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Pan T, Jiang C, Cheng J, Xie J, Liu X, Xu W, He G. Autism-Like Behavior in the Offspring of CYP11A1-Overexpressing Pregnant Rats. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:774439. [PMID: 35002603 PMCID: PMC8733305 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.774439] [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] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) represent a complex group of neurodevelopmental disorders that are characterized by impaired social behavior and communication as well as repetitive behavior and restricted interests. Prenatal exposure to high levels of testosterone and preeclampsia are thought to be risk factors of ASD. We had previously reported that overexpression of the mitochondrial cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) could lead to both preeclampsia-like symptoms and increased testosterone levels in pregnant rats. In this study, we investigated the association between high CYP11A1 levels in pregnant rats and autism-like behavior in their offspring. Timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were injected with CYP11A1 gene-carrying adenoviruses on gestational day 8.5, and their offspring were then compared with those from timed-pregnant control SD rats. Compared with their control counterparts, the offspring of the CYP11A1-ovexpressing dams displayed more symptoms of anxiety and spent less time in social interactions and more time in self-grooming and rearing, all indicators of autism-like behavior. Sequencing of the transcriptome in primary microglia from the offspring of CYP11A1-overexpressing dams revealed that immune pathways were highly activated, and the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor genes were among the top differentially expressed genes. Using primary microglia cultures generated from neonatal rats, tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression was found to be elevated in the cells transfected with CYP11A1-carrying adenoviruses. Additionally, the offspring of CYP11A1-overexpressing dams displayed dysregulated GABAA receptor expression. Taken together, these results suggest that abnormal CYP11A1 gene expression in pregnant rats could lead to microglial immune activation and dysregulated GABAA receptor expression in their offspring and thereby anxiety and autism-related behavior. Our study suggests that the pathways regulated by CYP11A1 could be promising preventative and therapeutic targets for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianying Pan
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Regulation Laboratory, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chuan Jiang
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Regulation Laboratory, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Juan Cheng
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Regulation Laboratory, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiang Xie
- Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinghui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenming Xu
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Regulation Laboratory, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guolin He
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Regulation Laboratory, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Matusik P, Gach A, Zajdel-Cwynar O, Pinkier I, Kudela G, Gawlik A. A Novel Intronic Splice-Site Mutation of the CYP11A1 Gene Linked to Adrenal Insufficiency with 46,XY Disorder of Sex Development. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph18137186. [PMID: 34281122 PMCID: PMC8295740 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18137186] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
A novel CYP11A1: c.1236 + 5G > A was identified, expanding the mutation spectrum of the congenital adrenal insufficiency with 46,XY sex reversal. In a now 17-year-old girl delivered full-term (G2P2, parents unrelated), adrenal failure was diagnosed in the first year of life based on clinical picture of acute adrenal crisis with vomiting, dehydration, weight loss, hypotension, and electrolyte disturbances. At the time, hormonal tests revealed primary adrenocortical insufficiency and steroid profiles showed lack of products of steroidogenesis, and since then the patient has been treated with substitution doses of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone. At the age of 14, considering the absence of puberty symptoms, extended diagnostic tests revealed elevated LH levels (26.5 mIU/mL) with pre-puberty FSH levels (4.9 mIU/mL), low estradiol (28 pmol/L), testosterone (<2.5 ng/mL), and extremely high levels of ACTH (4961 pg/mL). A cytogenetic study revealed a 46 XY karyotype. A molecular examination confirmed the missense mutation and a novel splice-site mutation of CYP11A1 gene. Compound heterozygosity for the CYP11A1 gene with a known pathogenic variant in one allele and a novel splice site mutation in the second allele is most probably responsible for congenital adrenal insufficiency with 46,XY sex reversal. We discuss the necessity of cytogenetic test in the case of early onset of adrenal failure in the absence of steroidogenesis metabolites in the steroid profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Matusik
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-32-207-1654
| | - Agnieszka Gach
- Department of Genetics, Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute, 93-338 Lodz, Poland; (A.G.); (I.P.)
| | | | - Iwona Pinkier
- Department of Genetics, Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute, 93-338 Lodz, Poland; (A.G.); (I.P.)
| | - Grzegorz Kudela
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland;
| | - Aneta Gawlik
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland;
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