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Tong M, Bai Y, Han X, Kong L, Ren L, Zhang L, Li X, Yao J, Yan B. Single-cell profiling transcriptomic reveals cellular heterogeneity and cellular crosstalk in choroidal neovascularization model. Exp Eye Res 2024; 242:109877. [PMID: 38537669 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a hallmark of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and a major contributor to vision loss in nAMD cases. However, the identification of specific cell types associated with nAMD remains challenging. Herein, we performed single-cell sequencing to comprehensively explore the cellular diversity and understand the foundational components of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/choroid complex. We unveiled 10 distinct cell types within the RPE/choroid complex. Notably, we observed significant heterogeneity within endothelial cells (ECs), fibroblasts, and macrophages, underscoring the intricate nature of the cellular composition in the RPE/choroid complex. Within the EC category, four distinct clusters were identified and EC cluster 0 was tightly associated with choroidal neovascularization. We identified five clusters of fibroblasts actively involved in the pathogenesis of nAMD, influencing fibrotic responses, angiogenic effects, and photoreceptor function. Additionally, three clusters of macrophages were identified, suggesting their potential roles in regulating the progression of nAMD through immunomodulation and inflammation regulation. Through CellChat analysis, we constructed a complex cell-cell communication network, revealing the role of EC clusters in interacting with fibroblasts and macrophages in the context of nAMD. These interactions were found to govern angiogenic effects, fibrotic responses, and inflammatory processes. In summary, this study reveals noteworthy cellular heterogeneity in the RPE/choroid complex and provides valuable insights into the pathogenesis of CNV. These findings will open up potential avenues for deep understanding and targeted therapeutic interventions in nAMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Tong
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Yun Bai
- College of Information Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Xiaoyan Han
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Lingjie Kong
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Ling Ren
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Linyu Zhang
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China; The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Xiumiao Li
- The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Jin Yao
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China; The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
| | - Biao Yan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, China.
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2
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Lu Z, Zhang M, Lee J, Sziraki A, Anderson S, Zhang Z, Xu Z, Jiang W, Ge S, Nelson PT, Zhou W, Cao J. Tracking cell-type-specific temporal dynamics in human and mouse brains. Cell 2023; 186:4345-4364.e24. [PMID: 37774676 PMCID: PMC10545416 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.08.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Progenitor cells are critical in preserving organismal homeostasis, yet their diversity and dynamics in the aged brain remain underexplored. We introduced TrackerSci, a single-cell genomic method that combines newborn cell labeling and combinatorial indexing to characterize the transcriptome and chromatin landscape of proliferating progenitor cells in vivo. Using TrackerSci, we investigated the dynamics of newborn cells in mouse brains across various ages and in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Our dataset revealed diverse progenitor cell types in the brain and their epigenetic signatures. We further quantified aging-associated shifts in cell-type-specific proliferation and differentiation and deciphered the associated molecular programs. Extending our study to the progenitor cells in the aged human brain, we identified conserved genetic signatures across species and pinpointed region-specific cellular dynamics, such as the reduced oligodendrogenesis in the cerebellum. We anticipate that TrackerSci will be broadly applicable to unveil cell-type-specific temporal dynamics in diverse systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Lu
- Laboratory of Single Cell Genomics and Population Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA; The David Rockefeller Graduate Program in Bioscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Melissa Zhang
- Laboratory of Single Cell Genomics and Population Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jasper Lee
- Laboratory of Single Cell Genomics and Population Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andras Sziraki
- Laboratory of Single Cell Genomics and Population Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA; The David Rockefeller Graduate Program in Bioscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sonya Anderson
- Department of Pathology and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Zehao Zhang
- Laboratory of Single Cell Genomics and Population Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA; The David Rockefeller Graduate Program in Bioscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zihan Xu
- Laboratory of Single Cell Genomics and Population Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA; The David Rockefeller Graduate Program in Bioscience, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Weirong Jiang
- Laboratory of Single Cell Genomics and Population Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shaoyu Ge
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, SUNY at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Department of Pathology and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Wei Zhou
- Laboratory of Single Cell Genomics and Population Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Junyue Cao
- Laboratory of Single Cell Genomics and Population Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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3
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Lin R, Kos A, Lopez JP, Dine J, Fiori LM, Yang J, Ben-Efraim Y, Aouabed Z, Ibrahim P, Mitsuhashi H, Wong TP, Ibrahim EC, Belzung C, Blier P, Farzan F, Frey BN, Lam RW, Milev R, Muller DJ, Parikh SV, Soares C, Uher R, Nagy C, Mechawar N, Foster JA, Kennedy SH, Chen A, Turecki G. SNORD90 induces glutamatergic signaling following treatment with monoaminergic antidepressants. eLife 2023; 12:e85316. [PMID: 37432876 PMCID: PMC10335830 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pharmacotherapies for the treatment of major depressive disorder were serendipitously discovered almost seven decades ago. From this discovery, scientists pinpointed the monoaminergic system as the primary target associated with symptom alleviation. As a result, most antidepressants have been engineered to act on the monoaminergic system more selectively, primarily on serotonin, in an effort to increase treatment response and reduce unfavorable side effects. However, slow and inconsistent clinical responses continue to be observed with these available treatments. Recent findings point to the glutamatergic system as a target for rapid acting antidepressants. Investigating different cohorts of depressed individuals treated with serotonergic and other monoaminergic antidepressants, we found that the expression of a small nucleolar RNA, SNORD90, was elevated following treatment response. When we increased Snord90 levels in the mouse anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region regulating mood responses, we observed antidepressive-like behaviors. We identified neuregulin 3 (NRG3) as one of the targets of SNORD90, which we show is regulated through the accumulation of N6-methyladenosine modifications leading to YTHDF2-mediated RNA decay. We further demonstrate that a decrease in NRG3 expression resulted in increased glutamatergic release in the mouse ACC. These findings support a molecular link between monoaminergic antidepressant treatment and glutamatergic neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rixing Lin
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Aron Kos
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Julien Dine
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Jennie Yang
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Yair Ben-Efraim
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Zahia Aouabed
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Pascal Ibrahim
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Haruka Mitsuhashi
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Tak Pan Wong
- Neuroscience Division, Douglas Research CentreMontrealCanada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - El Cherif Ibrahim
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INT, Institute Neuroscience TimoneMarseilleFrance
| | - Catherine Belzung
- UMR 1253, iBrain, UFR Sciences et Techniques; Parc GrandmontToursFrance
| | - Pierre Blier
- Mood Disorders Research Unit, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health ResearchOntarioCanada
| | | | - Benicio N Frey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityHamiltonCanada
- Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph’s Healthcare HamiltonHamiltonCanada
| | - Raymond W Lam
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British ColumbiaColumbiaCanada
| | - Roumen Milev
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Queens UniversityOntarioCanada
| | - Daniel J Muller
- Department of Psychiatry, University Health Network, Krembil Research Institute, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthTorontoCanada
| | - Sagar V Parikh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Claudio Soares
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Queens UniversityOntarioCanada
| | - Rudolf Uher
- Nova Scotia Health AuthorityHalifaxCanada
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie UniversityHalifaxCanada
| | - Corina Nagy
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Jane A Foster
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityHamiltonCanada
- Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph’s Healthcare HamiltonHamiltonCanada
- Department of Psychiatry, University Health Network, Krembil Research Institute, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Sidney H Kennedy
- Department of Psychiatry, University Health Network, Krembil Research Institute, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- St Michael’s Hospital, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Centre for Depression and Suicide StudiesTorontoCanada
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
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4
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Duński E, Pękowska A. Keeping the balance: Trade-offs between human brain evolution, autism, and schizophrenia. Front Genet 2022; 13:1009390. [DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1009390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique qualities of the human brain are a product of a complex evolutionary process. Evolution, famously described by François Jacob as a “tinkerer,” builds upon existing genetic elements by modifying and repurposing them for new functions. Genetic changes in DNA may lead to the emergence of new genes or cause altered gene expression patterns. Both gene and regulatory element mutations may lead to new functions. Yet, this process may lead to side-effects. An evolutionary trade-off occurs when an otherwise beneficial change, which is important for evolutionary success and is under strong positive selection, concurrently results in a detrimental change in another trait. Pleiotropy occurs when a gene affects multiple traits. Antagonistic pleiotropy is a phenomenon whereby a genetic variant leads to an increase in fitness at one life-stage or in a specific environment, but simultaneously decreases fitness in another respect. Therefore, it is conceivable that the molecular underpinnings of evolution of highly complex traits, including brain size or cognitive ability, under certain conditions could result in deleterious effects, which would increase the susceptibility to psychiatric or neurodevelopmental diseases. Here, we discuss possible trade-offs and antagonistic pleiotropies between evolutionary change in a gene sequence, dosage or activity and the susceptibility of individuals to autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. We present current knowledge about genes and alterations in gene regulatory landscapes, which have likely played a role in establishing human-specific traits and have been implicated in those diseases.
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5
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Characterizing the polygenic overlaps of bipolar disorder subtypes with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2022; 309:242-251. [PMID: 35487438 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Large-scale studies have shown that bipolar I disorder (BD-I) and bipolar II disorder (BD-II) have differences in genetic association with schizophrenia (SCZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the underlying shared genetic architectures between BD subtypes and both SCZ and MDD remain largely unknown. METHODS We applied univariate and bivariate causal mixture models (MiXeR) to estimate the polygenicity and polygenic overlaps on large GWASs summary statistics of BD-I (n = 25,060), BD-II (n = 6781), SCZ (n = 69,369) and MDD (n = 170,756). Then, conjunctional false discovery rate approach was used to identify specific shared genetic loci between BD subtypes and both SCZ and MDD. RESULTS Univariate MiXeR revealed that BD-II was substantially more polygenic (22.37 K causal variants) as compared to BD-I, SCZ and MDD (7.87-12.43 K causal variants). Bivariate MiXeR revealed substantial polygenic overlaps between BD-I and SCZ (Dice-coefficient = 0.83) and between BD-I and MDD (Dice-coefficient = 0.76), which are beyond the genetic correlation (rg = 0.71 and 0.36). Conjunctional FDR analysis identified 236 distinct shared loci between BD-I and BD-II (2 loci), BD-I and SCZ (227 loci), BD-I and MDD (19 loci), BD-II and SCZ (1 locus), and BD-II and MDD (3 loci). Most of these shared loci have concordant effect directions among BD subtypes, SCZ and MDD. LIMITATIONS The bivariate MiXeR model was not applied for the BD-II because of insufficient power and inadequate model fit. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide evidence for extensive polygenic effects across BD subtypes, SCZ and MDD, which further our understanding of the potential genetic basis for the comorbid symptoms across these disorders.
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6
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Scala M, Drouot N, MacLennan SC, Wessels MW, Krygier M, Pavinato L, Telegrafi A, de Man SA, van Slegtenhorst M, Iacomino M, Madia F, Scudieri P, Uva P, Giacomini T, Nobile G, Mancardi MM, Balagura G, Galloni GB, Verrotti A, Umair M, Khan A, Liebelt J, Schmidts M, Langer T, Brusco A, Lipska-Ziętkiewicz BS, Saris JJ, Charlet-Berguerand N, Zara F, Striano P, Piton A. De novo truncating NOVA2 variants affect alternative splicing and lead to heterogeneous neurodevelopmental phenotypes. Hum Mutat 2022; 43:1299-1313. [PMID: 35607920 PMCID: PMC9543825 DOI: 10.1002/humu.24414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is crucial for cell-type specific gene transcription and plays a critical role in neuronal differentiation and synaptic plasticity. De novo frameshift variants in NOVA2, encoding a neuron-specific key splicing factor, have been recently associated with a new neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) with hypotonia, neurological features, and brain abnormalities. We investigated eight unrelated individuals by exome sequencing (ES) and identified seven novel pathogenic NOVA2 variants, including two with a novel localization at the KH1 and KH3 domains. In addition to a severe NDD phenotype, novel clinical features included psychomotor regression, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia, and urogenital and endocrinological manifestations. To test the effect of the variants on splicing regulation, we transfected HeLa cells with wildtype and mutant NOVA2 cDNA. The novel variants NM_002516.4: c.754_756delCTGinsTT p.(Leu252Phefs*144) and c.1329dup p.(Lys444Glnfs*82) all negatively affected AS events. The distal p.(Lys444Glnfs*82) variant, causing a partial removal of the KH3 domain, had a milder functional effect leading to an intermediate phenotype. Our findings expand the molecular and phenotypic spectrum of NOVA2-related NDD, supporting the pathogenic role of AS disruption by truncating variants and suggesting that this is a heterogeneous condition with variable clinical course. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Scala
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Nathalie Drouot
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, 67400, France
| | - Suzanna C MacLennan
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Marja W Wessels
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Magdalena Krygier
- Department of Developmental Neurology, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębinki 7 80-952, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Lisa Pavinato
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Aida Telegrafi
- Clinical Genomics Program, GeneDx, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Stella A de Man
- Department of Pediatrics, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands
| | | | - Michele Iacomino
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Madia
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Scudieri
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Uva
- Clinical Bioinformatics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Thea Giacomini
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy, DINOGMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giulia Nobile
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy, DINOGMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Margherita Mancardi
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy, DINOGMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ganna Balagura
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Battista Galloni
- Struttura Complessa Neuropsichiatria Infantile Sud, Azienda Sanitaria Locale Città di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Muhammad Umair
- Medical Genomics Research Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Amjad Khan
- Faculty of Biological Science, Department of Zoology, University of Lakki Marwat, Lakki Marwat, Pakistan
| | - Jan Liebelt
- South Australian Clinical Genetics Service, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Miriam Schmidts
- Department of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Langer
- Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Disorders, Center for Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alfredo Brusco
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, "Città della Salute e della Scienza" University Hospital, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Beata S Lipska-Ziętkiewicz
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.,27Centre for Rare Diseases, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Jasper J Saris
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicolas Charlet-Berguerand
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, 67400, France
| | - Federico Zara
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Amélie Piton
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostic, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, 67000, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, Île-de-France, France
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7
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Ahmad T, Vullhorst D, Chaudhuri R, Guardia CM, Chaudhary N, Karavanova I, Bonifacino JS, Buonanno A. Transcytosis and trans-synaptic retention by postsynaptic ErbB4 underlie axonal accumulation of NRG3. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:213222. [PMID: 35579602 PMCID: PMC9118086 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202110167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuregulins (NRGs) are EGF-like ligands associated with cognitive disorders. Unprocessed proNRG3 is cleaved by BACE1 to generate the mature membrane-bound NRG3 ligand, but the subcellular site of proNRG3 cleavage, mechanisms underlying its transport into axons, and presynaptic accumulation remain unknown. Using an optogenetic proNRG3 cleavage reporter (LA143-NRG3), we investigate the spatial-temporal dynamics of NRG3 processing and sorting in neurons. In dark conditions, unprocessed LA143-NRG3 is retained in the trans-Golgi network but, upon photoactivation, is cleaved by BACE1 and released from the TGN. Mature NRG3 then emerges on the somatodendritic plasma membrane from where it is re-endocytosed and anterogradely transported on Rab4+ vesicles into axons via transcytosis. By contrast, the BACE1 substrate APP is sorted into axons on Rab11+ vesicles. Lastly, by a mechanism we denote "trans-synaptic retention," NRG3 accumulates at presynaptic terminals by stable interaction with its receptor ErbB4 on postsynaptic GABAergic interneurons. We propose that trans-synaptic retention may account for polarized expression of other neuronal transmembrane ligands and receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanveer Ahmad
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD,Multidisciplinary Centre for Advanced Research and Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Detlef Vullhorst
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD
| | - Rituparna Chaudhuri
- Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Neurovirology Section, National Brain Research Centre, Haryana, India
| | - Carlos M. Guardia
- Section on Intracellular Protein Trafficking, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD
| | - Nisha Chaudhary
- Multidisciplinary Centre for Advanced Research and Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Irina Karavanova
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD
| | - Juan S. Bonifacino
- Section on Intracellular Protein Trafficking, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD
| | - Andres Buonanno
- Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD,Correspondence to Andres Buonanno:
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8
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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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9
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Arasappan D, Eickhoff SB, Nemeroff CB, Hofmann HA, Jabbi M. Transcription Factor Motifs Associated with Anterior Insula Gene Expression Underlying Mood Disorder Phenotypes. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:1978-1989. [PMID: 33411239 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02195-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Mood disorders represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide but the brain-related molecular pathophysiology in mood disorders remains largely undefined. Because the anterior insula is reduced in volume in patients with mood disorders, RNA was extracted from the anterior insula postmortem anterior insula of mood disorder samples and compared with unaffected controls for RNA-sequencing identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in (a) bipolar disorder (BD; n = 37) versus (vs.) controls (n = 33), and (b) major depressive disorder (MDD n = 30) vs. controls, and (c) low vs. high axis I comorbidity (a measure of cumulative psychiatric disease burden). Given the regulatory role of transcription factors (TFs) in gene expression via specific-DNA-binding domains (motifs), we used JASPAR TF binding database to identify TF-motifs. We found that DEGs in BD vs. controls, MDD vs. controls, and high vs. low axis I comorbidity were associated with TF-motifs that are known to regulate expression of toll-like receptor genes, cellular homeostatic-control genes, and genes involved in embryonic, cellular/organ, and brain development. Robust imaging-guided transcriptomics by using meta-analytic imaging results to guide independent postmortem dissection for RNA-sequencing was applied by targeting the gray matter volume reduction in the anterior insula in mood disorders, to guide independent postmortem identification of TF motifs regulating DEG. Our findings of TF-motifs that regulate the expression of immune, cellular homeostatic-control, and developmental genes provide novel information about the hierarchical relationship between gene regulatory networks, the TFs that control them, and proximate underlying neuroanatomical phenotypes in mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhivya Arasappan
- Center for Biomedical Research Support, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Charles B Nemeroff
- Department of Psychiatry, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- The Mulva Clinic for Neurosciences, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Institute of Early Life Adversity Research, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hans A Hofmann
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Mbemba Jabbi
- Department of Psychiatry, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- The Mulva Clinic for Neurosciences, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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10
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Bergersen KV, Barnes A, Worth D, David C, Wilson EH. Targeted Transcriptomic Analysis of C57BL/6 and BALB/c Mice During Progressive Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection Reveals Changes in Host and Parasite Gene Expression Relating to Neuropathology and Resolution. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:645778. [PMID: 33816350 PMCID: PMC8012756 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.645778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a resilient parasite that infects a multitude of warm-blooded hosts and results in a lifelong chronic infection requiring continuous responses by the host. Chronic infection is characterized by a balanced immune response and neuropathology that are driven by changes in gene expression. Previous research pertaining to these processes has been conducted in various mouse models, and much knowledge of infection-induced gene expression changes has been acquired through the use of high throughput sequencing techniques in different mouse strains and post-mortem human studies. However, lack of infection time course data poses a prominent missing link in the understanding of chronic infection, and there is still much that is unknown regarding changes in genes specifically relating to neuropathology and resulting repair mechanisms as infection progresses throughout the different stages of chronicity. In this paper, we present a targeted approach to gene expression analysis during T. gondii infection through the use of NanoString nCounter gene expression assays. Wild type C57BL/6 and BALB/c background mice were infected, and transcriptional changes in the brain were evaluated at 14, 28, and 56 days post infection. Results demonstrate a dramatic shift in both previously demonstrated and novel gene expression relating to neuropathology and resolution in C57BL/6 mice. In addition, comparison between BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice demonstrate initial differences in gene expression that evolve over the course of infection and indicate decreased neuropathology and enhanced repair in BALB/c mice. In conclusion, these studies provide a targeted approach to gene expression analysis in the brain during infection and provide elaboration on previously identified transcriptional changes and also offer insights into further understanding the complexities of chronic T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina V Bergersen
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Ashli Barnes
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Danielle Worth
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Clement David
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States.,NanoString Technologies, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Emma H Wilson
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
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11
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Wang XM, Tian FY, Xie CB, Niu ZZ, Chen WQ. Abnormal placental DNA methylation variation in spontaneous preterm birth. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020; 35:4704-4712. [PMID: 33327822 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1863357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Preterm birth (PTB) has become a major public health concern as the leading cause of neonatal death, but little is understood about its etiology. Children born preterm are also at increased risk of long-term consequences such as neurodevelopmental disorders, adulthood hypertension and diabetes. Recent studies have indicated that DNA methylation may be involved in the occurrence of PTB as well as related adverse outcomes. The latest Infinium EPIC BeadChip extends the coverage of the genome and provides a better tool to help investigate the involvement of DNA methylation in these conditions. METHODS We conducted this case-control study in three Women and Children's hospitals in South China, and enrolled 32 spontaneous preterm births and 16 term births. We assessed placental DNA methylation profiling of these participants with the Infinium EPIC BeadChip. We identified PTB and gestational age (GA)-associated CpG sites with limma regression model, and applied seqlm to identify PTB-associated regions. We performed gene ontology analysis to further interpret functional enrichment of the identified differentially methylated genes in PTB. RESULTS We identified a total of 8 differentially methylated positions (DMPs) that were significantly associated with PTB (FDR < 0.1) and a total of 15 DMPs that were associated with GA (FDR < 0.1). In the regional analysis, one differentially methylated region in the SLC23A1 gene overlapped with PTB-associated CpG site. The differentially methylated CpG sites in PTB were mapped to the genes involving in biological processes mainly regarding neurodevelopment, regulation of inflammation and metabolism. CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that preterm placenta have distinct DNA methylation alterations, and these alteration patterns established at birth provide insight into the long-term consequences of preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Meng Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health Assessment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Epidemiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fu-Ying Tian
- Department of Epidemiology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health Assessment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chuan-Bo Xie
- Department of Cancer Prevention Research, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhong-Zheng Niu
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Wei-Qing Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health Assessment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Information Management, Xinhua College, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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12
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An epigenome-wide association study of early-onset major depression in monozygotic twins. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:301. [PMID: 32843619 PMCID: PMC7447798 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00984-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depression (MD) is a debilitating mental health condition with peak prevalence occurring early in life. Genome-wide examination of DNA methylation (DNAm) offers an attractive complement to studies of allelic risk given it can reflect the combined influence of genes and environment. The current study used monozygotic twins to identify differentially and variably methylated regions of the genome that distinguish twins with and without a lifetime history of early-onset MD. The sample included 150 Caucasian monozygotic twins between the ages of 15 and 20 (73% female; Mage = 17.52 SD = 1.28) who were assessed during a developmental stage characterized by relatively distinct neurophysiological changes. All twins were generally healthy and currently free of medications with psychotropic effects. DNAm was measured in peripheral blood cells using the Infinium Human BeadChip 450 K Array. MD associations with early-onset MD were detected at 760 differentially and variably methylated probes/regions that mapped to 428 genes. Genes and genomic regions involved neural circuitry formation, projection, functioning, and plasticity. Gene enrichment analyses implicated genes related to neuron structures and neurodevelopmental processes including cell-cell adhesion genes (e.g., PCDHA genes). Genes previously implicated in mood and psychiatric disorders as well as chronic stress (e.g., NRG3) also were identified. DNAm regions associated with early-onset MD were found to overlap genetic loci identified in the latest Psychiatric Genomics Consortium meta-analysis of depression. Understanding the time course of epigenetic influences during emerging adulthood may clarify developmental phases where changes in the DNA methylome may modulate individual differences in MD risk.
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13
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Abstract
LEARNING OBJECTIVES After participating in this activity, learners should be better able to:• Evaluate the double-dissociation approach to research in neuropsychology• Assess research aiming to provide evidence of double dissociation between neurobiological abnormalities and clinical presentations in psychiatry BACKGROUND: Psychiatric neuroscience research has grown exponentially, but it has not generated the desired breakthroughs in diagnosis, treatment development, or treatment selection. In many instances a given neurobiological abnormality is found in multiple clinical syndromes, and conversely, a clinical syndrome is associated with multiple neurobiological abnormalities. To the extent that neurobiology research is conducted to explain psychiatric manifestations, however, it should also provide insight into how certain brain abnormalities lead to one and not another specific clinical presentation-that is, "double-dissociation." We hypothesized that most psychiatric research studies are not designed to identify such double dissociations. METHODS We selected three leading psychiatric journals (American Journal of Psychiatry, JAMA Psychiatry, and Molecular Psychiatry) that are representative of high-quality psychiatry research and that also provided a sample size that was feasible to screen. We screened all original research manuscripts published over the course of one calendar year (2017) to identify those measuring brain function or biological parameters (which, collectively, we term neurobiological measures) in psychiatric disorders. We asked whether such biological research could provide evidence for a double dissociation of any kind. RESULTS We found that only 7 of 403 articles published in three psychiatry journals, constituting approximately 2% of publications, examined the dissociation of neurobiological measures relating to two psychiatric disorders or symptom clusters. Of these 7 studies, 5 used imaging as research tool; 1 used genotype array; and 1 used polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sample sizes of the 7 studies ranged from 100 to 2876. CONCLUSION We report on a striking paucity of research aiming to provide evidence of double dissociation between neurobiological abnormalities and clinical presentations in psychiatry. We conclude that this paucity represents a missed opportunity for the field. Double-dissociation approaches have been used successfully in many studies in neurology and psychiatry in the past, and more widespread and explicit adoption of this design may improve the mechanistic insights obtained in psychiatry research.
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14
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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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15
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Identification and prioritization of gene sets associated with schizophrenia risk by co-expression network analysis in human brain. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:791-804. [PMID: 30478419 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0304-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia polygenic risk is plausibly manifested by complex transcriptional dysregulation in the brain, involving networks of co-expressed and functionally related genes. The main purpose of this study was to identify and prioritize co-expressed gene sets in a hierarchical manner, based on the strength of the relationships with clinical diagnosis and with polygenic risk for schizophrenia. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was applied to RNA-quality-adjusted DLPFC RNA-Seq data from the LIBD Postmortem Human Brain Repository (90 controls, 74 schizophrenia cases; all Caucasians) to construct co-expression networks and detect "modules" of co-expressed genes. After multiple internal and external validation procedures, modules of selected interest were tested for enrichment in biological ontologies, for association with schizophrenia polygenic risk scores (PRSs) and with diagnosis, and also for enrichment in genes within the significant GWAS loci reported by the Psychiatric Genomic Consortium (PGC2). The association between schizophrenia genetic signals and modules of co-expression converged on one module showing not only a significant association with both diagnosis and PRS but also significant overlap with 36 PGC2 loci genes, deemed the strongest candidates for drug targets. This module contained many genes involved in synaptic signaling and neuroplasticity. Fifty-three PGC2 genes were in modules associated only with diagnosis and 59 in modules unrelated to diagnosis or PRS. Our study highlights complex relationships between gene co-expression networks in the brain and clinical state and polygenic risk for SCZ and provides a strategy for using this information in selecting and prioritizing potentially targetable gene sets for therapeutic drug development.
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16
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Zhou Y, Li Y, Meng Y, Wang J, Wu F, Ning Y, Li Y, Cassidy RM, Li Z, Zhang XY. Neuregulin 3 rs10748842 polymorphism contributes to the effect of body mass index on cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:62. [PMID: 32066712 PMCID: PMC7026092 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0746-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Revised: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There is evidence that obesity or higher body mass index is correlated with cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Recent studies have demonstrated that genetic risk factors, such as the NRG3, are correlated with both elevated BMI and reduced cognitive function. In present study, we aimed to determine whether possession of the NRG3 rs10748842 influences the correlation between elevated BMI and reduced cognitive ability in schizophrenia. To our knowledge, this has never been examined before. A total of 625 inpatients with schizophrenia and 400 controls were recruited. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) was performed to assess cognitive function. We used multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), Pearson correlations, partial correlations, and multivariate regression analysis to test the influence of NRG3 rs10748842 on the aforementioned variables. All RBANS five sub-scores and total score were lower in patients than those in controls (all p < 0.001). Patients carrying NRG3 rs10748842 TC + CC heterozygous genotype had lower attention score compared to TT homozygous genotype (adjusted F = 4.77, p = 0.029). BMI was positively associated with language score in patients (β = 0.387, t = 2.59, p = 0.01). Interestingly, we further found positive association between BMI and language score in TT carriers (partial correlations: r = 0.13, adjusted p = 0.004; multivariate regression: β = 0.42, t = 2.66, p = 0.008), but not in CT + CC carrier (p > 0.05). Our study demonstrated that NRG3 rs10748842 was associated with cognitive impairments, especially attention performance in schizophrenia. Moreover, NRG3 rs10748842 altered the effect of BMI on cognitive impairments as measured by the RBANS language score in chronic patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjie Zhou
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
- Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuhuan Li
- Qingdao Mental Health Center, Qingdao, China
| | - Yujie Meng
- Qingdao Mental Health Center, Qingdao, China
| | - Jiesi Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fengchun Wu
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuping Ning
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Li
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
- Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ryan M Cassidy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zezhi Li
- Department of Neurology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiang Yang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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17
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Neurodevelopmental pathways in bipolar disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 112:213-226. [PMID: 32035092 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Aberrations in neurodevelopmental trajectories have been implicated in the neurobiology of several mental disorders and evidence indicates a pathophysiological and genetic overlap of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BD). In this narrative review, we summarize findings related to developmental and perinatal factors as well as epidemiological, clinical, neuropsychological, brain imaging, postmortem brain and genomic studies that provide evidence for a putative neurodevelopmental pathogenesis and etiology of BD. Overall, aberrations in neurodevelopmental pathways have been more consistently implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia compared to BD. Nevertheless, an accumulating body of evidence indicates that dysfunctional neurodevelopmental pathways may be implicated in the underlying pathophysiology of at least a subset of individuals with BD particularly those with an early age of illness onset and those exhibiting psychotic symptoms. A heuristic neurodevelopmental model for the pathophysiology of BD based on the findings of this review is proposed. Furthermore, we critically discuss clinical and research implications of this model. Finally, further research directions for this emerging field are provided.
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18
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Clark MB, Wrzesinski T, Garcia AB, Hall NAL, Kleinman JE, Hyde T, Weinberger DR, Harrison PJ, Haerty W, Tunbridge EM. Long-read sequencing reveals the complex splicing profile of the psychiatric risk gene CACNA1C in human brain. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:37-47. [PMID: 31695164 PMCID: PMC6906184 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0583-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
RNA splicing is a key mechanism linking genetic variation with psychiatric disorders. Splicing profiles are particularly diverse in brain and difficult to accurately identify and quantify. We developed a new approach to address this challenge, combining long-range PCR and nanopore sequencing with a novel bioinformatics pipeline. We identify the full-length coding transcripts of CACNA1C in human brain. CACNA1C is a psychiatric risk gene that encodes the voltage-gated calcium channel CaV1.2. We show that CACNA1C's transcript profile is substantially more complex than appreciated, identifying 38 novel exons and 241 novel transcripts. Importantly, many of the novel variants are abundant, and predicted to encode channels with altered function. The splicing profile varies between brain regions, especially in cerebellum. We demonstrate that human transcript diversity (and thereby protein isoform diversity) remains under-characterised, and provide a feasible and cost-effective methodology to address this. A detailed understanding of isoform diversity will be essential for the translation of psychiatric genomic findings into pathophysiological insights and novel psychopharmacological targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B. Clark
- 0000 0004 1936 8948grid.4991.5Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK ,0000 0001 2179 088Xgrid.1008.9Centre for Stem Cell Systems, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | | | - Aintzane B. Garcia
- 0000 0004 1936 8948grid.4991.5Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicola A. L. Hall
- 0000 0004 1936 8948grid.4991.5Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Joel E. Kleinman
- grid.429552.dThe Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Thomas Hyde
- grid.429552.dThe Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD USA
| | | | - Paul J. Harrison
- 0000 0004 1936 8948grid.4991.5Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK ,0000 0004 0573 576Xgrid.451190.8Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Elizabeth M. Tunbridge
- 0000 0004 1936 8948grid.4991.5Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK ,0000 0004 0573 576Xgrid.451190.8Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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19
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Li Z, Liu L, Lin W, Zhou Y, Zhang G, Du X, Li Y, Tang W, Zhang X. NRG3 contributes to cognitive deficits in chronic patients with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2020; 215:134-139. [PMID: 31753594 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.10.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive deficit is a fundamental trait of schizophrenia, but its mecwhanisms remain unknown. The neuregulin 3 (NRG3) gene, involving in neuronal function, has been considered to be associated with schizophrenia and cognition. However, no study has investigated the effects of NRG3 polymorphism on cognitive deficits in a large sample of the patients with schizophrenia. METHODS A total of 1112 schizophrenia patients and 423 controls were recruited and genotyped with NRG3 rs10748842. Among them, 864 patients and 403 controls were assessed for cognition through the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). SHEsis was applied and followed by logistic regression analysis. The models of analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were constructed to examine the effects of NRG3 rs10748842 on cognitive deficits. RESULTS No differences in NRG3 rs10748842 allele and genotype were found between patients and controls (both p > 0.05). With the exception of Visuospatial/construction, the other RBANS scores were significantly lower in patients compared to controls after adjusting for gender and education (all p < 0.001). Interestingly, we found that NRG3 rs10748842 was associated with cognitive deficit in schizophrenia, showing that patients carrying C allele had lower attention and total scores than those with TT genotype (both p < 0.05). CONCLUSION NRG3 rs10748842 may not confer susceptibility to schizophrenia, but may be more closely associated with cognitive deficit, especially attention performance in chronic schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zezhi Li
- Department of Neurology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lihua Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, Qingdao Mental Health Center, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, Qingdao Mental Health Center, Qingdao, China
| | - Yongjie Zhou
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China; Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guangya Zhang
- Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiangdong Du
- Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yi Li
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China; Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Tang
- The Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Xiangyang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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20
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Ledonne A, Mercuri NB. On the Modulatory Roles of Neuregulins/ErbB Signaling on Synaptic Plasticity. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 21:ijms21010275. [PMID: 31906113 PMCID: PMC6981567 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuregulins (NRGs) are a family of epidermal growth factor-related proteins, acting on tyrosine kinase receptors of the ErbB family. NRGs play an essential role in the development of the nervous system, since they orchestrate vital functions such as cell differentiation, axonal growth, myelination, and synapse formation. They are also crucially involved in the functioning of adult brain, by directly modulating neuronal excitability, neurotransmission, and synaptic plasticity. Here, we provide a review of the literature documenting the roles of NRGs/ErbB signaling in the modulation of synaptic plasticity, focusing on evidence reported in the hippocampus and midbrain dopamine (DA) nuclei. The emerging picture shows multifaceted roles of NRGs/ErbB receptors, which critically modulate different forms of synaptic plasticity (LTP, LTD, and depotentiation) affecting glutamatergic, GABAergic, and DAergic synapses, by various mechanisms. Further, we discuss the relevance of NRGs/ErbB-dependent synaptic plasticity in the control of brain processes, like learning and memory and the known involvement of NRGs/ErbB signaling in the modulation of synaptic plasticity in brain’s pathological conditions. Current evidence points to a central role of NRGs/ErbB receptors in controlling glutamatergic LTP/LTD and GABAergic LTD at hippocampal CA3–CA1 synapses, as well as glutamatergic LTD in midbrain DA neurons, thus supporting that NRGs/ErbB signaling is essential for proper brain functions, cognitive processes, and complex behaviors. This suggests that dysregulated NRGs/ErbB-dependent synaptic plasticity might contribute to mechanisms underlying different neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ada Ledonne
- Department of Experimental Neuroscience, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, no 64, 00143 Rome, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +3906-501703160; Fax: +3906-501703307
| | - Nicola B. Mercuri
- Department of Experimental Neuroscience, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano, no 64, 00143 Rome, Italy;
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier no 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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21
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Rahman A, Weber J, Labin E, Lai C, Prieto AL. Developmental expression of Neuregulin‐3 in the rat central nervous system. J Comp Neurol 2018; 527:797-817. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Afrida Rahman
- Departmentof Psychological and Brain SciencesIndiana University Bloomington Indiana
| | - Janet Weber
- Department NeuroscienceUniversity of California San Diego San Diego California
| | - Edward Labin
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of Minnesota Minneapolis
| | - Cary Lai
- Departmentof Psychological and Brain SciencesIndiana University Bloomington Indiana
| | - Anne L Prieto
- Departmentof Psychological and Brain SciencesIndiana University Bloomington Indiana
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22
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Le Béguec C, Wucher V, Lagoutte L, Cadieu E, Botherel N, Hédan B, De Brito C, Guillory AS, André C, Derrien T, Hitte C. Characterisation and functional predictions of canine long non-coding RNAs. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13444. [PMID: 30194329 PMCID: PMC6128939 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31770-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a family of heterogeneous RNAs that play major roles in multiple biological processes. We recently identified an extended repertoire of more than 10,000 lncRNAs of the domestic dog however, predicting their biological functionality remains challenging. In this study, we have characterised the expression profiles of 10,444 canine lncRNAs in 26 distinct tissue types, representing various anatomical systems. We showed that lncRNA expressions are mainly clustered by tissue type and we highlighted that 44% of canine lncRNAs are expressed in a tissue-specific manner. We further demonstrated that tissue-specificity correlates with specific families of canine transposable elements. In addition, we identified more than 900 conserved dog-human lncRNAs for which we show their overall reproducible expression patterns between dog and human through comparative transcriptomics. Finally, co-expression analyses of lncRNA and neighbouring protein-coding genes identified more than 3,400 canine lncRNAs, suggesting that functional roles of these lncRNAs act as regulatory elements. Altogether, this genomic and transcriptomic integrative study of lncRNAs constitutes a major resource to investigate genotype to phenotype relationships and biomedical research in the dog species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Le Béguec
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Valentin Wucher
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France.,Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lætitia Lagoutte
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France.,UMR PEGASE, Agrocampus Ouest, INRA, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - Edouard Cadieu
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Nadine Botherel
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Benoît Hédan
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Clotilde De Brito
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Guillory
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Catherine André
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Thomas Derrien
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France.
| | - Christophe Hitte
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IGDR (Institut de génétique et développement de Rennes) - UMR 6290, F-35000, Rennes, France.
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23
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Zhou L, Fisher ML, Cole RD, Gould TJ, Parikh V, Ortinski PI, Turner JR. Neuregulin 3 Signaling Mediates Nicotine-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity in the Orbitofrontal Cortex and Cognition. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1343-1354. [PMID: 29114105 PMCID: PMC5916355 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Neuregulin 3 (NRG3) and ErbB4 have been linked to nicotine addiction; however, the neuronal mechanisms and behavioral consequences of NRG3-ErbB4 sensitivity to nicotine remain elusive. Recent literature suggests that relapse to smoking is due to a lack of impulsive control, which is thought to be due to altered functioning within the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Therefore, we examined circuitry changes within this structure following nicotine application. We report that nicotine controls synaptic plasticity in the OFC through NRG3/ErbB4-dependent regulation of GABAergic inhibition. We observed that both nicotine and NRG3 facilitated the conversion of long-term potentiation into long-term depression at cortical layer 3/5 synapses. Induction of long-term depression by nicotine relied on nicotinic receptor activation and key regulators of NRG3 signaling: (1) release of intracellular calcium, (2) activation of the BACE1 beta-secretase, and (3) ErbB4 receptor activation. Nicotine-induced synaptic plasticity was also associated with accumulation of intracellular GABA and was completely blocked by GABAA/GABAB antagonists. To test whether these mechanisms underlie OFC-dependent behavior, we evaluated the effects of nicotine in the go/no-go task. Nicotine-impaired stimulus discrimination in this task was rescued by pharmacologic disruption of the NRG3 receptor, ErbB4. Altogether, our data indicate that nicotine-induced synaptic plasticity in the OFC and cognitive changes depend on NRG3-ErbB4 signaling. We propose that nicotine activation of this pathway may contribute to nicotine addiction, particularly in individuals with genetic variation in NRG3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyi Zhou
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Miranda L Fisher
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Robert D Cole
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Thomas J Gould
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Vinay Parikh
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pavel I Ortinski
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Jill R Turner
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
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24
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Avramopoulos D. Neuregulin 3 and its roles in schizophrenia risk and presentation. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2018; 177:257-266. [PMID: 28556469 PMCID: PMC5735014 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Neuregulins, a four-member family of epidermal growth factor-like signaling molecules, have been studied for over two decades. They were first implicated in schizophrenia in 2002 with the detection of linkage and association at the NRG1 locus followed after a few years by NRG3. However, the associations with disease have not been very consistently observed. In contrast, association of NGR3 variants with disease presentation, specifically the presence of delusions, has been more consistent. This appears to be mediated by quantitative changes in the alternative splicing of the gene, which has also been consistently observed. Additional diseases and phenotypes, psychiatric or not, have also been connected with NRG3. These results demonstrate two important aspects of behavioral genetics research. The first is that if we only consider simple risk and fail to examine the details of each patient's individual phenotype, we will miss important insights on the disease biology. This is an important aspect of the goals of precision medicine. The second is that the functional consequences of variants are often more complex than simple alterations in levels of transcription of a particular gene, including, among others, regulation of alternative splicing. To accurately model and understand the biological consequences of phenotype-associated genetic variants, we need to study the biological consequences of each specific variant. Simply studying the consequences of a null allele of the orthologous gene in a model system, runs the risk of missing the many nuances of hypomorphic and/or gain of function variants in the genome of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Avramopoulos
- Johns Hopkins University, Institute of Genetic Medicine and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 733 North Broadway - MRB room 507, Baltimore MD 21205
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25
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Controlling of glutamate release by neuregulin3 via inhibiting the assembly of the SNARE complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:2508-2513. [PMID: 29463705 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1716322115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuregulin3 (NRG3) is a growth factor of the neuregulin (NRG) family and a risk gene of various severe mental illnesses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and major depression. However, the physiological function of NRG3 remains poorly understood. Here we show that loss of Nrg3 in GFAP-Nrg3f/f mice increased glutamatergic transmission, but had no effect on GABAergic transmission. These phenotypes were observed in Nex-Nrg3f/f mice, where Nrg3 was specifically knocked out in pyramidal neurons, indicating that Nrg3 regulates glutamatergic transmission by a cell-autonomous mechanism. Consequently, in the absence of Nrg3 in pyramidal neurons, mutant mice displayed various behavioral deficits related to mental illnesses. We show that the Nrg3 mutation decreased paired-pulse facilitation, increased decay of NMDAR currents when treated with MK801, and increased minimal stimulation-elicited response, providing evidence that the Nrg3 mutation increases glutamate release probability. Notably, Nrg3 is a presynaptic protein that regulates the SNARE-complex assembly. Finally, increased Nrg3 levels, as observed in patients with severe mental illnesses, suppressed glutamatergic transmission. Together, these observations indicate that, unlike the prototype Nrg1, the effect of which is mediated by activating ErbB4 in interneurons, Nrg3 is critical in controlling glutamatergic transmission by regulating the SNARE complex at the presynaptic terminals, identifying a function of Nrg3 and revealing a pathophysiological mechanism for hypofunction of the glutamatergic pathway in Nrg3-related severe mental illnesses.
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26
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Giannese F, Luchetti A, Barbiera G, Lampis V, Zanettini C, Knudsen GP, Scaini S, Lazarevic D, Cittaro D, D'Amato FR, Battaglia M. Conserved DNA Methylation Signatures in Early Maternal Separation and in Twins Discordant for CO 2 Sensitivity. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2258. [PMID: 29396481 PMCID: PMC5797081 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20457-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Respiratory and emotional responses to blood-acidifying inhalation of CO2 are markers of some human anxiety disorders, and can be enhanced by repeatedly cross-fostering (RCF) mouse pups from their biological mother to unrelated lactating females. Yet, these dynamics remain poorly understood. We show RCF-associated intergenerational transmission of CO2 sensitivity in normally-reared mice descending from RCF-exposed females, and describe the accompanying alterations in brain DNA methylation patterns. These epigenetic signatures were compared to DNA methylation profiles of monozygotic twins discordant for emotional reactivity to a CO2 challenge. Altered methylation was consistently associated with repeated elements and transcriptional regulatory regions among RCF-exposed animals, their normally-reared offspring, and humans with CO2 hypersensitivity. In both species, regions bearing differential methylation were associated with neurodevelopment, circulation, and response to pH acidification processes, and notably included the ASIC2 gene. Our data show that CO2 hypersensitivity is associated with specific methylation clusters and genes that subserve chemoreception and anxiety. The methylation status of genes implicated in acid-sensing functions can inform etiological and therapeutic research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Giannese
- Centre for Translational Genomics and Bioinformatics, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Luchetti
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Barbiera
- Centre for Translational Genomics and Bioinformatics, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Claudio Zanettini
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy.,National Institute on Drug Abuse, Medication Development Program Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, USA
| | - Gun Peggy Knudsen
- The Norwegian Institute of Public Health Department of Genetics, Environment and Mental Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Simona Scaini
- Department of Psychology, Sigmund Freud University, Milan, Italy
| | - Dejan Lazarevic
- Centre for Translational Genomics and Bioinformatics, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Cittaro
- Centre for Translational Genomics and Bioinformatics, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca R D'Amato
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy.
| | - Marco Battaglia
- Department of Psychiatry, the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. .,Division of Child, Youth and Emerging Adulthood, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
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27
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Abstract
Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 11 loci associated with adipose-related traits across different populations. However, their functional roles still remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to explore the splicing regulation of these GWAS signals in a tissue-specific fashion. For adipose-related GWAS signals, we selected six adipose-related tissues (adipose subcutaneous, artery tibial, blood, heart left ventricle, muscle-skeletal, and thyroid) with the sample size greater than 80 for splicing quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis using GTEx released datasets. We integrated GWAS summary statistics of nine adipose-related traits (an average of 2.6 million SNPs per GWAS), and splicing QTLs from 6 GTEx tissues with an average of 337,900 splicing QTL SNPs, and 684,859 junctions. Our filtering process generated an average of 86,549 SNPs and 162,841 exon-exon links (junctions) for each tissue. A total of seven exon-exon junctions in four genes (AKTIP, DTNBP1, FTO and UBE2E1) were found to be significantly associated with four SNPs that showed genome-wide significance with body fat distribution (rs17817288, rs7206790, rs11710420 and rs2237199). These splicing events might contribute to the causal effect on the regulation of ectopic-fat, which warrants further experimental validation.
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28
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Gut microbiome populations are associated with structure-specific changes in white matter architecture. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:6. [PMID: 29317592 PMCID: PMC5802560 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-017-0022-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered gut microbiome populations are associated with a broad range of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder and mood disorders. In animal models, modulation of gut microbiome populations via dietary manipulation influences brain function and behavior and has been shown to ameliorate behavioral symptoms. With striking differences in microbiome-driven behavior, we explored whether these behavioral changes are also accompanied by corresponding changes in neural tissue microstructure. Utilizing diffusion tensor imaging, we identified global changes in white matter structural integrity occurring in a diet-dependent manner. Analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing of gut bacteria also showed changes in bacterial populations as a function of diet. Changes in brain structure were found to be associated with diet-dependent changes in gut microbiome populations using a machine learning classifier for quantitative assessment of the strength of microbiome-brain region associations. These associations allow us to further test our understanding of the gut-brain-microbiota axis by revealing possible links between altered and dysbiotic gut microbiome populations and changes in brain structure, highlighting the potential impact of diet and metagenomic effects in neuroimaging.
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29
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Reble E, Dineen A, Barr CL. The contribution of alternative splicing to genetic risk for psychiatric disorders. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2017; 17:e12430. [PMID: 29052934 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A genetic contribution to psychiatric disorders has clearly been established and genome-wide association studies now provide the location of risk genes and genetic variants associated with risk. However, the mechanism by which these genes and variants contribute to psychiatric disorders is mostly undetermined. This is in part because non-synonymous protein coding changes cannot explain the majority of variants associated with complex genetic traits. Based on this, it is predicted that these variants are causing gene expression changes, including changes to alternative splicing. Genetic changes influencing alternative splicing have been identified as risk factors in Mendelian disorders; however, currently there is a paucity of research on the role of alternative splicing in complex traits. This stems partly from the difficulty of predicting the role of genetic variation in splicing. Alterations to canonical splice site sequences, nucleotides adjacent to splice junctions, and exonic and intronic splicing regulatory sequences can influence splice site choice. Recent studies have identified global changes in alternatively spliced transcripts in brain tissues, some of which correlate with altered levels of splicing trans factors. Disease-associated variants have also been found to affect cis-acting splicing regulatory sequences and alter the ratio of alternatively spliced transcripts. These findings are reviewed here, as well as the current datasets and resources available to study alternative splicing in psychiatric disorders. Identifying and understanding risk variants that cause alternative splicing is critical to understanding the mechanisms of risk as well as to pave the way for new therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Reble
- Genetics and Development Division, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A Dineen
- Genetics and Development Division, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - C L Barr
- Genetics and Development Division, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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