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Nasello C, Poppi LA, Wu J, Kowalski TF, Thackray JK, Wang R, Persaud A, Mahboob M, Lin S, Spaseska R, Johnson CK, Gordon D, Tissir F, Heiman GA, Tischfield JA, Bocarsly M, Tischfield MA. Human mutations in high-confidence Tourette disorder genes affect sensorimotor behavior, reward learning, and striatal dopamine in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2307156121. [PMID: 38683996 PMCID: PMC11087812 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307156121] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Tourette disorder (TD) is poorly understood, despite affecting 1/160 children. A lack of animal models possessing construct, face, and predictive validity hinders progress in the field. We used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate mice with mutations orthologous to human de novo variants in two high-confidence Tourette genes, CELSR3 and WWC1. Mice with human mutations in Celsr3 and Wwc1 exhibit cognitive and/or sensorimotor behavioral phenotypes consistent with TD. Sensorimotor gating deficits, as measured by acoustic prepulse inhibition, occur in both male and female Celsr3 TD models. Wwc1 mice show reduced prepulse inhibition only in females. Repetitive motor behaviors, common to Celsr3 mice and more pronounced in females, include vertical rearing and grooming. Sensorimotor gating deficits and rearing are attenuated by aripiprazole, a partial agonist at dopamine type II receptors. Unsupervised machine learning reveals numerous changes to spontaneous motor behavior and less predictable patterns of movement. Continuous fixed-ratio reinforcement shows that Celsr3 TD mice have enhanced motor responding and reward learning. Electrically evoked striatal dopamine release, tested in one model, is greater. Brain development is otherwise grossly normal without signs of striatal interneuron loss. Altogether, mice expressing human mutations in high-confidence TD genes exhibit face and predictive validity. Reduced prepulse inhibition and repetitive motor behaviors are core behavioral phenotypes and are responsive to aripiprazole. Enhanced reward learning and motor responding occur alongside greater evoked dopamine release. Phenotypes can also vary by sex and show stronger affection in females, an unexpected finding considering males are more frequently affected in TD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Nasello
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Lauren A. Poppi
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
| | - Junbing Wu
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
| | - Tess F. Kowalski
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
| | - Joshua K. Thackray
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Riley Wang
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Angelina Persaud
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
| | - Mariam Mahboob
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ07103
| | - Sherry Lin
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Rodna Spaseska
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - C. K. Johnson
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Derek Gordon
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Fadel Tissir
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha34110, Qatar
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels1200, Belgium
| | - Gary A. Heiman
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Jay A. Tischfield
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Miriam Bocarsly
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ07103
| | - Max A. Tischfield
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
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Motomura E, Tanii H, Kawano Y, Inui K, Okada M. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met Polymorphism and Prepulse Inhibition of the Change-related Cerebral Response. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2022; 323:111484. [PMID: 35472623 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2022.111484] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Change-related potentials elicited by an abrupt sound feature's change are attenuated by a leading weak sound (prepulse inhibition: PPI). We investigated whether the PPI index is associated with the catechol-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism (rs4680), which is involved in the metabolism of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. Healthy subjects with normal hearing were recruited (n = 70). A train of 100-Hz clicks 650 ms in duration was used. The test stimulus was an abrupt increase in sound intensity (+10 dB) from the baseline (70 dB) provided at 400 ms after the sound onset. Three consecutive clicks at 30, 40, and 50 ms before the change's onset were greater (+3 or +5 dB) from the baseline as a prepulse. The targeting auditory evoked potential component was Change-N1 peaking approx. 130 ms after the change onset. We calculated the inhibition level as the% inhibition of the Change-N1 amplitude by a prepulse. The %PPI in the Met-carriers was significantly greater than that in the Val/Val-individuals. Our results suggest that dopamine might play a role in the PPI of the change-related response. We propose that this index has the potential to identify an intermediate phenotype in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eishi Motomura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
| | - Hisashi Tanii
- Center for Physical and Mental Health, Mie University, Tsu, Japan; Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kawano
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan
| | - Koji Inui
- Department of Functioning and Disability, Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Developmental Disability Center, Kasugai, Japan
| | - Motohiro Okada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan
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Gaines CH, Snyder AE, Ervin RB, Farrington J, Walsh K, Schoenrock SA, Tarantino LM. Behavioral characterization of a novel Cisd2 mutant mouse. Behav Brain Res 2021; 405:113187. [PMID: 33610659 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Wolfram syndrome (WFS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by diabetes mellitus and insipidus, progressive optic atrophy and sensorineural deafness. An increased incidence of psychiatric disorders has also been reported in WFS patients. There are two subtypes of WFS. Type 1 (WFS1) is caused by mutations in the WFS1 gene and type 2 (WFS2) results from mutations in the CISD2 gene. Existing Wfs1 knockout mice exhibit many WFS1 cardinal symptoms including diabetic nephropathy, metabolic disruptions and optic atrophy. Far fewer studies have examined loss of Cisd2 function in mice. We identified B6.DDY-Cisd2m1Lmt, a mouse model with a spontaneous mutation in the Cisd2 gene. B6.DDY-Cisd2m1Lmt mice were initially identified based on the presence of audible sonic vocalizations as well as decreased body size and weight compared to unaffected wildtype littermates. Although Wfs1 knockout mice have been characterized for numerous behavioral phenotypes, similar studies have been lacking for Cisd2 mutant mice. We tested B6.DDY-Cisd2m1Lmt mice in a battery of behavioral assays that model phenotypes related to neurological and psychiatric disorders including anxiety, sensorimotor gating, stress response, social interaction and learning and memory. B6.DDY-Cisd2m1Lmt mice displayed hypoactivity across several behavioral tests, exhibited increased stress response and had deficits in spatial learning and memory and sensorimotor gating compared to wildtype littermates. Our data indicate that the B6.DDY-Cisd2m1Lmt mouse strain is a useful model to investigate potential mechanisms underlying the neurological and psychiatric symptoms observed in WFS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiann H Gaines
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Angela E Snyder
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Robin B Ervin
- Psychiatry Department, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Joseph Farrington
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Kenneth Walsh
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Sarah A Schoenrock
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Lisa M Tarantino
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
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Demby TC, Rodriguez O, McCarthy CW, Lee YC, Albanese C, Mandelblatt J, Rebeck GW. A mouse model of chemotherapy-related cognitive impairments integrating the risk factors of aging and APOE4 genotype. Behav Brain Res 2020; 384:112534. [PMID: 32027870 PMCID: PMC7082850 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Some cancer survivors experience marked cognitive impairment, referred to as cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). CRCI has been linked to the genetic factor APOE4, the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We used APOE knock-in mice to test whether the relationship between APOE4 and CRCI can be demonstrated in a mouse model, to identify associations of chemotherapy with behavioural and structural correlates of cognition, and to test whether chemotherapy affects markers of AD. Twelve-month old C57BL/6 J female APOE3 (n = 30) and APOE4 (n = 31) knock-in mice were randomized to treatment with either doxorubicin (10 mg/kg) or saline. Behavioural assays at 2-21 weeks-post exposure included open field maze, elevated zero maze, pre-pulse inhibition, Barnes maze, and fear conditioning. Ex-vivo magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine regional volume differences at 31-35 weeks-post exposure, and tissue sections were analyzed for markers of AD pathogenesis. Minimal toxicities were observed in the aged mice after doxorubicin exposure. In the Barnes maze assay, APOE3 mice did not exhibit impairment in spatial learning after doxorubicin treatment, but APOE4 mice demonstrated significant impairments in both the initial identification of the escape hole and the latency to full escape at 6 weeks post-exposure. Both APOE3 and APOE4 mice treated with doxorubicin showed impairment of spatial memory. Grey matter volume in the frontal cortex decreased in APOE4 mice treated with doxorubicin vs. APOE3 mice. This study demonstrates cognitive impairments in aged APOE4 knock-in mice after doxorubicin treatment and establishes this system as a novel and powerful model of CRCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar C Demby
- Tumor Biology Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC United States
| | - Olga Rodriguez
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC United States; Center for Translational Imaging, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, United States
| | - Camryn W McCarthy
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC United States
| | - Yi-Chien Lee
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC United States; Center for Translational Imaging, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, United States
| | - Christopher Albanese
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC United States; Center for Translational Imaging, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, United States
| | - Jeanne Mandelblatt
- Department of Oncology, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC, United States
| | - G William Rebeck
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC United States.
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Montrose K, Kobayashi S, Manabe T, Yamamoto T. Lmtk3-KO Mice Display a Range of Behavioral Abnormalities and Have an Impairment in GluA1 Trafficking. Neuroscience 2019; 414:154-167. [PMID: 31310731 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that glutamatergic signaling and synaptic plasticity underlie one of a number of ways psychiatric disorders appear. The present study reveals a possible mechanism by which this occurs, through highlighting the importance of LMTK3, in the brain. Behavioral analysis of Lmtk3-KO mice revealed a number of abnormalities that have been linked to psychiatric disease such as hyper-sociability, PPI deficits and cognitive dysfunction. Treatment with clozapine suppressed these behavioral changes in Lmtk3-KO mice. As synaptic dysfunction is implicated in human psychiatric disease, we analyzed the LTP of Lmtk3-KO mice and found that induction is severely impaired. Further investigation revealed abnormalities in GluA1 trafficking after AMPA stimulation in Lmtk3-KO neurons, along with a reduction in GluA1 expression in the post-synaptic density. Therefore, we hypothesize that LMTK3 is an important factor involved in the trafficking of GluA1 during LTP, and that disruption of this pathway contributes to the appearance of behavior associated with human psychiatric disease in mice.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Behavior, Animal/physiology
- Cerebral Cortex/drug effects
- Cerebral Cortex/metabolism
- Clozapine/pharmacology
- Conditioning, Classical/drug effects
- Conditioning, Classical/physiology
- Hippocampus/drug effects
- Hippocampus/metabolism
- Long-Term Potentiation/drug effects
- Long-Term Potentiation/physiology
- Male
- Maze Learning/drug effects
- Maze Learning/physiology
- Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Membrane Proteins/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Knockout
- Neurons/metabolism
- Prepulse Inhibition/drug effects
- Prepulse Inhibition/genetics
- Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics
- Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism
- Protein Transport/genetics
- Receptors, AMPA/metabolism
- Recognition, Psychology/drug effects
- Recognition, Psychology/physiology
- Reflex, Startle/drug effects
- Reflex, Startle/genetics
- Social Behavior
- alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid/pharmacology
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristopher Montrose
- Cell Signal Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan.
| | - Shizuka Kobayashi
- Division of Neuronal Network, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Toshiya Manabe
- Division of Neuronal Network, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Tadashi Yamamoto
- Cell Signal Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan.
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Rovný R, Marko M, Katina S, Murínová J, Roháriková V, Cimrová B, Repiská G, Minárik G, Riečanský I. Association between genetic variability of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and sensorimotor gating in humans. Nitric Oxide 2018; 80:32-36. [PMID: 30096361 DOI: 10.1016/j.niox.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Research increasingly suggests that nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. One important line of evidence comes from genetic studies, which have repeatedly detected an association between the neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS or NOS1) and schizophrenia. However, the pathogenetic pathways linking nNOS, NO, and the disorder remain poorly understood. A deficit in sensorimotor gating is considered to importantly contribute to core schizophrenia symptoms such as psychotic disorganization and thought disturbance. We selected three candidate nNOS polymorphisms (Ex1f-VNTR, rs6490121 and rs41279104), associated with schizophrenia and cognition in previous studies, and tested their association with the efficiency of sensorimotor gating in healthy human adults. We found that risk variants of Ex1f-VNTR and rs6490121 (but not rs41279104) were associated with a weaker prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex, a standard measure of sensorimotor gating. Furthermore, the effect of presence of risk variants in Ex1f-VNTR and rs6490121 was additive: PPI linearly decreased with increasing number of risk alleles, being highest in participants with no risk allele, while lowest in individuals who carry three risk alleles. Our findings indicate that NO is involved in the regulation of sensorimotor gating, and highlight one possible pathogenetic mechanism for NO playing a role in the development of schizophrenia psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rastislav Rovný
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Martin Marko
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Stanislav Katina
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia; Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Murínová
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Veronika Roháriková
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Barbora Cimrová
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Gabriela Repiská
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Gabriel Minárik
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Igor Riečanský
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia; Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Martinez-Garay I, Guidi LG, Holloway ZG, Bailey MAG, Lyngholm D, Schneider T, Donnison T, Butt SJB, Monaco AP, Molnár Z, Velayos-Baeza A. Normal radial migration and lamination are maintained in dyslexia-susceptibility candidate gene homolog Kiaa0319 knockout mice. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:1367-1384. [PMID: 27510895 PMCID: PMC5368214 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1282-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia is a common disorder with a strong genetic component, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unknown. Several candidate dyslexia-susceptibility genes, including KIAA0319, DYX1C1, and DCDC2, have been identified in humans. RNA interference experiments targeting these genes in rat embryos have shown impairments in neuronal migration, suggesting that defects in radial cortical migration could be involved in the disease mechanism of dyslexia. Here we present the first characterisation of a Kiaa0319 knockout mouse line. Animals lacking KIAA0319 protein do not show anatomical abnormalities in any of the layered structures of the brain. Neurogenesis and radial migration of cortical projection neurons are not altered, and the intrinsic electrophysiological properties of Kiaa0319-deficient neurons do not differ from those of wild-type neurons. Kiaa0319 overexpression in cortex delays radial migration, but does not affect final neuronal position. However, knockout animals show subtle differences suggesting possible alterations in anxiety-related behaviour and in sensorimotor gating. Our results do not reveal a migration disorder in the mouse model, adding to the body of evidence available for Dcdc2 and Dyx1c1 that, unlike in the rat in utero knockdown models, the dyslexia-susceptibility candidate mouse homolog genes do not play an evident role in neuronal migration. However, KIAA0319 protein expression seems to be restricted to the brain, not only in early developmental stages but also in adult mice, indicative of a role of this protein in brain function. The constitutive and conditional knockout lines reported here will be useful tools for further functional analyses of Kiaa0319.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Martinez-Garay
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
- Division of Neuroscience, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Luiz G Guidi
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Zoe G Holloway
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Melissa A G Bailey
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Daniel Lyngholm
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Tomasz Schneider
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Timothy Donnison
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Simon J B Butt
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Anthony P Monaco
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.
- Office of the President, Ballou Hall, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK.
| | - Antonio Velayos-Baeza
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.
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Morris MJ, Na ES, Autry AE, Monteggia LM. Impact of DNMT1 and DNMT3a forebrain knockout on depressive- and anxiety like behavior in mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2016; 135:139-145. [PMID: 27545441 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2016.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [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: 04/11/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation has been shown to impact certain forms of synaptic and behavioral plasticity that have been implicated in the development in psychiatric disorders. DNA methylation is catalyzed by DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) enzymes that continue to be expressed in postmitotic neurons in the forebrain. Using a conditional forebrain knockout of DNMT1 or DNMT3a we assessed the role of these DNMTs in anxiety and depressive-like behavior in mice using an array of behavioral testing paradigms. Forebrain deletion of DNMT1 had anxiolytic and antidepressant-like properties as assessed by elevated plus maze, novelty suppressed feeding, forced swim, and social interaction tests. DNMT3a knockout mice, by contrast, did not exhibit significant behavioral alterations in these tests. Given the putative role of altered DNA methylation patterns in the development of schizophrenia, we also assessed DNMT1 and DNMT3a knockout mice in a prepulse inhibition task and found an enhanced prepulse inhibition of startle in DNMT1 knockouts relative to wild type mice, with no change evident in DNMT3a knockout mice. Our data suggest that DNMT1 and DNMT3a are distinctly involved in affective behavior and that DNMT1 may ultimately represent a potential target for treatment of certain affective behavioral disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Morris
- Department of Psychology and Philosophy, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX 76204, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9111, United States
| | - Elisa S Na
- Department of Psychology and Philosophy, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX 76204, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9111, United States
| | - Anita E Autry
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9111, United States
| | - Lisa M Monteggia
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390-9111, United States.
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Karacay B, Bonthius NE, Plume J, Bonthius DJ. Genetic absence of nNOS worsens fetal alcohol effects in mice. I: behavioral deficits. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 39:212-20. [PMID: 25684045 PMCID: PMC4331461 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol abuse during pregnancy often induces neuropsychological problems in the offspring, including learning disorders, attention deficits, and behavior problems, all of which are prominent components of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). However, not all children who were exposed to alcohol in utero are equally affected by it. While some children have major deficits, others are spared. This unequal vulnerability is likely due largely to differences in fetal genetics. Some fetuses appear to have certain genotypes that make them much more prone to FASD. However, to date, no gene has been identified that worsens alcohol-induced brain dysfunction. Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule that can protect developing neurons against alcohol-induced death. In the brain, NO is produced by neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). In this study, we examined whether homozygous mutation of the nNOS gene in mice worsens the behavioral deficits of developmental alcohol exposure. METHODS Wild-type and nNOS(-/-) mice received alcohol (0.0, 2.2, or 4.4 mg/g) daily over postnatal days (PDs) 4 to 9. Beginning on PD 85, the mice underwent a series of behavioral tests, including open field activity, the Morris water maze, and paired pulse inhibition. RESULTS For the wild-type mice, alcohol impaired performance only in the water maze. In contrast, for the nNOS(-/-) mice, alcohol impaired performance on all 3 tasks. Furthermore, the nNOS(-/-) mice were substantially more impaired than wild-type mice in their performance on all 3 of the behavioral tests and at both the low (2.2) and high (4.4) doses of alcohol. CONCLUSIONS Targeted disruption of the nNOS gene worsens the behavioral impact of developmental alcohol exposure and allows alcohol-induced learning problems to emerge that are not seen in wild type. This is the first demonstration that a specific genotype can interact with alcohol to worsen functional brain deficits in an animal model of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahri Karacay
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Nancy E. Bonthius
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Jeffrey Plume
- Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
| | - Daniel J. Bonthius
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
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Abstract
Schizophrenia is a prevalent neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorder with poor prognosis and limited understanding of its etiology. This limited etiological understanding renders developing animal models of schizophrenia difficult. Although attempts are made to recreate putative etiologies in models, these models may only enable the generation of treatments targeted at the mechanisms manipulated. Although the chakragati mouse was not created as a result of a specific gene target, reports to date suggest these mice exhibit behavioral abnormalities that are consistent with some observed in patients with schizophrenia. As an initial screen on the relevance of these mice to schizophrenia, we tested the exploration and sensorimotor gating of male and female chakragati mice in the cross-species tests behavioral pattern monitor (BPM) and prepulse inhibition (PPI), respectively. The chakragati mice exhibited hyperactive yet more meandering/circling movements of exploration compared with wildtype (WT) littermates. Moreover, chakragati mice exhibited impaired PPI compared with WT mice, primarily at high prepulse intensity levels. Thus, chakragati mice share some of the abnormal exploratory and PPI behaviors that are observed in patients with schizophrenia. These behaviors can be used to screen for novel antipsychotics which may be based on novel mechanisms of action. The multivariate abnormal exploration of these mice may also yield further information for treatment effects. Further characterization of these mice in tasks with putative links to negative or cognitive symptoms may further advance the utility of these mice as a screen for novel treatments for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared W. YOUNG
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500
Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego,
CA
| | - Anil RATTY
- Chakra Biotech Pte Ltd, 20 Ayer Rajah Crescent, Singapore
139964
| | - Gavin S. DAWE
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine,
National University Health System, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical
Drive, Singapore 117597
- Neurobiology and Ageing Programme, Centre for Life Sciences, Life
Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore
117456
| | - Mark A. GEYER
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500
Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego,
CA
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