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Kos A, Lopez JP, Bordes J, de Donno C, Dine J, Brivio E, Karamihalev S, Luecken MD, Almeida-Correa S, Gasperoni S, Dick A, Miranda L, Büttner M, Stoffel R, Flachskamm C, Theis FJ, Schmidt MV, Chen A. Early life adversity shapes social subordination and cell type-specific transcriptomic patterning in the ventral hippocampus. Sci Adv 2023; 9:eadj3793. [PMID: 38039370 PMCID: PMC10691768 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj3793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Adverse events in early life can modulate the response to additional stressors later in life and increase the risk of developing psychiatric disorders. The underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects remain unclear. Here, we uncover that early life adversity (ELA) in mice leads to social subordination. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we identified cell type-specific changes in the transcriptional state of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in the ventral hippocampus of ELA mice after exposure to acute social stress in adulthood. These findings were reflected by an alteration in excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission induced by ELA in response to acute social stress. Finally, enhancing the inhibitory network function through transient diazepam treatment during an early developmental sensitive period reversed the ELA-induced social subordination. Collectively, this study significantly advances our understanding of the molecular, physiological, and behavioral alterations induced by ELA, uncovering a previously unknown cell type-specific vulnerability to ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Kos
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joeri Bordes
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Carlo de Donno
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Mathematics, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Julien Dine
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Elena Brivio
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - Stoyo Karamihalev
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - Malte D. Luecken
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity, Helmholtz Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Serena Gasperoni
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alec Dick
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Lucas Miranda
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
- Department of Statistical Genetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Maren Büttner
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Mathematics, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Rainer Stoffel
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Cornelia Flachskamm
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Fabian J. Theis
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Mathematics, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Mathias V. Schmidt
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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2
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Brivio E, Kos A, Ulivi AF, Karamihalev S, Ressle A, Stoffel R, Hirsch D, Stelzer G, Schmidt MV, Lopez JP, Chen A. Sex shapes cell-type-specific transcriptional signatures of stress exposure in the mouse hypothalamus. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112874. [PMID: 37516966 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112874] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress-related psychiatric disorders and the stress system show prominent differences between males and females, as well as strongly divergent transcriptional changes. Despite several proposed mechanisms, we still lack the understanding of the molecular processes at play. Here, we explore the contribution of cell types to transcriptional sex dimorphism using single-cell RNA sequencing. We identify cell-type-specific signatures of acute restraint stress in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, a central hub of the stress response, in male and female mice. Further, we show that a history of chronic mild stress alters these signatures in a sex-specific way, and we identify oligodendrocytes as a major target for these sex-specific effects. This dataset, which we provide as an online interactive app, offers the transcriptomes of thousands of individual cells as a molecular resource for an in-depth dissection of the interplay between cell types and sex on the mechanisms of the stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Brivio
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel; Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Aron Kos
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | | | - Stoyo Karamihalev
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Andrea Ressle
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Rainer Stoffel
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Dana Hirsch
- Department of Veterinary Resources, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Gil Stelzer
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Mathias V Schmidt
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel; Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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3
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Lin R, Kos A, Lopez JP, Dine J, Fiori LM, Yang J, Ben-Efraim Y, Aouabed Z, Ibrahim P, Mitsuhashi H, Wong TP, Ibrahim EC, Belzung C, Blier P, Farzan F, Frey BN, Lam RW, Milev R, Muller DJ, Parikh SV, Soares C, Uher R, Nagy C, Mechawar N, Foster JA, Kennedy SH, Chen A, Turecki G. SNORD90 induces glutamatergic signaling following treatment with monoaminergic antidepressants. eLife 2023; 12:e85316. [PMID: 37432876 PMCID: PMC10335830 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85316] [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: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pharmacotherapies for the treatment of major depressive disorder were serendipitously discovered almost seven decades ago. From this discovery, scientists pinpointed the monoaminergic system as the primary target associated with symptom alleviation. As a result, most antidepressants have been engineered to act on the monoaminergic system more selectively, primarily on serotonin, in an effort to increase treatment response and reduce unfavorable side effects. However, slow and inconsistent clinical responses continue to be observed with these available treatments. Recent findings point to the glutamatergic system as a target for rapid acting antidepressants. Investigating different cohorts of depressed individuals treated with serotonergic and other monoaminergic antidepressants, we found that the expression of a small nucleolar RNA, SNORD90, was elevated following treatment response. When we increased Snord90 levels in the mouse anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region regulating mood responses, we observed antidepressive-like behaviors. We identified neuregulin 3 (NRG3) as one of the targets of SNORD90, which we show is regulated through the accumulation of N6-methyladenosine modifications leading to YTHDF2-mediated RNA decay. We further demonstrate that a decrease in NRG3 expression resulted in increased glutamatergic release in the mouse ACC. These findings support a molecular link between monoaminergic antidepressant treatment and glutamatergic neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rixing Lin
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Aron Kos
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Julien Dine
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Jennie Yang
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Yair Ben-Efraim
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Zahia Aouabed
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Pascal Ibrahim
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Haruka Mitsuhashi
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Tak Pan Wong
- Neuroscience Division, Douglas Research CentreMontrealCanada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - El Cherif Ibrahim
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INT, Institute Neuroscience TimoneMarseilleFrance
| | - Catherine Belzung
- UMR 1253, iBrain, UFR Sciences et Techniques; Parc GrandmontToursFrance
| | - Pierre Blier
- Mood Disorders Research Unit, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health ResearchOntarioCanada
| | | | - Benicio N Frey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityHamiltonCanada
- Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph’s Healthcare HamiltonHamiltonCanada
| | - Raymond W Lam
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British ColumbiaColumbiaCanada
| | - Roumen Milev
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Queens UniversityOntarioCanada
| | - Daniel J Muller
- Department of Psychiatry, University Health Network, Krembil Research Institute, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthTorontoCanada
| | - Sagar V Parikh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Claudio Soares
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Queens UniversityOntarioCanada
| | - Rudolf Uher
- Nova Scotia Health AuthorityHalifaxCanada
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie UniversityHalifaxCanada
| | - Corina Nagy
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Jane A Foster
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityHamiltonCanada
- Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph’s Healthcare HamiltonHamiltonCanada
- Department of Psychiatry, University Health Network, Krembil Research Institute, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Sidney H Kennedy
- Department of Psychiatry, University Health Network, Krembil Research Institute, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- St Michael’s Hospital, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Centre for Depression and Suicide StudiesTorontoCanada
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of PsychiatryMunichGermany
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill UniversityMontrealCanada
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Fiori LM, Kos A, Lin R, Théroux JF, Lopez JP, Kühne C, Eggert C, Holzapfel M, Huettl RE, Mechawar N, Belzung C, Ibrahim EC, Chen A, Turecki G. miR-323a regulates ERBB4 and is involved in depression. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:4191-4204. [PMID: 33219358 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00953-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [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: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex and debilitating illness whose etiology remains unclear. Small RNA molecules, such as micro RNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in MDD, where they display differential expression in the brain and the periphery. In this study, we quantified miRNA expression by small RNA sequencing in the anterior cingulate cortex and habenula of individuals with MDD and psychiatrically-healthy controls. Thirty-two miRNAs showed significantly correlated expression between the two regions (False Discovery Rate < 0.05), of which four, miR-204-5p, miR-320b, miR-323a-3p, and miR-331-3p, displayed upregulated expression in MDD. We assessed the expression of predicted target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs in the brain, and found that the expression of erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4 (ERBB4), a gene encoding a neuregulin receptor, was downregulated in both regions, and was influenced by miR-323a-3p in vitro. Finally, we assessed the effects of manipulating miRNA expression in the mouse ACC on anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. Mice in which miR-323-3p was overexpressed or knocked-down displayed increased and decreased emotionality, respectively. Additionally, these mice displayed significantly downregulated and upregulated expression of Erbb4, respectively. Overall, our findings indicate the importance of brain miRNAs in the pathology of MDD, and emphasize the involvement of miR-323a-3p and ERBB4 in this phenotype. Future studies further characterizing miR-323a-3p and neuregulin signaling in depression are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Fiori
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Aron Kos
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Rixing Lin
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Francois Théroux
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Claudia Kühne
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Carola Eggert
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Maria Holzapfel
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Rosa-Eva Huettl
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Catherine Belzung
- UMR 1253, iBrain, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, Tours, France
| | - El Chérif Ibrahim
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, INT, Institute Neuroscience Timone, Marseille, France
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany. .,Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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5
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Lopez JP, Brivio E, Santambrogio A, De Donno C, Kos A, Peters M, Rost N, Czamara D, Brückl TM, Roeh S, Pöhlmann ML, Engelhardt C, Ressle A, Stoffel R, Tontsch A, Villamizar JM, Reincke M, Riester A, Sbiera S, Fassnacht M, Mayberg HS, Craighead WE, Dunlop BW, Nemeroff CB, Schmidt MV, Binder EB, Theis FJ, Beuschlein F, Andoniadou CL, Chen A. Single-cell molecular profiling of all three components of the HPA axis reveals adrenal ABCB1 as a regulator of stress adaptation. Sci Adv 2021; 7:eabe4497. [PMID: 33571131 PMCID: PMC7840126 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe4497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Chronic activation and dysregulation of the neuroendocrine stress response have severe physiological and psychological consequences, including the development of metabolic and stress-related psychiatric disorders. We provide the first unbiased, cell type-specific, molecular characterization of all three components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, under baseline and chronic stress conditions. Among others, we identified a previously unreported subpopulation of Abcb1b+ cells involved in stress adaptation in the adrenal gland. We validated our findings in a mouse stress model, adrenal tissues from patients with Cushing's syndrome, adrenocortical cell lines, and peripheral cortisol and genotyping data from depressed patients. This extensive dataset provides a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians interested in the organism's nervous and endocrine responses to stress and the interplay between these tissues. Our findings raise the possibility that modulating ABCB1 function may be important in the development of treatment strategies for patients suffering from metabolic and stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pablo Lopez
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
- The Max Planck Society-Weizmann Institute of Science Laboratory for Experimental Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurogenetics, Rehovot 76100, Israel and Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Elena Brivio
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
- The Max Planck Society-Weizmann Institute of Science Laboratory for Experimental Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurogenetics, Rehovot 76100, Israel and Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Alice Santambrogio
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London SE11UL, UK
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Saxony 01307, Germany
| | - Carlo De Donno
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
- The Max Planck Society-Weizmann Institute of Science Laboratory for Experimental Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurogenetics, Rehovot 76100, Israel and Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Bavaria 85764, Germany
| | - Aron Kos
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
- The Max Planck Society-Weizmann Institute of Science Laboratory for Experimental Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurogenetics, Rehovot 76100, Israel and Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Miriam Peters
- Department for Endocrinology, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria 80336, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rost
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Darina Czamara
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Tanja M Brückl
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Simone Roeh
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Max L Pöhlmann
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Clara Engelhardt
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Andrea Ressle
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Rainer Stoffel
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Alina Tontsch
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Javier M Villamizar
- Department for Endocrinology, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria 80336, Germany
| | - Martin Reincke
- Department for Endocrinology, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria 80336, Germany
| | - Anna Riester
- Department for Endocrinology, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria 80336, Germany
| | - Silviu Sbiera
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Bavaria 97080, Germany
| | - Martin Fassnacht
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Bavaria 97080, Germany
| | - Helen S Mayberg
- Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - W Edward Craighead
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Boadie W Dunlop
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Charles B Nemeroff
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX 78738, USA
| | - Mathias V Schmidt
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
| | - Fabian J Theis
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Bavaria 85764, Germany
- Department of Mathematics, Technische Universität München, Munich, Bavaria 85748, Germany
| | - Felix Beuschlein
- Department for Endocrinology, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria 80336, Germany
- Klinik für Endokrinologie, Diabetologie und Klinische Ernährung, Universitätsspital Zürich, Zurich 8091, Switzerland
| | - Cynthia L Andoniadou
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London SE11UL, UK
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Saxony 01307, Germany
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany.
- The Max Planck Society-Weizmann Institute of Science Laboratory for Experimental Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurogenetics, Rehovot 76100, Israel and Munich, Bavaria 80804, Germany
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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6
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Abstract
Stress is a major risk factor in the development of various psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The use of stress paradigms in preclinical contexts is essential to advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of these disorders. However, they are not without their limitations and in this commentary, we have examined some of the practical issues associated with their use. We also highlight some of the latest techniques to identify their neuromolecular correlates as well as the potentially important and integrative role of computational neuroscience. Finally, we share our perspective on future directions in the field of preclinical stress research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Gururajan
- a Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland
| | - Aron Kos
- b Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics , Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry , Munich , Germany
| | - Juan Pablo Lopez
- b Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics , Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry , Munich , Germany
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7
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Kos A, de Mooij-Malsen AJ, van Bokhoven H, Kaplan BB, Martens GJ, Kolk SM, Aschrafi A. MicroRNA-338 modulates cortical neuronal placement and polarity. RNA Biol 2017; 14:905-913. [PMID: 28494198 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1325067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The precise spatial and temporal regulation of gene expression orchestrates the many intricate processes during brain development. In the present study we examined the role of the brain-enriched microRNA-338 (miR-338) during mouse cortical development. Reduction of miR-338 levels in the developing mouse cortex, using a sequence-specific miR-sponge, resulted in a loss of neuronal polarity in the cortical plate and significantly reduced the number of neurons within this cortical layer. Conversely, miR-338 overexpression in developing mouse cortex increased the number of neurons, which exhibited a multipolar morphology. All together, our results raise the possibility for a direct role for this non-coding RNA, which was recently associated with schizophrenia, in the regulation of cortical neuronal polarity and layer placement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Kos
- a Department of Cognitive Neuroscience , Radboud University Medical Center , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.,d Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour , Centre for Neuroscience , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - Annetrude J de Mooij-Malsen
- b Department of Molecular Animal Physiology , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.,d Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour , Centre for Neuroscience , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.,f Institute of Physiology, CAU Kiel University , Germany
| | - Hans van Bokhoven
- a Department of Cognitive Neuroscience , Radboud University Medical Center , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.,c Department of Human Genetics , Radboud University Medical Center , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.,d Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour , Centre for Neuroscience , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - Barry B Kaplan
- e Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health , National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Gerard J Martens
- b Department of Molecular Animal Physiology , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.,d Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour , Centre for Neuroscience , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - Sharon M Kolk
- b Department of Molecular Animal Physiology , Radboud University , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.,d Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour , Centre for Neuroscience , Nijmegen , The Netherlands
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- e Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health , National Institutes of Health , Bethesda , MD , USA
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Aschrafi A, Verheijen JM, Gordebeke PM, Olde Loohuis NF, Menting K, Jager A, Palkovits M, Geenen B, Kos A, Martens GJ, Glennon JC, Kaplan BB, Gaszner B, Kozicz T. MicroRNA-326 acts as a molecular switch in the regulation of midbrain urocortin 1 expression. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2016; 41:342-53. [PMID: 27045550 PMCID: PMC5008923 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.150154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [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] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered levels of urocortin 1 (Ucn1) in the centrally projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EWcp) of depressed suicide attempters or completers mediate the brain's response to stress, while the mechanism regulating Ucn1 expression is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that microRNAs (miRNAs), which are vital fine-tuners of gene expression during the brain's response to stress, have the capacity to modulate Ucn1 expression. METHODS Computational analysis revealed that the Ucn1 3' untranslated region contained a conserved binding site for miR-326. We examined miR-326 and Ucn1 levels in the EWcp of depressed suicide completers. In addition, we evaluated miR-326 and Ucn1 levels in the serum and the EWcp of a chronic variable mild stress (CVMS) rat model of behavioural despair and after recovery from CVMS, respectively. Gain and loss of miR-326 function experiments examined the regulation of Ucn1 by this miRNA in cultured midbrain neurons. RESULTS We found reduced miR-326 levels concomitant with elevated Ucn1 levels in the EWcp of depressed suicide completers as well as in the EWcp of CVMS rats. In CVMS rats fully recovered from stress, both serum and EWcp miR-326 levels rebounded to nonstressed levels. While downregulation of miR-326 levels in primary midbrain neurons enhanced Ucn1 expression levels, miR-326 overexpression selectively reduced the levels of this neuropeptide. LIMITATIONS This study lacked experiments showing that in vivo alteration of miR-326 levels alleviate depression-like behaviours. We show only correlative data for miR-325 and cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript levels in the EWcp. CONCLUSION We identified miR-326 dysregulation in depressed suicide completers and characterized this miRNA as an upstream regulator of the Ucn1 neuropeptide expression in midbrain neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armaz Aschrafi
- Correspondence to: A. Aschrafi, Department of Anatomy, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
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Kos A, Klein-Gunnewiek T, Meinhardt J, Loohuis NFMO, van Bokhoven H, Kaplan BB, Martens GJ, Kolk SM, Aschrafi A. MicroRNA-338 Attenuates Cortical Neuronal Outgrowth by Modulating the Expression of Axon Guidance Genes. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:3439-3452. [PMID: 27180071 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-9925-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs that confer robustness to gene networks through post-transcriptional gene regulation. Previously, we identified miR-338 as a modulator of axonal outgrowth in sympathetic neurons. In the current study, we examined the role of miR-338 in the development of cortical neurons and uncovered its downstream mRNA targets. Long-term inhibition of miR-338 during neuronal differentiation resulted in reduced dendritic complexity and altered dendritic spine morphology. Furthermore, monitoring axon outgrowth in cortical cells revealed that miR-338 overexpression decreased, whereas inhibition of miR-338 increased axonal length. To identify gene targets mediating the observed phenotype, we inhibited miR-338 in cortical neurons and performed whole-transcriptome analysis. Pathway analysis revealed that miR-338 modulates a subset of transcripts involved in the axonal guidance machinery by means of direct and indirect gene targeting. Collectively, our results implicate miR-338 as a novel regulator of cortical neuronal maturation by fine-tuning the expression of gene networks governing cortical outgrowth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Kos
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud university medical center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Teun Klein-Gunnewiek
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud university medical center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Julia Meinhardt
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud university medical center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nikkie F M Olde Loohuis
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud university medical center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans van Bokhoven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud university medical center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Radboud university medical center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Barry B Kaplan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Gerard J Martens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sharon M Kolk
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA.
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Kos A, Wanke KA, Gioio A, Martens GJ, Kaplan BB, Aschrafi A. Monitoring mRNA Translation in Neuronal Processes Using Fluorescent Non-Canonical Amino Acid Tagging. J Histochem Cytochem 2016; 64:323-33. [PMID: 27026294 DOI: 10.1369/0022155416641604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A steady accumulation of experimental data argues that protein synthesis in neurons is not merely restricted to the somatic compartment, but also occurs in several discrete cellular micro-domains. Local protein synthesis is critical for the establishment of synaptic plasticity in mature dendrites and in directing the growth cones of immature axons, and has been associated with cognitive impairment in mice and humans. Although in recent years a number of important mechanisms governing this process have been described, it remains technically challenging to precisely monitor local protein synthesis in individual neuronal cell parts independent from the soma. This report presents the utility of employing microfluidic chambers for the isolation and treatment of single neuronal cellular compartments. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a protein synthesis assay, based on fluorescent non-canonical amino acid tagging (FUNCAT), can be combined with this cell culture system to label nascent proteins within a discrete structural and functional domain of the neuron. Together, these techniques could be employed for the detection of protein synthesis within developing and mature neurites, offering an effective approach to elucidate novel mechanisms controlling synaptic maintenance and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Kos
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands (AK),Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands (AK, KAW)
| | - Kai A Wanke
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands (AK, KAW),Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands (KAW)
| | - Anthony Gioio
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (AG, BBK, AA)
| | - Gerard J Martens
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands (AK),Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (GJM)
| | - Barry B Kaplan
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands (AK),Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (AG, BBK, AA)
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (AG, BBK, AA)
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11
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Kos A, Olde Loohuis N, Meinhardt J, van Bokhoven H, Kaplan BB, Martens GJ, Aschrafi A. MicroRNA-181 promotes synaptogenesis and attenuates axonal outgrowth in cortical neurons. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016; 73:3555-67. [PMID: 27017280 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2179-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Revised: 02/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRs) are non-coding gene transcripts abundantly expressed in both the developing and adult mammalian brain. They act as important modulators of complex gene regulatory networks during neuronal development and plasticity. miR-181c is highly abundant in cerebellar cortex and its expression is increased in autism patients as well as in an animal model of autism. To systematically identify putative targets of miR-181c, we repressed this miR in growing cortical neurons and found over 70 differentially expressed target genes using transcriptome profiling. Pathway analysis showed that the miR-181c-modulated genes converge on signaling cascades relevant to neurite and synapse developmental processes. To experimentally examine the significance of these data, we inhibited miR-181c during rat cortical neuronal maturation in vitro; this loss-of miR-181c function resulted in enhanced neurite sprouting and reduced synaptogenesis. Collectively, our findings suggest that miR-181c is a modulator of gene networks associated with cortical neuronal maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Kos
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nikkie Olde Loohuis
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Julia Meinhardt
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans van Bokhoven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Barry B Kaplan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Gerard J Martens
- Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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Dziurdzia P, Brzozowski I, Bratek P, Gelmuda W, Kos A. Estimation and harvesting of human heat power for wearable electronic devices. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/104/1/012005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRs) have emerged as a powerful class of endogenous noncoding RNAs involved in posttranscriptional gene expression regulation. miR-137 has repeatedly been associated with schizophrenia and intellectual disability. Recent studies describe the mechanisms of miR-137 in mediating basic synaptic transmission and plasticity in the hippocampus. A picture is emerging in which miR-137 acts as a potent player in regulating glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the hippocampus by controlling the translation of functionally critical genes at spatially opposite ends of the synapse, contributing to the pathogenesis of cognitive impairments as seen in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Kos
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Nael Nadif Kasri
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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14
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Olde Loohuis NFM, Ba W, Stoerchel PH, Kos A, Jager A, Schratt G, Martens GJM, van Bokhoven H, Nadif Kasri N, Aschrafi A. MicroRNA-137 Controls AMPA-Receptor-Mediated Transmission and mGluR-Dependent LTD. Cell Rep 2015; 11:1876-84. [PMID: 26095359 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2013] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations affecting the levels of microRNA miR-137 are associated with intellectual disability and schizophrenia. However, the pathophysiological role of miR-137 remains poorly understood. Here, we describe a highly conserved miR-137-binding site within the mRNA encoding the GluA1 subunit of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) and confirm that GluA1 is a direct target of miR-137. Postsynaptic downregulation of miR-137 at the CA3-CA1 hippocampal synapse selectively enhances AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission and converts silent synapses to active synapses. Conversely, miR-137 overexpression selectively reduces AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission and silences active synapses. In addition, we find that miR-137 is transiently upregulated in response to metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), but not mGluR1 activation. Consequently, acute interference with miR-137 function impedes mGluR-LTD expression. Our findings suggest that miR-137 is a key factor in the control of synaptic efficacy and mGluR-dependent synaptic plasticity, supporting the notion that glutamatergic dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of miR-137-linked cognitive impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikkie F M Olde Loohuis
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Wei Ba
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Peter H Stoerchel
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Biochemical-Pharmacological Center Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Aron Kos
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Amanda Jager
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Biochemical-Pharmacological Center Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Gerard J M Martens
- Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 HP Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Hans van Bokhoven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Nael Nadif Kasri
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 HP Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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15
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Olde Loohuis NFM, Kole K, Glennon JC, Karel P, Van der Borg G, Van Gemert Y, Van den Bosch D, Meinhardt J, Kos A, Shahabipour F, Tiesinga P, van Bokhoven H, Martens GJM, Kaplan BB, Homberg JR, Aschrafi A. Elevated microRNA-181c and microRNA-30d levels in the enlarged amygdala of the valproic acid rat model of autism. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 80:42-53. [PMID: 25986729 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2014] [Revised: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders are severe neurodevelopmental disorders, marked by impairments in reciprocal social interaction, delays in early language and communication, and the presence of restrictive, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. Accumulating evidence suggests that dysfunction of the amygdala may be partially responsible for the impairment of social behavior that is a hallmark feature of ASD. Our studies suggest that a valproic acid (VPA) rat model of ASD exhibits an enlargement of the amygdala as compared to controls rats, similar to that observed in adolescent ASD individuals. Since recent research suggests that altered neuronal development and morphology, as seen in ASD, may result from a common post-transcriptional process that is under tight regulation by microRNAs (miRs), we examined genome-wide transcriptomics expression in the amygdala of rats prenatally exposed to VPA, and detected elevated miR-181c and miR-30d expression levels as well as dysregulated expression of their cognate mRNA targets encoding proteins involved in neuronal system development. Furthermore, selective suppression of miR-181c function attenuates neurite outgrowth and branching, and results in reduced synaptic density in primary amygdalar neurons in vitro. Collectively, these results implicate the small non-coding miR-181c in neuronal morphology, and provide a framework of understanding how dysregulation of a neurodevelopmentally relevant miR in the amygdala may contribute to the pathophysiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- N F M Olde Loohuis
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - K Kole
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - J C Glennon
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - P Karel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - G Van der Borg
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Y Van Gemert
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - D Van den Bosch
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - J Meinhardt
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - A Kos
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - F Shahabipour
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - P Tiesinga
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - H van Bokhoven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - G J M Martens
- Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences (NCMLS), Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - B B Kaplan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - J R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - A Aschrafi
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Kos A, Loohuis NFO, Glennon JC, Celikel T, Martens GJM, Tiesinga PH, Aschrafi A. Recent developments in optical neuromodulation technologies. Mol Neurobiol 2012; 47:172-85. [PMID: 23065387 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-012-8361-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2012] [Accepted: 10/01/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of optogenetics technology facilitated widespread applications for interrogation of complex neural networks, such as activation of specific axonal pathways, previously found impossible with electrical stimulation. Consequently, within the short period of its application in neuroscience research, optogenetics has led to findings of significant importance both during normal brain function as well as in disease. Moreover, the optimization of optogenetics for in vivo studies has allowed the control of certain behavioral responses such as motility, reflex, and sensory responses, as well as more complex emotional and cognitive behaviors such as decision-making, reward seeking, and social behavior in freely moving animals. These studies have produced a wide variety of animal models that have resulted in fundamental findings and enhanced our understanding of the neural networks associated with behavior. The increasing number of opsins available for this technique enabled even broader regulation of neuronal activity. These advancements highlight the potential of this technique for future treatment of human diseases. Here, we provide an overview of the recent developments in the field of optogenetics technology that are relevant for a better understanding of several neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders and may pave the way for future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aron Kos
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6525 EZ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Willemsen MH, Vallès A, Kirkels LAMH, Mastebroek M, Olde Loohuis N, Kos A, Wissink-Lindhout WM, de Brouwer APM, Nillesen WM, Pfundt R, Holder-Espinasse M, Vallée L, Andrieux J, Coppens-Hofman MC, Rensen H, Hamel BCJ, van Bokhoven H, Aschrafi A, Kleefstra T. Chromosome 1p21.3 microdeletions comprising DPYD and MIR137 are associated with intellectual disability. J Med Genet 2011; 48:810-8. [PMID: 22003227 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2011-100294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding gene transcripts involved in post-transcriptional regulation of genes. Recent studies identified miRNAs as important regulators of learning and memory in model organisms. So far, no mutations in specific miRNA genes have been associated with impaired cognitive functions. METHODS AND RESULTS In three sibs and two unrelated patients with intellectual disability (ID), overlapping 1p21.3 deletions were detected by genome-wide array analysis. The shortest region of overlap included dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD) and microRNA 137 (MIR137). DPYD is involved in autosomal recessive dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency. Hemizygous DPYD deletions were previously suggested to contribute to a phenotype with autism spectrum disorder and speech delay. Interestingly, the mature microRNA transcript microRNA-137 (miR-137) was recently shown to be involved in modulating neurogenesis in adult murine neuronal stem cells. Therefore, this study investigated the possible involvement of MIR137 in the 1p21.3-deletion phenotype. The patients displayed a significantly decreased expression of both precursor and mature miR-137 levels, as well as significantly increased expression of the validated downstream targets microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and Enhancer of Zeste, Drosophila, Homologue 2 (EZH2), and the newly identified target Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4). The study also demonstrated significant enrichment of miR-137 at the synapses of cortical and hippocampal neurons, suggesting a role of miR-137 in regulating local synaptic protein synthesis machinery. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that dosage effects of MIR137 are associated with 1p21.3 microdeletions and may therefore contribute to the ID phenotype in patients with deletions harbouring this miRNA. A local effect at the synapse might be responsible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein H Willemsen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Polak J, Bartoszek M, Ządło M, Kos A, Sułkowski WW. The spectroscopic studies of humic acid extracted from sediment collected at different seasons. Chemosphere 2011; 84:1548-1555. [PMID: 21700314 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.05.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2011] [Revised: 05/24/2011] [Accepted: 05/26/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Goczałkowice Reservoir is the biggest water reservoir in the south of Poland. For our studies bottom sediments were collected from eight different places of the reservoir at various seasons of the year. EPR spectroscopy was applied to analyse both quantitatively and qualitatively the humic acids (HA) present in the samples. EPR spectra of the extracted HA exhibited broad lines from the paramagnetic metal ions and narrow lines from free radicals. The values of the free radical concentration obtained for HA amounted to 1.14-13.6 × 1016 spin g(-1) depending on the season and the place of sample collection. The values of the g factor obtained for HA were of the range 2.0027-2.0035. The EPR studies show that HA extracted from bottom sediment collected at various points of the Goczałkowice Reservoir exhibit similar physical-chemical properties. It was also observed that the depth of the reservoir affects the content of the oxygen functional groups as well as the free radical concentration in HA. The identification of the functional groups was done by means of IR. UV/VIS spectroscopy was used to estimate the maturity of the HA.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Polak
- Department of Environmental Chemistry and Technology, Institute of Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40-006 Katowice, Poland.
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Olde Loohuis NFM, Kos A, Martens GJM, Van Bokhoven H, Nadif Kasri N, Aschrafi A. MicroRNA networks direct neuronal development and plasticity. Cell Mol Life Sci 2011; 69:89-102. [PMID: 21833581 PMCID: PMC3249201 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-011-0788-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Revised: 06/24/2011] [Accepted: 07/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a class of small, non-coding RNAs that act as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. In neurons, the functions of individual miRNAs are just beginning to emerge, and recent studies have elucidated roles for neural miRNAs at various stages of neuronal development and maturation, including neurite outgrowth, dendritogenesis, and spine formation. Notably, miRNAs regulate mRNA translation locally in the axosomal and synaptodendritic compartments, and thereby contribute to the dynamic spatial organization of axonal and dendritic structures and their function. Given the critical role for miRNAs in regulating early brain development and in mediating synaptic plasticity later in life, it is tempting to speculate that the pathology of neurological disorders is affected by altered expression or functioning of miRNAs. Here we provide an overview of recently identified mechanisms of neuronal development and plasticity involving miRNAs, and the consequences of miRNA dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- N F M Olde Loohuis
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Tefelski DB, Siegoczyński RM, Rostocki AJ, Kos A, Kościesza R, Wieja K. The investigation of the dynamics of the phase transformation in triolein and oleic acid under pressure. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/121/14/142004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Kościesza R, Siegoczyński RM, Rostocki AJ, Tefelski DB, Kos A, Ejchart W. Relative permittivity behavior and temperature changes in linoleic acid during the phase transition. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/121/14/142005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Poroikov VV, Filimonov DA, Borodina YV, Lagunin AA, Kos A. Robustness of biological activity spectra predicting by computer program PASS for noncongeneric sets of chemical compounds. J Chem Inf Comput Sci 2000; 40:1349-55. [PMID: 11128093 DOI: 10.1021/ci000383k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The computer system PASS provides simultaneous prediction of several hundreds of biological activity types for any drug-like compound. The prediction is based on the analysis of structure-activity relationships of the training set including more than 30000 known biologically active compounds. In this paper we investigate the influence on the accuracy of predicting the types of activity with PASS by (a) reduction of the number of structures in the training set and (b) reduction of the number of known activities in the training set. The compounds from the MDDR database are used to create heterogeneous training and evaluation sets. We demonstrate that predictions are robust despite the exclusion of up to 60% of information.
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Affiliation(s)
- V V Poroikov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry RAMS, Moscow, Russia.
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Maertens G, Priem S, Ducatteeuw A, Verschoorl E, Verstrepen B, Roskams T, Desmet V, Fuller S, Van Hoek K, Vandeponseele P, Bosman F, Buyse MA, van Doorn LJ, Heeney J, Kos A, Depla E. Improvement of chronic active hepatitis C in chronically infected chimpanzees after therapeutic vaccination with the HCV E1 protein. Acta Gastroenterol Belg 2000; 63:203. [PMID: 11023431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- G Maertens
- Hepatitis Program, Innogenetics, Gent, Belgium
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Pawłowski W, Kos A, Majewska K, Szczygieł B. [Parenteral nutrition in postoperative period]. Pol Merkur Lekarski 1998; 4:186-9. [PMID: 9770992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Results of surgical procedures in malnutrished patients are worse than in well-nutrished patients. Perioperative nutritional treatment lead to diminished percentage of postoperative complications and mortality. Authors presents the influence of early postoperative enteral nutrition in 35 malnutrished patients on body composition and anthropometrical and biochemical parameters of their nutritional status. Results shows that enteral nutrition in postoperative phase can decrease catabolic effect of surgical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Pawłowski
- Katedry i Kliniki Chirurgii Gastroenterologicznej Akademii Medycznej w Warszawie
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Abstract
Hepatitis delta (delta) virus (HDV), a satellite virus of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), causes a severe form of viral hepatitis in humans. Here we present evidence based on electron microscopy and electrophoretic behaviour that HDV contains a single stranded circular RNA molecule. This is the first animal virus identified with a circular RNA genome. Circular RNAs have only been found in plant viruses. We have obtained a partial complementary DNA clone representing approximately 25% of the total genome of HDV. Analysis of this cDNA revealed similarity to two plant viruses that may explain the origin of the virus.
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Kos A, Kuijvenhoven J, Wernars K, Bos CJ, van den Broek HW, Pouwels PH, van den Hondel CA. Isolation and characterization of the Aspergillus niger trpC gene. Gene 1985; 39:231-8. [PMID: 2936650 DOI: 10.1016/0378-1119(85)90317-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The Aspergillus niger trpC gene was isolated by complementation experiments with an Escherichia coli trpC mutant. Plasmid DNA containing the A. niger trpC gene transforms an Aspergillus nidulans mutant strain, defective in all three enzymatic activities of the trpC gene, to Trp+, indicating the presence of a complete and functional trpC gene. Southern blot analysis of DNA from these Trp+ transformants showed that plasmid DNA was present but that this DNA was not integrated at the site of the chromosomal trpC locus. The A. niger trpC gene was localized on the cloned fragment by heterologous hybridization experiments and sequence analysis. These experiments suggest that the organization of the A. niger trpC gene is identical to that of the analogous A. nidulans trpC and the Neurospora crassa trp-1 genes.
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Abstract
Vectors for cloning promoter-DNA fragments were derived from plasmid pBR313 (Bolivar et al., 1977). These have several unique restriction sites and carry the trpA gene from Escherichia coli as a selective marker. The selection is based on an enhancement of the growth rate of those bacteria in which the expression of trpA is directed by the cloned promoter. The expression of trpA can be determined quantitatively, independently of the copy number of the vector, and should reflect the apparent strength of the promoter, since the DNA segment located before trpA contains translational stop signals in all three reading frames.
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