1
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LaCoursiere CM, Ullmann JF, Koh HY, Turner L, Baker CM, Robens B, Shao W, Rotenberg A, McGraw CM, Poduri AH. Zebrafish models of candidate human epilepsy-associated genes provide evidence of hyperexcitability. iScience 2024; 27:110172. [PMID: 39021799 PMCID: PMC11253282 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Hundreds of novel candidate human epilepsy-associated genes have been identified thanks to advancements in next-generation sequencing and large genome-wide association studies, but establishing genetic etiology requires functional validation. We generated a list of >2,200 candidate epilepsy-associated genes, of which 48 were developed into stable loss-of-function (LOF) zebrafish models. Of those 48, evidence of seizure-like behavior was present in 5 (arfgef1, kcnd2, kcnv1, ubr5, and wnt8b). Further characterization provided evidence for epileptiform activity via electrophysiology in kcnd2 and wnt8b mutants. Additionally, arfgef1 and wnt8b mutants showed a decrease in the number of inhibitory interneurons in the optic tectum of larval animals. Further, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed convergent transcriptional abnormalities between mutant lines, consistent with their developmental defects and hyperexcitable phenotypes. These zebrafish models provide strongest experimental evidence supporting the role of ARFGEF1, KCND2, and WNT8B in human epilepsy and further demonstrate the utility of this model system for evaluating candidate human epilepsy genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Mark LaCoursiere
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jeremy F.P. Ullmann
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hyun Yong Koh
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Departments of Neuroscience and Pediatrics, Division of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, BCM, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Laura Turner
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Cristina M. Baker
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Barbara Robens
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wanqing Shao
- Research Computing, Department of Information Technology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexander Rotenberg
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Christopher M. McGraw
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Annapurna H. Poduri
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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2
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Marchese M, Bernardi S, Ogi A, Licitra R, Silvi G, Mero S, Galatolo D, Gammaldi N, Doccini S, Ratto GM, Rapposelli S, Neuhauss SCF, Zang J, Rocchiccioli S, Michelucci E, Ceccherini E, Santorelli FM. Targeting autophagy impairment improves the phenotype of a novel CLN8 zebrafish model. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 197:106536. [PMID: 38763444 PMCID: PMC11163972 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106536] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
CLN8 is an endoplasmic reticulum cargo receptor and a regulator of lysosome biogenesis whose loss of function leads to neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. CLN8 has been linked to autophagy and lipid metabolism, but much remains to be learned, and there are no therapies acting on the molecular signatures in this disorder. The present study aims to characterize the molecular pathways involved in CLN8 disease and, by pinpointing altered ones, to identify potential therapies. To bridge the gap between cell and mammalian models, we generated a new zebrafish model of CLN8 deficiency, which recapitulates the pathological features of the disease. We observed, for the first time, that CLN8 dysfunction impairs autophagy. Using autophagy modulators, we showed that trehalose and SG2 are able to attenuate the pathological phenotype in mutant larvae, confirming autophagy impairment as a secondary event in disease progression. Overall, our successful modeling of CLN8 defects in zebrafish highlights this novel in vivo model's strong potential as an instrument for exploring the role of CLN8 dysfunction in cellular pathways, with a view to identifying small molecules to treat this rare disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Marchese
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Sara Bernardi
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy; Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Asahi Ogi
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rosario Licitra
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giada Silvi
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Serena Mero
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Daniele Galatolo
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Nicola Gammaldi
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy; Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Stefano Doccini
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gian Michele Ratto
- National Enterprise for NanoScience and NanoTechnology (NEST), Istituto Nanoscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) and Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Stephan C F Neuhauss
- University of Zurich, Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jingjing Zang
- University of Zurich, Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Elena Michelucci
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy; Institute of Chemistry of Organometallic Compounds, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisa Ceccherini
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo M Santorelli
- Department of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy.
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3
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Guiberson NGL, Black LS, Haller JE, Brukner A, Abramov D, Ahmad S, Xie YX, Sharma M, Burré J. Disease-linked mutations in Munc18-1 deplete synaptic Doc2. Brain 2024; 147:2185-2202. [PMID: 38242640 PMCID: PMC11146428 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous de novo mutations in the neuronal protein Munc18-1/STXBP1 cause syndromic neurological symptoms, including severe epilepsy, intellectual disability, developmental delay, ataxia and tremor, summarized as STXBP1 encephalopathies. Although haploinsufficiency is the prevailing disease mechanism, it remains unclear how the reduction in Munc18-1 levels causes synaptic dysfunction in disease as well as how haploinsufficiency alone can account for the significant heterogeneity among patients in terms of the presence, onset and severity of different symptoms. Using biochemical and cell biological readouts on mouse brains, cultured mouse neurons and heterologous cells, we found that the synaptic Munc18-1 interactors Doc2A and Doc2B are unstable in the absence of Munc18-1 and aggregate in the presence of disease-causing Munc18-1 mutants. In haploinsufficiency-mimicking heterozygous knockout neurons, we found a reduction in Doc2A/B levels that is further aggravated by the presence of the disease-causing Munc18-1 mutation G544D as well as an impairment in Doc2A/B synaptic targeting in both genotypes. We also demonstrated that overexpression of Doc2A/B partially rescues synaptic dysfunction in heterozygous knockout neurons but not heterozygous knockout neurons expressing G544D Munc18-1. Our data demonstrate that STXBP1 encephalopathies are not only characterized by the dysfunction of Munc18-1 but also by the dysfunction of the Munc18-1 binding partners Doc2A and Doc2B, and that this dysfunction is exacerbated by the presence of a Munc18-1 missense mutant. These findings may offer a novel explanation for the significant heterogeneity in symptoms observed among STXBP1 encephalopathy patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Guy Lewis Guiberson
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Luca S Black
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Jillian E Haller
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Aniv Brukner
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Debra Abramov
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Saad Ahmad
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Yan Xin Xie
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Manu Sharma
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Jacqueline Burré
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
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4
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Kim JH, Chen W, Chao ES, Rivera A, Kaku HN, Jiang K, Lee D, Chen H, Vega JM, Chin TV, Jin K, Nguyen KT, Zou SS, Moin Z, Nguyen S, Xue 薛名杉 M. GABAergic/Glycinergic and Glutamatergic Neurons Mediate Distinct Neurodevelopmental Phenotypes of STXBP1 Encephalopathy. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1806232024. [PMID: 38360746 PMCID: PMC10993039 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1806-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of pathogenic variants in presynaptic proteins involved in the synaptic vesicle cycle are being discovered in neurodevelopmental disorders. The clinical features of these synaptic vesicle cycle disorders are diverse, but the most prevalent phenotypes include intellectual disability, epilepsy, movement disorders, cerebral visual impairment, and psychiatric symptoms ( Verhage and Sørensen, 2020; Bonnycastle et al., 2021; John et al., 2021; Melland et al., 2021). Among this growing list of synaptic vesicle cycle disorders, the most frequent is STXBP1 encephalopathy caused by de novo heterozygous pathogenic variants in syntaxin-binding protein 1 (STXBP1, also known as MUNC18-1; Verhage and Sørensen, 2020; John et al., 2021). STXBP1 is an essential protein for presynaptic neurotransmitter release. Its haploinsufficiency is the main disease mechanism and impairs both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter release. However, the disease pathogenesis and cellular origins of the broad spectrum of neurological phenotypes are poorly understood. Here we generate cell type-specific Stxbp1 haploinsufficient male and female mice and show that Stxbp1 haploinsufficiency in GABAergic/glycinergic neurons causes developmental delay, epilepsy, and motor, cognitive, and psychiatric deficits, recapitulating majority of the phenotypes observed in the constitutive Stxbp1 haploinsufficient mice and STXBP1 encephalopathy. In contrast, Stxbp1 haploinsufficiency in glutamatergic neurons results in a small subset of cognitive and seizure phenotypes distinct from those caused by Stxbp1 haploinsufficiency in GABAergic/glycinergic neurons. Thus, the contrasting roles of excitatory and inhibitory signaling reveal GABAergic/glycinergic dysfunction as a key disease mechanism of STXBP1 encephalopathy and suggest the possibility to selectively modulate disease phenotypes by targeting specific neurotransmitter systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo Hyun Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Wu Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Eugene S Chao
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Armando Rivera
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Heet Naresh Kaku
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kevin Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Dongwon Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Hongmei Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Jaimie M Vega
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Teresa V Chin
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kevin Jin
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kelly T Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Sheldon S Zou
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Zain Moin
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Shawn Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Mingshan Xue 薛名杉
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
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5
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Ilyin NP, Petersen EV, Kolesnikova TO, Demin KA, Khatsko SL, Apuhtin KV, Kalueff AV. Developing Peripheral Biochemical Biomarkers of Brain Disorders: Insights from Zebrafish Models. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2024; 89:377-391. [PMID: 38622104 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297924020160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
High prevalence of human brain disorders necessitates development of the reliable peripheral biomarkers as diagnostic and disease-monitoring tools. In addition to clinical studies, animal models markedly advance studying of non-brain abnormalities associated with brain pathogenesis. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is becoming increasingly popular as an animal model organism in translational neuroscience. These fish share some practical advantages over mammalian models together with high genetic homology and evolutionarily conserved biochemical and neurobehavioral phenotypes, thus enabling large-scale modeling of human brain diseases. Here, we review mounting evidence on peripheral biomarkers of brain disorders in zebrafish models, focusing on altered biochemistry (lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, and other non-signal molecules, as well as metabolic reactions and activity of enzymes). Collectively, these data strongly support the utility of zebrafish (from a systems biology standpoint) to study peripheral manifestations of brain disorders, as well as highlight potential applications of biochemical biomarkers in zebrafish models to biomarker-based drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita P Ilyin
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
| | - Elena V Petersen
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, 115184, Russia.
| | - Tatyana O Kolesnikova
- Neuroscience Program, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, 354340, Russia.
| | - Konstantin A Demin
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, 115184, Russia
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, 197341, Russia
- Laboratory of Preclinical Bioscreening, Granov Russian Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Pesochny, 197758, Russia
| | | | - Kirill V Apuhtin
- Laboratory of Biopsychiatry, Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Novosibirsk, 630117, Russia.
- Neuroscience Division, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius Federal Territory, 354340, Russia
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, 197341, Russia
- Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, 620002, Russia
- Laboratory of Biopsychiatry, Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Novosibirsk, 630117, Russia
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6
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Goss JR, Prosser B, Helbig I, Son Rigby C. STXBP1: fast-forward to a brighter future - a patient organization perspective. THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES IN RARE DISEASE 2024; 5:26330040241257221. [PMID: 38898886 PMCID: PMC11186390 DOI: 10.1177/26330040241257221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Syntaxin-binding protein 1 related disorder (STXBP1-RD) is a rare neurologic disorder associated with global neurodevelopmental delay, intellectual disability, early-onset epilepsy, motor abnormalities, and autism. The underlying pathophysiology stems from a de novo mutation in the STXBP1 gene, which codes for the STXBP1 protein. The STXBP1 protein is involved in synaptic vesicle fusion and neurotransmitter release. Pathogenic variants in the STXBP1 gene generally result in haploinsufficiency, an impairment in neurotransmitter release, and subsequent dysfunction in neuronal communication. The STXBP1 Foundation was founded in 2017 to support families of children with STXBP1-RD and accelerate the development of effective therapies and, ultimately, a cure for the disorder. The Foundation initially supported research aimed at better understanding the complex phenotypic presentation of the disease as well as the development of animal and cellular models usable by the research community to more fully characterize STXBP1 function and disease pathogenicity. In 2023, the Foundation embarked on its STXBP1 Fast Forward Strategic Plan, which includes a prospective natural history study and substantive biomarker work to drive forward the development of new precision therapies for STXBP1-RD.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R. Goss
- STXBP1 Foundation, PO Box 1148, Holly Springs, NC 27540, USA
| | - Benjamin Prosser
- Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ENDD), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ingo Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ENDD), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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7
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Freibauer A, Wohlleben M, Boelman C. STXBP1-Related Disorders: Clinical Presentation, Molecular Function, Treatment, and Future Directions. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2179. [PMID: 38137001 PMCID: PMC10742812 DOI: 10.3390/genes14122179] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the affordability and availability of genetic testing have led to its increased use in clinical care. The increased frequency of testing has led to STXBP1 variants being identified as one of the more common variants associated with neurological disorders. In this review, we aim to summarize the common clinical phenotypes associated with STXBP1 pathogenic variants, provide an overview of their known natural history, and discuss current research into the genotype to phenotype correlation. We will also provide an overview of the suspected normal function of the STXBP1-encoded Munc18-1 protein, animal models, and experimental techniques that have been developed to study its function and use this information to try to explain the diverse phenotypes associated with STXBP1-related disorders. Finally, we will explore current therapies for STXBP1 disorders, including an overview of treatment goals for STXBP1-related disorders, a discussion of the current evidence for therapies, and future directions of personalized medications for STXBP1-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Freibauer
- Division of Neurology, BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada;
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Mikayla Wohlleben
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Cyrus Boelman
- Division of Neurology, BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada;
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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8
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Vinci M, Costanza C, Galati Rando R, Treccarichi S, Saccone S, Carotenuto M, Roccella M, Calì F, Elia M, Vetri L. STXBP6 Gene Mutation: A New Form of SNAREopathy Leads to Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16436. [PMID: 38003627 PMCID: PMC10670990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Syntaxin-binding protein 6 (STXBP6), also known as amysin, is an essential component of the SNAP receptor (SNARE) complex and plays a crucial role in neuronal vesicle trafficking. Mutations in genes encoding SNARE proteins are often associated with a broad spectrum of neurological conditions defined as "SNAREopathies", including epilepsy, intellectual disability, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders. The present whole exome sequencing (WES) study describes, for the first time, the occurrence of developmental epileptic encephalopathy and autism spectrum disorders as a result of a de novo deletion within the STXBP6 gene. The truncated protein in the STXBP6 gene leading to a premature stop codon could negatively modulate the synaptic vesicles' exocytosis. Our research aimed to elucidate a plausible, robust correlation between STXBP6 gene deletion and the manifestation of developmental epileptic encephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirella Vinci
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy; (M.V.); (R.G.R.); (S.T.); (M.E.); (L.V.)
| | - Carola Costanza
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90141 Palermo, Italy; (C.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Rosanna Galati Rando
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy; (M.V.); (R.G.R.); (S.T.); (M.E.); (L.V.)
| | - Simone Treccarichi
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy; (M.V.); (R.G.R.); (S.T.); (M.E.); (L.V.)
| | - Salvatore Saccone
- Department Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy;
| | - Marco Carotenuto
- Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Michele Roccella
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90141 Palermo, Italy; (C.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Francesco Calì
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy; (M.V.); (R.G.R.); (S.T.); (M.E.); (L.V.)
| | - Maurizio Elia
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy; (M.V.); (R.G.R.); (S.T.); (M.E.); (L.V.)
| | - Luigi Vetri
- Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, 94018 Troina, Italy; (M.V.); (R.G.R.); (S.T.); (M.E.); (L.V.)
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9
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Maffioli E, Nonnis S, Grassi Scalvini F, Negri A, Tedeschi G, Toni M. The Neurotoxic Effect of Environmental Temperature Variation in Adult Zebrafish ( Danio rerio). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15735. [PMID: 37958719 PMCID: PMC10648238 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotoxicity consists of the altered functionality of the nervous system caused by exposure to chemical agents or altered chemical-physical parameters. The neurotoxic effect can be evaluated from the molecular to the behavioural level. The zebrafish Danio rerio is a model organism used in many research fields, including ecotoxicology and neurotoxicology. Recent studies by our research group have demonstrated that the exposure of adult zebrafish to low (18 °C) or high (34 °C) temperatures alters their brain proteome and fish behaviour compared to control (26 °C). These results showed that thermal variation alters the functionality of the nervous system, suggesting a temperature-induced neurotoxic effect. To demonstrate that temperature variation can be counted among the factors that generate neurotoxicity, eight different protein datasets, previously published by our research group, were subjected to new analyses using an integrated proteomic approach by means of the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software (Release December 2022). The datasets consist of brain proteome analyses of wild type adult zebrafish kept at three different temperatures (18 °C, 26 °C, and 34 °C) for 4 days (acute) or 21 days (chronic treatment), and of BDNF+/- and BDNF-/- zebrafish kept at 26 °C or 34 °C for 21 days. The results (a) demonstrate that thermal alterations generate an effect that can be defined as neurotoxic (p value ≤ 0.05, activation Z score ≤ -2 or ≥2), (b) identify 16 proteins that can be used as hallmarks of the neurotoxic processes common to all the treatments applied and (c) provide three protein panels (p value ≤ 0.05) related to 18 °C, 34 °C, and BDNF depletion that can be linked to anxiety-like or boldness behaviour upon these treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Maffioli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (E.M.); (S.N.); (F.G.S.); (A.N.)
| | - Simona Nonnis
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (E.M.); (S.N.); (F.G.S.); (A.N.)
- CRC “Innovation for Well-Being and Environment” (I-WE), Università degli Studi di Milano, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Francesca Grassi Scalvini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (E.M.); (S.N.); (F.G.S.); (A.N.)
| | - Armando Negri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (E.M.); (S.N.); (F.G.S.); (A.N.)
| | - Gabriella Tedeschi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (E.M.); (S.N.); (F.G.S.); (A.N.)
- CRC “Innovation for Well-Being and Environment” (I-WE), Università degli Studi di Milano, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Mattia Toni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University, Via Alfonso Borrelli 50, 00161 Rome, Italy
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10
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Malaník M, Čulenová M, Sychrová A, Skiba A, Skalicka-Woźniak K, Šmejkal K. Treating Epilepsy with Natural Products: Nonsense or Possibility? Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1061. [PMID: 37630977 PMCID: PMC10459181 DOI: 10.3390/ph16081061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by recurrent seizures that can lead to uncontrollable muscle twitching, changes in sensitivity to sensory perceptions, and disorders of consciousness. Although modern medicine has effective antiepileptic drugs, the need for accessible and cost-effective medication is urgent, and products derived from plants could offer a solution. For this review, we have focused on natural compounds that have shown anticonvulsant activity in in vivo models of epilepsy at relevant doses. In some cases, the effects have been confirmed by clinical data. The results of our search are summarized in tables according to their molecular targets. We have critically evaluated the data we present, identified the most promising therapeutic candidates, and discussed these in the text. Their perspectives are supported by both pharmacokinetic properties and potential interactions. This review is intended to serve as a basis for future research into epilepsy and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Malaník
- Department of Natural Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Masaryk University, Palackého 1946/1, 61200 Brno, Czech Republic; (A.S.); (K.Š.)
| | - Marie Čulenová
- Department of Natural Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Masaryk University, Palackého 1946/1, 61200 Brno, Czech Republic; (A.S.); (K.Š.)
| | - Alice Sychrová
- Department of Natural Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Masaryk University, Palackého 1946/1, 61200 Brno, Czech Republic; (A.S.); (K.Š.)
| | - Adrianna Skiba
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Str., 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (A.S.); (K.S.-W.)
| | - Krystyna Skalicka-Woźniak
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Str., 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (A.S.); (K.S.-W.)
| | - Karel Šmejkal
- Department of Natural Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, Masaryk University, Palackého 1946/1, 61200 Brno, Czech Republic; (A.S.); (K.Š.)
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11
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Korzh V. Development of the brain ventricular system from a comparative perspective. Clin Anat 2023; 36:320-334. [PMID: 36529666 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The brain ventricular system (BVS) consists of brain ventricles and channels filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Disturbance of CSF flow has been linked to scoliosis and neurodegenerative diseases, including hydrocephalus. This could be due to defects of CSF production by the choroid plexus or impaired CSF movement over the ependyma dependent on motile cilia. Most vertebrates have horizontal body posture. They retain additional evolutionary innovations assisting CSF flow, such as the Reissner fiber. The causes of hydrocephalus have been studied using animal models including rodents (mice, rats, hamsters) and zebrafish. However, the horizontal body posture reduces the effect of gravity on CSF flow, which limits the use of mammalian models for scoliosis. In contrast, fish swim against the current and experience a forward-to-backward mechanical force akin to that caused by gravity in humans. This explains the increased popularity of the zebrafish model for studies of scoliosis. "Slit-ventricle" syndrome is another side of the spectrum of BVS anomalies. It develops because of insufficient inflation of the BVS. Recent advances in zebrafish functional genetics have revealed genes that could regulate the development of the BVS and CSF circulation. This review will describe the BVS of zebrafish, a typical teleost, and vertebrates in general, in comparative perspective. It will illustrate the usefulness of the zebrafish model for developmental studies of the choroid plexus (CP), CSF flow and the BVS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Korzh
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
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12
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Zakaria ZZ, Eisa-Beygi S, Benslimane FM, Ramchandran R, Yalcin HC. Design and Microinjection of Morpholino Antisense Oligonucleotides and mRNA into Zebrafish Embryos to Elucidate Specific Gene Function in Heart Development. J Vis Exp 2022:10.3791/63324. [PMID: 36036621 PMCID: PMC10388372 DOI: 10.3791/63324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The morpholino oligomer-based knockdown system has been used to identify the function of various gene products through loss or reduced expression. Morpholinos (MOs) have the advantage in biological stability over DNA oligos because they are not susceptible to enzymatic degradation. For optimal effectiveness, MOs are injected into 1-4 cell stage embryos. The temporal efficacy of knockdown is variable, but MOs are believed to lose their effects due to dilution eventually. Morpholino dilution and injection amount should be closely controlled to minimize the occurrence of off-target effects while maintaining on-target efficacy. Additional complementary tools, such as CRISPR/Cas9 should be performed against the target gene of interest to generate mutant lines and to confirm the morphant phenotype with these lines. This article will demonstrate how to design, prepare, and microinject a translation-blocking morpholino against hand2 into the yolk of 1-4 cell stage zebrafish embryos to knockdown hand2 function and rescue these "morphants" by co-injection of mRNA encoding the corresponding cDNA. Subsequently, the efficacy of the morpholino microinjections is assessed by first verifying the presence of morpholino in the yolk (co-injected with phenol red) and then by phenotypic analysis. Moreover, cardiac functional analysis to test for knockdown efficacy will be discussed. Finally, assessing the effect of morpholino-induced blockage of gene translation via western blotting will be explained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zain Zaki Zakaria
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Science, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shahram Eisa-Beygi
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin
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13
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Robens BK, Yang X, McGraw CM, Turner LH, Robens C, Thyme S, Rotenberg A, Poduri A. Mosaic and non-mosaic protocadherin 19 mutation leads to neuronal hyperexcitability in zebrafish. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 169:105738. [PMID: 35460869 PMCID: PMC9284424 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders. The X-linked gene PCDH19 is associated with sporadic and familial epilepsy in humans, typically with early-onset clustering seizures and intellectual disability in females but not in so-called 'carrier' males, suggesting that mosaic PCDH19 expression is required to produce epilepsy. To characterize the role of loss of PCDH19 function in epilepsy, we generated zebrafish with truncating pcdh19 variants. Evaluating zebrafish larvae for electrophysiological abnormalities, we observed hyperexcitability phenotypes in both mosaic and non-mosaic pcdh19+/- and pcdh19-/- mutant larvae. Thus, we demonstrate that the key feature of epilepsy-network hyperexcitability-can be modeled effectively in zebrafish, even though overt spontaneous seizure-like swim patterns were not observed. Further, zebrafish with non-mosaic pcdh19 mutation displayed reduced numbers of inhibitory interneurons suggesting a potential cellular basis for the observed hyperexcitability. Our findings in both mosaic and non-mosaic pcdh19 mutant zebrafish challenge the prevailing theory that mosaicism governs all PCDH19-related phenotypes and point to interneuron-mediated mechanisms underlying these phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara K Robens
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xinzhu Yang
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher M McGraw
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura H Turner
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carsten Robens
- MIT-Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms, Research Laboratory of Electronics, and Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Summer Thyme
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Alexander Rotenberg
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Annapurna Poduri
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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14
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Gu J, Li L, Yin X, Liang M, Zhu Y, Guo M, Zhou L, Fan D, Shi L, Ji G. Long-term exposure of zebrafish to bisphenol F: Adverse effects on parental reproduction and offspring neurodevelopment. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2022; 248:106190. [PMID: 35561629 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol F (BPF), an alternative to bisphenol A (BPA) has potential endocrine and reproductive toxicity; however, the effects of environmental concentrations of BPF on the reproductive and developmental toxicity of offspring following parental exposure to BPF remain unclear. In the present study, the effects of life-cycle BPF exposure at environmental concentrations on zebrafish reproduction, offspring growth, and development were investigated. The results showed that the life-cycle of BPF exposure significantly elevated oxidative stress levels, increased gonadal apoptosis, and reduced zebrafish (F0) spawning. Notably, through maternal transfer, BPF exposure significantly affected offspring development. Developmental parameters such as hatching rate, spontaneous movements, heart rate, body length, and locomotor behavior decreased in zebrafish larvae (F1). In addition, the expression levels of genes related to oxidative stress, apoptosis, and neurodevelopment were altered in F1 larvae. Therefore, the present study provides evidence that BPF, even at environmental concentrations, can be potentially adverse in terms of reproductive defects and offspring neurodevelopmental disorders. Therefore, BPF, as a substitute for BPA, is worthy of in-depth evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Gu
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Liangzhong Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, Center for Environmental Health Research, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Xiaogang Yin
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Mengyuan Liang
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Yuanhui Zhu
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Min Guo
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Linjun Zhou
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Deling Fan
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Lili Shi
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Guixiang Ji
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China.
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15
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Perl E, Ravisankar P, Beerens ME, Mulahasanovic L, Smallwood K, Sasso MB, Wenzel C, Ryan TD, Komár M, Bove KE, MacRae CA, Weaver KN, Prada CE, Waxman JS. Stx4 is required to regulate cardiomyocyte Ca 2+ handling during vertebrate cardiac development. HGG ADVANCES 2022; 3:100115. [PMID: 35599850 PMCID: PMC9114686 DOI: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2022.100115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Requirements for vesicle fusion within the heart remain poorly understood, despite the multitude of processes that necessitate proper intracellular trafficking within cardiomyocytes. Here, we show that Syntaxin 4 (STX4), a target-Soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment receptor (t-SNARE) protein, is required for normal vertebrate cardiac conduction and vesicular transport. Two patients were identified with damaging variants in STX4. A patient with a homozygous R240W missense variant displayed biventricular dilated cardiomyopathy, ectopy, and runs of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, sensorineural hearing loss, global developmental delay, and hypotonia, while a second patient displayed severe pleiotropic abnormalities and perinatal lethality. CRISPR/Cas9-generated stx4 mutant zebrafish exhibited defects reminiscent of these patients' clinical presentations, including linearized hearts, bradycardia, otic vesicle dysgenesis, neuronal atrophy, and touch insensitivity by 3 days post fertilization. Imaging of Vamp2+ vesicles within stx4 mutant zebrafish hearts showed reduced docking to the cardiomyocyte sarcolemma. Optical mapping of the embryonic hearts coupled with pharmacological modulation of Ca2+ handling together support that zebrafish stx4 mutants have a reduction in L-type Ca2+ channel modulation. Transgenic overexpression of zebrafish Stx4R241W, analogous to the first patient's STX4R240W variant, indicated that the variant is hypomorphic. Thus, these data show an in vivo requirement for SNAREs in regulating normal embryonic cardiac function and that variants in STX4 are associated with pleiotropic human disease, including cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliyahu Perl
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Padmapriyadarshini Ravisankar
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Manu E. Beerens
- Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lejla Mulahasanovic
- Praxis für Humangenetik, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany,CeGaT GmbH, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Kelly Smallwood
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Marion Bermúdez Sasso
- Institute for Clinical Genetics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Saxony, Germany
| | - Carina Wenzel
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas D. Ryan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Matej Komár
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Saxony, Germany
| | - Kevin E. Bove
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Division of Pathology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Calum A. MacRae
- Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Genetics and Network Medicine Divisions, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - K. Nicole Weaver
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Carlos E. Prada
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Joshua S. Waxman
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Corresponding author
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16
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Moog M, Baraban SC. Clemizole and Trazodone are Effective Antiseizure Treatments in a Zebrafish Model of STXBP1 Disorder. Epilepsia Open 2022; 7:504-511. [PMID: 35451230 PMCID: PMC9436285 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9-generated zebrafish carrying a 12 base-pair deletion in stxbpb1b, a paralog sharing 79% amino acid sequence identity with human, exhibit spontaneous electrographic seizures during larval stages of development. Zebrafish stxbp1b mutants provide an efficient preclinical platform to test antiseizure therapeutics. The present study was designed to test antiseizure medications approved for clinical use and two recently identified repurposed drugs with antiseizure activity. Larval homozygous stxbp1b zebrafish (4 days post-fertilization) were agarose-embedded and monitored for electrographic seizure activity using a local field recording electrode placed in midbrain. Frequency of ictal-like events was evaluated at baseline and following 45 min of continuous drug exposure (1 mM, bath application). Analysis was performed on coded files by an experimenter blinded to drug treatment and genotype. Phenytoin, valproate, ethosuximide, levetiracetam, and diazepam had no effect on ictal-like event frequency in stxbp1b mutant zebrafish. Clemizole and trazodone decreased ictal-like event frequency in stxbp1b mutant zebrafish by 80% and 83%, respectively. These results suggest that repurposed drugs with serotonin receptor binding affinities could be effective antiseizure treatments. Clemizole and trazodone were previously identified in a larval zebrafish model for Dravet syndrome. Based primarily on these preclinical zebrafish studies, compassionate-use and double-blind clinical trials with both drugs have progressed. The present study extends this approach to a preclinical zebrafish model representing STXBP1-related disorders, and suggests that future clinical studies may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maia Moog
- Department of Neurological Surgery & Weill Institute for NeuroscienceUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Scott C. Baraban
- Department of Neurological Surgery & Weill Institute for NeuroscienceUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
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17
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Shu L, Xiao N, Qin J, Tian Q, Zhang Y, Li H, Liu J, Li Q, Gu W, Wang P, Wang H, Mao X. The Role of Microtubule Associated Serine/Threonine Kinase 3 Variants in Neurodevelopmental Diseases: Genotype-Phenotype Association. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:775479. [PMID: 35095415 PMCID: PMC8790505 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.775479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To prove microtubule associated serine/threonine kinase 3 (MAST3) gene is associated with neurodevelopmental diseases (NDD) and the genotype-phenotype correlation.Methods: Trio exome sequencing (trio ES) was performed on four NDD trios. Bioinformatic analysis was conducted based on large-scale genome sequencing data and human brain transcriptomic data. Further in vivo zebrafish studies were performed.Results: In our study, we identified four de novo MAST3 variants (NM_015016.1: c.302C > T:p.Ser101Phe; c.311C > T:p.Ser104Leu; c.1543G > A:p.Gly515Ser; and c.1547T > C:p.Leu516Pro) in four patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) separately. Clinical heterogeneities were observed in patients carrying variants in domain of unknown function (DUF) and serine-threonine kinase (STK) domain separately. Using the published large-scale exome sequencing data, higher CADD scores of missense variants in DUF domain were found in NDD cohort compared with gnomAD database. In addition, we obtained an excess of missense variants in DUF domain when compared autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) cohort with gnomAD database, similarly an excess of missense variants in STK domain when compared DEE cohort with gnomAD database. Based on Brainspan datasets, we showed that MAST3 expression was significantly upregulated in ASD and DEE-related brain regions and was functionally linked with DEE genes. In zebrafish model, abnormal morphology of central nervous system was observed in mast3a/b crispants.Conclusion: Our results support the possibility that MAST3 is a novel gene associated with NDD which could expand the genetic spectrum for NDD. The genotype-phenotype correlation may contribute to future genetic counseling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Shu
- Department of Medical Genetics, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, China
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory for Birth Defect Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, China
- Department of School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Neng Xiao
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Chenzhou First People’s Hospital, Chenzhou, China
| | - Jiong Qin
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Tian
- Department of Medical Genetics, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Yanghui Zhang
- Medical Genetics Center, Jiangmen Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiangmen, China
| | - Haoxian Li
- Medical Genetics Center, Jiangmen Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiangmen, China
| | | | - Qinrui Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Weiyue Gu
- Chigene (Beijing) Translational Medical Research Center Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Pengchao Wang
- Chigene (Beijing) Translational Medical Research Center Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, China
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory for Birth Defect Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, China
- Hua Wang,
| | - Xiao Mao
- Department of Medical Genetics, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, China
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory for Birth Defect Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Xiao Mao,
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18
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Lu D, Ma R, Xie Q, Xu Z, Yuan J, Ren M, Li J, Li Y, Wang J. Application and advantages of zebrafish model in the study of neurovascular unit. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 910:174483. [PMID: 34481878 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The concept of "Neurovascular Unit" (NVU) was put forward, so that the research goal of Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases gradually transitioned from a single neuron to the structural and functional integrity of the NVU. Zebrafish has the advantages of high homology with human genes, strong reproductive capacity and visualization of neural circuits, so it has become an emerging model organism for NVU research and has been applied to a variety of CNS diseases. Based on CNKI (https://www.cnki.net/) and PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/about/) databases, the author of this article sorted out the relevant literature, analyzed the construction of a zebrafish model of various CNS diseases,and the use of diagrams showed the application of zebrafish in the NVU, revealed its relationship, which would provide new methods and references for the treatment and research of CNS diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danni Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Rong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Qian Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Zhuo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Jianmei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Mihong Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Jinxiu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Yong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Jian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu, 611137, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
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19
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Rodríguez-Ortiz R, Matínez-Torres A. Mutants of the Zebrafish K + Channel Hcn2b Exhibit Epileptic-like Behaviors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111471. [PMID: 34768904 PMCID: PMC8584164 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects 50 million people worldwide. The most common form of epilepsy is idiopathic, where most of the genetic defects of this type of epilepsy occur in ion channels. Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels are activated by membrane hyperpolarization, and are mainly expressed in the heart and central and peripheral nervous systems. In humans, four HCN genes have been described, and emergent clinical data shows that dysfunctional HCN channels are involved in epilepsy. Danio rerio has become a versatile organism to model a wide variety of diseases. In this work, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate hcn2b mutants in zebrafish, and characterized them molecularly and behaviorally. We obtained an hcn2b mutant allele with an 89 bp deletion that produced a premature stop codon. The mutant exhibited a high mortality rate in its life span, probably due to its sudden death. We did not detect heart malformations or important heart rate alterations. Absence seizures and moderate seizures were observed in response to light. These seizures rarely caused instant death. The results show that mutations in the Hcn2b channel are involved in epilepsy and provide evidence of the advantages of zebrafish to further our understanding of the pathogenesis of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Rodríguez-Ortiz
- Cátedras CONACyT—Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro CP 76230, Mexico
- Correspondence: (R.R.-O.); (A.M.-T.); Tel.: +52-442-238-1064 (R.R.-O. & A.M.-T.)
| | - Ataúlfo Matínez-Torres
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro CP 76230, Mexico
- Correspondence: (R.R.-O.); (A.M.-T.); Tel.: +52-442-238-1064 (R.R.-O. & A.M.-T.)
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20
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Bertoncello KT, Bonan CD. Zebrafish as a tool for the discovery of anticonvulsant compounds from botanical constituents. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 908:174342. [PMID: 34265297 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy affects about 65 million people in the world, which makes this disease a public health problem. In addition to the incidence of recurrent seizures, this neurological condition also culminates in cognitive, psychological, behavioral, and social consequences to the patients. Epilepsy treatment is based on the use of drugs that aim to inhibit repetitive neuronal discharges, and consequently, the recurrence of seizures. However, despite the large number of antiepileptic drugs currently available, about 30-40% of patients with epilepsy do not respond satisfactorily to treatments. Therefore, the investigation of new therapeutic alternatives for epilepsy becomes relevant, especially the search for new compounds with anticonvulsant properties. The therapeutic potential of plant-derived bioactive compounds has been a target for alternative treatments for epilepsy. The use of animal models for drug screening, such as zebrafish, contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in seizures and for investigating methods and alternative treatments to decrease seizure incidence. The sensitivity of zebrafish to chemoconvulsants and its use in genetic approaches reinforces the contribution of this animal to epilepsy research. Moreover, we summarize advances in zebrafish-based studies that focus on plant-derived bioactive compounds with potential antiseizure properties, contributing to the screening of new drugs for epilepsy treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanandra Taisa Bertoncello
- Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carla Denise Bonan
- Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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21
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Suo G, Cao X, Zheng Y, Li H, Zhang Q, Tang J, Wu Y. A de novo nonsense mutation of STXBP1 causes early-onset epileptic encephalopathy. Epilepsy Behav 2021; 123:108245. [PMID: 34390894 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in syntaxin-binding protein 1, STXBP1 (also known as MUNC18-1), are linked to multiple neurodevelopmental disorders, including severe early-onset epileptic encephalopathies (EOEEs). A de novo nonsense mutation of STXBP1 (c. 863G > A, p. W288X) was found in a patient diagnosed with EOEE at the age of 17 days. The electroencephalogram (EEG) showed sharp waves and spikes, while brain magnetic resonance imaging was normal. We generated a zebrafish EOEE model by overexpressing mutant STXBP1(W288X) and studied the behavioral changes further to understand the mechanism of W288X mutation in epileptogenesis. In addition, effective antiepileptic drugs were screened in the zebrafish model. Zebrafish STXBP1 homologs were highly conserved and prominently expressed in the larval zebrafish brain. The Tg(hSTXBP1W288X) zebrafish larvae exhibited hyperactivity compared with the wild-type (WT) controls. The expression of STXBP1 decreased during the development course from 1 to 5 days post fertilization. Spontaneous seizures and increased c-fos expression were observed in the mutant zebrafish larvae. The susceptibility of Tg(hSTXBP1W288X) zebrafish to pentylenetetrazol challenge also dramatically increased. Levetiracetam, clonazepam, and topiramate showed antiepileptic effects in the Tg(hSTXBP1W288X) larvae to different extents. Our findings in the newly generated mutant line of zebrafish suggested that zebrafish recapitulated clinical phenotypes associated with human STXBP1 mutation, which provided an appropriate in vivo model for epilepsy research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guihai Suo
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China; Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xing Cao
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yuqin Zheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Haiying Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Jihong Tang
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Youjia Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
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22
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Choo BKM, Kundap UP, Faudzi SMM, Abas F, Shaikh MF, Samarut É. Identification of curcumin analogues with anti-seizure potential in vivo using chemical and genetic zebrafish larva seizure models. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 142:112035. [PMID: 34411917 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Seizures are the outward manifestation of abnormally excessive or synchronous brain activity. While seizures can be somewhat symptomatically managed with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), many patients are still refractory to the currently available AEDs. As a result, there is a need to identify new molecules with anti-seizure properties. Curcumin is the principle curcuminoid of Curcuma longa, or colloquially turmeric, and has been experimentally proven to have anti-convulsive properties, but its poor bioavailability has dampened further therapeutic interest. Hence, this study aimed to ask if structural analogues of curcumin with an adequate bioavailability could have an anti-seizure effect in vivo. To do so, we tested these analogues following a multipronged approach combining the use of several zebrafish seizure models (chemically-induced and genetic) and complementary assays (behavioural and brain activity). Overall, from the 68 analogues tested, we found 15 different derivatives that were able to significantly decrease the behavioural hyperactivity induced by pentylenetetrazol. Of those, only a few showed an effect on the hyperactivity phenotype of two genetic models of brain seizures that are the gabra1 and gabrg2 knockouts. Two analogues, CA 80(1) and CA 74(1), were able to significantly alleviate brain seizures of gabrg2-mutant larvae. As a result, these analogues are good candidates as novel anti-seizure agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Kar Meng Choo
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Uday Praful Kundap
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center (CRCHUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Siti Munirah Mohd Faudzi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Faridah Abas
- Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Farooq Shaikh
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Éric Samarut
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center (CRCHUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Modelis inc., Montreal, QC, Canada.
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23
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Phenotypic analysis of catastrophic childhood epilepsy genes. Commun Biol 2021; 4:680. [PMID: 34083748 PMCID: PMC8175701 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02221-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic engineering techniques have contributed to the now widespread use of zebrafish to investigate gene function, but zebrafish-based human disease studies, and particularly for neurological disorders, are limited. Here we used CRISPR-Cas9 to generate 40 single-gene mutant zebrafish lines representing catastrophic childhood epilepsies. We evaluated larval phenotypes using electrophysiological, behavioral, neuro-anatomical, survival and pharmacological assays. Local field potential recordings (LFP) were used to screen ∼3300 larvae. Phenotypes with unprovoked electrographic seizure activity (i.e., epilepsy) were identified in zebrafish lines for 8 genes; ARX, EEF1A, GABRB3, GRIN1, PNPO, SCN1A, STRADA and STXBP1. We also created an open-source database containing sequencing information, survival curves, behavioral profiles and representative electrophysiology data. We offer all zebrafish lines as a resource to the neuroscience community and envision them as a starting point for further functional analysis and/or identification of new therapies. Griffin et al used CRISPR-Cas9 to generate 40 single-gene mutant zebrafish lines representing childhood epilepsies for which they evaluated larval phenotypes using electrophysiological, behavioral, neuro-anatomical, survival and pharmacological assays. Their study provides a useful resource for the future functional analysis and/or identification of potential anti-epileptic therapies.
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24
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In vivo calcium imaging reveals disordered interictal network dynamics in epileptic stxbp1b zebrafish. iScience 2021; 24:102558. [PMID: 34142057 PMCID: PMC8184515 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
STXBP1 mutations are associated with encephalopathy, developmental delay, intellectual disability, and epilepsy. While neural networks are known to operate at a critical state in the healthy brain, network behavior during pathological epileptic states remains unclear. Examining activity during periods between well-characterized ictal-like events (i.e., interictal period) could provide a valuable step toward understanding epileptic networks. To study these networks in the context of STXBP1 mutations, we combine a larval zebrafish model with in vivo fast confocal calcium imaging and extracellular local field potential recordings. Stxbp1b mutants display transient periods of elevated activity among local clusters of interacting neurons. These network "cascade" events were significantly larger in size and duration in mutants. At mesoscale resolution, cascades exhibit neurodevelopmental abnormalities. At single-cell scale, we describe spontaneous hyper-synchronized neuronal ensembles. That calcium imaging reveals uniquely disordered brain states during periods between pathological ictal-like seizure events is striking and represents a potential interictal biomarker.
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25
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Abramov D, Guiberson NGL, Burré J. STXBP1 encephalopathies: Clinical spectrum, disease mechanisms, and therapeutic strategies. J Neurochem 2021; 157:165-178. [PMID: 32643187 PMCID: PMC7812771 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in Munc18-1/STXBP1 (syntaxin-binding protein 1) are linked to various severe early epileptic encephalopathies and neurodevelopmental disorders. Heterozygous mutations in the STXBP1 gene include missense, nonsense, frameshift, and splice site mutations, as well as intragenic deletions and duplications and whole-gene deletions. No genotype-phenotype correlation has been identified so far, and patients are treated by anti-epileptic drugs because of the lack of a specific disease-modifying therapy. The molecular disease mechanisms underlying STXBP1-linked disorders are yet to be fully understood, but both haploinsufficiency and dominant-negative mechanisms have been proposed. This review focuses on the current understanding of the phenotypic spectrum of STXBP1-linked disorders, as well as discusses disease mechanisms in the context of the numerous pathways in which STXBP1 functions in the brain. We additionally evaluate the available animal models to study these disorders and highlight potential therapeutic approaches for treating these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra Abramov
- Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Noah Guy Lewis Guiberson
- Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jacqueline Burré
- Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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26
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Quelle-Regaldie A, Sobrido-Cameán D, Barreiro-Iglesias A, Sobrido MJ, Sánchez L. Zebrafish Models of Autosomal Dominant Ataxias. Cells 2021; 10:421. [PMID: 33671313 PMCID: PMC7922657 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hereditary dominant ataxias are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative conditions causing cerebellar dysfunction and characterized by progressive motor incoordination. Despite many efforts put into the study of these diseases, there are no effective treatments yet. Zebrafish models are widely used to characterize neuronal disorders due to its conserved vertebrate genetics that easily support genetic edition and their optic transparency that allows observing the intact CNS and its connections. In addition, its small size and external fertilization help to develop high throughput assays of candidate drugs. Here, we discuss the contributions of zebrafish models to the study of dominant ataxias defining phenotypes, genetic function, behavior and possible treatments. In addition, we review the zebrafish models created for X-linked repeat expansion diseases X-fragile/fragile-X tremor ataxia. Most of the models reviewed here presented neuronal damage and locomotor deficits. However, there is a generalized lack of zebrafish adult heterozygous models and there are no knock-in zebrafish models available for these diseases. The models created for dominant ataxias helped to elucidate gene function and mechanisms that cause neuronal damage. In the future, the application of new genetic edition techniques would help to develop more accurate zebrafish models of dominant ataxias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Quelle-Regaldie
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidade of Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.Q.-R.); (L.S.)
| | - Daniel Sobrido-Cameán
- Department of Functional Biology, CIBUS, Faculty of Biology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Antón Barreiro-Iglesias
- Department of Functional Biology, CIBUS, Faculty of Biology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - María Jesús Sobrido
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC), Servicio Galego de Saúde, 15006 Coruña, Spain;
| | - Laura Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidade of Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.Q.-R.); (L.S.)
- Preclinical Animal Models Group, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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27
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Tang F, Xiao D, Chen L, Gao H, Li X. Role of Munc18-1 in the biological functions and pathogenesis of neurological disorders (Review). Mol Med Rep 2021; 23:198. [PMID: 33495808 PMCID: PMC7821349 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.11837] [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: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The release of neurotransmitters following the fusion of synaptic vesicles and the presynaptic membrane is an important process in the transmission of neuronal information. Syntaxin-binding protein 1 (Munc18-1) is a synaptic fusion protein binding protein, which mainly regulates synaptic vesicle fusion and neurotransmitter release by interacting with soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor. In addition to affecting neurotransmitter transmission, Munc18-1 is also involved in regulating neurosynaptic plasticity, neurodevelopment and neuroendocrine cell release functions (including thyroxine and insulin release). A number of previous studies have demonstrated that Munc18-1 has diverse and vital biological functions, and that its abnormal expression serves an important role in the pathogenesis of a variety of neurological diseases, including epileptic encephalopathy, schizophrenia, autism, Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, Duchennes muscular dystrophy and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. The present review summarizes the function of Munc18-1 and its possible relationship to the pathogenesis of various neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fajuan Tang
- Department of Emergency, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Dongqiong Xiao
- Department of Emergency, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Emergency, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Hu Gao
- Department of Emergency, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Xihong Li
- Department of Emergency, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
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28
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Banerji R, Huynh C, Figueroa F, Dinday MT, Baraban SC, Patel M. Enhancing glucose metabolism via gluconeogenesis is therapeutic in a zebrafish model of Dravet syndrome. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab004. [PMID: 33842883 PMCID: PMC8023476 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy-producing pathways are novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we focussed on correcting metabolic defects in a catastrophic paediatric epilepsy, Dravet syndrome which is caused by mutations in sodium channel NaV1.1 gene, SCN1A. We utilized a translatable zebrafish model of Dravet syndrome (scn1lab) which exhibits key characteristics of patients with Dravet syndrome and shows metabolic deficits accompanied by down-regulation of gluconeogenesis genes, pck1 and pck2. Using a metabolism-based small library screen, we identified compounds that increased gluconeogenesis via up-regulation of pck1 gene expression in scn1lab larvae. Treatment with PK11195, a pck1 activator and a translocator protein ligand, normalized dys-regulated glucose levels, metabolic deficits, translocator protein expression and significantly decreased electrographic seizures in mutant larvae. Inhibition of pck1 in wild-type larvae mimicked metabolic and behaviour defects observed in scn1lab mutants. Together, this suggests that correcting dys-regulated metabolic pathways can be therapeutic in neurodevelopmental disorders such as Dravet syndrome arising from ion channel dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeswari Banerji
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, CA 80045, USA
| | - Christopher Huynh
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, CA 80045, USA
| | - Francisco Figueroa
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Epilepsy Research Laboratory, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Matthew T Dinday
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Epilepsy Research Laboratory, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Scott C Baraban
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Epilepsy Research Laboratory, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Manisha Patel
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, CA 80045, USA
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29
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Fontana BD, Müller TE, Cleal M, de Abreu MS, Norton WHJ, Demin KA, Amstislavskaya TG, Petersen EV, Kalueff AV, Parker MO, Rosemberg DB. Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) models to understand the critical role of social interactions in mental health and wellbeing. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 208:101993. [PMID: 33440208 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.101993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Social behavior represents a beneficial interaction between conspecifics that is critical for maintaining health and wellbeing. Dysfunctional or poor social interaction are associated with increased risk of physical (e.g., vascular) and psychiatric disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, and substance abuse). Although the impact of negative and positive social interactions is well-studied, their underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Zebrafish have well-characterized social behavior phenotypes, high genetic homology with humans, relative experimental simplicity and the potential for high-throughput screens. Here, we discuss the use of zebrafish as a candidate model organism for studying the fundamental mechanisms underlying social interactions, as well as potential impacts of social isolation on human health and wellbeing. Overall, the growing utility of zebrafish models may improve our understanding of how the presence and absence of social interactions can differentially modulate various molecular and physiological biomarkers, as well as a wide range of other behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara D Fontana
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK.
| | - Talise E Müller
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Laboratory of Experimental Neuropscychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Madeleine Cleal
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK
| | - Murilo S de Abreu
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Brazil
| | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Konstantin A Demin
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Center, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Scientific Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Elena V Petersen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Neuroscience and Bioscreening, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China; Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Matthew O Parker
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Denis B Rosemberg
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Laboratory of Experimental Neuropscychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA.
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30
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Zhang Y, Wang R, Liu Z, Jiang S, Du L, Qiu K, Li F, Wang Q, Jin J, Chen X, Li Z, Wu J, Zhang N. Distinct genetic patterns of shared and unique genes across four neurodevelopmental disorders. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2021; 186:3-15. [PMID: 32929885 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), developmental disorders (DD) and epileptic encephalopathy (EE), have a strong clinical comorbidity, which indicates a common genetic etiology across various disorders. However, the underlying genetic mechanisms of comorbidity and specificity remain unknown across neurodevelopmental disorders. Based on de novo mutations, we compared systematically the functional characteristics between shared and unique genes under these disorders, as well as the spatiotemporal trajectory of development in brain and common molecular pathways of all shared genes. We observed that shared genes present more constrained against functional rare genetic variation, and harbor more pathogenic rare variants than do unique genes in each disorder. Furthermore, 71 shared genes formed two clusters related to synaptic transmission, transcription regulation and chromatin regulator. Particularly, we also found that two core genes STXBP1 and SCN2A, that were shared by the four neurodevelopmental disorders showed prominent pleiotropy. Our findings shed light on the shared and specific patterns across neurodevelopmental disorders and will enable us to further comprehend the etiology and provide valuable information for the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijia Zhang
- Reproductive Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ruochen Wang
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhenwei Liu
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shan Jiang
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lifeng Du
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Kairui Qiu
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Fengxia Li
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qiongdan Wang
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jing Jin
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaomin Chen
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhongshan Li
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jinyu Wu
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Medicine & Technology School of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
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31
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Lu S, Lyu Z, Wang Z, Kou Y, Liu C, Li S, Hu M, Zhu H, Wang W, Zhang C, Kuan YS, Liu YW, Chen J, Tian J. Lipin 1 deficiency causes adult-onset myasthenia with motor neuron dysfunction in humans and neuromuscular junction defects in zebrafish. Theranostics 2021; 11:2788-2805. [PMID: 33456573 PMCID: PMC7806489 DOI: 10.7150/thno.53330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipin 1 is an intracellular protein acting as a phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase enzyme controlling lipid metabolism. Human recessive mutations in LPIN1 cause recurrent, early-onset myoglobinuria, a condition normally associated with muscle pain and weakness. Whether and how lipin 1 deficiency in humans leads to peripheral neuropathy is yet unclear. Herein, two novel compound heterozygous mutations in LPIN1 with neurological disorders, but no myoglobinuria were identified in an adult-onset syndromic myasthenia family. The present study sought to explore the pathogenic mechanism of LPIN1 in muscular and neural development. Methods: The clinical diagnosis of the proband was compared to the known 48 cases of LPIN1 recessive homozygous mutations. Whole-exome sequencing was carried out on the syndromic myasthenia family to identify the causative gene. The pathogenesis of lipin 1 deficiency during somitogenesis and neurogenesis was investigated using the zebrafish model. Whole-mount in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, birefringence analysis, touch-evoke escape response and locomotion assays were performed to observe in vivo the changes in muscles and neurons. The conservatism of the molecular pathways regulated by lipin 1 was evaluated in human primary glioblastoma and mouse myoblast cells by siRNA knockdown, drug treatment, qRT-PCR and Western blotting analysis. Results: The patient exhibited adult-onset myasthenia accompanied by muscle fiber atrophy and nerve demyelination without myoglobinuria. Two novel heterozygous mutations, c.2047A>C (p.I683L) and c.2201G>A (p.R734Q) in LPIN1, were identified in the family and predicted to alter the tertiary structure of LPIN1 protein. Lipin 1 deficiency in zebrafish embryos generated by lpin1 morpholino knockdown or human LPIN1 mutant mRNA injections reproduced the myotomes defects, a reduction both in primary motor neurons and secondary motor neurons projections, morphological changes of post-synaptic clusters of acetylcholine receptors, and myelination defects, which led to reduced touch-evoked response and abnormalities of swimming behaviors. Loss of lipin 1 function in zebrafish and mammalian cells also exhibited altered expression levels of muscle and neuron markers, as well as abnormally enhanced Notch signaling, which was partially rescued by the specific Notch pathway inhibitor DAPT. Conclusions: These findings pointed out that the compound heterozygous mutations in human LPIN1 caused adult-onset syndromic myasthenia with peripheral neuropathy. Moreover, zebrafish could be used to model the neuromuscular phenotypes due to the lipin 1 deficiency, where a novel pathological role of over-activated Notch signaling was discovered and further confirmed in mammalian cell lines.
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32
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Tang BL. SNAREs and developmental disorders. J Cell Physiol 2020; 236:2482-2504. [PMID: 32959907 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Members of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) family mediate membrane fusion processes associated with vesicular trafficking and autophagy. SNAREs mediate core membrane fusion processes essential for all cells, but some SNAREs serve cell/tissue type-specific exocytic/endocytic functions, and are therefore critical for various aspects of embryonic development. Mutations or variants of their encoding genes could give rise to developmental disorders, such as those affecting the nervous system and immune system in humans. Mutations to components in the canonical synaptic vesicle fusion SNARE complex (VAMP2, STX1A/B, and SNAP25) and a key regulator of SNARE complex formation MUNC18-1, produce variant phenotypes of autism, intellectual disability, movement disorders, and epilepsy. STX11 and MUNC18-2 mutations underlie 2 subtypes of familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. STX3 mutations contribute to variant microvillus inclusion disease. Chromosomal microdeletions involving STX16 play a role in pseudohypoparathyroidism type IB associated with abnormal imprinting of the GNAS complex locus. In this short review, I discuss these and other SNARE gene mutations and variants that are known to be associated with a variety developmental disorders, with a focus on their underlying cellular and molecular pathological basis deciphered through disease modeling. Possible pathogenic potentials of other SNAREs whose variants could be disease predisposing are also speculated upon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bor L Tang
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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33
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Takai A, Yamaguchi M, Yoshida H, Chiyonobu T. Investigating Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy Using Drosophila melanogaster. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176442. [PMID: 32899411 PMCID: PMC7503973 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are the spectrum of severe epilepsies characterized by early-onset, refractory seizures occurring in the context of developmental regression or plateauing. Early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (EIEE) is one of the earliest forms of DEE, manifesting as frequent epileptic spasms and characteristic electroencephalogram findings in early infancy. In recent years, next-generation sequencing approaches have identified a number of monogenic determinants underlying DEE. In the case of EIEE, 85 genes have been registered in Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man as causative genes. Model organisms are indispensable tools for understanding the in vivo roles of the newly identified causative genes. In this review, we first present an overview of epilepsy and its genetic etiology, especially focusing on EIEE and then briefly summarize epilepsy research using animal and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models. The Drosophila model, which is characterized by easy gene manipulation, a short generation time, low cost and fewer ethical restrictions when designing experiments, is optimal for understanding the genetics of DEE. We therefore highlight studies with Drosophila models for EIEE and discuss the future development of their practical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akari Takai
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan;
| | - Masamitsu Yamaguchi
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 603-8585, Japan; (M.Y.); (H.Y.)
- Kansai Gakken Laboratory, Kankyo Eisei Yakuhin Co. Ltd., Kyoto 619-0237, Japan
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 603-8585, Japan; (M.Y.); (H.Y.)
| | - Tomohiro Chiyonobu
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan;
- Correspondence:
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Gawel K, Langlois M, Martins T, van der Ent W, Tiraboschi E, Jacmin M, Crawford AD, Esguerra CV. Seizing the moment: Zebrafish epilepsy models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:1-20. [PMID: 32544542 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish are now widely accepted as a valuable animal model for a number of different central nervous system (CNS) diseases. They are suitable both for elucidating the origin of these disorders and the sequence of events culminating in their onset, and for use as a high-throughput in vivo drug screening platform. The availability of powerful and effective techniques for genome manipulation allows the rapid modelling of different genetic epilepsies and of conditions with seizures as a core symptom. With this review, we seek to summarize the current knowledge about existing epilepsy/seizures models in zebrafish (both pharmacological and genetic) and compare them with equivalent rodent and human studies. New findings obtained from the zebrafish models are highlighted. We believe that this comprehensive review will highlight the value of zebrafish as a model for investigating different aspects of epilepsy and will help researchers to use these models to their full extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Gawel
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway; Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego St. 8b, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | | | - Teresa Martins
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belval, Luxembourg
| | - Wietske van der Ent
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ettore Tiraboschi
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway; Neurophysics Group, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza Manifattura 1, Building 14, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Maxime Jacmin
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belval, Luxembourg
| | - Alexander D Crawford
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belval, Luxembourg; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
| | - Camila V Esguerra
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway.
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35
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Alshuaib S, Mosaddeghi J, Lin JW. Effects of levetiracetam on axon excitability and synaptic transmission at the crayfish neuromuscular junction. Synapse 2020; 74:e22154. [PMID: 32189403 DOI: 10.1002/syn.22154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Levetiracetam (LEV) is a widely prescribed antiepileptic drug, but its actions on neuronal function are not fully characterized. Since this drug is believed to enter neurons by binding to a vesicular protein during endocytosis, we used motor axons of the crayfish opener neuromuscular junction to examine potential impacts of LEV on axon excitability. Two electrode current clamp from the inhibitory axon of the opener showed that LEV reduced action potential (AP) amplitude (APamp ) and suppressed synaptic transmission, although the latter occurred with a longer delay than the reduction in APamp . Comparison of antidromic and orthodromic conducting APs in LEV suggested that this drug preferentially reduced excitability of the proximal axon, despite the expectation that it entered the axon at the terminals and should affect the distal branches first. Results presented here suggest that LEV modulates axonal excitability, which may in turn contribute to its antiepileptic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jen-We Lin
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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36
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Zhu B, Mak JCH, Morris AP, Marson AG, Barclay JW, Sills GJ, Morgan A. Functional analysis of epilepsy-associated variants in STXBP1/Munc18-1 using humanized Caenorhabditis elegans. Epilepsia 2020; 61:810-821. [PMID: 32112430 PMCID: PMC8614121 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Genetic variants in STXBP1, which encodes the conserved exocytosis protein Munc18-1, are associated with a variety of infantile epilepsy syndromes. We aimed to develop an in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model that could be used to test the pathogenicity of such variants in a cost-effective manner. METHODS The CRISPR/Cas9 method was used to introduce a null mutation into the unc-18 gene (the C. elegans orthologue of STXBP1), thereby creating a paralyzed worm strain. We subsequently rescued this strain with transgenes encoding the human STXBP1/Munc18-1 protein (wild-type and eight different epilepsy-associated missense variants). The resulting humanized worm strains were then analyzed via behavioral, electrophysiological, and biochemical approaches. RESULTS Transgenic expression of wild-type human STXBP1 protein fully rescued locomotion in both solid and liquid media to the same level as the standard wild-type worm strain, Bristol N2. Six variant strains (E59K, V84D, C180Y, R292H, L341P, R551C) exhibited impaired locomotion, whereas two (P335L, R406H) were no different from worms expressing wild-type STXBP1. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that all eight variant strains displayed less frequent and more irregular pharyngeal pumping in comparison to wild-type STXBP1-expressing strains. Four strains (V84D, C180Y, R292H, P335L) exhibited pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions in an acute assay of seizure-like activity, in contrast to worms expressing wild-type STXBP1. No differences were seen between wild-type and variant STXBP1 strains in terms of mRNA abundance. However, STXBP1 protein levels were reduced to 20%-30% of wild-type in all variants, suggesting that the mutations result in STXBP1 protein instability. SIGNIFICANCE The approach described here is a cost-effective in vivo method for establishing the pathogenicity of genetic variants in STXBP1 and potentially other conserved neuronal proteins. Furthermore, the humanized strains we created could potentially be used in the future for high-throughput drug screens to identify novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bangfu Zhu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jennifer C H Mak
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andrew P Morris
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Anthony G Marson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jeff W Barclay
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Graeme J Sills
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.,School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Alan Morgan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Chen W, Cai ZL, Chao ES, Chen H, Longley CM, Hao S, Chao HT, Kim JH, Messier JE, Zoghbi HY, Tang J, Swann JW, Xue M. Stxbp1/Munc18-1 haploinsufficiency impairs inhibition and mediates key neurological features of STXBP1 encephalopathy. eLife 2020; 9:e48705. [PMID: 32073399 PMCID: PMC7056272 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in genes encoding synaptic proteins cause many neurodevelopmental disorders, with the majority affecting postsynaptic apparatuses and much fewer in presynaptic proteins. Syntaxin-binding protein 1 (STXBP1, also known as MUNC18-1) is an essential component of the presynaptic neurotransmitter release machinery. De novo heterozygous pathogenic variants in STXBP1 are among the most frequent causes of neurodevelopmental disorders including intellectual disabilities and epilepsies. These disorders, collectively referred to as STXBP1 encephalopathy, encompass a broad spectrum of neurologic and psychiatric features, but the pathogenesis remains elusive. Here we modeled STXBP1 encephalopathy in mice and found that Stxbp1 haploinsufficiency caused cognitive, psychiatric, and motor dysfunctions, as well as cortical hyperexcitability and seizures. Furthermore, Stxbp1 haploinsufficiency reduced cortical inhibitory neurotransmission via distinct mechanisms from parvalbumin-expressing and somatostatin-expressing interneurons. These results demonstrate that Stxbp1 haploinsufficient mice recapitulate cardinal features of STXBP1 encephalopathy and indicate that GABAergic synaptic dysfunction is likely a crucial contributor to disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Zhao-Lin Cai
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Eugene S Chao
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Hongmei Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Colleen M Longley
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Shuang Hao
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Hsiao-Tuan Chao
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- McNair Medical Institute, The Robert and Janice McNair FoundationHoustonUnited States
| | - Joo Hyun Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Jessica E Messier
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Jianrong Tang
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
| | - John W Swann
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Mingshan Xue
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- The Cain Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s HospitalHoustonUnited States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
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Burrows DRW, Samarut É, Liu J, Baraban SC, Richardson MP, Meyer MP, Rosch RE. Imaging epilepsy in larval zebrafish. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2020; 24:70-80. [PMID: 31982307 PMCID: PMC7035958 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2020.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of the genetic aetiology of paediatric epilepsies has grown substantially over the last decade. However, in order to translate improved diagnostics to personalised treatments, there is an urgent need to link molecular pathophysiology in epilepsy to whole-brain dynamics in seizures. Zebrafish have emerged as a promising new animal model for epileptic seizure disorders, with particular relevance for genetic and developmental epilepsies. As a novel model organism for epilepsy research they combine key advantages: the small size of larval zebrafish allows high throughput in vivo experiments; the availability of advanced genetic tools allows targeted modification to model specific human genetic disorders (including genetic epilepsies) in a vertebrate system; and optical access to the entire central nervous system has provided the basis for advanced microscopy technologies to image structure and function in the intact larval zebrafish brain. There is a growing body of literature describing and characterising features of epileptic seizures and epilepsy in larval zebrafish. Recently genetically encoded calcium indicators have been used to investigate the neurobiological basis of these seizures with light microscopy. This approach offers a unique window into the multiscale dynamics of epileptic seizures, capturing both whole-brain dynamics and single-cell behaviour concurrently. At the same time, linking observations made using calcium imaging in the larval zebrafish brain back to an understanding of epileptic seizures largely derived from cortical electrophysiological recordings in human patients and mammalian animal models is non-trivial. In this review we briefly illustrate the state of the art of epilepsy research in zebrafish with particular focus on calcium imaging of epileptic seizures in the larval zebrafish. We illustrate the utility of a dynamic systems perspective on the epileptic brain for providing a principled approach to linking observations across species and identifying those features of brain dynamics that are most relevant to epilepsy. In the following section we survey the literature for imaging features associated with epilepsy and epileptic seizures and link these to observations made from humans and other more traditional animal models. We conclude by identifying the key challenges still facing epilepsy research in the larval zebrafish and indicate strategies for future research to address these and integrate more directly with the themes and questions that emerge from investigating epilepsy in other model systems and human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R W Burrows
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - É Samarut
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - J Liu
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - S C Baraban
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - M P Richardson
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - M P Meyer
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - R E Rosch
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Paediatric Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
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39
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Espino-Saldaña AE, Rodríguez-Ortiz R, Pereida-Jaramillo E, Martínez-Torres A. Modeling Neuronal Diseases in Zebrafish in the Era of CRISPR. Curr Neuropharmacol 2020; 18:136-152. [PMID: 31573887 PMCID: PMC7324878 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x17666191001145550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Danio rerio is a powerful experimental model for studies in genetics and development. Recently, CRISPR technology has been applied in this species to mimic various human diseases, including those affecting the nervous system. Zebrafish offer multiple experimental advantages: external embryogenesis, rapid development, transparent embryos, short life cycle, and basic neurobiological processes shared with humans. This animal model, together with the CRISPR system, emerging imaging technologies, and novel behavioral approaches, lay the basis for a prominent future in neuropathology and will undoubtedly accelerate our understanding of brain function and its disorders. OBJECTIVE Gather relevant findings from studies that have used CRISPR technologies in zebrafish to explore basic neuronal function and model human diseases. METHODS We systematically reviewed the most recent literature about CRISPR technology applications for understanding brain function and neurological disorders in D. rerio. We highlighted the key role of CRISPR in driving forward our understanding of particular topics in neuroscience. RESULTS We show specific advances in neurobiology when the CRISPR system has been applied in zebrafish and describe how CRISPR is accelerating our understanding of brain organization. CONCLUSION Today, CRISPR is the preferred method to modify genomes of practically any living organism. Despite the rapid development of CRISPR technologies to generate disease models in zebrafish, more efforts are needed to efficiently combine different disciplines to find the etiology and treatments for many brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeles Edith Espino-Saldaña
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Laboratorio de Neurobiología Molecular y Celular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Campus UNAM Juriquilla, Querétaro, Qro CP76230, México
- Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Av. de las Ciencias S/N, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Roberto Rodríguez-Ortiz
- CONACYT - Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Querétaro, Qro., México
| | - Elizabeth Pereida-Jaramillo
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Laboratorio de Neurobiología Molecular y Celular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Campus UNAM Juriquilla, Querétaro, Qro CP76230, México
| | - Ataúlfo Martínez-Torres
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Laboratorio de Neurobiología Molecular y Celular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Campus UNAM Juriquilla, Querétaro, Qro CP76230, México
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40
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Gawel K, Turski WA, van der Ent W, Mathai BJ, Kirstein-Smardzewska KJ, Simonsen A, Esguerra CV. Phenotypic Characterization of Larval Zebrafish (Danio rerio) with Partial Knockdown of the cacna1a Gene. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 57:1904-1916. [PMID: 31875924 PMCID: PMC7118054 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01860-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The CACNA1A gene encodes the pore-forming α1 subunit of voltage-gated P/Q type Ca2+ channels (Cav2.1). Mutations in this gene, among others, have been described in patients and rodents suffering from absence seizures and episodic ataxia type 2 with/without concomitant seizures. In this study, we aimed for the first time to assess phenotypic and behavioral alterations in larval zebrafish with partial cacna1aa knockdown, placing special emphasis on changes in epileptiform-like electrographic discharges in larval brains. Whole-mount in situ hybridization analysis revealed expression of cacna1aa in the optic tectum and medulla oblongata of larval zebrafish at 4 and 5 days post-fertilization. Next, microinjection of two antisense morpholino oligomers (individually or in combination) targeting all splice variants of cacna1aa into fertilized zebrafish eggs resulted in dose-dependent mortality and decreased or absent touch response. Over 90% knockdown of cacna1aa on protein level induced epileptiform-like discharges in the optic tectum of larval zebrafish brains. Incubation of morphants with antiseizure drugs (sodium valproate, ethosuximide, lamotrigine, topiramate) significantly decreased the number and, in some cases, cumulative duration of epileptiform-like discharges. In this context, sodium valproate seemed to be the least effective. Carbamazepine did not affect the number and duration of epileptiform-like discharges. Altogether, our data indicate that cacna1aa loss-of-function zebrafish may be considered a new model of absence epilepsy and may prove useful both for the investigation of Cacna1a-mediated epileptogenesis and for in vivo drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Gawel
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego St. 8b, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | - Waldemar A Turski
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego St. 8b, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | - Wietske van der Ent
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Benan J Mathai
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 1112 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Karolina J Kirstein-Smardzewska
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne Simonsen
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 1112 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Camila V Esguerra
- Chemical Neuroscience Group, Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Gaustadalléen 21, Forskningsparken, 0349, Oslo, Norway. .,School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Sem Sælandsvei 24, 0371, Oslo, Norway.
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41
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Chen PY, Tu HC, Schirch V, Safo MK, Fu TF. Pyridoxamine Supplementation Effectively Reverses the Abnormal Phenotypes of Zebrafish Larvae With PNPO Deficiency. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1086. [PMID: 31616300 PMCID: PMC6764245 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal epileptic encephalopathy (NEE), as a result of pyridoxine 5′-phosphate oxidase (PNPO) deficiency, is a rare neural disorder characterized by intractable seizures and usually leads to early infant death. The clinical phenotypes do not respond to antiepileptic drugs but are alleviated in most cases by giving large doses of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP). PLP is the active form of vitamin B6 participating in more than 100 enzymatic pathways. One of the causes of NEE is pathogenic mutations in the gene for human PNPO (hPNPO). PNPO is a key enzyme in converting pyridoxine (PN), the common dietary form of vitamin B6, and some other B6 vitamers to PLP. More than 25 different mutations in hPNPO, which result in reduced catalytic activity, have been described for PNPO-deficiency NEE. To date, no animal model is available to test new therapeutic strategies. In this report, we describe using zebrafish with reduced activity of Pnpo as an animal model. Knocking down zPnpo resulted in developmental anomalies including brain malformation and impaired locomotor activity, similar to the clinical features of PNPO-deficiency NEE. Other anomalies include a defective circulation system. These anomalies were significantly alleviated by co-injecting either zpnpo or hPNPO mRNAs. As expected from clinical observations in humans, supplementing with PLP improved the morphological and behavioral anomalies. PN only showed marginal positive effects, and only in a few anomalies. Remarkably, pyridoxamine (PM), another dietary form of vitamin B6, showed rescue effects even at a lower concentration than PLP, presenting a possible new therapeutic treatment for PNPO-deficiency NEE. Finally, GABA, a neurotransmitter whose biosynthesis depends on a PLP-dependent enzyme, showed some positive rescue effect. These results suggest zebrafish to be a promising PNPO-deficiency model for studying PLP homeostasis and drug therapy in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Yuan Chen
- College of Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Chi Tu
- College of Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Verne Schirch
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Martin K Safo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Tzu-Fun Fu
- College of Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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42
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O'Brien S, Ng-Cordell E, Astle DE, Scerif G, Baker K. STXBP1-associated neurodevelopmental disorder: a comparative study of behavioural characteristics. J Neurodev Disord 2019; 11:17. [PMID: 31387522 PMCID: PMC6683428 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-019-9278-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND De novo loss of function mutations in STXBP1 are a relatively common cause of epilepsy and intellectual disability (ID). However, little is known about the types and severities of behavioural features associated with this genetic diagnosis. METHODS To address this, we collected systematic phenotyping data encompassing neurological, developmental, and behavioural characteristics. Participants were 14 individuals with STXBP1-associated neurodevelopmental disorder, ascertained from clinical genetics and neurology services UK-wide. Data was collected via standardised questionnaires administered to parents at home, supplemented by researcher observations. To isolate discriminating phenotypes, the STXBP1 group was compared to 33 individuals with pathogenic mutations in other ID-associated genes (ID group). To account for the potential impact of global cognitive impairment, a secondary comparison was made to an ability-matched subset of the ID group (low-ability ID group). RESULTS The STXBP1 group demonstrated impairments across all assessed domains. In comparison to the ID group, the STXBP1 group had more severe global adaptive impairments, fine motor difficulties, and hyperactivity. In comparison to the low-ability ID group, severity of receptive language and social impairments discriminated the STXBP1 group. A striking feature of the STXBP1 group, with reference to both comparison groups, was preservation of social motivation. CONCLUSIONS De novo mutations in STXBP1 are associated with complex and variable neurodevelopmental impairments. Consistent features, which discriminate this disorder from other monogenic causes of ID, are severe language impairment and difficulties managing social interactions, despite strong social motivation. Future work could explore the physiological mechanisms linking motor, speech, and social development in this disorder. Understanding the developmental emergence of behavioural characteristics can help to focus clinical assessment and management after genetic diagnosis, with the long-term aim of improving outcomes for patients and families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinéad O'Brien
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK
| | - Elise Ng-Cordell
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Anna Watts Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | | | - Duncan E Astle
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK
| | - Gaia Scerif
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Anna Watts Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Kate Baker
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK. .,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK.
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43
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Guiberson NGL, Pineda A, Abramov D, Kharel P, Carnazza KE, Wragg RT, Dittman JS, Burré J. Mechanism-based rescue of Munc18-1 dysfunction in varied encephalopathies by chemical chaperones. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3986. [PMID: 30266908 PMCID: PMC6162227 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06507-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous de novo mutations in the neuronal protein Munc18-1 are linked to epilepsies, intellectual disability, movement disorders, and neurodegeneration. These devastating diseases have a poor prognosis and no known cure, due to lack of understanding of the underlying disease mechanism. To determine how mutations in Munc18-1 cause disease, we use newly generated S. cerevisiae strains, C. elegans models, and conditional Munc18-1 knockout mouse neurons expressing wild-type or mutant Munc18-1, as well as in vitro studies. We find that at least five disease-linked missense mutations of Munc18-1 result in destabilization and aggregation of the mutant protein. Aggregates of mutant Munc18-1 incorporate wild-type Munc18-1, depleting functional Munc18-1 levels beyond hemizygous levels. We demonstrate that the three chemical chaperones 4-phenylbutyrate, sorbitol, and trehalose reverse the deficits caused by mutations in Munc18-1 in vitro and in vivo in multiple models, offering a novel strategy for the treatment of varied encephalopathies. Munc18-1 is an evolutionary conserved gene whose mutations are linked to various neurological diseases in human. In order to better understand the exact nature of the mutations, the authors here utilize several model systems to show mutant Munc18-1 can aggregate and deplete functional pool of Wt protein, and that chemical chaperones can reverse the cellular deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Guy Lewis Guiberson
- Brain and Mind Research Institute & Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - André Pineda
- Brain and Mind Research Institute & Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Debra Abramov
- Brain and Mind Research Institute & Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Parinati Kharel
- Brain and Mind Research Institute & Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Kathryn E Carnazza
- Brain and Mind Research Institute & Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Rachel T Wragg
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Jeremy S Dittman
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Jacqueline Burré
- Brain and Mind Research Institute & Appel Institute for Alzheimer's Disease Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
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44
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Using Zebrafish for Investigating the Molecular Mechanisms of Drug-Induced Cardiotoxicity. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:1642684. [PMID: 30363733 PMCID: PMC6180974 DOI: 10.1155/2018/1642684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a model organism for cardiovascular research. Zebrafish have several advantages over mammalian models. For instance, the experimental cost of using zebrafish is comparatively low; the embryos are transparent, develop externally, and have high fecundity making them suitable for large-scale genetic screening. More recently, zebrafish embryos have been used for the screening of a variety of toxic agents, particularly for cardiotoxicity testing. Zebrafish has been shown to exhibit physiological responses that are similar to mammals after exposure to medicinal drugs including xenobiotics, hormones, cancer drugs, and also environmental pollutants, including pesticides and heavy metals. In this review, we provided a summary for recent studies that have used zebrafish to investigate the molecular mechanisms of drug-induced cardiotoxicity. More specifically, we focused on the techniques that were exploited by us and others for cardiovascular toxicity assessment and described several microscopic imaging and analysis protocols that are being used for the estimation of a variety of cardiac hemodynamic parameters.
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45
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Abstract
There is a resurgence of interest in the role of metabolism in epilepsy. Long considered ancillary and acknowledged only in the context of clinical application of ketogenic diets, metabolic control of epilepsy is gaining momentum and mainstream interest among researchers. A metabolic paradigm for epilepsy rests upon known perturbations in three major interconnected metabolic nodes and therapeutic targets therefrom (i.e., glycolysis, mitochondria, and redox balance).
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46
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Sakai C, Ijaz S, Hoffman EJ. Zebrafish Models of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Past, Present, and Future. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:294. [PMID: 30210288 PMCID: PMC6123572 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish are increasingly being utilized as a model system to investigate the function of the growing list of risk genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. This is due in large part to the unique features of zebrafish that make them an optimal system for this purpose, including rapid, external development of transparent embryos, which enable the direct visualization of the developing nervous system during early stages, large progenies, which provide considerable tractability for performing high-throughput pharmacological screens to identify small molecule suppressors of simple behavioral phenotypes, and ease of genetic manipulation, which has been greatly facilitated by the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies. This review article focuses on studies that have harnessed these advantages of the zebrafish system for the functional analysis of genes that are strongly associated with the following neurodevelopmental disorders: autism spectrum disorders (ASD), epilepsy, intellectual disability (ID) and schizophrenia. We focus primarily on studies describing early morphological and behavioral phenotypes during embryonic and larval stages resulting from loss of risk gene function. We highlight insights into basic mechanisms of risk gene function gained from these studies as well as limitations of studies to date. Finally, we discuss advances in in vivo neural circuit imaging in zebrafish, which promise to transform research using the zebrafish model by illuminating novel circuit-level mechanisms with relevance to neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Sakai
- Child Study Center, Program on Neurogenetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Sundas Ijaz
- Child Study Center, Program on Neurogenetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Ellen J Hoffman
- Child Study Center, Program on Neurogenetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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47
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Naert T, Vleminckx K. CRISPR/Cas9 disease models in zebrafish and Xenopus: The genetic renaissance of fish and frogs. DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY. TECHNOLOGIES 2018; 28:41-52. [PMID: 30205880 DOI: 10.1016/j.ddtec.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The speed by which clinical genomics is currently identifying novel potentially pathogenic variants is outperforming the speed by which these can be functionally (genotype-phenotype) annotated in animal disease models. However, over the past few years the emergence of CRISPR/Cas9 as a straight-forward genome editing technology has revolutionized disease modeling in vertebrate non-mammalian model organisms such as zebrafish, medaka and Xenopus. It is now finally possible, by CRISPR/Cas9, to rapidly establish clinically relevant disease models in these organisms. Interestingly, these can provide both cost-effective genotype-phenotype correlations for gene-(variants) and genomic rearrangements obtained from clinical practice, as well as be exploited to perform translational research to improve prospects of disease afflicted patients. In this review, we show an extensive overview of these new CRISPR/Cas9-mediated disease models and provide future prospects that will allow increasingly accurate modeling of human disease in zebrafish, medaka and Xenopus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Naert
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kris Vleminckx
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Belgium; Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent, Belgium.
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48
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Mezzomo NJ, Fontana BD, Kalueff AV, Barcellos LJ, Rosemberg DB. Understanding taurine CNS activity using alternative zebrafish models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 90:471-485. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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49
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Kosuta C, Daniel K, Johnstone DL, Mongeon K, Ban K, LeBlanc S, MacLeod S, Et-Tahiry K, Ekker M, MacKenzie A, Pena I. High-throughput DNA Extraction and Genotyping of 3dpf Zebrafish Larvae by Fin Clipping. J Vis Exp 2018:58024. [PMID: 30010654 PMCID: PMC6102016 DOI: 10.3791/58024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) possess orthologues for 84% of the genes known to be associated with human diseases. In addition, these animals have a short generation time, are easy to handle, display a high reproductive rate, low cost, and are easily amenable to genetic manipulations by microinjection of DNA in embryos. Recent advances in gene editing tools are enabling precise introduction of mutations and transgenes in zebrafish. Disease modeling in zebrafish often leads to larval phenotypes and early death which can be challenging to interpret if genotypes are unknown. This early identification of genotypes is also needed in experiments requiring sample pooling, such as in gene expression or mass spectrometry studies. However, extensive genotypic screening is limited by traditional methods, which in most labs are performed only on adult zebrafish or in postmortem larvae. We addressed this problem by adapting a method for the isolation of PCR-ready genomic DNA from live zebrafish larvae that can be achieved as early as 72 h post-fertilization (hpf). This time and cost-effective technique, improved from a previously published genotyping protocol, allows the identification of genotypes from microscopic fin biopsies. The fins quickly regenerate as the larvae develop. Researchers are then able to select and raise the desired genotypes to adulthood by utilizing this high-throughput PCR-based genotyping procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceres Kosuta
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute; Department of Biology, University of Ottawa
| | - Kate Daniel
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
| | - Devon L Johnstone
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute; Department of Biology, University of Ottawa
| | - Kevin Mongeon
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute; Department of Biology, University of Ottawa
| | - Kevin Ban
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute; Department of Biology, University of Ottawa
| | - Sophie LeBlanc
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
| | - Stuart MacLeod
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
| | | | - Marc Ekker
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa
| | - Alex MacKenzie
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
| | - Izabella Pena
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute; Department of Biology, University of Ottawa;
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50
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Luo J, Norris RH, Gordon SL, Nithianantharajah J. Neurodevelopmental synaptopathies: Insights from behaviour in rodent models of synapse gene mutations. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:424-439. [PMID: 29217145 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The genomic revolution has begun to unveil the enormous complexity and heterogeneity of the genetic basis of neurodevelopmental disorders such as such epilepsy, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Increasingly, human mutations in synapse genes are being identified across these disorders. These neurodevelopmental synaptopathies highlight synaptic homeostasis pathways as a convergence point underlying disease mechanisms. Here, we review some of the key pre- and postsynaptic genes in which penetrant human mutations have been identified in neurodevelopmental disorders for which genetic rodent models have been generated. Specifically, we focus on the main behavioural phenotypes that have been documented in these animal models, to consolidate our current understanding of how synapse genes regulate key behavioural and cognitive domains. These studies provide insights into better understanding the basis of the overlapping genetic and cognitive heterogeneity observed in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Luo
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - R H Norris
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - S L Gordon
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - J Nithianantharajah
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
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