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Ranieri A, La Monica I, Di Iorio MR, Lombardo B, Pastore L. Genetic Alterations in a Large Population of Italian Patients Affected by Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:427. [PMID: 38674362 PMCID: PMC11050211 DOI: 10.3390/genes15040427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders are a group of complex multifactorial disorders characterized by cognitive impairment, communication deficits, abnormal behaviour, and/or motor skills resulting from abnormal neural development. Copy number variants (CNVs) are genetic alterations often associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. We evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of the array-comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) method and its relevance as a routine diagnostic test in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders for the identification of the molecular alterations underlying or contributing to the clinical manifestations. In the present study, we analysed 1800 subjects with neurodevelopmental disorders using a CGH microarray. We identified 208 (7%) pathogenetic CNVs, 2202 (78%) variants of uncertain significance (VOUS), and 504 (18%) benign CNVs in the 1800 patients analysed. Some alterations contain genes potentially related to neurodevelopmental disorders including CHRNA7, ANKS1B, ANKRD11, RBFOX1, ASTN2, GABRG3, SHANK2, KIF1A SETBP1, SNTG2, CTNNA2, TOP3B, CNTN4, CNTN5, and CNTN6. The identification of interesting significant genes related to neurological disorders with a-CGH is therefore an essential step in the diagnostic procedure, allowing a better understanding of both the pathophysiology of these disorders and the mechanisms underlying their clinical manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annaluisa Ranieri
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (A.R.); (I.L.M.); (M.R.D.I.); (L.P.)
| | - Ilaria La Monica
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (A.R.); (I.L.M.); (M.R.D.I.); (L.P.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Di Iorio
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (A.R.); (I.L.M.); (M.R.D.I.); (L.P.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Lombardo
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (A.R.); (I.L.M.); (M.R.D.I.); (L.P.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Lucio Pastore
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, via G. Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (A.R.); (I.L.M.); (M.R.D.I.); (L.P.)
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Lopes-Marques M, Mort M, Carneiro J, Azevedo A, Amaro AP, Cooper DN, Azevedo L. Meta-analysis of 46,000 germline de novo mutations linked to human inherited disease. Hum Genomics 2024; 18:20. [PMID: 38395944 PMCID: PMC10885371 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-024-00587-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND De novo mutations (DNMs) are variants that occur anew in the offspring of noncarrier parents. They are not inherited from either parent but rather result from endogenous mutational processes involving errors of DNA repair/replication. These spontaneous errors play a significant role in the causation of genetic disorders, and their importance in the context of molecular diagnostic medicine has become steadily more apparent as more DNMs have been reported in the literature. In this study, we examined 46,489 disease-associated DNMs annotated by the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) to ascertain their distribution across gene and disease categories. RESULTS Most disease-associated DNMs reported to date are found to be associated with developmental and psychiatric disorders, a reflection of the focus of sequencing efforts over the last decade. Of the 13,277 human genes in which DNMs have so far been found, the top-10 genes with the highest proportions of DNM relative to gene size were H3-3 A, DDX3X, CSNK2B, PURA, ZC4H2, STXBP1, SCN1A, SATB2, H3-3B and TUBA1A. The distribution of CADD and REVEL scores for both disease-associated DNMs and those mutations not reported to be de novo revealed a trend towards higher deleteriousness for DNMs, consistent with the likely lower selection pressure impacting them. This contrasts with the non-DNMs, which are presumed to have been subject to continuous negative selection over multiple generations. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis provides important information on the occurrence and distribution of disease-associated DNMs in association with heritable disease and should make a significant contribution to our understanding of this major type of mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Lopes-Marques
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Matthew Mort
- Institute of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - João Carneiro
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - António Azevedo
- CHUdSA-Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
- UMIB-Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ITR - Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreia P Amaro
- UMIB-Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ITR - Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, Porto, Portugal
| | - David N Cooper
- Institute of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Luísa Azevedo
- UMIB-Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- ITR - Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, Porto, Portugal.
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Makris G, Eleftheriades A, Pervanidou P. Early Life Stress, Hormones, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Horm Res Paediatr 2023; 96:17-24. [PMID: 35259742 DOI: 10.1159/000523942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life stress (ELS) describes a broad spectrum of adverse and stressful prenatal events, namely, prenatal maternal stress (PMS), or early postnatal events, which can have detrimental long-term influences on the physiology, cognition, and behavior of an individual. There is abundant evidence indicating that ELS exerts its lasting effects on the physical and mental health of the individual, likely acting through a number of mediating mechanisms, including the disruption of developmental programming of the fetus. Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are a group of conditions that typically manifest during infancy, childhood, or adolescence and are characterized by developmental deficits in various domains. SUMMARY The scope of the current mini-review is to provide an up-to-date summary of the findings regarding the association of ELS and NDDs and the possible hormonal mechanisms through which PMS exerts its impact on neurodevelopment. We focus on the available evidence regarding children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD or ASD. ELS exposure during developmental vulnerability windows may increase the risk for either subclinical neuropsychological alterations or clinical conditions, such as NDDs. In fact, a large body of evidence underlies the association of ELS exposure and increased risk for NDDs in the offspring. KEY MESSAGES The majority of data suggest that ELS, including PMS, may be associated with ADHD and ASD in the offspring, although there is no consensus regarding the critical developmental periods. Carefully controlled prospective studies are needed to determine the possible causal processes and mechanisms underlying the association of ELS and NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerasimos Makris
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Anna Eleftheriades
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiota Pervanidou
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece,
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Makris G, Agorastos A, Chrousos GP, Pervanidou P. Stress System Activation in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:756628. [PMID: 35095389 PMCID: PMC8793840 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.756628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mission of the human stress system is the maintenance of homeostasis in the presence of real or perceived, acute or chronic stressors. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are the stress system-related neuroendocrine pathways. There is abundant evidence that children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may exhibit atypical function within the HPA axis and the ANS both at the resting state and during the presence of social and/or non-social stressors. The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date summary of the findings regarding stress system alterations in children and adolescents with ASD. We focus on the variations of stress hormones circadian rhythms, specifically cortisol and alpha-amylase (i.e., a surrogate index of epinephrine/norepinephrine secretion), and on the alterations of stress system responsivity to different stressors. Also, we present imaging and immunological findings that have been associated with stress system dysregulation in children and adolescents with ASD. Finally, we review the pivotal role of HPA axis-ANS coordination, the developmental trajectory of the stress system in ASD, and the possible role of early life stress in the dysregulation of the stress system demonstrated in children and adolescents with ASD. This synthesis will hopefully provide researchers with a foundation for an integrated approach to future research into stress system variations in children and adolescents with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerasimos Makris
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- *Correspondence: Gerasimos Makris,
| | - Agorastos Agorastos
- Department of Psychiatry II, Division of Neurosciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George P. Chrousos
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiota Pervanidou
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Rosenstock TR, Sun C, Hughes GW, Winter K, Sarkar S. Analysis of Mitochondrial Dysfunction by Microplate Reader in hiPSC-Derived Neuronal Cell Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2549:1-21. [PMID: 35347693 DOI: 10.1007/7651_2021_451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondria are responsible for many vital pathways governing cellular homeostasis, including cellular energy management, heme biosynthesis, lipid metabolism, cellular proliferation and differentiation, cell cycle regulation, and cellular viability. Electron transport and ADP phosphorylation coupled with proton pumping through the mitochondrial complexes contribute to the preservation of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Importantly, mitochondrial polarization is essential for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) handling. Thus, changes in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), ΔΨm, and ATP/ADP may occur in parallel or stimulate each other. Brain cells like neurons are heavily reliant on mitochondrial OXPHOS for its high-energy demands, and hence improper mitochondrial function is detrimental for neuronal survival. Indeed, several neurodegenerative disorders are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Modeling this disease-relevant phenotype in neuronal cells differentiated from patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provide an appropriate cellular platform for studying the disease pathology and drug discovery. In this review, we describe high-throughput analysis of crucial parameters related to mitochondrial function in hiPSC-derived neurons. These methodologies include measurement of ΔΨm, intracellular Ca2+, oxidative stress, and ATP/ADP levels using fluorescence probes via a microplate reader. Benefits of such an approach include analysis of mitochondrial parameters on a large population of cells, simultaneous analysis of different cell lines and experimental conditions, and for drug screening to identify compounds restoring mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana R Rosenstock
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
- Department of Pharmacology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Bioscience, Sygnature Discovery, BioCity, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Congxin Sun
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Georgina Wynne Hughes
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Katherine Winter
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Sovan Sarkar
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
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Varga TG, de Toledo Simões JG, Siena A, Henrique E, da Silva RCB, Dos Santos Bioni V, Ramos AC, Rosenstock TR. Haloperidol rescues the schizophrenia-like phenotype in adulthood after rotenone administration in neonatal rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:2569-2585. [PMID: 34089344 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05880-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders are multifactorial disturbances that encompass several hypotheses, including changes in neurodevelopment. It is known that brain development disturbances during early life can predict psychosis in adulthood. As we have previously demonstrated, rotenone, a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor, could induce psychiatric-like behavior in 60-day-old rats after intraperitoneal injections from the 5th to the 11th postnatal day. Because mitochondrial deregulation is related to psychiatric disorders and the establishment of animal models is a high-value preclinical tool, we investigated the responsiveness of the rotenone (Rot)-treated newborn rats to pharmacological agents used in clinical practice, haloperidol (Hal), and methylphenidate (MPD). Taken together, our data show that Rot-treated animals exhibit hyperlocomotion, decreased social interaction, and diminished contextual fear conditioning response at P60, consistent with positive, negative, and cognitive deficits of schizophrenia (SZ), respectively, that were reverted by Hal, but not MPD. Rot-treated rodents also display a prodromal-related phenotype at P35. Overall, our results seem to present a new SZ animal model as a consequence of mitochondrial inhibition during a critical neurodevelopmental period. Therefore, our study is crucial not only to elucidate the relevance of mitochondrial function in the etiology of SZ but also to fulfill the need for new and trustworthy experimentation models and, likewise, provide possibilities to new therapeutic avenues for this burdensome disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Garcia Varga
- Department of Physiological Science, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Science, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Amanda Siena
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524 - Ed. Biomédicas I, 2º andar, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Elisandra Henrique
- Department of Physiological Science, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Science, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Aline Camargo Ramos
- Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Rosado Rosenstock
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524 - Ed. Biomédicas I, 2º andar, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil. .,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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7
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Neonatal Rotenone Administration Induces Psychiatric Disorder-Like Behavior and Changes in Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Synaptic Proteins in Adulthood. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:3015-3030. [PMID: 33608825 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02317-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Since psychiatric disorders are associated with changes in the development of the nervous system, an energy-dependent mechanism, we investigated whether mitochondrial inhibition during the critical neurodevelopment window in rodents would be able to induce metabolic alterations culminating in psychiatric-like behavior. We treated male Wistar rat puppies (P) with rotenone (Rot), an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I, from postnatal days 5 to 11 (P5-P11). We demonstrated that at P60 and P120, Rot-treated animals showed hyperlocomotion and deficits in social interaction and aversive contextual memory, features observed in animal models of schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. During adulthood, Rot-treated rodents also presented modifications in CBP and CREB levels in addition to a decrease in mitochondrial biogenesis and Nrf1 expression. Additionally, NFE2L2-activation was not altered in Rot-treated P60 and P120 animals; an upregulation of pNFE2L2/ NFE2L2 was only observed in P12 cortices. Curiously, ATP/ADP levels did not change in all ages evaluated. Rot administration in newborn rodents also promoted modification in Rest and Mecp2 expression, and in synaptic protein levels, named PSD-95, Synaptotagmin-1, and Synaptophysin in the adult rats. Altogether, our data indicate that behavioral abnormalities and changes in synaptic proteins in adulthood induced by neonatal Rot administration might be a result of adjustments in CREB pathways and alterations in mitochondrial biogenesis and Nrf1 expression, rather than a direct deficiency of energy supply, as previously speculated. Consequently, Rot-induced psychiatric-like behavior would be an outcome of alterations in neuronal paths due to mitochondrial deregulation.
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Lee FY, Larimore J, Faundez V, Dell'Angelica EC, Ghiani CA. Sex-dimorphic effects of biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex-1 deficiency on mouse perinatal brain development. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:67-89. [PMID: 32436302 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The function(s) of the Biogenesis of Lysosome-related Organelles Complex-1 (BLOC-1) during brain development is to date largely unknown. Here, we investigated how its absence alters the trajectory of postnatal brain development using as model the pallid mouse. Most of the defects observed early postnatally in the mutant mice were more prominent in males than in females and in the hippocampus. Male mutant mice, but not females, had smaller brains as compared to sex-matching wild types at postnatal day 1 (P1), this deficit was largely recovered by P14 and P45. An abnormal cytoarchitecture of the pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampus was observed in P1 pallid male, but not female, or juvenile mice (P45), along with severely decreased expression levels of the radial glial marker Glutamate-Aspartate Transporter. Transcriptomic analyses showed that the overall response to the lack of functional BLOC-1 was more pronounced in hippocampi at P1 than at P45 or in the cerebral cortex. These observations suggest that absence of BLOC-1 renders males more susceptible to perinatal brain maldevelopment and although most abnormalities appear to have been resolved in juvenile animals, still permanent defects may be present, resulting in faulty neuronal circuits, and contribute to previously reported cognitive and behavioral phenotypes in adult BLOC-1-deficient mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Y Lee
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Victor Faundez
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Esteban C Dell'Angelica
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cristina A Ghiani
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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9
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Lee FY, Wang HB, Hitchcock ON, Loh DH, Whittaker DS, Kim YS, Aiken A, Kokikian C, Dell'Angelica EC, Colwell CS, Ghiani CA. Sleep/Wake Disruption in a Mouse Model of BLOC-1 Deficiency. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:759. [PMID: 30498428 PMCID: PMC6249416 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mice lacking a functional Biogenesis of Lysosome-related Organelles Complex 1 (BLOC-1), such as those of the pallid line, display cognitive and behavioural impairments reminiscent of those presented by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Although disturbances in the sleep/wake cycle are commonly lamented by these individuals, the underlying mechanisms, including the possible role of the circadian timing system, are still unknown. In this paper, we have explored sleep/circadian malfunctions and underlying mechanisms in BLOC-1-deficient pallid mice. These mutants exhibited less sleep behaviour in the beginning of the resting phase than wild-type mice with a more broken sleeping pattern in normal light-dark conditions. Furthermore, the strength of the activity rhythms in the mutants were reduced with significantly more fragmentation and lower precision than in age-matched controls. These symptoms were accompanied by an abnormal preference for the open arm in the elevated plus maze in the day and poor performance in the novel object recognition at night. At the level of the central circadian clock (the suprachiasmatic nucleus, SCN), loss of BLOC-1 caused subtle morphological changes including a larger SCN and increased expression of the relative levels of the clock gene Per2 product during the day but did not affect the neuronal activity rhythms. In the hippocampus, the pallid mice presented with anomalies in the cytoarchitecture of the Dentate Gyrus granule cells, but not in CA1 pyramidal neurones, along with altered PER2 protein levels as well as reduced pCREB/tCREB ratio during the day. Our findings suggest that lack of BLOC-1 in mice disrupts the sleep/wake cycle and performance in behavioural tests associated with specific alterations in cytoarchitecture and protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Y Lee
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Huei-Bin Wang
- Molecular, Cellular, & Integrative Physiology Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Olivia N Hitchcock
- Integrative Biology and Physiology Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Dawn Hsiao Loh
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Daniel S Whittaker
- Molecular, Cellular, & Integrative Physiology Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yoon-Sik Kim
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Achilles Aiken
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Collette Kokikian
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Esteban C Dell'Angelica
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Christopher S Colwell
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Cristina A Ghiani
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Abstract
The prenatal period is increasingly considered as a crucial target for the primary prevention of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Understanding their pathophysiological mechanisms remains a great challenge. Our review reveals new insights from prenatal brain development research, involving (epi)genetic research, neuroscience, recent imaging techniques, physical modeling, and computational simulation studies. Studies examining the effect of prenatal exposure to maternal distress on offspring brain development, using brain imaging techniques, reveal effects at birth and up into adulthood. Structural and functional changes are observed in several brain regions including the prefrontal, parietal, and temporal lobes, as well as the cerebellum, hippocampus, and amygdala. Furthermore, alterations are seen in functional connectivity of amygdalar-thalamus networks and in intrinsic brain networks, including default mode and attentional networks. The observed changes underlie offspring behavioral, cognitive, emotional development, and susceptibility to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. It is concluded that used brain measures have not yet been validated with regard to sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, or robustness in predicting neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Therefore, more prospective long-term longitudinal follow-up studies starting early in pregnancy should be carried out, in order to examine brain developmental measures as mediators in mediating the link between prenatal stress and offspring behavioral, cognitive, and emotional problems and susceptibility for disorders.
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