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Kaizuka T, Takumi T. Alteration of synaptic protein composition during developmental synapse maturation. Eur J Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 38571321 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The postsynaptic density (PSD) is a collection of specialized proteins assembled beneath the postsynaptic membrane of dendritic spines. The PSD proteome comprises ~1000 proteins, including neurotransmitter receptors, scaffolding proteins and signalling enzymes. Many of these proteins have essential roles in synaptic function and plasticity. During brain development, changes are observed in synapse density and in the stability and shape of spines, reflecting the underlying molecular maturation of synapses. Synaptic protein composition changes in terms of protein abundance and the assembly of protein complexes, supercomplexes and the physical organization of the PSD. Here, we summarize the developmental alterations of postsynaptic protein composition during synapse maturation. We describe major PSD proteins involved in postsynaptic signalling that regulates synaptic plasticity and discuss the effect of altered expression of these proteins during development. We consider the abnormality of synaptic profiles and synaptic protein composition in the brain in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders. We also explain differences in synapse development between rodents and primates in terms of synaptic profiles and protein composition. Finally, we introduce recent findings related to synaptic diversity and nanoarchitecture and discuss their impact on future research. Synaptic protein composition can be considered a major determinant and marker of synapse maturation in normality and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Kaizuka
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Toru Takumi
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
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2
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Aspragkathou DD, Spilioti MG, Gkampeta A, Dalpa E, Holeva V, Papadopoulou MT, Serdari A, Dafoulis V, Zafeiriou DI, Evangeliou AE. Branched-chain amino acids as adjunctive-alternative treatment in patients with autism: a pilot study. Br J Nutr 2024; 131:73-81. [PMID: 37424284 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114523001496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) is a group of essential amino acids that are involved in maintaining the energy balance of a human being as well as the homoeostasis of GABAergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic and dopaminergic systems. Disruption of these systems has been associated with the pathophysiology of autism while low levels of these amino acids have been discovered in patients with autism. A pilot open-label, prospective, follow-up study of the use of BCAA in children with autistic behaviour was carried out. Fifty-five children between the ages of 6 and 18 participated in the study from May 2015 to May 2018. We used a carbohydrate-free BCAA-powdered mixture containing 45·5 g of leucine, 30 g of isoleucine and 24·5 g of valine in a daily dose of 0·4 g/kg of body weight which was administered every morning. Following the initiation of BCAA administration, children were submitted to a monthly psychological examination. Beyond the 4-week mark, BCAA were given to thirty-two people (58·18 %). Six of them (10·9 %) discontinued after 4-10 weeks owing to lack of improvement. The remaining twenty-six children (47·27 %) who took BCAA for longer than 10 weeks displayed improved social behaviour and interactions, as well as improvements in their speech, cooperation, stereotypy and, principally, their hyperactivity. There were no adverse reactions reported during the course of the treatment. Although these data are preliminary, there is some evidence that BCAA could be used as adjunctive treatment to conventional therapeutic methods for the management of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Despoina D Aspragkathou
- Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Medical School, Papageorgiou Hospital, Efkarpia, 56403Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Martha G Spilioti
- Department of Neurology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Medical School, AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anastasia Gkampeta
- Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Medical School, Papageorgiou Hospital, Efkarpia, 56403Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Efterpi Dalpa
- Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Medical School, Papageorgiou Hospital, Efkarpia, 56403Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Holeva
- Psychiatric Clinic, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Medical School, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria T Papadopoulou
- Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Medical School, Papageorgiou Hospital, Efkarpia, 56403Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Aspasia Serdari
- Psychiatric Clinic, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Thrace University, Medical School, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Vaios Dafoulis
- Psychiatric Clinic of the Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dimitrios I Zafeiriou
- Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasios E Evangeliou
- Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Medical School, Papageorgiou Hospital, Efkarpia, 56403Thessaloniki, Greece
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3
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Tallarico M, Leo A, Russo E, Citraro R, Palma E, De Sarro G. Seizure susceptibility to various convulsant stimuli in the BTBR mouse model of autism spectrum disorders. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1155729. [PMID: 37153775 PMCID: PMC10157402 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1155729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are one of the most severe chronic childhood disorders in terms of prevalence, morbidity, and impact on society. Interestingly, several systematic reviews and meta-analyses documented a bidirectional link between epilepsy and ASD, supporting the hypothesis that both disorders may have common neurobiological pathways. According to this hypothesis, an imbalance of the excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) ratio in several brain regions may represent a causal mechanism underpinning the co-occurrence of these neurological diseases. Methods: To investigate this bidirectional link, we first tested the seizure susceptibility to chemoconvulsants acting on GABAergic and glutamatergic systems in the BTBR mice, in which an imbalance between E/I has been previously demonstrated. Subsequently, we performed the PTZ kindling protocol to study the impact of seizures on autistic-like behavior and other neurological deficits in BTBR mice. Results: We found that BTBR mice have an increased susceptibility to seizures induced by chemoconvulsants impairing GABAA neurotransmission in comparison to C57BL/6J control mice, whereas no significant difference in seizure susceptibility was observed after administration of AMPA, NMDA, and Kainate. This data suggests that deficits in GABAergic neurotransmission can increase seizure susceptibility in this strain of mice. Interestingly, BTBR mice showed a longer latency in the development of kindling compared to control mice. Furthermore, PTZ-kindling did not influence autistic-like behavior in BTBR mice, whereas it was able to significantly increase anxiety and worsen cognitive performance in this strain of mice. Interestingly, C57BL/6J displayed reduced sociability after PTZ injections, supporting the hypothesis that a tight connection exists between ASD and epilepsy. Conclusion: BTBR mice can be considered a good model to study epilepsy and ASD contemporarily. However, future studies should shed light on the mechanisms underpinning the co-occurrence of these neurological disorders in the BTBR model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Tallarico
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine and Surgery, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Antonio Leo
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine and Surgery, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
- System and Applied Pharmacology@University Magna Grecia, Science of Health Department, School of Medicine and Surgery, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
- *Correspondence: Antonio Leo,
| | - Emilio Russo
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine and Surgery, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Rita Citraro
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine and Surgery, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
- System and Applied Pharmacology@University Magna Grecia, Science of Health Department, School of Medicine and Surgery, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Ernesto Palma
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine and Surgery, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Giovambattista De Sarro
- Science of Health Department, School of Medicine and Surgery, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
- System and Applied Pharmacology@University Magna Grecia, Science of Health Department, School of Medicine and Surgery, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
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Cao C, Li Q, Chen Y, Zou M, Sun C, Li X, Wu L. Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Metabolic Disturbances and Exacerbation of Oxidative Stress in the Cerebral Cortex of a BTBR Mouse Model of Autism. J Mol Neurosci 2023; 73:15-27. [PMID: 36574152 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-022-02096-6] [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: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The etiology and pathology of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are still poorly understood, which largely limit the treatment and diagnosis of ASDs. Emerging evidence supports that abnormal metabolites in the cerebral cortex of a BTBR mouse model of autism are involved in the pathogenesis of autism. However, systematic study on global metabolites in the cerebral cortex of BTBR mice has not been conducted. The current study aims to characterize metabolic changes in the cerebral cortex of BTBR mice by using an untargeted metabolomic approach based on UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. C57BL/6 J mice were used as a control group. A total of 14 differential metabolites were identified. Compared with the control group, the intensities of PI(16:0/22:5(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z)), PC(22:6(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)/18:1(9Z)), PA(16:0/18:1(11Z)), 17-beta-estradiol-3-glucuronide, and N6,N6,N6-trimethyl-L-lysine decreased significantly (p < 0.01) and the intensities of 2-oxo-4-hydroxy-4-carboxy-5-ureidoimidazoline, LysoPC(20:4(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)/0:0), adenosine monophosphate, adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate, LacCer(d18:1/12:0),3-dehydro-L-gulonate, N-(1-deoxy-1-fructosyl)tryptophan, homovanillic acid, and LPA(0:0/18:1(9Z)) increased significantly (p < 0.01) in the BTBR group. These changes in metabolites were closely related to perturbations in lipid metabolism, energy metabolism, purine metabolism, sulfur metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and carnitine biosynthesis. Notably, exacerbation of the oxidative stress response caused by differential prooxidant metabolites led to alteration of antioxidative systems in the cerebral cortex and resulted in mitochondrial dysfunction, further leading to abnormal energy metabolism as an etiological mechanism of autism. A central role of abnormal metabolites in neurological functions associated with behavioral outcomes and disturbance of sulfur metabolism and carnitine biosynthesis were found in the cerebral cortex of BTBR mice, which helped increase our understanding for exploring the pathological mechanism of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Cao
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, China
| | - Yanping Chen
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, China
| | - Mingyang Zou
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, China
| | - Caihong Sun
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, China
| | - Xiangning Li
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, China
| | - Lijie Wu
- Department of Children's and Adolescent Health, Public Health College of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, China.
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Li Q, Shi Y, Li X, Yang Y, Zhang X, Xu L, Ma Z, Wang J, Fan L, Wu L. Proteomic-Based Approach Reveals the Involvement of Apolipoprotein A-I in Related Phenotypes of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the BTBR Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315290. [PMID: 36499620 PMCID: PMC9737945 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Abnormal lipid metabolism has been suggested to contribute to its pathogenesis. Further exploration of its underlying biochemical mechanisms is needed. In a search for reliable biomarkers for the pathophysiology of ASD, hippocampal tissues from the ASD model BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice and C57BL/6J mice were analyzed, using four-dimensional (4D) label-free proteomic analysis and bioinformatics analysis. Differentially expressed proteins were significantly enriched in lipid metabolic pathways. Among them, apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) is a hub protein and its expression was significantly higher in the BTBR mice. The investigation of protein levels (using Western blotting) also confirmed this observation. Furthermore, expressions of SphK2 and S1P in the ApoA-I pathway both increased. Using the SphK inhibitor (SKI-II), ASD core phenotype and phenotype-related protein levels of P-CREB, P-CaMKII, and GAD1 were improved, as shown via behavioral and molecular biology experiments. Moreover, by using SKI-II, we found proteins related to the development and function of neuron synapses, including ERK, caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, CDK5 and KCNQ2 in BTBR mice, whose levels were restored to protein levels comparable to those in the controls. Elucidating the possible mechanism of ApoA-I in ASD-associated phenotypes will provide new ideas for studies on the etiology of ASD.
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6
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Martin LJ, Poulson SJ, Mannan E, Sivaselvachandran S, Cho M, Setak F, Chan C. Altered nociceptive behavior and emotional contagion of pain in mouse models of autism. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 21:e12778. [PMID: 34812576 PMCID: PMC9744566 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have altered sensory processing but may ineffectively communicate their experiences. Here, we used a battery of nociceptive behavioral tests to assess sensory alterations in two commonly used mouse models of ASD, BTBR T+ Itpr3tf /J (BTBR), and fragile-X mental retardation-1 knockout (Fmr1-KO) mice. We also asked whether emotional contagion, a primitive form of empathy, was altered in BTBR and Fmr1 KO mice when experiencing pain with a social partner. BTBR mice demonstrated mixed nociceptive responses with hyporesponsivity to mechanical/thermal stimuli and intraplantar injections of formalin and capsaicin while displaying hypersensitivity on the acetic acid test. Fmr1-KO mice were hyposensitive to mechanical stimuli and intraplantar injections of capsaicin and formalin. BTBR and Fmr1-KO mice developed significantly less mechanical allodynia following intraplantar injections of complete Freund's adjuvant, while BTBR mice developed slightly more thermal hyperalgesia. Finally, as measured by the formalin and acetic acid writhing tests, BTBR and Fmr1-KO mice did not show emotional contagion of pain. In sum, our findings indicate that depending on the sensation, pain responses may be mixed, which reflects findings in ASD individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren J. Martin
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaOntarioCanada,Cell and Systems BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Sandra J. Poulson
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaOntarioCanada
| | - Emma Mannan
- Cell and Systems BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | | | - Moonjeong Cho
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaOntarioCanada
| | - Fatima Setak
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaOntarioCanada
| | - Claire Chan
- Cell and Systems BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
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7
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Erythropoietin Stimulates GABAergic Maturation in the Mouse Hippocampus. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0006-21.2021. [PMID: 33495244 PMCID: PMC7890522 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0006-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Several neurodevelopmental disabilities are strongly associated with alterations in GABAergic transmission, and therapies to stimulate its normal development are lacking. Erythropoietin (EPO) is clinically used in neonatology to mitigate acute brain injury, and to stimulate neuronal maturation. Yet it remains unclear whether EPO can stimulate maturation of the GABAergic system. Here, with the use of a transgenic mouse line that constitutively overexpresses neuronal EPO (Tg21), we show that EPO stimulates postnatal GABAergic maturation in the hippocampus. We show an increase in hippocampal GABA-immunoreactive neurons, and postnatal elevation of interneurons expressing parvalbumin (PV), somatostatin (SST), and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Analysis of perineuronal net (PNN) formation and innervation of glutamatergic terminals onto PV+ cells, shows to be enhanced early in postnatal development. Additionally, an increase in GABAAergic synapse density and IPSCs in CA1 pyramidal cells from Tg21 mice is observed. Detection of EPO receptor (EPOR) mRNA was observed to be restricted to glutamatergic pyramidal cells and increased in Tg21 mice at postnatal day (P)7, along with reduced apoptosis. Our findings show that EPO can stimulate postnatal GABAergic maturation in the hippocampus, by increasing neuronal survival, modulating critical plasticity periods, and increasing synaptic transmission. Our data supports EPO’s clinical use to balance GABAergic dysfunction.
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8
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Xu XJ, Cai XE, Meng FC, Song TJ, Wang XX, Wei YZ, Zhai FJ, Long B, Wang J, You X, Zhang R. Comparison of the Metabolic Profiles in the Plasma and Urine Samples Between Autistic and Typically Developing Boys: A Preliminary Study. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:657105. [PMID: 34149478 PMCID: PMC8211775 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.657105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined as a pervasive developmental disorder which is caused by genetic and environmental risk factors. Besides the core behavioral symptoms, accumulated results indicate children with ASD also share some metabolic abnormalities. Objectives: To analyze the comprehensive metabolic profiles in both of the first-morning urine and plasma samples collected from the same cohort of autistic boys. Methods: In this study, 30 autistic boys and 30 tightly matched healthy control (HC) boys (age range: 2.4~6.7 years) were recruited. First-morning urine and plasma samples were collected and the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was applied to obtain the untargeted metabolic profiles. The acquired data were processed by multivariate analysis and the screened metabolites were grouped by metabolic pathway. Results: Different discriminating metabolites were found in plasma and urine samples. Notably, taurine and catechol levels were decreased in urine but increased in plasma in the same cohort of ASD children. Enriched pathway analysis revealed that perturbations in taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism could be found in both of the plasma and urine samples. Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that a series of common metabolic perturbations exist in children with ASD, and confirmed the importance to have a comprehensive analysis of the metabolites in different biological samples to reveal the full picture of the complex metabolic patterns associated with ASD. Further targeted analyses are needed to validate these results in a larger cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Jie Xu
- Medical Science Research Center, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Scientific Research, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-E Cai
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China, Neuroscience Research Institute, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fan-Chao Meng
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China, Neuroscience Research Institute, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tian-Jia Song
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China, Neuroscience Research Institute, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,Peking University McGovern Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Xi Wang
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China, Neuroscience Research Institute, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi-Zhen Wei
- Department of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fu-Jun Zhai
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China, Neuroscience Research Institute, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Long
- Medical Science Research Center, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Scientific Research, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Biomedicine and Biopharmacology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xin You
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China, Neuroscience Research Institute, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Odent P, Creemers JW, Bosmans G, D'Hooge R. Spectrum of social alterations in the Neurobeachin haploinsufficiency mouse model of autism. Brain Res Bull 2020; 167:11-21. [PMID: 33197534 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common and pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by sexually divergent social deficits. Its etiology is multifactorial with an important contribution of genetic factors. Neurobeachin (Nbea), a brain-enriched multidomain scaffolding protein, is an ASD candidate gene that was found to be translocated or deleted in ASD patients. Nbea haploinsufficient (+/-) mice have been proposed as an ASD mouse model, but its broad-spectrum social phenotype, sexual divergence and age-related robustness remain unstudied. This study compared one-year-old male and female Nbea+/- mice and their control littermates in an extensive behavioral battery that focused on social behaviors and communication. Nbea haploinsufficiency was associated with selective, sex-dependent, quantitative and qualitative changes, including alterations in social interest and approach, ultrasonic vocalization (USV) between same-sex adult conspecifics, and preferred types of social interaction. Notably, Nbea+/- females (but not males) displayed a significantly higher number of calls, and the mean principal frequency of their calls was higher than those of normal female littermates. Our results demonstrate that Nbea haploinsufficiency alters various aspects of social performance that are also altered in clinical ASD. The phenotype was often different between male and female mice, even though this sexual divergence was sometimes counterintuitive to observations in people with ASD, and probably influenced by differences in social interaction between male and female mice. By and large, however, this study demonstrates the clinical validity and robustness of the ASD-like phenotype of Nbea+/- mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulien Odent
- Research Groups of Biological Psychology, Tiensestraat 102, Leuven, Belgium(1)
| | - John W Creemers
- Research Groups of Biochemical Neuroendocrinology, Herestraat 49, Leuven, Belgium(1)
| | - Guy Bosmans
- Research Groups of Clinical Psychology, Tiensestraat 102, Leuven, Belgium(1)
| | - Rudi D'Hooge
- Research Groups of Biological Psychology, Tiensestraat 102, Leuven, Belgium(1).
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10
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Wang M, He J, Zhou Y, Lv N, Zhao M, Wei H, Li R. Integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles in the brains of BTBR mice. Int J Dev Neurosci 2020; 80:221-233. [PMID: 32086829 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The BTBR T+ Itpr3tf (BTBR) mouse has developmental disorders in brain and many aberrant neuroanatomical structures and brain dysfunction. However, identification of the pathological mechanisms underlying abnormal brain development in the brains of BTBR mice is still lacking. Increasingly evidence showed that epigenetics plays an important role in the processes of brain development. In this study, we analyzed microRNA (miRNA) and mRNA expression profiles in the cortical brain tissue from BTBR mice, using RNA sequencing. As compared to C57BL/6J (B6) mice, 1,271 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 36 known differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were found in the brain from BTBR mice. The functional annotation and categories of DEGs and DEMs were analyzed. Integration analysis identified 103 known miRNA-mRNA interaction pairs. We further verified selected several genes and miRNAs which may be associated with brain development using quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Finally, we speculate that reduced myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein and transmembrane proteins 260 may be linked with abnormal brain development in BTBR mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jing He
- Department of Medical Imaging, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yun Zhou
- Nephrology Division, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Na Lv
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Min Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hongen Wei
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Rongshan Li
- Nephrology Division, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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11
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Changes in the Fluorescence Tracking of NaV1.6 Protein Expression in a BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J Autistic Mouse Model. Neural Plast 2019; 2019:4893103. [PMID: 31933626 PMCID: PMC6942885 DOI: 10.1155/2019/4893103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS), the site of action potential initiation in neurons, is a critical determinant of neuronal excitability. Growing evidence indicates that appropriate recruitment of the AIS macrocomplex is essential for synchronized firing. However, disruption of the AIS structure is linked to the etiology of multiple disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a condition characterized by deficits in social communication, stereotyped behaviors, and very limited interests. To date, a complete understanding of the molecular components that underlie the AIS in ASD has remained elusive. In this research, we examined the AIS structure in a BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J mouse model (BTBR), a valid model that exhibits behavioral, electrical, and molecular features of autism, and compared this to the C57BL/6J wild-type control mouse. Using Western blot studies and high-resolution confocal microscopy in the prefrontal frontal cortex (PFC), our data indicate disrupted expression of different isoforms of the voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV) at the AIS, whereas other components of AIS such as ankyrin-G and fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14) and contactin-associated protein 1 (Caspr) in BTBR were comparable to those in wild-type control mice. A Western blot assay showed that BTBR mice exhibited a marked increase in different sodium channel isoforms in the PFC compared to wild-type mice. Our results provide potential evidence for previously undescribed mechanisms that may play a role in the pathogenesis of autistic-like phenotypes in BTBR mice.
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Wang M, Chang Q, Yang H, Liu Y, Wang C, Hu F, Wei H, Li R. Elevated lysine crotonylation and succinylation in the brains of BTBR mice. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 76:61-64. [PMID: 31255717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 06/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The BTBR T + Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mouse has developmental disorders in the central nervous system and many aberrant neuroanatomical structures. However, identification of the pathological mechanisms underlying these abnormal neuroanatomical structures in the brains of BTBR mice is still lacking. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) are known to be involved in the regulation of diverse cellular processes, and evidence shows that some types of PTMs are associated with the development of the central nervous system. In this study, we detected four novel PTMs in the cerebral cortex of BTBR mice as compared to C57BL/6 J (B6) mice using western blotting. Results revealed that lysine crotonylation and succinylation were elevated in the cerebral cortex of BTBR mice compared to levels in B6 mice. We speculate that elevated profiles of lysine crotonylation and succinylation may be involved in mechanisms related to neuroanatomical abnormalities in cerebral cortex of BTBR mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Qiaoqiao Chang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hua Yang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Chunfang Wang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Animal and Animal Model of Human Diseases, Taiyuan, China
| | - Fengyun Hu
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hongen Wei
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Rongshan Li
- Nephrology Division, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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Chang Q, Yang H, Wang M, Wei H, Hu F. Role of Microtubule-Associated Protein in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neurosci Bull 2018; 34:1119-1126. [PMID: 29936584 PMCID: PMC6246838 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-018-0246-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication, along with repetitive and restrictive patterns of behaviors or interests. Normal brain development is crucial to behavior and cognition in adulthood. Abnormal brain development, such as synaptic and myelin dysfunction, is involved in the pathogenesis of ASD. Microtubules and microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are important in regulating the processes of brain development, including neuron production and synaptic formation, as well as myelination. Increasing evidence suggests that the level of MAPs are changed in autistic patients and mouse models of ASD. Here, we discuss the roles of MAPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoqiao Chang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China
| | - Hua Yang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China
| | - Hongen Wei
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China.
| | - Fengyun Hu
- Department of Neurology, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliate of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China.
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Fedele L, Newcombe J, Topf M, Gibb A, Harvey RJ, Smart TG. Disease-associated missense mutations in GluN2B subunit alter NMDA receptor ligand binding and ion channel properties. Nat Commun 2018; 9:957. [PMID: 29511171 PMCID: PMC5840332 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-02927-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic and bioinformatic analyses have identified missense mutations in GRIN2B encoding the NMDA receptor GluN2B subunit in autism, intellectual disability, Lennox Gastaut and West Syndromes. Here, we investigated several such mutations using a near-complete, hybrid 3D model of the human NMDAR and studied their consequences with kinetic modelling and electrophysiology. The mutants revealed reductions in glutamate potency; increased receptor desensitisation; and ablation of voltage-dependent Mg2+ block. In addition, we provide new views on Mg2+ and NMDA channel blocker binding sites. We demonstrate that these mutants have significant impact on excitatory transmission in developing neurons, revealing profound changes that could underlie their associated neurological disorders. Of note, the NMDAR channel mutant GluN2BV618G unusually allowed Mg2+ permeation, whereas nearby N615I reduced Ca2+ permeability. By identifying the binding site for an NMDAR antagonist that is used in the clinic to rescue gain-of-function phenotypes, we show that drug binding may be modified by some GluN2B disease-causing mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fedele
- Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology UCL, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Joseph Newcombe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - Maya Topf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - Alasdair Gibb
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology UCL, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Robert J Harvey
- School of Health and Sport Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia.
- Sunshine Coast Health Institute, 6 Doherty Street, Birtinya, QLD 4575, Australia.
| | - Trevor G Smart
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology UCL, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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15
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Lo FS, Erzurumlu RS. Insulin receptor sensitization restores neocortical excitation/inhibition balance in a mouse model of autism. Mol Autism 2018; 9:13. [PMID: 29484150 PMCID: PMC5824550 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0196-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Met receptor tyrosine kinase regulates neurogenesis, differentiation, migration, connectivity, and synaptic plasticity. The human Met gene has been identified as a prominent risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Met gene-altered mice serve as useful models for mechanistic studies of ASD. Inactivation of Met in excitatory cortical neurons in mice (Emx1cre/Metflox mice) yields a phenotype in which significantly decreased GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition shifts the excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance toward excitation in the somatosensory cortex. Further, unlike that seen in wild-type mice, insulin does not increase inhibition in the mutant cortex, suggesting that one of the consequences of kinase inactive Met gene could be desensitization of insulin receptors. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of insulin receptor sensitizer, pioglitazone, on inhibition in the somatosensory thalamocortical circuitry. Methods We used whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology and analyzed excitatory and inhibitory responses of cortical layer IV excitatory cells following stimulation of their thalamic input in thalamocortical pathway intact brain slices. We applied insulin alone and insulin + a thiazolidinedione, pioglitazone (PIO), to test the effects of sensitizing insulin receptors on inhibitory responses mediated by GABAA receptors in the somatosensory cortex of Emx1cre/Metflox mice. Results In WT brain slices, application of insulin together with PIO did not enhance the effect of insulin alone. In contrast, PIO application induced a much larger inhibition than that of insulin alone in Met-defective cortex. Thus, insulin resistance of GABAA receptor-mediated response in Met mutant mice may result from desensitized insulin receptors. Conclusions Sporadic clinical studies reported improved behavioral symptoms in children with autism following PIO treatment. We show that PIO can aid in normalization of the E/I balance in the primary somatosensory cortex, a potential physiological mechanism underlying the positive effects of PIO treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Sun Lo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 22 Penn Street HSFII-S259, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Reha S Erzurumlu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 22 Penn Street HSFII-S259, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
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Common functional variants of the glutamatergic system in Autism spectrum disorder with high and low intellectual abilities. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2017; 125:259-271. [PMID: 29147782 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-017-1813-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The genetic architecture underlying Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been suggested to differ between individuals with lower (IQ ≤ 70; LIQ) and higher intellectual abilities (IQ > 70; HIQ). Among the identified pathomechanisms, the glutamatergic signalling pathway is of specific interest in ASD. We investigated 187 common functional variants of this neurotransmitter system for association with ASD and with symptom severity in two independent samples, a German (German-ALL: N = 583 families) and the Autism Genome Project cohort (AGP-ALL: N = 2001 families), split into HIQ, and LIQ subgroups. We did not identify any association withstanding correction for multiple testing. However, we report a replicated nominal significant under-transmission (OR < 0.79, p < 0.04) of the AKAP13 rs745191-T allele in both LIQ cohorts, but not in the much larger HIQ cohorts. At the phenotypic level, we nominally replicated associations of CAMK2A-rs2241694 with non-verbal communication in both combined LIQ and HIQ ASD cohorts. Variants PLD1-rs2124147 and ADCY1-rs2461127 were nominally associated with impaired non-verbal abilities and AKAP2-rs3739456 with repetitive behaviour in both LIQ cohorts. All four LIQ-associated genes are involved in G-protein coupled signal transduction, a downstream pathway of metabotropic glutamate receptor activation. We conclude that functional common variants of glutamatergic genes do not have a strong impact on ASD, but seem to moderately affect ASD risk and phenotypic expression. Since most of our nominally replicated hits were identified in the LIQ cohort, further investigation of the glutamatergic system in this subpopulation might be warranted.
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Varghese M, Keshav N, Jacot-Descombes S, Warda T, Wicinski B, Dickstein DL, Harony-Nicolas H, De Rubeis S, Drapeau E, Buxbaum JD, Hof PR. Autism spectrum disorder: neuropathology and animal models. Acta Neuropathol 2017; 134:537-566. [PMID: 28584888 PMCID: PMC5693718 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-017-1736-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 276] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a major impact on the development and social integration of affected individuals and is the most heritable of psychiatric disorders. An increase in the incidence of ASD cases has prompted a surge in research efforts on the underlying neuropathologic processes. We present an overview of current findings in neuropathology studies of ASD using two investigational approaches, postmortem human brains and ASD animal models, and discuss the overlap, limitations, and significance of each. Postmortem examination of ASD brains has revealed global changes including disorganized gray and white matter, increased number of neurons, decreased volume of neuronal soma, and increased neuropil, the last reflecting changes in densities of dendritic spines, cerebral vasculature and glia. Both cortical and non-cortical areas show region-specific abnormalities in neuronal morphology and cytoarchitectural organization, with consistent findings reported from the prefrontal cortex, fusiform gyrus, frontoinsular cortex, cingulate cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, cerebellum and brainstem. The paucity of postmortem human studies linking neuropathology to the underlying etiology has been partly addressed using animal models to explore the impact of genetic and non-genetic factors clinically relevant for the ASD phenotype. Genetically modified models include those based on well-studied monogenic ASD genes (NLGN3, NLGN4, NRXN1, CNTNAP2, SHANK3, MECP2, FMR1, TSC1/2), emerging risk genes (CHD8, SCN2A, SYNGAP1, ARID1B, GRIN2B, DSCAM, TBR1), and copy number variants (15q11-q13 deletion, 15q13.3 microdeletion, 15q11-13 duplication, 16p11.2 deletion and duplication, 22q11.2 deletion). Models of idiopathic ASD include inbred rodent strains that mimic ASD behaviors as well as models developed by environmental interventions such as prenatal exposure to sodium valproate, maternal autoantibodies, and maternal immune activation. In addition to replicating some of the neuropathologic features seen in postmortem studies, a common finding in several animal models of ASD is altered density of dendritic spines, with the direction of the change depending on the specific genetic modification, age and brain region. Overall, postmortem neuropathologic studies with larger sample sizes representative of the various ASD risk genes and diverse clinical phenotypes are warranted to clarify putative etiopathogenic pathways further and to promote the emergence of clinically relevant diagnostic and therapeutic tools. In addition, as genetic alterations may render certain individuals more vulnerable to developing the pathological changes at the synapse underlying the behavioral manifestations of ASD, neuropathologic investigation using genetically modified animal models will help to improve our understanding of the disease mechanisms and enhance the development of targeted treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merina Varghese
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Box 1639, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Neha Keshav
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Box 1639, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Sarah Jacot-Descombes
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Box 1639, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Children and Teenagers, University Hospitals and School of Medicine, Geneva, CH-1205, Switzerland
| | - Tahia Warda
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Box 1639, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Bridget Wicinski
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Box 1639, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Dara L Dickstein
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Box 1639, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Hala Harony-Nicolas
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Silvia De Rubeis
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Elodie Drapeau
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Joseph D Buxbaum
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Box 1639, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Box 1639, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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Lopatina OL, Furuhara K, Ishihara K, Salmina AB, Higashida H. Communication Impairment in Ultrasonic Vocal Repertoire during the Suckling Period of Cd157 Knockout Mice: Transient Improvement by Oxytocin. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:266. [PMID: 28566999 PMCID: PMC5434149 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Communication consists of social interaction, recognition, and information transmission. Communication ability is the most affected component in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recently, we reported that the CD157/BST1 gene is associated with ASD, and that CD157 knockout (Cd157−/−) mice display severe impairments in social behavior that are improved by oxytocin (OXT) treatment. Here, we sought to determine whether Cd157−/− mice can be used as a suitable model for communication deficits by measuring ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), especially in the early developmental stage. Call number produced in pups due to isolation from dams was higher at postnatal day (PND) 3 in knockout pups than wild-type mice, but was lower at PNDs 7 and 10. Pups of both genotypes had similarly limited voice repertoires at PND 3. Later on, at PNDs 7 and 10, while wild-type pups emitted USVs consisting of six different syllable types, knockout pups vocalized with only two types. This developmental impairment in USV emission was rescued within 30 min by intraperitoneal OXT treatment, but quickly returned to control levels after 120 min, showing a transient effect of OXT. USV impairment was partially observed in Cd157+/− heterozygous mice, but not in Cd157−/− adult male mice examined while under courtship. These results demonstrate that CD157 gene deletion results in social communication insufficiencies, and suggests that CD157 is likely involved in acoustic communication. This unique OXT-sensitive developmental delay in Cd157−/− pups may be a useful model of communicative interaction impairment in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga L Lopatina
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa UniversityKanazawa, Japan.,Department of Biochemistry, Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Toxicological Chemistry, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University Named after Prof. V.F. Voino-YasenetskyKrasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Kazumi Furuhara
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa UniversityKanazawa, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Ishihara
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Kawasaki Medical SchoolKurashiki, Japan
| | - Alla B Salmina
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Toxicological Chemistry, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University Named after Prof. V.F. Voino-YasenetskyKrasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Basic Research on Social Recognition and Memory, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa UniversityKanazawa, Japan
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The BTBR Mouse, Sociability, and Reduced Glutamate Release: A Role for Endogenous Dynorphin? Neurochem Res 2017; 42:2435-2436. [PMID: 28303500 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-017-2231-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 03/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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20
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Meyza KZ, Blanchard DC. The BTBR mouse model of idiopathic autism - Current view on mechanisms. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 76:99-110. [PMID: 28167097 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder, with current estimates of more than 1% of affected children across nations. The patients form a highly heterogeneous group with only the behavioral phenotype in common. The genetic heterogeneity is reflected in a plethora of animal models representing multiple mutations found in families of affected children. Despite many years of scientific effort, for the majority of cases the genetic cause remains elusive. It is therefore crucial to include well-validated models of idiopathic autism in studies searching for potential therapeutic agents. One of these models is the BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J mouse. The current review summarizes data gathered in recent research on potential molecular mechanisms responsible for the autism-like behavioral phenotype of this strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Z Meyza
- Laboratory of Emotions' Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 3 Pasteur Street, Warsaw, 02-093, Poland.
| | - D C Blanchard
- Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa,1993 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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