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Yusupov N, Roeh S, Sotillos Elliott L, Chang S, Loganathan S, Urbina-Treviño L, Fröhlich AS, Sauer S, Ködel M, Matosin N, Czamara D, Deussing JM, Binder EB. DNA methylation patterns of FKBP5 regulatory regions in brain and blood of humanized mice and humans. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02430-x. [PMID: 38317011 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02430-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Humanized mouse models can be used to explore human gene regulatory elements (REs), which frequently lie in non-coding and less conserved genomic regions. Epigenetic modifications of gene REs, also in the context of gene x environment interactions, have not yet been explored in humanized mouse models. We applied high-accuracy measurement of DNA methylation (DNAm) via targeted bisulfite sequencing (HAM-TBS) to investigate DNAm in three tissues/brain regions (blood, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus) of mice carrying the human FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene, an important candidate gene associated with stress-related psychiatric disorders. We explored DNAm in three functional intronic glucocorticoid-responsive elements (at introns 2, 5, and 7) of FKBP5 at baseline, in cases of differing genotype (rs1360780 single nucleotide polymorphism), and following application of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone. We compared DNAm patterns in the humanized mouse (N = 58) to those in human peripheral blood (N = 447 and N = 89) and human postmortem brain prefrontal cortex (N = 86). Overall, DNAm patterns in the humanized mouse model seem to recapitulate DNAm patterns observed in human tissue. At baseline, this was to a higher extent in brain tissue. The animal model also recapitulated effects of dexamethasone on DNAm, especially in peripheral blood and to a lesser extent effects of genotype on DNAm. The humanized mouse model could thus assist in reverse translation of human findings in psychiatry that involve genetic and epigenetic regulation in non-coding elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natan Yusupov
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Roeh
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Sotillos Elliott
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Simon Chang
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Srivaishnavi Loganathan
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Anna S Fröhlich
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - Susann Sauer
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Maik Ködel
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Natalie Matosin
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan M Deussing
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
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Matosin N, Arloth J, Czamara D, Edmond KZ, Maitra M, Fröhlich AS, Martinelli S, Kaul D, Bartlett R, Curry AR, Gassen NC, Hafner K, Müller NS, Worf K, Rehawi G, Nagy C, Halldorsdottir T, Cruceanu C, Gagliardi M, Gerstner N, Ködel M, Murek V, Ziller MJ, Scarr E, Tao R, Jaffe AE, Arzberger T, Falkai P, Kleinmann JE, Weinberger DR, Mechawar N, Schmitt A, Dean B, Turecki G, Hyde TM, Binder EB. Associations of psychiatric disease and ageing with FKBP5 expression converge on superficial layer neurons of the neocortex. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 145:439-459. [PMID: 36729133 PMCID: PMC10020280 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02541-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Identification and characterisation of novel targets for treatment is a priority in the field of psychiatry. FKBP5 is a gene with decades of evidence suggesting its pathogenic role in a subset of psychiatric patients, with potential to be leveraged as a therapeutic target for these individuals. While it is widely reported that FKBP5/FKBP51 mRNA/protein (FKBP5/1) expression is impacted by psychiatric disease state, risk genotype and age, it is not known in which cell types and sub-anatomical areas of the human brain this occurs. This knowledge is critical to propel FKBP5/1-targeted treatment development. Here, we performed an extensive, large-scale postmortem study (n = 1024) of FKBP5/1, examining neocortical areas (BA9, BA11 and ventral BA24/BA24a) derived from subjects that lived with schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder. With an extensive battery of RNA (bulk RNA sequencing, single-nucleus RNA sequencing, microarray, qPCR, RNAscope) and protein (immunoblot, immunohistochemistry) analysis approaches, we thoroughly investigated the effects of disease state, ageing and genotype on cortical FKBP5/1 expression including in a cell type-specific manner. We identified consistently heightened FKBP5/1 levels in psychopathology and with age, but not genotype, with these effects strongest in schizophrenia. Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNAseq; BA9 and BA11) and targeted histology (BA9, BA24a), we established that these disease and ageing effects on FKBP5/1 expression were most pronounced in excitatory superficial layer neurons of the neocortex, and this effect appeared to be consistent in both the granular and agranular areas examined. We then found that this increase in FKBP5 levels may impact on synaptic plasticity, as FKBP5 gex levels strongly and inversely correlated with dendritic mushroom spine density and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in superficial layer neurons in BA11. These findings pinpoint a novel cellular and molecular mechanism that has potential to open a new avenue of FKBP51 drug development to treat cognitive symptoms in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Matosin
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.
| | - Janine Arloth
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Katrina Z Edmond
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Malosree Maitra
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anna S Fröhlich
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Silvia Martinelli
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Dominic Kaul
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Rachael Bartlett
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Amber R Curry
- Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Nils C Gassen
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Neurohomeostasis Research Group, Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Centre, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kathrin Hafner
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Nikola S Müller
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Karolina Worf
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Ghalia Rehawi
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Corina Nagy
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Cristiana Cruceanu
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Miriam Gagliardi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nathalie Gerstner
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Maik Ködel
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Vanessa Murek
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Michael J Ziller
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Elizabeth Scarr
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Synaptic Neurobiology and Cognition Laboratory, Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ran Tao
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrew E Jaffe
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Arzberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
- Centre for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Joel E Kleinmann
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Andrea Schmitt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
- Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM27), Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovidio Pires de Campos 785, São Paulo, 05453-010, Brazil
| | - Brian Dean
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Synaptic Neurobiology and Cognition Laboratory, Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Thomas M Hyde
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA.
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3
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Kaul D, Smith CC, Stevens J, Fröhlich AS, Binder EB, Mechawar N, Schwab SG, Matosin N. Severe childhood and adulthood stress associates with neocortical layer-specific reductions of mature spines in psychiatric disorders. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100270. [PMID: 33344723 PMCID: PMC7739192 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe stress exposure causes the loss of dendritic spines on cortical pyramidal neurons and induces psychiatric-like symptoms in rodent models. These effects are strongest following early-life stress and are most persistent on apical dendrites. However, the long-term impacts and temporal effects of stress exposure on the human brain remain poorly understood. Using a novel postmortem cohort of psychiatric cases with severe stress experienced in childhood, adulthood, or no severe stress, and matched controls, we aimed to determine the impact of stress timing on pyramidal neuron structure in the human orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We performed Golgi Cox staining and manually measured the morphology and density of over 22,000 dendritic spines on layer-specific pyramidal neuron apical dendrites. We also quantified glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and protein as a marker of stress dysregulation. Both childhood and adulthood stress were associated with large reductions in mature mushroom spine density (up to 56% loss) in both the superficial (II/III) and deeper layers (V) of the OFC. However, childhood stress caused more substantial reductions to both total and mature mushroom spines. No difference in glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and protein were seen between groups, although both negatively correlated with total spine density within the whole cohort. These findings indicate that severe stress, especially when experienced during childhood, persistently affects the fine morphological properties of neurons in the human OFC. This may impact on cell connectivity in this brain area, and at least partly explain the social and emotional symptoms that originate in the OFC in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Kaul
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Caine C Smith
- NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre, Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Julia Stevens
- NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre, Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anna S Fröhlich
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd, Verdun, Qc, Canada, H4H 1R3
| | - Sibylle G Schwab
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Natalie Matosin
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
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