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Mahoney HL, Bloom CA, Justin HS, Capraro BM, Morris C, Gonzalez D, Sandefur E, Faulkner J, Reiss S, Valladares A, Ocampo A, Carter B, Lussier AL, Dinh LP, Weeber E, Gamsby J, Gulick D. DISC1 and reelin interact to alter cognition, inhibition, and neurogenesis in a novel mouse model of schizophrenia. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1321632. [PMID: 38283751 PMCID: PMC10813205 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1321632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The etiology of schizophrenia (SCZ) is multifactorial, and depending on a host of genetic and environmental factors. Two putative SCZ susceptibility genes, Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) and reelin (RELN), interact at a molecular level, suggesting that combined disruption of both may lead to an intensified SCZ phenotype. To examine this gene-gene interaction, we produced a double mutant mouse line. Mice with heterozygous RELN haploinsufficiency were crossed with mice expressing dominant-negative c-terminal truncated human DISC1 to produce offspring with both mutations (HRM/DISC1 mice). We used an array of behavioral tests to generate a behavioral phenotype for these mice, then examined the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus using western blotting and immunohistochemistry to probe for SCZ-relevant molecular and cellular alterations. Compared to wild-type controls, HRM/DISC1 mice demonstrated impaired pre-pulse inhibition, altered cognition, and decreased activity. Diazepam failed to rescue anxiety-like behaviors, paradoxically increasing activity in HRM/DISC1 mice. At a cellular level, we found increased α1-subunit containing GABA receptors in the prefrontal cortex, and a reduction in fast-spiking parvalbumin positive neurons. Maturation of adult-born neurons in the hippocampus was also altered in HRM/DISC1 mice. While there was no difference in the total number proliferating cells, more of these cells were in immature stages of development. Homozygous DISC1 mutation combined with RELN haploinsufficiency produces a complex phenotype with neuropsychiatric characteristics relevant to SCZ and related disorders, expanding our understanding of how multiple genetic susceptibility factors might interact to influence the variable presentation of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Danielle Gulick
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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2
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Ma Q, Jiang L, Chen H, An D, Ping Y, Wang Y, Dai H, Zhang X, Wang Y, Chen Z, Hu W. Histamine H 2 receptor deficit in glutamatergic neurons contributes to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2207003120. [PMID: 36812204 PMCID: PMC9992765 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2207003120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder, and existing antipsychotic drugs show limited efficacy and cause unwanted side effects. The development of glutamatergic drugs for schizophrenia is currently challenging. Most functions of histamine in the brain are mediated by the histamine H1 receptor; however, the role of the H2 receptor (H2R) is not quite clear, especially in schizophrenia. Here, we found that expression of H2R in glutamatergic neurons of the frontal cortex was decreased in schizophrenia patients. Selective knockout of the H2R gene (Hrh2) in glutamatergic neurons (CaMKIIα-Cre; Hrh2 fl/fl) induced schizophrenia-like phenotypes including sensorimotor gating deficits, increased susceptibility to hyperactivity, social withdrawal, anhedonia, and impaired working memory, as well as decreased firing of glutamatergic neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in in vivo electrophysiological tests. Selective knockdown of H2R in glutamatergic neurons in the mPFC but not those in the hippocampus also mimicked these schizophrenia-like phenotypes. Furthermore, electrophysiology experiments established that H2R deficiency decreased the firing of glutamatergic neurons by enhancing the current through hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels. In addition, either H2R overexpression in glutamatergic neurons or H2R agonism in the mPFC counteracted schizophrenia-like phenotypes in an MK-801-induced mouse model of schizophrenia. Taken together, our results suggest that deficit of H2R in mPFC glutamatergic neurons may be pivotal to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and that H2R agonists can be regarded as potentially efficacious medications for schizophrenia therapy. The findings also provide evidence for enriching the conventional glutamate hypothesis for the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and improve the understanding of the functional role of H2R in the brain, especially in glutamatergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyi Ma
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Han Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Dadao An
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Yiting Ping
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Yujia Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Haibin Dai
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Xiangnan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou310053, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou310053, China
| | - Weiwei Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310058, China
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3
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Maly IV, Morales MJ, Pletnikov MV. Astrocyte Bioenergetics and Major Psychiatric Disorders. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 26:173-227. [PMID: 34888836 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-77375-5_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Ongoing research continues to add new elements to the emerging picture of involvement of astrocyte energy metabolism in the pathophysiology of major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, and addictions. This review outlines what is known about the energy metabolism in astrocytes, the most numerous cell type in the brain, and summarizes the recent work on how specific perturbations of astrocyte bioenergetics may contribute to the neuropsychiatric conditions. The role of astrocyte energy metabolism in mental health and disease is reviewed on the organism, organ, and cell level. Data arising from genomic, metabolomic, in vitro, and neurobehavioral studies is critically analyzed to suggest future directions in research and possible metabolism-focused therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan V Maly
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Michael J Morales
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Mikhail V Pletnikov
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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4
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Plataki ME, Diskos K, Sougklakos C, Velissariou M, Georgilis A, Stavroulaki V, Sidiropoulou K. Effect of Neonatal Treatment With the NMDA Receptor Antagonist, MK-801, During Different Temporal Windows of Postnatal Period in Adult Prefrontal Cortical and Hippocampal Function. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:689193. [PMID: 34177484 PMCID: PMC8230549 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.689193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The neonatal MK-801 model of schizophrenia has been developed based on the neurodevelopmental and NMDA receptor hypofunction hypotheses of schizophrenia. This animal model is generated with the use of the NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801, during different temporal windows of postnatal life of rodents leading to behavioral defects in adulthood. However, no studies have examined the role of specific postnatal time periods in the neonatal MK-801 (nMK-801) rodent model and the resulting behavioral and neurobiological effects. Thus, the goal of this study is to systematically investigate the role of NMDA hypofunction, during specific temporal windows in postnatal life on different cognitive and social behavioral paradigms, as well as various neurobiological effects during adulthood. Both female and male mice were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with MK-801 during postnatal days 7-14 (p7-14) or 11-15 (p11-15). Control mice were injected with saline during the respective time period. In adulthood, mice were tested in various cognitive and social behavioral tasks. Mice nMK-801-treated on p7-14 show impaired performance in the novel object, object-to-place, and temporal order object recognition (TOR) tasks, the sociability test, and contextual fear extinction. Mice nMK-801-treated on p11-15 only affects performance in the TOR task, the social memory test, and contextual fear extinction. No differences were identified in the expression of NMDA receptor subunits, the synapsin or PSD-95 proteins, either in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) or the hippocampus (HPC), brain regions significantly affected in schizophrenia. The number of parvalbumin (PV)-expressing cells is significantly reduced in the PFC, but not in the HPC, of nMK-801-treated mice on p7-14 compared to their controls. No differences in PV-expressing cells (PFC or HPC) were identified in nMK-801-treated mice on p11-15. We further examined PFC function by recording spontaneous activity in a solution that allows up state generation. We find that the frequency of up states is significantly reduced in both nMK-801-treated mice on p7-14 and p11-15 compared to saline-treated mice. Furthermore, we find adaptations in the gamma and high gamma activity in nMK-801-treated mice. In conclusion, our results show that MK-801 treatment during specific postnatal temporal windows has differential effects on cognitive and social behaviors, as well as on underlying neurobiological substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Plataki
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology-Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Diskos
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology-Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | | | | | | | | | - Kyriaki Sidiropoulou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology-Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
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5
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Delevich K, Jaaro-Peled H, Penzo M, Sawa A, Li B. Parvalbumin Interneuron Dysfunction in a Thalamo-Prefrontal Cortical Circuit in Disc1 Locus Impairment Mice. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0496-19.2020. [PMID: 32029441 PMCID: PMC7054897 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0496-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered cortical excitation-inhibition (E-I) balance resulting from abnormal parvalbumin interneuron (PV IN) function is a proposed pathophysiological mechanism of schizophrenia and other major psychiatric disorders. Preclinical studies have indicated that disrupted-in-schizophrenia-1 (Disc1) is a useful molecular lead to address the biology of prefrontal cortex (PFC)-dependent cognition and PV IN function. To date, PFC inhibitory circuit function has not been investigated in depth in Disc1 locus impairment (LI) mouse models. Therefore, we used a Disc1 LI mouse model to investigate E-I balance in medial PFC (mPFC) circuits. We found that inhibition onto layer 2/3 excitatory pyramidal neurons in the mPFC was significantly reduced in Disc1 LI mice. This reduced inhibition was accompanied by decreased GABA release from local PV, but not somatostatin (SOM) INs, and by impaired feedforward inhibition (FFI) in the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) to mPFC circuit. Our mechanistic findings of abnormal PV IN function in a Disc1 LI model provide insight into biology that may be relevant to neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Delevich
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
| | - Hanna Jaaro-Peled
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Mario Penzo
- National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Bo Li
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
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6
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Hikida T, Morita M, Kuroiwa M, Macpherson T, Shuto T, Sotogaku N, Niwa M, Sawa A, Nishi A. Adolescent psychosocial stress enhances sensitization to cocaine exposure in genetically vulnerable mice. Neurosci Res 2019; 151:38-45. [PMID: 30831136 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Development of drug addictive behaviors is modulated by both genetic and environmental risk factors. However, the molecular mechanisms remain unknown. To address the role of adolescent stress in the development of drug addiction, we combined a transgenic mouse model in which a putative dominant-negative form of DISC1 under expressional control of the prion protein promoter is used as a genetic risk factor and adolescent social isolation stress as a gene-environmental interaction (GXE). Repeated cocaine exposure induced greater locomotion in the GXE group than in the other groups. In a conditioned place preference (CPP) test, GXE mice exhibited a significant place preference to the cocaine-conditioned area compared with the other groups. In the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of GXE mice, we found increased enzyme activity of phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), predominantly located in NAc D2-receptor-expressing neurons, and enhanced effects of the PDE4 inhibitor rolipram, but not the D1 agonist SKF81297, on the phosphorylation of DARPP-32 and GluA1 at PKA sites. Rolipram injection before cocaine exposure completely inhibited cocaine-induced hyperlocomotion and CPP in the GXE group. These results indicate that GXE enhances sensitivity to repeated cocaine exposure via an increase in PDE4 activity in NAc D2-recptor-expressing neurons, leading to the development of cocaine addictive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takatoshi Hikida
- Laboratory for Advanced Brain Functions, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Japan; Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
| | - Makiko Morita
- Laboratory for Advanced Brain Functions, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Japan; Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Mahomi Kuroiwa
- Department of Pharmacology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Tom Macpherson
- Laboratory for Advanced Brain Functions, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Japan; Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Takahide Shuto
- Department of Pharmacology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Naoki Sotogaku
- Department of Pharmacology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Minae Niwa
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Akinori Nishi
- Department of Pharmacology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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7
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Winship IR, Dursun SM, Baker GB, Balista PA, Kandratavicius L, Maia-de-Oliveira JP, Hallak J, Howland JG. An Overview of Animal Models Related to Schizophrenia. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2019; 64:5-17. [PMID: 29742910 PMCID: PMC6364139 DOI: 10.1177/0706743718773728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous psychiatric disorder that is poorly treated with current therapies. In this brief review, we provide an update regarding the use of animal models to study schizophrenia in an attempt to understand its aetiology and develop novel therapeutic strategies. Tremendous progress has been made developing and validating rodent models that replicate the aetiologies, brain pathologies, and behavioural abnormalities associated with schizophrenia in humans. Here, models are grouped into 3 categories-developmental, drug induced, and genetic-to reflect the heterogeneous risk factors associated with schizophrenia. Each of these models is associated with varied but overlapping pathophysiology, endophenotypes, behavioural abnormalities, and cognitive impairments. Studying schizophrenia using multiple models will permit an understanding of the core features of the disease, thereby facilitating preclinical research aimed at the development and validation of better pharmacotherapies to alter the progression of schizophrenia or alleviate its debilitating symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian R Winship
- 1 Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
| | - Serdar M Dursun
- 2 Department of Psychiatry, Neurochemical Research Unit and Bebensee Schizophrenia Research Unit, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.,3 National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Science, Brazil
| | - Glen B Baker
- 2 Department of Psychiatry, Neurochemical Research Unit and Bebensee Schizophrenia Research Unit, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.,3 National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Science, Brazil
| | - Priscila A Balista
- 4 Department of Pharmacy, Centro Universitario das Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ludmyla Kandratavicius
- 5 Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Joao Paulo Maia-de-Oliveira
- 3 National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Science, Brazil.,6 Department of Clinical Medicine, Rio Grande do Norte Federal University, Natal, Brazil
| | - Jaime Hallak
- 3 National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Science, Brazil.,5 Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.,7 Department of Psychiatry (NRU), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
| | - John G Howland
- 8 Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
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8
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Development of the MAM model of schizophrenia in mice: Sex similarities and differences of hippocampal and prefrontal cortical function. Neuropharmacology 2019; 144:193-207. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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9
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Cardarelli RA, Martin R, Jaaro-Peled H, Sawa A, Powell EM, O'Donnell P. Dominant-Negative DISC1 Alters the Dopaminergic Modulation of Inhibitory Interneurons in the Mouse Prefrontal Cortex. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2018; 4:20-29. [PMID: 29998115 DOI: 10.1159/000488030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
A truncated disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (Disc1) gene increases the risk of psychiatric disorders, probably affecting cortical interneurons. Here, we sought to determine whether this cell population is affected in mice carrying a truncated (Disc1) allele (DN-DISC1). We utilized whole cell recordings to assess electrophysiological properties and modulation by dopamine (DA) in two classes of interneurons: fast-spiking (FS) and low threshold-spiking (LTS) interneurons in wild-type and DN-DISC1 mice. In DN-DISC1 mice, FS interneurons, but not LTS interneurons, exhibited altered action potentials. Further, the perineuronal nets that surround FS interneurons exhibited abnormal morphology in DN-DISC1 mice, and the DA modulation of this cell type was altered in DN-DISC1 mice. We conclude that early-life manipulation of a gene associated with risk of psychiatric disease can result in dysfunction, but not loss, of specific GABAergic interneurons. The resulting alteration of excitatory-inhibitory balance is a critical element in DISC1 pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross A Cardarelli
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Rolicia Martin
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hanna Jaaro-Peled
- Department of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Powell
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Patricio O'Donnell
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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10
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Matsumoto Y, Niwa M, Mouri A, Noda Y, Fukushima T, Ozaki N, Nabeshima T. Adolescent stress leads to glutamatergic disturbance through dopaminergic abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex of genetically vulnerable mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:3055-3074. [PMID: 28756461 PMCID: PMC8034555 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4704-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress during the adolescent period influences postnatal maturation and behavioral patterns in adulthood. Adolescent stress-induced molecular and functional changes in neurons are the key clinical features of psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE In the present study, we exposed genetically vulnerable mice to isolation stress to examine the molecular changes in the glutamatergic system involving N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors via dopaminergic disturbance in the prefrontal cortex (PFc). RESULTS We report that late adolescent stress in combination with Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) genetic risk elicited alterations in glutamatergic neurons in the PFc, such as increased expression of glutamate transporters, decreased extracellular levels of glutamate, decreased concentration of d-serine, and impaired activation of NMDA-Ca2+/calmodulin kinase II signaling. These changes resulted in behavioral deficits in locomotor activity, forced swim, social interaction, and novelty preference tests. The glutamatergic alterations in the PFc were prevented if the animals were treated with an atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine and a dopamine D1 agonist SKF81297, which suggests that the activation of dopaminergic neurons is involved in the regulation of the glutamatergic system. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that adolescent stress combined with dopaminergic abnormalities in the PFc of genetically vulnerable mice induces glutamatergic disturbances, which leads to behavioral deficits in the young adult stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurie Matsumoto
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Meijo University, Nagoya, 468-8503, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan
| | - Minae Niwa
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Meijo University, Nagoya, 468-8503, Japan.
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
| | - Akihiro Mouri
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Meijo University, Nagoya, 468-8503, Japan
- Advanced Diagnostic System Research Laboratory, Fujita Health University, Graduate School of Health Science, Toyoake, 470-1192, Japan
- NPO Japanese Drug Organization of Appropriate Use and Research, Nagoya, 468-0069, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Noda
- NPO Japanese Drug Organization of Appropriate Use and Research, Nagoya, 468-0069, Japan
- Division of Clinical Sciences and Neuropsychopharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, 468-8503, Japan
| | - Takeshi Fukushima
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Toho University, Chiba, 274-8510, Japan
| | - Norio Ozaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan
| | - Toshitaka Nabeshima
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Meijo University, Nagoya, 468-8503, Japan.
- Advanced Diagnostic System Research Laboratory, Fujita Health University, Graduate School of Health Science, Toyoake, 470-1192, Japan.
- NPO Japanese Drug Organization of Appropriate Use and Research, Nagoya, 468-0069, Japan.
- Aino University, Ibaragi, Osaka, 567-0012, Japan.
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11
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Expression of mutant DISC1 in Purkinje cells increases their spontaneous activity and impairs cognitive and social behaviors in mice. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 103:144-153. [PMID: 28392471 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Revised: 04/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to motor function, the cerebellum has been implicated in cognitive and social behaviors. Various structural and functional abnormalities of Purkinje cells (PCs) have been observed in schizophrenia and autism. As PCs express the gene Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC1), and DISC1 variants have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, we evaluated the role of DISC1 in cerebellar physiology and associated behaviors using a mouse model of inducible and selective expression of a dominant-negative, C-terminus truncated human DISC1 (mutant DISC1) in PCs. Mutant DISC1 male mice demonstrated impaired social and novel placement recognition. No group differences were found in novelty-induced hyperactivity, elevated plus maze test, spontaneous alternation, spatial recognition in Y maze, sociability or accelerated rotarod. Expression of mutant DISC1 was associated with a decreased number of large somata PCs (volume: 3000-5000μm3) and an increased number of smaller somata PCs (volume: 750-1000μm3) without affecting the total number of PCs or the volume of the cerebellum. Compared to control mice, attached loose patch recordings of PCs in mutant DISC1 mice revealed increased spontaneous firing of PCs; and whole cell recordings showed increased amplitude and frequency of mEPSCs without significant changes in either Rinput or parallel fiber EPSC paired-pulse ratio. Our findings indicate that mutant DISC1 alters the physiology of PCs, possibly leading to abnormal recognition memory in mice.
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Morosawa S, Iritani S, Fujishiro H, Sekiguchi H, Torii Y, Habuchi C, Kuroda K, Kaibuchi K, Ozaki N. Neuropeptide Y neuronal network dysfunction in the frontal lobe of a genetic mouse model of schizophrenia. Neuropeptides 2017; 62:27-35. [PMID: 28073591 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2016.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Revised: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been found to play a critical role in various mental functions as a neurotransmitter and is involved in the development of schizophrenia, a particularly intractable psychiatric disease whose precise etiology remains unknown. Recent molecular biological investigations have identified several candidate genes which may be associated with this disease, including disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1 (DISC1). The role of DISC1 would involve neurogenesis and neuronal migration. However, the functional consequences of this gene defect have not yet been fully clarified in neuronal systems. In the present study, to clarify the neuropathological changes associated with the function of DISC1, we explored how DISC1 dysfunction can induce abnormalities in the NPY neuronal network in the central nervous system. We performed immunohistochemical analyses (including the observation of the distribution and density) of prefrontal cortex specimens from DISC1-knockout (KO) mice, which are considered to be a novel animal model of schizophrenia. We then evaluated the number and size of NPY-immunoreactive (NPY-IR) neurons and the length of NPY-IR fibers. The number of NPY-IR neurons and the length of the fibers were decreased in the prefrontal cortex of DISC1-KO mice. The decrease was particularly prominent in the superficial regions, and the distribution of NPY-IR neurons differed between wild-type and DISC1-KO mice. However, the size of the neurons in the cortices of the DISC1-KO and wild-type mice did not differ markedly. Our findings suggest that dysfunction of DISC1 may lead to the alteration of NPY neurons and neurotransmission issues in NPY-containing neuron systems, which seem to play important roles in both the mental function and neuronal development. DISC1 dysfunction may be involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia through the impairment of the NPY neuronal network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Morosawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Shuji Iritani
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Hiroshige Fujishiro
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Hirotaka Sekiguchi
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Youta Torii
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Chikako Habuchi
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Keisuke Kuroda
- Department of Cell Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Kozo Kaibuchi
- Department of Cell Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Norio Ozaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan.
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O’Tuathaigh CMP, Fumagalli F, Desbonnet L, Perez-Branguli F, Moloney G, Loftus S, O’Leary C, Petit E, Cox R, Tighe O, Clarke G, Lai D, Harvey RP, Cryan JF, Mitchell KJ, Dinan TG, Riva MA, Waddington JL. Epistatic and Independent Effects on Schizophrenia-Related Phenotypes Following Co-disruption of the Risk Factors Neuregulin-1 × DISC1. Schizophr Bull 2017; 43:214-225. [PMID: 27613806 PMCID: PMC5216856 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbw120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have addressed likely gene × gene (ie, epistatic) interactions in mediating risk for schizophrenia. Using a preclinical genetic approach, we investigated whether simultaneous disruption of the risk factors Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) and Disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) would produce a disease-relevant phenotypic profile different from that observed following disruption to either gene alone. NRG1 heterozygotes exhibited hyperactivity and disruption to prepulse inhibition, both reversed by antipsychotic treatment, and accompanied by reduced striatal dopamine D2 receptor protein expression, impaired social cognition, and altered glutamatergic synaptic protein expression in selected brain areas. Single gene DISC1 mutants demonstrated a disruption in social cognition and nest-building, altered brain 5-hydroxytryptamine levels and hippocampal ErbB4 expression, and decreased cortical expression of the schizophrenia-associated microRNA miR-29b. Co-disruption of DISC1 and NRG1, indicative of epistasis, evoked an impairment in sociability and enhanced self-grooming, accompanied by changes in hypothalamic oxytocin/vasopressin gene expression. The findings indicate specific behavioral correlates and underlying cellular pathways downstream of main effects of DNA variation in the schizophrenia-associated genes NRG1 and DISC1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colm M. P. O’Tuathaigh
- School of Medicine, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland;,Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2,Ireland;,*To whom correspondence should be addressed; School of Medicine, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, University College Cork, Cork T12 YN60, Ireland; tel: +353-(0)21-420-5303, fax: +353-(0)21-490-1594, e-mail:
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Universita` degli Studi di Milano, Milan,
Italy
| | - Lieve Desbonnet
- Neurogastroenterology Laboratory, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, Biosciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Francesc Perez-Branguli
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland;,IZKF Junior Research Group and BMBF Research Group Neuroscience, IZKF, Friedrich-Alexander-Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gerard Moloney
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Samim Loftus
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Claire O’Leary
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2,Ireland
| | - Emilie Petit
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2,Ireland
| | - Rachel Cox
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2,Ireland
| | - Orna Tighe
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2,Ireland
| | - Gerard Clarke
- Neurogastroenterology Laboratory, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, Biosciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland;,Department of Psychiatry, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Donna Lai
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - John F. Cryan
- Neurogastroenterology Laboratory, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, Biosciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland;,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Kevin J. Mitchell
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Timothy G. Dinan
- Neurogastroenterology Laboratory, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, Biosciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland;,Department of Psychiatry, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marco A. Riva
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Universita` degli Studi di Milano, Milan,
Italy
| | - John L. Waddington
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2,Ireland;,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Translational Research & Therapy for Neuro-Psychiatric-Disorders and Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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14
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Sex differences in animal models of schizophrenia shed light on the underlying pathophysiology. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 67:41-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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15
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Sigurdsson T. Neural circuit dysfunction in schizophrenia: Insights from animal models. Neuroscience 2016; 321:42-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.06.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) L100P mutants have impaired activity-dependent plasticity in vivo and in vitro. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e712. [PMID: 26756905 PMCID: PMC5068880 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Major neuropsychiatric disorders are genetically complex but share overlapping etiology. Mice mutant for rare, highly penetrant risk variants can be useful in dissecting the molecular mechanisms involved. The gene disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) has been associated with increased risk for neuropsychiatric conditions. Mice mutant for Disc1 display morphological, functional and behavioral deficits that are consistent with impairments observed across these disorders. Here we report that Disc1 L100P mutants are less able to reorganize cortical circuitry in response to stimulation in vivo. Molecular analysis reveals that the mutants have a reduced expression of PSD95 and pCREB in visual cortex and fail to adjust expression of such markers in response to altered stimulation. In vitro analysis shows that mutants have impaired functional reorganization of cortical neurons in response to selected forms of neuronal stimulation, but there is no altered basal expression of synaptic markers. These findings suggest that DISC1 has a critical role in the reorganization of cortical plasticity and that this phenotype becomes evident only under challenge, even at early postnatal stages. This result may represent an important etiological mechanism in the emergence of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Altered functional brain network connectivity and glutamate system function in transgenic mice expressing truncated Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e569. [PMID: 25989143 PMCID: PMC4471291 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Revised: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Considerable evidence implicates DISC1 as a susceptibility gene for multiple psychiatric diseases. DISC1 has been intensively studied at the molecular, cellular and behavioral level, but its role in regulating brain connectivity and brain network function remains unknown. Here, we utilize a set of complementary approaches to assess the functional brain network abnormalities present in mice expressing a truncated Disc1 gene (Disc1tr Hemi mice). Disc1tr Hemi mice exhibited hypometabolism in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and reticular thalamus along with a reorganization of functional brain network connectivity that included compromised hippocampal-PFC connectivity. Altered hippocampal-PFC connectivity in Disc1tr Hemi mice was confirmed by electrophysiological analysis, with Disc1tr Hemi mice showing a reduced probability of presynaptic neurotransmitter release in the monosynaptic glutamatergic hippocampal CA1-PFC projection. Glutamate system dysfunction in Disc1tr Hemi mice was further supported by the attenuated cerebral metabolic response to the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist ketamine and decreased hippocampal expression of NMDAR subunits 2A and 2B in these animals. These data show that the Disc1 truncation in Disc1tr Hemi mice induces a range of translationally relevant endophenotypes underpinned by glutamate system dysfunction and altered brain connectivity.
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Randall AD, Kurihara M, Brandon NJ, Brown JT. Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 and synaptic function in the mammalian central nervous system. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 39:1068-73. [PMID: 24712987 PMCID: PMC4232872 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2013] [Revised: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene is found at the breakpoint of an inherited chromosomal translocation, and segregates with major mental illnesses. Its potential role in central nervous system (CNS) malfunction has triggered intensive investigation of the biological roles played by DISC1, with the hope that this may shed new light on the pathobiology of psychiatric disease. Such work has ranged from investigations of animal behavior to detailed molecular-level analysis of the assemblies that DISC1 forms with other proteins. Here, we discuss the evidence for a role of DISC1 in synaptic function in the mammalian CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Randall
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter, The Hatherley Building, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
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Booth CA, Brown JT, Randall AD. Neurophysiological modification of CA1 pyramidal neurons in a transgenic mouse expressing a truncated form of disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 39:1074-90. [PMID: 24712988 PMCID: PMC4232873 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Revised: 02/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
A t(1;11) balanced chromosomal translocation transects the Disc1 gene in a large Scottish family and produces genome-wide linkage to schizophrenia and recurrent major depressive disorder. This study describes our in vitro investigations into neurophysiological function in hippocampal area CA1 of a transgenic mouse (DISC1tr) that expresses a truncated version of DISC1 designed to reproduce aspects of the genetic situation in the Scottish t(1;11) pedigree. We employed both patch-clamp and extracellular recording methods in vitro to compare intrinsic properties and synaptic function and plasticity between DISC1tr animals and wild-type littermates. Patch-clamp analysis of CA1 pyramidal neurons (CA1-PNs) revealed no genotype dependence in multiple subthreshold parameters, including resting potential, input resistance, hyperpolarization-activated ‘sag’ and resonance properties. Suprathreshold stimuli revealed no alteration to action potential (AP) waveform, although the initial rate of AP production was higher in DISC1tr mice. No difference was observed in afterhyperpolarizing potentials following trains of 5–25 APs at 50 Hz. Patch-clamp analysis of synaptic responses in the Schaffer collateral commissural (SC) pathway indicated no genotype-dependence of paired pulse facilitation, excitatory postsynaptic potential summation or AMPA/NMDA ratio. Extracellular recordings also revealed an absence of changes to SC synaptic responses and indicated input–output and short-term plasticity were also unaltered in the temporoammonic (TA) input. However, in DISC1tr mice theta burst-induced long-term potentiation was enhanced in the SC pathway but completely lost in the TA pathway. These data demonstrate that expressing a truncated form of DISC1 affects intrinsic properties of CA1-PNs and produces pathway-specific effects on long-term synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clair A Booth
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
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20
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Milenkovic M, Mielnik CA, Ramsey AJ. NMDA receptor-deficient mice display sexual dimorphism in the onset and severity of behavioural abnormalities. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2014; 13:850-62. [PMID: 25327402 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-deficient mice can be used to understand the role that NMDA receptors (NMDARs) play in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia. Genetically modified mice with low levels of NR1 subunit (NR1 knockdown mice) have reduced receptor levels throughout development, and have robust abnormalities in behaviours that are relevant to schizophrenia. We traced the onset and severity of these behaviours at three developmental stages to understand when in development the underlying circuits depend on intact NMDAR function. We examined social behaviour, working memory, executive function, locomotor activity and stereotypy at 3, 6 and 12 weeks of age in NR1 knockdown mice and their wild-type littermates. We discovered that each of these behaviours had a unique developmental trajectory in mutant mice, and males showed an earlier onset and severity than females in several behaviours. Hyperlocomotion was most substantial in juvenile mice and plateaued in adult mice, whereas stereotypy progressively worsened with age. Impairments in working memory and sociability were sexually dimorphic, with deficits first detected in peri-adolescent males but only detected in adult females. Interestingly, executive function was most impaired in peri-adolescent mice of either sex. Furthermore, while juvenile mutant mice had some ability to problem solve in the puzzle box test, the same mice lost this ability when tested 4 weeks later. Our studies highlight key developmental periods for males and females in the expression of behaviours that are relevant to psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Milenkovic
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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de Bartolomeis A, Latte G, Tomasetti C, Iasevoli F. Glutamatergic postsynaptic density protein dysfunctions in synaptic plasticity and dendritic spines morphology: relevance to schizophrenia and other behavioral disorders pathophysiology, and implications for novel therapeutic approaches. Mol Neurobiol 2013; 49:484-511. [PMID: 23999870 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8534-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/13/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Emerging researches point to a relevant role of postsynaptic density (PSD) proteins, such as PSD-95, Homer, Shank, and DISC-1, in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. The PSD is a thickness, detectable at electronic microscopy, localized at the postsynaptic membrane of glutamatergic synapses, and made by scaffolding proteins, receptors, and effector proteins; it is considered a structural and functional crossroad where multiple neurotransmitter systems converge, including the dopaminergic, serotonergic, and glutamatergic ones, which are all implicated in the pathophysiology of psychosis. Decreased PSD-95 protein levels have been reported in postmortem brains of schizophrenia patients. Variants of Homer1, a key PSD protein for glutamate signaling, have been associated with schizophrenia symptoms severity and therapeutic response. Mutations in Shank gene have been recognized in autism spectrum disorder patients, as well as reported to be associated to behaviors reminiscent of schizophrenia symptoms when expressed in genetically engineered mice. Here, we provide a critical appraisal of PSD proteins role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Then, we discuss how antipsychotics may affect PSD proteins in brain regions relevant to psychosis pathophysiology, possibly by controlling synaptic plasticity and dendritic spine rearrangements through the modulation of glutamate-related targets. We finally provide a framework that may explain how PSD proteins might be useful candidates to develop new therapeutic approaches for schizophrenia and related disorders in which there is a need for new biological treatments, especially against some symptom domains, such as negative symptoms, that are poorly affected by current antipsychotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea de Bartolomeis
- Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Psychiatry, Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatologic Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University School of Medicine "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy,
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