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Sadigurschi N, Scrift G, Hirrlinger J, Golan HM. Genetic impairment of folate metabolism regulates cortical interneurons and social behavior. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1203262. [PMID: 37449270 PMCID: PMC10338116 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1203262] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The implications of folate deficiency in neuropsychiatric disorders were demonstrated in numerous studies. Genetic deficiency in a key folate metabolism enzyme, MTHFR, is an example of the interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors: the maternal MTHFR deficiency governs in-utero nutrient availability, and the embryo's Mthfr genotype influences its ability to metabolize folates. Here, we explore how the maternal and offspring Mthfr genotypes affect cortical interneuron densities and distributions, mouse social outcome, and the relation of the different interneuron patterns to cortical excitability. Methods Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of maternal and offspring Mthfr-KO heterozygosity. Mice were tested for direct social interactions (DSIs), repetitive behavior and cortical laminar distribution of interneuron populations expressing glutamate-decarboxylase-65, parvalbumin and somatostatin. Susceptibility to seizure was tested by exposure to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Results Maternal Mthfr+/- genotype was associated with suppressed social activities and reduced interneuron densities in all layers of the retrosplenial cortex (RSC). Somatostatin density and the somatostatin/parvalbumin ratio in the RSC and frontal cortex positively correlated with social behavior in the mice. An interaction between maternal and offspring Mthfr genotypes resulted in higher susceptibility of wild-type offspring to PTZ induced seizure. Discussion Maternal folate metabolism was shown to be critical to interneuron ontogenesis. Our results demonstrate that interneurons have a specific susceptibility to folate deficiency that may mediate folate's involvement in neuropsychiatric disease. The relations between cortical somatostatin interneuron patterns and social behavior highlight this subpopulation of interneurons as a target for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Sadigurschi
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Gilad Scrift
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Johannes Hirrlinger
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurogenetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hava M. Golan
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
- Azrieli National Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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Tal-Ben Ishay R, Shil A, Solomon S, Sadigurschi N, Abu-Kaf H, Meiri G, Flusser H, Michaelovski A, Dinstein I, Golan H, Davidovitch N, Menashe I. Diagnostic Yield and Economic Implications of Whole-Exome Sequencing for ASD Diagnosis in Israel. Genes (Basel) 2021; 13:genes13010036. [PMID: 35052376 PMCID: PMC8774872 DOI: 10.3390/genes13010036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-exome sequencing (WES) is an effective approach to identify the susceptibility of genetic variants of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Israel Ministry of Health supports WES as an adjunct tool for ASD diagnosis, despite its unclear diagnostic yield and cost effectiveness. To address this knowledge gap, we applied WES to a population-based sample of 182 Bedouin and Jewish children with ASD from southern Israel, and assessed its yield in a gene panel of 205 genes robustly associated with ASD. We then compared the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for an ASD diagnosis by WES, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), and CMA + WES. Overall, 32 ASD candidate variants were detected in 28 children, corresponding to an overall WES diagnostic yield of 15.4%. Interestingly, the diagnostic yield was significantly higher for the Bedouin children than for the Jewish children, i.e., 27.6% vs. 11.1% (p = 0.036). The most cost-effective means for genetic testing was the CMA alone, followed closely by the CMA + WES strategy (ICER = USD 117 and USD 124.8 per child). Yet, WES alone could become more cost effective than the other two approaches if there was to be a 25% increase in its yield or a 50% decrease in its cost. These findings suggest that WES should be recommended to facilitate ASD diagnosis in Israel, especially for highly consanguineous populations, such as the Bedouin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rotem Tal-Ben Ishay
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (R.T.-B.I.); (A.S.)
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
| | - Apurba Shil
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (R.T.-B.I.); (A.S.)
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
| | - Shirley Solomon
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
| | - Noa Sadigurschi
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
| | - Hadeel Abu-Kaf
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
| | - Gal Meiri
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
- Preschool Psychiatric Unit, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
| | - Hagit Flusser
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
- Child Development Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
| | - Analya Michaelovski
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
- Child Development Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
| | - Ilan Dinstein
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
- Psychology Department, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
| | - Hava Golan
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
| | - Nadav Davidovitch
- Department of Health Systems Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel;
| | - Idan Menashe
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (R.T.-B.I.); (A.S.)
- Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel; (S.S.); (N.S.); (H.A.-K.); (G.M.); (H.F.); (A.M.); (I.D.); (H.G.)
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84100, Israel
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +972-8-6477456
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Sadigurschi N, Golan HM. Maternal and offspring methylenetetrahydrofolate-reductase genotypes interact in a mouse model to induce autism spectrum disorder-like behavior. Genes Brain Behav 2019; 18:e12547. [PMID: 30552741 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with autism constitute a variable population whose members are spread along the autism spectrum. Subpopulations within that spectrum exhibit other conditions, such as anxiety, intellectual disabilities, hyperactivity and epilepsy, with different severities and co-occurrences. Among the genes associated with the increased risk for autism is the methylenetetrahydrofolate-reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T polymorphism, which impairs one-carbon (C1) metabolic pathway efficiency. The frequency of the MTHFR677TT homozygote is markedly higher among autism patients and their mothers than in the general population. Here, we report on the Mthfr heterozygous knockout (KO) mouse as a rodent model of autism that shows the contributions of maternal and offspring genotypes to the development of autistic-like behaviors. Maternal Mthfr-deficiency was associated with developmental delays in morphogenic features and sensory-motor reflexes in offspring. In the adult male mouse, behaviors representing core autism symptoms, such as repetitive behavior and restricted interest, were affected by maternal genotype while social behaviors were affected by both maternal and offspring genotypes. In females and males, behaviors associated with autism such as memory impairment, social aggression and anxiety were affected by both the maternal and offspring Mthfr genotypes, with sex-dependent differences. Mthfr-deficient male mice with observable impacts on behavior presented a particular laminar disturbance in parvalbumin interneuron density and innervation in superficial and deep layers of the cingulate cortex. This mouse model of autism will help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that predispose a significant subgroup of autistic patients to abnormal development and to distinguish between the in-utero and autonomous factors involved in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Sadigurschi
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Hava M Golan
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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