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Jha NK, Chen WC, Kumar S, Dubey R, Tsai LW, Kar R, Jha SK, Gupta PK, Sharma A, Gundamaraju R, Pant K, Mani S, Singh SK, Maccioni RB, Datta T, Singh SK, Gupta G, Prasher P, Dua K, Dey A, Sharma C, Mughal YH, Ruokolainen J, Kesari KK, Ojha S. Molecular mechanisms of developmental pathways in neurological disorders: a pharmacological and therapeutic review. Open Biol 2022; 12:210289. [PMID: 35291879 PMCID: PMC8924757 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental signalling pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin, Notch and Sonic hedgehog play a central role in nearly all the stages of neuronal development. The term 'embryonic' might appear to be a misnomer to several people because these pathways are functional during the early stages of embryonic development and adulthood, albeit to a certain degree. Therefore, any aberration in these pathways or their associated components may contribute towards a detrimental outcome in the form of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and stroke. In the last decade, researchers have extensively studied these pathways to decipher disease-related interactions, which can be used as therapeutic targets to improve outcomes in patients with neurological abnormalities. However, a lot remains to be understood in this domain. Nevertheless, there is strong evidence supporting the fact that embryonic signalling is indeed a crucial mechanism as is manifested by its role in driving memory loss, motor impairments and many other processes after brain trauma. In this review, we explore the key roles of three embryonic pathways in modulating a range of homeostatic processes such as maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity, mitochondrial dynamics and neuroinflammation. In addition, we extensively investigated the effect of these pathways in driving the pathophysiology of a range of disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetic neuropathy. The concluding section of the review is dedicated to neurotherapeutics, wherein we identify and list a range of biological molecules and compounds that have shown enormous potential in improving prognosis in patients with these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niraj Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology (SET), Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310, India
| | - Wei-Chih Chen
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Department of Life Science, School of Basic Science and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310, India
| | - Rajni Dubey
- Department of Medicine Research, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Lung-Wen Tsai
- Department of Medicine Research, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan,Department of Information Technology Office, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan,Graduate Institute of Data Science, College of Management, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Rohan Kar
- Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), Gujarat 380015, India
| | - Saurabh Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology (SET), Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310, India
| | - Piyush Kumar Gupta
- Department of Life Science, School of Basic Science and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310, India
| | - Ankur Sharma
- Department of Life Science, School of Basic Science and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310, India
| | - Rohit Gundamaraju
- ER Stress and Mucosal Immunology Laboratory, School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania 7248, Australia
| | - Kumud Pant
- Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era deemed to be University Dehradun Uttarakhand, 248002 Dehradun, India
| | - Shalini Mani
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, A-10, Sector 62, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301, India
| | - Sandeep Kumar Singh
- Indian Scientific Education and Technology Foundation, Lucknow 226002, India
| | - Ricardo B. Maccioni
- Laboratory of Neurosciences and Functional Medicine, International Center for Biomedicine (ICC) and Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Tirtharaj Datta
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology (SET), Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310, India
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 144411, Punjab, India
| | - Gaurav Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Mahal Road, 302017 Jagatpura, Jaipur, India
| | - Parteek Prasher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Abhijit Dey
- Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata 700073, India,Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, and
| | - Charu Sharma
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Yasir Hayat Mughal
- Department of Health Administration, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Kavindra Kumar Kesari
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, and,Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo 00076, Finland
| | - Shreesh Ojha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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Ma R, Kutchy NA, Chen L, Meigs DD, Hu G. Primary cilia and ciliary signaling pathways in aging and age-related brain disorders. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 163:105607. [PMID: 34979259 PMCID: PMC9280856 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain disorders are characterized by the progressive loss of structure and function of the brain as a consequence of progressive degeneration and/or death of nerve cells. Aging is a major risk factor for brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and stroke. Various cellular and molecular events have been shown to play a role in the progress of neurodegenerative diseases. Emerging studies suggest that primary cilia could be a key regulator in brain diseases. The primary cilium is a singular cellular organelle expressed on the surface of many cell types, such as astrocytes and neurons in the mature brain. Primary cilia detect extracellular cues, such as Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) protein, and transduce these signals into cells to regulate various signaling pathways. Abnormalities in ciliary length and frequency (ratio of ciliated cells) have been implicated in various human diseases, including brain disorders. This review summarizes current findings and thoughts on the role of primary cilia and ciliary signaling pathways in aging and age-related brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Ma
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5880, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Naseer A Kutchy
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5880, USA; Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada
| | - Liang Chen
- Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong 515063, China; Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Technology, Ministry of Education, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong 515063, China
| | - Douglas D Meigs
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5880, USA
| | - Guoku Hu
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5880, USA.
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Vicario N, Spitale FM, Tibullo D, Giallongo C, Amorini AM, Scandura G, Spoto G, Saab MW, D'Aprile S, Alberghina C, Mangione R, Bernstock JD, Botta C, Gulisano M, Buratti E, Leanza G, Zorec R, Vecchio M, Di Rosa M, Li Volti G, Lazzarino G, Parenti R, Gulino R. Clobetasol promotes neuromuscular plasticity in mice after motoneuronal loss via sonic hedgehog signaling, immunomodulation and metabolic rebalancing. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:625. [PMID: 34135312 PMCID: PMC8209072 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03907-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Motoneuronal loss is the main feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, although pathogenesis is extremely complex involving both neural and muscle cells. In order to translationally engage the sonic hedgehog pathway, which is a promising target for neural regeneration, recent studies have reported on the neuroprotective effects of clobetasol, an FDA-approved glucocorticoid, able to activate this pathway via smoothened. Herein we sought to examine functional, cellular, and metabolic effects of clobetasol in a neurotoxic mouse model of spinal motoneuronal loss. We found that clobetasol reduces muscle denervation and motor impairments in part by restoring sonic hedgehog signaling and supporting spinal plasticity. These effects were coupled with reduced pro-inflammatory microglia and reactive astrogliosis, reduced muscle atrophy, and support of mitochondrial integrity and metabolism. Our results suggest that clobetasol stimulates a series of compensatory processes and therefore represents a translational approach for intractable denervating and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nunzio Vicario
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy.
- Molecular Preclinical and Translational Imaging Research Centre - IMPRonTE, University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy.
| | - Federica M Spitale
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Daniele Tibullo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Cesarina Giallongo
- Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies G.F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Angela M Amorini
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Grazia Scandura
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
- Department of Medical, Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies G.F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Graziana Spoto
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Miriam W Saab
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Simona D'Aprile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Cristiana Alberghina
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Renata Mangione
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensive and Perioperative Clinics, Catholic University of Rome, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Joshua D Bernstock
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Cirino Botta
- Hematology Unit, Annunziata Hospital, 87100, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Massimo Gulisano
- Molecular Preclinical and Translational Imaging Research Centre - IMPRonTE, University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuele Buratti
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giampiero Leanza
- Molecular Preclinical and Translational Imaging Research Centre - IMPRonTE, University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Robert Zorec
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica Biomedical, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology - Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Michele Vecchio
- Rehabilitation Unit, AOU Policlinico G. Rodolico, 95123, Catania, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences,Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Michelino Di Rosa
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Anatomy, Histology and Movement Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Li Volti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lazzarino
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Rosalba Parenti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy.
- Molecular Preclinical and Translational Imaging Research Centre - IMPRonTE, University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy.
| | - Rosario Gulino
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Physiology, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy.
- Molecular Preclinical and Translational Imaging Research Centre - IMPRonTE, University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy.
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Cerebrospinal fluid from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis inhibits sonic hedgehog function. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171668. [PMID: 28170441 PMCID: PMC5295673 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a morphogen essential to the developing nervous system that continues to play an important role in adult life by contributing to cell proliferation and differentiation, maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity, and being cytoprotective against oxidative and excitotoxic stress, all features of importance in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a fatal disease characterized by selective loss of motor neurons due to poorly understood mechanisms. Evidence indicates that Shh might play an important role in ALS, and that Shh signaling might be also adversely affected in ALS. Since little is known about the functional status of Shh pathway in patients with ALS, we therefore sought to determine whether Shh protein levels or biological activity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was less in ALS patients than controls, and whether these measures could be correlated with ALS disease severity and disease progression, and with other CSF analytes of biological interest in ALS. Comparing Shh levels in the CSF of normal controls (n = 13), neurological controls (n = 12), and ALS patients (n = 9) measured by ELISA, we found that CSF Shh levels were not different between controls and ALS patients. However, when assessing Shh biological activity in CSF using in vitro cell-based assays, which measure Shh activity as inducible Gli-driven luminescence, we found that in the presence of exogenous recombinant Shh or the Shh agonist, purmorphamine, the inducible activity of CSF was significantly augmented in the control groups as expected, but not in the ALS group, suggesting the presence of an inhibitor of Shh signaling in ALS CSF samples. Since purmorphamine acts on Smoothened, downstream of Shh and its receptor Patched, the inhibitory action is downstream of Smoothened. Our results also demonstrated that while the inhibitory effect of ALS CSF on Shh signaling did not correlate significantly with ALS disease characteristics, the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α did. In addition to being significantly elevated in ALS CSF, these cytokines negatively correlated with the disease duration, whereas GDF11 was a favorable predictor of ALS clinical score. We also found that TNF-α significantly inhibited Shh biological activity in vitro, potentially suggesting a novel role of TNF-α in ALS pathogenesis. Collectively, this is the first report demonstrating that Shh signaling in CSF of ALS patients is compromised.
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He W, Cui L, Zhang C, Zhang X, He J, Xie Y, Chen Y. Sonic hedgehog promotes neurite outgrowth of cortical neurons under oxidative stress: Involving of mitochondria and energy metabolism. Exp Cell Res 2017; 350:83-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2016.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2016] [Revised: 11/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Jaworska E, Kozlowska E, Switonski PM, Krzyzosiak WJ. Modeling simple repeat expansion diseases with iPSC technology. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016; 73:4085-100. [PMID: 27261369 PMCID: PMC11108530 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2284-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A number of human genetic disorders, including Huntington's disease, myotonic dystrophy type 1, C9ORF72 form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and several spinocerebellar ataxias, are caused by the expansion of various microsatellite sequences in single implicated genes. The neurodegenerative and neuromuscular nature of the repeat expansion disorders considerably limits the access of researchers to appropriate cellular models of these diseases. This limitation, however, can be overcome by the application of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology. In this paper, we review the current knowledge on the modeling of repeat expansion diseases with human iPSCs and iPSC-derived cells, focusing on the disease phenotypes recapitulated in these models. In subsequent sections, we provide basic practical knowledge regarding iPSC generation, characterization and differentiation into neurons. We also cover disease modeling in iPSCs, neuronal stem cells and specialized neuronal cultures. Furthermore, we also summarize the therapeutic potential of iPSC technology in repeat expansion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Jaworska
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Emilia Kozlowska
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Pawel M Switonski
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz J Krzyzosiak
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704, Poznan, Poland.
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Alves CJ, Maximino JR, Chadi G. Dysregulated expression of death, stress and mitochondrion related genes in the sciatic nerve of presymptomatic SOD1(G93A) mouse model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:332. [PMID: 26339226 PMCID: PMC4555015 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Schwann cells are the main source of paracrine support to motor neurons. Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction have been correlated to motor neuron death in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Despite the involvement of Schwann cells in early neuromuscular disruption in ALS, detailed molecular events of a dying-back triggering are unknown. Sciatic nerves of presymptomatic (60-day-old) SOD1(G93A) mice were submitted to a high-density oligonucleotide microarray analysis. DAVID demonstrated the deregulated genes related to death, stress and mitochondrion, which allowed the identification of Cell cycle, ErbB signaling, Tryptophan metabolism and Rig-I-like receptor signaling as the most representative KEGG pathways. The protein-protein interaction networks based upon deregulated genes have identified the top hubs (TRAF2, H2AFX, E2F1, FOXO3, MSH2, NGFR, TGFBR1) and bottlenecks (TRAF2, E2F1, CDKN1B, TWIST1, FOXO3). Schwann cells were enriched from the sciatic nerve of presymptomatic mice using flow cytometry cell sorting. qPCR showed the up regulated (Ngfr, Cdnkn1b, E2f1, Traf2 and Erbb3, H2afx, Cdkn1a, Hspa1, Prdx, Mapk10) and down-regulated (Foxo3, Mtor) genes in the enriched Schwann cells. In conclusion, molecular analyses in the presymptomatic sciatic nerve demonstrated the involvement of death, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial pathways in the Schwann cell non-autonomous mechanisms in the early stages of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrystian J Alves
- Department of Neurology, Neuroregeneration Center, University of São Paulo School of Medicine São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jessica R Maximino
- Department of Neurology, Neuroregeneration Center, University of São Paulo School of Medicine São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gerson Chadi
- Department of Neurology, Neuroregeneration Center, University of São Paulo School of Medicine São Paulo, Brazil
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Visualized gene network reveals the novel target transcripts Sox2 and Pax6 of neuronal development in trans-placental exposure to bisphenol A. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100576. [PMID: 25051057 PMCID: PMC4106758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous endocrine disrupting chemical in our daily life, and its health effect in response to prenatal exposure is still controversial. Early-life BPA exposure may impact brain development and contribute to childhood neurological disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate molecular target genes of neuronal development in trans-placental exposure to BPA. Methodology A meta-analysis of three public microarray datasets was performed to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in exposure to BPA. The candidate genes of neuronal development were identified from gene ontology analysis in a reconstructed neuronal sub-network, and their gene expressions were determined using real-time PCR in 20 umbilical cord blood samples dichotomized into high and low BPA level groups upon the median 16.8 nM. Principal Findings Among 36 neuronal transcripts sorted from DAVID ontology clusters of 457 DEGs using the analysis of Bioconductor limma package, we found two neuronal genes, sex determining region Y-box 2 (Sox2) and paired box 6 (Pax6), had preferentially down-regulated expression (Bonferroni correction p-value <10−4 and log2-transformed fold change ≤−1.2) in response to BPA exposure. Fetal cord blood samples had the obviously attenuated gene expression of Sox2 and Pax6 in high BPA group referred to low BPA group. Visualized gene network of Cytoscape analysis showed that Sox2 and Pax6 which were contributed to neural precursor cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation might be down-regulated through sonic hedgehog (Shh), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Notch signaling. Conclusions These results indicated that trans-placental BPA exposure down-regulated gene expression of Sox2 and Pax6 potentially underlying the adverse effect on childhood neuronal development.
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