1
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Wen L, Man X, Luan J, Zhang S, Zhao C, Bao Y, Liu C, Feng X. Early-life exposure to five biodegradable plastics impairs eye development and visually-mediated behavior through disturbing hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis in zebrafish larvae. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 284:109981. [PMID: 39033795 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Biodegradable plastics have been commonly developed and applied as an alternative to traditional plastics, which cause environmental plastic pollution. However, biodegradable plastics still present limitations such as stringent degradation conditions and slow degradation rate, and may cause harm to the environment and organisms. Consequently, in this study, zebrafish was used to evaluate the effects of five biodegradable microplastics (MPs), polyglycolic acid (PGA), polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) exposure on the early development, retina morphology, visually-mediated behavior, and thyroid signaling at concentrations of 1 mg/L and 100 mg/L. The results indicated that all MPs induced decreased survival rate, reduced body length, smaller eyes, and smaller heads, affecting the early development of zebrafish larvae. Moreover, the thickness of retinal layers, including inner plexiform layer (IPL), outer nuclear layer (ONL), and retinal ganglion layer (RGL) was decreased, and the expression of key genes related to eye and retinal development was abnormally altered after all MPs exposure. Exposure to PBS and PBAT led to abnormal visually-mediated behavior, indicating likely affected the visual function. All MPs could also cause thyroid system disorders, among which alterations in the thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) genes could affect the retinal development of zebrafish larvae. In summary, biodegradable MPs exhibited eye developmental toxicity and likely impaired the visual function in zebrafish larvae. This provided new evidence for revealing the effects of biodegradable plastics on aquatic organism development and environmental risks to aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wen
- China Shenhua Coal to Liquid and Chemical CO., LTD. of China Energy, Beijing 100011, China
| | - Xiaoting Man
- College of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Jialu Luan
- College of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Shuhui Zhang
- College of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Chengtian Zhao
- College of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yehua Bao
- College of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Congzhi Liu
- China Shenhua Coal to Liquid and Chemical CO., LTD. of China Energy, Beijing 100011, China.
| | - Xizeng Feng
- College of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
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2
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Roy D, Subramaniam B, Chong WC, Bornhorst M, Packer RJ, Nazarian J. Zebrafish-A Suitable Model for Rapid Translation of Effective Therapies for Pediatric Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1361. [PMID: 38611039 PMCID: PMC11010887 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071361] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Pediatric cancers are the leading cause of disease-related deaths in children and adolescents. Most of these tumors are difficult to treat and have poor overall survival. Concerns have also been raised about drug toxicity and long-term detrimental side effects of therapies. In this review, we discuss the advantages and unique attributes of zebrafish as pediatric cancer models and their importance in targeted drug discovery and toxicity assays. We have also placed a special focus on zebrafish models of pediatric brain cancers-the most common and difficult solid tumor to treat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debasish Roy
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Bavani Subramaniam
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Wai Chin Chong
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Miriam Bornhorst
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Roger J. Packer
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
| | - Javad Nazarian
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC 20012, USA; (D.R.)
- DIPG/DMG Research Center Zurich, Children’s Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, University Children’s Hospital Zürich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
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3
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Pramanik S, Bala A, Pradhan A. Zebrafish in understanding molecular pathophysiology, disease modeling, and developing effective treatments for Rett syndrome. J Gene Med 2024; 26:e3677. [PMID: 38380785 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare but dreadful X-linked genetic disease that mainly affects young girls. It is a neurological disease that affects nerve cell development and function, resulting in severe motor and intellectual disabilities. To date, no cure is available for treating this disease. In 90% of the cases, RTT is caused by a mutation in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2), a transcription factor involved in the repression and activation of transcription. MECP2 is known to regulate several target genes and is involved in different physiological functions. Mouse models exhibit a broad range of phenotypes in recapitulating human RTT symptoms; however, understanding the disease mechanisms remains incomplete, and many potential RTT treatments developed in mouse models have not shown translational effectiveness in human trials. Recent data hint that the zebrafish model emulates similar disrupted neurological functions following mutation of the mecp2 gene. This suggests that zebrafish can be used to understand the onset and progression of RTT pathophysiology and develop a possible cure. In this review, we elaborate on the molecular basis of RTT pathophysiology in humans and model organisms, including rodents and zebrafish, focusing on the zebrafish model to understand the molecular pathophysiology and the development of therapeutic strategies for RTT. Finally, we propose a rational treatment strategy, including antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering RNA technology and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subrata Pramanik
- Jyoti and Bhupat Mehta School of Health Sciences and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
- Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Asis Bala
- Pharmacology and Drug Discovery Research Laboratory, Division of Life Sciences; Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), An Autonomous Institute Under - Department of Science & Technology (Govt. of India) Vigyan Path, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Ajay Pradhan
- Biology, The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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4
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Chaoul V, Dib EY, Bedran J, Khoury C, Shmoury O, Harb F, Soueid J. Assessing Drug Administration Techniques in Zebrafish Models of Neurological Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14898. [PMID: 37834345 PMCID: PMC10573323 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurological diseases, including neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, affect nearly one in six of the world's population. The burden of the resulting deaths and disability is set to rise during the next few decades as a consequence of an aging population. To address this, zebrafish have become increasingly prominent as a model for studying human neurological diseases and exploring potential therapies. Zebrafish offer numerous benefits, such as genetic homology and brain similarities, complementing traditional mammalian models and serving as a valuable tool for genetic screening and drug discovery. In this comprehensive review, we highlight various drug delivery techniques and systems employed for therapeutic interventions of neurological diseases in zebrafish, and evaluate their suitability. We also discuss the challenges encountered during this process and present potential advancements in innovative techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Chaoul
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, Lebanon; (V.C.); (J.B.); (O.S.)
| | - Emanuel-Youssef Dib
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Balamand, Kalhat P.O. Box 100, Lebanon; (E.-Y.D.); (C.K.)
| | - Joe Bedran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, Lebanon; (V.C.); (J.B.); (O.S.)
| | - Chakib Khoury
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Balamand, Kalhat P.O. Box 100, Lebanon; (E.-Y.D.); (C.K.)
| | - Omar Shmoury
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, Lebanon; (V.C.); (J.B.); (O.S.)
| | - Frédéric Harb
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Balamand, Kalhat P.O. Box 100, Lebanon; (E.-Y.D.); (C.K.)
| | - Jihane Soueid
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, Lebanon; (V.C.); (J.B.); (O.S.)
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5
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Washbourne P. Can we model autism using zebrafish? Dev Growth Differ 2023; 65:453-458. [PMID: 37623916 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most common, heritable neuropsychiatric disorders in the world, affecting almost 1% of the population. The core symptoms used to diagnose ASD are decreased social interaction and increased repetitive behaviors. Despite the large number of affected individuals, the precise mechanisms that cause this disorder remain unclear. The identification of genes and environmental factors associated with ASD allows the study of the underlying mechanisms in animal models. Although ASD presents as a human disorder, based on recent advances in understanding their brain anatomy, physiology, behavior, and evolutionary conservation of neuronal cell types, I propose that zebrafish may provide novel insights into the etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Washbourne
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
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6
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Vaz R, Edwards S, Dueñas-Rey A, Hofmeister W, Lindstrand A. Loss of ctnnd2b affects neuronal differentiation and behavior in zebrafish. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1205653. [PMID: 37465584 PMCID: PMC10351287 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1205653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Delta-catenin (CTNND2) is an adhesive junction associated protein belonging to the family of p120 catenins. The human gene is located on the short arm of chromosome 5, the region deleted in Cri-du-chat syndrome (OMIM #123450). Heterozygous loss of CTNND2 has been linked to a wide spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, and intellectual disability. Here we studied how heterozygous loss of ctnnd2b affects zebrafish embryonic development, and larvae and adult behavior. First, we observed a disorganization of neuronal subtypes in the developing forebrain, namely the presence of ectopic isl1-expressing cells and a local reduction of GABA-positive neurons in the optic recess region. Next, using time-lapse analysis, we found that the disorganized distribution of is1l-expressing forebrain neurons resulted from an increased specification of Isl1:GFP neurons. Finally, we studied the swimming patterns of both larval and adult heterozygous zebrafish and observed an increased activity compared to wildtype animals. Overall, this data suggests a role for ctnnd2b in the differentiation cascade of neuronal subtypes in specific regions of the vertebrate brain, with repercussions in the animal's behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Vaz
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Centre of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Steven Edwards
- Department of Applied Physics and Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alfredo Dueñas-Rey
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Centre of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wolfgang Hofmeister
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Centre of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Lindstrand
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and Centre of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Adrião A, Mariano S, Mariano J, Gavaia PJ, Cancela ML, Vitorino M, Conceição N. mef2ca and mef2cb Double Mutant Zebrafish Show Altered Craniofacial Phenotype and Motor Behaviour. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050805. [PMID: 37238675 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050805] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor MEF2C is crucial in neuronal, cardiac, bone and cartilage molecular processes, as well as for craniofacial development. MEF2C was associated with the human disease MRD20, whose patients show abnormal neuronal and craniofacial development. Zebrafish mef2ca;mef2cb double mutants were analysed for abnormalities in craniofacial and behaviour development through phenotypic analysis. Quantitative PCR was performed to investigate the expression levels of neuronal marker genes in mutant larvae. The motor behaviour was analysed by the swimming activity of 6 dpf larvae. We found that mef2ca;mef2cb double mutants display several abnormal phenotypes during early development, including those already described in zebrafish carrying mutations in each paralog, but also (i) a severe craniofacial phenotype (comprising both cartilaginous and dermal bone structures), (ii) developmental arrest due to the disruption of cardiac oedema and (iii) clear alterations in behaviour. We demonstrate that the defects observed in zebrafish mef2ca;mef2cb double mutants are similar to those previously described in MEF2C-null mice and MRD20 patients, confirming the usefulness of these mutant lines as a model for studies concerning MRD20 disease, the identification of new therapeutic targets and screening for possible rescue strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia Adrião
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Sara Mariano
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - José Mariano
- Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Center of Physics and Engineering of Advanced Materials (CeFEMA), IST, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1096-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Paulo J Gavaia
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - M Leonor Cancela
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Marta Vitorino
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Natércia Conceição
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
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8
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CRISPR/Cas9-Induced Inactivation of the Autism-Risk Gene setd5 Leads to Social Impairments in Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010167. [PMID: 36613611 PMCID: PMC9820161 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Haploinsufficiency of the SETD5 gene, encoding a SET domain-containing histone methyltransferase, has been identified as a cause of intellectual disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Recently, the zebrafish has emerged as a valuable model to study neurodevelopmental disorders because of its genetic tractability, robust behavioral traits and amenability to high-throughput drug screening. To model human SETD5 haploinsufficiency, we generated zebrafish setd5 mutants using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology and characterized their morphological, behavioral and molecular phenotypes. According to our observation that setd5 is expressed in adult zebrafish brain, including those areas controlling social behavior, we found that setd5 heterozygous mutants exhibit defective aggregation and coordination abilities required for shoaling interactions, as well as indifference to social stimuli. Interestingly, impairment in social interest is rescued by risperidone, an antipsychotic drug used to treat behavioral traits in ASD individuals. The molecular analysis underscored the downregulation of genes encoding proteins involved in the synaptic structure and function in the adult brain, thus suggesting that brain hypo-connectivity could be responsible for the social impairments of setd5 mutant fishes. The zebrafish setd5 mutants display ASD-like features and are a promising setd5 haploinsufficiency model for drug screening aimed at reversing the behavioral phenotypes.
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9
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Haase F, Singh R, Gloss B, Tam P, Gold W. Meta-Analysis Identifies BDNF and Novel Common Genes Differently Altered in Cross-Species Models of Rett Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:11125. [PMID: 36232428 PMCID: PMC9570315 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare disorder and one of the most abundant causes of intellectual disabilities in females. Single mutations in the gene coding for methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) are responsible for the disorder. MeCP2 regulates gene expression as a transcriptional regulator as well as through epigenetic imprinting and chromatin condensation. Consequently, numerous biological pathways on multiple levels are influenced. However, the exact molecular pathways from genotype to phenotype are currently not fully elucidated. Treatment of RTT is purely symptomatic as no curative options for RTT have yet to reach the clinic. The paucity of this is mainly due to an incomplete understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of the disorder with no clinically useful common disease drivers, biomarkers, or therapeutic targets being identified. With the premise of identifying universal and robust disease drivers and therapeutic targets, here, we interrogated a range of RTT transcriptomic studies spanning different species, models, and MECP2 mutations. A meta-analysis using RNA sequencing data from brains of RTT mouse models, human post-mortem brain tissue, and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) neurons was performed using weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA). This study identified a module of genes common to all datasets with the following ten hub genes driving the expression: ATRX, ADCY7, ADCY9, SOD1, CACNA1A, PLCG1, CCT5, RPS9, BDNF, and MECP2. Here, we discuss the potential benefits of these genes as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Haase
- School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
- Kids Neuroscience Centre, Kids Research, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Molecular Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Kids Research, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Rachna Singh
- School of Medicine Sydney, The University of Notre Dame, Chippendale, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Brian Gloss
- Westmead Research Hub, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Patrick Tam
- School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
- Embryology Research Unit, Children’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Wendy Gold
- School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
- Kids Neuroscience Centre, Kids Research, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Molecular Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Kids Research, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
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10
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Lindemann N, Kalix L, Possiel J, Stasch R, Kusian T, Köster RW, von Trotha JW. A comparative analysis of Danionella cerebrum and zebrafish (Danio rerio) larval locomotor activity in a light-dark test. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:885775. [PMID: 35990722 PMCID: PMC9385977 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.885775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Danionella comprises some of the smallest known vertebrate species and is evolutionary closely related to the zebrafish, Danio rerio. With its optical translucency, rich behavioral repertoire, and a brain volume of just 0.6 mm3, Danionella cerebrum (Dc) holds great promise for whole-brain in vivo imaging analyses with single cell resolution of higher cognitive functions in an adult vertebrate. Little is currently known, however, about the basic locomotor activity of adult and larval Danionella cerebrum and how it compares to the well-established zebrafish model system. Here, we provide a comparative developmental analysis of the larval locomotor activity of Dc and AB wildtype as well as crystal zebrafish in a light-dark test. We find similarities but also differences in both species, most notably a striking startle response of Dc following a sudden dark to light switch, whereas zebrafish respond most strongly to a sudden light to dark switch. We hypothesize that the different startle responses in both species may stem from their different natural habitats and could represent an opportunity to investigate how neural circuits evolve to evoke different behaviors in response to environmental stimuli.
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11
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Xu YX, Zhang SH, Zhang SZ, Yang MY, Zhao X, Sun MZ, Feng XZ. Exposure of zebrafish embryos to sodium propionate disrupts circadian behavior and glucose metabolism-related development. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 241:113791. [PMID: 35753272 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113791] [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: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sodium propionate is widely used as a preservative in food. The widespread use of preservatives is known to cause both environmental and public health problems. This study aimed to investigate the effects of sodium propionate on the developmental behavior and glucose metabolism of zebrafish. Our results showed that sodium propionate had no significant effect on the embryonic morphological development of zebrafish embryos but changed the head eye area. Then we found sodium propionate disturbed the thigmotaxis behavior, impaired neural development. Moreover, changes in clock gene expression disrupted the circadian rhythm of zebrafish. Circadian genes regulated insulin sensitivity and secretion in various tissues. Then our results showed that the disorder of circadian rhythm in zebrafish affected glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, which damaged the development of retina. Therefore, the safety of propionate should be further evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Xin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Shu-Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Shao-Zhi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Meng-Ying Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- The Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information Systems, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Ming-Zhu Sun
- The Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information Systems, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
| | - Xi-Zeng Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
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12
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Dougnon G, Matsui H. Modelling Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Using Mice and Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147550. [PMID: 35886894 PMCID: PMC9319972 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two debilitating neurodevelopmental disorders. The former is associated with social impairments whereas the latter is associated with inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. There is recent evidence that both disorders are somehow related and that genes may play a large role in these disorders. Despite mounting human and animal research, the neurological pathways underlying ASD and ADHD are still not well understood. Scientists investigate neurodevelopmental disorders by using animal models that have high similarities in genetics and behaviours with humans. Mice have been utilized in neuroscience research as an excellent animal model for a long time; however, the zebrafish has attracted much attention recently, with an increasingly large number of studies using this model. In this review, we first discuss ASD and ADHD aetiology from a general point of view to their characteristics and treatments. We also compare mice and zebrafish for their similarities and discuss their advantages and limitations in neuroscience. Finally, we summarize the most recent and existing research on zebrafish and mouse models of ASD and ADHD. We believe that this review will serve as a unique document providing interesting information to date about these models, thus facilitating research on ASD and ADHD.
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13
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Komada M, Nishimura Y. Epigenetics and Neuroinflammation Associated With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Microglial Perspective. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:852752. [PMID: 35646933 PMCID: PMC9133693 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.852752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is a cause of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome, and cerebral palsy. Converging lines of evidence from basic and clinical sciences suggest that dysregulation of the epigenetic landscape, including DNA methylation and miRNA expression, is associated with neuroinflammation. Genetic and environmental factors can affect the interaction between epigenetics and neuroinflammation, which may cause neurodevelopmental disorders. In this minireview, we focus on neuroinflammation that might be mediated by epigenetic dysregulation in microglia, and compare studies using mammals and zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munekazu Komada
- Mammalian Embryology, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kindai University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuhei Nishimura
- Department of Integrative Pharmacology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan
- *Correspondence: Yuhei Nishimura,
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14
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Akaba Y, Shiohama T, Komaki Y, Seki F, Ortug A, Sawada D, Uchida W, Kamagata K, Shimoji K, Aoki S, Takahashi S, Suzuki T, Natsume J, Takahashi E, Tsujimura K. Comprehensive Volumetric Analysis of Mecp2-Null Mouse Model for Rett Syndrome by T2-Weighted 3D Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:885335. [PMID: 35620663 PMCID: PMC9127869 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.885335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe progressive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by various neurological symptoms. Almost all RTT cases are caused by mutations in the X-linked methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) gene, and several mouse models have been established to understand the disease. However, the neuroanatomical abnormalities in each brain region of RTT mouse models have not been fully understood. Here, we investigated the global and local neuroanatomy of the Mecp2 gene-deleted RTT model (Mecp2-KO) mouse brain using T2-weighted 3D magnetic resonance imaging with different morphometry to clarify the brain structural abnormalities that are involved in the pathophysiology of RTT. We found a significant reduction in global and almost all local volumes in the brain of Mecp2-KO mice. In addition, a detailed comparative analysis identified specific volume reductions in several brain regions in the Mecp2-deficient brain. Our analysis also revealed that the Mecp2-deficient brain shows changes in hemispheric asymmetry in several brain regions. These findings suggest that MeCP2 affects not only the whole-brain volume but also the region-specific brain structure. Our study provides a framework for neuroanatomical studies of a mouse model of RTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Akaba
- Group of Brain Function and Development, Nagoya University Neuroscience Institute of the Graduate School of Science, Nagoya, Japan
- Research Unit for Developmental Disorders, Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Tadashi Shiohama
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yuji Komaki
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumiko Seki
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Alpen Ortug
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Daisuke Sawada
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Wataru Uchida
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Kamagata
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keigo Shimoji
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeki Aoki
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoru Takahashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan
| | - Takeshi Suzuki
- Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Jun Natsume
- Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Developmental Disability Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Keita Tsujimura
- Group of Brain Function and Development, Nagoya University Neuroscience Institute of the Graduate School of Science, Nagoya, Japan
- Research Unit for Developmental Disorders, Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Keita Tsujimura,
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15
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Tayanloo-Beik A, Hamidpour SK, Abedi M, Shojaei H, Tavirani MR, Namazi N, Larijani B, Arjmand B. Zebrafish Modeling of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Current Status and Future Prospective. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:911770. [PMID: 35911241 PMCID: PMC9329562 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.911770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a complicated range of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders which can occur via genetic or non-genetic factors. Clinically, ASD is associated with problems in relationships, social interactions, and behaviors that pose many challenges for children with ASD and their families. Due to the complexity, heterogeneity, and association of symptoms with some neuropsychiatric disorders such as ADHD, anxiety, and sleep disorders, clinical trials have not yielded reliable results and there still remain challenges in drug discovery and development pipeline for ASD patients. One of the main steps in promoting lead compounds to the suitable drug for commercialization is preclinical animal testing, in which the efficacy and toxicity of candidate drugs are examined in vivo. In recent years, zebrafish have been able to attract the attention of many researchers in the field of neurological disorders such as ASD due to their outstanding features. The presence of orthologous genes for ASD modeling, the anatomical similarities of parts of the brain, and similar neurotransmitter systems between zebrafish and humans are some of the main reasons why scientists draw attention to zebrafish as a prominent animal model in preclinical studies to discover highly effective treatment approaches for the ASD through genetic and non-genetic modeling methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akram Tayanloo-Beik
- Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular-Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shayesteh Kokabi Hamidpour
- Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular-Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mina Abedi
- Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular-Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamide Shojaei
- Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular-Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Nazli Namazi
- Diabetes Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bagher Larijani
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Babak Arjmand
- Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular-Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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16
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Collins BE, Neul JL. Rett Syndrome and MECP2 Duplication Syndrome: Disorders of MeCP2 Dosage. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2022; 18:2813-2835. [PMID: 36471747 PMCID: PMC9719276 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s371483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused predominantly by loss-of-function mutations in the gene Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2), which encodes the MeCP2 protein. RTT is a MECP2-related disorder, along with MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS), caused by gain-of-function duplications of MECP2. Nearly two decades of research have advanced our knowledge of MeCP2 function in health and disease. The following review will discuss MeCP2 protein function and its dysregulation in the MECP2-related disorders RTT and MDS. This will include a discussion of the genetic underpinnings of these disorders, specifically how sporadic X-chromosome mutations arise and manifest in specific populations. We will then review current diagnostic guidelines and clinical manifestations of RTT and MDS. Next, we will delve into MeCP2 biology, describing the dual landscapes of methylated DNA and its reader MeCP2 across the neuronal genome as well as the function of MeCP2 as a transcriptional modulator. Following this, we will outline common MECP2 mutations and genotype-phenotype correlations in both diseases, with particular focus on mutations associated with relatively mild disease in RTT. We will also summarize decades of disease modeling and resulting molecular, synaptic, and behavioral phenotypes associated with RTT and MDS. Finally, we list several therapeutics in the development pipeline for RTT and MDS and available evidence of their safety and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget E Collins
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Neul
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Departments of Pediatrics, Pharmacology, and Special Education, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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17
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Bach S, Shovlin S, Moriarty M, Bardoni B, Tropea D. Rett Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome: Different Etiology With Common Molecular Dysfunctions. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:764761. [PMID: 34867203 PMCID: PMC8640214 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.764761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) and Fragile X syndrome (FXS) are two monogenetic neurodevelopmental disorders with complex clinical presentations. RTT is caused by mutations in the Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 gene (MECP2) altering the function of its protein product MeCP2. MeCP2 modulates gene expression by binding methylated CpG dinucleotides, and by interacting with transcription factors. FXS is caused by the silencing of the FMR1 gene encoding the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP), a RNA binding protein involved in multiple steps of RNA metabolism, and modulating the translation of thousands of proteins including a large set of synaptic proteins. Despite differences in genetic etiology, there are overlapping features in RTT and FXS, possibly due to interactions between MeCP2 and FMRP, and to the regulation of pathways resulting in dysregulation of common molecular signaling. Furthermore, basic physiological mechanisms are regulated by these proteins and might concur to the pathophysiology of both syndromes. Considering that RTT and FXS are disorders affecting brain development, and that most of the common targets of MeCP2 and FMRP are involved in brain activity, we discuss the mechanisms of synaptic function and plasticity altered in RTT and FXS, and we consider the similarities and the differences between these two disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snow Bach
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.,Neuropsychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephen Shovlin
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Barbara Bardoni
- Inserm, CNRS UMR 7275, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Université Côte d'Azur, Valbonne, France
| | - Daniela Tropea
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.,Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,FutureNeuro, The SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, Dublin, Ireland
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18
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Reviewing Evidence for the Relationship of EEG Abnormalities and RTT Phenotype Paralleled by Insights from Animal Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22105308. [PMID: 34069993 PMCID: PMC8157853 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that is usually caused by mutations of the MECP2 gene. Patients with RTT suffer from severe deficits in motor, perceptual and cognitive domains. Electroencephalogram (EEG) has provided useful information to clinicians and scientists, from the very first descriptions of RTT, and yet no reliable neurophysiological biomarkers related to the pathophysiology of the disorder or symptom severity have been identified to date. To identify consistently observed and potentially informative EEG characteristics of RTT pathophysiology, and ascertain areas most worthy of further systematic investigation, here we review the literature for EEG abnormalities reported in patients with RTT and in its disease models. While pointing to some promising potential EEG biomarkers of RTT, our review identify areas of need to realize the potential of EEG including (1) quantitative investigation of promising clinical-EEG observations in RTT, e.g., shift of mu rhythm frequency and EEG during sleep; (2) closer alignment of approaches between patients with RTT and its animal models to strengthen the translational significance of the work (e.g., EEG measurements and behavioral states); (3) establishment of large-scale consortium research, to provide adequate Ns to investigate age and genotype effects.
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19
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Ross SE, Hesselson D, Bogdanovic O. Developmental Accumulation of Gene Body and Transposon Non-CpG Methylation in the Zebrafish Brain. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:643603. [PMID: 33748137 PMCID: PMC7978034 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.643603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation predominantly occurs at CG dinucleotides in vertebrate genomes; however, non-CG methylation (mCH) is also detectable in vertebrate tissues, most notably in the nervous system. In mammals it is well established that mCH is targeted to CAC trinucleotides by DNMT3A during nervous system development where it is enriched in gene bodies and associated with transcriptional repression. Nevertheless, the conservation of developmental mCH accumulation and its deposition by DNMT3A is largely unexplored and has yet to be functionally demonstrated in other vertebrates. In this study, by analyzing DNA methylomes and transcriptomes of zebrafish brains, we identified enrichment of mCH at CAC trinucleotides (mCAC) at defined transposon motifs as well as in developmentally downregulated genes associated with developmental and neural functions. We further generated and analyzed DNA methylomes and transcriptomes of developing zebrafish larvae and demonstrated that, like in mammals, mCH accumulates during post-embryonic brain development. Finally, by employing CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we unraveled a conserved role for Dnmt3a enzymes in developmental mCAC deposition. Overall, this work demonstrates the evolutionary conservation of developmental mCH dynamics and highlights the potential of zebrafish as a model to study mCH regulation and function during normal and perturbed development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel E Ross
- Genomics and Epigenetics Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Daniel Hesselson
- Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ozren Bogdanovic
- Genomics and Epigenetics Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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20
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Pensado-López A, Veiga-Rúa S, Carracedo Á, Allegue C, Sánchez L. Experimental Models to Study Autism Spectrum Disorders: hiPSCs, Rodents and Zebrafish. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1376. [PMID: 33233737 PMCID: PMC7699923 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affect around 1.5% of the global population, which manifest alterations in communication and socialization, as well as repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. ASD is a complex disorder with known environmental and genetic contributors; however, ASD etiology is far from being clear. In the past decades, many efforts have been put into developing new models to study ASD, both in vitro and in vivo. These models have a lot of potential to help to validate some of the previously associated risk factors to the development of the disorder, and to test new potential therapies that help to alleviate ASD symptoms. The present review is focused on the recent advances towards the generation of models for the study of ASD, which would be a useful tool to decipher the bases of the disorder, as well as to conduct drug screenings that hopefully lead to the identification of useful compounds to help patients deal with the symptoms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Pensado-López
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.P.-L.); (S.V.-R.)
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Sara Veiga-Rúa
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.P.-L.); (S.V.-R.)
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Ángel Carracedo
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Catarina Allegue
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Laura Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.P.-L.); (S.V.-R.)
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21
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Rea V, Van Raay TJ. Using Zebrafish to Model Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparison of ASD Risk Genes Between Zebrafish and Their Mammalian Counterparts. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:575575. [PMID: 33262688 PMCID: PMC7686559 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.575575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a highly variable and complex set of neurological disorders that alter neurodevelopment and cognitive function, which usually presents with social and learning impairments accompanied with other comorbid symptoms like hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity, or repetitive behaviors. Autism can be caused by genetic and/or environmental factors and unraveling the etiology of ASD has proven challenging, especially given that different genetic mutations can cause both similar and different phenotypes that all fall within the autism spectrum. Furthermore, the list of ASD risk genes is ever increasing making it difficult to synthesize a common theme. The use of rodent models to enhance ASD research is invaluable and is beginning to unravel the underlying molecular mechanisms of this disease. Recently, zebrafish have been recognized as a useful model of neurodevelopmental disorders with regards to genetics, pharmacology and behavior and one of the main foundations supporting autism research (SFARI) recently identified 12 ASD risk genes with validated zebrafish mutant models. Here, we describe what is known about those 12 ASD risk genes in human, mice and zebrafish to better facilitate this research. We also describe several non-genetic models including pharmacological and gnotobiotic models that are used in zebrafish to study ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Terence J. Van Raay
- Dept of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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22
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Cordone V, Pecorelli A, Amicarelli F, Hayek J, Valacchi G. The complexity of Rett syndrome models: Primary fibroblasts as a disease-in-a-dish reliable approach. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ddmod.2019.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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23
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Rosch R, Burrows DRW, Jones LB, Peters CH, Ruben P, Samarut É. Functional Genomics of Epilepsy and Associated Neurodevelopmental Disorders Using Simple Animal Models: From Genes, Molecules to Brain Networks. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:556. [PMID: 31920556 PMCID: PMC6923670 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetic diagnosis of patients with seizure disorders has been improved significantly by the development of affordable next-generation sequencing technologies. Indeed, in the last 20 years, dozens of causative genes and thousands of associated variants have been described and, for many patients, are now considered responsible for their disease. However, the functional consequences of these mutations are often not studied in vivo, despite such studies being central to understanding pathogenic mechanisms and identifying novel therapeutic avenues. One main roadblock to functionally characterizing pathogenic mutations is generating and characterizing in vivo mammalian models carrying clinically relevant variants in specific genes identified in patients. Although the emergence of new mutagenesis techniques facilitates the production of rodent mutants, the fact that early development occurs internally hampers the investigation of gene function during neurodevelopment. In this context, functional genomics studies using simple animal models such as flies or fish are advantageous since they open a dynamic window of investigation throughout embryonic development. In this review, we will summarize how the use of simple animal models can fill the gap between genetic diagnosis and functional and phenotypic correlates of gene function in vivo. In particular, we will discuss how these simple animals offer the possibility to study gene function at multiple scales, from molecular function (i.e., ion channel activity), to cellular circuit and brain network dynamics. As a result, simple model systems offer alternative avenues of investigation to model aspects of the disease phenotype not currently possible in rodents, which can help to unravel the pathogenic substratum in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Rosch
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Dominic R. W. Burrows
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laura B. Jones
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Colin H. Peters
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Peter Ruben
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Éric Samarut
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Center of the University of Montreal Hospital Center (CRCHUM), Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Modelis Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada
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24
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Sanders SJ, Sahin M, Hostyk J, Thurm A, Jacquemont S, Avillach P, Douard E, Martin CL, Modi ME, Moreno-De-Luca A, Raznahan A, Anticevic A, Dolmetsch R, Feng G, Geschwind DH, Glahn DC, Goldstein DB, Ledbetter DH, Mulle JG, Pasca SP, Samaco R, Sebat J, Pariser A, Lehner T, Gur RE, Bearden CE. A framework for the investigation of rare genetic disorders in neuropsychiatry. Nat Med 2019; 25:1477-1487. [PMID: 31548702 PMCID: PMC8656349 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-019-0581-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
De novo and inherited rare genetic disorders (RGDs) are a major cause of human morbidity, frequently involving neuropsychiatric symptoms. Recent advances in genomic technologies and data sharing have revolutionized the identification and diagnosis of RGDs, presenting an opportunity to elucidate the mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders by investigating the pathophysiology of high-penetrance genetic risk factors. Here we seek out the best path forward for achieving these goals. We think future research will require consistent approaches across multiple RGDs and developmental stages, involving both the characterization of shared neuropsychiatric dimensions in humans and the identification of neurobiological commonalities in model systems. A coordinated and concerted effort across patients, families, researchers, clinicians and institutions, including rapid and broad sharing of data, is now needed to translate these discoveries into urgently needed therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan J Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Hostyk
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, Hammer Health Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Audrey Thurm
- National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sebastien Jacquemont
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Paul Avillach
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elise Douard
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christa L Martin
- Geisinger Autism & Developmental Medicine Institute, Danville, PA, USA
| | - Meera E Modi
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Alan Anticevic
- Tommy Fuss Center for Neuropsychiatric Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ricardo Dolmetsch
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Guoping Feng
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and Departments of Neurology and Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David C Glahn
- Tommy Fuss Center for Neuropsychiatric Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David B Goldstein
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, Hammer Health Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - David H Ledbetter
- Geisinger Autism & Developmental Medicine Institute, Danville, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer G Mulle
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sergiu P Pasca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Rodney Samaco
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan Sebat
- Beyster Center for Genomics of Psychiatric Diseases, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anne Pariser
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Lehner
- National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Raquel E Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Section, and the Lifespan Brain Institute, Perelman School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Carrie E Bearden
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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25
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Zhang B, Zhou Z, Zhou Y, Zhang T, Ma Y, Niu Y, Ji W, Chen Y. Social-valence-related increased attention in rett syndrome cynomolgus monkeys: An eye-tracking study. Autism Res 2019; 12:1585-1597. [PMID: 31389199 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The cognitive phenotypes of Rett syndrome (RTT) remain unclarified compared with the well-defined genetic etiology. Recent clinical studies suggest the eye-tracking method as a promising avenue to quantify the visual phenotypes of the syndrome. The present study explored various aspects of visual attention of the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene mutant RTT monkeys with the eye-tracking procedure. Comprehensive testing paradigms, including social valence comparison (SVC), visual paired comparison (VPC), and social recognition memory (SRM), were utilized to investigate their attentional features to social stimuli with differential valence, the novelty preferences, and short-term recognition memory, respectively. To explore the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the eye-tracking findings, we assessed changes of the brain subregion volumes and neurotransmitter concentrations. Compared with control monkeys, RTT monkeys demonstrated increased viewing on the more salient stare faces than profile faces in the SVC test, and increased viewing on the whole presented images composed of monkey faces in the VPC and SRM tests. Brain imaging revealed reduced bilateral occipital gyrus in RTT monkeys. The exploratory neurotransmitter analyses revealed no significant changes of various neurotransmitter concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of RTT monkeys. The eye-tracking results suggested social-valence-related increased attention in RTT monkeys, supplementing the cognitive phenotypes associated with the syndrome. Further investigations from broader perspectives are required to uncover the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Autism Res 2019, 00: 1-13. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Altered expressions of the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene are usually associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders, Rett syndrome (RTT), and so forth. The present eye-tracking study found social-valence-related increased attention in our firstly established MECP2 mutant RTT monkeys. The novel findings supplement the cognitive phenotypes and potentially benefit the behavioral interventions of the RTT syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedicine Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Zhigang Zhou
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedicine Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yin Zhou
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedicine Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedicine Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yuanye Ma
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedicine Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yuyu Niu
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedicine Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Weizhi Ji
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedicine Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yongchang Chen
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedicine Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
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26
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The citrus flavonoids hesperidin and naringin alleviate alcohol-induced behavioural alterations and developmental defects in zebrafish larvae. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2019; 73:22-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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27
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Abnormal repetitive behaviors in zebrafish and their relevance to human brain disorders. Behav Brain Res 2019; 367:101-110. [PMID: 30926483 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.03.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal repetitive behaviors (ARBs) are a prominent symptom of numerous human brain disorders and are commonly seen in rodent models as well. While rodent studies of ARBs continue to dominate the field, mounting evidence suggests that zebrafish (Danio rerio) also display ARB-like phenotypes and may therefore be a novel model organism for ARB research. In addition to clear practical research advantages as a model species, zebrafish share high genetic and physiological homology to humans and rodents, including multiple ARB-related genes and robust behaviors relevant to ARB. Here, we discuss a wide spectrum of stereotypic repetitive behaviors in zebrafish, data on their genetic and pharmacological modulation, and the overall translational relevance of fish ARBs to modeling human brain disorders. Overall, the zebrafish is rapidly emerging as a new promising model to study ARBs and their underlying mechanisms.
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28
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Vaz R, Hofmeister W, Lindstrand A. Zebrafish Models of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Limitations and Benefits of Current Tools and Techniques. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061296. [PMID: 30875831 PMCID: PMC6471844 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For the past few years there has been an exponential increase in the use of animal models to confirm the pathogenicity of candidate disease-causing genetic variants found in patients. One such animal model is the zebrafish. Despite being a non-mammalian animal, the zebrafish model has proven its potential in recapitulating the phenotypes of many different human genetic disorders. This review will focus on recent advances in the modeling of neurodevelopmental disorders in zebrafish, covering aspects from early brain development to techniques used for modulating gene expression, as well as how to best characterize the resulting phenotypes. We also review other existing models of neurodevelopmental disorders, and the current efforts in developing and testing compounds with potential therapeutic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Vaz
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Wolfgang Hofmeister
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense, Denmark and the Novo Nordisk Foundation for Stem cell Biology (Danstem), University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Anna Lindstrand
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center for Molecular Medicine and Clinical Genetics, Karolinska University Laboratory, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.
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29
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Lin X, Duan X, Jacobs C, Ullmann J, Chan CY, Chen S, Cheng SH, Zhao WN, Poduri A, Wang X, Haggarty SJ, Shi P. High-throughput brain activity mapping and machine learning as a foundation for systems neuropharmacology. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5142. [PMID: 30510233 PMCID: PMC6277389 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07289-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Technologies for mapping the spatial and temporal patterns of neural activity have advanced our understanding of brain function in both health and disease. An important application of these technologies is the discovery of next-generation neurotherapeutics for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here, we describe an in vivo drug screening strategy that combines high-throughput technology to generate large-scale brain activity maps (BAMs) with machine learning for predictive analysis. This platform enables evaluation of compounds’ mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic uses based on information-rich BAMs derived from drug-treated zebrafish larvae. From a screen of clinically used drugs, we found intrinsically coherent drug clusters that are associated with known therapeutic categories. Using BAM-based clusters as a functional classifier, we identify anti-seizure-like drug leads from non-clinical compounds and validate their therapeutic effects in the pentylenetetrazole zebrafish seizure model. Collectively, this study provides a framework to advance the field of systems neuropharmacology. A major goal in neuropharmacology is to develop new tools to effectively test the therapeutic potential of pharmacological agents to treat neurological and psychiatric conditions. Here, authors present an in vivo drug screening system that generates large-scale brain activity maps to be used with machine learning to predict the therapeutic potential of clinically relevant drug leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xin Duan
- Department of Biomedical Science, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Claire Jacobs
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jeremy Ullmann
- Epilepsy Genetics Program and F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Chung-Yuen Chan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Siya Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shuk-Han Cheng
- Department of Biomedical Science, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wen-Ning Zhao
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Annapurna Poduri
- Epilepsy Genetics Program and F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Science, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, 518057, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
| | - Peng Shi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, 518057, Shenzhen, China.
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30
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Howe DG, Blake JA, Bradford YM, Bult CJ, Calvi BR, Engel SR, Kadin JA, Kaufman TC, Kishore R, Laulederkind SJF, Lewis SE, Moxon SAT, Richardson JE, Smith C. Model organism data evolving in support of translational medicine. Lab Anim (NY) 2018; 47:277-289. [PMID: 30224793 PMCID: PMC6322546 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-018-0150-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Model organism databases (MODs) have been collecting and integrating biomedical research data for 30 years and were designed to meet specific needs of each model organism research community. The contributions of model organism research to understanding biological systems would be hard to overstate. Modern molecular biology methods and cost reductions in nucleotide sequencing have opened avenues for direct application of model organism research to elucidating mechanisms of human diseases. Thus, the mandate for model organism research and databases has now grown to include facilitating use of these data in translational applications. Challenges in meeting this opportunity include the distribution of research data across many databases and websites, a lack of data format standards for some data types, and sustainability of scale and cost for genomic database resources like MODs. The issues of widely distributed data and application of data standards are some of the challenges addressed by FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable) data principles. The Alliance of Genome Resources is now moving to address these challenges by bringing together expertly curated research data from fly, mouse, rat, worm, yeast, zebrafish, and the Gene Ontology consortium. Centralized multi-species data access, integration, and format standardization will lower the data utilization barrier in comparative genomics and translational applications and will provide a framework in which sustainable scale and cost can be addressed. This article presents a brief historical perspective on how the Alliance model organisms are complementary and how they have already contributed to understanding the etiology of human diseases. In addition, we discuss four challenges for using data from MODs in translational applications and how the Alliance is working to address them, in part by applying FAIR data principles. Ultimately, combined data from these animal models are more powerful than the sum of the parts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas G Howe
- The Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
| | | | - Yvonne M Bradford
- The Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | | | - Brian R Calvi
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Stacia R Engel
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Ranjana Kishore
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Stanley J F Laulederkind
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Suzanna E Lewis
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sierra A T Moxon
- The Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
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31
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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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32
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Fellous A, Labed‐Veydert T, Locrel M, Voisin A, Earley RL, Silvestre F. DNA methylation in adults and during development of the self-fertilizing mangrove rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:6016-6033. [PMID: 29988456 PMCID: PMC6024129 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2017] [Revised: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to genetic variation, epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation might make important contributions to heritable phenotypic diversity in populations. However, it is often difficult to disentangle the contributions of genetic and epigenetic variation to phenotypic diversity. Here, we investigated global DNA methylation and mRNA expression of the methylation-associated enzymes during embryonic development and in adult tissues of one natural isogenic lineage of mangrove rivulus fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus. Being the best-known self-fertilizing hermaphroditic vertebrate affords the opportunity to work with genetically identical individuals to examine, explicitly, the phenotypic effects of epigenetic variance. Using the LUminometric Methylation Assay (LUMA), we described variable global DNA methylation at CpG sites in adult tissues, which differed significantly between hermaphrodite ovotestes and male testes (79.6% and 87.2%, respectively). After fertilization, an immediate decrease in DNA methylation occurred to 15.8% in gastrula followed by re-establishment to 70.0% by stage 26 (liver formation). Compared to zebrafish, at the same embryonic stages, this reprogramming event seems later, deeper, and longer. Furthermore, genes putatively encoding DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), Ten-Eleven Translocation (TET), and MeCP2 proteins showed specific regulation in adult gonad and brain, and also during early embryogenesis. Their conserved domains and expression profiles suggest that these proteins play important roles during reproduction and development. This study raises questions about mangrove rivulus' peculiar reprogramming period in terms of epigenetic transmission and physiological adaptation of individuals to highly variable environments. In accordance with the general-purpose genotype model, epigenetic mechanisms might allow for the expression of diverse phenotypes among genetically identical individuals. Such phenotypes might help to overcome environmental challenges, making the mangrove rivulus a valuable vertebrate model for ecological epigenetic studies. The mangrove rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus, is the best-known self-fertilizing hermaphroditic vertebrate that allows to work with genetically identical individuals to examine, explicitly, the phenotypic effects of epigenetic variance. The reprogramming event is later, more dramatic and longer than in other described vertebrates. High evolutionary conservation and expression patterns of DNMT, TET, and MeCP2 proteins in K. marmoratus suggest biological roles for each member in gametogenesis and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Fellous
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive PhysiologyInstitute of Life, Earth and EnvironmentUniversity of NamurNamurBelgium
| | - Tiphaine Labed‐Veydert
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive PhysiologyInstitute of Life, Earth and EnvironmentUniversity of NamurNamurBelgium
| | - Mélodie Locrel
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive PhysiologyInstitute of Life, Earth and EnvironmentUniversity of NamurNamurBelgium
| | - Anne‐Sophie Voisin
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive PhysiologyInstitute of Life, Earth and EnvironmentUniversity of NamurNamurBelgium
| | - Ryan L. Earley
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlabamaTuscaloosaAlabamaUSA
| | - Frederic Silvestre
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive PhysiologyInstitute of Life, Earth and EnvironmentUniversity of NamurNamurBelgium
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33
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Vaz RL, Outeiro TF, Ferreira JJ. Zebrafish as an Animal Model for Drug Discovery in Parkinson's Disease and Other Movement Disorders: A Systematic Review. Front Neurol 2018; 9:347. [PMID: 29910763 PMCID: PMC5992294 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Movement disorders can be primarily divided into hypokinetic and hyperkinetic. Most of the hypokinetic syndromes are associated with the neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson’s disease (PD). By contrast, hyperkinetic syndromes encompass a broader array of diseases, including dystonia, essential tremor, or Huntington’s disease. The discovery of effective therapies for these disorders has been challenging and has also involved the development and characterization of accurate animal models for the screening of new drugs. Zebrafish constitutes an alternative vertebrate model for the study of movement disorders. The neuronal circuitries involved in movement in zebrafish are well characterized, and most of the associated molecular mechanisms are highly conserved. Particularly, zebrafish models of PD have contributed to a better understanding of the role of several genes implicated in the disease. Furthermore, zebrafish is a vertebrate model particularly suited for large-scale drug screenings. The relatively small size of zebrafish, optical transparency, and lifecycle, are key characteristics that facilitate the study of multiple compounds at the same time. Several transgenic, knockdown, and mutant zebrafish lines have been generated and characterized. Therefore, it is central to critically analyze these zebrafish lines and understand their suitability as models of movement disorders. Here, we revise the pathogenic mechanisms, phenotypes, and responsiveness to pharmacotherapies of zebrafish lines of the most common movement disorders. A systematic review of the literature was conducted by including all studies reporting the characterization of zebrafish models of the movement disorders selected from five bibliographic databases. A total of 63 studies were analyzed, and the most relevant data within the scope of this review were gathered. The majority (62%) of the studies were focused in the characterization of zebrafish models of PD. Overall, the zebrafish models included display conserved biochemical and neurobehavioral features of the phenomenology in humans. Nevertheless, in light of what is known for all animal models available, the use of zebrafish as a model for drug discovery requires further optimization. Future technological developments alongside with a deeper understanding of the molecular bases of these disorders should enable the development of novel zebrafish lines that can prove useful for drug discovery for movement disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita L Vaz
- TechnoPhage, SA, Lisboa, Portugal.,Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tiago F Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,CEDOC, Chronic Diseases Research Centre, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NOVA Medical School, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,The Medical School, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Joaquim J Ferreira
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,CNS-Campus Neurológico Sénior, Torres Vedras, Portugal
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34
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Shams S, Rihel J, Ortiz JG, Gerlai R. The zebrafish as a promising tool for modeling human brain disorders: A review based upon an IBNS Symposium. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 85:176-190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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35
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Kyle SM, Vashi N, Justice MJ. Rett syndrome: a neurological disorder with metabolic components. Open Biol 2018; 8:170216. [PMID: 29445033 PMCID: PMC5830535 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.170216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurological disorder caused by mutations in the X-linked gene methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2), a ubiquitously expressed transcriptional regulator. Despite remarkable scientific progress since its discovery, the mechanism by which MECP2 mutations cause RTT symptoms is largely unknown. Consequently, treatment options for patients are currently limited and centred on symptom relief. Thought to be an entirely neurological disorder, RTT research has focused on the role of MECP2 in the central nervous system. However, the variety of phenotypes identified in Mecp2 mutant mouse models and RTT patients implicate important roles for MeCP2 in peripheral systems. Here, we review the history of RTT, highlighting breakthroughs in the field that have led us to present day. We explore the current evidence supporting metabolic dysfunction as a component of RTT, presenting recent studies that have revealed perturbed lipid metabolism in the brain and peripheral tissues of mouse models and patients. Such findings may have an impact on the quality of life of RTT patients as both dietary and drug intervention can alter lipid metabolism. Ultimately, we conclude that a thorough knowledge of MeCP2's varied functional targets in the brain and body will be required to treat this complex syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Kyle
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 0A4
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Neeti Vashi
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 0A4
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1
| | - Monica J Justice
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 0A4
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1
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36
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van der Vaart M, Svoboda O, Weijts BG, Espín-Palazón R, Sapp V, Pietri T, Bagnat M, Muotri AR, Traver D. Mecp2 regulates tnfa during zebrafish embryonic development and acute inflammation. Dis Model Mech 2017; 10:1439-1451. [PMID: 28993314 PMCID: PMC5769600 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.026922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in MECP2 cause Rett syndrome, a severe neurological disorder with autism-like features. Duplication of MECP2 also causes severe neuropathology. Both diseases display immunological abnormalities that suggest a role for MECP2 in controlling immune and inflammatory responses. Here, we used mecp2-null zebrafish to study the potential function of Mecp2 as an immunological regulator. Mecp2 deficiency resulted in an increase in neutrophil infiltration and upregulated expression of the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines Il1b and Il10 as a secondary response to disturbances in tissue homeostasis. By contrast, expression of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tnfa) was consistently downregulated in mecp2-null animals during development, representing the earliest developmental phenotype described for MECP2 deficiency to date. Expression of tnfa was unresponsive to inflammatory stimulation, and was partially restored by re-expression of functional mecp2 Thus, Mecp2 is required for tnfa expression during zebrafish development and inflammation. Finally, RNA sequencing of mecp2-null embryos revealed dysregulated processes predictive for Rett syndrome phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M van der Vaart
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
| | - O Svoboda
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
| | - B G Weijts
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
| | - R Espín-Palazón
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
| | - V Sapp
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
| | - T Pietri
- Federated Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, 07102 NJ, USA
| | - M Bagnat
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, 27708 NC, USA
| | - A R Muotri
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
| | - D Traver
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, 92093 CA, USA
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Moravec CE, Yousef H, Kinney BA, Salerno-Eichenholz R, Monestime CM, Martin BL, Sirotkin HI. Zebrafish sin3b mutants are viable but have size, skeletal, and locomotor defects. Dev Dyn 2017; 246:946-955. [PMID: 28850761 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The transcriptional co-repressor Sin3 is highly conserved from yeast to vertebrates and has multiple roles controlling cell fate, cell cycle progression, and senescence programming. Sin3 proteins recruit histone deacetylases and other chromatin modifying factors to specific loci through interactions with transcription factors including Myc, Rest, p53 and E2F. Most vertebrates have two Sin3 family members (sin3a and sin3b), but zebrafish have a second sin3a paralogue. In mice, sin3a and sin3b are essential for embryonic development. Sin3b knockout mice show defects in growth as well as bone and blood differentiation. RESULTS To study the requirement for Sin3b during development, we disrupted zebrafish sin3b using CRISPR-Cas9, and studied the effects on early development and locomotor behavior. CONCLUSIONS Surprisingly, Sin3b is not essential in zebrafish. sin3b mutants show a decrease in fitness, small size, changes to locomotor behavior, and delayed bone development. We did not detect a role for Sin3b in cell proliferation. Our analysis of the sin3b mutant revealed a more nuanced requirement for zebrafish Sin3b than would be predicted from analysis of mutants in other species. Developmental Dynamics 246:946-955, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara E Moravec
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York.,Genetics Gradate Program Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Hakeem Yousef
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Brian A Kinney
- Genetics Gradate Program Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York.,Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Ryan Salerno-Eichenholz
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York.,Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Camillia M Monestime
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Benjamin L Martin
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Howard I Sirotkin
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York.,Genetics Gradate Program Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
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38
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Behavioral Comorbidities and Drug Treatments in a Zebrafish scn1lab Model of Dravet Syndrome. eNeuro 2017; 4:eN-NWR-0066-17. [PMID: 28812061 PMCID: PMC5555352 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0066-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations in SCN1A cause Dravet syndrome (DS), a catastrophic childhood epilepsy in which patients experience comorbid behavioral conditions, including movement disorders, sleep abnormalities, anxiety, and intellectual disability. To study the functional consequences of voltage-gated sodium channel mutations, we use zebrafish with a loss-of-function mutation in scn1lab, a zebrafish homolog of human SCN1A. Homozygous scn1labs552/s552 mutants exhibit early-life seizures, metabolic deficits, and early death. Here, we developed in vivo assays using scn1labs552 mutants between 3 and 6 d postfertilization (dpf). To evaluate sleep disturbances, we monitored larvae for 24 h with locomotion tracking software. Locomotor activity during dark (night phase) was significantly higher in mutants than in controls. Among anticonvulsant drugs, clemizole and diazepam, but not trazodone or valproic acid, decreased distance moved at night for scn1labs552 mutant larvae. To monitor exploratory behavior in an open field, we tracked larvae in a novel arena. Mutant larvae exhibited impaired exploratory behavior, with increased time spent near the edge of the arena and decreased mobility, suggesting greater anxiety. Both clemizole and diazepam, but not trazodone or valproic acid, decreased distance moved and increased time spent in the center of the arena. Counting inhibitory neurons in vivo revealed no differences between scn1labs552 mutants and siblings. Taken together, our results demonstrate conserved features of sleep, anxiety, and movement disorders in scn1lab mutant zebrafish, and provide evidence that a zebrafish model allows effective tests of treatments for behavioral comorbidities associated with DS.
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Nozawa K, Lin Y, Kubodera R, Shimizu Y, Tanaka H, Ohshima T. Zebrafish Mecp2 is required for proper axonal elongation of motor neurons and synapse formation. Dev Neurobiol 2017; 77:1101-1113. [PMID: 28371371 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Rett syndrome is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. It is caused by a mutation in methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MecP2), a transcriptional regulator that recruits protein complexes involved in histone modification and chromatin remodeling. However, the role of Mecp2 in Rett syndrome remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the function of Mecp2 in neuronal development using zebrafish embryos. Mecp2 expression was detected ubiquitously in the central nervous system and muscles at 28 h postfertilization (hpf). We injected an antisense morpholino oligonucleotide (AMO) to induce Mecp2 knockdown phenotype. In mecp2 morphants (embryos with Mecp2 knockdown by AMO) at 28 and 72 hpf, we found an increase in abnormal axonal branches of caudal primary motor neurons and a decrease in motor activity. In mecp2 morphants at 24 hpf, we observed an increase in the expression of an mecp2 downstream candidate gene, brain derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf). In mecp2 morphants at 72 hpf, the presynaptic area stained by an anti-SV2 antibody was increased at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Interestingly, the size of SV2-positive presynaptic area at the NMJ was also increased following bdnf mRNA injection, while it was normalized in a double knockdown of mecp2 and bdnf. These results imply that Mecp2 is an important functional regulator of bdnf gene expression during neural circuit formation in zebrafish embryo. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 1101-1113, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Nozawa
- Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480, Japan
| | - Yanbin Lin
- Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480, Japan
| | - Ryota Kubodera
- Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480, Japan
| | - Yuki Shimizu
- Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480, Japan
| | - Hideomi Tanaka
- Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480, Japan
| | - Toshio Ohshima
- Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, 162-8480, Japan
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40
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Félix LM, Antunes LM, Coimbra AM, Valentim AM. Behavioral alterations of zebrafish larvae after early embryonic exposure to ketamine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:549-558. [PMID: 27933364 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4491-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Ketamine has been associated with pediatric risks that include neurocognitive impairment and long-term behavioral disorders. However, the neurobehavioral effects of ketamine exposure in early development remain uncertain. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to test stage- and dose-dependent effects of ketamine exposure on certain brain functions by evaluating alterations in locomotion, anxiety-like and avoidance behaviors, as well as socialization. METHODS Embryos were exposed to different concentrations of ketamine (0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mg mL-1) for 20 min during the 256-cell (2.5 h post fertilization-hpf), 50% epiboly (5.5 hpf), and 1-4 somites (10.5 hpf) stages. General exploratory activities, natural escape-like responses, and social interactions were analyzed under continuous light or under a moving light stimulus. RESULTS A dose-dependent decrease in the overall mean speed was perceived in the embryos exposed during the 256-cell stage. These results were related to previously observed head and eye malformations, following ketamine exposure at this stage and may indicate possible neurobehavioral disorders when ketamine exposure is performed at this stage. Results also showed that ketamine exposure during the 50% epiboly and 1-4 somites stages induced a significant increment of the anxiety-like behavior and a decrease in avoidance behavior in all exposed groups. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the results validate the neurodevelopmental risks of early-life exposure to ketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís M Félix
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
- Laboratory Animal Science (LAS), Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
| | - Luís M Antunes
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory Animal Science (LAS), Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
- School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana M Coimbra
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana M Valentim
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory Animal Science (LAS), Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal
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41
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Leong WY, Lim ZH, Korzh V, Pietri T, Goh ELK. Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 (Mecp2) Regulates Sensory Function Through Sema5b and Robo2. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:481. [PMID: 26733807 PMCID: PMC4685056 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene encoding the MECP2 underlies Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder in young females. Although reduced pain sensitivity in Rett syndrome patients and in partial MeCP2 deficient mice had been reported, these previous studies focused predominantly on motor impairments. Therefore, it is still unknown how MeCP2 is involved in these sensory defects. In addition, the human disease manifestations where males with mutations in MECP2 gene normally do not survive and females show typical neurological symptoms only after 18 months of age, is profoundly different in MeCP2-deficient mouse where all animals survived, and males but not females displayed Rett syndrome phenotypes at an early age. Thus, the mecp2-deficient zebrafish serves as an additional animal model to aid in deciphering the role and mechanisms of Mecp2 in neurodevelopment. Here, we used two independent methods of silencing expression of Mecp2 in zebrafish to uncover a novel role of Mecp2 in trigeminal ganglion sensory neurons during the embryonic development. mecp2-null mutation and morpholino-mediated silencing of Mecp2 in the zebrafish embryos resulted in defects in peripheral innervation of trigeminal sensory neurons and consequently affecting the sensory function. These defects were demonstrated to be dependent on the expression of Sema5b and Robo2. The expression of both proteins together could better overcome the defects caused by Mecp2 deficiency as compared to the expression of either Sema5b or Robo2 alone. Sema5b and Robo2 were downregulated upon Mecp2 silencing or in mecp2-null embryos, and Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay using antibody against Mecp2 was able to pull down specific regions of both Sema5b and Robo2 promoters, showing interaction between Mecp2 and the promoters of both genes. In addition, cell-specific expression of Mecp2 can overcome the innervation and sensory response defects in Mecp2 morphants indicating that these MeCP2-mediated defects are cell-autonomous. The sensory deficits caused by Mecp2 deficiency mirror the diminished sensory response observed in Rett syndrome patients. This suggests that zebrafish could be an unconventional but useful model for this disorder manifesting defects that are not easily studied in full using rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Y Leong
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorder, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore Singapore
| | - Zhi H Lim
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorder, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore Singapore
| | - Vladimir Korzh
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, SingaporeSingapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, SingaporeSingapore
| | - Thomas Pietri
- Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1024, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 8197 Paris, France
| | - Eyleen L K Goh
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorder, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, SingaporeSingapore; Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, SingaporeSingapore; KK Research Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, SingaporeSingapore
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42
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McCammon JM, Sive H. Addressing the Genetics of Human Mental Health Disorders in Model Organisms. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2015; 16:173-97. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-090314-050048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine M. McCammon
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142;
| | - Hazel Sive
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142;
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
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43
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Dreosti E, Lopes G, Kampff AR, Wilson SW. Development of social behavior in young zebrafish. Front Neural Circuits 2015; 9:39. [PMID: 26347614 PMCID: PMC4539524 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2015.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult zebrafish are robustly social animals whereas larva is not. We designed an assay to determine at what stage of development zebrafish begin to interact with and prefer other fish. One week old zebrafish do not show significant social preference whereas most 3 weeks old zebrafish strongly prefer to remain in a compartment where they can view conspecifics. However, for some individuals, the presence of conspecifics drives avoidance instead of attraction. Social preference is dependent on vision and requires viewing fish of a similar age/size. In addition, over the same 1–3 weeks period larval zebrafish increasingly tend to coordinate their movements, a simple form of social interaction. Finally, social preference and coupled interactions are differentially modified by an NMDAR antagonist and acute exposure to ethanol, both of which are known to alter social behavior in adult zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Dreosti
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London London, UK
| | - Gonçalo Lopes
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Adam R Kampff
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Stephen W Wilson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London London, UK
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44
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Gao H, Bu Y, Wu Q, Wang X, Chang N, Lei L, Chen S, Liu D, Zhu X, Hu K, Xiong JW. Mecp2 regulates neural cell differentiation by suppressing the Id1 to Her2 axis in zebrafish. J Cell Sci 2015; 128:2340-50. [DOI: 10.1242/jcs.167874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a progressive neurological disorder caused by mutations in the X-linked protein methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). The endogenous function of MeCP2 during neural differentiation is still unclear. Here, we report that mecp2 is required for brain development in zebrafish. Mecp2 was broadly expressed initially in embryos and enriched later in the brain. Either morpholino knockdown or genetic depletion of mecp2 inhibited neuronal differentiation, whereas its overexpression promoted neuronal differentiation, suggesting an essential role of mecp2 in directing neural precursors into differentiated neurons. Mechanistically, her2 (the zebrafish ortholog of mammalian Hes5) was upregulated in mecp2 morphants in an Id1-dependent manner. Moreover, knockdown of either her2 or id1 fully rescued neuronal differentiation in mecp2 morphants. These results suggest that Mecp2 plays an important role in neural cell development by suppressing the Id1–Her2 axis, and provide new evidence that embryonic neural defects contribute to the later motor and cognitive dysfunctions in RTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Gao
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ye Bu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Nannan Chang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Lei
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shilin Chen
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Dong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojun Zhu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Keping Hu
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China
| | - Jing-Wei Xiong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing, China
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45
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Wyatt C, Bartoszek EM, Yaksi E. Methods for studying the zebrafish brain: past, present and future. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 42:1746-63. [PMID: 25900095 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Revised: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is one of the most promising new model organisms. The increasing popularity of this amazing small vertebrate is evident from the exponentially growing numbers of research articles, funded projects and new discoveries associated with the use of zebrafish for studying development, brain function, human diseases and screening for new drugs. Thanks to the development of novel technologies, the range of zebrafish research is constantly expanding with new tools synergistically enhancing traditional techniques. In this review we will highlight the past and present techniques which have made, and continue to make, zebrafish an attractive model organism for various fields of biology, with a specific focus on neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Wyatt
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Imec Campus, Kapeldreef, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ewelina M Bartoszek
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Imec Campus, Kapeldreef, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Leuven, Belgium.,Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Emre Yaksi
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Imec Campus, Kapeldreef, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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46
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Moravec CE, Li E, Maaswinkel H, Kritzer MF, Weng W, Sirotkin HI. Rest mutant zebrafish swim erratically and display atypical spatial preferences. Behav Brain Res 2015; 284:238-48. [PMID: 25712696 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Revised: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The Rest/Nrsf transcriptional repressor modulates expression of a large set of neural specific genes. Many of these target genes have well characterized roles in nervous system processes including development, plasticity and synaptogenesis. However, the impact of Rest-mediated transcriptional regulation on behavior has been understudied due in part to the embryonic lethality of the mouse knockout. To investigate the requirement for Rest in behavior, we employed the zebrafish rest mutant to explore a range of behaviors in adults and larva. Adult rest mutants of both sexes showed abnormal behaviors in a novel environment including increased vertical swimming, erratic swimming patterns and a proclivity for the tank walls. Adult males also had diminished reproductive success. At 6 days post fertilization (dpf), rest mutant larva were hypoactive, but displayed normal evoked responses to light and sound stimuli. Overall, these results provide evidence that rest dysfunction produces atypical swimming patterns and preferences in adults, and reduced locomotor activity in larvae. This study provides the first behavioral analysis of rest mutants and reveals specific behaviors that are modulated by Rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara E Moravec
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Genetics Gradate Program Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Edward Li
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | | | - Mary F Kritzer
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Wei Weng
- xyZfish, 2200 Smithtown Ave, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779, USA
| | - Howard I Sirotkin
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Genetics Gradate Program Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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47
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Sumbre G, de Polavieja GG. The world according to zebrafish: how neural circuits generate behavior. Front Neural Circuits 2014; 8:91. [PMID: 25126059 PMCID: PMC4115616 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2014.00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Germán Sumbre
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS Paris, France ; Inserm, U1024 Paris, France ; CNRS, UMR 8197 Paris, France
| | - Gonzalo G de Polavieja
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas Madrid, Spain ; Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown Lisbon, Portugal
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48
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Computational and experimental approaches to reveal the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms with respect to disease diagnostics. Int J Mol Sci 2014; 15:9670-717. [PMID: 24886813 PMCID: PMC4100115 DOI: 10.3390/ijms15069670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Revised: 05/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA mutations are the cause of many human diseases and they are the reason for natural differences among individuals by affecting the structure, function, interactions, and other properties of DNA and expressed proteins. The ability to predict whether a given mutation is disease-causing or harmless is of great importance for the early detection of patients with a high risk of developing a particular disease and would pave the way for personalized medicine and diagnostics. Here we review existing methods and techniques to study and predict the effects of DNA mutations from three different perspectives: in silico, in vitro and in vivo. It is emphasized that the problem is complicated and successful detection of a pathogenic mutation frequently requires a combination of several methods and a knowledge of the biological phenomena associated with the corresponding macromolecules.
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49
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Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe and progressive neurological disorder, which mainly affects young females. Mutations of the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene are the most prevalent cause of classical RTT cases. MECP2 mutations or altered expression are also associated with a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders with recent links to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Collectively, MeCP2 relation to these neurodevelopmental disorders highlights the importance of understanding the molecular mechanisms by which MeCP2 impacts brain development, mental conditions, and compromised brain function. Since MECP2 mutations were discovered to be the primary cause of RTT, a significant progress has been made in the MeCP2 research, with respect to the expression, function and regulation of MeCP2 in the brain and its contribution in RTT pathogenesis. To date, there have been intensive efforts in designing effective therapeutic strategies for RTT benefiting from mouse models and cells collected from RTT patients. Despite significant progress in MeCP2 research over the last few decades, there is still a knowledge gap between the in vitro and in vivo research findings and translating these findings into effective therapeutic interventions in human RTT patients. In this review, we will provide a synopsis of Rett syndrome as a severe neurological disorder and will discuss the role of MeCP2 in RTT pathophysiology.
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50
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Abstract
The role of epigenetics in human disease has become an area of increased research interest. Collaborative efforts from scientists and clinicians have led to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which epigenetic regulation is involved in the pathogenesis of many human diseases. Several neurological and non-neurological disorders are associated with mutations in genes that encode for epigenetic factors. One of the most studied proteins that impacts human disease and is associated with deregulation of epigenetic processes is Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). MeCP2 is an epigenetic regulator that modulates gene expression by translating epigenetic DNA methylation marks into appropriate cellular responses. In order to highlight the importance of epigenetics to development and disease, we will discuss how MeCP2 emerges as a key epigenetic player in human neurodevelopmental, neurological, and non-neurological disorders. We will review our current knowledge on MeCP2-related diseases, including Rett Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Hirschsprung disease, and Cancer. Additionally, we will briefly discuss about the existing MeCP2 animal models that have been generated for a better understanding of how MeCP2 impacts certain human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mojgan Rastegar
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; ; Tel.: +204-272-3108; Fax: +204-789-3900
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