1
|
Reznik DL, Yang MV, Albelda de la Haza P, Jain A, Spanjaard M, Theiss S, Schaaf CP, Malovannaya A, Strong TV, Veeraragavan S, Samaco RC. Magel2 truncation alters select behavioral and physiological outcomes in a rat model of Schaaf-Yang syndrome. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:286598. [PMID: 36637363 PMCID: PMC9922728 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies in mice have utilized Magel2 gene deletion models to examine the consequences of its absence. We report the generation, molecular validation and phenotypic characterization of a novel rat model with a truncating Magel2 mutation modeling variants associated with Schaaf-Yang syndrome-causing mutations. Within the hypothalamus, a brain region in which human MAGEL2 is paternally expressed, we demonstrated, at the level of transcript and peptide detection, that rat Magel2 exhibits a paternal, parent-of-origin effect. In evaluations of behavioral features across several domains, juvenile Magel2 mutant rats displayed alterations in anxiety-like behavior and sociability measures. Moreover, the analysis of peripheral organ systems detected alterations in body composition, cardiac structure and function, and breathing irregularities in Magel2 mutant rats. Several of these findings are concordant with reported mouse phenotypes, indicating the conservation of MAGEL2 function across rodent species. Our comprehensive analysis revealing impairments across multiple domains demonstrates the tractability of this model system for the study of truncating MAGEL2 mutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Derek L Reznik
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Texas Children's Hospital, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mingxiao V Yang
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Texas Children's Hospital, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pedro Albelda de la Haza
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Texas Children's Hospital, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Antrix Jain
- Baylor College of Medicine, Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Melanie Spanjaard
- Heidelberg University, Institute of Human Genetics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Susanne Theiss
- Heidelberg University, Institute of Human Genetics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian P Schaaf
- Heidelberg University, Institute of Human Genetics, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Malovannaya
- Baylor College of Medicine, Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Core, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Baylor College of Medicine, Verna and Marrs McLean Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Baylor College of Medicine, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Theresa V Strong
- Foundation for Prader-Willi Research, Walnut, CA 91789, USA.,Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Surabi Veeraragavan
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Texas Children's Hospital, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rodney C Samaco
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Texas Children's Hospital, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Keehan L, Haviland I, Gofin Y, Swanson LC, El Achkar CM, Schreiber J, VanNoy GE, O’Heir E, O’Donnell-Luria A, Lewis RA, Magoulas P, Tran A, Azamian MS, Chao HT, Pham L, Samaco RC, Elsea S, Thorpe E, Kesari A, Perry D, Lee B, Lalani SR, Rosenfeld JA, Olson HE, Burrage LC. Wide range of phenotypic severity in individuals with late truncations unique to the predominant CDKL5 transcript in the brain. Am J Med Genet A 2022; 188:3516-3524. [PMID: 35934918 PMCID: PMC9669137 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62940] [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: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) deficiency disorder (CDD) is caused by heterozygous or hemizygous variants in CDKL5 and is characterized by refractory epilepsy, cognitive and motor impairments, and cerebral visual impairment. CDKL5 has multiple transcripts, of which the longest transcripts, NM_003159 and NM_001037343, have been used historically in clinical laboratory testing. However, the transcript NM_001323289 is the most highly expressed in brain and contains 170 nucleotides at the 3' end of its last exon that are noncoding in other transcripts. Two truncating variants in this region have been reported in association with a CDD phenotype. To clarify the significance and range of phenotypes associated with late truncating variants in this region of the predominant transcript in the brain, we report detailed information on two individuals, updated clinical information on a third individual, and a summary of published and unpublished individuals reported in ClinVar. The two new individuals (one male and one female) each had a relatively mild clinical presentation including periods of pharmaco-responsive epilepsy, independent walking and limited purposeful communication skills. A previously reported male continued to have a severe phenotype. Overall, variants in this region demonstrate a range of clinical severity consistent with reports in CDD but with the potential for milder presentation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Keehan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Isabel Haviland
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yoel Gofin
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lindsay C. Swanson
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christelle Moufawad El Achkar
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John Schreiber
- Division of Epilepsy, Neurophysiology, and Critical Care Neurology, 8404 Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Grace E. VanNoy
- Center for Mendelian Genomics, Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Emily O’Heir
- Center for Mendelian Genomics, Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anne O’Donnell-Luria
- Center for Mendelian Genomics, Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard A. Lewis
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pilar Magoulas
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alyssa Tran
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mahshid S. Azamian
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hsiao-Tuan Chao
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Departments of Neuroscience and Pediatrics, Division of Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, BCM, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- McNair Medical Institute at the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lisa Pham
- The Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rodney C. Samaco
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sarah Elsea
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Brendan Lee
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Seema R. Lalani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jill A. Rosenfeld
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Heather E. Olson
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Equal contributions
| | - Lindsay C. Burrage
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Equal contributions
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wotton JM, Peterson E, Flenniken AM, Bains RS, Veeraragavan S, Bower LR, Bubier JA, Parisien M, Bezginov A, Haselimashhadi H, Mason J, Moore MA, Stewart ME, Clary DA, Delbarre DJ, Anderson LC, D'Souza A, Goodwin LO, Harrison ME, Huang Z, Mckay M, Qu D, Santos L, Srinivasan S, Urban R, Vukobradovic I, Ward CS, Willett AM, Braun RE, Brown SD, Dickinson ME, Heaney JD, Kumar V, Lloyd KK, Mallon AM, McKerlie C, Murray SA, Nutter LM, Parkinson H, Seavitt JR, Wells S, Samaco RC, Chesler EJ, Smedley D, Diatchenko L, Baumbauer KM, Young EE, Bonin RP, Mandillo S, White JK. Identifying genetic determinants of inflammatory pain in mice using a large-scale gene-targeted screen. Pain 2022; 163:1139-1157. [PMID: 35552317 PMCID: PMC9100450 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Identifying the genetic determinants of pain is a scientific imperative given the magnitude of the global health burden that pain causes. Here, we report a genetic screen for nociception, performed under the auspices of the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium. A biased set of 110 single-gene knockout mouse strains was screened for 1 or more nociception and hypersensitivity assays, including chemical nociception (formalin) and mechanical and thermal nociception (von Frey filaments and Hargreaves tests, respectively), with or without an inflammatory agent (complete Freund's adjuvant). We identified 13 single-gene knockout strains with altered nocifensive behavior in 1 or more assays. All these novel mouse models are openly available to the scientific community to study gene function. Two of the 13 genes (Gria1 and Htr3a) have been previously reported with nociception-related phenotypes in genetically engineered mouse strains and represent useful benchmarking standards. One of the 13 genes (Cnrip1) is known from human studies to play a role in pain modulation and the knockout mouse reported herein can be used to explore this function further. The remaining 10 genes (Abhd13, Alg6, BC048562, Cgnl1, Cp, Mmp16, Oxa1l, Tecpr2, Trim14, and Trim2) reveal novel pathways involved in nociception and may provide new knowledge to better understand genetic mechanisms of inflammatory pain and to serve as models for therapeutic target validation and drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma Peterson
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, United States
| | - Ann M. Flenniken
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rasneer S. Bains
- The Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Surabi Veeraragavan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lynette R. Bower
- Mouse Biology Program, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | | | - Marc Parisien
- Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Genome Building, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandr Bezginov
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hamed Haselimashhadi
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy Mason
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | | | - Michelle E. Stewart
- The Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Dave A. Clary
- Mouse Biology Program, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Daniel J. Delbarre
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | | | - Abigail D'Souza
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Mark E. Harrison
- The Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Ziyue Huang
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Matthew Mckay
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, United States
| | - Dawei Qu
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Luis Santos
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Subhiksha Srinivasan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rachel Urban
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, United States
| | - Igor Vukobradovic
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher S. Ward
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | | | | | - Steve D.M. Brown
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Mary E. Dickinson
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jason D. Heaney
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Vivek Kumar
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, United States
| | - K.C. Kent Lloyd
- Mouse Biology Program, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ann-Marie Mallon
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Colin McKerlie
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Lauryl M.J. Nutter
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Helen Parkinson
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - John R. Seavitt
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sara Wells
- The Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Rodney C. Samaco
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | | | - Damian Smedley
- William Harvey Research Institute, Charterhouse Square, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Luda Diatchenko
- Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Genome Building, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Erin E. Young
- Anesthesiology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, KU Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Robert P. Bonin
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Silvia Mandillo
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology-National Research Council, IBBC-CNR, Monterotondo (RM), Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Grebe SC, Limon DL, McNeel MM, Guzick A, Peters SU, Tan WH, Sadhwani A, Bacino CA, Bird LM, Samaco RC, Berry LN, Goodman WK, Schneider SC, Storch EA. Anxiety in Angelman Syndrome. Am J Intellect Dev Disabil 2022; 127:1-10. [PMID: 34979033 PMCID: PMC8803540 DOI: 10.1352/1944-7558-127.1.1] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder most commonly caused by the impaired expression of the maternal UBE3A gene on chromosome 15. Though anxiety has been identified as a frequently present characteristic in AS, there are limited studies examining anxiety in this population. Studies of anxiety in other neurodevelopmental disorders have found disorder specific symptoms of anxiety and age specific displays of anxiety symptoms. However, there is a consistent challenge in identifying anxiety in people with neurodevelopmental disorders given the lack of measurement instruments specifically designed for this population. Given the limited information about AS and anxiety, the aims of the current project were to (a) examine symptoms of anxiety in children with AS and (b) determine the correlates of anxiety in children with AS. Participants included 42 adult caregivers of youth with AS in the AS Natural History study who completed the Developmental Behavior Checklist (DBC). The results found that 26% of the sample demonstrated elevated symptoms of anxiety and established a relationship between elevated anxiety in youth with AS and higher levels of irritability, hyperactivity, self-absorbed behaviors, and disruptive/antisocial behaviors. Findings from this research provide a foundation for tailoring evidence-based assessments and treatments for youth with AS and anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stacey C Grebe
- Stacey C. Grebe, Danica L. Limon, Morgan M. McNeel, and Andrew Guzick, Baylor College of Medicine
| | - Danica L Limon
- Stacey C. Grebe, Danica L. Limon, Morgan M. McNeel, and Andrew Guzick, Baylor College of Medicine
| | - Morgan M McNeel
- Stacey C. Grebe, Danica L. Limon, Morgan M. McNeel, and Andrew Guzick, Baylor College of Medicine
| | - Andrew Guzick
- Stacey C. Grebe, Danica L. Limon, Morgan M. McNeel, and Andrew Guzick, Baylor College of Medicine
| | | | - Wen-Hann Tan
- Wen-Hann Tan and Anjali Sadhwani, Boston Children's Hospital
| | - Anjali Sadhwani
- Wen-Hann Tan and Anjali Sadhwani, Boston Children's Hospital
| | - Carlos A Bacino
- Carlos A. Bacino, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital
| | - Lynne M Bird
- Lynne M. Bird, University of California and Boston Children's Hospital
| | | | - Leandra N Berry
- Leandra N. Berry, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital
| | | | | | - Eric A Storch
- Sophie C. Schneider and Eric A. Storch, Baylor College of Medicine
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ward CS, Huang TW, Herrera JA, Samaco RC, McGraw CM, Parra DE, Arvide EM, Ito-Ishida A, Meng X, Ure K, Zoghbi HY, Neul JL. Loss of MeCP2 Function Across Several Neuronal Populations Impairs Breathing Response to Acute Hypoxia. Front Neurol 2020; 11:593554. [PMID: 33193060 PMCID: PMC7662121 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.593554] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss of function of the transcriptional regulator Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2). In addition to the characteristic loss of hand function and spoken language after the first year of life, people with RTT also have a variety of physiological and autonomic abnormalities including disrupted breathing rhythms characterized by bouts of hyperventilation and an increased frequency of apnea. These breathing abnormalities, that likely involve alterations in both the circuitry underlying respiratory pace making and those underlying breathing response to environmental stimuli, may underlie the sudden unexpected death seen in a significant fraction of people with RTT. In fact, mice lacking MeCP2 function exhibit abnormal breathing rate response to acute hypoxia and maintain a persistently elevated breathing rate rather than showing typical hypoxic ventilatory decline that can be observed among their wild-type littermates. Using genetic and pharmacological tools to better understand the course of this abnormal hypoxic breathing rate response and the neurons driving it, we learned that the abnormal hypoxic breathing response is acquired as the animals mature, and that MeCP2 function is required within excitatory, inhibitory, and modulatory populations for a normal hypoxic breathing rate response. Furthermore, mice lacking MeCP2 exhibit decreased hypoxia-induced neuronal activity within the nucleus tractus solitarius of the dorsal medulla. Overall, these data provide insight into the neurons driving the circuit dysfunction that leads to breathing abnormalities upon loss of MeCP2. The discovery that combined dysfunction across multiple neuronal populations contributes to breathing dysfunction may provide insight into sudden unexpected death in RTT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S. Ward
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Teng-Wei Huang
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jose A. Herrera
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Interdepartmental Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Rodney C. Samaco
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Christopher M. McGraw
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Diana E. Parra
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - E. Melissa Arvide
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Aya Ito-Ishida
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Xiangling Meng
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Kerstin Ure
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Huda Y. Zoghbi
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Interdepartmental Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jeffrey L. Neul
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Interdepartmental Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ahmed KL, Simon AR, Dempsey JR, Samaco RC, Goin-Kochel RP. Evaluating Two Common Strategies for Research Participant Recruitment Into Autism Studies: Observational Study. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e16752. [PMID: 32969826 PMCID: PMC7545324 DOI: 10.2196/16752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ongoing research is necessary to better understand the causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the developmental outcomes for individuals diagnosed with ASD, and the efficacy of the interventions. However, it is often difficult to recruit sufficient numbers of participants for studies, and despite the prevalence of ASD (currently estimated to affect 1 in 54 children), little research has focused on how to efficiently recruit participants with ASD. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of two different paid advertisements-social media and radio advertising-in recruiting participants for a study enrolling people with ASD and their family members by examining the number of participants enrolled, the cost per participant, and the geographic reach of each type of advertising. METHODS We examined participant enrollment in a study following nonoverlapping paid advertisements on a popular FM radio station (aired in three cities across two states) and Facebook (six advertisements that ran in five cities across two states). The total paid investment in the radio campaign was $12,030 and that in the Facebook campaign was $2950. Following the advertising campaigns, 1391 participants in the study who were affiliated with the Houston, Texas, site received email invitations to participate in a brief survey about the ways in which they learned about the study (eg, social media, medical provider, website) and which of these were most influential in their decisions to participate; 374 (26.8%) of the participants completed this survey. RESULTS Social media advertising outperformed radio in all three parameters examined by enrolling more participants (338 vs 149), with a lower average cost per participant ($8.73 vs $80.74) and a wider geographic reach, based on a comparison of the number of zip codes within and outside of Texas for questionnaire respondents who rated social media as the most influential method of contact (n=367, χ21=5.85, P=.02). Of the 374 survey participants, 139 (37.2%) reported that they had seen the study on social media prior to enrollment, while only 9 (2.4%) said they heard about it via radio. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that advertising on social media can efficiently reach a large pool of potential participants with ASD, increasing the likelihood of meeting study enrollment goals. Researchers should consider allocating at least some portion of recruitment dollars to social media platforms as a means of quickly and inexpensively reaching out to their target populations, including for studies with in-person procedures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelli L Ahmed
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Autism Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Andrea R Simon
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Autism Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jack R Dempsey
- Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | | | - Robin P Goin-Kochel
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Autism Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Haselimashhadi H, Mason JC, Munoz-Fuentes V, López-Gómez F, Babalola K, Acar EF, Kumar V, White J, Flenniken AM, King R, Straiton E, Seavitt JR, Gaspero A, Garza A, Christianson AE, Hsu CW, Reynolds CL, Lanza DG, Lorenzo I, Green JR, Gallegos JJ, Bohat R, Samaco RC, Veeraragavan S, Kim JK, Miller G, Fuchs H, Garrett L, Becker L, Kang YK, Clary D, Cho SY, Tamura M, Tanaka N, Soo KD, Bezginov A, About GB, Champy MF, Vasseur L, Leblanc S, Meziane H, Selloum M, Reilly PT, Spielmann N, Maier H, Gailus-Durner V, Sorg T, Hiroshi M, Yuichi O, Heaney JD, Dickinson ME, Wolfgang W, Tocchini-Valentini GP, Lloyd KCK, McKerlie C, Seong JK, Yann H, de Angelis MH, Brown SDM, Smedley D, Flicek P, Mallon AM, Parkinson H, Meehan TF. Soft windowing application to improve analysis of high-throughput phenotyping data. Bioinformatics 2020; 36:1492-1500. [PMID: 31591642 PMCID: PMC7115897 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btz744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation High-throughput phenomic projects generate complex data from small treatment and large control groups that increase the power of the analyses but introduce variation over time. A method is needed to utlize a set of temporally local controls that maximizes analytic power while minimizing noise from unspecified environmental factors. Results Here we introduce ‘soft windowing’, a methodological approach that selects a window of time that includes the most appropriate controls for analysis. Using phenotype data from the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC), adaptive windows were applied such that control data collected proximally to mutants were assigned the maximal weight, while data collected earlier or later had less weight. We applied this method to IMPC data and compared the results with those obtained from a standard non-windowed approach. Validation was performed using a resampling approach in which we demonstrate a 10% reduction of false positives from 2.5 million analyses. We applied the method to our production analysis pipeline that establishes genotype–phenotype associations by comparing mutant versus control data. We report an increase of 30% in significant P-values, as well as linkage to 106 versus 99 disease models via phenotype overlap with the soft-windowed and non-windowed approaches, respectively, from a set of 2082 mutant mouse lines. Our method is generalizable and can benefit large-scale human phenomic projects such as the UK Biobank and the All of Us resources. Availability and implementation The method is freely available in the R package SmoothWin, available on CRAN http://CRAN.R-project.org/package=SmoothWin. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Haselimashhadi
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jeremy C Mason
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Violeta Munoz-Fuentes
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Federico López-Gómez
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kolawole Babalola
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Elif F Acar
- The Centre for Phenogenomics.,The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Statistics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
| | - Vivek Kumar
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Jacqui White
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Ann M Flenniken
- The Centre for Phenogenomics.,Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ritu Bohat
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Jong Kyoung Kim
- Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology (DGIST), Daegu, Korea
| | | | | | | | - Lore Becker
- Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | - David Clary
- Mouse Biology Program, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Soo Young Cho
- National Cancer Center (NCC) & Korea Mouse Phenotyping Center (KMPC), Korea
| | | | | | - Kyung Dong Soo
- Seoul National University & Korea Mouse Phenotyping Center (KMPC), Korea
| | - Alexandr Bezginov
- The Centre for Phenogenomics.,The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ghina Bou About
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Clinique de la Souris, PHENOMIN-ICS, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Marie-France Champy
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Clinique de la Souris, PHENOMIN-ICS, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Laurent Vasseur
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Clinique de la Souris, PHENOMIN-ICS, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Sophie Leblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Clinique de la Souris, PHENOMIN-ICS, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Hamid Meziane
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Clinique de la Souris, PHENOMIN-ICS, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Mohammed Selloum
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Clinique de la Souris, PHENOMIN-ICS, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Patrick T Reilly
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Clinique de la Souris, PHENOMIN-ICS, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | | | | | | | - Tania Sorg
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Clinique de la Souris, PHENOMIN-ICS, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | | | - Obata Yuichi
- RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
| | | | | | - Wurst Wolfgang
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Centre Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Colin McKerlie
- The Centre for Phenogenomics.,The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Je Kyung Seong
- Seoul National University & Korea Mouse Phenotyping Center (KMPC), Korea
| | - Herault Yann
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique, Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Institut Clinique de la Souris, IGBMC, PHENOMIN-ICS, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | | | | | - Damian Smedley
- William Harvey Research Institute, Charterhouse Square Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Paul Flicek
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Helen Parkinson
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Terrence F Meehan
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Gulinello M, Mitchell HA, Chang Q, Timothy O'Brien W, Zhou Z, Abel T, Wang L, Corbin JG, Veeraragavan S, Samaco RC, Andrews NA, Fagiolini M, Cole TB, Burbacher TM, Crawley JN. Rigor and reproducibility in rodent behavioral research. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 165:106780. [PMID: 29307548 PMCID: PMC6034984 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [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: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral neuroscience research incorporates the identical high level of meticulous methodologies and exacting attention to detail as all other scientific disciplines. To achieve maximal rigor and reproducibility of findings, well-trained investigators employ a variety of established best practices. Here we explicate some of the requirements for rigorous experimental design and accurate data analysis in conducting mouse and rat behavioral tests. Novel object recognition is used as an example of a cognitive assay which has been conducted successfully with a range of methods, all based on common principles of appropriate procedures, controls, and statistics. Directors of Rodent Core facilities within Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers contribute key aspects of their own novel object recognition protocols, offering insights into essential similarities and less-critical differences. Literature cited in this review article will lead the interested reader to source papers that provide step-by-step protocols which illustrate optimized methods for many standard rodent behavioral assays. Adhering to best practices in behavioral neuroscience will enhance the value of animal models for the multiple goals of understanding biological mechanisms, evaluating consequences of genetic mutations, and discovering efficacious therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gulinello
- IDDRC Behavioral Core Facility, Neuroscience Department, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Heather A Mitchell
- IDD Models Core, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Qiang Chang
- IDD Models Core, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - W Timothy O'Brien
- IDDRC Preclinical Models Core, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zhaolan Zhou
- IDDRC Preclinical Models Core, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ted Abel
- IDDRC Preclinical Models Core, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Current affiliation: Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Li Wang
- IDDRC Neurobehavioral Core, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Joshua G Corbin
- IDDRC Neurobehavioral Core, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC 20010, USA
| | - Surabi Veeraragavan
- IDDRC Neurobehavioral Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rodney C Samaco
- IDDRC Neurobehavioral Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nick A Andrews
- IDDRC Neurodevelopmental Behavior Core, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michela Fagiolini
- IDDRC Neurodevelopmental Behavior Core, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Toby B Cole
- IDDRC Rodent Behavior Laboratory, Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Thomas M Burbacher
- IDDRC Rodent Behavior Laboratory, Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jacqueline N Crawley
- IDDRC Rodent Behavior Core, MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Walkley SU, Abbeduto L, Batshaw ML, Bhattacharyya A, Bookheimer SY, Christian BT, Constantino JN, de Vellis J, Doherty DA, Nelson DL, Piven J, Poduri A, Pomeroy SL, Samaco RC, Zoghbi HY, Guralnick MJ. Intellectual and developmental disabilities research centers: Fifty years of scientific accomplishments. Ann Neurol 2019; 86:332-343. [PMID: 31206741 PMCID: PMC8320680 DOI: 10.1002/ana.25531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Progress in addressing the origins of intellectual and developmental disabilities accelerated with the establishment 50 years ago of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health and associated Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers. Investigators at these Centers have made seminal contributions to understanding human brain and behavioral development and defining mechanisms and treatments of disorders of the developing brain. ANN NEUROL 2019;86:332-343.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven U. Walkley
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Bronx, NY
| | - Leonard Abbeduto
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, University of California, Davis Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders Institute, Sacramento, CA
| | - Mark L. Batshaw
- Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC
| | - Anita Bhattacharyya
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Susan Y. Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Intellectual and Developmental Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Bradley T. Christian
- Departments of Medical Physics and Psychiatry, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
| | - John N. Constantino
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, St Louis, MO
| | - Jean de Vellis
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Intellectual and Developmental Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Daniel A. Doherty
- Department of Pediatrics, Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - David L. Nelson
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Houston, TX
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Annapurna Poduri
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Boston, MA
| | - Scott L. Pomeroy
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Boston, MA
| | - Rodney C. Samaco
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Houston, TX
| | - Huda Y. Zoghbi
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Houston, TX
| | - Michael J. Guralnick
- Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics, Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Yin J, Chen W, Chao ES, Soriano S, Wang L, Wang W, Cummock SE, Tao H, Pang K, Liu Z, Pereira FA, Samaco RC, Zoghbi HY, Xue M, Schaaf CP. Otud7a Knockout Mice Recapitulate Many Neurological Features of 15q13.3 Microdeletion Syndrome. Am J Hum Genet 2018; 102:296-308. [PMID: 29395075 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome is characterized by a wide spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders, including developmental delay, intellectual disability, epilepsy, language impairment, abnormal behaviors, neuropsychiatric disorders, and hypotonia. This syndrome is caused by a deletion on chromosome 15q, which typically encompasses six genes. Here, through studies on OTU deubiquitinase 7A (Otud7a) knockout mice, we identify OTUD7A as a critical gene responsible for many of the cardinal phenotypes associated with 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome. Otud7a-null mice show reduced body weight, developmental delay, abnormal electroencephalography patterns and seizures, reduced ultrasonic vocalizations, decreased grip strength, impaired motor learning/motor coordination, and reduced acoustic startle. We show that OTUD7A localizes to dendritic spines and that Otud7a-null mice have decreased dendritic spine density compared to their wild-type littermates. Furthermore, frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) is reduced in the frontal cortex of Otud7a-null mice, suggesting a role of Otud7a in regulation of dendritic spine density and glutamatergic synaptic transmission. Taken together, our results suggest decreased OTUD7A dosage as a major contributor to the neurodevelopmental phenotypes associated with 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome, through the misregulation of dendritic spine density and activity.
Collapse
|
11
|
McGraw CM, Ward CS, Samaco RC. Genetic rodent models of brain disorders: Perspectives on experimental approaches and therapeutic strategies. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet 2018; 175:368-379. [PMID: 28910526 PMCID: PMC5659732 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neurobehavioral disorders comprised of neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental, and psychiatric disorders together represent leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Despite significant academic research and industry efforts to elucidate the disease mechanisms operative in these disorders and to develop mechanism‐based therapies, our understanding remains incomplete and our access to tractable therapeutic interventions severely limited. The magnitude of these short‐comings can be measured by the growing list of disappointing clinical trials based on initially promising compounds identified in genetic animal models. This review and commentary will explore why this may be so, focusing on the central role that genetic models of neurobehavioral disorders have come to occupy in current efforts to identify disease mechanisms and therapies. In particular, we will highlight the unique pitfalls and challenges that have hampered success in these models as compared to genetic models of non‐neurological diseases as well as to symptom‐based models of the early 20th century that led to the discovery of all major classes of psychoactive pharmaceutical compounds still used today. Using examples from specific genetic rodent models of human neurobehavioral disorders, we will highlight issues of reproducibility, construct validity, and translational relevance in the hopes that these examples will be instructive toward greater success in future endeavors. Lastly, we will champion a two‐pronged approach toward identifying novel therapies for neurobehavioral disorders that makes greater use of the historically more successful symptom‐based approaches in addition to more mechanism‐based approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M McGraw
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Christopher S Ward
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Rodney C Samaco
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ward CS, Huang TW, Herrera JA, Samaco RC, Pitcher MR, Herron A, Skinner SA, Kaufmann WE, Glaze DG, Percy AK, Neul JL. Loss of MeCP2 Causes Urological Dysfunction and Contributes to Death by Kidney Failure in Mouse Models of Rett Syndrome. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165550. [PMID: 27828991 PMCID: PMC5102405 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by loss of acquired skills during development, autonomic dysfunction, and an increased risk for premature lethality. Clinical experience identified a subset of individuals with RTT that present with urological dysfunction including individuals with frequent urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and urine retention requiring frequent catheterization for bladder voiding. To determine if urologic dysfunction is a feature of RTT, we queried the Rett Syndrome Natural History Study, a repository of clinical data from over 1000 individuals with RTT and found multiple instances of urological dysfunction. We then evaluated urological function in a mouse model of RTT and found an abnormal pattern of micturition. Both male and female mice possessing Mecp2 mutations show a decrease in urine output per micturition event. Furthermore, we identified signs of kidney failure secondary to urethral obstruction. Although genetic strain background significantly affects both survival and penetrance of the urethral obstruction phenotype, survival and penetrance of urethral obstruction do not directly correlate. We have identified an additional phenotype caused by loss of MeCP2, urological dysfunction. Furthermore, we urge caution in the interpretation of survival data as an endpoint in preclinical studies, especially where causes of mortality are poorly characterized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S. Ward
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Teng-Wei Huang
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
| | - José A. Herrera
- Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Rodney C. Samaco
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
- Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Meagan R. Pitcher
- Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Alan Herron
- Center for Comparative Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Steven A. Skinner
- Greenwood Genetic Center, Greenwood, SC 29646, United States of America
| | - Walter E. Kaufmann
- Greenwood Genetic Center, Greenwood, SC 29646, United States of America
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America
| | - Daniel G. Glaze
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Alan K. Percy
- University of Alabama, Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey L. Neul
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
- Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Chahrour M, O'Roak BJ, Santini E, Samaco RC, Kleiman RJ, Manzini MC. Current Perspectives in Autism Spectrum Disorder: From Genes to Therapy. J Neurosci 2016; 36:11402-11410. [PMID: 27911742 PMCID: PMC5125207 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2335-16.2016] [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: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a constellation of neurodevelopmental presentations with high heritability and both phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. To date, mutations in hundreds of genes have been associated to varying degrees with increased ASD risk. A better understanding of the functions of these genes and whether they fit together in functional groups or impact similar neuronal circuits is needed to develop rational treatment strategies. We will review current areas of emphasis in ASD research, starting from human genetics and exploring how mouse models of human mutations have helped identify specific molecular pathways (protein synthesis and degradation, chromatin remodeling, intracellular signaling), which are linked to alterations in circuit function and cognitive/social behavior. We will conclude by discussing how we can leverage the findings on molecular and cellular alterations found in ASD to develop therapies for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chahrour
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390,
| | - Brian J O'Roak
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239
| | - Emanuela Santini
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003
| | - Rodney C Samaco
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Robin J Kleiman
- Translational Neuroscience Center, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, and
| | - M Chiara Manzini
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Veeraragavan S, Wan YW, Connolly DR, Hamilton SM, Ward CS, Soriano S, Pitcher MR, McGraw CM, Huang SG, Green JR, Yuva LA, Liang AJ, Neul JL, Yasui DH, LaSalle JM, Liu Z, Paylor R, Samaco RC. Loss of MeCP2 in the rat models regression, impaired sociability and transcriptional deficits of Rett syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 2016; 25:3284-3302. [PMID: 27365498 PMCID: PMC5179927 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Mouse models of the transcriptional modulator Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2) have advanced our understanding of Rett syndrome (RTT). RTT is a 'prototypical' neurodevelopmental disorder with many clinical features overlapping with other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Therapeutic interventions for RTT may therefore have broader applications. However, the reliance on the laboratory mouse to identify viable therapies for the human condition may present challenges in translating findings from the bench to the clinic. In addition, the need to identify outcome measures in well-chosen animal models is critical for preclinical trials. Here, we report that a novel Mecp2 rat model displays high face validity for modelling psychomotor regression of a learned skill, a deficit that has not been shown in Mecp2 mice. Juvenile play, a behavioural feature that is uniquely present in rats and not mice, is also impaired in female Mecp2 rats. Finally, we demonstrate that evaluating the molecular consequences of the loss of MeCP2 in both mouse and rat may result in higher predictive validity with respect to transcriptional changes in the human RTT brain. These data underscore the similarities and differences caused by the loss of MeCP2 among divergent rodent species which may have important implications for the treatment of individuals with disease-causing MECP2 mutations. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the Mecp2 rat model is a complementary tool with unique features for the study of RTT and highlight the potential benefit of cross-species analyses in identifying potential disease-relevant preclinical outcome measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Surabi Veeraragavan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ying-Wooi Wan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel R Connolly
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Christopher S Ward
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sirena Soriano
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Meagan R Pitcher
- Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christopher M McGraw
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sharon G Huang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Lisa A Yuva
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Agnes J Liang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Neul
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology
- Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dag H Yasui
- Rowe Program in Human Genetics, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Janine M LaSalle
- Rowe Program in Human Genetics, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Rodney C Samaco
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hao S, Tang B, Wu Z, Ure K, Sun Y, Tao H, Gao Y, Patel AJ, Curry DJ, Samaco RC, Zoghbi HY, Tang J. Forniceal deep brain stimulation rescues hippocampal memory in Rett syndrome mice. Nature 2016; 526:430-4. [PMID: 26469053 PMCID: PMC4828032 DOI: 10.1038/nature15694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [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: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has improved the prospects for many individuals with diseases affecting motor control, and recently it has shown promise for improving cognitive function as well. Several studies in individuals with Alzheimer disease and in amnestic rats have demonstrated that DBS targeted to the fimbria-fornix1-3, the region that appears to regulate hippocampal activity, can mitigate defects in hippocampus-dependent memory3-5. Despite these promising results, DBS has not been tested for its ability to improve cognition in any childhood intellectual disability disorder (IDD). IDDs are a pressing concern: they affect as much as 3% of the population and involve hundreds of different genes. We hypothesized that stimulating the neural circuits that underlie learning and memory might provide a more promising route to treating these otherwise intractable disorders than seeking to adjust levels of one molecule at a time. We therefore studied the effects of forniceal DBS in a well-characterized mouse model of Rett Syndrome (RTT), which is a leading cause of intellectual disability in females. Caused by mutations that impair the function of MeCP26, RTT appears by the second year of life, causing profound impairment in cognitive, motor, and social skills along with an array of neurological features7; RTT mice, which reproduce the broad phenotype of this disorder, also show clear deficits in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory and hippocampal synaptic plasticity8-11. Here we show that forniceal DBS in RTT mice rescued contextual fear memory as well as spatial learning and memory. In parallel, forniceal DBS restored in vivo hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and hippocampal neurogenesis. These results indicate that forniceal DBS might mitigate cognitive dysfunction in RTT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Hao
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Bin Tang
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Zhenyu Wu
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Kerstin Ure
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Yaling Sun
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Huifang Tao
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Yan Gao
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Akash J Patel
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Daniel J Curry
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Rodney C Samaco
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jianrong Tang
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Katz DM, Berger-Sweeney JE, Eubanks JH, Justice MJ, Neul JL, Pozzo-Miller L, Blue ME, Christian D, Crawley JN, Giustetto M, Guy J, Howell CJ, Kron M, Nelson SB, Samaco RC, Schaevitz LR, St Hillaire-Clarke C, Young JL, Zoghbi HY, Mamounas LA. Preclinical research in Rett syndrome: setting the foundation for translational success. Dis Model Mech 2013; 5:733-45. [PMID: 23115203 PMCID: PMC3484856 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.011007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In September of 2011, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) and the Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT) convened a workshop involving a broad cross-section of basic scientists, clinicians and representatives from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the pharmaceutical industry and private foundations to assess the state of the art in animal studies of Rett syndrome (RTT). The aim of the workshop was to identify crucial knowledge gaps and to suggest scientific priorities and best practices for the use of animal models in preclinical evaluation of potential new RTT therapeutics. This review summarizes outcomes from the workshop and extensive follow-up discussions among participants, and includes: (1) a comprehensive summary of the physiological and behavioral phenotypes of RTT mouse models to date, and areas in which further phenotypic analyses are required to enhance the utility of these models for translational studies; (2) discussion of the impact of genetic differences among mouse models, and methodological differences among laboratories, on the expression and analysis, respectively, of phenotypic traits; and (3) definitions of the standards that the community of RTT researchers can implement for rigorous preclinical study design and transparent reporting to ensure that decisions to initiate costly clinical trials are grounded in reliable preclinical data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David M Katz
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44120, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Samaco RC, McGraw CM, Ward CS, Sun Y, Neul JL, Zoghbi HY. Female Mecp2(+/-) mice display robust behavioral deficits on two different genetic backgrounds providing a framework for pre-clinical studies. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 22:96-109. [PMID: 23026749 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurological disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding the transcriptional modulator methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). Typical RTT primarily affects girls and is characterized by a brief period of apparently normal development followed by the loss of purposeful hand skills and language, the onset of anxiety, hand stereotypies, autistic features, seizures and autonomic dysfunction. Mecp2 mouse models have extensively been studied to demonstrate the functional link between MeCP2 dysfunction and RTT pathogenesis. However, the majority of studies have focused primarily on the molecular and behavioral consequences of the complete absence of MeCP2 in male mice. Studies of female Mecp2(+/-) mice have been limited because of potential phenotypic variability due to X chromosome inactivation effects. To determine whether reproducible and reliable phenotypes can be detected Mecp2(+/-) mice, we analyzed Mecp2(+/-) mice of two different F1 hybrid isogenic backgrounds and at young and old ages using several neurobehavioral and physiological assays. Here, we report a multitude of phenotypes in female Mecp2(+/-) mice, some presenting as early as 5 weeks of life. We demonstrate that Mecp2(+/-) mice recapitulate several aspects of typical RTT and show that mosaic expression of MeCP2 does not preclude the use of female mice in behavioral and molecular studies. Importantly, we uncover several behavioral abnormalities that are present in two genetic backgrounds and report on phenotypes that are unique to one background. These findings provide a framework for pre-clinical studies aimed at improving the constellation of phenotypes in a mouse model of RTT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodney C Samaco
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Samaco RC, Mandel-Brehm C, McGraw CM, Shaw CA, McGill BE, Zoghbi HY. Crh and Oprm1 mediate anxiety-related behavior and social approach in a mouse model of MECP2 duplication syndrome. Nat Genet 2012; 44:206-11. [PMID: 22231481 PMCID: PMC3267865 DOI: 10.1038/ng.1066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2011] [Accepted: 12/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Genomic duplications spanning Xq28 are associated with a spectrum of phenotypes including anxiety and autism. The minimal region shared among affected individuals includes MECP2 and IRAK1, however, it is unclear which gene, when overexpressed, causes anxiety and social behavior deficits. We report that doubling MeCP2 levels causes heightened anxiety and autism-like features in mice, and alters the expression of genes that influence anxiety and social behavior, such as Crh and Oprm1. To test the hypothesis that alterations in these two genes contribute to the heightened anxiety and social behavior deficits, we analyzed MECP2 duplication mice (MECP2-TG1) with reduced Crh and Oprm1 levels. In MECP2-TG1 animals, reducing Crh, or its receptor, Crhr1, suppresses anxiety-like behavior; in contrast, reducing Oprm1 improves abnormal social behavior. These data demonstrate that increased MeCP2 levels impact molecular pathways underlying anxiety and social behavior, and provide novel insight into potential therapies for MECP2-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodney C Samaco
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a postnatal neurological disorder caused by mutations in MECP2, encoding the epigenetic regulator methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). The onset of RTT symptoms during early life together with findings suggesting neurodevelopmental abnormalities in RTT and mouse models of RTT raised the question of whether maintaining MeCP2 function exclusively during early life might protect against disease. We show by using an inducible model of RTT that deletion of Mecp2 in adult mice recapitulates the germline knock-out phenotype, underscoring the ongoing role of MeCP2 in adult neurological function. Moreover, unlike the effects of other epigenetic instructions programmed during early life, the effects of early MeCP2 function are lost soon after its deletion. These findings suggest that therapies for RTT must be maintained throughout life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M McGraw
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Fyffe SL, Neul JL, Samaco RC, Chao HT, Ben-Shachar S, Moretti P, McGill BE, Goulding EH, Sullivan E, Tecott LH, Zoghbi HY. Deletion of Mecp2 in Sim1-expressing neurons reveals a critical role for MeCP2 in feeding behavior, aggression, and the response to stress. Neuron 2008; 59:947-58. [PMID: 18817733 PMCID: PMC2597031 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2008.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2008] [Revised: 06/05/2008] [Accepted: 07/21/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Rett Syndrome (RTT) is an autism spectrum disorder caused by mutations in the X-linked gene encoding methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). In order to map the neuroanatomic origins of the complex neuropsychiatric behaviors observed in patients with RTT and to uncover endogenous functions of MeCP2 in the hypothalamus, we removed Mecp2 from Sim1-expressing neurons in the hypothalamus using Cre-loxP technology. Loss of MeCP2 in Sim1-expressing neurons resulted in mice that recapitulated the abnormal physiological stress response that is seen upon MeCP2 dysfunction in the entire brain. Surprisingly, we also uncovered a role for MeCP2 in the regulation of social and feeding behaviors since the Mecp2 conditional knockout (CKO) mice were aggressive, hyperphagic, and obese. This study demonstrates that deleting Mecp2 in a defined brain region is an excellent approach to map the neuronal origins of complex behaviors and provides new insight about the function of MeCP2 in specific neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharyl L Fyffe
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Lee Y, Samaco RC, Gatchel JR, Thaller C, Orr HT, Zoghbi HY. miR-19, miR-101 and miR-130 co-regulate ATXN1 levels to potentially modulate SCA1 pathogenesis. Nat Neurosci 2008; 11:1137-9. [PMID: 18758459 PMCID: PMC2574629 DOI: 10.1038/nn.2183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2008] [Accepted: 07/08/2008] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 is caused by expansion of a translated CAG repeat in ataxin1 (ATXN1). The level of the polyglutamine-expanded protein is one of the factors that contributes to disease severity. Here we found that miR-19, miR-101 and miR-130 co-regulate ataxin1 levels and that their inhibition enhanced the cytotoxicity of polyglutamine-expanded ATXN1 in human cells. We provide a new candidate mechanism for modulating the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases sensitive to protein dosage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoontae Lee
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Samaco RC, Fryer JD, Ren J, Fyffe S, Chao HT, Sun Y, Greer JJ, Zoghbi HY, Neul JL. A partial loss of function allele of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 predicts a human neurodevelopmental syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 2008; 17:1718-27. [PMID: 18321864 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddn062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Rett Syndrome, an X-linked dominant neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by regression of language and hand use, is primarily caused by mutations in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2). Loss of function mutations in MECP2 are also found in other neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, Angelman-like syndrome and non-specific mental retardation. Furthermore, duplication of the MECP2 genomic region results in mental retardation with speech and social problems. The common features of human neurodevelopmental disorders caused by the loss or increase of MeCP2 function suggest that even modest alterations of MeCP2 protein levels result in neurodevelopmental problems. To determine whether a small reduction in MeCP2 level has phenotypic consequences, we characterized a conditional mouse allele of Mecp2 that expresses 50% of the wild-type level of MeCP2. Upon careful behavioral analysis, mice that harbor this allele display a spectrum of abnormalities such as learning and motor deficits, decreased anxiety, altered social behavior and nest building, decreased pain recognition and disrupted breathing patterns. These results indicate that precise control of MeCP2 is critical for normal behavior and predict that human neurodevelopmental disorders will result from a subtle reduction in MeCP2 expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodney C Samaco
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Bowman AB, Lam YC, Jafar-Nejad P, Chen HK, Richman R, Samaco RC, Fryer JD, Kahle JJ, Orr HT, Zoghbi HY. Duplication of Atxn1l suppresses SCA1 neuropathology by decreasing incorporation of polyglutamine-expanded ataxin-1 into native complexes. Nat Genet 2007; 39:373-9. [PMID: 17322884 DOI: 10.1038/ng1977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2006] [Accepted: 01/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by expansion of a glutamine tract in ataxin-1 (ATXN1). SCA1 pathogenesis studies support a model in which the expanded glutamine tract causes toxicity by modulating the normal activities of ATXN1. To explore native interactions that modify the toxicity of ATXN1, we generated a targeted duplication of the mouse ataxin-1-like (Atxn1l, also known as Boat) locus, a highly conserved paralog of SCA1, and tested the role of this protein in SCA1 pathology. Using a knock-in mouse model of SCA1 that recapitulates the selective neurodegeneration seen in affected individuals, we found that elevated Atxn1l levels suppress neuropathology by displacing mutant Atxn1 from its native complex with Capicua (CIC). Our results provide genetic evidence that the selective neuropathology of SCA1 arises from modulation of a core functional activity of ATXN1, and they underscore the importance of studying the paralogs of genes mutated in neurodegenerative diseases to gain insight into mechanisms of pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron B Bowman
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Shah R, Medina-Martinez O, Chu LF, Samaco RC, Jamrich M. Expression of FoxP2 during zebrafish development and in the adult brain. Int J Dev Biol 2006; 50:435-8. [PMID: 16525940 DOI: 10.1387/ijdb.052065rs] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Fox (forkhead) genes encode transcription factors that play important roles in the regulation of embryonic patterning as well as in tissue specific gene expression. Mutations in the human FOXP2 gene cause abnormal speech development. Here we report the structure and expression pattern of zebrafish FoxP2. In zebrafish, this gene is first expressed at the 20-somite stage in the presumptive telencephalon. At this stage there is a significant overlap of FoxP2 expression with the expression of the emx homeobox genes. However, in contrast to emx1, FoxP2 is not expressed in the pineal gland or in the pronephric duct. After 72 hours of development, the expression of zebrafish FoxP2 becomes more complex in the brain. The developing optic tectum becomes the major area of FoxP2 expression. In the adult brain, the highest concentrations of the FoxP2 transcript can be observed in the optic tectum. In the cerebellum, only the caudal lobes show high levels of Foxp2 expression. These regions correspond to the vestibulocerebellum of mammals. Several other regions of the brain also show high levels of Foxp2 expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rina Shah
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Samaco RC, Hogart A, LaSalle JM. Epigenetic overlap in autism-spectrum neurodevelopmental disorders: MECP2 deficiency causes reduced expression of UBE3A and GABRB3. Hum Mol Genet 2004; 14:483-92. [PMID: 15615769 PMCID: PMC1224722 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddi045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 280] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a common neurodevelopmental disorder of complex genetic etiology. Rett syndrome, an X-linked dominant disorder caused by MECP2 mutations, and Angelman syndrome, an imprinted disorder caused by maternal 15q11-q13 or UBE3A deficiency, have phenotypic and genetic overlap with autism. MECP2 encodes methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 that acts as a transcriptional repressor for methylated gene constructs but is surprisingly not required for maintaining imprinted gene expression. Here, we test the hypothesis that MECP2 deficiency may affect the level of expression of UBE3A and neighboring autism candidate gene GABRB3 without necessarily affecting imprinted expression. Multiple quantitative methods were used including automated quantitation of immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization by laser scanning cytometry on tissue microarrays, immunoblot and TaqMan PCR. The results demonstrated significant defects in UBE3A/E6AP expression in two different Mecp2 deficient mouse strains and human Rett, Angelman and autism brains compared with controls. Although no difference was observed in the allelic expression of several imprinted transcripts in Mecp2-null brain, Ube3a sense expression was significantly reduced, consistent with the decrease in protein. A non-imprinted gene from 15q11-q13, GABRB3, encoding the beta3 subunit of the GABAA receptor, also showed significantly reduced expression in multiple Rett, Angelman and autism brain samples, and Mecp2 deficient mice by quantitative immunoblot. These results suggest an overlapping pathway of gene dysregulation within 15q11-q13 in Rett, Angelman and autism and implicate MeCP2 in the regulation of UBE3A and GABRB3 expressions in the postnatal mammalian brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Janine M. LaSalle
- *To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 5307547598; Fax: +1 5307528692;
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Braunschweig D, Simcox T, Samaco RC, LaSalle JM. X-Chromosome inactivation ratios affect wild-type MeCP2 expression within mosaic Rett syndrome and Mecp2-/+ mouse brain. Hum Mol Genet 2004; 13:1275-86. [PMID: 15115765 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddh142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in MECP2, encoding methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). The onset of symptoms in RTT is delayed until 6-18 months and 4-6 months in the Mecp2(-/+) mouse model, corresponding to a dynamic and gradual accumulation of MeCP2 expression in individual neurons of the postnatal brain. Because of X chromosome inactivation (XCI), cells within RTT females are mosaic for expression of the heterozygous MECP2 mutation. Using the targeted Mecp2 mouse model, we investigated the effect of Mecp2 mutation on XCI and developmental MeCP2 expression in wild-type (wt)-expressing neurons by quantitative laser scanning cytometry. Mecp2(-/+) female mice exhibited uniform regional distribution of Mecp2 mutant-expressing cells in brain, but unbalanced XCI in the population, favoring expression of the Mecp2 wt allele. Interestingly, MeCP2 expression in Mecp2 wt-expressing cells from Mecp2(-/+) mice was significantly lower than those from Mecp2(+/+) age-matched controls. The negative effect of Mecp2 mutation on wt Mecp2 expression correlated with the percentage of Mecp2 mutant-expressing cells in the cortex. Similar results were observed in two RTT females with identical MECP2 mutations but different XCI ratios. These results demonstrate that Mecp2-mutant neurons affect the development of surrounding neurons in a non-cell-autonomous manner and suggest that environmental influences affect the level of MeCP2 expression in wt neurons. These results help in explaining the role of XCI in the pathogenesis of RTT and have important implications in designing therapies for female RTT patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Braunschweig
- Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Rowe Program in Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Samaco RC, Nagarajan RP, Braunschweig D, LaSalle JM. Multiple pathways regulate MeCP2 expression in normal brain development and exhibit defects in autism-spectrum disorders. Hum Mol Genet 2004; 13:629-39. [PMID: 14734626 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddh063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in MECP2, encoding methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). Although MECP2 is ubiquitously transcribed, MeCP2 expression is developmentally regulated and heterogeneous in neuronal subpopulations, defined as MeCP2(lo) and MeCP2(hi). To test the hypothesis that pathways affecting MeCP2 expression changes may be defective in RTT, autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders without MECP2 mutations, a high-throughput quantitation of MeCP2 expression was performed on a tissue microarray containing frontal cortex samples from 28 different patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and age-matched controls. Combined quantitative analyses of MeCP2 protein and alternatively polyadenylated transcript levels were performed by laser scanning cytometry and tested for significant differences from age-matched controls. Normal cerebral samples showed an increase in total MeCP2 expression and the percentage of MeCP2(hi) cells with age that could be explained by increased MECP2 transcription within the MeCP2(hi) population. A significant decrease in the relative usage of the long transcript in the MeCP2(lo) population was observed in postnatal compared to fetal brain, but alternate polyadenylation did not correlate with MeCP2 expression changes at the single cell level. Brain samples from several related neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, pervasive developmental disorder, Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes showed significant differences in MeCP2 expression from age-matched controls by apparently different transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. These results suggest that multiple pathways regulate the complex developmental expression of MeCP2 and are defective in autism-spectrum disorders in addition to RTT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodney C Samaco
- Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Rowe Program in Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Balmer D, Arredondo J, Samaco RC, LaSalle JM. MECP2 mutations in Rett syndrome adversely affect lymphocyte growth, but do not affect imprinted gene expression in blood or brain. Hum Genet 2002; 110:545-52. [PMID: 12107440 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-002-0724-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2002] [Accepted: 03/11/2002] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked dominant neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in MECP2, encoding methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). As female somatic cells are mosaic for expression of mutant MECP2, we performed single cell cloning of T lymphocytes from four RTT patients with MECP2 mutations to isolate cells expressing mutant MECP2. Mutant-expressing clones were present at a significantly lower frequency (P<0.0001) than wild-type clones. These results demonstrate that although MECP2 is not essential for lymphocyte growth, expression of the MECP2 mutation causes a growth disadvantage in cultured clonal T cells by reducing the response to mitogenic stimulation. Mutant MECP2 was expressed at normal transcript and protein levels, and exhibited no significant effect on acetylated histones or methyl-binding protein 3 (MBD3) levels. Since MeCP2 was predicted to silence transcription of methylated genes, we hypothesized that MeCP2 may be required for silencing imprinted or methylated gene expression. The allelic expression of three different imprinted genes (SNRPN, IPW and IGF2) was examined by RT-PCR and RFLP analysis, and demonstrated normal monoallelic expression of all RTT clones. We also examined the expression of five imprinted genes (SNRPN, IPW, NECDIN, H19 and IGF2) in RTT brain samples and observed exclusive monoallelic expression. Expression levels were also normal in MECP2 mutant-expressing T cells for IFNG, a non-imprinted, but methylated gene differentially expressed in T cells, and LINE-1 retrotransposons hypothesized to be silenced by MeCP2. The histone deacetylase inhibitor Trichostatin A did not alter SNRPN expression, but did reverse silencing of IFNG in a MECP2-mutant-expressing clone. In conclusion, our results do not support an essential role for either MeCP2 or HDAC in the silencing of several imprinted genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damina Balmer
- Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Rowe Program in Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Caruso DM, Battistella FD, Owings JT, Lee SL, Samaco RC. Perihepatic packing of major liver injuries: complications and mortality. Arch Surg 1999; 134:958-62; discussion 962-3. [PMID: 10487590 DOI: 10.1001/archsurg.134.9.958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Perihepatic packs used to control hemorrhage after liver injury increase the risk of complications and this risk increases the longer packs are left in place. DESIGN Retrospective case series. SETTING University level I trauma center. PATIENTS Consecutive patients with hepatic injury. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Liver-related complications (biliary leak and abscess), rebleeding, and mortality. RESULTS One hundred twenty-nine of 804 patients with liver injuries were treated with perihepatic packing. Of the 69 who survived more than 24 hours, 75% lived to hospital discharge. Mortality rates were 14% and 30% in patients with and without liver complications, respectively (P = .23). Liver complication rates were similar (P = .83) when packs were removed within 36 hours (early [33%]) or between 36 and 72 hours (late [29%]) after they were placed; the rebleeding rate was greater in the early group (21% vs 4%; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Liver complications associated with perihepatic packing did not affect survival. Removing liver packs 36 to 72 hours after placement reduced the risk of rebleeding without increasing the risk of liver-related complications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D M Caruso
- Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Health System, Sacramento 95817-2214, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|