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Arakawa H. Revisiting sociability: Factors facilitating approach and avoidance during the three-chamber test. Physiol Behav 2023; 272:114373. [PMID: 37805136 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114373] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
The three-chamber test, the so-called sociability test, has been widely used to assess social deficits based on impaired socially oriented investigations in rodent models. An innate motivation for investigating conspecifics is theoretically a prerequisite for gaining sociability scores in this paradigm. However, several relevant factors mediating investigatory motives, such as familiarity, attractiveness, and aggression, may affect sociability scores, which must be verified to obtain an adequate evaluation of the psychiatric phenotypes exhibited by disease-relevant rodent models. We assessed the social and non-social factors that mediate proximity preference by the three-chamber test with standard C57BL/6 J (B6) mice and low sociability BTBR+ltpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice. Strains of the opponents had no effect. Sexual cues (i.e., opposite sex) increased proximity preference in both strains of mice; in contrast, novel objects induced an approach in B6 mice but avoidance in BTBR mice. Single-housing before testing, stimulated social motive, affected BTBR mice but not B6 mice. BTBR females showed increased proximity preference across the sessions, and BTBR males showed increased preference toward a male B6 stimulus, but not a male BTBR stimulus. The male preference was restored when the male BTBR stimulus was anesthetized. In addition, self-grooming was facilitated by social and non-social novelty cues in both strains. B6 mice predominantly exhibited an investigatory approach toward social or non-social stimuli, whereas BTBR mice recognized social cues but tended to show avoidance. The three-chamber test could evaluate approach-avoidance strategies in target mouse strains that comprise innate social distance between mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department Systems Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan.
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2
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Higuchi Y, Tada T, Nakachi T, Arakawa H. Serotonergic circuit dysregulation underlying autism-related phenotypes in BTBR mouse model of autism. Neuropharmacology 2023:109634. [PMID: 37301467 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The inbred mouse strain, BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR), possesses neuronal and circuit abnormalities that underlie atypical behavioral profiles resembling the major symptoms of human autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Forebrain serotonin (5-HT) transmission has been implicated in ASD-related behavioral alterations. In this study, we assessed 5-HT signals and the functional responsiveness in BTBR mice compared to standard C57BL/6J (B6) control mice to elucidate how 5-HT alterations contribute to behavioral abnormalities in BTBR mice. A lower number of 5-HT neurons in the median raphe, but not in the dorsal raphe, was observed in male and female BTBR mice. Acute systemic injection of buspirone, a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, induced c-Fos in several brain regions in both B6 and BTBR mice; however, blunted c-Fos induction in BTBR mice was documented in the cingulate cortex, basolateral amygdala (BLA), and ventral hippocampus (Hipp). Decreased c-Fos responses in these regions are associated with a lack of buspirone effects on anxiety-like behavior in BTBR mice. Analysis of mRNA expression following acute buspirone injection indicated that 5HTR1a gene downregulation (or upregulation) occurred in the BLA and Hipp of B6 mice, respectively, but not BTBR mice. The mRNA expression of factors associated with neurogenesis or the pro-inflammatory state was not consistently altered by acute buspirone injection. Therefore, 5-HT responsivity via 5-HT1A receptors in the BLA and Hipp are linked to anxiety-like behavior, in which circuits are disrupted in BTBR mice. Other distinct 5-HT circuits from the BLA and Hipp that regulate social behavior are restricted but preserved in BTBR mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Higuchi
- Dept. Systems Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Tada
- Dept. Systems Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Japan
| | - Taiga Nakachi
- Dept. Systems Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Dept. Systems Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Japan.
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Arslan A, Fang Z, Wang M, Tan Y, Cheng Z, Chen X, Guan Y, J. Pisani L, Yoo B, Bejerano G, Peltz G. Analysis of structural variation among inbred mouse strains. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:97. [PMID: 36864393 PMCID: PMC9983223 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09197-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 'Long read' sequencing methods have been used to identify previously uncharacterized structural variants that cause human genetic diseases. Therefore, we investigated whether long read sequencing could facilitate genetic analysis of murine models for human diseases. RESULTS The genomes of six inbred strains (BTBR T + Itpr3tf/J, 129Sv1/J, C57BL/6/J, Balb/c/J, A/J, SJL/J) were analyzed using long read sequencing. Our results revealed that (i) Structural variants are very abundant within the genome of inbred strains (4.8 per gene) and (ii) that we cannot accurately infer whether structural variants are present using conventional short read genomic sequence data, even when nearby SNP alleles are known. The advantage of having a more complete map was demonstrated by analyzing the genomic sequence of BTBR mice. Based upon this analysis, knockin mice were generated and used to characterize a BTBR-unique 8-bp deletion within Draxin that contributes to the BTBR neuroanatomic abnormalities, which resemble human autism spectrum disorder. CONCLUSION A more complete map of the pattern of genetic variation among inbred strains, which is produced by long read genomic sequencing of the genomes of additional inbred strains, could facilitate genetic discovery when murine models of human diseases are analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Arslan
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305 Stanford, CA USA
| | - Zhuoqing Fang
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305 Stanford, CA USA
| | - Meiyue Wang
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305 Stanford, CA USA
| | - Yalun Tan
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305 Stanford, CA USA
| | - Zhuanfen Cheng
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305 Stanford, CA USA
| | - Xinyu Chen
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305 Stanford, CA USA
| | - Yuan Guan
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305 Stanford, CA USA
| | | | - Boyoung Yoo
- Dept. of Computer Science, Stanford School of Engineering, 94305 Stanford, CA USA
| | - Gill Bejerano
- Dept. of Computer Science, Stanford School of Engineering, 94305 Stanford, CA USA ,grid.168010.e0000000419368956Developmental Biology, Biomedical Data Science, Stanford School of Medicine, 94305 Stanford, CA USA
| | - Gary Peltz
- Department of Anesthesia, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 94305, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Higuchi Y, Tachigori SI, Arakawa H. Faded neural projection from the posterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to the lateral habenula contributes to social signaling deficit in male BTBR mice as a mouse model of autism. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 149:106004. [PMID: 36543023 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.106004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice display several behavioral characteristics, including social deficits resembling the core symptoms of human autism. Atypical social behaviors include sequential processes of assembled cognitive-behavior components, such as recognition, investigatory assessment, and signaling response. This study aimed to elucidate the neural circuits responsible for the regulation of the social signaling response, as shown by scent marking behavior in male mice. We first assessed the recognition and investigatory patterns of male BTBR mice compared to those of C57BL/6 J (B6) mice. Next, we examined their scent-marking behavior as innate social signaling responses adjusted to a confronted feature of social stimuli and situations, along with the expression of c-Fos as a marker of neuronal activity in selected brain areas involved in the regulation of social behavior. The function of the targeted brain area was confirmed by chemogenetic manipulation. We also examined the social peptides, oxytocin and vasopressin neurons of the major brain regions that are associated with the regulation of social behavior. Our data indicate that male BTBR mice are less responsive to the presentation of social stimuli and the expression of social signaling responses, which is paralleled by blunted c-Fos responsivity and vasopressin neurons morphological changes in selected brain areas, including the posterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (pBnST) and lateral habenula (LHb) in BTBR mice. Further investigation of LHb function revealed that chemogenetic inhibition and activation of LHb activity can induce a change in scent marking responses in both B6 and BTBR mice. Our elucidation of the downstream LHb circuits controlling scent marking behavior indicates intact function in BTBR mice. The altered morphological characteristics of oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and vasopressin-positive neurons and axonal projections in the pBnST and LHb appear to underlie the dysfunction of scent marking responses in BTBR mice. (300/300 words).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Higuchi
- Department of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus Graduate School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Shun-Ichi Tachigori
- Department of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus Graduate School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan.
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Mutovina A, Ayriyants K, Mezhlumyan E, Ryabushkina Y, Litvinova E, Bondar N, Khantakova J, Reshetnikov V. Unique Features of the Immune Response in BTBR Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415577. [PMID: 36555219 PMCID: PMC9779573 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation plays a considerable role in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including neurodegenerative and psychiatric ones. Elucidation of the specific features of an immune response in various model organisms, and studying the relation of these features with the behavioral phenotype, can improve the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of many psychopathologies. In this work, we focused on BTBR mice, which have a pronounced autism-like behavioral phenotype, elevated levels of oxidative-stress markers, an abnormal immune response, several structural aberrations in the brain, and other unique traits. Although some studies have already shown an abnormal immune response in BTBR mice, the existing literature data are still fragmentary. Here, we used inflammation induced by low-dose lipopolysaccharide, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid, or their combinations, in mice of strains BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) and C57BL6/J. Peripheral inflammation was assessed by means of a complete blood count, lymphocyte immunophenotyping, and expression levels of cytokines in the spleen. Neuroinflammation was evaluated in the hypothalamus and prefrontal cortex by analysis of mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor, Tnf), (interleukin-1 beta, Il-1β), and (interleukin-6, Il-6) and of markers of microglia activation (allograft inflammatory factor 1, Aif1) and astroglia activation (glial fibrillary acidic protein, Gfap). We found that in both strains of mice, the most severe inflammatory response was caused by the administration of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid, whereas the combined administration of the two toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists did not enhance this response. Nonetheless, BTBR mice showed a more pronounced response to low-dose lipopolysaccharide, an altered lymphocytosis ratio due to an increase in the number of CD4+ lymphocytes, and high expression of markers of activated microglia (Aif1) and astroglia (Gfap) in various brain regions as compared to C57BL6/J mice. Thus, in addition to research into mechanisms of autism-like behavior, BTBR mice can be used as a model of TLR3/TLR4-induced neuroinflammation and a unique model for finding and evaluating the effectiveness of various TLR antagonists aimed at reducing neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Mutovina
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics (ICG), Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Kseniya Ayriyants
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics (ICG), Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Eva Mezhlumyan
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics (ICG), Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Yulia Ryabushkina
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics (ICG), Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Litvinova
- Physical Engineering Faculty, Novosibirsk State Technical University, Prospekt Karl Marx, 20, 630073 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Natalia Bondar
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics (ICG), Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova Street 2, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Julia Khantakova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics (ICG), Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Correspondence: (J.K.); (V.R.); Tel.: +7-923-737-88-84 (J.K.); +7-913-715-06-95 (V.R.)
| | - Vasiliy Reshetnikov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics (ICG), Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Department of Biotechnology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Avenue, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Correspondence: (J.K.); (V.R.); Tel.: +7-923-737-88-84 (J.K.); +7-913-715-06-95 (V.R.)
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6
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Arslan A. Compendious survey of protein tandem repeats in inbred mouse strains. BMC Genom Data 2022; 23:62. [PMID: 35931961 PMCID: PMC9354378 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-022-01079-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) play a crucial role in genetic diseases. However, classic disease models such as inbred mice lack such genome wide data in public domain. The examination of STR alleles present in the protein coding regions (are known as protein tandem repeats or PTR) can provide additional functional layer of phenotype regulars. Motivated with this, we analysed the whole genome sequencing data from 71 different mouse strains and identified STR alleles present within the coding regions of 562 genes. Taking advantage of recently formulated protein models, we also showed that the presence of these alleles within protein 3-dimensional space, could impact the protein folding. Overall, we identified novel alleles from a large number of mouse strains and demonstrated that these alleles are of interest considering protein structure integrity and functionality within the mouse genomes. We conclude that PTR alleles have potential to influence protein functions through impacting protein structural folding and integrity.
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Sun L, Wang X, Wang X, Cui X, Li G, Wang L, Wang L, Song M, Yu L. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of autism spectrum disorder. Psychiatr Genet 2022; 32:131-145. [PMID: 35353793 DOI: 10.1097/ypg.0000000000000314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to identify differentially methylated genes and related signaling pathways in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS First, the DNA methylation profile in the brain samples (GSE131706 and GSE80017) and peripheral blood samples (GSE109905) was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO) dataset, followed by identification of differentially methylated genes and functional analysis. Second, the GSE109905 data set was used to further validate the methylation state and test the ability to diagnose disease of identified differentially methylated genes. Third, expression measurement of selected differentially methylated genes was performed in whole blood from an independent sample. Finally, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of core differentially methylated genes was constructed. RESULTS Totally, 74 differentially methylated genes were identified in ASD, including 38 hypermethylated genes and 36 hypomethylated genes. 15 differentially methylated genes were further identified after validation in the GSE109905 data set. Among these, major histocompatibility complex (HLA)-DQA1 was involved in the molecular function of myosin heavy chain class II receptor activity; HLA-DRB5 was involved in the signaling pathways of cell adhesion molecules, Epstein-Barr virus infection and antigen processing and presentation. In the PPI analysis, the interaction pairs of HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DRB5, FMN2 and ACTR3, and CALCOCO2 and BAZ2B were identified. Interestingly, FMN2, BAZ2B, HLA-DRB5, CALCOCO2 and DUSP22 had a potential diagnostic value for patients with ASD. The expression result of four differentially methylated genes (HLA-DRB5, NTM, IL16 and COL5A3) in the independent sample was consistent with the integrated analysis. CONCLUSIONS Identified differentially methylated genes and enriched signaling pathway could be associated with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Sun
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University
- Medical Department
| | - Xueyi Wang
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University
| | - Xia Wang
- Child Health Department (Psychological Behavior Department)
| | | | | | - Le Wang
- Institute of Pediatric Research, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, China
| | - Lan Wang
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University
| | - Mei Song
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University
| | - Lulu Yu
- Mental Health Center, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University
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8
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Atypical perineuronal nets in the CA2 region interfere with social memory in a mouse model of social dysfunction. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3520-3531. [PMID: 34183768 PMCID: PMC8712624 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01174-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Social memory dysfunction is an especially devastating symptom of many neuropsychiatric disorders, which makes understanding the cellular and molecular processes that contribute to such abnormalities important. Evidence suggests that the hippocampus, particularly the CA2 region, plays an important role in social memory. We sought to identify potential mechanisms of social memory dysfunction in the hippocampus by investigating features of neurons, glia, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) of BTBR mice, an inbred mouse strain with deficient social memory. The CA2 is known to receive inputs from dentate gyrus adult-born granule cells (abGCs), neurons known to participate in social memory, so we examined this cell population and found fewer abGCs, as well as fewer axons from abGCs in the CA2 of BTBR mice compared to controls. We also found that BTBR mice had fewer pyramidal cell dendritic spines, in addition to fewer microglia and astrocytes, in the CA2 compared to controls. Along with diminished neuronal and glial elements, we found atypical perineuronal nets (PNNs), specialized ECM structures that regulate plasticity, in the CA2 of BTBR mice. By diminishing PNNs in the CA2 of BTBR mice to control levels, we observed a partial restoration of social memory. Our findings suggest that the CA2 region of BTBR mice exhibits multiple cellular and extracellular abnormalities and identify atypical PNNs as one mechanism producing social memory dysfunction, although the contribution of reduced abGC afferents, pyramidal cell dendritic spine, and glial cell numbers remains unexplored.
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Vijaya Shankara J, Horsley KG, Cheng N, Rho JM, Antle MC. Circadian Responses to Light in the BTBR Mouse. J Biol Rhythms 2022; 37:498-515. [PMID: 35722987 PMCID: PMC9452857 DOI: 10.1177/07487304221102279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Animals with altered freerunning periods are valuable in understanding properties of the circadian clock. Understanding the relationship between endogenous clock properties, entrainment, and influence of light in terms of parametric and non-parametric models can help us better understand how different populations adapt to external light cycles. Many clinical populations often show significant changes in circadian properties that in turn cause sleep and circadian problems, possibly exacerbating their underlying clinical condition. BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice are a model commonly used for the study of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Adults and adolescents with ASD frequently exhibit profound sleep and circadian disruptions, including increased latency to sleep, insomnia, advanced and delayed sleep phase disorders, and sleep fragmentation. Here, we investigated the circadian phenotype of BTBR mice in freerunning and light-entrained conditions and found that this strain of mice showed noticeably short freerunning periods (~22.75 h). In addition, when compared to C57BL/6J controls, BTBR mice also showed higher levels of activity even though this activity was compressed into a shorter active phase. Phase delays and phase advances to light were significantly larger in BTBR mice. Despite the short freerunning period, BTBR mice exhibited normal entrainment in light-dark cycles and accelerated entrainment to both advanced and delayed light cycles. Their ability to entrain to skeleton photoperiods of 1 min suggests that this entrainment cannot be attributed to masking. Period differences were also correlated with differences in the number of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide–expressing cells in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Overall, the BTBR model, with their unique freerunning and entrainment properties, makes an interesting model to understand the underlying circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhenkruthi Vijaya Shankara
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Katelyn G Horsley
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Ning Cheng
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jong M Rho
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Departments of Neurosciences and Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Michael C Antle
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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10
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ERK/MAPK signalling in the developing brain: Perturbations and consequences. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:792-805. [PMID: 34634357 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular regulated kinase/microtubule-associated protein kinase (ERK/MAPK) signalling pathway transduces signals that cause an alteration in the ongoing metabolic pathways and modifies gene expression patterns; thus, influencing cellular behaviour. ERK/MAPK signalling is essential for the proper development of the nervous system from neural progenitor cells derived from the embryonic mesoderm. Several signalling molecules that regulate the well-coordinated process of neurodevelopment transduce developmental information through the ERK/MAPK signalling pathway. The ERK/MAPK is a potential novel therapeutic target in several neurodevelopmental disorders, however, despite years of study, there is still significant uncertainty about the exact mechanism by which the ERK/MAPK signalling pathway elicits specific responses in neurodevelopment. Here, we will review the evidence highlighting the role of ERK/MAPK signalling in neurodevelopment. We will also discuss the structural implication and behavioural deficits associated with perturbed ERK/MAPK signalling pathway in cortical development, whilst examining its contribution to the neuropathology of several neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Schizophrenia, Fragile X, and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
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11
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Arakawa H. Implication of the social function of excessive self-grooming behavior in BTBR T +ltpr3 tf/J mice as an idiopathic model of autism. Physiol Behav 2021; 237:113432. [PMID: 33901528 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined by two core behavioral characteristics, namely, restricted repetitive behaviors and impaired social-communicative functioning. BTBR T+ltpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice provide a valuable animal model for ASD to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these two behavioral characteristics of ASD. This study examined the social function of excessive grooming behavior in BTBR mice as a phenotype of restricted repetitive behaviors. Compared to the control C57BL/6 J (B6) strain, BTBR mice showed increased self-grooming when placed alone in a test apparatus, and this behavior was even more evident when confronted with a stimulus mouse (either B6 or BTBR) in a three-chamber test apparatus. While B6 mice tended to groom their face/snout region on the empty side of the chamber, BTBR mice showed excessive grooming with frequent transitions among grooming body regions on the side of the chamber containing a social stimulus. Acute systemic injection of buspirone,a serotonin 1A receptor agonist, as an anxiolytic, facilitated approach behavior toward social stimuli in the three-chamber setting in both B6 and BTBR mice. However, this treatment did not affect grooming behavior in B6 mice and significantly enhanced self-grooming in BTBR mice. These behaviors in BTBR mice suggest a potential signaling function of grooming in response to social stimuli, in which bodywide grooming of BTBR mice expressed in the proximity of social opponents may stimulate the release of olfactory (possibly dismissive) signals. Consequently, the putative neural mechanisms underlying excessive grooming may differ from those regulating social approaches that are associated with anxiolytic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department of Psychology, Tokiwa University, Mito, Ibaraki, Japan; Department of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Medicine, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan.
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12
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Morcom L, Edwards TJ, Rider E, Jones-Davis D, Lim JW, Chen KS, Dean RJ, Bunt J, Ye Y, Gobius I, Suárez R, Mandelstam S, Sherr EH, Richards LJ. DRAXIN regulates interhemispheric fissure remodelling to influence the extent of corpus callosum formation. eLife 2021; 10:61618. [PMID: 33945466 PMCID: PMC8137145 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Corpus callosum dysgenesis (CCD) is a congenital disorder that incorporates either partial or complete absence of the largest cerebral commissure. Remodelling of the interhemispheric fissure (IHF) provides a substrate for callosal axons to cross between hemispheres, and its failure is the main cause of complete CCD. However, it is unclear whether defects in this process could give rise to the heterogeneity of expressivity and phenotypes seen in human cases of CCD. We identify incomplete IHF remodelling as the key structural correlate for the range of callosal abnormalities in inbred and outcrossed BTBR mouse strains, as well as in humans with partial CCD. We identify an eight base-pair deletion in Draxin and misregulated astroglial and leptomeningeal proliferation as genetic and cellular factors for variable IHF remodelling and CCD in BTBR strains. These findings support a model where genetic events determine corpus callosum structure by influencing leptomeningeal-astroglial interactions at the IHF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Morcom
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Timothy J Edwards
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Eric Rider
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Institute of Human Genetics and Weill Institute of Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Dorothy Jones-Davis
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Institute of Human Genetics and Weill Institute of Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Jonathan Wc Lim
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Kok-Siong Chen
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ryan J Dean
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jens Bunt
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Yunan Ye
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ilan Gobius
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Rodrigo Suárez
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Simone Mandelstam
- Department of Radiology, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
| | - Elliott H Sherr
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Institute of Human Genetics and Weill Institute of Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Linda J Richards
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Australia
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Kosaraju J, Seegobin M, Gouveia A, Syal C, Sarma SN, Lu KJ, Ilin J, He L, Wondisford FE, Lagace D, De Repentigny Y, Kothary R, Wang J. Metformin promotes CNS remyelination and improves social interaction following focal demyelination through CBP Ser436 phosphorylation. Exp Neurol 2020; 334:113454. [PMID: 32877653 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with demyelinating diseases often experience difficulties during social interactions that are not well studied in preclinical models. Here, we describe a novel juvenile focal corpus callosum demyelination murine model exhibiting a social interaction deficit. Using this preclinical murine demyelination model, we discover that application of metformin, an FDA-approved drug, in this model promotes oligodendrocyte regeneration and remyelination and improves the social interaction. This beneficial effect of metformin acts through stimulating Ser436 phosphorylation in CBP, a histone acetyltransferase. In addition, we found that metformin acts through two distinct molecular pathways to enhance oligodendrocyte precursor (OPC) proliferation and differentiation, respectively. Metformin enhances OPC proliferation through early-stage autophagy inhibition, while metformin promotes OPC differentiation into mature oligodendrocytes through activating CBP Ser436 phosphorylation. In summary, we identify that metformin is a promising remyelinating agent to improve juvenile demyelination-associated social interaction deficits by promoting oligodendrocyte regeneration and remyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayasankar Kosaraju
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Matthew Seegobin
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Ayden Gouveia
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Charvi Syal
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Sailendra Nath Sarma
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Kevin Jiaqi Lu
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Julius Ilin
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Ling He
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical School, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Fredric E Wondisford
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Diane Lagace
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Yves De Repentigny
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Rashmi Kothary
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Jing Wang
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada.
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Vogel Ciernia A, Link VM, Careaga M, LaSalle J, Ashwood P. Genetic variants drive altered epigenetic regulation of endotoxin response in BTBR macrophages. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:20-31. [PMID: 32454135 PMCID: PMC7572655 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mouse has been used as a complex genetic model of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). While the specific mechanisms underlying BTBR behavioral phenotypes are poorly understood, prior studies have implicated profound differences in innate immune system control of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Innate immune activation and elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines are also detected in blood of children with ASD. In this study, we examined how underlying BTBR genetic variants correspond to strain-specific changes in chromatin accessibility, resulting in a pro-inflammatory response specifically in BTBR bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM). In response to repeated lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatments, C57BL/6J (C57) BMDM exhibited intact endotoxin tolerance. In contrast, BTBR BMDM exhibited hyper-responsive expression of genes that were normally tolerized in C57. This failure in formation of endotoxin tolerance in BTBR was mirrored at the level of chromatin accessibility. Using ATAC-seq, we specifically identified promoter and enhancer regions with strain-specific differential chromatin accessibility both at baseline and in response to LPS. Regions with strain-specific differences in chromatin accessibility were significantly enriched for BTBR genetic variants, such that an average of 22% of the differential chromatin regions had at least one variant. Together, these results demonstrate that BTBR genetic variants contribute to altered chromatin responsiveness to endotoxin challenge resulting in hyper-responsive innate immunity in BTBR. These findings provide evidence for an interaction between complex genetic variants and differential epigenetic regulation of innate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Vogel Ciernia
- Department Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada V6T2A1, Corresponding author: Annie Vogel Ciernia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, 604-827-0752,
| | - Verena M. Link
- Metaorganism Immunity Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA 20892
| | - Milo Careaga
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, MIND Institute, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA USA 95616
| | - Janine LaSalle
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, MIND Institute, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA USA 95616
| | - Paul Ashwood
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, MIND Institute, Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA USA 95616
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Arakawa H. Somatosensorimotor and Odor Modification, Along with Serotonergic Processes Underlying the Social Deficits in BTBR T+ Itpr3 tf/J and BALB/cJ Mouse Models of Autism. Neuroscience 2020; 445:144-162. [PMID: 32061779 PMCID: PMC8078887 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a complex spectrum of disorders characterized by core behavioral deficits in social communicative behavior, which are also required for comprehensive analysis of preclinical mouse models. As animal models of the core behavioral deficits in autism, two inbred mouse strains, BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) and BALB/cJ (BALB), were compared with the standard social strain, C57BL/6J (B6), regarding a variety of behavioral factors underlying social communicative interactions, including olfactory and tactile sensory processes, social recognition abilities and behavioral expression strategies. Although both female BTBR and BALB mice can express social recognition and approach behavior depending on the stimuli they encounter, the available sensory modalities, along with modulation of the serotonergic system, differ between the two strains. BALB mice have deficits in using volatile olfactory cues and tactile information in a social context; they fail to exhibit a social approach to volatile cues and seek nonvolatile cues by exhibiting substantial sniff/contact behavior when allowed direct contact with social opponents. Systemic injection of the serotonin (5-HT1A) agonist buspirone has little effect on these social deficits, suggesting a congenitally degraded serotonergic system in BALB mice. In contrast, BTBR mice exhibit impaired body coordination and social motivation-modified olfactory signals, which are relevant to a reduced social approach. A systemic injection of the 5-HT1A agonist restored these social deficits in BTBR mice, indicating that a downregulated serotonergic system is involved in the social deficits exhibited by BTBR mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Rodent Behavioral Core Department of Research Administration, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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Dysfunctional d-aspartate metabolism in BTBR mouse model of idiopathic autism. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2020; 1868:140531. [PMID: 32853769 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2020.140531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) comprise a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by impairment in social interaction, deviance in communication, and repetitive behaviors. Dysfunctional ionotropic NMDA and AMPA receptors, and metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 activity at excitatory synapses has been recently linked to multiple forms of ASD. Despite emerging evidence showing that d-aspartate and d-serine are important neuromodulators of glutamatergic transmission, no systematic investigation on the occurrence of these D-amino acids in preclinical ASD models has been carried out. METHODS Through HPLC and qPCR analyses we investigated d-aspartate and d-serine metabolism in the brain and serum of four ASD mouse models. These include BTBR mice, an idiopathic model of ASD, and Cntnap2-/-, Shank3-/-, and 16p11.2+/- mice, three established genetic mouse lines recapitulating high confidence ASD-associated mutations. RESULTS Biochemical and gene expression mapping in Cntnap2-/-, Shank3-/-, and 16p11.2+/- failed to find gross cerebral and serum alterations in d-aspartate and d-serine metabolism. Conversely, we found a striking and stereoselective increased d-aspartate content in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and serum of inbred BTBR mice. Consistent with biochemical assessments, in the same brain areas we also found a robust reduction in mRNA levels of d-aspartate oxidase, encoding the enzyme responsible for d-aspartate catabolism. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrated the presence of disrupted d-aspartate metabolism in a widely used animal model of idiopathic ASD. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Overall, this work calls for a deeper investigation of D-amino acids in the etiopathology of ASD and related developmental disorders.
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17
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Edwards TJ, Fenlon LR, Dean RJ, Bunt J, Sherr EH, Richards LJ. Altered structural connectivity networks in a mouse model of complete and partial dysgenesis of the corpus callosum. Neuroimage 2020; 217:116868. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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Kim J, Ciernia AV. Chromatin Dynamics and Genetic Variation Combine to Regulate Innate Immune Memory. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL & CELLULAR IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 11:595. [PMID: 34295572 PMCID: PMC8294664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent work by Ciernia et al. (2020) identified how genetic and epigenetic mechanisms interact to regulate innate immune memory in bone marrow derived macrophages. The authors examined the BTBR strain, a naturally occurring mouse model of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that captures the complex genetics, behavioral and immune dysregulation found in the human disorder. Immune cell cultures from the BTBR strain compared to the standard C57 showed hyper-responsive immune gene expression that was linked to altered chromatin accessibility at sites with genetic differences between the strains. Together, findings from this work demonstrated that multiple levels of gene regulation likely dictate the formation of innate immune memory and are likely disrupted in immune cells in ASD. Future work will be needed to extend these findings to immune gene regulation in the brain and how changes in immune function are related to abnormal behaviors in brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Kim
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Annie Vogel Ciernia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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19
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Changes in the Fluorescence Tracking of NaV1.6 Protein Expression in a BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J Autistic Mouse Model. Neural Plast 2019; 2019:4893103. [PMID: 31933626 PMCID: PMC6942885 DOI: 10.1155/2019/4893103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS), the site of action potential initiation in neurons, is a critical determinant of neuronal excitability. Growing evidence indicates that appropriate recruitment of the AIS macrocomplex is essential for synchronized firing. However, disruption of the AIS structure is linked to the etiology of multiple disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a condition characterized by deficits in social communication, stereotyped behaviors, and very limited interests. To date, a complete understanding of the molecular components that underlie the AIS in ASD has remained elusive. In this research, we examined the AIS structure in a BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J mouse model (BTBR), a valid model that exhibits behavioral, electrical, and molecular features of autism, and compared this to the C57BL/6J wild-type control mouse. Using Western blot studies and high-resolution confocal microscopy in the prefrontal frontal cortex (PFC), our data indicate disrupted expression of different isoforms of the voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV) at the AIS, whereas other components of AIS such as ankyrin-G and fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14) and contactin-associated protein 1 (Caspr) in BTBR were comparable to those in wild-type control mice. A Western blot assay showed that BTBR mice exhibited a marked increase in different sodium channel isoforms in the PFC compared to wild-type mice. Our results provide potential evidence for previously undescribed mechanisms that may play a role in the pathogenesis of autistic-like phenotypes in BTBR mice.
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Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been hypothesized to be a result of altered connectivity in the brain. Recent imaging studies suggest accelerated maturation of the white matter in young children with ASD, with underlying mechanisms unknown. Myelin is an integral part of the white matter and critical for connectivity; however, its role in ASD remains largely unclear. Here, we investigated myelin development in a model of idiopathic ASD, the BTBR mice. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that fiber tracts in the frontal brain of the BTBR mice had increased volume at postnatal day 6, but the difference reduced over time, reminiscent of the findings in young patients. We further identified that myelination in the frontal brain of both male and female neonatal BTBR mice was increased, associated with elevated levels of myelin basic protein. However, myelin pattern was unaltered in adult BTBR mice, revealing accelerated developmental trajectory of myelination. Consistently, we found that signaling of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) was reduced in the frontal brain of neonatal BTBR mice. However, levels of microRNA species known to regulate PDGFRα signaling and myelination were unaltered. Together, these results suggest that precocious myelination could potentially contribute to increased volume and connectivity of the white matter observed in young children with ASD.
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21
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Rhine MA, Parrott JM, Schultz MN, Kazdoba TM, Crawley JN. Hypothesis-driven investigations of diverse pharmacological targets in two mouse models of autism. Autism Res 2019; 12:401-421. [PMID: 30653853 PMCID: PMC6402976 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental syndrome diagnosed primarily by persistent deficits in social interactions and communication, unusual sensory reactivity, motor stereotypies, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests. No FDA‐approved medical treatments exist for the diagnostic symptoms of autism. Here we interrogate multiple pharmacological targets in two distinct mouse models that incorporate well‐replicated autism‐relevant behavioral phenotypes. Compounds that modify inhibitory or excitatory neurotransmission were selected to address hypotheses based on previously published biological abnormalities in each model. Shank3B is a genetic model of a mutation found in autism and Phelan‐McDermid syndrome, in which deficits in excitatory neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity have been reported. BTBR is an inbred strain model of forms of idiopathic autism in which reduced inhibitory neurotransmission and excessive mTOR signaling have been reported. The GABA‐A receptor agonist gaboxadol significantly reduced repetitive self‐grooming in three independent cohorts of BTBR. The TrkB receptor agonist 7,8‐DHF improved spatial learning in Shank3B mice, and reversed aspects of social deficits in BTBR. CX546, a positive allosteric modulator of the glutamatergic AMPA receptor, and d‐cycloserine, a partial agonist of the glycine site on the glutamatergic NMDA receptor, did not rescue aberrant behaviors in Shank3B mice. The mTOR inhibitor rapamycin did not ameliorate social deficits or repetitive behavior in BTBR mice. Comparison of positive and negative pharmacological outcomes, on multiple phenotypes, evaluated for replicability across independent cohorts, enhances the translational value of mouse models of autism for therapeutic discovery. GABA agonists present opportunities for personalized interventions to treat components of autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2019, 12: 401–421 © 2019 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary Many of the risk genes for autism impair synapses, the connections between nerve cells in the brain. A drug that reverses the synaptic effects of a mutation could offer a precision therapy. Combining pharmacological and behavioral therapies could reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life for people with autism. Here we report reductions in repetitive behavior by a GABA‐A receptor agonist, gaboxadol, and improvements in social and cognitive behaviors by a TrkB receptor agonist, in mouse models of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya A Rhine
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, 95817
| | - Jennifer M Parrott
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, 95817
| | - Maria N Schultz
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, 95817
| | - Tatiana M Kazdoba
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, 95817
| | - Jacqueline N Crawley
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, 95817
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Sgritta M, Dooling SW, Buffington SA, Momin EN, Francis MB, Britton RA, Costa-Mattioli M. Mechanisms Underlying Microbial-Mediated Changes in Social Behavior in Mouse Models of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neuron 2019; 101:246-259.e6. [PMID: 30522820 PMCID: PMC6645363 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 436] [Impact Index Per Article: 87.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Currently, there are no medications that effectively treat the core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We recently found that the bacterial species Lactobacillus (L.) reuteri reverses social deficits in maternal high-fat-diet offspring. However, whether the effect of L. reuteri on social behavior is generalizable to other ASD models and its mechanism(s) of action remains unknown. Here, we found that treatment with L. reuteri selectively rescues social deficits in genetic, environmental, and idiopathic ASD models. Interestingly, the effects of L. reuteri on social behavior are not mediated by restoring the composition of the host's gut microbiome, which is altered in all of these ASD models. Instead, L. reuteri acts in a vagus nerve-dependent manner and rescues social interaction-induced synaptic plasticity in the ventral tegmental area of ASD mice, but not in oxytocin receptor-deficient mice. Collectively, treatment with L. reuteri emerges as promising non-invasive microbial-based avenue to combat ASD-related social dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Sgritta
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sean W Dooling
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shelly A Buffington
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eric N Momin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Michael B Francis
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Robert A Britton
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mauro Costa-Mattioli
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Memory and Brain Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Molenhuis RT, Bruining H, Brandt MJV, van Soldt PE, Abu-Toamih Atamni HJ, Burbach JPH, Iraqi FA, Mott RF, Kas MJH. Modeling the quantitative nature of neurodevelopmental disorders using Collaborative Cross mice. Mol Autism 2018; 9:63. [PMID: 30559955 PMCID: PMC6293525 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0252-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Animal models for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) generally rely on a single genetic mutation on a fixed genetic background. Recent human genetic studies however indicate that a clinical diagnosis with ASDAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is almost always associated with multiple genetic fore- and background changes. The translational value of animal model studies would be greatly enhanced if genetic insults could be studied in a more quantitative framework across genetic backgrounds. Methods We used the Collaborative Cross (CC), a novel mouse genetic reference population, to investigate the quantitative genetic architecture of mouse behavioral phenotypes commonly used in animal models for NDD. Results Classical tests of social recognition and grooming phenotypes appeared insufficient for quantitative studies due to genetic dilution and limited heritability. In contrast, digging, locomotor activity, and stereotyped exploratory patterns were characterized by continuous distribution across our CC sample and also mapped to quantitative trait loci containing genes associated with corresponding phenotypes in human populations. Conclusions These findings show that the CC can move animal model studies beyond comparative single gene-single background designs, and point out which type of behavioral phenotypes are most suitable to quantify the effect of developmental etiologies across multiple genetic backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remco T. Molenhuis
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hilgo Bruining
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Myrna J. V. Brandt
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Petra E. van Soldt
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hanifa J. Abu-Toamih Atamni
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - J. Peter H. Burbach
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Fuad A. Iraqi
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Richard F. Mott
- Genetics Institute, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Martien J. H. Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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Chang Q, Yang H, Wang M, Wei H, Hu F. Role of Microtubule-Associated Protein in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neurosci Bull 2018; 34:1119-1126. [PMID: 29936584 PMCID: PMC6246838 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-018-0246-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication, along with repetitive and restrictive patterns of behaviors or interests. Normal brain development is crucial to behavior and cognition in adulthood. Abnormal brain development, such as synaptic and myelin dysfunction, is involved in the pathogenesis of ASD. Microtubules and microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are important in regulating the processes of brain development, including neuron production and synaptic formation, as well as myelination. Increasing evidence suggests that the level of MAPs are changed in autistic patients and mouse models of ASD. Here, we discuss the roles of MAPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoqiao Chang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China
| | - Hua Yang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China
| | - Hongen Wei
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China.
| | - Fengyun Hu
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China.
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Knoll AT, Jiang K, Levitt P. Quantitative trait locus mapping and analysis of heritable variation in affiliative social behavior and co-occurring traits. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 17:e12431. [PMID: 29052939 PMCID: PMC5910301 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Humans exhibit broad heterogeneity in affiliative social behavior. Twin and family studies show that individual differences in core dimensions of social behavior are heritable, yet there are knowledge gaps in understanding the underlying genetic and neurobiological mechanisms. Animal genetic reference panels (GRPs) provide a tractable strategy for examining the behavioral and genetic architecture of complex traits. Here, using males from 50 mouse strains from the BXD GRP, 4 domains of affiliative social behavior-social approach, social recognition, direct social interaction (DSI) (partner sniffing) and vocal communication-were examined in 2 widely used behavioral tasks-the 3-chamber and DSI tasks. There was continuous and broad variation in social and nonsocial traits, with moderate to high heritability of social approach sniff preference (0.31), ultrasonic vocalization (USV) count (0.39), partner sniffing (0.51), locomotor activity (0.54-0.66) and anxiety-like behavior (0.36). Principal component analysis shows that variation in social and nonsocial traits are attributable to 5 independent factors. Genome-wide mapping identified significant quantitative trait loci for USV count on chromosome (Chr) 18 and locomotor activity on Chr X, with suggestive loci and candidate quantitative trait genes identified for all traits with one notable exception-partner sniffing in the DSI task. The results show heritable variation in sociability, which is independent of variation in activity and anxiety-like traits. In addition, a highly heritable and ethological domain of affiliative sociability-partner sniffing-appears highly polygenic. These findings establish a basis for identifying functional natural variants, leading to a new understanding typical and atypical sociability.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. T. Knoll
- Program in Developmental NeurogeneticsInstitute for the Developing Mind, The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los AngelesLos AngelesCA
- Department of PediatricsKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - K. Jiang
- Department of PediatricsKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - P. Levitt
- Program in Developmental NeurogeneticsInstitute for the Developing Mind, The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los AngelesLos AngelesCA
- Department of PediatricsKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
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26
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Bove M, Ike K, Eldering A, Buwalda B, de Boer SF, Morgese MG, Schiavone S, Cuomo V, Trabace L, Kas MJ. The Visible Burrow System: A behavioral paradigm to assess sociability and social withdrawal in BTBR and C57BL/6J mice strains. Behav Brain Res 2018; 344:9-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Sharma P, Powell KL, Wlodek ME, O'Brien TJ, Gilby KL. Delayed myelination and neurodevelopment in male seizure-prone versus seizure-resistant rats. Epilepsia 2018; 59:753-764. [PMID: 29377096 DOI: 10.1111/epi.14013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Aberrant myelination and developmental delay have been reported in epilepsy. However, it is unclear whether these are linked to intrinsic mechanisms that support a predisposition toward seizures and the development of epilepsy. Thus, we compared rates of myelination and neurodevelopment in male rats selectively bred for enhanced susceptibility to kindling epileptogenesis (FAST) with male rats bred for resistance (SLOW). METHODS Myelin-specific gene expression was compared in the brainstem, cerebellum, and cerebral hemisphere of FAST and SLOW rats on postnatal days (PNDs) 5, 11, 17, 23, and 90 to determine strain-specific myelination rates. Myelin protein levels were also compared at PNDs 5 and 23 in the brainstem. Relative rates of neurodevelopment were evaluated between PNDs 5 and 21 using physical growth landmarks and neuromotor tests including righting reflex, cliff avoidance, negative geotaxis, and locomotor activity. RESULTS Myelin-specific mRNA expression was significantly down-regulated in FAST rats on PNDs 5 and 11 in all 3 brain structures, indicating relatively delayed myelination. Likewise, corresponding protein levels were significantly lower in FAST brainstem on PND 5. Developmental delay was evident in the FAST strain such that only 9% of FAST pups, compared to 81% of SLOW, had open eyes by PND 13, locomotor activity was significantly reduced between PNDs 12 and 16, and neuromotor task acquisition was delayed between PNDs 5 and 10. SIGNIFICANCE Relative delays in myelination and neurodevelopment co-occurred in the seizure-prone FAST strain in the absence of seizures. These findings suggest these symptoms are not seizure-induced and may be mechanistically linked to an underlying pathophysiology supporting a predisposition toward developing epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragati Sharma
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Kim L Powell
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Mary E Wlodek
- Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Terence J O'Brien
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Krista L Gilby
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic., Australia
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Griguoli M, Cherubini E. Early Correlated Network Activity in the Hippocampus: Its Putative Role in Shaping Neuronal Circuits. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:255. [PMID: 28878628 PMCID: PMC5572250 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Synchronized neuronal activity occurring at different developmental stages in various brain structures represents a hallmark of developmental circuits. This activity, which differs in its specific patterns among animal species may play a crucial role in de novo formation and in shaping neuronal networks. In the rodent hippocampus in vitro, the so-called giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) constitute a primordial form of neuronal synchrony preceding more organized forms of activity such as oscillations in the theta and gamma frequency range. GDPs are generated at the network level by the interaction of the neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA which, immediately after birth, exert both a depolarizing and excitatory action on their targets. GDPs are triggered by GABAergic interneurons, which in virtue of their extensive axonal branching operate as functional hubs to synchronize large ensembles of cells. Intrinsic bursting activity, driven by a persistent sodium conductance and facilitated by the low expression of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 channel subunits, responsible for IM, exerts a permissive role in GDP generation. Here, we discuss how GDPs are generated in a probabilistic way when neuronal excitability within a local circuit reaches a certain threshold and how GDP-associated calcium transients act as coincident detectors for enhancing synaptic strength at emerging GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses. We discuss the possible in vivo correlate of this activity. Finally, we debate recent data showing how, in several animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders including autism, a GDPs dysfunction is associated to morphological alterations of neuronal circuits and behavioral deficits reminiscent of those observed in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Griguoli
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) "Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini"Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Cherubini
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) "Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini"Rome, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, International School for Advanced StudiesTrieste, Italy
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Meyza KZ, Blanchard DC. The BTBR mouse model of idiopathic autism - Current view on mechanisms. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 76:99-110. [PMID: 28167097 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder, with current estimates of more than 1% of affected children across nations. The patients form a highly heterogeneous group with only the behavioral phenotype in common. The genetic heterogeneity is reflected in a plethora of animal models representing multiple mutations found in families of affected children. Despite many years of scientific effort, for the majority of cases the genetic cause remains elusive. It is therefore crucial to include well-validated models of idiopathic autism in studies searching for potential therapeutic agents. One of these models is the BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J mouse. The current review summarizes data gathered in recent research on potential molecular mechanisms responsible for the autism-like behavioral phenotype of this strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Z Meyza
- Laboratory of Emotions' Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 3 Pasteur Street, Warsaw, 02-093, Poland.
| | - D C Blanchard
- Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa,1993 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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30
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Molenhuis RT, Bruining H, Kas MJ. Modelling Autistic Features in Mice Using Quantitative Genetic Approaches. ADVANCES IN ANATOMY, EMBRYOLOGY, AND CELL BIOLOGY 2017; 224:65-84. [PMID: 28551751 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-52498-6_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Animal studies provide a unique opportunity to study the consequences of genetic variants at the behavioural level. Human studies have identified hundreds of risk genes for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that can lead to understanding on how genetic variation contributes to individual differences in social interaction and stereotyped behaviour in people with ASD. To develop rational therapeutic interventions, systematic animal model studies are needed to understand the relationships between genetic variation, pathogenic processes and the expression of autistic behaviours. Genetic and non-genetic animal model strategies are here reviewed in their propensity to study the underpinnings of behavioural trait variation. We conclude that an integration of reverse and forward genetic approaches may be essential to unravel the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remco T Molenhuis
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hilgo Bruining
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martien J Kas
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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31
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Bruinenberg VM, van der Goot E, van Vliet D, de Groot MJ, Mazzola PN, Heiner-Fokkema MR, van Faassen M, van Spronsen FJ, van der Zee EA. The Behavioral Consequence of Phenylketonuria in Mice Depends on the Genetic Background. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:233. [PMID: 28066199 PMCID: PMC5167755 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
To unravel the role of gene mutations in the healthy and the diseased state, countless studies have tried to link genotype with phenotype. However, over the years, it became clear that the strain of mice can influence these results. Nevertheless, identical gene mutations in different strains are often still considered equals. An example of this, is the research done in phenylketonuria (PKU), an inheritable metabolic disorder. In this field, a PKU mouse model (either on a BTBR or C57Bl/6 background) is often used to examine underlying mechanisms of the disease and/or new treatment strategies. Both strains have a point mutation in the gene coding for the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase which causes toxic concentrations of the amino acid phenylalanine in blood and brain, as found in PKU patients. Although the mutation is identical and therefore assumed to equally affect physiology and behavior in both strains, no studies directly compared the two genetic backgrounds to test this assumption. Therefore, this study compared the BTBR and C57Bl/6 wild-type and PKU mice on PKU-relevant amino acid- and neurotransmitter-levels and at a behavioral level. The behavioral paradigms were selected from previous literature on the PKU mouse model and address four domains, namely (1) activity levels, (2) motor performance, (3) anxiety and/or depression-like behavior, and (4) learning and memory. The results of this study showed comparable biochemical changes in phenylalanine and neurotransmitter concentrations. In contrast, clear differences in behavioral outcome between the strains in all four above-mentioned domains were found, most notably in the learning and memory domain. The outcome in this domain seem to be primarily due to factors inherent to the genetic background of the mouse and much less by differences in PKU-specific biochemical parameters in blood and brain. The difference in behavioral outcome between PKU of both strains emphasizes that the consequence of the PAH mutation is influenced by other factors than Phe levels alone. Therefore, future research should consider these differences when choosing one of the genetic strains to investigate the pathophysiological mechanism underlying PKU-related behavior, especially when combined with new treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vibeke M Bruinenberg
- Molecular Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Els van der Goot
- Molecular Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Danique van Vliet
- Department of Pediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Martijn J de Groot
- Department of Pediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Priscila N Mazzola
- Molecular Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Martijn van Faassen
- Laboratory Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Francjan J van Spronsen
- Department of Pediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Eddy A van der Zee
- Molecular Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
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Provenzano G, Corradi Z, Monsorno K, Fedrizzi T, Ricceri L, Scattoni ML, Bozzi Y. Comparative Gene Expression Analysis of Two Mouse Models of Autism: Transcriptome Profiling of the BTBR and En2 (-/-) Hippocampus. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:396. [PMID: 27610074 PMCID: PMC4996997 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by a high degree of genetic heterogeneity. Genomic studies identified common pathological processes underlying the heterogeneous clinical manifestations of ASD, and transcriptome analyses revealed that gene networks involved in synapse development, neuronal activity, and immune function are deregulated in ASD. Mouse models provide unique tools to investigate the neurobiological basis of ASD; however, a comprehensive approach to identify transcriptional abnormalities in different ASD models has never been performed. Here we used two well-recognized ASD mouse models, BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) and Engrailed-2 knockout (En2−/−), to identify conserved ASD-related molecular signatures. En2−/− mice bear a mutation within the EN2 transcription factor homeobox, while BTBR is an inbred strain with unknown genetic defects. Hippocampal RNA samples from BTBR, En2−/− and respective control (C57Bl/6J and En2+/+) adult mice were assessed for differential gene expression using microarrays. A total of 153 genes were similarly deregulated in the BTBR and En2−/− hippocampus. Mouse phenotype and gene ontology enrichment analyses were performed on BTBR and En2−/− hippocampal differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Pathways represented in both BTBR and En2−/− hippocampal DEGs included abnormal behavioral response and chemokine/MAP kinase signaling. Genes involved in abnormal function of the immune system and abnormal synaptic transmission/seizures were significantly represented among BTBR and En2−/− DEGs, respectively. Interestingly, both BTBR and En2−/− hippocampal DEGs showed a significant enrichment of ASD and schizophrenia (SCZ)-associated genes. Specific gene sets were enriched in the two models: microglial genes were significantly enriched among BTBR DEGs, whereas GABAergic/glutamatergic postsynaptic genes, FMRP-interacting genes and epilepsy-related genes were significantly enriched among En2−/− DEGs. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) performed on BTBR and En2−/− hippocampal transcriptomes together identified six modules significantly enriched in ASD-related genes. Each of these modules showed a specific enrichment profile in neuronal and glial genes, as well as in genes associated to ASD comorbidities such as epilepsy and SCZ. Our data reveal significant transcriptional similarities and differences between the BTBR and En2−/− hippocampus, indicating that transcriptome analysis of ASD mouse models may contribute to identify novel molecular targets for pharmacological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Provenzano
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropathology, Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento Trento, Italy
| | - Zelia Corradi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropathology, Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento Trento, Italy
| | - Katia Monsorno
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropathology, Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento Trento, Italy
| | - Tarcisio Fedrizzi
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento Trento, Italy
| | - Laura Ricceri
- Neurotoxicology and Neuroendocrinology Section, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
| | - Maria L Scattoni
- Neurotoxicology and Neuroendocrinology Section, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
| | - Yuri Bozzi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropathology, Centre for Integrative Biology, University of TrentoTrento, Italy; National Research Council Neuroscience InstitutePisa, Italy
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Premature changes in neuronal excitability account for hippocampal network impairment and autistic-like behavior in neonatal BTBR T+tf/J mice. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31696. [PMID: 27526668 PMCID: PMC4985660 DOI: 10.1038/srep31696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Coherent network oscillations (GDPs), generated in the immature hippocampus by the synergistic action of GABA and glutamate, both depolarizing and excitatory, play a key role in the construction of neuronal circuits. In particular, GDPs-associated calcium transients act as coincident detectors for enhancing synaptic efficacy at emerging GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses. Here, we show that, immediately after birth, in the CA3 hippocampal region of the BTBR T+tf/J mouse, an animal model of idiopathic autism, GDPs are severely impaired. This effect was associated with an increased GABAergic neurotransmission and a reduced neuronal excitability. In spite its depolarizing action on CA3 pyramidal cells (in single channel experiments EGABA was positive to Em), GABA exerted at the network level an inhibitory effect as demonstrated by isoguvacine-induced reduction of neuronal firing. We implemented a computational model in which experimental findings could be interpreted as the result of two competing effects: a reduction of the intrinsic excitability of CA3 principal cells and a reduction of the shunting activity in GABAergic interneurons projecting to principal cells. It is therefore likely that premature changes in neuronal excitability within selective hippocampal circuits of BTBR mice lead to GDPs dysfunction and behavioral deficits reminiscent of those found in autistic patients.
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Cheng N, Khanbabaei M, Murari K, Rho JM. Disruption of visual circuit formation and refinement in a mouse model of autism. Autism Res 2016; 10:212-223. [PMID: 27529416 PMCID: PMC5324550 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant connectivity is believed to contribute to the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recent neuroimaging studies have increasingly identified such impairments in patients with ASD, including alterations in sensory systems. However, the cellular substrates and molecular underpinnings of disrupted connectivity remain poorly understood. Utilizing eye‐specific segregation in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) as a model system, we investigated the formation and refinement of precise patterning of synaptic connections in the BTBR T + tf/J (BTBR) mouse model of ASD. We found that at the neonatal stage, the shape of the dLGN occupied by retinal afferents was altered in the BTBR group compared to C57BL/6J (B6) animals. Notably, the degree of overlap between the ipsi‐ and contralateral afferents was significantly greater in the BTBR mice. Moreover, these abnormalities continued into mature stage in the BTBR animals, suggesting persistent deficits rather than delayed maturation of axonal refinement. Together, these results indicate disrupted connectivity at the synaptic patterning level in the BTBR mice, suggesting that in general, altered neural circuitry may contribute to autistic behaviours seen in this animal model. In addition, these data are consistent with the notion that lower‐level, primary processing mechanisms contribute to altered visual perception in ASD. Autism Res2017, 10: 212–223. © 2016 The Authors Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Autism Research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Cheng
- Developmental Neurosciences Research Program, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Maryam Khanbabaei
- Developmental Neurosciences Research Program, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kartikeya Murari
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jong M Rho
- Departments of Pediatrics, Clinical Neurosciences, Physiology & Pharmacology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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De Felice A, Greco A, Calamandrei G, Minghetti L. Prenatal exposure to the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos enhances brain oxidative stress and prostaglandin E2 synthesis in a mouse model of idiopathic autism. J Neuroinflammation 2016; 13:149. [PMID: 27301868 PMCID: PMC4908699 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-016-0617-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are emerging as polygenic and multifactorial disorders in which complex interactions between defective genes and early exposure to environmental stressors impact on the correct neurodevelopment and brain processes. Organophosphate insecticides, among which chlorpyrifos (CPF), are widely diffused environmental toxicants associated with neurobehavioral deficits and increased risk of ASD occurrence in children. Oxidative stress and dysregulated immune responses are implicated in both organophosphate neurodevelopmental effects and ASD etiopathogenesis. BTBR T+tf/J mice, a well-studied model of idiopathic autism, show several behavioral and immunological alterations found in ASD children, and we recently showed that CPF gestational exposure strengthened some of these autistic-like traits. In the present study, we aimed at investigating whether the behavioral effects of gestational CPF administration are associated with brain increased oxidative stress and altered lipid mediator profile. METHODS Brain levels of F2-isoprostanes (15-F2t-IsoP), as index of in vivo oxidative stress, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a major arachidonic acid metabolite released by immune cells and by specific glutamatergic neuron populations mainly in cortex and hippocampus, were assessed by specific enzyme-immuno assays in brain homogenates from BTBR T+tf/J and C57Bl6/J mice, exposed during gestation to either vehicle or CPF. Measures were performed in mice of both sexes, at different postnatal stages (PNDs 1, 21, and 70). RESULTS At birth, BTBR T+tf/J mice exhibited higher baseline 15-F2t-IsoP levels as compared to C57Bl6/J mice, suggestive of greater oxidative stress processes. Gestational treatment with CPF-enhanced 15-F2t-IsoP and PGE2 levels in strain- and age-dependent manner, with 15-F2t-IsoP increased in BTBR T+tf/J mice at PNDs 1 and 21, and PGE2 elevated in BTBR T+tf/J mice at PNDs 21 and 70. At PND 21, CPF effects were sex-dependent being the increase of the two metabolites mainly associated with male mice. CPF treatment also induced a reduction of somatic growth, which reached statistical significance at PND 21. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the autistic-like BTBR T+tf/J strain is highly vulnerable to environmental stressors during gestational period. The results further support the hypothesis that oxidative stress might be the link between environmental neurotoxicants such as CPF and ASD. The increased levels of oxidative stress during early postnatal life could result in delayed and long-lasting alterations in specific pathways relevant to ASD, of which PGE2 signaling represents an important one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia De Felice
- Section of Neurotoxicology and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161, Rome, Italy
- Present address: Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Bettini 31, 38068, Rovereto (TN), Italy
| | - Anita Greco
- Section of Experimental Neurology, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Gemma Calamandrei
- Section of Neurotoxicology and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Luisa Minghetti
- Section of Experimental Neurology, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161, Rome, Italy.
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Wei H, Ma Y, Liu J, Ding C, Hu F, Yu L. Proteomic analysis of cortical brain tissue from the BTBR mouse model of autism: Evidence for changes in STOP and myelin-related proteins. Neuroscience 2016; 312:26-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2015] [Revised: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Daimon CM, Jasien JM, Wood WH, Zhang Y, Becker KG, Silverman JL, Crawley JN, Martin B, Maudsley S. Hippocampal Transcriptomic and Proteomic Alterations in the BTBR Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Physiol 2015; 6:324. [PMID: 26635614 PMCID: PMC4656818 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders of an unclear etiology, and no cure currently exists. Prior studies have demonstrated that the black and tan, brachyury (BTBR) T+ Itpr3tf/J mouse strain displays a behavioral phenotype with ASD-like features. BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J mice (referred to simply as BTBR) display deficits in social functioning, lack of communication ability, and engagement in stereotyped behavior. Despite extensive behavioral phenotypic characterization, little is known about the genes and proteins responsible for the presentation of the ASD-like phenotype in the BTBR mouse model. In this study, we employed bioinformatics techniques to gain a wide-scale understanding of the transcriptomic and proteomic changes associated with the ASD-like phenotype in BTBR mice. We found a number of genes and proteins to be significantly altered in BTBR mice compared to C57BL/6J (B6) control mice controls such as BDNF, Shank3, and ERK1, which are highly relevant to prior investigations of ASD. Furthermore, we identified distinct functional pathways altered in BTBR mice compared to B6 controls that have been previously shown to be altered in both mouse models of ASD, some human clinical populations, and have been suggested as a possible etiological mechanism of ASD, including “axon guidance” and “regulation of actin cytoskeleton.” In addition, our wide-scale bioinformatics approach also discovered several previously unidentified genes and proteins associated with the ASD phenotype in BTBR mice, such as Caskin1, suggesting that bioinformatics could be an avenue by which novel therapeutic targets for ASD are uncovered. As a result, we believe that informed use of synergistic bioinformatics applications represents an invaluable tool for elucidating the etiology of complex disorders like ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin M Daimon
- Metabolism Unit, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joan M Jasien
- Metabolism Unit, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - William H Wood
- Gene Expression and Genomics Unit, National Institutes of Health Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yongqing Zhang
- Gene Expression and Genomics Unit, National Institutes of Health Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kevin G Becker
- Gene Expression and Genomics Unit, National Institutes of Health Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jill L Silverman
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health Bethesda, MD, USA ; MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Jacqueline N Crawley
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health Bethesda, MD, USA ; MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Bronwen Martin
- Metabolism Unit, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stuart Maudsley
- Receptor Pharmacology Unit, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health Baltimore, MD, USA ; Translational Neurobiology Group, VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium ; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp Antwerpen, Belgium
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Formation of functional areas in the cerebral cortex is disrupted in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Neural Dev 2015; 10:10. [PMID: 25879444 PMCID: PMC4412039 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-015-0033-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of poorly understood behavioural disorders, which have increased in prevalence in the past two decades. Animal models offer the opportunity to understand the biological basis of these disorders. Studies comparing different mouse strains have identified the inbred BTBR T + tf/J (BTBR) strain as a mouse model of ASD based on its anti-social and repetitive behaviours. Adult BTBR mice have complete agenesis of the corpus callosum, reduced cortical thickness and changes in early neurogenesis. However, little is known about the development or ultimate organisation of cortical areas devoted to specific sensory and motor functions in these mice that may also contribute to their behavioural phenotype. Results In this study, we performed diffusion tensor imaging and tractography, together with histological analyses to investigate the emergence of functional areas in the cerebral cortex and their connections in BTBR mice and age-matched C57Bl/6 control mice. We found evidence that neither the anterior commissure nor the hippocampal commissure compensate for the loss of callosal connections, indicating that no interhemispheric neocortical connectivity is present in BTBR mice. We also found that both the primary visual and somatosensory cortical areas are shifted medially in BTBR mice compared to controls and that cortical thickness is differentially altered in BTBR mice between cortical areas and throughout development. Conclusions We demonstrate that interhemispheric connectivity and cortical area formation are altered in an age- and region-specific manner in BTBR mice, which may contribute to the behavioural deficits previously observed in this strain. Some of these developmental patterns of change are also present in human ASD patients, and elucidating the aetiology driving cortical changes in BTBR mice may therefore help to increase our understanding of this disorder. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13064-015-0033-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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De Felice A, Scattoni ML, Ricceri L, Calamandrei G. Prenatal exposure to a common organophosphate insecticide delays motor development in a mouse model of idiopathic autism. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121663. [PMID: 25803479 PMCID: PMC4372449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders are characterized by impaired social and communicative skills and repetitive behaviors. Emerging evidence supported the hypothesis that these neurodevelopmental disorders may result from a combination of genetic susceptibility and exposure to environmental toxins in early developmental phases. This study assessed the effects of prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos (CPF), a widely diffused organophosphate insecticide endowed with developmental neurotoxicity at sub-toxic doses, in the BTBR T+tf/J mouse strain, a validated model of idiopathic autism that displays several behavioral traits relevant to the autism spectrum. To this aim, pregnant BTBR mice were administered from gestational day 14 to 17 with either vehicle or CPF at a dose of 6 mg/kg/bw by oral gavages. Offspring of both sexes underwent assessment of early developmental milestones, including somatic growth, motor behavior and ultrasound vocalization. To evaluate the potential long-term effects of CPF, two different social behavior patterns typically altered in the BTBR strain (free social interaction with a same-sex companion in females, or interaction with a sexually receptive female in males) were also examined in the two sexes at adulthood. Our findings indicate significant effects of CPF on somatic growth and neonatal motor patterns. CPF treated pups showed reduced weight gain, delayed motor maturation (i.e., persistency of immature patterns such as pivoting at the expenses of coordinated locomotion) and a trend to enhanced ultrasound vocalization. At adulthood, CPF associated alterations were found in males only: the altered pattern of investigation of a sexual partner, previously described in BTBR mice, was enhanced in CPF males, and associated to increased ultrasonic vocalization rate. These findings strengthen the need of future studies to evaluate the role of environmental chemicals in the etiology of neurodevelopment disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia De Felice
- Section of Neurotoxicology and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “Vittorio Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Scattoni
- Section of Neurotoxicology and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Ricceri
- Section of Neurotoxicology and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Gemma Calamandrei
- Section of Neurotoxicology and Neuroendocrinology, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Wöhr M. Effect of social odor context on the emission of isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations in the BTBR T+tf/J mouse model for autism. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:73. [PMID: 25852455 PMCID: PMC4364166 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
An important diagnostic criterion for social communication deficits in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are difficulties in adjusting behavior to suit different social contexts. While the BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) inbred strain of mice is one of the most commonly used mouse models for ASD, little is known about whether BTBR mice display deficits in detecting changes in social context and their ability to adjust to them. Here, it was tested therefore whether the emission of isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) in BTBR mouse pups is affected by the social odor context, in comparison to the standard control strain with high sociability, C57BL/6J (B6). It is known that the presence of odors from mothers and littermates leads to a calming of the isolated mouse pup, and hence to a reduction in isolation-induced USV emission. In accordance with their behavioral phenotypes with relevance to all diagnostic core symptoms of ASD, it was predicted that BTBR mouse pups would not display a calming response when tested under soiled bedding conditions with home cage bedding material containing maternal odors, and that similar isolation-induced USV emission rates would be seen in BTBR mice tested under clean and soiled bedding conditions. Unexpectedly, however, the present findings show that BTBR mouse pups display such a calming response and emit fewer isolation-induced USV when tested under soiled as compared to clean bedding conditions, similar to B6 mouse pups. Yet, in contrast to B6 mouse pups, which emitted isolation-induced USV with shorter call durations and lower levels of frequency modulation under soiled bedding conditions, social odor context had no effect on acoustic call features in BTBR mouse pups. This indicates that the BTBR mouse model for ASD does not display deficits in detecting changes in social context, but has a limited ability and/or reduced motivation to adjust to them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Wöhr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Physiological Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg Marburg, Germany
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Möhler H. The legacy of the benzodiazepine receptor: from flumazenil to enhancing cognition in Down syndrome and social interaction in autism. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2014; 72:1-36. [PMID: 25600365 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The study of the psychopharmacology of benzodiazepines continues to provide new insights into diverse brain functions related to vigilance, anxiety, mood, epileptiform activity, schizophrenia, cognitive performance, and autism-related social behavior. In this endeavor, the discovery of the benzodiazepine receptor was a key event, as it supplied the primary benzodiazepine drug-target site, provided the molecular link to the allosteric modulation of GABAA receptors and, following the recognition of GABAA receptor subtypes, furnished the platform for future, more selective drug actions. This review has two parts. In a retrospective first part, it acknowledges the contributions to the field made by my collaborators over the years, initially at Hoffmann-La Roche in Basle and later, in academia, at the University and the ETH of Zurich. In the second part, the new frontier of GABA pharmacology, targeting GABAA receptor subtypes, is reviewed with special focus on nonsedative anxiolytics, antidepressants, analgesics, as well as enhancers of cognition in Down syndrome and attenuators of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. It is encouraging that a clinical trial has been initiated with a partial inverse agonist acting on α5 GABAA receptors in an attempt to alleviate the cognitive deficits in Down syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanns Möhler
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland.
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Faridar A, Jones-Davis D, Rider E, Li J, Gobius I, Morcom L, Richards LJ, Sen S, Sherr EH. Mapk/Erk activation in an animal model of social deficits shows a possible link to autism. Mol Autism 2014; 5:57. [PMID: 25874073 PMCID: PMC4396809 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-5-57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There is converging preclinical and clinical evidence to suggest that the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway may be dysregulated in autism spectrum disorders. Method We evaluated Mapk/Erk1/2, cellular proliferation and apoptosis in BTBR mice, as a preclinical model of Autism. We had previously generated 410 F2 mice from the cross of BTBR with B6. At that time, six different social behaviors in all F2 mice were evaluated and scored. In this study, eight mice at each extreme of the social behavioral spectrum were selected and the expression and activity levels of Mapk/Erk in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum of these mice were compared. Finally, we compared the Mapk/Erk signaling pathway in brain and lymphocytes of the same mice, testing for correlation in the degree of kinase activation across these separate tissues. Results Levels of phosphorylated Erk (p-Erk) were significantly increased in the brains of BTBR versus control mice. We also observed a significant association between juvenile social behavior and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (p-Mek) and p-Erk levels in the prefrontal cortex but not in the cerebellum. In contrast, we did not find a significant association between social behavior and total protein levels of either Mek or Erk. We also tested whether steady-state levels of Erk activation in the cerebral cortex in individual animals correlated with levels of Erk activation in lymphocytes, finding a significant relationship for this signaling pathway. Conclusion These observations suggest that dysregulation of the ERK signaling pathway may be an important mediator of social behavior, and that measuring activation of this pathway in peripheral lymphocytes may serve as a surrogate marker for central nervous system (CNS) ERK activity, and possibly autistic behavior. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2040-2392-5-57) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Faridar
- Department of Neurology, University of California, 675 Nelson Rising Way, Suite 214B, San Francisco, CA 94158 USA ; Methodist Neurological Institute, 6550 Fannin St, Houston Texas, 77030 USA
| | - Dorothy Jones-Davis
- Department of Neurology, University of California, 675 Nelson Rising Way, Suite 214B, San Francisco, CA 94158 USA
| | - Eric Rider
- Department of Neurology, University of California, 675 Nelson Rising Way, Suite 214B, San Francisco, CA 94158 USA
| | - Jiang Li
- Department of Neurology, University of California, 675 Nelson Rising Way, Suite 214B, San Francisco, CA 94158 USA
| | - Ilan Gobius
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Australia
| | - Laura Morcom
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Australia
| | - Linda J Richards
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 Australia ; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Saunak Sen
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, 550 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158 USA
| | - Elliott H Sherr
- Department of Neurology, University of California, 675 Nelson Rising Way, Suite 214B, San Francisco, CA 94158 USA
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Altered functional connectivity networks in acallosal and socially impaired BTBR mice. Brain Struct Funct 2014; 221:941-54. [PMID: 25445840 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0948-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) is a congenital condition associated with wide-ranging emotional and social impairments often overlapping with the diagnostic criteria for autism. Mapping functional connectivity in the acallosal brain can help identify neural correlates of the deficits associated with this condition, and elucidate how congenital white matter alterations shape the topology of large-scale functional networks. By using resting-state BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI), here we show that acallosal BTBR T+tpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice, an idiopathic model of autism, exhibit impaired intra-hemispheric connectivity in fronto-cortical, but not in posterior sensory cortical areas. We also document profoundly altered subcortical and intra-hemispheric connectivity networks, with evidence of marked fronto-thalamic and striatal disconnectivity, along with aberrant spatial extension and strength of ipsilateral and local connectivity. Importantly, inter-hemispheric tracing of monosynaptic connections in the primary visual cortex using recombinant rabies virus confirmed the absence of direct homotopic pathways between posterior cortical areas of BTBR mice, suggesting a polysynaptic origin for the synchronous rsfMRI signal observed in these regions. Collectively, the observed long-range connectivity impairments recapitulate hallmark neuroimaging findings in autism, and are consistent with the behavioral phenotype of BTBR mice. In contrast to recent rsfMRI studies in high functioning AgCC individuals, the profound fronto-cortical and subcortical disconnectivity mapped suggest that compensatory mechanism may not necessarily restore the full connectional topology of the brain, resulting in residual connectivity alterations that serve as plausible substrates for the cognitive and emotional deficits often associated with AgCC.
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Han S, Tai C, Jones CJ, Scheuer T, Catterall WA. Enhancement of inhibitory neurotransmission by GABAA receptors having α2,3-subunits ameliorates behavioral deficits in a mouse model of autism. Neuron 2014; 81:1282-1289. [PMID: 24656250 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may arise from increased ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurotransmission in the brain. Many pharmacological treatments have been tested in ASD, but only limited success has been achieved. Here we report that BTBR T(+)Itpr3(tf)/J (BTBR) mice, a model of idiopathic autism, have reduced spontaneous GABAergic neurotransmission. Treatment with low nonsedating/nonanxiolytic doses of benzodiazepines, which increase inhibitory neurotransmission through positive allosteric modulation of postsynaptic GABAA receptors, improved deficits in social interaction, repetitive behavior, and spatial learning. Moreover, negative allosteric modulation of GABAA receptors impaired social behavior in C57BL/6J and 129SvJ wild-type mice, suggesting that reduced inhibitory neurotransmission may contribute to social and cognitive deficits. The dramatic behavioral improvement after low-dose benzodiazepine treatment was subunit specific-the α2,3-subunit-selective positive allosteric modulator L-838,417 was effective, but the α1-subunit-selective drug zolpidem exacerbated social deficits. Impaired GABAergic neurotransmission may contribute to ASD, and α2,3-subunit-selective positive GABAA receptor modulation may be an effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Han
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280, USA
| | - Chao Tai
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280, USA
| | - Christina J Jones
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280, USA
| | - Todd Scheuer
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280, USA
| | - William A Catterall
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280, USA.
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Yin A, Qiu Y, Jia B, Song T, Yu Y, Alberts I, Zhong M. The developmental pattern of the RAS/RAF/Erk1/2 pathway in the BTBR autism mouse model. Int J Dev Neurosci 2014; 39:2-8. [PMID: 24631207 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2014.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2013] [Revised: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BTBR mice exhibit several autistic-like behaviors and are currently used as a model for understanding mechanisms that may be responsible for the pathogenesis of autism. Ras/Raf/ERK1/2 signaling has been suggested to play an important role in neural development, learning, memory, and cognition. Two studies reported that a deletion of a locus on chromosome 16 containing the mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3) gene, which encodes ERK1, is associated with autism. In the present study, Ras/Raf/ERK1/2 signaling was found to be up-regulated in BTBR mice relative to matched control B6 mice, to further suggest involvement in the pathogenesis of autism. To further characterize the developmental pattern of Ras/Raf/ERK1/2 signaling, varying stages during development were sampled to reveal an up-regulation in newborn and 2-week old BTBR mice relative to age-matched B6 mice. By the age of 3-week, Ras/Raf/ERK1/2 signaling in the brain of BTBR mice was unaltered relative to B6 mice, with this trend maintained in 6-week samples. These results suggest that the alteration of Ras/Raf/ERK signaling in the early developmental stages in mice could contribute to the noted autistic phenotype. Furthermore, these findings support the value of BTBR mice to serve as a human analog for autistic etiological research and aid in a better understanding of the developmental mechanisms of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailan Yin
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China; Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuwen Qiu
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bei Jia
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tianrong Song
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanhong Yu
- Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ian Alberts
- Department of Natural Sciences, LarGuardia CC, CUNY, NY, NY 11101, USA
| | - Mei Zhong
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
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Silverman JL, Gastrell PT, Karras MN, Solomon M, Crawley JN. Cognitive abilities on transitive inference using a novel touchscreen technology for mice. Cereb Cortex 2013; 25:1133-42. [PMID: 24293564 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bht293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive abilities are impaired in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia. Preclinical models with strong endophenotypes relevant to cognitive dysfunctions offer a valuable resource for therapeutic development. However, improved assays to test higher order cognition are needed. We employed touchscreen technology to design a complex transitive inference (TI) assay that requires cognitive flexibility and relational learning. C57BL/6J (B6) mice with good cognitive skills and BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR), a model of ASD with cognitive deficits, were evaluated in simple and complex touchscreen assays. Both B6 and BTBR acquired visual discrimination and reversal. BTBR displayed deficits on components of TI, when 4 stimuli pairs were interspersed, which required flexible integrated knowledge. BTBR displayed impairment on the A > E inference, analogous to the A > E deficit in ASD. B6 and BTBR mice both reached criterion on the B > D comparison, unlike the B > D impairment in schizophrenia. These results demonstrate that mice are capable of complex discriminations and higher order tasks using methods and equipment paralleling those used in humans. Our discovery that a mouse model of ASD displays a TI deficit similar to humans with ASD supports the use of the touchscreen technology for complex cognitive tasks in mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Silverman
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20892-3730, USA
| | - P T Gastrell
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20892-3730, USA
| | - M N Karras
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20892-3730, USA
| | - M Solomon
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA Imaging Research Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - J N Crawley
- MIND Institute, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD 20892-3730, USA
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