to these genes and their functions. MAIN BODY Approximately 0.15-0.5% of cancers harbor NRG1 fusions that upregulate NRG1 activity and hence that of the cognate ERBB3/ERBB4 (HER3/HER4) receptors; abrogating this activity with small molecule inhibitors/antibodies shows preliminary tissue-agnostic anti-cancer activity. Notably, ERBB/HER pharmacologic suppression is devoid of neurologic toxicity. Even so, in ALS, attenuated ERBB4/HER4 receptor activity (due to loss-of-function germline mutations or other mechanisms in sporadic disease) is implicated; indeed, ERBB4/HER4 is designated ALS19. Further, secreted-type NRG1 isoforms may be upregulated (perhaps via a feedback loop) and could contribute to ALS pathogenesis through aberrant glial cell stimulation via enhanced activity of other (e.g., ERBB1-3/HER1-3) receptors and downstream pathways. Hence, pan-ERBB inhibitors, already in use for cancer, may be agents worthy of testing in ALS. CONCLUSION Common signaling cascades between cancer and ALS may represent novel therapeutic targets for both diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob J Adashek
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Chinmayi Pandya
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy and Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Pradip De
- Cancer Genomics, Avera Cancer Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Philip R Cohen
- Department of Dermatology, Davis Medical Center, University of California, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine, Vallejo, CA, USA
| | - Shumei Kato
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy and Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Razelle Kurzrock
- WIN Consortium, Paris, France.
- MCW Cancer Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
- University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE, USA.
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6
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Cale JA, Chauhan EJ, Cleaver JJ, Fusciardi AR, McCann S, Waters HC, Žavbi J, King MV. GABAergic and inflammatory changes in the frontal cortex following neonatal PCP plus isolation rearing, as a dual-hit neurodevelopmental model for schizophrenia. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-03987-y. [PMID: 38363536 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-03987-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of schizophrenia begins in early neurodevelopment and leads to excitatory-inhibitory imbalance. It is therefore essential that preclinical models used to understand disease, select drug targets and evaluate novel therapeutics encompass similar neurochemical deficits. One approach to improved preclinical modelling incorporates dual-hit neurodevelopmental insults, like neonatal administration of phencyclidine (PCP, to disrupt development of glutamatergic circuitry) then post-weaning isolation (Iso, to mimic adolescent social stress). We recently showed that male Lister-hooded rats exposed to PCP-Iso exhibit reduced hippocampal expression of the GABA interneuron marker calbindin. The current study expanded on this by investigating changes to additional populations of GABAergic interneurons in frontal cortical and hippocampal tissue from the same animals (by immunohistochemistry) as well as levels of GABA itself (via ELISA). Because inflammatory changes are also implicated in schizophrenia, we performed additional immunohistochemical evaluations of Iba-1 positive microglia as well as ELISA analysis of IL-6 in the same brain regions. Single-hit isolation-reared and dual-hit PCP-Iso rats both showed reduced parvalbumin immunoreactivity in the prelimbic/infralimbic region of the frontal cortex. However, this was more widespread in PCP-Iso, extending to the medial/ventral and lateral/dorsolateral orbitofrontal cortices. Loss of GABAergic markers was accompanied by increased microglial activation in the medial/ventral orbitofrontal cortices of PCP-Iso, together with frontal cortical IL-6 elevations not seen following single-hit isolation rearing. These findings enhance the face validity of PCP-Iso, and we advocate the use of this preclinical model for future evaluation of novel therapeutics-especially those designed to normalise excitatory-inhibitory imbalance or reduce neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Cale
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Ethan J Chauhan
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Joshua J Cleaver
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Anthoio R Fusciardi
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Sophie McCann
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Hannah C Waters
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Juš Žavbi
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Madeleine V King
- School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK.
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7
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Song D, Chung DW, Ermentrout GB. Mean-field analysis of synaptic alterations underlying deficient cortical gamma oscillations in schizophrenia. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3938805. [PMID: 38410475 PMCID: PMC10896366 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3938805/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Deficient gamma oscillations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) are proposed to arise from alterations in the excitatory drive to fast-spiking interneurons ( E → I ) and in the inhibitory drive from these interneurons to excitatory neurons ( I → E ) . Consistent with this idea, prior postmortem studies showed lower levels of molecular and structural markers for the strength of E → I and I → E synapses and also greater variability in E → I synaptic strength in PFC of SZ. Moreover, simulating these alterations in a network of quadratic integrate-and-fire (QIF) neurons revealed a synergistic effect of their interactions on reducing gamma power. In this study, we aimed to investigate the dynamical nature of this synergistic interaction at macroscopic level by deriving a mean-field description of the QIF model network that consists of all-to-all connected excitatory neurons and fast-spiking interneurons. Through a series of numerical simulations and bifurcation analyses, findings from our mean-field model showed that the macroscopic dynamics of gamma oscillations are synergistically disrupted by the interactions among lower strength of E → I and I → E synapses and greater variability in E → I synaptic strength. Furthermore, the two-dimensional bifurcation analyses showed that this synergistic interaction is primarily driven by the shift in Hopf bifurcation due to lower E → I synaptic strength. Together, these simulations predict the nature of dynamical mechanisms by which multiple synaptic alterations interact to robustly reduce PFC gamma power in SZ, and highlight the utility of mean-field model to study macroscopic neural dynamics and their alterations in the illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deying Song
- Joint Program in Neural Computation and Machine Learning, Neuroscience Institute, and Machine Learning Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 15213
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 15213
| | - Daniel W. Chung
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 15213
| | - G. Bard Ermentrout
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 15213
- Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 15213
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8
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Teng P, Li Y, Ku L, Wang F, Goldsmith DR, Wen Z, Yao B, Feng Y. The human lncRNA GOMAFU suppresses neuronal interferon response pathways affected in neuropsychiatric diseases. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 112:175-187. [PMID: 37301236 PMCID: PMC10527610 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.06.009] [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: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play multifaceted roles in regulating brain gene networks. LncRNA abnormalities are thought to underlie the complex etiology of numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. One example is the human lncRNA gene GOMAFU, which is found dysregulated in schizophrenia (SCZ) postmortem brains and harbors genetic variants that contribute to the risk of SCZ. However, transcriptome-wide biological pathways regulated by GOMAFU have not been determined. How GOMAFU dysregulation contributes to SCZ pathogenesis remains elusive. Here we report that GOMAFU is a novel suppressor of human neuronal interferon (IFN) response pathways that are hyperactive in the postmortem SCZ brains. We analyzed recently released transcriptomic profiling datasets in clinically relevant brain areas derived from multiple SCZ cohorts and found brain region-specific dysregulation of GOMAFU. Using CRISPR-Cas9 to delete the GOMAFU promoter in a human neural progenitor cell model, we identified transcriptomic alterations caused by GOMAFU deficiency in pathways commonly affected in postmortem brains of SCZ and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with the most striking effects on upregulation of numerous genes underlying IFN signaling. In addition, expression levels of GOMAFU target genes in the IFN pathway are differentially affected in SCZ brain regions and negatively associated with GOMAFU alterations. Furthermore, acute exposure to IFN-γ causes a rapid decline of GOMAFU and activation of a subclass of GOMAFU targets in stress and immune response pathways that are affected in SCZ brains, which form a highly interactive molecular network. Together, our studies unveiled the first evidence of lncRNA-governed neuronal response pathways to IFN challenge and suggest that GOMAFU dysregulation may mediate environmental risks and contribute to etiological neuroinflammatory responses by brain neurons of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Teng
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Yangping Li
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Li Ku
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - David R Goldsmith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Zhexing Wen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Bing Yao
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
| | - Yue Feng
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
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9
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Batista-Brito R, Majumdar A, Nuño A, Ward C, Barnes C, Nikouei K, Vinck M, Cardin JA. Developmental loss of ErbB4 in PV interneurons disrupts state-dependent cortical circuit dynamics. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3133-3143. [PMID: 37069344 PMCID: PMC10618960 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02066-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
GABAergic inhibition plays an important role in the establishment and maintenance of cortical circuits during development. Neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) and its interneuron-specific receptor ErbB4 are key elements of a signaling pathway critical for the maturation and proper synaptic connectivity of interneurons. Using conditional deletions of the ERBB4 gene in mice, we tested the role of this signaling pathway at two developmental timepoints in parvalbumin-expressing (PV) interneurons, the largest subpopulation of cortical GABAergic cells. Loss of ErbB4 in PV interneurons during embryonic, but not late postnatal development leads to alterations in the activity of excitatory and inhibitory cortical neurons, along with severe disruption of cortical temporal organization. These impairments emerge by the end of the second postnatal week, prior to the complete maturation of the PV interneurons themselves. Early loss of ErbB4 in PV interneurons also results in profound dysregulation of excitatory pyramidal neuron dendritic architecture and a redistribution of spine density at the apical dendritic tuft. In association with these deficits, excitatory cortical neurons exhibit normal tuning for sensory inputs, but a loss of state-dependent modulation of the gain of sensory responses. Together these data support a key role for early developmental Nrg1/ErbB4 signaling in PV interneurons as a powerful mechanism underlying the maturation of both the inhibitory and excitatory components of cortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Batista-Brito
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, The Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, The Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, The Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
| | - Antara Majumdar
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Sherrington Building, Sherrington Road, Oxford, OX1 3PT, England
| | - Alejandro Nuño
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Claire Ward
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, The Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Clayton Barnes
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Kasra Nikouei
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Vinck
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, Deutschordenstraße 46, 60528, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jessica A Cardin
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Kavli Institute of Neuroscience, Yale University, 333 Cedar St., New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, 100 College St., New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
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10
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Chung Y, Dienel S, Belch M, Fish K, Ermentrout G, Lewis D, Chung D. Altered Rbfox1-Vamp1 pathway and prefrontal cortical dysfunction in schizophrenia. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2944372. [PMID: 37398467 PMCID: PMC10312957 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2944372/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Deficient gamma oscillations in prefrontal cortex (PFC) of individuals with schizophrenia appear to involve impaired inhibitory drive from parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PVIs). Inhibitory drive from PVIs is regulated, in part, by RNA binding fox-1 homolog 1 (Rbfox1). Rbfox1 is spliced into nuclear or cytoplasmic isoforms, which regulate alternative splicing or stability of their target transcripts, respectively. One major target of cytoplasmic Rbfox1 is vesicle associated membrane protein 1 (Vamp1). Vamp1 mediates GABA release probability from PVIs, and the loss of Rbfox1 reduces Vamp1 levels which in turn impairs cortical inhibition. In this study, we investigated if the Rbfox1-Vamp1 pathway is altered in PVIs in PFC of individuals with schizophrenia by utilizing a novel strategy that combines multi-label in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. In the PFC of 20 matched pairs of schizophrenia and comparison subjects, cytoplasmic Rbfox1 protein levels were significantly lower in PVIs in schizophrenia and this deficit was not attributable to potential methodological confounds or schizophrenia-associated co-occurring factors. In a subset of this cohort, Vamp1 mRNA levels in PVIs were also significantly lower in schizophrenia and were predicted by lower cytoplasmic Rbfox1 protein levels across individual PVIs. To investigate the functional impact of Rbfox1-Vamp1 alterations in schizophrenia, we simulated the effect of lower GABA release probability from PVIs on gamma power in a computational model network of pyramidal neurons and PVIs. Our simulations showed that lower GABA release probability reduces gamma power by disrupting network synchrony while minimally affecting network activity. Finally, lower GABA release probability synergistically interacted with lower strength of inhibition from PVIs in schizophrenia to reduce gamma power non-linearly. Together, our findings suggest that the Rbfox1-Vamp1 pathway in PVIs is impaired in schizophrenia and that this alteration likely contributes to deficient PFC gamma power in the illness.
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11
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Chamberlin LA, Yang SS, McEachern EP, Lucas JTM, McLeod Ii OW, Rolland CA, Mack NR, Ferguson BR, Gao WJ. Pharmacogenetic activation of parvalbumin interneurons in the prefrontal cortex rescues cognitive deficits induced by adolescent MK801 administration. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023:10.1038/s41386-023-01576-6. [PMID: 37041206 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01576-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
The cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia (SZ) present a significant clinical burden. They are treatment resistant and are the primary predictor of functional outcomes. Although the neural mechanisms underlying these deficits remain unclear, pathological GABAergic signaling likely plays an essential role. Perturbations with parvalbumin (PV)-expressing fast-spiking (FS) interneurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are consistently found in post-mortem studies of patients with SZ, as well as in animal models. Our studies have shown decreased prefrontal synaptic inhibition and PV immunostaining, along with working memory and cognitive flexibility deficits in the MK801 model. To test the hypothesized association between PV cell perturbations and impaired cognition in SZ, we activated prefrontal PV cells by using an excitatory DREADD viral vector with a PV promoter to rescue the cognitive deficits induced by adolescent MK801 administration in female rats. We found that targeted pharmacogenetic upregulation of prefrontal PV interneuron activity can restore E/I balance and improve cognition in the MK801 model. Our findings support the hypothesis that the reduced PV cell activity levels disrupt GABA transmission, resulting in the disinhibition of excitatory pyramidal cells. This disinhibition leads to an elevated prefrontal excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance that could be causal for cognitive impairments. Our study provides novel insights into the causal role of PV cells in cognitive function and has clinical implications for understanding the pathophysiology and management of SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Chamberlin
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- MD/PhD program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sha-Sha Yang
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Translational Brain Research, Department of Neurology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Erin P McEachern
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joshua T M Lucas
- MD program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Owen W McLeod Ii
- Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Claire A Rolland
- Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nancy R Mack
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brielle R Ferguson
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- 2 Blackfan circle, Cetern for Life Science, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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12
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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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13
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Dienel SJ, Schoonover KE, Lewis DA. Cognitive Dysfunction and Prefrontal Cortical Circuit Alterations in Schizophrenia: Developmental Trajectories. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:450-459. [PMID: 35568522 PMCID: PMC9420748 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) exhibit cognitive performance below expected levels based on familial cognitive aptitude. One such cognitive process, working memory (WM), is robustly impaired in SZ. These WM impairments, which emerge over development during the premorbid and prodromal stages of SZ, appear to reflect alterations in the neural circuitry of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a microcircuit formed by reciprocal connections between excitatory layer 3 pyramidal neurons and inhibitory parvalbumin basket cells (PVBCs) appears to be a key neural substrate for WM. Postmortem human studies indicate that both layer 3 pyramidal neurons and PVBCs are altered in SZ, suggesting that levels of excitation and inhibition are lower in the microcircuit. Studies in monkeys indicate that features of both cell types exhibit distinctive postnatal developmental trajectories. Together, the results of these studies suggest a model in which 1) genetic and/or early environmental insults to excitatory signaling in layer 3 pyramidal neurons give rise to cognitive impairments during the prodromal phase of SZ and evoke compensatory changes in inhibition that alter the developmental trajectories of PVBCs, and 2) synaptic pruning during adolescence further lowers excitatory activity to a level that exceeds the compensatory capacity of PVBC inhibition, leading to a failure of the normal maturational improvements in WM during the prodromal and early clinical stages of SZ. Findings that support as well as challenge this model are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Dienel
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Medical Scientist Training Program, 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
| | - Kirsten E Schoonover
- 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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14
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Angelescu I, Kaar SJ, Marques TR, Borgan F, Veronesse M, Sharman A, Sajjala A, Deakin B, Hutchison J, Large C, Howes OD. The effect of AUT00206, a Kv3 potassium channel modulator, on dopamine synthesis capacity and the reliability of [ 18F]-FDOPA imaging in schizophrenia. J Psychopharmacol 2022; 36:1061-1069. [PMID: 36164687 PMCID: PMC9554157 DOI: 10.1177/02698811221122031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current treatments for schizophrenia act directly on dopamine (DA) receptors but are ineffective for many patients, highlighting the need to develop new treatment approaches. Striatal DA dysfunction, indexed using [18F]-FDOPA imaging, is linked to the pathoetiology of schizophrenia. We evaluated the effect of a novel drug, AUT00206, a Kv3.1/3.2 potassium channel modulator, on dopaminergic function in schizophrenia and its relationship with symptom change. Additionally, we investigated the test-retest reliability of [18F]-FDOPA PET in schizophrenia to determine its potential as a biomarker for drug discovery. METHODS Twenty patients with schizophrenia received symptom measures and [18F]-FDOPA PET scans, before and after being randomised to AUT00206 or placebo groups for up to 28 days treatment. RESULTS AUT00206 had no significant effect on DA synthesis capacity. However, there was a correlation between reduction in striatal dopamine synthesis capacity (indexed as Kicer) and reduction in symptoms, in the AUT00206 group (r = 0.58, p = 0.03). This was not observed in the placebo group (r = -0.15, p = 0.75), although the placebo group may have been underpowered to detect an effect. The intraclass correlation coefficients of [18F]-FDOPA indices in the placebo group ranged from 0.83 to 0.93 across striatal regions. CONCLUSIONS The relationship between reduction in DA synthesis capacity and improvement in symptoms in the AUT00206 group provides evidence for a pharmacodynamic effect of the Kv3 channel modulator. The lack of a significant overall reduction in DA synthesis capacity in the AUT00206 group could be due to variability and the low number of subjects in this study. These findings support further investigation of Kv3 channel modulators for schizophrenia treatment. [18F]-FDOPA PET imaging showed very good test-retest reliability in patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilinca Angelescu
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Stephen J Kaar
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Tiago Reis Marques
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Faith Borgan
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mattia Veronesse
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Alice Sharman
- Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK
| | - Anil Sajjala
- Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK
| | - Bill Deakin
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - John Hutchison
- Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK
| | - Charles Large
- Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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15
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Erben L, Welday JP, Murphy R, Buonanno A. Toxic and Phenotypic Effects of AAV_Cre Used to Transduce Mesencephalic Dopaminergic Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:9462. [PMID: 36012727 PMCID: PMC9408874 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A popular approach to spatiotemporally target genes using the loxP/Cre recombination system is stereotaxic microinjection of adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing Cre recombinase (AAV_Cre) in specific neuronal structures. Here, we report that AAV_Cre microinjection in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of ErbB4 Cyt-1-floxed (ErbB4 Cyt-1fl/fl) mice at titers commonly used in the literature (~1012-1013 GC/mL) can have neurotoxic effects on dopaminergic neurons and elicit behavioral abnormalities. However, these effects of AAV_Cre microinjection are independent of ErbB4 Cyt-1 recombination because they are also observed in microinjected wild-type (WT) controls. Mice microinjected with AAV_Cre (1012-1013 GC/mL) exhibit reductions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) expression, loss of dopaminergic neurons, and they behaviorally become hyperactive, fail to habituate in the open field and exhibit sensorimotor gating deficits compared to controls microinjected with AAV_GFP. Importantly, these AAV_Cre non-specific effects are: (1) independent of serotype, (2) occur with vectors expressing either Cre or Cre-GFP fusion protein and (3) preventable by reducing viral titers by 1000-fold (1010 GC/mL), which retains sufficient recombination activity to target floxed genes. Our studies emphasize the importance of including AAV_Cre-injected WT controls in experiments because recombination-independent effects on gene expression, neurotoxicity and behaviors could be erroneously attributed to consequences of gene ablation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Andres Buonanno
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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16
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Zakutansky PM, Feng Y. The Long Non-Coding RNA GOMAFU in Schizophrenia: Function, Disease Risk, and Beyond. Cells 2022; 11:1949. [PMID: 35741078 PMCID: PMC9221589 DOI: 10.3390/cells11121949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric diseases are among the most common brain developmental disorders, represented by schizophrenia (SZ). The complex multifactorial etiology of SZ remains poorly understood, which reflects genetic vulnerabilities and environmental risks that affect numerous genes and biological pathways. Besides the dysregulation of protein-coding genes, recent discoveries demonstrate that abnormalities associated with non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), also contribute to the pathogenesis of SZ. lncRNAs are an actively evolving family of non-coding RNAs that harbor greater than 200 nucleotides but do not encode for proteins. In general, lncRNA genes are poorly conserved. The large number of lncRNAs specifically expressed in the human brain, together with the genetic alterations and dysregulation of lncRNA genes in the SZ brain, suggests a critical role in normal cognitive function and the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases. A particular lncRNA of interest is GOMAFU, also known as MIAT and RNCR2. Growing evidence suggests the function of GOMAFU in governing neuronal development and its potential roles as a risk factor and biomarker for SZ, which will be reviewed in this article. Moreover, we discuss the potential mechanisms through which GOMAFU regulates molecular pathways, including its subcellular localization and interaction with RNA-binding proteins, and how interruption to GOMAFU pathways may contribute to the pathogenesis of SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M. Zakutansky
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Yue Feng
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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17
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Erben L, Welday JP, Cronin ME, Murphy R, Skirzewski M, Vullhorst D, Carroll SL, Buonanno A. Developmental, neurochemical, and behavioral analyses of ErbB4 Cyt-1 knockout mice. J Neurochem 2022; 161:435-452. [PMID: 35523590 PMCID: PMC9149141 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Neuregulins (NRGs) and their cognate neuronal receptor ERBB4, which is expressed in GABAergic and dopaminergic neurons, regulate numerous behaviors in rodents and have been identified as schizophrenia at-risk genes. ErbB4 transcripts are alternatively spliced to generate isoforms that either include (Cyt-1) or exclude (Cyt-2) exon 26, which encodes a cytoplasmic domain that imparts ErbB4 receptors the ability to signal via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. Although ErbB4 Cyt-1/2 isoforms have been studied in transfected cultured cells, their functions in vivo remain unknown. Here, we generated ErbB4-floxed (ErbB4-Cyt1fl/fl ) mice to investigate the effects of germline (constitutive) and conditional (acute) deletions of the Cyt-1 exon. Overall receptor mRNA levels remain unchanged in germline ErbB4 Cyt-1 knockouts (Cyt-1 KOs), with all transcripts encoding Cyt-2 variants. In contrast to mice lacking all ErbB4 receptor function, GABAergic interneuron migration and number are unaltered in Cyt-1 KOs. However, basal extracellular dopamine (DA) levels in the medial prefrontal cortex are increased in Cyt-1 heterozygotes. Despite these neurochemical changes, Cyt-1 heterozygous and homozygous mice do not manifest behavioral abnormalities previously reported to be altered in ErbB4 null mice. To address the possibility that Cyt-2 variants compensate for the lack of Cyt-1 during development, we microinjected an adeno-associated virus expressing Cre-recombinase (AAV-Cre) into the DA-rich ventral tegmental area of adult ErbB4-Cyt1fl/fl mice to acutely target exon 26. These conditional Cyt-1 KOs were found to exhibit behavioral abnormalities in the elevated plus maze and startle response, consistent with the idea that late exon 26 ablations may circumvent compensation by Cyt-2 variants. Taken together, our observations indicate that ErbB4 Cyt-1 function in vivo is important for DA balance and behaviors in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Erben
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jacqueline P Welday
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Marie E Cronin
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ricardo Murphy
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Miguel Skirzewski
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Detlef Vullhorst
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Steven L Carroll
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Andres Buonanno
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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18
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cognitive impairments in schizophrenia are associated with lower gamma oscillation power in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Gamma power depends in part on excitatory drive to fast-spiking parvalbumin interneurons (PVIs). Excitatory drive to cortical neurons varies in strength, which could affect how these neurons regulate network oscillations. The authors investigated whether variability in excitatory synaptic strength across PVIs could contribute to lower prefrontal gamma power in schizophrenia. METHODS In postmortem PFC from 20 matched pairs of comparison and schizophrenia subjects, levels of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGlut1) and postsynaptic density 95 (PSD95) proteins were quantified to assess variability in excitatory synaptic strength across PVIs. A computational model network was then used to simulate how variability in excitatory synaptic strength across fast-spiking (a defining feature of PVIs) interneurons (FSIs) regulates gamma power. RESULTS The variability of VGlut1 and PSD95 levels at excitatory inputs across PVIs was larger in schizophrenia relative to comparison subjects. This alteration was not influenced by schizophrenia-associated comorbid factors, was not present in monkeys chronically exposed to antipsychotic medications, and was not present in calretinin interneurons. In the model network, variability in excitatory synaptic strength across FSIs regulated gamma power by affecting network synchrony. Finally, greater synaptic variability interacted synergistically with other synaptic alterations in schizophrenia (i.e., fewer excitatory inputs to FSIs and lower inhibitory strength from FSIs) to robustly reduce gamma power. CONCLUSIONS The study findings suggest that greater variability in excitatory synaptic strength across PVIs, in combination with other modest synaptic alterations in these neurons, can markedly lower PFC gamma power in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Chung
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh
| | - Matthew A Geramita
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh
| | - David A Lewis
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh
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19
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Wiegel D, Dammann CEL, Nielsen HC. ErbB4 alternative splicing mediates fetal mouse alveolar type II cell differentiation in vitro. Pediatr Res 2022:10.1038/s41390-022-02013-y. [PMID: 35338350 PMCID: PMC9509489 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02013-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternative splicing (AS) creates different protein isoforms, an important mechanism regulating cell-specific function. Little is known about AS in lung development, particularly in alveolar type II (ATII) cells. ErbB4 receptor isoforms Jma and Jmb have significant and opposing functions in the brain, heart, and lung development and/or disease. However, the regulators of ErbB4 AS are unknown. ErbB4 AS regulators in fetal mouse ATII cells control its function in ATII cell maturation. METHODS Candidate ErbB4 AS regulators were found using in silico analysis. Their developmental expression was studied in fetal mouse ATII cells. The effects of splice factor downregulation and upregulation on ATII cell maturation were analyzed. RESULTS ErbB4-Jma increased significantly in ATII cells after gestation E16.5. In silico analysis found four candidate splice factors: FOX2, CUG/CELF1, TIAR, and HUB. Fetal ATII cells expressed these factors in distinct developmental profiles. HUB downregulation in E17.5 ATII cells increased Jma isoform levels and Sftpb gene expression and decreased Jmb. HUB overexpression decreased Jma and Sftpb. CONCLUSIONS ErbB4 AS is developmentally controlled by HUB in fetal ATII cells, promoting ATII differentiation. Regulated AS expression during ATII cell differentiation suggests novel therapeutic strategies to approach human disease. IMPACT Alternative splicing (AS) of the ErbB4 receptor, involving mutually exclusive exon inclusion, creates Jma and Jmb isoforms with distinct differences in receptor processing and function. The Jma isoform of ErbB4 promotes differentiation of fetal lung alveolar type II cells. The AS is mediated in part by the RNA-binding protein HUB. The molecular mechanism of AS for ErbB4 has not been previously described. The regulation of ErbB4 AS has important implications in the development of organs, such as the lung, brain, and heart, and for disease, including cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Wiegel
- Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Christiane E L Dammann
- Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heber C Nielsen
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
- Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
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20
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Zhang CY, Xiao X, Zhang Z, Hu Z, Li M. An alternative splicing hypothesis for neuropathology of schizophrenia: evidence from studies on historical candidate genes and multi-omics data. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:95-112. [PMID: 33686213 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01037-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing of schizophrenia risk genes, such as DRD2, GRM3, and DISC1, has been extensively described. Nevertheless, the alternative splicing characteristics of the growing number of schizophrenia risk genes identified through genetic analyses remain relatively opaque. Recently, transcriptomic analyses in human brains based on short-read RNA-sequencing have discovered many "local splicing" events (e.g., exon skipping junctions) associated with genetic risk of schizophrenia, and further molecular characterizations have identified novel spliced isoforms, such as AS3MTd2d3 and ZNF804AE3E4. In addition, long-read sequencing analyses of schizophrenia risk genes (e.g., CACNA1C and NRXN1) have revealed multiple previously unannotated brain-abundant isoforms with therapeutic potentials, and functional analyses of KCNH2-3.1 and Ube3a1 have provided examples for investigating such spliced isoforms in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that alternative splicing may be an essential molecular mechanism underlying genetic risk of schizophrenia, however, the incomplete annotations of human brain transcriptomes might have limited our understanding of schizophrenia pathogenesis, and further efforts to elucidate these transcriptional characteristics are urgently needed to gain insights into the illness-correlated brain physiology and pathology as well as to translate genetic discoveries into novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu-Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhuohua Zhang
- Institute of Molecular Precision Medicine and Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Center for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhonghua Hu
- Institute of Molecular Precision Medicine and Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Center for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Hunan Key Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital and Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China. .,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China. .,KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
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21
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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: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [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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22
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Hirano Y, Uhlhaas PJ. Current findings and perspectives on aberrant neural oscillations in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2021; 75:358-368. [PMID: 34558155 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
There is now consistent evidence that neural oscillation at low- and high-frequencies constitute an important aspect of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Specifically, impaired rhythmic activity may underlie the deficit to generate coherent cognition and behavior, leading to the characteristic symptoms of psychosis and cognitive deficits. Importantly, the generating mechanisms of neural oscillations are relatively well-understood and thus enable the targeted search for the underlying circuit impairments and novel treatment targets. In the following review, we will summarize and assess the evidence for aberrant rhythmic activity in schizophrenia through evaluating studies that have utilized Electro/Magnetoencephalography to examine neural oscillations during sensory and cognitive tasks as well as during resting-state measurements. These data will be linked to current evidence from post-mortem, neuroimaging, genetics, and animal models that have implicated deficits in GABAergic interneurons and glutamatergic neurotransmission in oscillatory deficits in schizophrenia. Finally, we will highlight methodological and analytical challenges as well as provide recommendations for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoji Hirano
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
- Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Peter J Uhlhaas
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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23
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Jia J, Liu X, Ma L, Xu Y, Ren Y. A preliminary analysis of LncRNA biomarkers for schizophrenia. Epigenomics 2021; 13:1443-1458. [PMID: 34528440 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) associated with schizophrenia (SZ) and the relationships among their expression, antipsychotic efficacy and SZ severity. Method: The diagnostic and predictive value of nine lncRNAs, Gomafu, DISC2, PSZA11, AK096174, AK123097, DB340248, uc011dma.1, ENST00000509804-1 and ENST00000509804-2, was investigated in 48 patients with SZ before and after antipsychotic treatment. Results: Gomafu, AK096174, AK123097, DB340248, uc011dma.1, ENST00000509804-1 and ENST00000509804-2 were individually and collectively associated with, and predictive of, SZ pathogenesis. Moreover, increased expression of plasma AK123097, uc011dma.1 and ENST00000509804-1 levels was reversed after 12 weeks of antipsychotic treatment, which was associated with SZ severity. Conclusion: Seven lncRNAs serve as novel biomarkers for SZ diagnosis and prognosis and three lncRNAs are potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Jia
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China.,Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiaofei Liu
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China.,Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Lina Ma
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China.,Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yong Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Yan Ren
- Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030032, China.,Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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24
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Ahmadi S, Zobeiri M, Mohammadi Talvar S, Masoudi K, Khanizad A, Fotouhi S, Bradburn S. Differential expression of H19, BC1, MIAT1, and MALAT1 long non-coding RNAs within key brain reward regions after repeated morphine treatment. Behav Brain Res 2021; 414:113478. [PMID: 34302875 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Morphine-induced analgesic tolerance and dependence are significant limits of pain control; however, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying morphine tolerance and dependence have remained unclear. The role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in morphine tolerance and dependence is yet to be determined. We aimed to explore the association of specific lncRNAs expression in key brain reward regions after repeated injection of morphine. Male Wistar rats received subcutaneous injections of twice-daily morphine (10 mg/kg) or saline (1 mL/kg) for eight days. On day 8 of the repeated injections, induction of morphine analgesic tolerance and dependence was confirmed through a hotplate test and a naloxone-precipitated withdrawal analysis, respectively. Expression of H19, BC1, MIAT1, and MALAT1 lncRNAs was determined from the midbrain, striatum, hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and hippocampus by real-time PCR on day 8 of the repeated injections. The H19 expression was significantly different between morphine-treated and control saline-treated rats in all investigated areas except for the hippocampus. The BC1 expression significantly altered in the midbrain, hypothalamus, and hippocampus, but not in the striatum and PFC after repeated morphine treatment. The MIAT1 and MALAT1 expression site-specifically altered in the midbrain, hypothalamus, and striatum; however, no significant changes were detected in their expression in the PFC and hippocampus after repeated morphine treatment. We conclude that alterations in the expression of these lncRNAs in the brain reward regions especially in the midbrain, striatum and hypothalamus may have critical roles in the development of morphine dependence and tolerance, which need to be considered in future researches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamseddin Ahmadi
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Zobeiri
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Shiva Mohammadi Talvar
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Kayvan Masoudi
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Amir Khanizad
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Shima Fotouhi
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Steven Bradburn
- Department of Life Sciences, Bioscience Research Centre, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
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25
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Yang L, Deng J, Ma W, Qiao A, Xu S, Yu Y, Boriboun C, Kang X, Han D, Ernst P, Zhou L, Shi J, Zhang E, Li TS, Qiu H, Nakagawa S, Blackshaw S, Zhang J, Qin G. Ablation of lncRNA Miat attenuates pathological hypertrophy and heart failure. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:7995-8007. [PMID: 34335976 PMCID: PMC8315059 DOI: 10.7150/thno.50990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: The conserved long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) myocardial infarction associate transcript (Miat) was identified for its multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms that are strongly associated with susceptibility to MI, but its role in cardiovascular biology remains elusive. Here we investigated whether Miat regulates cardiac response to pathological hypertrophic stimuli. Methods: Both an angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion model and a transverse aortic constriction (TAC) model were used in adult WT and Miat-null knockout (Miat-KO) mice to induce pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Heart structure and function were evaluated by echocardiography and histological assessments. Gene expression in the heart was evaluated by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting. Primary WT and Miat-KO mouse cardiomyocytes were isolated and used in Ca2+ transient and contractility measurements. Results: Continuous Ang II infusion for 4 weeks induced concentric hypertrophy in WT mice, but to a lesser extent in Miat-KO mice. Surgical TAC for 6 weeks resulted in decreased systolic function and heart failure in WT mice but not in Miat-KO mice. In both models, Miat-KO mice displayed reduced heart-weight to tibia-length ratio, cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and cardiac interstitial fibrosis and a better-preserved capillary density, as compared to WT mice. In addition, Ang II treatment led to significantly reduced mRNA and protein expression of the Ca2+ cycling genes Sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) and ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) and a dramatic increase in global RNA splicing events in the left ventricle (LV) of WT mice, and these changes were largely blunted in Miat-KO mice. Consistently, cardiomyocytes isolated from Miat-KO mice demonstrated more efficient Ca2+ cycling and greater contractility. Conclusions: Ablation of Miat attenuates pathological hypertrophy and heart failure, in part, by enhancing cardiomyocyte contractility.
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26
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Fish KN, Rocco BR, DeDionisio AM, Dienel SJ, Sweet RA, Lewis DA. Altered Parvalbumin Basket Cell Terminals in the Cortical Visuospatial Working Memory Network in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:47-57. [PMID: 33892915 PMCID: PMC8243491 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visuospatial working memory (vsWM), which is commonly impaired in schizophrenia, involves information processing across the primary visual cortex, association visual cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Within these regions, vsWM requires inhibition from parvalbumin-expressing basket cells (PVBCs). Here, we analyzed indices of PVBC axon terminals across regions of the vsWM network in schizophrenia. METHODS For 20 matched pairs of subjects with schizophrenia and unaffected comparison subjects, tissue sections from the primary visual cortex, association visual cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and DLPFC were immunolabeled for PV, the 65- and 67-kDa isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65 and GAD67) that synthesize GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), and the vesicular GABA transporter. The density of PVBC terminals and of protein levels per terminal was quantified in layer 3 of each cortical region using fluorescence confocal microscopy. RESULTS In comparison subjects, all measures, except for GAD65 levels, exhibited a caudal-to-rostral decline across the vsWM network. In subjects with schizophrenia, the density of detectable PVBC terminals was significantly lower in all regions except the DLPFC, whereas PVBC terminal levels of PV, GAD67, and GAD65 proteins were lower in all regions. A composite measure of inhibitory strength was lower in subjects with schizophrenia, although the magnitude of the diagnosis effect was greater in the primary visual, association visual, and posterior parietal cortices than in the DLPFC. CONCLUSIONS In schizophrenia, alterations in PVBC terminals across the vsWM network suggest the presence of a shared substrate for cortical dysfunction during vsWM tasks. However, regional differences in the magnitude of the disease effect on an index of PVBC inhibitory strength suggest region-specific alterations in information processing during vsWM tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth N Fish
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
| | - Brad R Rocco
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Adam M DeDionisio
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Samuel J Dienel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert A Sweet
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - David A Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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27
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Chen P, Jing H, Xiong M, Zhang Q, Lin D, Ren D, Wang S, Yin D, Chen Y, Zhou T, Li B, Fei E, Pan BX. Spine impairment in mice high-expressing neuregulin 1 due to LIMK1 activation. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:403. [PMID: 33854034 PMCID: PMC8047019 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03687-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The genes encoding for neuregulin1 (NRG1), a growth factor, and its receptor ErbB4 are both risk factors of major depression disorder and schizophrenia (SZ). They have been implicated in neural development and synaptic plasticity. However, exactly how NRG1 variations lead to SZ remains unclear. Indeed, NRG1 levels are increased in postmortem brain tissues of patients with brain disorders. Here, we studied the effects of high-level NRG1 on dendritic spine development and function. We showed that spine density in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus was reduced in mice (ctoNrg1) that overexpressed NRG1 in neurons. The frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) was reduced in both brain regions of ctoNrg1 mice. High expression of NRG1 activated LIMK1 and increased cofilin phosphorylation in postsynaptic densities. Spine reduction was attenuated by inhibiting LIMK1 or blocking the NRG1–LIMK1 interaction, or by restoring NRG1 protein level. These results indicate that a normal NRG1 protein level is necessary for spine homeostasis and suggest a pathophysiological mechanism of abnormal spines in relevant brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.,Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Hongyang Jing
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.,Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Mingtao Xiong
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Dong Lin
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.,Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Dongyan Ren
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.,Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Shunqi Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.,Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Dongmin Yin
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education and Shanghai, School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Yongjun Chen
- South China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Tian Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Baoming Li
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Erkang Fei
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China. .,Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
| | - Bing-Xing Pan
- School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China. .,Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
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28
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Yang S, Lim KH, Kim SH, Joo JY. Molecular landscape of long noncoding RNAs in brain disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:1060-1074. [PMID: 33173194 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00947-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
According to current paradigms, various risk factors, such as genetic mutations, oxidative stress, neural network dysfunction, and abnormal protein degradation, contribute to the progression of brain disorders. Through the cooperation of gene transcripts in biological processes, the study of noncoding RNAs can lead to insights into the cause and treatment of brain disorders. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) which are longer than 200 nucleotides in length have been suggested as key factors in various brain disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests the potential of lncRNAs as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. High-throughput screening-based sequencing has been instrumental in identification of lncRNAs that demand new approaches to understanding the progression of brain disorders. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in the study of lncRNAs, and addresses the pathogenesis of brain disorders that involve lncRNAs and describes the associations of lncRNAs with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD), and neurodevelopmental disorders. We also discuss potential targets of lncRNAs and their promise as novel therapeutics and biomarkers in brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumin Yang
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Key-Hwan Lim
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hyun Kim
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Yeol Joo
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, 41062, Republic of Korea.
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29
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Ruden JB, Dugan LL, Konradi C. Parvalbumin interneuron vulnerability and brain disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:279-287. [PMID: 32722660 PMCID: PMC7852528 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0778-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PV-INs) are highly vulnerable to stressors and have been implicated in many neuro-psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder, and bipolar disorder. We examined the literature about the current knowledge of the physiological properties of PV-INs and gathered results from diverse research areas to provide insight into their vulnerability to stressors. Among the factors that confer heightened vulnerability are the substantial energy requirements, a strong excitatory drive, and a unique developmental trajectory. Understanding these stressors and elaborating on their impact on PV-IN health is a step toward developing therapies to protect these neurons in various disease states and to retain critical brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob B Ruden
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Laura L Dugan
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Christine Konradi
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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30
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Li R, Wang Q, Qiu Y, Meng Y, Wei L, Wang H, Mo R, Zou D, Liu C. A Potential Autophagy-Related Competing Endogenous RNA Network and Corresponding Diagnostic Efficacy in Schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:628361. [PMID: 33708146 PMCID: PMC7940829 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.628361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) and autophagy were related to neurological diseases. But the relationship among ceRNA, autophagy and Schizophrenia (SZ) was not clear. In this study, we obtained gene expression profile of SZ patients (GSE38484, GSE54578, and GSE16930) from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then we screened the autophagy-related differentially expressed lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA (DElncRNA, DEmiRNA, and DEmRNA) combined with Gene database from The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). In addition, we performed enrichment analysis. The result showed that biological processes (BPs) mainly were associated with cellular responses to oxygen concentration. The enriched pathways mainly included ErbB, AMPK, mTOR signaling pathway and cell cycle. Furthermore, we constructed autophagy-related ceRNA network based on the TargetScan database. Moreover, we explored the diagnostic efficiency of lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA in ceRNA, through gene set variation analysis (GSVA). The result showed that the diagnostic efficiency was robust, especially miRNA (AUC = 0.884). The miRNA included hsa-miR-423-5p, hsa-miR-4532, hsa-miR-593-3p, hsa-miR-618, hsa-miR-4723-3p, hsa-miR-4640-3p, hsa-miR-296-5p, and hsa-miR-3943. The result of this study may be helpful for deepening the pathophysiology of SZ. In addition, our finding may provide a guideline for the clinical diagnosis of SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongjie Li
- Department of Neurology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Qiaoye Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yufen Qiu
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital and Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi, China
| | - Youshi Meng
- Department of Neurology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Lei Wei
- Department of Neurology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Ruikang Mo
- Department of Neurology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Donghua Zou
- Department of Neurology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Chunbin Liu
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
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31
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Weissleder C, Webster MJ, Barry G, Shannon Weickert C. Reduced Insulin-Like Growth Factor Family Member Expression Predicts Neurogenesis Marker Expression in the Subependymal Zone in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. Schizophr Bull 2020; 47:1168-1178. [PMID: 33274367 PMCID: PMC8266571 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbaa159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The generation of inhibitory interneurons from neural stem cells in the subependymal zone is regulated by trophic factors. Reduced levels of trophic factors are associated with inhibitory interneuron dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in psychiatric disorders, yet the extent to which altered trophic support may underpin deficits in inhibitory interneuron generation in the neurogenic niche remains unexplored in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. We determined whether the expression of ligands, bioavailability-regulating binding proteins, and cognate receptors of 4 major trophic factor families (insulin-like growth factor [IGF], epidermal growth factor [EGF], fibroblast growth factor [FGF], and brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF]) are changed in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder compared to controls. We used robust linear regression analyses to determine whether altered expression of trophic factor family members predicts neurogenesis marker expression across diagnostic groups. We found that IGF1 mRNA was decreased in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder compared with controls (P ≤ .006), whereas both IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) and IGF binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) mRNAs were reduced in schizophrenia compared with controls (P ≤ .02). EGF, FGF, and BDNF family member expression were all unchanged in both psychiatric disorders compared with controls. IGF1 expression positively predicted neuronal progenitor and immature neuron marker mRNAs (P ≤ .01). IGFBP2 expression positively predicted neural stem cell and neuronal progenitor marker mRNAs (P ≤ .001). These findings provide the first molecular evidence of decreased IGF1, IGF1R, and IGFBP2 mRNA expression in the subependymal zone in psychiatric disorders, which may potentially impact neurogenesis in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Weissleder
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Maree J Webster
- Laboratory of Brain Research, Stanley Medical Research Institute, Kensington, MD
| | - Guy Barry
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Margarete Ainsworth Building, 139 Barker Street, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia; tel: +61-2-9399-1717, e-mail:
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32
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Yang JM, Shen CJ, Chen XJ, Kong Y, Liu YS, Li XW, Chen Z, Gao TM, Li XM. erbb4 Deficits in Chandelier Cells of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Confer Cognitive Dysfunctions: Implications for Schizophrenia. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:4334-4346. [PMID: 30590426 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
erbb4 is a known susceptibility gene for schizophrenia. Chandelier cells (ChCs, also known as axo-axonic cells) are a distinct GABAergic interneuron subtype that exclusively target the axonal initial segment, which is the site of pyramidal neuron action potential initiation. ChCs are a source of ErbB4 expression and alterations in ChC-pyramidal neuron connectivity occur in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of schizophrenic patients and animal models of schizophrenia. However, the contribution of ErbB4 in mPFC ChCs to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia remains unknown. By conditional deletion or knockdown of ErbB4 from mPFC ChCs, we demonstrated that ErbB4 deficits led to impaired ChC-pyramidal neuron connections and cognitive dysfunctions. Furthermore, the cognitive dysfunctions were normalized by L-838417, an agonist of GABAAα2 receptors enriched in the axonal initial segment. Given that cognitive dysfunctions are a core symptom of schizophrenia, our results may provide a new perspective for understanding the etiology of schizophrenia and suggest that GABAAα2 receptors may be potential pharmacological targets for its treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Ming Yang
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Joint Institute for Genetics and Genome Medicine between Zhejiang University and University of Toronto, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen-Jie Shen
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Joint Institute for Genetics and Genome Medicine between Zhejiang University and University of Toronto, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Juan Chen
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Joint Institute for Genetics and Genome Medicine between Zhejiang University and University of Toronto, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Kong
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Si Liu
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Li
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tian-Ming Gao
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Li
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Joint Institute for Genetics and Genome Medicine between Zhejiang University and University of Toronto, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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33
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Nie J, Wei X, Xu X, Li N, Li Y, Zhao Y, Guan Y, Ge F, Guan X. Electro-acupuncture alleviates adolescent cocaine exposure-enhanced anxiety-like behaviors in adult mice by attenuating the activities of PV interneurons in PrL. FASEB J 2020; 34:11913-11924. [PMID: 32683743 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202000346rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We recently found that adolescent cocaine exposure (ACE) resulted in an enhancement of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter system in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) of adult mice. Here, we aim to further investigate the role of GABAergic transmission, especially parvalbumin (PV) interneurons within PrL in the development of ACE-induced anxiety-like behavior, and to assess whether and how electro-acupuncture (EA) therapeutically manage the ACE-induced abnormal behaviors in adulthood. ACE mice exhibited the enhanced anxiety-like behaviors in their adulthood, accompanied by increased GABAergic transmission and PV interneurons in PrL. Chemogenetic blocking PV interneurons in PrL alleviated ACE-enhanced anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Importantly, 37-day EA treatments (mixture of 2 Hz/100 Hz, 1 mA, 30 minutes once a day) at the acupoints of Yintang (GV29) and Baihui (GV20) also alleviated ACE-induced anxiety-like behaviors, and rescued ACE-impaired GABAergic neurotransmitter system and PV interneurons in PrL. In parallel, EA treatments further suppressed the activities of pyramidal neurons in PrL, suggesting that EA treatments seem to perform it beneficial effects on the ACE-induced abnormal emotional behaviors by "calming down" the whole PrL. Collectively, these findings revealed that hyper-function of GABAergic transmission, especially mediating by PV interneurons in PrL may be key etiology underlying ACE-induced anxiety-like behaviors. At least by normalizing the function of GABAergic and PV interneurons, EA may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for managing adolescent substance use-related emotional disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxun Nie
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wei
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xing Xu
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Nanqin Li
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuehan Li
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yonghua Zhao
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Yun Guan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Feifei Ge
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaowei Guan
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
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34
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Tsubomoto M, Kawabata R, Zhu X, Minabe Y, Chen K, Lewis DA, Hashimoto T. Expression of Transcripts Selective for GABA Neuron Subpopulations across the Cortical Visuospatial Working Memory Network in the Healthy State and Schizophrenia. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:3540-3550. [PMID: 30247542 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Visuospatial working memory (WM), which is impaired in schizophrenia, depends on a distributed network including visual, posterior parietal, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortical regions. Within each region, information processing is differentially regulated by subsets of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons that express parvalbumin (PV), somatostatin (SST), or vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). In schizophrenia, WM impairments have been associated with alterations of PV and SST neurons in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Here, we quantified transcripts selectively expressed in GABA neuron subsets across four cortical regions in the WM network from comparison and schizophrenia subjects. In comparison subjects, PV mRNA levels declined and SST mRNA levels increased from posterior to anterior regions, whereas VIP mRNA levels were comparable across regions except for the primary visual cortex (V1). In schizophrenia subjects, each transcript in PV and SST neurons exhibited similar alterations across all regions, whereas transcripts in VIP neurons were unaltered in any region except for V1. These findings suggest that the contribution of each GABA neuron subset to inhibitory regulation of local circuitry normally differs across cortical regions of the visuospatial WM network and that in schizophrenia alterations of PV and SST neurons are a shared feature across these regions, whereas VIP neurons are affected only in V1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Tsubomoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Rika Kawabata
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Xiaonan Zhu
- Department of Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yoshio Minabe
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kehui Chen
- Department of Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, 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
| | - Takanori Hashimoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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35
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Schoonover KE, Dienel SJ, Lewis DA. Prefrontal cortical alterations of glutamate and GABA neurotransmission in schizophrenia: Insights for rational biomarker development. Biomark Neuropsychiatry 2020; 3. [PMID: 32656540 PMCID: PMC7351254 DOI: 10.1016/j.bionps.2020.100015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Certain cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, such as impaired working memory, are thought to reflect alterations in the neural circuitry of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Gamma oscillations in the DLPFC appear to be a neural corollary of working memory function, and the power of these oscillations during working memory tasks is lower in individuals with schizophrenia. Thus, gamma oscillations represent a potentially useful biomarker to index dysfunction in the DLPFC circuitry responsible for working memory in schizophrenia. Postmortem studies, by identifying the cellular basis of DLPFC dysfunction, can help inform the utility of biomarker measures obtained in vivo. Given that gamma oscillations reflect network activity of excitatory pyramidal neurons and inhibitory GABA neurons, we review postmortem findings of alterations to both cell types in the DLPFC and discuss how these findings might inform future biomarker development and use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten E Schoonover
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Samuel J Dienel
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, United States.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, United States.,Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, 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.,Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, United States
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36
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Neuregulins 1, 2, and 3 Promote Early Neurite Outgrowth in ErbB4-Expressing Cortical GABAergic Interneurons. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:3568-3588. [PMID: 32542595 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-01966-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The neuregulins (Nrgs 1-4) are a family of signaling molecules that play diverse roles in the nervous system. Nrg1 has been implicated in the formation of synapses and in synaptic plasticity. Previous studies have shown Nrg1 can affect neurite outgrowth in several neuronal populations, while the role of Nrg2 and Nrg3 in this process has remained understudied. The Nrgs can bind and activate the ErbB4 receptor tyrosine kinase which is preferentially expressed in GABAergic interneurons in the rodent hippocampus and cerebral cortex. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of Nrgs 1, 2, and 3 on neurite outgrowth of dissociated rat cortical ErbB4-positive (+)/GABA+ interneurons in vitro. All three Nrgs were able to promote neurite outgrowth during the first 2 days in vitro, with increases detected for both the axon (116-120%) and other neurites (100-120%). Increases in the average number of primary and secondary neurites were also observed. Treatment with the Nrgs for an additional 3 days promoted an increase in axonal length (86-96%), with only minimal effects on the remaining neurites (8-13%). ErbB4 expression persisted throughout the dendritic arbor and cell soma at all stages examined, while its expression in the axon was transient and declined with cell maturation. ErbB4 overexpression in GABAergic neurons promoted neurite outgrowth, an effect that was potentiated by Nrg treatment. These results show that Nrgs 1, 2, and 3 are each capable of influencing dendritic and axonal growth at early developmental stages in GABAergic neurons grown in vitro.
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37
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Paterson C, Cumming B, Law AJ. Temporal Dynamics of the Neuregulin-ErbB Network in the Murine Prefrontal Cortex across the Lifespan. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:3325-3339. [PMID: 31897479 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz312] [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] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuregulin-ErbB signaling is essential for numerous functions in the developing, adult, and aging brain, particularly in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Mouse models with disrupted Nrg and/or ErbB genes are relevant to psychiatric, developmental, and age-related disorders, displaying a range of abnormalities stemming from cortical circuitry impairment. Many of these models display nonoverlapping phenotypes dependent upon the gene target and timing of perturbation, suggesting that cortical expression of the Nrg-ErbB network undergoes temporal regulation across the lifespan. Here, we report a comprehensive temporal expression mapping study of the Nrg-ErbB signaling network in the mouse PFC across postnatal development through aging. We find that Nrg and ErbB genes display distinct expression profiles; moreover, splice isoforms of these genes are differentially expressed across the murine lifespan. We additionally find a developmental switch in ErbB4 splice isoform expression potentially mediated through coregulation of the lncRNA Miat expression. Our results are the first to comprehensively and quantitatively map the expression patterns of the Nrg-ErbB network in the mouse PFC across the postnatal lifespan and may help disentangle the pathway's involvement in normal cortical sequences of events across the lifespan, as well as shedding light on the pathophysiological mechanisms of abnormal Nrg-ErbB signaling in neurological disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Paterson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado, School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Brooke Cumming
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado, School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Amanda J Law
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado, School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, School of Medicine Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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38
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Dienel SJ, Enwright JF, Hoftman GD, Lewis DA. Markers of glutamate and GABA neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex of schizophrenia subjects: Disease effects differ across anatomical levels of resolution. Schizophr Res 2020; 217:86-94. [PMID: 31296415 PMCID: PMC6946893 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction in individuals with schizophrenia is thought to reflect, at least in part, altered levels of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Studies of the postmortem human brain allow for interrogation of the disease-related alterations in markers of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission at different levels of anatomical resolution. Here, we re-analyzed six published datasets from postmortem studies of schizophrenia to assess molecular markers of glutamate and GABA neurotransmission in the DLPFC at three levels of anatomical resolution: 1) total cortical gray matter, 2) gray matter restricted to layer 3, and 3) a layer 3 local circuit composed of excitatory pyramidal cells and inhibitory, parvalbumin-containing, GABA neurons. We formulated composite measures of glutamate and GABA neurotransmission from z-scores of key transcripts that regulate these functions. Relative to unaffected comparison subjects, the composite glutamate measure was higher in schizophrenia subjects in total gray matter homogenates but lower in samples restricted to layer 3 or the layer 3 local circuit. The composite index of GABA neurotransmission did not differ between subject groups in total gray matter homogenates but was lower in schizophrenia subjects in layer 3 and lower still in the local layer 3 circuit. These findings suggest that the balance of excitation and inhibition in the DLPFC of schizophrenia subjects differs depending on the level of anatomical resolution studied, highlighting the importance of layer- and cell type-specific studies to understand disease-related alterations in cortical circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J. Dienel
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh,Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh,Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University,Department of Neuroscience, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
| | - John F. Enwright
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Gil D. Hoftman
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - David A. Lewis
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh,Department of Neuroscience, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
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39
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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: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [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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40
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Pre-frontal parvalbumin interneurons in schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of post-mortem studies. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2019; 126:1637-1651. [PMID: 31529297 PMCID: PMC6856257 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-019-02080-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Parvalbumin interneurons are fast-spiking GABAergic neurons that provide inhibitory control of cortical and subcortical circuits and are thought to be a key locus of the pathophysiology underlying schizophrenia. In view of the contradictory results regarding the nature of parvalbumin post-mortem findings in schizophrenia, we conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of the data on parvalbumin cell density and parvalbumin mRNA levels in pre-frontal regions in the brains of patients with schizophrenia (n = 274) compared with healthy controls (n = 275). The results suggest that parvalbumin interneurons are reduced in density in the frontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia (Hedges’ g = − 0.27; p = 0.03) and there is a non-significant reduction in parvalbumin mRNA levels (g = − 0.44; p = 0.12). However, certain methodological issues need to be considered in interpreting such results and are discussed in more detail. A meta-regression was conducted for post-mortem interval and year of publication as covariates which were both non-significant, except in the mRNA meta-analysis where post-mortem interval was found to be significant. Overall our findings provide tentative support for the hypothesis that the GABAergic system is deficient in schizophrenia and that parvalbumin-containing interneurons offer a potential target for treatment. However, further well-controlled studies that examine multiple regions and layers are warranted to determine whether parvalbumin alterations are region or layer specific and to test the robustness of the findings further.
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41
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Kaar SJ, Natesan S, McCutcheon R, Howes OD. Antipsychotics: Mechanisms underlying clinical response and side-effects and novel treatment approaches based on pathophysiology. Neuropharmacology 2019; 172:107704. [PMID: 31299229 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Antipsychotic drugs are central to the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders but are ineffective for some patients and associated with side-effects and nonadherence in others. We review the in vitro, pre-clinical, clinical and molecular imaging evidence on the mode of action of antipsychotics and their side-effects. This identifies the key role of striatal dopamine D2 receptor blockade for clinical response, but also for endocrine and motor side-effects, indicating a therapeutic window for D2 blockade. We consider how partial D2/3 receptor agonists fit within this framework, and the role of off-target effects of antipsychotics, particularly at serotonergic, histaminergic, cholinergic, and adrenergic receptors for efficacy and side-effects such as weight gain, sedation and dysphoria. We review the neurobiology of schizophrenia relevant to the mode of action of antipsychotics, and for the identification of new treatment targets. This shows elevated striatal dopamine synthesis and release capacity in dorsal regions of the striatum underlies the positive symptoms of psychosis and suggests reduced dopamine release in cortical regions contributes to cognitive and negative symptoms. Current drugs act downstream of the major dopamine abnormalities in schizophrenia, and potentially worsen cortical dopamine function. We consider new approaches including targeting dopamine synthesis and storage, autoreceptors, and trace amine receptors, and the cannabinoid, muscarinic, GABAergic and glutamatergic regulation of dopamine neurons, as well as post-synaptic modulation through phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Finally, we consider treatments for cognitive and negative symptoms such dopamine agonists, nicotinic agents and AMPA modulators before discussing immunological approaches which may be disease modifying. This article is part of the issue entitled 'Special Issue on Antipsychotics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Kaar
- Department of Psychosis Studies, 5th Floor, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, PO63 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, United Kingdom.
| | - Sridhar Natesan
- Department of Psychosis Studies, 5th Floor, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, PO63 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
| | - Robert McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, 5th Floor, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, PO63 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, 5th Floor, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, PO63 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, United Kingdom.
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42
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Vullhorst D, Buonanno A. NMDA Receptors Regulate Neuregulin 2 Binding to ER-PM Junctions and Ectodomain Release by ADAM10 [corrected]. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:8345-8363. [PMID: 31240601 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01659-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Unprocessed pro-neuregulin 2 (pro-NRG2) accumulates on neuronal cell bodies at junctions between the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane (ER-PM junctions). NMDA receptors (NMDARs) trigger NRG2 ectodomain shedding from these sites followed by activation of ErbB4 receptor tyrosine kinases, and ErbB4 signaling cell-autonomously downregulates intrinsic excitability of GABAergic interneurons by reducing voltage-gated sodium channel currents. NMDARs also promote dispersal of Kv2.1 clusters from ER-PM junctions and cause a hyperpolarizing shift in its voltage-dependent channel activation, suggesting that NRG2/ErbB4 and Kv2.1 work together to regulate intrinsic interneuron excitability in an activity-dependent manner. Here we explored the cellular processes underlying NMDAR-dependent NRG2 shedding in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. We report that NMDARs control shedding by two separate but converging mechanisms. First, NMDA treatment disrupts binding of pro-NRG2 to ER-PM junctions by post-translationally modifying conserved Ser/Thr residues in its intracellular domain. Second, using a mutant NRG2 protein that cannot be modified at these residues and that fails to accumulate at ER-PM junctions, we demonstrate that NMDARs also directly promote NRG2 shedding by ADAM-type metalloproteinases. Using pharmacological and shRNA-mediated knockdown, and metalloproteinase overexpression, we unexpectedly find that ADAM10, but not ADAM17/TACE, is the major NRG2 sheddase acting downstream of NMDAR activation. Together, these findings reveal how NMDARs exert tight control over the NRG2/ErbB4 signaling pathway, and suggest that NRG2 and Kv2.1 are co-regulated components of a shared pathway that responds to elevated extracellular glutamate levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Detlef Vullhorst
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 35 Lincoln Drive, Room 2C-1000, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Andres Buonanno
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 35 Lincoln Drive, Room 2C-1000, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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Genetic recovery of ErbB4 in adulthood partially restores brain functions in null mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:13105-13110. [PMID: 30498032 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1811287115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophic factor NRG1 and its receptor ErbB4 play a role in GABAergic circuit assembly during development. ErbB4 null mice possess fewer interneurons, have decreased GABA release, and show impaired behavior in various paradigms. In addition, NRG1 and ErbB4 have also been implicated in regulating GABAergic transmission and plasticity in matured brains. However, current ErbB4 mutant strains are unable to determine whether phenotypes in adult mutant mice result from abnormal neural development. This important question, a glaring gap in understanding NRG1-ErbB4 function, was addressed by using two strains of mice with temporal control of ErbB4 deletion and expression, respectively. We found that ErbB4 deletion in adult mice impaired behavior and GABA release but had no effect on neuron numbers and morphology. On the other hand, some deficits due to the ErbB4 null mutation during development were alleviated by restoring ErbB4 expression at the adult stage. Together, our results indicate a critical role of NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in GABAergic transmission and behavior in adulthood and suggest that restoring NRG1-ErbB4 signaling at the postdevelopmental stage might benefit relevant brain disorders.
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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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Altered ErbB4 splicing and cortical parvalbumin interneuron dysfunction in schizophrenia and mood disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:2478-2486. [PMID: 30120408 PMCID: PMC6180093 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0169-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Working memory requires the activity of parvalbumin (PV) interneurons in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Impaired working memory and lower PV expression in the DLPFC are reported in schizophrenia and to a lesser degree in mood disorders. We previously proposed that activity-dependent PV expression is lower in schizophrenia due to a shift in the splicing of erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4 (ErbB4) transcripts from major to inactive minor variants that reduces excitatory drive to PV interneurons. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the degree of major-to-minor shift in ErbB4 splicing predicts the level of PV expression across schizophrenia and mood disorders. Levels of ErbB4 splice variants and PV mRNA were quantified by PCR in the DLPFC from 40 matched tetrads (N = 160 subjects) of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and unaffected comparison subjects. Relative to unaffected comparison subjects, the magnitude of increases in minor variant levels and decreases in major variant levels was greatest in schizophrenia, intermediate in BD, and least in MDD. The same rank order was present for the magnitude of increases in the composite splicing score, which reflects the degree of major-to-minor shift across all ErbB4 splice loci, and for the magnitude of deficient PV expression. Finally, the composite splicing score negatively predicted PV expression across all subject groups. Together, these findings demonstrate a shared relationship between ErbB4 splicing and PV expression and suggest that scaling of the major-to-minor shift in ErbB4 splicing may influence the severity of deficient PV interneuron activity across diagnoses.
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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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Erben L, He MX, Laeremans A, Park E, Buonanno A. A Novel Ultrasensitive In Situ Hybridization Approach to Detect Short Sequences and Splice Variants with Cellular Resolution. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 55:6169-6181. [PMID: 29264769 PMCID: PMC5994223 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0834-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Investigating the expression of RNAs that differ by short or single nucleotide sequences at a single-cell level in tissue has been limited by the sensitivity and specificity of in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques. Detection of short isoform-specific sequences requires RNA isolation for PCR analysis-an approach that loses the regional and cell-type-specific distribution of isoforms. Having the capability to distinguish the differential expression of RNA variants in tissue is critical because alterations in mRNA splicing and editing, as well as coding single nucleotide polymorphisms, have been associated with numerous cancers, neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here we introduce a novel highly sensitive single-probe colorimetric/fluorescent ISH approach that targets short exon/exon RNA splice junctions using single-pair oligonucleotide probes (~ 50 bp). We use this approach to investigate, with single-cell resolution, the expression of four transcripts encoding the neuregulin (NRG) receptor ErbB4 that differ by alternative splicing of exons encoding two juxtamembrane (JMa/JMb) and two cytoplasmic (CYT-1/CYT-2) domains that alter receptor stability and signaling modes, respectively. By comparing ErbB4 hybridization on sections from wild-type and ErbB4 knockout mice (missing exon 2), we initially demonstrate that single-pair probes provide the sensitivity and specificity to visualize and quantify the differential expression of ErbB4 isoforms. Using cell-type-specific GFP reporter mice, we go on to demonstrate that expression of ErbB4 isoforms differs between neurons and oligodendrocytes, and that this differential expression of ErbB4 isoforms is evolutionarily conserved to humans. This single-pair probe ISH approach, known as BaseScope, could serve as an invaluable diagnostic tool to detect alternative spliced isoforms, and potentially single base polymorphisms, associated with disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Erben
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bldg. 35, Room 2C-1000, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Institute of Molecular Psychiatry, University Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ming-Xiao He
- Advanced Cell Diagnostics, Newark, CA, 94560, USA
| | | | - Emily Park
- Advanced Cell Diagnostics, Newark, CA, 94560, USA
| | - Andres Buonanno
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, Bldg. 35, Room 2C-1000, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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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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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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Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex disorder lacking an effective treatment option for the pervasive and debilitating cognitive impairments experienced by patients. Working memory is a core cognitive function impaired in schizophrenia that depends upon activation of distributed neural network, including the circuitry of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Accordingly, individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia show reduced DLPFC activation while performing working-memory tasks. This lower DLPFC activation appears to be an integral part of the disease pathophysiology, and not simply a reflection of poor performance. Thus, the cellular and circuitry alterations that underlie lower DLPFC neuronal activity in schizophrenia must be determined in order to identify appropriate therapeutic targets. Studies using human postmortem brain tissue provide a robust way to investigate and characterize these cellular and circuitry alterations at multiple levels of resolution, and such studies provide essential information that cannot be obtained either through in vivo studies in humans or through experimental animal models. Studies examining neuronal morphology, protein expression and localization, and transcript levels indicate that a microcircuit composed of excitatory pyramidal cells and inhibitory interneurons containing the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin is altered in the DLPFC of subjects with schizophrenia and likely contributes to DLPFC dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill R Glausier
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - David A Lewis
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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