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Jagadapillai R, Qiu X, Ojha K, Li Z, El-Baz A, Zou S, Gozal E, Barnes GN. Potential Cross Talk between Autism Risk Genes and Neurovascular Molecules: A Pilot Study on Impact of Blood Brain Barrier Integrity. Cells 2022; 11:2211. [PMID: 35883654 PMCID: PMC9315816 DOI: 10.3390/cells11142211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a common pediatric neurobiological disorder with up to 80% of genetic etiologies. Systems biology approaches may make it possible to test novel therapeutic strategies targeting molecular pathways to alleviate ASD symptoms. A clinical database of autism subjects was queried for individuals with a copy number variation (CNV) on microarray, Vineland, and Parent Concern Questionnaire scores. Pathway analyses of genes from pathogenic CNVs yielded 659 genes whose protein-protein interactions and mRNA expression mapped 121 genes with maximal antenatal expression in 12 brain regions. A Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)-derived neural circuits map revealed significant differences in anxiety, motor, and activities of daily living skills scores between altered CNV genes and normal microarrays subjects, involving Positive Valence (reward), Cognition (IQ), and Social Processes. Vascular signaling was identified as a biological process that may influence these neural circuits. Neuroinflammation, microglial activation, iNOS and 3-nitrotyrosine increase in the brain of Semaphorin 3F- Neuropilin 2 (Sema 3F-NRP2) KO, an ASD mouse model, agree with previous reports in the brain of ASD individuals. Signs of platelet deposition, activation, release of serotonin, and albumin leakage in ASD-relevant brain regions suggest possible blood brain barrier (BBB) deficits. Disruption of neurovascular signaling and BBB with neuroinflammation may mediate causative pathophysiology in some ASD subgroups. Although preliminary, these data demonstrate the potential for developing novel therapeutic strategies based on clinically derived data, genomics, cognitive neuroscience, and basic neuroscience methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rekha Jagadapillai
- Department of Neurology, Pediatric Research Institute, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (R.J.); (X.Q.); (K.O.)
- University of Louisville Autism Center, Louisville, KY 40217, USA
| | - Xiaolu Qiu
- Department of Neurology, Pediatric Research Institute, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (R.J.); (X.Q.); (K.O.)
- University of Louisville Autism Center, Louisville, KY 40217, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Institute, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Department of Child Health, Jiangxi Provincial Children’s Hospital, Donghu District, Nanchang 330006, China;
| | - Kshama Ojha
- Department of Neurology, Pediatric Research Institute, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (R.J.); (X.Q.); (K.O.)
- University of Louisville Autism Center, Louisville, KY 40217, USA
| | - Zhu Li
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA;
| | - Ayman El-Baz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville Speed School, Louisville, KY 40292, USA;
| | - Shipu Zou
- Department of Child Health, Jiangxi Provincial Children’s Hospital, Donghu District, Nanchang 330006, China;
| | - Evelyne Gozal
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Institute, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Gregory N. Barnes
- Department of Neurology, Pediatric Research Institute, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (R.J.); (X.Q.); (K.O.)
- University of Louisville Autism Center, Louisville, KY 40217, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Institute, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
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Puvogel S, Alsema A, Kracht L, Webster MJ, Weickert CS, Sommer IEC, Eggen BJL. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing of midbrain blood-brain barrier cells in schizophrenia reveals subtle transcriptional changes with overall preservation of cellular proportions and phenotypes. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4731-4740. [PMID: 36192459 PMCID: PMC9734060 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01796-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The midbrain is an extensively studied brain region in schizophrenia, in view of its reported dopamine pathophysiology and neuroimmune changes associated with this disease. Besides the dopaminergic system, the midbrain contains other cell types that may be involved in schizophrenia pathophysiology. The neurovascular hypothesis of schizophrenia postulates that both the neurovasculature structure and the functioning of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) are compromised in schizophrenia. In the present study, potential alteration in the BBB of patients with schizophrenia was investigated by single-nucleus RNA sequencing of post-mortem midbrain tissue (15 schizophrenia cases and 14 matched controls). We did not identify changes in the relative abundance of the major BBB cell types, nor in the sub-populations, associated with schizophrenia. However, we identified 14 differentially expressed genes in the cells of the BBB in schizophrenia as compared to controls, including genes that have previously been related to schizophrenia, such as FOXP2 and PDE4D. These transcriptional changes were limited to the ependymal cells and pericytes, suggesting that the cells of the BBB are not broadly affected in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofía Puvogel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, section Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. .,Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Astrid Alsema
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Kracht
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maree J. Webster
- grid.453353.70000 0004 0473 2858Laboratory of Brain Research, Stanley Medical Research Institute, Rockville, MD USA
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- grid.250407.40000 0000 8900 8842Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW Australia ,grid.1005.40000 0004 4902 0432School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia ,grid.411023.50000 0000 9159 4457Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY USA
| | - Iris E. C. Sommer
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, section Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands ,grid.7692.a0000000090126352Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bart J. L. Eggen
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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