1
|
Autism, heparan sulfate and potential interventions. Exp Neurol 2022; 353:114050. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
2
|
Sex-Dependent Social and Repetitive Behavior and Neurochemical Profile in Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12010071. [PMID: 35050193 PMCID: PMC8778172 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12010071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deficits in social interaction, impaired communication, and repetitive behaviors. ASD presents a 3:1 ratio of diagnosed boys and girls, raising the question regarding sexual dimorphic mechanisms underlying ASD symptoms, and their molecular basis. Here, we performed in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in juvenile male and female Tsc2+/- mice (an established genetic animal model of ASD). Moreover, behavior and ultrasonic vocalizations during social and repetitive tasks were analyzed. We found significant sexual dimorphisms in the levels of metabolites in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Further, we observed that female mutant animals had a differential social behavior and presented an increase in repetitive behavior. Importantly, while mutant females displayed a more simplified communication during social tasks, mutant males exhibited a similar less complex vocal repertoire but during repetitive tasks. These results hint toward sex-dependent alterations in molecular and metabolic pathways, which can lead to the sexual dimorphic behaviors and communication observed in social and repetitive environments.
Collapse
|
3
|
Shin S, Santi A, Huang S. Conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin- or somatostatin-positive neurons sufficiently leads to autism-related behavioral phenotypes. Mol Brain 2021; 14:24. [PMID: 33504340 PMCID: PMC7839207 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00731-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Disrupted GABAergic neurons have been extensively described in brain tissues from individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and animal models for ASD. However, the contribution of these aberrant inhibitory neurons to autism-related behavioral phenotypes is not well understood. We examined ASD-related behaviors in mice with conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin (PV)-expressing or somatostatin (Sst)-expressing neurons, two common subtypes of GABAergic neurons. We found that mice with deletion of Pten in either PV-neurons or Sst-neurons displayed social deficits, repetitive behaviors and impaired motor coordination/learning. In addition, mice with one copy of Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited hyperlocomotion in novel open fields and home cages. We also examined anxiety behaviors and found that mice with Pten deletion in Sst-neurons displayed anxiety-like behaviors, while mice with Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited anxiolytic-like behaviors. These behavioral assessments demonstrate that Pten knockout in the subtype of inhibitory neurons sufficiently gives rise to ASD-core behaviors, providing evidence that both PV- and Sst-neurons may play a critical role in ASD symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sangyep Shin
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Andrea Santi
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Shiyong Huang
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Rathod RS, Ferguson C, Seth A, Baratta AM, Plasil SL, Homanics GE. Effects of Paternal Preconception Vapor Alcohol Exposure Paradigms on Behavioral Responses in Offspring. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10090658. [PMID: 32971974 PMCID: PMC7564629 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We and others previously reported that paternal preconception chronic ethanol exposure leads to molecular, physiological, and behavioral changes in offspring including reduced ethanol consumption and preference relative to controls. The goal of the present study was to further explore the impact of paternal ethanol exposure on a wide variety of basal and drug-induced behavioral responses in first generation offspring. Adult male mice were exposed to chronic intermittent vapor ethanol or control conditions for 5-6 weeks before being mated with ethanol-naïve females to produce ethanol (E)- and control (C)-sired offspring. E-sired male offspring showed stress hyporesponsivity in a stress-induced hyperthermia assay and E-sired female offspring had reduced binge-like ethanol consumption in a drinking in the dark assay compared to C-sired offspring. E-sired offspring also showed altered sensitivity to a sedative/hypnotic dose of the GABAergic drug midazolam, but not ketamine or ethanol, in a loss of the righting response assay. E-sired offspring did not differ from controls in marble burying, novel object location, novel object recognition, social interaction, bottle-brush, novelty suppressed feeding, prepulse inhibition, every-other-day ethanol drinking, or home cage activity assays. This study adds to a growing body of literature suggesting that like in utero alcohol exposure, paternal preconception alcohol exposure can also have effects that persist and impact behavior of offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richa S. Rathod
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (R.S.R.); (C.F.); (A.S.)
| | - Carolyn Ferguson
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (R.S.R.); (C.F.); (A.S.)
| | - Amit Seth
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (R.S.R.); (C.F.); (A.S.)
| | - Annalisa M. Baratta
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA;
| | - Sonja L. Plasil
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA;
| | - Gregg E. Homanics
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (R.S.R.); (C.F.); (A.S.)
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA;
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-412-648-8172
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Shamsi Meymandi M, Sepehri G, Moslemizadeh A, Vakili Shahrbabaki S, Bashiri H. Prenatal pregabalin is associated with sex-dependent alterations in some behavioral parameters in valproic acid-induced autism in rat offspring. Int J Dev Neurosci 2020; 80:500-511. [PMID: 32588482 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was performed to evaluate the effects of prenatal exposure to pregabalin (PGB) on behavioral changes of rat offspring in an animal model of valproic acid (VPA)-induced autism-like symptoms. Pregnant rats received VPA (600 mg/kg/i.p.) once at 12.5 gestational days for autism-like symptom induction in offspring. After the delivery single male and single female offspring from each mother were randomly selected for behavioral test (anxiety, pain response, pleasure, and motor function) at 60th day adulthood (n = 7). Offspring received prenatal PGB (15 & 30 mg/kg/i.p.) during gestational days 9.5 to 15.5 either alone or in combination with VPA (PGB15, PGB30, PGB15 + VPA, and PGB30 + VPA). Control offspring received normal saline during the same period. The result showed that prenatal VPA exposure was associated with autism-like behaviors in rat offspring. PGB treatment during the gestational period revealed significant reduction in sucrose preference test and anxiety in elevated plus maze and open field test in offspring. Also, PGB treatments exhibited a dose-dependent increase in pain threshold in prenatally VPA exposed rats in tail-flick and hot plate test. Also, there was a sex-related significant impairment in motor function in beam balance and open field test, and male rats were affected more than females. However, no significant sex differences in sucrose preference and pain sensitivity were observed in prenatal PGB-treated rat offspring. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to VPA increased the risk of autism-like behaviors in the offspring rats, and PGB treatment during the gestational period was associated with some beneficial effects, including anxiety reduction and motor impairment in autism-like symptoms in rat offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manzumeh Shamsi Meymandi
- Pathology and Stem Cells Research Center, Kerman Medical School, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Sepehri
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | | | | | - Hamideh Bashiri
- Physiology Research Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical School, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sirjan School of Medical Sciences, Sirjan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Sragovich S, Amram N, Yeheskel A, Gozes I. VIP/PACAP-Based Drug Development: The ADNP/NAP-Derived Mirror Peptides SKIP and D-SKIP Exhibit Distinctive in vivo and in silico Effects. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 13:589. [PMID: 31992971 PMCID: PMC6971164 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) was discovered and first characterized in the laboratory of Prof. Illana Gozes to be regulated by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) toward neuroprotection. Importantly, ADNP is a master regulator of >400 genes, essential for brain formation, while its haploinsufficiency causes cognitive impairments. Recently, de novo mutations in ADNP were identified as leading to the autism-like ADNP syndrome, mimicked by the Adnp-deficient mouse model. Furthermore, novel peptide derivatives of the neuroprotective ADNP-snippet NAP (NAPVSIPQ), developed in our laboratory, include SKIP and the mirroring all D-amino acid SKIP (D-SKIP). We now extended previous evidence suggesting potential antagonistic features for D-SKIP, compared with the neuroprotective peptide SKIP, as was observed by NMR analysis and social/olfactory functional testing. Here, an impact of the Adnp genotype was observed in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) test measuring cognition, coupled with improvement by SKIP, opposing the inert/exacerbating effect of D-SKIP. In the elevated plus-maze and open field tests measuring anxiety-related behaviors, contrasting effects of SKIP and D-SKIP were found, with SKIP improving/preserving the normal phenotype of the mouse, and D-SKIP causing alterations. Lastly, an in silico analysis suggested that SKIP and D-SKIP bind the microtubule end binding (EB) proteins EB1 and EB3 in different conformations, thereby indicating distinctive natures for the two peptides, potentially mediating differential in vivo effects. Altogether, our findings corroborate the notion of D-SKIP acting as an antagonist, thus distinguishing it from the neuroprotective SKIP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shlomo Sragovich
- The Lily and Avraham Gildor Chair for the Investigation of Growth Factors, The Elton Laboratory for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience and Adams Super Center for Brain Studies, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noy Amram
- The Lily and Avraham Gildor Chair for the Investigation of Growth Factors, The Elton Laboratory for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience and Adams Super Center for Brain Studies, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Adva Yeheskel
- Bioinformatics Unit, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Illana Gozes
- The Lily and Avraham Gildor Chair for the Investigation of Growth Factors, The Elton Laboratory for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience and Adams Super Center for Brain Studies, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ortega-Azorín C, Coltell O, Asensio EM, Sorlí JV, González JI, Portolés O, Saiz C, Estruch R, Ramírez-Sabio JB, Pérez-Fidalgo A, Ordovas JM, Corella D. Candidate Gene and Genome-Wide Association Studies for Circulating Leptin Levels Reveal Population and Sex-Specific Associations in High Cardiovascular Risk Mediterranean Subjects. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11112751. [PMID: 31766143 PMCID: PMC6893551 DOI: 10.3390/nu11112751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptin is a hormone crucial in the regulation of food intake and body-weight maintenance. However, the genes and gene variants that influence its plasma levels are still not well known. Results of studies investigating polymorphisms in candidate genes have been inconsistent, and, in addition, very few genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been undertaken. Our aim was to investigate the genes and gene variants most associated with plasma leptin concentrations in a high-cardiovascular-risk Mediterranean population. We measured plasma leptin in 1011 men and women, and analyzed the genetic factors associated using three approaches: (1) Analyzing the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) reported in a GWAS meta-analysis in other populations (including an SNP in/near each of these LEP, SLC32A1, GCKR, CCNL, COBLL1, and FTO genes); (2) Investigating additional SNPs in/near those genes, also including the RLEP gene; and (3) Undertaking a GWAS to discover new genes. We did not find any statistically significant associations between the previously published SNPs and plasma leptin (Ln) in the whole population adjusting for sex and age. However, on undertaking an extensive screening of other gene variants in those genes to capture a more complete set of SNPs, we found more associations. Outstanding among the findings was the heterogeneity per sex. We detected several statistically significant interaction terms with sex for these SNPs in the candidate genes. The gene most associated with plasma leptin levels was the FTO gene in men (specifically the rs1075440 SNP) and the LEPR in women (specifically the rs12145690 SNP). In the GWAS on the whole population, we found several new associations at the p < 1 × 10-5 level, among them with the rs245908-CHN2 SNP (p = 1.6 × 10-6). We also detected a SNP*sex interaction at the GWAS significance level (p < 5 × 10-8), involving the SLIT3 gene, a gene regulated by estrogens. In conclusion, our study shows that the SNPs selected as relevant for plasma leptin levels in other populations, are not good markers for this Mediterranean population, so supporting those studies claiming a bias when generalizing GWAS results to different populations. These population-specific differences may include not only genetic characteristics, but also age, health status, and the influence of other environmental variables. In addition, we have detected several sex-specific effects. These results suggest that genomic analyses, involving leptin, should be estimated by sex and consider population-specificity for more precise estimations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Ortega-Azorín
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (C.O.-A.); (E.M.A.); (J.V.S.); (J.I.G.); (O.P.); (C.S.); (A.P.-F.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (R.E.)
| | - Oscar Coltell
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (R.E.)
- Department of Computer Languages and Systems, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Eva M. Asensio
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (C.O.-A.); (E.M.A.); (J.V.S.); (J.I.G.); (O.P.); (C.S.); (A.P.-F.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (R.E.)
| | - Jose V. Sorlí
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (C.O.-A.); (E.M.A.); (J.V.S.); (J.I.G.); (O.P.); (C.S.); (A.P.-F.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (R.E.)
| | - José I. González
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (C.O.-A.); (E.M.A.); (J.V.S.); (J.I.G.); (O.P.); (C.S.); (A.P.-F.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (R.E.)
| | - Olga Portolés
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (C.O.-A.); (E.M.A.); (J.V.S.); (J.I.G.); (O.P.); (C.S.); (A.P.-F.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (R.E.)
| | - Carmen Saiz
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (C.O.-A.); (E.M.A.); (J.V.S.); (J.I.G.); (O.P.); (C.S.); (A.P.-F.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (R.E.)
| | - Ramon Estruch
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (R.E.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Clinic, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Villarroel, 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Alejandro Pérez-Fidalgo
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (C.O.-A.); (E.M.A.); (J.V.S.); (J.I.G.); (O.P.); (C.S.); (A.P.-F.)
- CIBER Cáncer, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose M Ordovas
- Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory, JM-USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA;
- Department of Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Population Genetics, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- IMDEA Alimentación, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Dolores Corella
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (C.O.-A.); (E.M.A.); (J.V.S.); (J.I.G.); (O.P.); (C.S.); (A.P.-F.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (O.C.); (R.E.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-96-386-4800
| |
Collapse
|