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Westmark CJ. Toward an understanding of the role of the exposome on fragile X phenotypes. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 173:141-170. [PMID: 37993176 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the leading known monogenetic cause of autism with an estimated 21-50% of FXS individuals meeting autism diagnostic criteria. A critical gap in medical care for persons with autism is an understanding of how environmental exposures and gene-environment interactions affect disease outcomes. Our research indicates more severe neurological and metabolic outcomes (seizures, autism, increased body weight) in mouse and human models of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as a function of diet. Thus, early-life exposure to chemicals in the diet could cause or exacerbate disease outcomes. Herein, we review the effects of potential dietary toxins, i.e., soy phytoestrogens, glyphosate, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in FXS and other autism models. The rationale is that potentially toxic chemicals in the diet, particularly infant formula, could contribute to the development and/or severity of ASD and that further study in this area has potential to improve ASD outcomes through dietary modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara J Westmark
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Medical Sciences Center, Room 3619, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, United States; Molecular Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Medical Sciences Center, Room 3619, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, United States.
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A white paper on a neurodevelopmental framework for drug discovery in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 48:49-88. [PMID: 33781629 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade there has been a revolution in terms of genetic findings in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), with many discoveries critical for understanding their aetiology and pathophysiology. Clinical trials in single-gene disorders such as fragile X syndrome highlight the challenges of investigating new drug targets in NDDs. Incorporating a developmental perspective into the process of drug development for NDDs could help to overcome some of the current difficulties in identifying and testing new treatments. This paper provides a summary of the proceedings of the 'New Frontiers Meeting' on neurodevelopmental disorders organised by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in conjunction with the Innovative Medicines Initiative-sponsored AIMS-2-TRIALS consortium. It brought together experts in developmental genetics, autism, NDDs, and clinical trials from academia and industry, regulators, patient and family associations, and other stakeholders. The meeting sought to provide a platform for focused communication on scientific insights, challenges, and methodologies that might be applicable to the development of CNS treatments from a neurodevelopmental perspective. Multidisciplinary translational consortia to develop basic and clinical research in parallel could be pivotal to advance knowledge in the field. Although implementation of clinical trials for NDDs in paediatric populations is widely acknowledged as essential, safety concerns should guide each aspect of their design. Industry and academia should join forces to improve knowledge of the biology of brain development, identify the optimal timing of interventions, and translate these findings into new drugs, allowing for the needs of users and families, with support from regulatory agencies.
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Westmark CJ. Fragile X and APP: a Decade in Review, a Vision for the Future. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:3904-3921. [PMID: 30225775 PMCID: PMC6421119 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1344-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a devastating developmental disability that has profound effects on cognition, behavior, and seizure susceptibility. There are currently no treatments that target the underlying cause of the disorder, and recent clinical trials have been unsuccessful. In 2007, seminal work demonstrated that amyloid-beta protein precursor (APP) is dysregulated in Fmr1KO mice through a metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5)-dependent pathway. These findings raise the hypotheses that: (1) APP and/or APP metabolites are potential therapeutic targets as well as biomarkers for FXS and (2) mGluR5 inhibitors may be beneficial in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Herein, advances in the field over the past decade that have reproduced and greatly expanded upon these original findings are reviewed, and required experimentation to validate APP metabolites as potential disease biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets for FXS are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara J Westmark
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Medical Sciences Center, Room 3619, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, USA.
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Faundez V, De Toma I, Bardoni B, Bartesaghi R, Nizetic D, de la Torre R, Cohen Kadosh R, Herault Y, Dierssen M, Potier MC. Translating molecular advances in Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome into therapies. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 28:675-690. [PMID: 29887288 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Ongoing treatments for genetic developmental disorders of the central nervous system are mostly symptomatic and do not correct the genetic cause. Recent identification of common mechanisms between diseases has suggested that new therapeutic targets could be applied across intellectual disabilities with potential disease-modifying properties. The European Down syndrome and other genetic developmental disorders (DSG2D) network joined basic and clinical scientists to foster this research and carry out clinical trials. Here we discuss common mechanisms between several intellectual disabilities from genetic origin including Down's and Fragile X syndromes: i) how to model these complex diseases using neuronal cells and brain organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells; ii) how to integrate genomic, proteomic and interactome data to help defining common mechanisms and boundaries between diseases; iii) how to target common pathways for designing clinical trials and assessing their efficacy; iv) how to bring new neuro-therapies, such as noninvasive brain stimulations and cognitive training to clinical research. The basic and translational research efforts of the last years have utterly transformed our understanding of the molecular pathology of these diseases but much is left to be done to bring them to newborn babies and children to improve their quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Faundez
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ilario De Toma
- Cellular and Systems Neurobiology, Center for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red CIBERER, Spain
| | - Barbara Bardoni
- Université Côte d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Valbonne, France
| | - Renata Bartesaghi
- University of Bologna, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Bologna, Italy
| | - Dean Nizetic
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Barts and The London School of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
| | - Rafael de la Torre
- Integrated Pharmacology and Neurosciences Systems Research Group, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; CIBEROBN, Madrid, Spain
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yann Herault
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Cellular and Systems Neurobiology, Center for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red CIBERER, Spain.
| | - Marie-Claude Potier
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, CNRS UMR7225, INSERM U1127, UPMC, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47 Bd de l'Hôpital, Paris, France.
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Dahlhaus R. Of Men and Mice: Modeling the Fragile X Syndrome. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:41. [PMID: 29599705 PMCID: PMC5862809 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is one of the most common forms of inherited intellectual disability in all human societies. Caused by the transcriptional silencing of a single gene, the fragile x mental retardation gene FMR1, FXS is characterized by a variety of symptoms, which range from mental disabilities to autism and epilepsy. More than 20 years ago, a first animal model was described, the Fmr1 knock-out mouse. Several other models have been developed since then, including conditional knock-out mice, knock-out rats, a zebrafish and a drosophila model. Using these model systems, various targets for potential pharmaceutical treatments have been identified and many treatments have been shown to be efficient in preclinical studies. However, all attempts to turn these findings into a therapy for patients have failed thus far. In this review, I will discuss underlying difficulties and address potential alternatives for our future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Dahlhaus
- Institute for Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer Centre, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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