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Chan JC, Alenina N, Cunningham AM, Ramakrishnan A, Shen L, Bader M, Maze I. Serotonin Transporter-dependent Histone Serotonylation in Placenta Contributes to the Neurodevelopmental Transcriptome. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168454. [PMID: 38266980 PMCID: PMC10957302 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Brain development requires appropriate regulation of serotonin (5-HT) signaling from distinct tissue sources across embryogenesis. At the maternal-fetal interface, the placenta is thought to be an important contributor of offspring brain 5-HT and is critical to overall fetal health. Yet, how placental 5-HT is acquired, and the mechanisms through which 5-HT influences placental functions, are not well understood. Recently, our group identified a novel epigenetic role for 5-HT, in which 5-HT can be added to histone proteins to regulate transcription, a process called H3 serotonylation. Here, we show that H3 serotonylation undergoes dynamic regulation during placental development, corresponding to gene expression changes that are known to influence key metabolic processes. Using transgenic mice, we demonstrate that placental H3 serotonylation is dependent on 5-HT uptake by the serotonin transporter (SERT/SLC6A4). SERT deletion robustly reduces enrichment of H3 serotonylation across the placental genome, and disrupts neurodevelopmental gene networks in early embryonic brain tissues. Thus, these findings suggest a novel role for H3 serotonylation in coordinating placental transcription at the intersection of maternal physiology and offspring brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Chan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalia Alenina
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany; DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ashley M Cunningham
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aarthi Ramakrishnan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Li Shen
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Bader
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany; DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Institute for Biology, University of Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ian Maze
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Rodnyy AY, Kondaurova EM, Tsybko AS, Popova NK, Kudlay DA, Naumenko VS. The brain serotonin system in autism. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:1-20. [PMID: 37415576 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0055] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are among the most common neurodevelopmental diseases. These disorders are characterized by lack of social interaction, by repetitive behavior, and often anxiety and learning disabilities. The brain serotonin (5-HT) system is known to be crucially implicated in a wide range of physiological functions and in the control of different kinds of normal and pathological behavior. A growing number of studies indicate the involvement of the brain 5-HT system in the mechanisms underlying both ASD development and ASD-related behavioral disorders. There are some review papers describing the role of separate key players of the 5-HT system in an ASD and/or autistic-like behavior. In this review, we summarize existing data on the participation of all members of the brain 5-HT system, namely, 5-HT transporter, tryptophan hydroxylase 2, MAOA, and 5-HT receptors, in autism in human and various animal models. Additionally, we describe the most recent studies involving modern techniques for in vivo regulation of gene expression that are aimed at identifying exact roles of 5-HT receptors, MAOA, and 5-HT transporter in the mechanisms underlying autistic-like behavior. Altogether, results of multiple research articles show that the brain 5-HT system intimately partakes in the control of some types of ASD-related behavior, and that specific changes in a function of a certain 5-HT receptor, transporter, and/or enzyme may normalize this aberrant behavior. These data give hope that some of clinically used 5-HT-related drugs have potential for ASD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Ya Rodnyy
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Elena M Kondaurova
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Anton S Tsybko
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Nina K Popova
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Dmitry A Kudlay
- NRC Institute of Immunology FMBA of Russia, Kashirskoe Highway 24, Moscow 115522, Russia
- Sechenov's University, 8-2 Trubetskaya Str., Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Vladimir S Naumenko
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
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Chan JC, Alenina N, Cunningham AM, Ramakrishnan A, Shen L, Bader M, Maze I. Serotonin transporter-dependent histone serotonylation in placenta contributes to the neurodevelopmental transcriptome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.14.567020. [PMID: 38014301 PMCID: PMC10680709 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.14.567020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Brain development requires appropriate regulation of serotonin (5-HT) signaling from distinct tissue sources across embryogenesis. At the maternal-fetal interface, the placenta is thought to be an important contributor of offspring brain 5-HT and is critical to overall fetal health. Yet, how placental 5-HT is acquired, and the mechanisms through which 5-HT influences placental functions, are not well understood. Recently, our group identified a novel epigenetic role for 5-HT, in which 5-HT can be added to histone proteins to regulate transcription, a process called H3 serotonylation. Here, we show that H3 serotonylation undergoes dynamic regulation during placental development, corresponding to gene expression changes that are known to influence key metabolic processes. Using transgenic mice, we demonstrate that placental H3 serotonylation largely depends on 5-HT uptake by the serotonin transporter (SERT/SLC6A4). SERT deletion robustly reduces enrichment of H3 serotonylation across the placental genome, and disrupts neurodevelopmental gene networks in early embryonic brain tissues. Thus, these findings suggest a novel role for H3 serotonylation in coordinating placental transcription at the intersection of maternal physiology and offspring brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Chan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalia Alenina
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ashley M Cunningham
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aarthi Ramakrishnan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Li Shen
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Bader
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, University of Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ian Maze
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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The people behind the papers - Roberto De Gregorio and Ji Sze. Development 2022; 149:dev201333. [PMID: 36314568 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Serotonin uptake receptor (SERT) plays an important role in neural circuit development and reduced SERT function is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Now, a paper published in Development finds that SERT acts in a defined developmental time window in the hippocampus in a sex-biased fashion, and its absence from CA3 pyramid neurons leads to defects in neural circuit assembly, electrophysiology and behaviour. We caught up with first author Roberto De Gregorio and corresponding author Ji Sze, an Associate Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, to find out more about their research.
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