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Zhao Z, Okada N, Yagishita S, Yahata N, Nitta N, Shibata S, Abe Y, Morita S, Kumagai E, Tanaka KF, Suhara T, Takumi T, Kasai K, Jinde S. Correlations of brain structure with the social behavior of 15q11-13 duplication mice, an animal model of autism. Neurosci Res 2024:S0168-0102(24)00100-7. [PMID: 39097003 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2024.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Duplication of chromosome 15q11-13 has been reported to be one of the most frequent cytogenetic copy number variations in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and a mouse model of paternal 15q11-13 duplication was generated, termed 15q dup mice. While previous studies have replicated some of the behavioral and brain structural phenotypes of ASD separately, the relationship between brain structure and behavior has rarely been examined. In this study, we performed behavioral experiments related to anxiety and social behaviors and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the same set of 15q dup and wild-type mice. 15q dup mice showed increased anxiety and a tendency toward alterations in social behaviors, as reported previously, as well as variability in terms of sociability. MRI analysis revealed that a lower sociability index was correlated with a smaller gray matter volume in the right medial entorhinal cortex. These results may help to understand how variability in behavioral phenotypes of ASD arises even in individuals with the same genetic background and to determine the individual differences in neurodevelopmental trajectory correlated with specific brain structures that underlie these phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilei Zhao
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan; International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Naohiro Okada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan; International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Sho Yagishita
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Laboratory of Structural Physiology, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Bldg, The University of Tokyo, 1 #NC207, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Noriaki Yahata
- National Institutes for Quantum Sciences and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Nitta
- National Institutes for Quantum Sciences and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan; Central Institute for Experimental Animals, 3-25-12 Tonomachi, Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-0821, Japan
| | - Sayaka Shibata
- National Institutes for Quantum Sciences and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Abe
- Division of Brain Sciences, Institute for Advanced Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Susumu Morita
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
| | - Eureka Kumagai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kenji F Tanaka
- Division of Brain Sciences, Institute for Advanced Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Suhara
- National Institutes for Quantum Sciences and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Toru Takumi
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo, Kobe 650-0017, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan; International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Seiichiro Jinde
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
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Wang L, Yang Z, Satoshi F, Prasanna X, Yan Z, Vihinen H, Chen Y, Zhao Y, He X, Bu Q, Li H, Zhao Y, Jiang L, Qin F, Dai Y, Zhang N, Qin M, Kuang W, Zhao Y, Jokitalo E, Vattulainen I, Kajander T, Zhao H, Cen X. Membrane remodeling by FAM92A1 during brain development regulates neuronal morphology, synaptic function, and cognition. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6209. [PMID: 39043703 PMCID: PMC11266426 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50565-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain protein FAM92A1 is a multifunctional protein engaged in regulating mitochondrial ultrastructure and ciliogenesis, but its physiological role in the brain remains unclear. Here, we show that FAM92A1 is expressed in neurons starting from embryonic development. FAM92A1 knockout in mice results in altered brain morphology and age-associated cognitive deficits, potentially due to neuronal degeneration and disrupted synaptic plasticity. Specifically, FAM92A1 deficiency impairs diverse neuronal membrane morphology, including the mitochondrial inner membrane, myelin sheath, and synapses, indicating its roles in membrane remodeling and maintenance. By determining the crystal structure of the FAM92A1 BAR domain, combined with atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we uncover that FAM92A1 interacts with phosphoinositide- and cardiolipin-containing membranes to induce lipid-clustering and membrane curvature. Altogether, these findings reveal the physiological role of FAM92A1 in the brain, highlighting its impact on synaptic plasticity and neural function through the regulation of membrane remodeling and endocytic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wang
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ziyun Yang
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Fudo Satoshi
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science - Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Xavier Prasanna
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ziyi Yan
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Helena Vihinen
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) - Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yaxing Chen
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiumei He
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
- Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Biopharmaceutical Technology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Qian Bu
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Hongchun Li
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ying Zhao
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Linhong Jiang
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Feng Qin
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yanping Dai
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ni Zhang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Meng Qin
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Weihong Kuang
- Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yinglan Zhao
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Eija Jokitalo
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) - Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ilpo Vattulainen
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tommi Kajander
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science - Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hongxia Zhao
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
- School of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China.
- Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Biopharmaceutical Technology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, China.
| | - Xiaobo Cen
- Mental Health Center and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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3
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He B, Wang Y, Li H, Huang Y. The role of integrin beta in schizophrenia: a preliminary exploration. CNS Spectr 2023; 28:561-570. [PMID: 36274632 DOI: 10.1017/s1092852922001080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Integrins are transmembrane heterodimeric (αβ) receptors that transduce mechanical signals between the extracellular milieu and the cell in a bidirectional manner. Extensive research has shown that the integrin beta (β) family is widely expressed in the brain and that they control various aspects of brain development and function. Schizophrenia is a relatively common neurological disorder of unknown etiology and has been found to be closely related to neurodevelopment and neurochemicals in neuropathological studies of schizophrenia. Here, we review literature from recent years that shows that schizophrenia involves multiple signaling pathways related to neuronal migration, axon guidance, cell adhesion, and actin cytoskeleton dynamics, and that dysregulation of these processes affects the normal function of neurons and synapses. In fact, alterations in integrin β structure, expression and signaling for neural circuits, cortex, and synapses are likely to be associated with schizophrenia. We explored several aspects of the possible association between integrin β and schizophrenia in an attempt to demonstrate the role of integrin β in schizophrenia, which may help to provide new insights into the study of the pathogenesis and treatment of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binshan He
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yuhan Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Ya'an People's Hospital, Ya'an, China
| | - Huang Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yuanshuai Huang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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Handwerk CJ, Denzler CJ, Kalinowski AR, Cook HN, Rodriguez HV, Bland KM, Brett CA, Swinehart BD, Vinson EC, Vidal GS. Integrin β3 regulates apical dendritic morphology of pyramidal neurons throughout hippocampal CA3. Hippocampus 2023; 33:936-947. [PMID: 36967540 PMCID: PMC10952146 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23530] [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: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
In excitatory hippocampal pyramidal neurons, integrin β3 is critical for synaptic maturation and plasticity in vitro. Itgb3 is a potential autism susceptibility gene that regulates dendritic morphology in the cerebral cortex in a cell-specific manner. However, it is unknown what role Itgb3 could have in regulating hippocampal pyramidal dendritic morphology in vivo, a key feature that is aberrant in many forms of autism and intellectual disability. We found that Itgb3 mRNA is expressed in the stratum pyramidale of CA3. We examined the apical dendritic morphology of CA3 hippocampal pyramidal neurons in conditional Itgb3 knockouts and controls, utilizing the Thy1-GFP-M line. We fully reconstructed the apical dendrite of each neuron and determined each neuron's precise location along the dorsoventral, proximodistal, and radial axes of the stratum pyramidale. We found a very strong effect for Itgb3 expression on CA3 apical dendritic morphology: neurons from conditional Itgb3 knockouts had longer and thinner apical dendrites than controls, particularly in higher branch orders. We also assessed potential relationships between pairs of topographic or morphological variables, finding that most variable pairs were free from any linear relationships to each other. We also found that some neurons from controls, but not conditional Itgb3 knockouts, had a graded pattern of overall diameter along the dorsoventral and proximodistal axes of the stratum pyramidale of CA3. Taken together, Itgb3 is essential for constructing normal dendritic morphology in pyramidal neurons throughout CA3.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Collin J. Denzler
- Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityMSC 7801, HarrisonburgVirginia22807USA
| | - Anna R. Kalinowski
- Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityMSC 7801, HarrisonburgVirginia22807USA
| | - Hollyn N. Cook
- Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityMSC 7801, HarrisonburgVirginia22807USA
| | - Hilda V. Rodriguez
- Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityMSC 7801, HarrisonburgVirginia22807USA
| | - Katherine M. Bland
- Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityMSC 7801, HarrisonburgVirginia22807USA
| | - Cooper A. Brett
- Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityMSC 7801, HarrisonburgVirginia22807USA
| | - Brian D. Swinehart
- Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityMSC 7801, HarrisonburgVirginia22807USA
| | - Elizabeth C. Vinson
- Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityMSC 7801, HarrisonburgVirginia22807USA
| | - George S. Vidal
- Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityMSC 7801, HarrisonburgVirginia22807USA
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5
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Paudel R, Singh S. Selection of Young Animal Models of Autism over Adult: Benefits and Limitations. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2023; 57:697-712. [PMID: 33447895 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-020-09595-4] [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] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental broad-spectrum disorder characterized by social interaction, and aberrant restrictive and repetitive behavior. The complex pathophysiology and unexplored drug targets make it difficult to standardize and validate the animal models of autism. The review was purposed for determining the benefits of younger animal models over adult models of autism. Similarly, animal models with respect to age, sex, body weight, number of animals used, along with autism inducing agents have been reviewed in this article. The differentiation of behavioral parameters has shown the benefits in the selection of younger animal models. Thus, we conclude that young and adolescence animal models of autism will be supporting for early detection and interventions with significant results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Paudel
- Neuroscience Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, 142001, India
| | - Shamsher Singh
- Neuroscience Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, 142001, India.
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6
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Tsurugizawa T. Translational Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Autism Spectrum Disorder From the Mouse Model to Human. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:872036. [PMID: 35585926 PMCID: PMC9108701 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.872036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous syndrome characterized by behavioral features such as impaired social communication, repetitive behavior patterns, and a lack of interest in novel objects. A multimodal neuroimaging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with ASD shows highly heterogeneous abnormalities in function and structure in the brain associated with specific behavioral features. To elucidate the mechanism of ASD, several ASD mouse models have been generated, by focusing on some of the ASD risk genes. A specific behavioral feature of an ASD mouse model is caused by an altered gene expression or a modification of a gene product. Using these mouse models, a high field preclinical MRI enables us to non-invasively investigate the neuronal mechanism of the altered brain function associated with the behavior and ASD risk genes. Thus, MRI is a promising translational approach to bridge the gap between mice and humans. This review presents the evidence for multimodal MRI, including functional MRI (fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and volumetric analysis, in ASD mouse models and in patients with ASD and discusses the future directions for the translational study of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomokazu Tsurugizawa
- Human Informatics and Interaction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- *Correspondence: Tomokazu Tsurugizawa,
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7
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Lopuch AJ, Swinehart BD, Widener EL, Holley ZL, Bland KM, Handwerk CJ, Brett CA, Cook HN, Kalinowski AR, Rodriguez HV, Song MI, Vidal GS. Integrin β3 in forebrain Emx1-expressing cells regulates repetitive self-grooming and sociability in mice. BMC Neurosci 2022; 23:12. [PMID: 35247972 PMCID: PMC8897866 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-022-00691-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by repetitive behaviors, deficits in communication, and overall impaired social interaction. Of all the integrin subunit mutations, mutations in integrin β3 (Itgb3) may be the most closely associated with ASD. Integrin β3 is required for normal structural plasticity of dendrites and synapses specifically in excitatory cortical and hippocampal circuitry. However, the behavioral consequences of Itgb3 function in the forebrain have not been assessed. We tested the hypothesis that behaviors that are typically abnormal in ASD-such as self-grooming and sociability behaviors-are disrupted with conditional Itgb3 loss of function in forebrain circuitry in male and female mice. METHODS We generated male and female conditional knockouts (cKO) and conditional heterozygotes (cHET) of Itgb3 in excitatory neurons and glia that were derived from Emx1-expressing forebrain cells during development. We used several different assays to determine whether male and female cKO and cHET mice have repetitive self-grooming behaviors, anxiety-like behaviors, abnormal locomotion, compulsive-like behaviors, or abnormal social behaviors, when compared to male and female wildtype (WT) mice. RESULTS Our findings indicate that only self-grooming and sociability are altered in cKO, but not cHET or WT mice, suggesting that Itgb3 is specifically required in forebrain Emx1-expressing cells for normal repetitive self-grooming and social behaviors. Furthermore, in cKO (but not cHET or WT), we observed an interaction effect for sex and self-grooming environment and an interaction effect for sex and sociability test chamber. LIMITATIONS While this study demonstrated a role for forebrain Itgb3 in specific repetitive and social behaviors, it was unable to determine whether forebrain Itgb3 is required for a preference for social novelty, whether cHET are haploinsufficient with respect to repetitive self-grooming and social behaviors, or the nature of the interaction effect for sex and environment/chamber in affected behaviors of cKO. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings strengthen the idea that Itgb3 has a specific role in shaping forebrain circuitry that is relevant to endophenotypes of autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Lopuch
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - Brian D Swinehart
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - Eden L Widener
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - Z Logan Holley
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - Katherine M Bland
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - Christopher J Handwerk
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - Cooper A Brett
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - Hollyn N Cook
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - Anna R Kalinowski
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - Hilda V Rodriguez
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - M Irene Song
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA
| | - George S Vidal
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA.
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8
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Seif A, Shea C, Schmid S, Stevenson RA. A Systematic Review of Brainstem Contributions to Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:760116. [PMID: 34790102 PMCID: PMC8591260 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.760116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects one in 66 children in Canada. The contributions of changes in the cortex and cerebellum to autism have been studied for decades. However, our understanding of brainstem contributions has only started to emerge more recently. Disruptions of sensory processing, startle response, sensory filtering, sensorimotor gating, multisensory integration and sleep are all features of ASD and are processes in which the brainstem is involved. In addition, preliminary research into brainstem contribution emphasizes the importance of the developmental timeline rather than just the mature brainstem. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to compile histological, behavioral, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological evidence from human and animal studies about brainstem contributions and their functional implications in autism. Moreover, due to the developmental nature of autism, the review pays attention to the atypical brainstem development and compares findings based on age. Overall, there is evidence of an important role of brainstem disruptions in ASD, but there is still the need to examine the brainstem across the life span, from infancy to adulthood which could lead the way for early diagnosis and possibly treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala Seif
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Carly Shea
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Susanne Schmid
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ryan A Stevenson
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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9
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Ellegood J, Petkova SP, Kinman A, Qiu LR, Adhikari A, Wade AA, Fernandes D, Lindenmaier Z, Creighton A, Nutter LMJ, Nord AS, Silverman JL, Lerch JP. Neuroanatomy and behavior in mice with a haploinsufficiency of AT-rich interactive domain 1B (ARID1B) throughout development. Mol Autism 2021; 12:25. [PMID: 33757588 PMCID: PMC7986278 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00432-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the causal mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) is chromatin modification and the genes that regulate chromatin. AT-rich interactive domain 1B (ARID1B), a chromatin modifier, has been linked to autism spectrum disorder and to affect rare and inherited genetic variation in a broad set of NDDs. METHODS A novel preclinical mouse model of Arid1b deficiency was created and validated to characterize and define neuroanatomical, behavioral and transcriptional phenotypes. Neuroanatomy was assessed ex vivo in adult animals and in vivo longitudinally from birth to adulthood. Behavioral testing was also performed throughout development and tested all aspects of motor, learning, sociability, repetitive behaviors, seizure susceptibility, and general milestones delays. RESULTS We validated decreased Arid1b mRNA and protein in Arid1b+/- mice, with signatures of increased axonal and synaptic gene expression, decreased transcriptional regulator and RNA processing expression in adult Arid1b+/- cerebellum. During neonatal development, Arid1b+/- mice exhibited robust impairments in ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and metrics of developmental growth. In addition, a striking sex effect was observed neuroanatomically throughout development. Behaviorally, as adults, Arid1b+/- mice showed low motor skills in open field exploration and normal three-chambered approach. Arid1b+/- mice had learning and memory deficits in novel object recognition but not in visual discrimination and reversal touchscreen tasks. Social interactions in the male-female social dyad with USVs revealed social deficits on some but not all parameters. No repetitive behaviors were observed. Brains of adult Arid1b+/- mice had a smaller cerebellum and a larger hippocampus and corpus callosum. The corpus callosum increase seen here contrasts previous reports which highlight losses in corpus callosum volume in mice and humans. LIMITATIONS The behavior and neuroimaging analyses were done on separate cohorts of mice, which did not allow a direct correlation between the imaging and behavioral findings, and the transcriptomic analysis was exploratory, with no validation of altered expression beyond Arid1b. CONCLUSIONS This study represents a full validation and investigation of a novel model of Arid1b+/- haploinsufficiency throughout development and highlights the importance of examining both sexes throughout development in NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada.
| | - S P Petkova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - A Kinman
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - L R Qiu
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - A Adhikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - A A Wade
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - D Fernandes
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Z Lindenmaier
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - A Creighton
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - L M J Nutter
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - A S Nord
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - J L Silverman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - J P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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10
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Abbas A, Yadav V, Smith E, Ramjas E, Rutter SB, Benavidez C, Koesmahargyo V, Zhang L, Guan L, Rosenfield P, Perez-Rodriguez M, Galatzer-Levy IR. Computer Vision-Based Assessment of Motor Functioning in Schizophrenia: Use of Smartphones for Remote Measurement of Schizophrenia Symptomatology. Digit Biomark 2021; 5:29-36. [PMID: 33615120 DOI: 10.1159/000512383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Motor abnormalities have been shown to be a distinct component of schizophrenia symptomatology. However, objective and scalable methods for assessment of motor functioning in schizophrenia are lacking. Advancements in machine learning-based digital tools have allowed for automated and remote "digital phenotyping" of disease symptomatology. Here, we assess the performance of a computer vision-based assessment of motor functioning as a characteristic of schizophrenia using video data collected remotely through smartphones. Methods Eighteen patients with schizophrenia and 9 healthy controls were asked to remotely participate in smartphone-based assessments daily for 14 days. Video recorded from the smartphone front-facing camera during these assessments was used to quantify the Euclidean distance of head movement between frames through a pretrained computer vision model. The ability of head movement measurements to distinguish between patients and healthy controls as well as their relationship to schizophrenia symptom severity as measured through traditional clinical scores was assessed. Results The rate of head movement in participants with schizophrenia (1.48 mm/frame) and those without differed significantly (2.50 mm/frame; p = 0.01), and a logistic regression demonstrated that head movement was a significant predictor of schizophrenia diagnosis (p = 0.02). Linear regression between head movement and clinical scores of schizophrenia showed that head movement has a negative relationship with schizophrenia symptom severity (p = 0.04), primarily with negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Conclusions Remote, smartphone-based assessments were able to capture meaningful visual behavior for computer vision-based objective measurement of head movement. The measurements of head movement acquired were able to accurately classify schizophrenia diagnosis and quantify symptom severity in patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emma Smith
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Elizabeth Ramjas
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sarah B Rutter
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Li Zhang
- AiCure, LLC, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lei Guan
- AiCure, LLC, New York, New York, USA
| | - Paul Rosenfield
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Isaac R Galatzer-Levy
- AiCure, LLC, New York, New York, USA.,Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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11
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Gandhi T, Lee CC. Neural Mechanisms Underlying Repetitive Behaviors in Rodent Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:592710. [PMID: 33519379 PMCID: PMC7840495 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.592710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is comprised of several conditions characterized by alterations in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the heterogeneous development of ASD behaviors. Several rodent models display ASD-like phenotypes, including repetitive behaviors. In this review article, we discuss the potential neural mechanisms involved in repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD and related neuropsychiatric disorders. We review signaling pathways, neural circuits, and anatomical alterations in rodent models that display robust stereotypic behaviors. Understanding the mechanisms and circuit alterations underlying repetitive behaviors in rodent models of ASD will inform translational research and provide useful insight into therapeutic strategies for the treatment of repetitive behaviors in ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Gandhi
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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12
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Swinehart BD, Bland KM, Holley ZL, Lopuch AJ, Casey ZO, Handwerk CJ, Vidal GS. Integrin β3 organizes dendritic complexity of cerebral cortical pyramidal neurons along a tangential gradient. Mol Brain 2020; 13:168. [PMID: 33317577 PMCID: PMC7734815 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00707-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional dendritic arborization is a key feature of many developmental neurological disorders. Across various human brain regions, basal dendritic complexity is known to increase along a caudal-to-rostral gradient. We recently discovered that basal dendritic complexity of layer II/III cortical pyramidal neurons in the mouse increases along a caudomedial-to-rostrolateral gradient spanning multiple regions, but at the time, no molecules were known to regulate that exquisite pattern. Integrin subunits have been implicated in dendritic development, and the subunit with the strongest associations with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability is integrin β3 (Itgb3). In mice, global knockout of Itgb3 leads to autistic-like neuroanatomy and behavior. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Itgb3 is required for increasing dendritic complexity along the recently discovered tangential gradient among layer II/III cortical pyramidal neurons. We targeted a subset of layer II/III cortical pyramidal neurons for Itgb3 loss-of-function via Cre-loxP-mediated excision of Itgb3. We tracked the rostrocaudal and mediolateral position of the targeted neurons and reconstructed their dendritic arbors. In contrast to controls, the basal dendritic complexity of Itgb3 mutant neurons was not related to their cortical position. Basal dendritic complexity of mutant and control neurons differed because of overall changes in branch number across multiple branch orders (primary, secondary, etc.), rather than any changes in the average length at those branch orders. Furthermore, dendritic spine density was related to cortical position in control but not mutant neurons. Thus, the autism susceptibility gene Itgb3 is required for establishing a tangential pattern of basal dendritic complexity among layer II/III cortical pyramidal neurons, suggesting an early role for this molecule in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Swinehart
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22801, USA
| | - Katherine M Bland
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22801, USA
| | - Z Logan Holley
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22801, USA
| | - Andrew J Lopuch
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22801, USA
| | - Zachary O Casey
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22801, USA
| | - Christopher J Handwerk
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22801, USA
| | - George S Vidal
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, 951 Carrier Drive, Harrisonburg, VA, 22801, USA.
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13
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Berg EL, Pride MC, Petkova SP, Lee RD, Copping NA, Shen Y, Adhikari A, Fenton TA, Pedersen LR, Noakes LS, Nieman BJ, Lerch JP, Harris S, Born HA, Peters MM, Deng P, Cameron DL, Fink KD, Beitnere U, O'Geen H, Anderson AE, Dindot SV, Nash KR, Weeber EJ, Wöhr M, Ellegood J, Segal DJ, Silverman JL. Translational outcomes in a full gene deletion of ubiquitin protein ligase E3A rat model of Angelman syndrome. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:39. [PMID: 32066685 PMCID: PMC7026078 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0720-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by developmental delay, impaired communication, motor deficits and ataxia, intellectual disabilities, microcephaly, and seizures. The genetic cause of AS is the loss of expression of UBE3A (ubiquitin protein ligase E6-AP) in the brain, typically due to a deletion of the maternal 15q11-q13 region. Previous studies have been performed using a mouse model with a deletion of a single exon of Ube3a. Since three splice variants of Ube3a exist, this has led to a lack of consistent reports and the theory that perhaps not all mouse studies were assessing the effects of an absence of all functional UBE3A. Herein, we report the generation and functional characterization of a novel model of Angelman syndrome by deleting the entire Ube3a gene in the rat. We validated that this resulted in the first comprehensive gene deletion rodent model. Ultrasonic vocalizations from newborn Ube3am-/p+ were reduced in the maternal inherited deletion group with no observable change in the Ube3am+/p- paternal transmission cohort. We also discovered Ube3am-/p+ exhibited delayed reflex development, motor deficits in rearing and fine motor skills, aberrant social communication, and impaired touchscreen learning and memory in young adults. These behavioral deficits were large in effect size and easily apparent in the larger rodent species. Low social communication was detected using a playback task that is unique to rats. Structural imaging illustrated decreased brain volume in Ube3am-/p+ and a variety of intriguing neuroanatomical phenotypes while Ube3am+/p- did not exhibit altered neuroanatomy. Our report identifies, for the first time, unique AS relevant functional phenotypes and anatomical markers as preclinical outcomes to test various strategies for gene and molecular therapies in AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- E L Berg
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - M C Pride
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - S P Petkova
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - R D Lee
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - N A Copping
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Y Shen
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - A Adhikari
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - T A Fenton
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - L R Pedersen
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - L S Noakes
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - B J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - J P Lerch
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - S Harris
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - H A Born
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - M M Peters
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - P Deng
- Stem Cell Program, Institute for Regenerative Cures, and Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - D L Cameron
- Stem Cell Program, Institute for Regenerative Cures, and Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - K D Fink
- Stem Cell Program, Institute for Regenerative Cures, and Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - U Beitnere
- MIND Institute, Genome Center, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - H O'Geen
- MIND Institute, Genome Center, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - A E Anderson
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - S V Dindot
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - K R Nash
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - E J Weeber
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - M Wöhr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - J Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - D J Segal
- MIND Institute, Genome Center, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - J L Silverman
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA.
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14
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Behavioral and neuroanatomical approaches in models of neurodevelopmental disorders: opportunities for translation. Curr Opin Neurol 2019; 31:126-133. [PMID: 29493556 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000000537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review highlights the invaluable contribution of in-vivo rodent models in dissecting the underlying neurobiology for numerous neurodevelopmental disorders. Currently, models are routinely generated with precision genomics and characterized for research on neurodevelopmental disorders. In order to impact translation, outcome measures that are translationally relevant are essential. This review emphasizes the importance of accurate neurobehavioral and anatomical analyses. RECENT FINDINGS Numerous well validated assays for testing alterations across behavioral domains with sensitivity and throughput have become important tools for studying the effects of genetic mutations on neurodevelopment. Recent work has highlighted relationships and links between behavioral outcomes and various anatomical metrics from neuroimaging via magnetic resonance. These readouts are biological markers and outcome measures for translational research and will be have important roles for genetic or pharmacologic intervention strategies. SUMMARY Combinatorial approaches that leverage translationally relevant behavior and neuroanatomy can be used to develop a platform for assessment of cutting edge preclinical models. Reliable, robust behavioral phenotypes in preclinical model systems, with clustering of brain disease will lead to well informed, precise biochemical mechanistic hypotheses. Ultimately, these steadfast workhorse techniques will accelerate the progress of developing and testing targeted treatments for multiple neurodevelopmental disorders.
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15
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Schoen M, Asoglu H, Bauer HF, Müller HP, Abaei A, Sauer AK, Zhang R, Song TJ, Bockmann J, Kassubek J, Rasche V, Grabrucker AM, Boeckers TM. Shank3 Transgenic and Prenatal Zinc-Deficient Autism Mouse Models Show Convergent and Individual Alterations of Brain Structures in MRI. Front Neural Circuits 2019; 13:6. [PMID: 30853900 PMCID: PMC6395436 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2019.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Research efforts over the past decades have unraveled both genetic and environmental factors, which contribute to the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It is, to date, largely unknown how different underlying causes result in a common phenotype. However, the individual course of development and the different comorbidities might reflect the heterogeneous genetic and non-genetic contributions. Therefore, it is reasonable to identify commonalities and differences in models of these disorders at the different hierarchical levels of brain function, including genetics/environment, cellular/synaptic functions, brain regions, connectivity, and behavior. To that end, we investigated Shank3 transgenic mouse lines and compared them with a prenatal zinc-deficient (PZD) mouse model of ASD at the level of brain structural alterations in an 11,7 T small animal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Animals were measured at 4 and 9 weeks of age. We identified a decreased total brain volume (TBV) and hippocampal size of Shank3−/− mice but a convergent increase of basal ganglia (striatum and globus pallidus) in most mouse lines. Moreover, Shank3 transgenic mice had smaller thalami, whereas PZD mice had this region enlarged. Intriguingly, Shank3 heterozygous knockout mice mostly showed minor abnormalities to full knockouts, which might reflect the importance of proper Shank3 dosage in neuronal cells. Most reported volume changes seemed to be more pronounced at younger age. Our results indicate both convergent and divergent brain region abnormalities in genetic and non-genetic models of ASD. These alterations of brain structures might be mirrored in the reported behavior of both models, which have not been assessed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schoen
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Harun Asoglu
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Helen F Bauer
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Alireza Abaei
- Core Facility Small Animal MRI, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ann Katrin Sauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Rong Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tian-Jia Song
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Juergen Bockmann
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Kassubek
- Neurology Department, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Volker Rasche
- Core Facility Small Animal MRI, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andreas M Grabrucker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.,Health Research Institute (HRI), University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Tobias M Boeckers
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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16
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Nieman BJ, van Eede MC, Spring S, Dazai J, Henkelman RM, Lerch JP. MRI to Assess Neurological Function. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 8:e44. [PMID: 29927554 DOI: 10.1002/cpmo.44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This article describes a detailed set of protocols for mouse brain imaging using MRI. We focus primarily on measuring changes in neuroanatomy, and provide both instructions for mouse preparation and details on image acquisition, image processing, and statistics. Practical details as well as theoretical considerations are provided. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthijs C van Eede
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shoshana Spring
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jun Dazai
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - R Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Corresponding author:
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17
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Ellegood J, Yee Y, Kerr TM, Muller CL, Blakely RD, Henkelman RM, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, Lerch JP. Analysis of neuroanatomical differences in mice with genetically modified serotonin transporters assessed by structural magnetic resonance imaging. Mol Autism 2018; 9:24. [PMID: 29651330 PMCID: PMC5894125 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0210-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The serotonin (5-HT) system has long been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as indicated by elevated whole blood and platelet 5-HT, altered platelet and brain receptor and transporter binding, and genetic linkage and association findings. Based upon work in genetically modified mice, 5-HT is known to influence several aspects of brain development, but systematic neuroimaging studies have not previously been reported. In particular, the 5-HT transporter (serotonin transporter, SERT; 5-HTT) gene, Slc6a4, has been extensively studied. Methods Using a 7-T MRI and deformation-based morphometry, we assessed neuroanatomical differences in an Slc6a4 knockout mouse on a C57BL/6 genetic background, along with an Slc6a4 Ala56 knockin mouse on two different genetic backgrounds (129S and C57BL/6). Results Individually (same sex, same background, same genotype), the only differences found were in the female Slc6a4 knockout mouse; all the others had no significant differences. However, an analysis of variance across the whole study sample revealed a significant effect of Slc6a4 on the amygdala, thalamus, dorsal raphe nucleus, and lateral and frontal cortices. Conclusions This work shows that an increase or decrease in SERT function has a significant effect on the neuroanatomy in 5-HT relevant regions, particularly the raphe nuclei. Notably, the Slc6a4 Ala56 knockin alone appears to have an insignificant, but suggestive, effect compared to the KO, which is consistent with Slc6a4 function. Despite the small number of 5-HT neurons and their localization to the brainstem, it is clear that 5-HT plays an important role in neuroanatomical organization. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-018-0210-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Ellegood
- 1Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7 Canada
| | - Yohan Yee
- 1Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7 Canada.,4Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S Canada
| | - Travis M Kerr
- 3Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA
| | | | - Randy D Blakely
- 2Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA.,3Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA.,5Department of Biomedical Science and Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33431 USA
| | - R Mark Henkelman
- 1Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7 Canada.,4Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S Canada
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- 2Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA.,6Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- 1Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3H7 Canada.,4Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S Canada
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18
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Oved K, Farberov L, Gilam A, Israel I, Haguel D, Gurwitz D, Shomron N. MicroRNA-Mediated Regulation of ITGB3 and CHL1 Is Implicated in SSRI Action. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:355. [PMID: 29163031 PMCID: PMC5682014 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant drugs are the first-line of treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) but are effective in <70% of patients. Our earlier genome-wide studies indicated that two genes encoding for cell adhesion proteins, close homolog of L1 (CHL1) and integrin beta-3 (ITGB3), and microRNAs, miR-151a-3p and miR-221/222, are implicated in the variable sensitivity and response of human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) from unrelated individuals to SSRI drugs. Methods: The microRNAs miR-221, miR-222, and miR-151-a-3p, along with their target gene binding sites, were explored in silico using miRBase, TargetScan, microRNAviewer, and the UCSC Genome Browser. Luciferase reporter assays were conducted for demonstrating the direct functional regulation of ITGB3 and CHL1 expression by miR-221/222 and miR-151a-3p, respectively. A human LCL exhibiting low sensitivity to paroxetine was utilized for studying the phenotypic effect of CHL1 regulation by miR-151a-3p on SSRI response. Results: By showing direct regulation of CHL1 and ITGB3 by miR-151a-3p and miR-221/222, respectively, we link these microRNAs and genes with cellular SSRI sensitivity phenotypes. We report that miR-151a-3p increases cell sensitivity to paroxetine via down-regulating CHL1 expression. Conclusions: miR-151a-3p, miR-221/222 and their (here confirmed) respective target-genes, CHL1 and ITGB3, are implicated in SSRI responsiveness, and possibly in the clinical response to antidepressant drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Oved
- Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Luba Farberov
- Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Avial Gilam
- Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ifat Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Danielle Haguel
- Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - David Gurwitz
- Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noam Shomron
- Faculty of Medicine, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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19
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Spatial gene expression analysis of neuroanatomical differences in mouse models. Neuroimage 2017; 163:220-230. [PMID: 28882630 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.08.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
MRI is a powerful modality to detect neuroanatomical differences that result from mutations and treatments. Knowing which genes drive these differences is important in understanding etiology, but candidate genes are often difficult to identify. We tested whether spatial gene expression data from the Allen Brain Institute can be used to inform us about genes that cause neuroanatomical differences. For many single-gene-mutation mouse models, we found that affected neuroanatomy was not strongly associated with the spatial expression of the altered gene and there are specific caveats for each model. However, among models with significant neuroanatomical differences from their wildtype controls, the mutated genes had preferential spatial expression in affected neuroanatomy. In mice exposed to environmental enrichment, candidate genes could be identified by a genome-wide search for genes with preferential spatial expression in the altered neuroanatomical regions. These candidates have functions related to learning and plasticity. We demonstrate that spatial gene expression of single-genes is a poor predictor of altered neuroanatomy, but altered neuroanatomy can identify candidate genes responsible for neuroanatomical phenotypes.
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Lai MC, Lerch JP, Floris DL, Ruigrok AN, Pohl A, Lombardo MV, Baron-Cohen S. Imaging sex/gender and autism in the brain: Etiological implications. J Neurosci Res 2016; 95:380-397. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Revised: 09/04/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Chuan Lai
- Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Psychiatry; University of Toronto; Toronto Ontario Canada
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry; University of Cambridge; Cambridge United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry; National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine; Taipei Taiwan
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Ontario Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics; University of Toronto; Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Dorothea L. Floris
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry; University of Cambridge; Cambridge United Kingdom
- New York University Child Study Center; New York New York USA
| | - Amber N.V. Ruigrok
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry; University of Cambridge; Cambridge United Kingdom
| | - Alexa Pohl
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry; University of Cambridge; Cambridge United Kingdom
| | - Michael V. Lombardo
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry; University of Cambridge; Cambridge United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology and Center of Applied Neuroscience; University of Cyprus; Nicosia Cyprus
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry; University of Cambridge; Cambridge United Kingdom
- CLASS Clinic, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridge United Kingdom
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Baig DN, Yanagawa T, Tabuchi K. Distortion of the normal function of synaptic cell adhesion molecules by genetic variants as a risk for autism spectrum disorders. Brain Res Bull 2016; 129:82-90. [PMID: 27743928 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Revised: 10/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Synaptic cell adhesion molecules (SCAMs) are a functional category of cell adhesion molecules that connect pre- and postsynapses by the protein-protein interaction via their extracellular cell adhesion domains. Countless numbers of common genetic variants and rare mutations in SCAMs have been identified in the patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Among these, NRXN and NLGN family proteins cooperatively function at synaptic terminals both of which genes are strongly implicated as risk genes for ASDs. Knock-in mice carrying a single rare point mutation of NLGN3 (NLGN3 R451C) discovered in the patients with ASDs display a deficit in social interaction and an enhancement of spatial learning and memory ability reminiscent of the clinical phenotype of ASDs. NLGN4 knockout (KO) and NRXN2α KO mice also show a deficit in sociability as well as some specific neuropsychiatric behaviors. In this review, we selected NRXNs/NLGNs, CNTNAP2/CNTNAP4, CNTN4, ITGB3, and KIRREL3 as strong ASD risk genes based on SFARI score and summarize the protein structures, functions at synapses, representative discoveries in human genetic studies, and phenotypes of the mutant model mice in light of the pathophysiology of ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deeba Noreen Baig
- Department of Biological Sciences, Forman Christian College, Zahoor Elahi Rd, Lahore, 54600, Pakistan
| | - Toru Yanagawa
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Tabuchi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan; Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan; PRESTO, JST, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan.
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Perinatal reduction of functional serotonin transporters results in developmental delay. Neuropharmacology 2016; 109:96-111. [PMID: 27208789 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Revised: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
While there is strong evidence from rodent and human studies that a reduction in serotonin transporter (5-HTT) function in early-life can increase the risk for several neuropsychiatric disorders in adulthood, the effects of reduced 5-HTT function on behavior across developmental stages are underinvestigated. To elucidate how perinatal pharmacological and lifelong genetic inactivation of the 5-HTT affects behavior across development, we conducted a battery of behavioral tests in rats perinatally exposed to fluoxetine or vehicle and in 5-HTT(-/-) versus 5-HTT(+/+) rats. We measured motor-related behavior, olfactory function, grooming behavior, sensorimotor gating, object directed behavior and novel object recognition in the first three postnatal weeks and if possible the tests were repeated in adolescence and adulthood. We also measured developmental milestones such as eye opening, reflex development and body weight. We observed that both pharmacological and genetic inactivation of 5-HTT resulted in a developmental delay. Except for hypo-locomotion, most of the observed early-life effects were normalized later in life. In adolescence and adulthood we observed object directed behavior and decreased novel object recognition in the 5-HTT(-/-) rats, which might be related to the lifelong inactivation of 5-HTT. Together, these data provide an important contribution to the understanding of the effects of perinatal and lifelong 5-HTT inactivation on behavior across developmental stages.
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Regional brain volumes changes in adult male FMR1-KO mouse on the FVB strain. Neuroscience 2016; 318:12-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Abstract
In order to understand the consequences of the mutation on behavioral and biological phenotypes relevant to autism, mutations in many of the risk genes for autism spectrum disorder have been experimentally generated in mice. Here, we summarize behavioral outcomes and neuroanatomical abnormalities, with a focus on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of postmortem mouse brains. Results are described from multiple mouse models of autism spectrum disorder and comorbid syndromes, including the 15q11-13, 16p11.2, 22q11.2, Cntnap2, Engrailed2, Fragile X, Integrinβ3, MET, Neurexin1a, Neuroligin3, Reelin, Rett, Shank3, Slc6a4, tuberous sclerosis, and Williams syndrome models, and inbred strains with strong autism-relevant behavioral phenotypes, including BTBR and BALB. Concomitant behavioral and neuroanatomical abnormalities can strengthen the interpretation of results from a mouse model, and may elevate the usefulness of the model system for therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Ellegood
- />Mouse Imaging Centre (MICe), Hospital for Sick Children, 25 Orde Street, Toronto, ON M5T 3H7 Canada
| | - Jacqueline N. Crawley
- />MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, 4625 2nd Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
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25
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Varney S, Polston KF, Jessen T, Carneiro AMD. Mice lacking integrin β3 expression exhibit altered response to chronic stress. Neurobiol Stress 2015; 2:51-58. [PMID: 26634222 PMCID: PMC4664197 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2015.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies indicate multiple roles for integrin αvβ3 in adult neurons, including response to pharmacological agents such as cocaine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. In this study, we examined the role of the integrin β3 gene (Itgb3) in the response to environmental stimuli by subjecting Itgb3+/+ and Itgb3-/- mice to unpredictable chronic mild stressors. We found that genetic abrogation of integrin β3 expression elicits an exaggerated vulnerability to chronic unpredictable stress in the open field test. In this test, chronic stress elicited significant decreases in stereotypic behavior and horizontal locomotor activity, including increases in anxiety behaviors. Mild chronic stress led to reductions in dopamine turnover in midbrains of Itgb3+/+, but not Itgb3-/- mice, suggesting a disruption of stress-dependent regulation of DA homeostasis. Chronic stress elicited altered synaptic expression of syntaxin and synaptophysin in midbrains of Itgb3-/- mice, when compared to Itgb3+/+. Semi-quantitative Western blot studies revealed that the synaptic expression, but not total tissue expression, of multiple signaling proteins is correlated with integrin αv levels in the midbrain. Moreover, loss of integrin β3 expression modifies this correlation network. Together, these findings demonstrate that Itgb3-/- mice display a pattern of changes indicating disrupted regulation of midbrain synaptic systems involved in conferring resilience to mild stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth Varney
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-6600, USA
| | - Keith F Polston
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-6600, USA
| | - Tammy Jessen
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-6600, USA
| | - Ana M D Carneiro
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-6600, USA
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Abstract
It is well established that the cholesterol-transporter apolipoprotein ε (APOE) genotype is associated with the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, brain functional connectivity (FC) in apoE-ε4 carriers has been investigated by means of resting-state fMRI, showing a marked differentiation in several functional networks at different ages compared with carriers of other apoE isoforms. The causes of such hampered FC are not understood. We hypothesize that vascular function and synaptic repair processes, which are both impaired in carriers of ε4, are the major contributors to the loss of FC during aging. To test this hypothesis, we integrated several different MRI techniques with immunohistochemistry and investigated FC changes in relation with perfusion, diffusion, and synaptic density in apoE4 and apoE-knock-out (KO) mice at 12 (adult) and 18 months of age. Compared with wild-type mice, we detected FC deficits in both adult and old apoE4 and apoE-KO mice. In apoE4 mice, these changes occurred concomitant with increased mean diffusivity in the hippocampus, whereas perfusion deficits appear only later in life, together with reduced postsynaptic density levels. Instead, in apoE-KO mice FC deficits were mirrored by strongly reduced brain perfusion since adulthood. In conclusion, we provide new evidence for a relation between apoE and brain connectivity, possibly mediated by vascular risk factors and by the efficiency of APOE as synaptic modulator in the brain. Our results show that multimodal MR neuroimaging is an excellent tool to assess brain function and to investigate early neuropathology and aging effects in translational research.
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Sussman D, Germann J, Henkelman M. Gestational ketogenic diet programs brain structure and susceptibility to depression & anxiety in the adult mouse offspring. Brain Behav 2015; 5:e00300. [PMID: 25642385 PMCID: PMC4309881 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Revised: 10/12/2014] [Accepted: 11/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The ketogenic diet (KD) has seen an increase in popularity for clinical and non-clinical purposes, leading to rise in concern about the diet's impact on following generations. The KD is known to have a neurological effect, suggesting that exposure to it during prenatal brain development may alter neuro-anatomy. Studies have also indicated that the KD has an anti-depressant effect on the consumer. However, it is unclear whether any neuro-anatomical and/or behavioral changes would occur in the offspring and persist into adulthood. METHODS To fill this knowledge gap we assessed the brain morphology and behavior of 8-week-old young-adult CD-1 mice, who were exposed to the KD in utero, and were fed only a standard-diet (SD) in postnatal life. Standardized neuro-behavior tests included the Open-Field, Forced-Swim, and Exercise Wheel tests, and were followed by post-mortem Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to assess brain anatomy. RESULTS The adult KD offspring exhibit reduced susceptibility to anxiety and depression, and elevated physical activity level when compared with controls exposed to the SD both in utero and postnatally. Many neuro-anatomical differences exist between the KD offspring and controls, including, for example, a cerebellar volumetric enlargement by 4.8%, a hypothalamic reduction by 1.39%, and a corpus callosum reduction by 4.77%, as computed relative to total brain volume. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that prenatal exposure to the KD programs the offspring neuro-anatomy and influences their behavior in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafna Sussman
- Physiology and Experimental Medicine, The Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jurgen Germann
- Mouse Imaging Center (MICe), The Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Center (MICe), The Hospital for Sick ChildrenToronto, Ontario, Canada
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Suzuki H, Sumiyoshi A, Matsumoto Y, Duffy BA, Yoshikawa T, Lythgoe MF, Yanai K, Taki Y, Kawashima R, Shimokawa H. Structural abnormality of the hippocampus associated with depressive symptoms in heart failure rats. Neuroimage 2015; 105:84-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.10.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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High resolution magnetic resonance imaging for characterization of the neuroligin-3 knock-in mouse model associated with autism spectrum disorder. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109872. [PMID: 25299583 PMCID: PMC4192590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2014] [Accepted: 09/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) comprise an etiologically heterogeneous set of neurodevelopmental disorders. Neuroligin-3 (NL-3) is a cell adhesion protein that mediates synapse development and has been implicated in ASD. We performed ex-vivo high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and behavioral (social approach and zero maze) tests at 3 different time points (30, 50 and 70 days-of-age) on NL-3 and wild-type littermates to assess developmental brain abnormalities in NL-3 mice. MRI data were segmented in 39 different gray and white matter regions. Volumetric measurements, along with DTI indices from these segmented regions were also performed. After controlling for age and gender, the NL-3 knock-in animals demonstrated significantly reduced sociability and lower anxiety-related behavior in comparison to their wild type littermates. Significantly reduced volume of several white and gray matter regions in the NL-3 knock-in mice were also observed after considering age, gender and time point as covariates. These findings suggest that structural changes in the brain of NL-3 mice are induced by the mutation in the NL-3 gene. No significant differences in DTI indices were observed, which suggests that the NL-3 mutation may not have a profound effect on water diffusion as detected by DTI. The volumetric and DTI studies aid in understanding the biology of disrupting function on an ASD risk model and may assist in the development of imaging biomarkers for ASD.
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Schuch JB, Muller D, Endres RG, Bosa CA, Longo D, Schuler-Faccini L, Ranzan J, Becker MM, dos Santos Riesgo R, Roman T. The role of β3 integrin gene variants in Autism Spectrum Disorders--diagnosis and symptomatology. Gene 2014; 553:24-30. [PMID: 25280596 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.09.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Revised: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 09/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) represent a group of very complex early-onset neurodevelopmental diseases. In this study, we analyzed 5 SNPs (rs2317385, rs5918, rs15908, rs12603582, rs3809865) at the β3 integrin locus (ITGB3), which has been suggested as a possible susceptibility gene, both as single markers and as part of haplotypes in 209 ASD children and their biological parents. We tested for association with the following: a) DSM-IV ASD diagnosis; b) clinical symptoms common in ASD patients (repetitive behaviors, echolalia, seizures and epilepsy, mood instability, aggression, psychomotor agitation, sleep disorders); and c) dimensional scores obtained with the Autism Screening Questionnaire and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. These hypotheses were investigated using family-based tests, logistic regression models and analysis of covariance. The family-based tests showed an association with the H5 haplotype (composed by GTCGA alleles, the order of SNPs as above), which was transmitted less often than expected by chance (P=0.006; Pcorr=0.036). The analyses of the clinical symptoms showed a trend for an association with rs12603582 (P=0.008; Pcorr=0.064) and positive results for the haplotype composed of rs15908 and rs12603582 (Pglcorr=0.048; Pindcorr=0.015), both in symptoms of echolalia. Other nominal associations with different variants were found and involved epilepsy/seizures, aggression symptoms and higher ASQ scores. Although our positive results are not definitive, they suggest small effect associations of the ITGB3 gene with both ASD diagnosis and symptoms of echolalia. Other studies are nonetheless needed to fully understand the involvement of this locus on the etiology of ASDs and its different clinical aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaqueline Bohrer Schuch
- Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Diana Muller
- Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Renata Giuliani Endres
- Department of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 90035-003 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Cleonice Alves Bosa
- Department of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 90035-003 Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Dânae Longo
- Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lavinia Schuler-Faccini
- Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Josiane Ranzan
- Child Neurology Unit, Clinics Hospital of Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, 90035-903 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Michele Michelin Becker
- Child Neurology Unit, Clinics Hospital of Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, 90035-903 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rudimar dos Santos Riesgo
- Child Neurology Unit, Clinics Hospital of Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, 90035-903 Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Tatiana Roman
- Department of Genetics, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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31
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Johnson GA, Calabrese E, Little PB, Hedlund L, Qi Y, Badea A. Quantitative mapping of trimethyltin injury in the rat brain using magnetic resonance histology. Neurotoxicology 2014; 42:12-23. [PMID: 24631313 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2013] [Revised: 02/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The growing exposure to chemicals in our environment and the increasing concern over their impact on health have elevated the need for new methods for surveying the detrimental effects of these compounds. Today's gold standard for assessing the effects of toxicants on the brain is based on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained histology, sometimes accompanied by special stains or immunohistochemistry for neural processes and myelin. This approach is time-consuming and is usually limited to a fraction of the total brain volume. We demonstrate that magnetic resonance histology (MRH) can be used for quantitatively assessing the effects of central nervous system toxicants in rat models. We show that subtle and sparse changes to brain structure can be detected using magnetic resonance histology, and correspond to some of the locations in which lesions are found by traditional pathological examination. We report for the first time diffusion tensor image-based detection of changes in white matter regions, including fimbria and corpus callosum, in the brains of rats exposed to 8 mg/kg and 12 mg/kg trimethyltin. Besides detecting brain-wide changes, magnetic resonance histology provides a quantitative assessment of dose-dependent effects. These effects can be found in different magnetic resonance contrast mechanisms, providing multivariate biomarkers for the same spatial location. In this study, deformation-based morphometry detected areas where previous studies have detected cell loss, while voxel-wise analyses of diffusion tensor parameters revealed microstructural changes due to such things as cellular swelling, apoptosis, and inflammation. Magnetic resonance histology brings a valuable addition to pathology with the ability to generate brain-wide quantitative parametric maps for markers of toxic insults in the rodent brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Allan Johnson
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States; Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
| | - Evan Calabrese
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States; Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | | | - Laurence Hedlund
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Yi Qi
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Alexandra Badea
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
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32
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Steadman PE, Ellegood J, Szulc KU, Turnbull DH, Joyner AL, Henkelman RM, Lerch JP. Genetic effects on cerebellar structure across mouse models of autism using a magnetic resonance imaging atlas. Autism Res 2013; 7:124-37. [PMID: 24151012 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of autism populations is confounded by the inherent heterogeneity in the individuals' genetics and environment, two factors difficult to control for. Imaging genetic animal models that recapitulate a mutation associated with autism quantify the impact of genetics on brain morphology and mitigate the confounding factors in human studies. Here, we used MRI to image three genetic mouse models with single mutations implicated in autism: Neuroligin-3 R451C knock-in, Methyl-CpG binding protein-2 (MECP2) 308-truncation and integrin β3 homozygous knockout. This study identified the morphological differences specific to the cerebellum, a structure repeatedly linked to autism in human neuroimaging and postmortem studies. To accomplish a comparative analysis, a segmented cerebellum template was created and used to segment each study image. This template delineated 39 different cerebellar structures. For Neuroligin-3 R451C male mutants, the gray (effect size (ES) = 1.94, FDR q = 0.03) and white (ES = 1.84, q = 0.037) matter of crus II lobule and the gray matter of the paraflocculus (ES = 1.45, q = 0.045) were larger in volume. The MECP2 mutant mice had cerebellar volume changes that increased in scope depending on the genotype: hemizygous males to homozygous females. The integrin β3 mutant mouse had a drastically smaller cerebellum than controls with 28 out of 39 cerebellar structures smaller. These imaging results are discussed in relation to repetitive behaviors, sociability, and learning in the context of autism. This work further illuminates the cerebellum's role in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick E Steadman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Oved K, Morag A, Pasmanik-Chor M, Rehavi M, Shomron N, Gurwitz D. Genome-wide expression profiling of human lymphoblastoid cell lines implicates integrin beta-3 in the mode of action of antidepressants. Transl Psychiatry 2013; 3:e313. [PMID: 24129413 PMCID: PMC3818017 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2013.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2013] [Revised: 08/15/2013] [Accepted: 09/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line treatment for major depression. However, the link between inhibition of serotonin reuptake and remission from depression remains controversial: in spite of the rapid onset of serotonin reuptake inhibition, remission from depression takes several weeks, presumably reflecting synaptogenesis/neurogenesis and neuronal rewiring. We compared genome-wide expression profiles of human lymphoblastoid cell lines from unrelated individuals following treatment with 1 μM paroxetine for 21 days with untreated control cells and examined which genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) showed the most profound and consistent expression changes. ITGB3, coding for integrin beta-3, showed the most consistent altered expression (1.92-fold increase, P=7.5 × 10(-8)) following chronic paroxetine exposure. Using genome-wide miRNA arrays, we observed a corresponding decrease in the expression of two miRNAs, miR-221 and miR-222, both predicted to target ITGB3. ITGB3 is crucial for the activity of the serotonin transporter (SERT), the drug target of SSRIs. Moreover, it is presumably required for the neuronal guidance activity of CHL1, whose expression was formerly identified as a tentative SSRI response biomarker. Further genes whose expression was significantly modulated by chronic paroxetine are also implicated in neurogenesis. Surprisingly, the expression of SERT or serotonin receptors was not modified. Our findings implicate ITGB3 in the mode of action of SSRI antidepressants and provide a novel link between CHL1 and the SERT. Our observations suggest that SSRIs may relieve depression primarily by promoting neuronal synaptogenesis/neurogenesis rather than by modulating serotonin neurotransmission per se.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Oved
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and
Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University,
Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology,
Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv,
Israel
| | - A Morag
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and
Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University,
Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology,
Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv,
Israel
| | - M Pasmanik-Chor
- Bioinformatics Unit, George Wise Faculty of
Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - M Rehavi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology,
Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv,
Israel
| | - N Shomron
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology,
Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv,
Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv
University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - D Gurwitz
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and
Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University,
Tel-Aviv, Israel
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A method for 3D immunostaining and optical imaging of the mouse brain demonstrated in neural progenitor cells. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72039. [PMID: 23936537 PMCID: PMC3735582 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is important to understand changes in cell distribution that occur as a part of disease progression. This is typically achieved using standard sectioning and immunostaining, however, many structures and cell distribution patterns are not readily appreciated in two-dimensions, including the distribution of neural stem and progenitor cells in the mouse forebrain. Three-dimensional immunostaining in the mouse brain has been hampered by poor penetration. For this reason, we have developed a method that allows for entire hemispheres of the mouse brain to be stained using commercially available antibodies. Brains stained for glial fibrillary acidic protein, doublecortin and nestin were imaged in three-dimensions using optical projection tomography and serial two-photon tomography. This staining method is simple, using a combination of heat, time and specimen preparation procedures readily available, so that it can be easily implemented without the need for specialized equipment, making it accessible to most laboratories.
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Szulc KU, Nieman BJ, Houston EJ, Bartelle BB, Lerch JP, Joyner AL, Turnbull DH. MRI analysis of cerebellar and vestibular developmental phenotypes in Gbx2 conditional knockout mice. Magn Reson Med 2013; 70:1707-17. [PMID: 23400959 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.24597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2012] [Revised: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 11/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Our aim in this study was to apply three-dimensional MRI methods to analyze early postnatal morphological phenotypes in a Gbx2 conditional knockout (Gbx2-CKO) mouse that has variable midline deletions in the central cerebellum, reminiscent of many human cerebellar hypoplasia syndromes. METHODS In vivo three-dimensional manganese-enhanced MRI at 100-µm isotropic resolution was used to visualize mouse brains between postnatal days 3 and 11, when cerebellum morphology undergoes dramatic changes. Deformation-based morphometry and volumetric analysis of manganese-enhanced MRI images were used to, respectively, detect and quantify morphological phenotypes in Gbx2-CKO mice. Ex vivo micro-MRI was performed after perfusion-fixation with supplemented gadolinium for higher resolution (50-µm) analysis. RESULTS In vivo manganese-enhanced MRI and deformation-based morphometry correctly identified known cerebellar defects in Gbx2-CKO mice, and novel phenotypes were discovered in the deep cerebellar nuclei and the vestibulo-cerebellum, both validated using histology. Ex vivo micro-MRI revealed subtle phenotypes in both the vestibulo-cerebellum and the vestibulo-cochlear organ, providing an interesting example of complementary phenotypes in a sensory organ and its associated brain region. CONCLUSION These results show the potential of three-dimensional MRI for detecting and analyzing developmental defects in mouse models of neurodevelopmental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila U Szulc
- Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA; Biomedical Imaging Program, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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Maloney SE, Rieger MA, Dougherty JD. Identifying essential cell types and circuits in autism spectrum disorders. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2013; 113:61-96. [PMID: 24290383 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-418700-9.00003-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is highly genetic in its etiology, with potentially hundreds of genes contributing to risk. Despite this heterogeneity, these disparate genetic lesions may result in the disruption of a limited number of key cell types or circuits-information which could be leveraged for the design of therapeutic interventions. While hypotheses for cellular disruptions can be identified by postmortem anatomical analysis and expression studies of ASD risk genes, testing these hypotheses requires the use of animal models. In this review, we explore the existing evidence supporting the contribution of different cell types to ASD, specifically focusing on rodent studies disrupting serotonergic, GABAergic, cerebellar, and striatal cell types, with particular attention to studies of the sufficiency of specific cellular disruptions to generate ASD-related behavioral abnormalities. This evidence suggests multiple cellular routes can create features of the disorder, though it is currently unclear if these cell types converge on a final common circuit. We hope that in the future, systematic studies of cellular sufficiency and genetic interaction will help to classify patients into groups by type of cellular disruptions which suggest tractable therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan E Maloney
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Ellegood J, Babineau BA, Henkelman RM, Lerch JP, Crawley JN. Neuroanatomical analysis of the BTBR mouse model of autism using magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Neuroimage 2012; 70:288-300. [PMID: 23275046 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2012] [Revised: 12/13/2012] [Accepted: 12/16/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by abnormal reciprocal social interactions, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors with restricted interests. Autism-relevant phenotypes in the inbred mouse strain BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) offer translational tools to discover biological mechanisms underlying unusual mouse behaviors analogous to symptoms of autism. Two of the most consistent findings with BTBR are lack of sociability as measured by the three-chamber social approach task and increased amount of time engaged in self-grooming in an empty cage. Here we evaluated BTBR as compared to two typical inbred strains with high sociability and low self-grooming, C57BL/6J (B6) and FVB/AntJ (FVB), on both the automated three-chambered social approach task and repetitive self-grooming assays. Brains from the behaviorally tested mice were analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging to investigate potential neuroanatomical abnormalities throughout the brain; specifically, to discover neuroanatomical mechanisms which could explain the autism-relevant behavioral abnormalities. Significant differences in volume and white matter microstructure were detected in multiple anatomical regions throughout the brain of BTBR compared to B6 and FVB. Further, significant correlations were found between behavioral measures and areas of the brain known to be associated with those behaviors. For example, striatal volume was strongly correlated to time spent in self-grooming across strains. Our findings suggest that neuropathology exists in BTBR beyond the previously reported white matter abnormalities in the corpus callosum and hippocampal commissure and that these brain differences may be related to the behavioral abnormalities seen in BTBR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Wei H, Mori S, Hua K, Li X. Alteration of brain volume in IL‐6 overexpressing mice related to autism. Int J Dev Neurosci 2012; 30:554-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2012.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2012] [Revised: 08/17/2012] [Accepted: 08/17/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hongen Wei
- Central LaboratoryShanxi Provincial People's HospitalTaiyuanChina
| | - Susumu Mori
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological ScienceThe Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Kegang Hua
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological ScienceThe Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Xiaohong Li
- Department of NeurochemistryNY State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesNew YorkNYUSA
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