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Taheri F, Joushi S, Esmaeilpour K, Ebrahimi MN, Taherizadeh Z, Taheri P, Sheibani V. Transmission of behavioral and cognitive impairments across generations in rats subjected to prenatal valproic acid exposure. Birth Defects Res 2024; 116:e2309. [PMID: 38343145 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2309] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) represents an inheritable neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication deficits and repetitive behaviors. Numerous studies have underscored the significant roles played by genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of ASD, and these factors are known to perpetuate behavioral impairments across generations. OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this study was to assess the behavioral and cognitive attributes in the second filial (F2) generation of male and female rats, with a particular focus on those whose parents had been exposed to valproic acid (VPA) during embryonic development. METHODS In this study, a cohort of 32 male and 32 female rats from the second filial (F2) generation, referred to as Mother.ASD, Father.ASD, or Both.ASD, was examined. These designations indicate whether the mother, father, or both parents had experienced embryonic exposure to valproic acid (600 mg/kg, i.p.). During adolescence, the F2 pups underwent behavioral and cognitive assessments, including open field testing, marble burying, social interaction evaluations, and Morris water maze tasks. RESULTS Our data revealed that while both the Mother.ASD and Father.ASD groups, regardless of sex, exhibited elevated anxiety-like behavior in the open field test. Only the Mother.ASD group displayed repetitive behaviors and deficits in social memory. Additionally, spatial memory impairments were observed in both sexes. These findings highlight the transmission of autistic-like behaviors in the offspring of Mother.ASD rats from both sexes. Nevertheless, future research endeavors should be more targeted in identifying the specific genes responsible for this transmission. CONCLUSION In summary, our findings underscore the transmission of autistic-like behaviors, including anxiety-like behavior, repetitive actions, impairments in social interactions, and deficits in memory, to the offspring of the Mother.ASD group, irrespective of their sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farahnaz Taheri
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Sara Joushi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Esmaeilpour
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Public health school, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohammad Navid Ebrahimi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Zahra Taherizadeh
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Parichehr Taheri
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Vahid Sheibani
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Beil J, Perner J, Pfaller L, Gérard MA, Piaia A, Doelemeyer A, Wasserkrug Naor A, Martin L, Piequet A, Dubost V, Chibout SD, Moggs J, Terranova R. Unaltered hepatic wound healing response in male rats with ancestral liver injury. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6353. [PMID: 37816736 PMCID: PMC10564731 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41998-w] [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: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The possibility that ancestral environmental exposure could result in adaptive inherited effects in mammals has been long debated. Numerous rodent models of transgenerational responses to various environmental factors have been published but due to technical, operational and resource burden, most still await independent confirmation. A previous study reported multigenerational epigenetic adaptation of the hepatic wound healing response upon exposure to the hepatotoxicant carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in male rats. Here, we comprehensively investigate the transgenerational effects by repeating the original CCl4 multigenerational study with increased power, pedigree tracing, F2 dose-response and suitable randomization schemes. Detailed pathology evaluations do not support adaptive phenotypic suppression of the hepatic wound healing response or a greater fitness of F2 animals with ancestral liver injury exposure. However, transcriptomic analyses identified genes whose expression correlates with ancestral liver injury, although the biological relevance of this apparent transgenerational transmission at the molecular level remains to be determined. This work overall highlights the need for independent evaluation of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance paradigms in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Beil
- Novartis, Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Lena Pfaller
- Novartis, Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Lori Martin
- Novartis, Biomedical Research, East-Hanover, NJ, USA
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3
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Herrero F, Mueller FS, Gruchot J, Küry P, Weber-Stadlbauer U, Meyer U. Susceptibility and resilience to maternal immune activation are associated with differential expression of endogenous retroviral elements. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 107:201-214. [PMID: 36243285 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are ancestorial retroviral elements that were integrated into the mammalian genome through germline infections and insertions during evolution. While increased ERV expression has been repeatedly implicated in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, recent evidence suggests that aberrant endogenous retroviral activity may contribute to biologically defined subgroups of psychotic disorders with persisting immunological dysfunctions. Here, we explored whether ERV expression is altered in a mouse model of maternal immune activation (MIA), a transdiagnostic environmental risk factor of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. MIA was induced by maternal administration of poly(I:C) on gestation day 12 in C57BL/6N mice. Murine ERV transcripts were quantified in the placentae and fetal brains shortly after poly(I:C)-induced MIA, as well as in adult offspring that were stratified according to their behavioral profiles. We found that MIA increased and reduced levels of class II ERVs and syncytins, respectively, in placentae and fetal brain tissue. We also revealed abnormal ERV expression in MIA-exposed offspring depending on whether they displayed overt behavioral anomalies or not. Taken together, our findings provide a proof of concept that an inflammatory stimulus, even when initiated in prenatal life, has the potential of altering ERV expression across fetal to adult stages of development. Moreover, our data highlight that susceptibility and resilience to MIA are associated with differential ERV expression, suggesting that early-life exposure to inflammatory factors may play a role in determining disease susceptibility by inducing persistent alterations in the expression of endogenous retroviral elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felisa Herrero
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Flavia S Mueller
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joel Gruchot
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Patrick Küry
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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4
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Cipriani C, Giudice M, Petrone V, Fanelli M, Minutolo A, Miele MT, Toschi N, Maracchioni C, Siracusano M, Benvenuto A, Coniglio A, Curatolo P, Mazzone L, Sandro G, Garaci E, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P, Matteucci C, Balestrieri E. Modulation of human endogenous retroviruses and cytokines expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from autistic children and their parents. Retrovirology 2022; 19:26. [PMID: 36451209 PMCID: PMC9709758 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-022-00603-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Putative pathogenic effects mediated by human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in neurological and psychiatric disorders in humans have been extensively described. HERVs may alter the development of the brain by means of several mechanisms, including modulation of gene expression, alteration of DNA stability, and activation of immune system. We recently demonstrated that autistic children and their mothers share high expression levels of some HERVs and cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) ex vivo, suggesting a close mother-child association in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). RESULTS In the present study, PBMCs from autistic children and their parents were exposed to stimulating factors (Interleukin-2/Phytohaemagglutinin) or drugs, as Valproic acid and Efavirenz. The results show that HERVs and cytokines expression can be modulated in vitro by different stimuli in PBMCs from autistic children and their mothers, while no significant changes were found in PBMCs ASD fathers or in controls individuals. In particular, in vitro exposure to interleukin-2/Phytohaemagglutinin or valproic acid induces the expression of several HERVs and cytokines while Efavirenz inhibits them. CONCLUSION Herein we show that autistic children and their mothers share an intrinsic responsiveness to in vitro microenvironmental changes in expressing HERVs and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Remarkably, the antiretroviral drug Efavirenz restores the expression of specific HERV families to values similar to those of the controls, also reducing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines but keeping the regulatory ones high. Our findings open new perspectives to study the role of HERVs in the biological mechanisms underlying Autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Cipriani
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Giudice
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Vita Petrone
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Marialaura Fanelli
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Minutolo
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Martino T. Miele
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Toschi
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XMartinos Center for Biomedical Imaging and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Christian Maracchioni
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Siracusano
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Arianna Benvenuto
- grid.413009.fChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, System Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University Hospital of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Coniglio
- grid.413009.fChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, System Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University Hospital of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Curatolo
- grid.413009.fChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, System Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University Hospital of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Mazzone
- grid.413009.fChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, System Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University Hospital of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Grelli Sandro
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy ,Virology Unit, Policlinic of Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Garaci
- University San Raffaele, Rome, Italy ,grid.18887.3e0000000417581884IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy ,grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Matteucci
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Balestrieri
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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Cipriani C, Tartaglione AM, Giudice M, D’Avorio E, Petrone V, Toschi N, Chiarotti F, Miele MT, Calamandrei G, Garaci E, Matteucci C, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P, Ricceri L, Balestrieri E. Differential Expression of Endogenous Retroviruses and Inflammatory Mediators in Female and Male Offspring in a Mouse Model of Maternal Immune Activation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13930. [PMID: 36430402 PMCID: PMC9695919 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal infections during pregnancy and the consequent maternal immune activation (MIA) are the major risk factors for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Epidemiological evidence is corroborated by the preclinical models in which MIA leads to ASD-like behavioral abnormalities and altered neuroinflammatory profiles, with an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines and microglial markers. In addition to neuroinflammatory response, an abnormal expression of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) has been identified in neurodevelopmental disorders and have been found to correlate with disease severity. Our aim was to evaluate the transcriptional profile of several ERV families, ERV-related genes, and inflammatory mediators (by RT real-time PCR) in mouse offspring of both sexes, prenatally exposed to polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C), a synthetic double-stranded RNA molecule targeting TLR-3 that mimics viral maternal infection during pregnancy. We found that prenatal exposure to Poly I:C deregulated the expression of some ERVs and ERV-related genes both in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus, while no changes were detected in the blood. Interestingly, sex-related differences in the expression levels of some ERVs, ERV-related genes, and inflammatory mediators that were higher in females than in males emerged only in PFC. Our findings support the tissue specificity of ERV and ERV-related transcriptional profiles in MIA mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Cipriani
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Tartaglione
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Giudice
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Erica D’Avorio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Vita Petrone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Toschi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Flavia Chiarotti
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Martino Tony Miele
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Gemma Calamandrei
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Garaci
- University San Raffaele, 00166 Rome, Italy
- IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, 00163 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Matteucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Ricceri
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Balestrieri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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6
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Escher J, Yan W, Rissman EF, Wang HLV, Hernandez A, Corces VG. Beyond Genes: Germline Disruption in the Etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 52:4608-4624. [PMID: 34596807 PMCID: PMC9035896 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05304-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Investigations into the etiology of autism spectrum disorders have been largely confined to two realms: variations in DNA sequence and somatic developmental exposures. Here we suggest a third route-disruption of the germline epigenome induced by exogenous toxicants during a parent's gamete development. Similar to cases of germline mutation, these molecular perturbations may produce dysregulated transcription of brain-related genes during fetal and early development, resulting in abnormal neurobehavioral phenotypes in offspring. Many types of exposures may have these impacts, and here we discuss examples of anesthetic gases, tobacco components, synthetic steroids, and valproic acid. Alterations in parental germline could help explain some unsolved phenomena of autism, including increased prevalence, missing heritability, skewed sex ratio, and heterogeneity of neurobiology and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill Escher
- Escher Fund for Autism, 1590 Calaveras Avenue, San Jose, CA, USA.
| | - Wei Yan
- The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Emilie F Rissman
- Center for Human Health and the Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Hsiao-Lin V Wang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arturo Hernandez
- Maine Medical Center Research Institute, MaineHealth, Scarborough, ME, USA
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victor G Corces
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Strzelczyk A, Schubert-Bast S. Psychobehavioural and Cognitive Adverse Events of Anti-Seizure Medications for the Treatment of Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies. CNS Drugs 2022; 36:1079-1111. [PMID: 36194365 PMCID: PMC9531646 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-022-00955-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The developmental and epileptic encephalopathies encompass a group of rare syndromes characterised by severe drug-resistant epilepsy with onset in childhood and significant neurodevelopmental comorbidities. The latter include intellectual disability, developmental delay, behavioural problems including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, psychiatric problems including anxiety and depression, speech impairment and sleep problems. Classical examples of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies include Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex. The mainstay of treatment is with multiple anti-seizure medications (ASMs); however, the ASMs themselves can be associated with psychobehavioural adverse events, and effects (negative or positive) on cognition and sleep. We have performed a targeted literature review of ASMs commonly used in the treatment of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies to discuss the latest evidence on their effects on behaviour, mood, cognition, sedation and sleep. The ASMs include valproate (VPA), clobazam, topiramate (TPM), cannabidiol (CBD), fenfluramine (FFA), levetiracetam (LEV), brivaracetam (BRV), zonisamide (ZNS), perampanel (PER), ethosuximide, stiripentol, lamotrigine (LTG), rufinamide, vigabatrin, lacosamide (LCM) and everolimus. Bromide, felbamate and other sodium channel ASMs are discussed briefly. Overall, the current evidence suggest that LEV, PER and to a lesser extent BRV are associated with psychobehavioural adverse events including aggressiveness and irritability; TPM and to a lesser extent ZNS are associated with language impairment and cognitive dulling/memory problems. Patients with a history of behavioural and psychiatric comorbidities may be more at risk of developing psychobehavioural adverse events. Topiramate and ZNS may be associated with negative effects in some aspects of cognition; CBD, FFA, LEV, BRV and LTG may have some positive effects, while the remaining ASMs do not appear to have a detrimental effect. All the ASMs are associated with sedation to a certain extent, which is pronounced during uptitration. Cannabidiol, PER and pregabalin may be associated with improvements in sleep, LTG is associated with insomnia, while VPA, TPM, LEV, ZNS and LCM do not appear to have detrimental effects. There was variability in the extent of evidence for each ASM: for many first-generation and some second-generation ASMs, there is scant documented evidence; however, their extensive use suggests favourable tolerability and safety (e.g. VPA); second-generation and some third-generation ASMs tend to have the most robust evidence documented over several years of use (TPM, LEV, PER, ZNS, BRV), while evidence is still being generated for newer ASMs such as CBD and FFA. Finally, we discuss how a variety of factors can affect mood, behaviour and cognition, and untangling the associations between the effects of the underlying syndrome and those of the ASMs can be challenging. In particular, there is enormous heterogeneity in cognitive, behavioural and developmental impairments that is complex and can change naturally over time; there is a lack of standardised instruments for evaluating these outcomes in developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, with a reliance on subjective evaluations by proxy (caregivers); and treatment regimes are complex involving multiple ASMs as well as other drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Strzelczyk
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Center of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Goethe-University and University Hospital Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. .,LOEWE Center for Personalized and Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Susanne Schubert-Bast
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Center of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Goethe-University and University Hospital Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized and Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Department of Neuropediatrics, Goethe-University and University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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8
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Tsuji C, Furuhara K, Mizutani R, Minami K, Fu P, Zhong J, Higashida H, Yokoyama S, Tsuji T. Early-onset of social communication and locomotion activity in F2 pups of a valproic acid-induced mouse model of autism. Neurosci Lett 2022; 788:136827. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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9
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Chu MC, Wu HF, Lee CW, Chung YJ, Chi H, Chen PS, Lin HC. Generational synaptic functions of GABA A receptor β3 subunit deteriorations in an animal model of social deficit. J Biomed Sci 2022; 29:51. [PMID: 35821032 PMCID: PMC9277936 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-022-00835-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disruption of normal brain development is implicated in numerous psychiatric disorders with neurodevelopmental origins, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Widespread abnormalities in brain structure and functions caused by dysregulations of neurodevelopmental processes has been recently shown to exert adverse effects across generations. An imbalance between excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) transmission is the putative hypothesis of ASD pathogenesis, supporting by the specific implications of inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic system in autistic individuals and animal models of ASD. However, the contribution of GABAergic system in the neuropathophysiology across generations of ASD is still unknown. Here, we uncover profound alterations in the expression and function of GABAA receptors (GABAARs) in the amygdala across generations of the VPA-induced animal model of ASD. METHODS The F2 generation was produced by mating an F1 VPA-induced male offspring with naïve females after a single injection of VPA on embryonic day (E12.5) in F0. Autism-like behaviors were assessed by animal behavior tests. Expression and functional properties of GABAARs and related proteins were examined by using western blotting and electrophysiological techniques. RESULTS Social deficit, repetitive behavior, and emotional comorbidities were demonstrated across two generations of the VPA-induced offspring. Decreased synaptic GABAAR and gephyrin levels, and inhibitory transmission were found in the amygdala from two generations of the VPA-induced offspring with greater reductions in the F2 generation. Weaker association of gephyrin with GABAAR was shown in the F2 generation than the F1 generation. Moreover, dysregulated NMDA-induced enhancements of gephyrin and GABAAR at the synapse in the VPA-induced offspring was worsened in the F2 generation than the F1 generation. Elevated glutamatergic modifications were additionally shown across generations of the VPA-induced offspring without generation difference. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these findings revealed the E/I synaptic abnormalities in the amygdala from two generations of the VPA-induced offspring with GABAergic deteriorations in the F2 generation, suggesting a potential therapeutic role of the GABAergic system to generational pathophysiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Chia Chu
- grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Tainan, 112 Taiwan
| | - Han-Fang Wu
- grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Tainan, 112 Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wei Lee
- grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Tainan, 112 Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Jung Chung
- grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Tainan, 112 Taiwan
| | - Hsiang Chi
- grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Tainan, 112 Taiwan
| | - Po See Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 704, Taiwan. .,Institute of Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 704, Taiwan.
| | - Hui-Ching Lin
- Department and Institute of Physiology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan. .,Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei, 110, Taiwan. .,Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
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Mouat JS, LaSalle JM. The Promise of DNA Methylation in Understanding Multigenerational Factors in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Genet 2022; 13:831221. [PMID: 35242170 PMCID: PMC8886225 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.831221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impairments in social reciprocity and communication, restrictive interests, and repetitive behaviors. Most cases of ASD arise from a confluence of genetic susceptibility and environmental risk factors, whose interactions can be studied through epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation. While various parental factors are known to increase risk for ASD, several studies have indicated that grandparental and great-grandparental factors may also contribute. In animal studies, gestational exposure to certain environmental factors, such as insecticides, medications, and social stress, increases risk for altered behavioral phenotypes in multiple subsequent generations. Changes in DNA methylation, gene expression, and chromatin accessibility often accompany these altered behavioral phenotypes, with changes often appearing in genes that are important for neurodevelopment or have been previously implicated in ASD. One hypothesized mechanism for these phenotypic and methylation changes includes the transmission of DNA methylation marks at individual chromosomal loci from parent to offspring and beyond, called multigenerational epigenetic inheritance. Alternatively, intermediate metabolic phenotypes in the parental generation may confer risk from the original grandparental exposure to risk for ASD in grandchildren, mediated by DNA methylation. While hypothesized mechanisms require further research, the potential for multigenerational epigenetics assessments of ASD risk has implications for precision medicine as the field attempts to address the variable etiology and clinical signs of ASD by incorporating genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. In this review, we discuss the promise of multigenerational DNA methylation investigations in understanding the complex etiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia S Mouat
- LaSalle Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Perinatal Origins of Disparities Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Janine M LaSalle
- LaSalle Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Perinatal Origins of Disparities Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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11
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Martin M, Hill C, Bewley S, MacLennan AH, Braillon A. Transgenerational adverse effects of valproate? A patient report from 90 affected families. Birth Defects Res 2021; 114:13-16. [PMID: 34866359 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Valproate use during pregnancy increases risk in malformations and neurodevelopmental disorders. Data from the experimental setting in mice showed valproate is a direct inhibitor of histone deacetylase, inducing histone hyperacetylation, histone methylation, and DNA demethylation causing congenital malformations with an epigenetic inheritance. We investigated potential transgenerational adverse effects of valproate. METHODS We questioned 108 individuals (from 90 families) suffering complications due to valproate exposure in utero who were parents themselves (85 women and 23 men) about the occurrence of malformations and neurodevelopmental disorders in their children. All were member of Aide aux Parents d'Enfants souffrants du Syndrome de l'AntiConvulsivant (APESAC), a charity created in 2011 to provide personal assistance and support to families suffering complications due to valproate exposure during pregnancy. RESULTS Among their 187 children they reported 43 (23%) children with malformation(s) (26 hand or foot malformations; 15 dysmorphic facial features; 10 renal/urologic malformations; 6 spina bifida; 4 cardiac malformation; 2 craniosynostosis; 2 cleft lip and palate) and 82 (44%) children with neurodevelopmental disorders (63 problematic behaviors and autism; 41 psychomotor disorders; 16 language problems; 16 attention deficit; 5 mental retardation). Only 88 (47%) children had neither malformation nor developmental disorders. CONCLUSION These data add to the need for funding pharmacoepidemiological investigations of epigenetic inheritance caused by drugs causing malformations or neurodevelopmental disorders. Individuals exposed in utero to valproate must be informed about the risk, so they can consider fertility options, antenatal diagnosis, and adequate early surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Martin
- Aide aux Parents d'Enfants souffrants du Syndrome de l'AntiConvulsivant, Pollestres, France
| | - Catherine Hill
- Service de Biostatistique et d'Epidémiologie, Gustave Roussy, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Susan Bewley
- Department of Women & Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alastair H MacLennan
- Australian Collaborative Cerebral Palsy Research Group, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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12
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Escher J. How Family Histories Can Inform Research About Germ Cell Exposures: The Example of Autism. Biol Reprod 2021; 105:767-773. [PMID: 33959752 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout the scientific literature, heritable traits are routinely presumed to be genetic in origin. However, as emerging evidence from the realms of genetic toxicology and epigenomics demonstrate, heritability may be better understood as encompassing not only DNA sequence passed down through generations, but also disruptions to the parental germ cells causing de novo mutations or epigenetic alterations, with subsequent shifts in gene expression and functions in offspring. The Beyond Genes conference highlighted advances in understanding these aspects at molecular, experimental and epidemiological levels. In this commentary I suggest that future research on this topic could be inspired by collecting parents' germ cell exposure histories, with particular attention to cases of families with multiple children suffering idiopathic disorders. In so doing I focus on the endpoint of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Rates of this serious neurodevelopment disability have climbed around the world, a growing crisis that cannot be explained by diagnostic shifts. ASD's strong heritability has prompted a research program largely focused on DNA sequencing to locate rare and common variants, but decades of this gene-focused research have revealed surprisingly little about the molecular origins of the disorder. Based on my experience as the mother of two children with idiopathic autism, and as a research philanthropist and autism advocate, I suggest ways researchers might probe parental germ cell exposure histories to develop new hypotheses that may ultimately reveal sources of non-genetic heritability in a subset of idiopathic heritable pathologies.
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13
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Glinsky GV. Genomics-Guided Drawing of Molecular and Pathophysiological Components of Malignant Regulatory Signatures Reveals a Pivotal Role in Human Diseases of Stem Cell-Associated Retroviral Sequences and Functionally-Active hESC Enhancers. Front Oncol 2021; 11:638363. [PMID: 33869024 PMCID: PMC8044830 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.638363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Repetitive DNA sequences (repeats) colonized two-third of human genome and a majority of repeats comprised of transposable genetic elements (TE). Evolutionary distinct categories of TE represent nucleic acid sequences that are repeatedly copied from and pasted into chromosomes at multiple genomic locations and acquired a multitude of regulatory functions. Here, genomics-guided maps of stemness regulatory signatures were drawn to dissect the contribution of TE to clinical manifestations of malignant phenotypes of human cancers. From patients’ and physicians’ perspectives, the clinical definition of a tumor’s malignant phenotype could be restricted to the early diagnosis of sub-types of malignancies with the increased risk of existing therapy failure and high likelihood of death from cancer. It is the viewpoint from which the understanding of stemness and malignant regulatory signatures is considered in this contribution. Genomics-guided analyses of experimental and clinical observations revealed the pivotal role of human stem cell-associated retroviral sequences (SCARS) in the origin and pathophysiology of clinically-lethal malignancies. SCARS were defined as the evolutionary- and biologically-related family of genomic regulatory sequences, the principal physiological function of which is to create and maintain the stemness phenotype during human preimplantation embryogenesis. For cell differentiation to occur, SCARS expression must be silenced and SCARS activity remains repressed in most terminally-differentiated human cells which are destined to perform specialized functions in the human body. Epigenetic reprogramming, de-repression, and sustained activity of SCARS results in various differentiation-defective phenotypes. One of the most prominent tissue- and organ-specific clinical manifestations of sustained SCARS activities is diagnosed as a pathological condition defined by a consensus of morphological, molecular, and genetic examinations as the malignant growth. Here, contemporary evidence are acquired, analyzed, and reported defining both novel diagnostic tools and druggable molecular targets readily amenable for diagnosis and efficient therapeutic management of clinically-lethal malignancies. These diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are based on monitoring of high-fidelity molecular signals of continuing SCARS activities in conjunction with genomic regulatory networks of thousands’ functionally-active embryonic enhancers affecting down-stream phenotype-altering genetic loci. Collectively, reported herein observations support a model of SCARS-activation triggered singular source code facilitating the intracellular propagation and intercellular (systemic) dissemination of disease states in the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennadi V Glinsky
- Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, United States.,Department of Functional & Translational Genomics, OncoSCAR, Inc., Portland, OR, United States
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14
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Berg EL, Ching TM, Bruun DA, Rivera JK, Careaga M, Ellegood J, Lerch JP, Wöhr M, Lein PJ, Silverman JL. Translational outcomes relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders following early life exposure of rats to chlorpyrifos. J Neurodev Disord 2020; 12:40. [PMID: 33327943 PMCID: PMC7745485 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-020-09342-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are pervasive, lifelong disorders for which pharmacological interventions are not readily available. Substantial increases in the prevalence of NDDs over a relatively short period may not be attributed solely to genetic factors and/or improved diagnostic criteria. There is now a consensus that multiple genetic loci combined with environmental risk factors during critical periods of neurodevelopment influence NDD susceptibility and symptom severity. Organophosphorus (OP) pesticides have been identified as potential environmental risk factors. Epidemiological studies suggest that children exposed prenatally to the OP pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) have significant mental and motor delays and strong positive associations for the development of a clinical diagnosis of intellectual delay or disability, ADHD, or ASD. METHODS We tested the hypothesis that developmental CPF exposure impairs behavior relevant to NDD phenotypes (i.e., deficits in social communication and repetitive, restricted behavior). Male and female rat pups were exposed to CPF at 0.1, 0.3, or 1.0 mg/kg (s.c.) from postnatal days 1-4. RESULTS These CPF doses did not significantly inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity in the blood or brain but significantly impaired pup ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) in both sexes. Social communication in juveniles via positive affiliative 50-kHz USV playback was absent in females exposed to CPF at 0.3 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg. In contrast, this CPF exposure paradigm had no significant effect on gross locomotor abilities or contextual and cued fear memory. Ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging largely found no differences between the CPF-exposed rats and the corresponding vehicle controls using strict false discovery correction; however, there were interesting trends in females in the 0.3 mg/kg dose group. CONCLUSIONS This work generated and characterized a rat model of developmental CPF exposure that exhibits adverse behavioral phenotypes resulting from perinatal exposures at levels that did not significantly inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain or blood. These data suggest that current regulations regarding safe levels of CPF need to be reconsidered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L Berg
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Tianna M Ching
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Donald A Bruun
- MIND Institute and Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Josef K Rivera
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Milo Careaga
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Markus Wöhr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Laboratory for Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Pamela J Lein
- MIND Institute and Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jill L Silverman
- MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA.
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15
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Reynolds VL, Butler P, Abernathy MM, Aschenbrenner L, Best DD, Blank J, Crosby M, Custer L, Escobar PA, Kolaja K, Moggs J, Shuey D, Snyder C, Van Vleet T, Zhou J, Hart TK. Nonclinical safety assessment of epigenetic modulatory drugs: Current status and industry perspective. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2020; 117:104746. [PMID: 32911461 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2020.104746] [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: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Pharmaceutic products designed to perturb the function of epigenetic modulators have been approved by regulatory authorities for treatment of advanced cancer. While the predominant effort in epigenetic drug development continues to be in oncology, non-oncology indications are also garnering interest. A survey of pharmaceutical companies was conducted to assess the interest and concerns for developing small molecule direct epigenetic effectors (EEs) as medicines. Survey themes addressed (1) general levels of interest and activity with EEs as therapeutic agents, (2) potential safety concerns, and (3) possible future efforts to develop targeted strategies for nonclinical safety assessment of EEs. Thirteen companies contributed data to the survey. Overall, the survey data indicate the consensus opinion that existing ICH guidelines are effective and appropriate for nonclinical safety assessment activities with EEs. Attention in the framework of study design should, on a case by case basis, be considered for delayed or latent toxicities, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, and the theoretical potential for transgenerational effects. While current guidelines have been appropriate for the nonclinical safety assessments of epigenetic targets, broader experience with a wide range of epigenetic targets will provide information to assess the potential need for new or revised risk assessment strategies for EE drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Derek D Best
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jim Blank
- Takeda Pharmaceutical, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Meredith Crosby
- AbbVie Inc. Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Preclinical Safety, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Laura Custer
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, Drug Safety Evaluation, 1 Squibb Dr, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | | | - Kyle Kolaja
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, Drug Safety Evaluation, 1 Squibb Dr, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Jonathan Moggs
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Translational Medicine, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dana Shuey
- Incyte Corporation, 1801 Augustine Cutoff, Wilmington, DE, USA
| | | | - Terry Van Vleet
- AbbVie Inc. Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Preclinical Safety, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Junguo Zhou
- Nonclinical Safety, Janssen Research and Development LLC., Raritan, NJ, USA
| | - Timothy K Hart
- GlaxoSmithKline, 1250 S Collegeville Rd, Collegeville, PA, USA
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16
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Chaliha D, Albrecht M, Vaccarezza M, Takechi R, Lam V, Al-Salami H, Mamo J. A Systematic Review of the Valproic-Acid-Induced Rodent Model of Autism. Dev Neurosci 2020; 42:12-48. [DOI: 10.1159/000509109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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17
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PPAR-γ Is Critical for HDAC3-Mediated Control of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cell Proliferation and Differentiation after Focal Demyelination. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4810-4824. [PMID: 32803489 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02060-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Disruption of remyelination contributes to neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in chronically disabled patients. Valproic acid (VPA) inhibits histone deacetylase (HDAC) function and probably promotes oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) proliferation and differentiation; however, the relevant molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Here, focal demyelinating lesions (FDLs) were generated in mice by two-point stereotactic injection of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) into the corpus callosum. Cognitive functions, sensorimotor abilities and histopathological changes were assessed for up to 28 days post-injury with or without VPA treatment. Primary OPCs were harvested and used to study the effect of VPA on OPC differentiation under inflammatory conditions. VPA dose-dependently attenuated learning and memory deficits and robustly protected white matter after FDL induction, as demonstrated by reductions in SMI-32 and increases in myelin basic protein staining. VPA also promoted OPC proliferation and differentiation and increased subsequent remyelination efficiency by day 28 post-FDL induction. VPA treatment did not affect HDAC1, HDAC2 or HDAC8 expression but reduced HDAC3 protein levels. In vitro, VPA improved the survival of mouse OPCs and promoted their differentiation into oligodendrocytes following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. LPS caused OPCs to overexpress HDAC3, which translocated from the cytoplasm into the nucleus, where it directly interacted with the nuclear transcription factor PPAR-γ and negatively regulated PPAR-γ expression. VPA decreased the expression of HDAC3 and promoted remyelination and functional neurological recovery after FDL. These findings may support the use of strategies modulating HDAC3-mediated regulation of protein acetylation for the treatment of demyelination-related cognitive dysfunction.
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18
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Saxena R, Babadi M, Namvarhaghighi H, Roullet FI. Role of environmental factors and epigenetics in autism spectrum disorders. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020; 173:35-60. [PMID: 32711816 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder thought to be caused by predisposing high-risk genes that may be altered during the early development by environmental factors. The impact of maternal challenges during pregnancy on the prevalence of ASD has been widely studied in clinical and animal studies. Here, we review some clinical and pre-clinical evidence that links environmental factors (i.e., infection, air pollution, pesticides, valproic acid and folic acid) and the risk of ASD. Additionally, certain prenatal environmental challenges such as the valproate and folate prenatal exposures allow us to study mechanisms possibly linked to the etiology of ASD, for instance the epigenetic processes. These mechanistic pathways are also presented and discussed in this chapter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roheeni Saxena
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Melika Babadi
- School of Interdisciplinary Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | | | - Florence I Roullet
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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19
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Sex-Dependent Effects of Developmental Lead Exposure in Wistar Rats: Evidence from Behavioral and Molecular Correlates. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21082664. [PMID: 32290408 PMCID: PMC7216048 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Lead (Pb) exposure in early life affects brain development resulting in cognitive and behavioral deficits. Epidemiologic and experimental evidence of sex as an effect modifier of developmental Pb exposure is emerging. In the present study, we investigated Pb effects on behavior and mechanisms of neuroplasticity in the hippocampus and potential sex differences. To this aim, dams were exposed, from one month pre-mating to offspring weaning, to Pb via drinking water at 5 mg/kg body weight per day. In the offspring of both sexes, the longitudinal assessment of motor, emotional, and cognitive end points was performed. We also evaluated the expression and synaptic distribution of N-methyl-D-Aspartate receptor (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunits at post-natal day (pnd) 23 and 70 in the hippocampus. Neonatal motor patterns and explorative behavior in offspring were affected in both sexes. Pb effects in emotional response and memory retention were observed in adult females only, preceded by increased levels of GluN2A and GluA1 subunits at the post-synapse at pnd 23. These data suggest that Pb exposure during development affects glutamatergic receptors distribution at the post-synaptic spine in females. These effects may contribute to alterations in selected behavioral domains.
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20
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Endogenous Retroviruses Activity as a Molecular Signature of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20236050. [PMID: 31801288 PMCID: PMC6928979 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20236050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are genetic elements resulting from relics of ancestral infection of germline cells, now recognized as cofactors in the etiology of several complex diseases. Here we present a review of findings supporting the role of the abnormal HERVs activity in neurodevelopmental disorders. The derailment of brain development underlies numerous neuropsychiatric conditions, likely starting during prenatal life and carrying on during subsequent maturation of the brain. Autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, and schizophrenia are neurodevelopmental disorders that arise clinically during early childhood or adolescence, currently attributed to the interplay among genetic vulnerability, environmental risk factors, and maternal immune activation. The role of HERVs in human embryogenesis, their intrinsic responsiveness to external stimuli, and the interaction with the immune system support the involvement of HERVs in the derailed neurodevelopmental process. Although definitive proofs that HERVs are involved in neurobehavioral alterations are still lacking, both preclinical models and human studies indicate that the abnormal expression of ERVs could represent a neurodevelopmental disorders-associated biological trait in affected individuals and their parents.
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21
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Balestrieri E, Cipriani C, Matteucci C, Benvenuto A, Coniglio A, Argaw-Denboba A, Toschi N, Bucci I, Miele MT, Grelli S, Curatolo P, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P. Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Mothers Share Abnormal Expression of Selected Endogenous Retroviruses Families and Cytokines. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2244. [PMID: 31616420 PMCID: PMC6775388 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders, only clinically diagnosed since the lack of reliable biomarkers. Autism etiology is probably attributable to the combination of genetic vulnerability and environmental factors, and recently, maternal immune activation has been linked to derailed neurodevelopment, resulting in ASD in the offspring. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are relics of ancestral infections, stably integrated in the human DNA. Given the HERV persistence in the genome, some of HERVs have been co-opted for physiological functions during evolution, while their reactivation has been associated with several pathological conditions, including cancer, autoimmune, and neurological and psychiatric disorders. Particularly, due to their intrinsic responsiveness to external stimuli, HERVs can modulate the host immune response and in turn HERVs can be activated by the immune effectors. In previous works we demonstrated high expression levels of HERV-H in blood of autistic patients, closely related with the severity of the disease. Moreover, in a preclinical ASD model we proved changes of expression of several ERV families and cytokines from the intrauterine life to the adulthood, and across generations via maternal lineage. Here we analyzed the expression of HEMO and of selected HERVs and cytokines in blood from ASD patients and their parents and corresponding healthy controls, to look for a common molecular trait within family members. ASD patients and their mothers share altered expression of HERV-H and HEMO and of cytokines such as TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-10. The multivariate regression models showed a mother-child association by HEMO activity and demonstrated in children and mothers an association between HERV-H and HEMO expression and, only in mothers, between HEMO, and TNF-α expression. Furthermore, high diagnostic performance for HERV-H and HEMO was found, suggesting their potential application for the identification of ASD children and their mothers. The present data support the involvement of HERVs in ASD and suggest HERVs and cytokines as ASD-associated traits. Since ASD is a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders, a single determinant alone could be not enough to account for the complexity, and HERV/cytokines expression could be considered in a set of biomarkers, easily detectable in blood, and potentially useful for an early diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Balestrieri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Cipriani
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Matteucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Arianna Benvenuto
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Coniglio
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Toschi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ilaria Bucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Martino Tony Miele
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Sandro Grelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Curatolo
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
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22
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Misiak B, Ricceri L, Sąsiadek MM. Transposable Elements and Their Epigenetic Regulation in Mental Disorders: Current Evidence in the Field. Front Genet 2019; 10:580. [PMID: 31293617 PMCID: PMC6603224 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are highly repetitive DNA sequences in the human genome that are the relics of previous retrotransposition events. Although the majority of TEs are transcriptionally inactive due to acquired mutations or epigenetic processes, around 8% of TEs exert transcriptional activity. It has been found that TEs contribute to somatic mosaicism that accounts for functional specification of various brain cells. Indeed, autonomous retrotransposition of long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1) sequences has been reported in the neural rat progenitor cells from the hippocampus, the human fetal brain and the human embryonic stem cells. Moreover, expression of TEs has been found to regulate immune-inflammatory responses, conditioning immunity against exogenous infections. Therefore, aberrant epigenetic regulation and expression of TEs emerged as a potential mechanism underlying the development of various mental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Consequently, some studies revealed that expression of some sequences of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) appears only in a certain group of patients with mental disorders (especially those with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and ASD) but not in healthy controls. In addition, it has been found that expression of HERVs might be related to subclinical inflammation observed in mental disorders. In this article, we provide an overview of detrimental effects of transposition on the brain development and immune mechanisms with relevance to mental disorders. We show that transposition is not the only mechanism, explaining the way TEs might shape the phenotype of mental disorders. Other mechanisms include the regulation of gene expression and the impact on genomic stability. Next, we review current evidence from studies investigating expression and epigenetic regulation of specific TEs in various mental disorders. Most consistently, these studies indicate altered expression of HERVs and methylation of LINE-1 sequences in patients with ASD, schizophrenia, and mood disorders. However, the contribution of TEs to the etiology of AD is poorly documented. Future studies should further investigate the mechanisms linking epigenetic processes, specific TEs and the phenotype of mental disorders to disentangle causal associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Błażej Misiak
- Department of Genetics, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Laura Ricceri
- Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Escher J, Robotti S. Pregnancy drugs, fetal germline epigenome, and risks for next-generation pathology: A call to action. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2019; 60:445-454. [PMID: 30891817 DOI: 10.1002/em.22288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Drugs taken during pregnancy can affect three generations at once: the gestating woman (F0), her exposed fetus (F1), and the fetal germ cells that confer heritable information for the grandchildren (F2). Unfortunately, despite growing evidence for connections between F0 drug exposures and F2 pathology, current approaches to risk assessment overlook this important dimension of risk. In this commentary, we argue that the unique molecular vulnerabilities of the fetal germline, particularly with regard to global epigenomic reprogramming, combined with empirical evidence for F2 effects of F1 in utero drug and other exposures, should change the way we consider potential long-term consequences of pregnancy drugs and alter toxicology's standard somatic paradigm. Specifically, we (1) suggest that pregnancy drugs common in the postwar decades should be investigated as potential contributors to the "missing heritability" of many pathologies now surging in prevalence; (2) call for inclusion of fetal germline risks in pregnancy drug safety assessment; and (3) highlight the need for intensified research to ascertain generational impacts of diethylstilbestrol, a vanguard question of human germline toxicity. Only by fully addressing this important dimension of transplacental exposure can we responsibly evaluate safety of drug exposures during pregnancy and convey the full scope of risks, while also retrospectively comprehending the generational legacy of recent history's unprecedented glut of evolutionarily novel intrauterine exposures. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 60:445-454, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill Escher
- Escher Fund for Autism, San Jose, California
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