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Prem S, Dev B, Peng C, Mehta M, Alibutud R, Connacher RJ, St Thomas M, Zhou X, Matteson P, Xing J, Millonig JH, DiCicco-Bloom E. Dysregulation of mTOR signaling mediates common neurite and migration defects in both idiopathic and 16p11.2 deletion autism neural precursor cells. eLife 2024; 13:e82809. [PMID: 38525876 PMCID: PMC11003747 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82809] [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: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined by common behavioral characteristics, raising the possibility of shared pathogenic mechanisms. Yet, vast clinical and etiological heterogeneity suggests personalized phenotypes. Surprisingly, our iPSC studies find that six individuals from two distinct ASD subtypes, idiopathic and 16p11.2 deletion, have common reductions in neural precursor cell (NPC) neurite outgrowth and migration even though whole genome sequencing demonstrates no genetic overlap between the datasets. To identify signaling differences that may contribute to these developmental defects, an unbiased phospho-(p)-proteome screen was performed. Surprisingly despite the genetic heterogeneity, hundreds of shared p-peptides were identified between autism subtypes including the mTOR pathway. mTOR signaling alterations were confirmed in all NPCs across both ASD subtypes, and mTOR modulation rescued ASD phenotypes and reproduced autism NPC-associated phenotypes in control NPCs. Thus, our studies demonstrate that genetically distinct ASD subtypes have common defects in neurite outgrowth and migration which are driven by the shared pathogenic mechanism of mTOR signaling dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smrithi Prem
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Bharati Dev
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Cynthia Peng
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Monal Mehta
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Rohan Alibutud
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Robert J Connacher
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Madeline St Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Xiaofeng Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Paul Matteson
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Jinchuan Xing
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - James H Millonig
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers UniversityPiscatawayUnited States
| | - Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolNew BrunswickUnited States
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2
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Barón-Mendoza I, Mejía-Hernández M, Hernández-Mercado K, Guzmán-Condado J, Zepeda A, González-Arenas A. Altered hippocampal neurogenesis in a mouse model of autism revealed by genetic polymorphisms and by atypical development of newborn neurons. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4608. [PMID: 38409172 PMCID: PMC10897317 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53614-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit atypical hippocampal anatomy and connectivity throughout their lifespan, potentially linked to alterations in the neurogenic process within the hippocampus. In this study, we performed an in-silico analysis to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes relevant to adult neurogenesis in the C58/J model of idiopathic autism. We found coding non-synonymous (Cn) SNPs in 33 genes involved in the adult neurogenic process, as well as in 142 genes associated with the signature genetic profile of neural stem cells (NSC) and neural progenitors. Based on the potential alterations in adult neurogenesis predicted by the in-silico analysis, we evaluated the number and distribution of newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG) of young adult C58/J mice. We found a reduced number of newborn cells in the whole DG, a higher proportion of early neuroblasts in the subgranular layer (SGZ), and a lower proportion of neuroblasts with morphological maturation signs in the granule cell layer (GCL) of the DG compared to C57BL/6J mice. The observed changes may be associated with a delay in the maturation trajectory of newborn neurons in the C58/J strain, linked to the Cn SNPs in genes involved in adult hippocampal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Barón-Mendoza
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, México
| | - Montserrat Mejía-Hernández
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, México
| | - Karina Hernández-Mercado
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, México
| | - Jessica Guzmán-Condado
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, México
| | - Angélica Zepeda
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, México.
| | - Aliesha González-Arenas
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, México.
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3
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O’Hora KP, Kushan-Wells L, Schleifer CH, Cruz S, Hoftman GD, Jalbrzikowski M, Gur RE, Gur RC, Bearden CE. Distinct neurocognitive profiles and clinical phenotypes associated with copy number variation at the 22q11.2 locus. Autism Res 2023; 16:2247-2262. [PMID: 37997544 PMCID: PMC10872774 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3049] [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: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Rare genetic variants that confer large effects on neurodevelopment and behavioral phenotypes can reveal novel gene-brain-behavior relationships relevant to autism. Copy number variation at the 22q11.2 locus offer one compelling example, as both the 22q11.2 deletion (22qDel) and duplication (22qDup) confer increased likelihood of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and cognitive deficits, but only 22qDel confers increased psychosis risk. Here, we used the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (Penn-CNB) to characterized neurocognitive profiles of 126 individuals: 55 22qDel carriers (MAge = 19.2 years, 49.1% male), 30 22qDup carriers (MAge = 17.3 years, 53.3% male), and 41 typically developing (TD) subjects (MAge = 17.3 years, 39.0% male). We performed linear mixed models to assess group differences in overall neurocognitive profiles, domain scores, and individual test scores. We found all three groups exhibited distinct overall neurocognitive profiles. 22qDel and 22qDup carriers showed significant accuracy deficits across all domains relative to controls (episodic memory, executive function, complex cognition, social cognition, and sensorimotor speed), with 22qDel carriers exhibiting more severe accuracy deficits, particularly in episodic memory. However, 22qDup carriers generally showed greater slowing than 22qDel carriers. Notably, slower social cognition speed was uniquely associated with increased global psychopathology and poorer psychosocial functioning in 22qDup. Compared to TD, 22q11.2 copy number variants (CNV) carriers failed to show age-associated improvements in multiple cognitive domains. Exploratory analyses revealed 22q11.2 CNV carriers with ASD exhibited differential neurocognitive profiles, based on 22q11.2 copy number. These results suggest that there are distinct neurocognitive profiles associated with either a loss or gain of genomic material at the 22q11.2 locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen P. O’Hora
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Leila Kushan-Wells
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Charles H. Schleifer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shayne Cruz
- College of Natural and Agricultural Science, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Gil D. Hoftman
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maria Jalbrzikowski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania and the Penn-CHOP Lifespan and Brain Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania and the Penn-CHOP Lifespan and Brain Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carrie E. Bearden
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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4
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Mastropasqua F, Oksanen M, Soldini C, Alatar S, Arora A, Ballarino R, Molinari M, Agostini F, Poulet A, Watts M, Rabkina I, Becker M, Li D, Anderlid BM, Isaksson J, Lundin Remnelius K, Moslem M, Jacob Y, Falk A, Crosetto N, Bienko M, Santini E, Borgkvist A, Bölte S, Tammimies K. Deficiency of the Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein U locus leads to delayed hindbrain neurogenesis. Biol Open 2023; 12:bio060113. [PMID: 37815090 PMCID: PMC10581386 DOI: 10.1242/bio.060113] [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: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic variants affecting Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein U (HNRNPU) have been identified in several neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). HNRNPU is widely expressed in the human brain and shows the highest postnatal expression in the cerebellum. Recent studies have investigated the role of HNRNPU in cerebral cortical development, but the effects of HNRNPU deficiency on cerebellar development remain unknown. Here, we describe the molecular and cellular outcomes of HNRNPU locus deficiency during in vitro neural differentiation of patient-derived and isogenic neuroepithelial stem cells with a hindbrain profile. We demonstrate that HNRNPU deficiency leads to chromatin remodeling of A/B compartments, and transcriptional rewiring, partly by impacting exon inclusion during mRNA processing. Genomic regions affected by the chromatin restructuring and host genes of exon usage differences show a strong enrichment for genes implicated in epilepsies, intellectual disability, and autism. Lastly, we show that at the cellular level HNRNPU downregulation leads to an increased fraction of neural progenitors in the maturing neuronal population. We conclude that the HNRNPU locus is involved in delayed commitment of neural progenitors to differentiate in cell types with hindbrain profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Mastropasqua
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marika Oksanen
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cristina Soldini
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shemim Alatar
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Abishek Arora
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Roberto Ballarino
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Tomtebodavägen 23A, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maya Molinari
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17176 Solna, Sweden
| | - Federico Agostini
- Science for Life Laboratory, Tomtebodavägen 23A, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Axel Poulet
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Michelle Watts
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ielyzaveta Rabkina
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Becker
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Danyang Li
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Britt-Marie Anderlid
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Karolinska University Hospital, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Isaksson
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medical Sciences, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Uppsala University, 75309 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karl Lundin Remnelius
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mohsen Moslem
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17176 Solna, Sweden
| | - Yannick Jacob
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Anna Falk
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17176 Solna, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 22100 Lund, Sweden
| | - Nicola Crosetto
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Tomtebodavägen 23A, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Human Technopole, Viale Rita Levi-Montalcini 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Magda Bienko
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Tomtebodavägen 23A, 17165 Solna, Sweden
- Human Technopole, Viale Rita Levi-Montalcini 1, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Santini
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17176 Solna, Sweden
| | - Anders Borgkvist
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 17176 Solna, Sweden
| | - Sven Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, 6845 Perth, Western Australia
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, 10431 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kristiina Tammimies
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
- Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Region Stockholm, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
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5
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Kilpatrick S, Irwin C, Singh KK. Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) and organoid models of autism: opportunities and limitations. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:217. [PMID: 37344450 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02510-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder caused by genetic or environmental perturbations during early development. Diagnoses are dependent on the identification of behavioral abnormalities that likely emerge well after the disorder is established, leaving critical developmental windows uncharacterized. This is further complicated by the incredible clinical and genetic heterogeneity of the disorder that is not captured in most mammalian models. In recent years, advancements in stem cell technology have created the opportunity to model ASD in a human context through the use of pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), which can be used to generate 2D cellular models as well as 3D unguided- and region-specific neural organoids. These models produce profoundly intricate systems, capable of modeling the developing brain spatiotemporally to reproduce key developmental milestones throughout early development. When complemented with multi-omics, genome editing, and electrophysiology analysis, they can be used as a powerful tool to profile the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this complex disorder. In this review, we will explore the recent advancements in hPSC-based modeling, discuss present and future applications of the model to ASD research, and finally consider the limitations and future directions within the field to make this system more robust and broadly applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah Kilpatrick
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Courtney Irwin
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karun K Singh
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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6
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O’Hora KP, Kushan-Wells L, Hoftman GD, Jalbrzikowski M, Gur RC, Gur R, Bearden CE. Distinct Neurocognitive Profiles and Clinical Phenotypes Associated with Copy Number Variation at the 22q11.2 Locus. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.12.23289905. [PMID: 37292882 PMCID: PMC10246073 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.12.23289905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Rare genetic variants that confer large effects on neurodevelopment and behavioral phenotypes can reveal novel gene-brain-behavior relationships relevant to autism. Copy number variation at the 22q11.2 locus offer one compelling example, as both the 22q11.2 deletion (22qDel) and duplication (22qDup) confer increased likelihood of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and cognitive deficits, but only 22qDel confers increased psychosis risk. Here, we used the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (Penn-CNB) to characterized neurocognitive profiles of 126 individuals: 55 22qDel carriers (MAge=19.2 years, 49.1% male), 30 22qDup carriers (MAge=17.3 years, 53.3 % male), and 41 typically developing (TD) subjects (MAge=17.3 years, 39.0 % male). We performed linear mixed models to assess group differences in overall neurocognitive profiles, domain scores, and individual test scores. We found all three groups exhibited distinct overall neurocognitive profiles. 22qDel and 22qDup carriers showed significant accuracy deficits across all domains relative to controls (Episodic Memory, Executive Function, Complex Cognition, Social Cognition, and Sensorimotor Speed), with 22qDel carriers exhibiting more severe accuracy deficits, particularly in Episodic Memory. However, 22qDup carriers generally showed greater slowing than 22qDel carriers. Notably, slower social cognition speed was uniquely associated with increased global psychopathology and poorer psychosocial functioning in 22qDup. Compared to TD, 22q11.2 CNV carriers failed to show age-associated improvements in multiple cognitive domains. Exploratory analyses revealed 22q11.2 CNV carriers with ASD exhibited differential neurocognitive profiles, based on 22q11.2 copy number. These results suggest that there are distinct neurocognitive profiles associated with either a loss or gain of genomic material at the 22q11.2 locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen P. O’Hora
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Leila Kushan-Wells
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gil D. Hoftman
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maria Jalbrzikowski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Raquel C. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania and the Penn-CHOP Lifespan and Brain Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ruben Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania and the Penn-CHOP Lifespan and Brain Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carrie E. Bearden
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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7
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Yang Y, Booker SA, Clegg JM, Quintana-Urzainqui I, Sumera A, Kozic Z, Dando O, Martin Lorenzo S, Herault Y, Kind PC, Price DJ, Pratt T. Identifying foetal forebrain interneurons as a target for monogenic autism risk factors and the polygenic 16p11.2 microdeletion. BMC Neurosci 2023; 24:5. [PMID: 36658491 PMCID: PMC9850541 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-022-00771-3] [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: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum condition or 'autism' is associated with numerous genetic risk factors including the polygenic 16p11.2 microdeletion. The balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the cerebral cortex is hypothesised to be critical for the aetiology of autism making improved understanding of how risk factors impact on the development of these cells an important area of research. In the current study we aim to combine bioinformatics analysis of human foetal cerebral cortex gene expression data with anatomical and electrophysiological analysis of a 16p11.2+/- rat model to investigate how genetic risk factors impact on inhibitory neuron development. METHODS We performed bioinformatics analysis of single cell transcriptomes from gestational week (GW) 8-26 human foetal prefrontal cortex and anatomical and electrophysiological analysis of 16p11.2+/- rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus at post-natal day (P) 21. RESULTS We identified a subset of human interneurons (INs) first appearing at GW23 with enriched expression of a large fraction of risk factor transcripts including those expressed from the 16p11.2 locus. This suggests the hypothesis that these foetal INs are vulnerable to mutations causing autism. We investigated this in a rat model of the 16p11.2 microdeletion. We found no change in the numbers or position of either excitatory or inhibitory neurons in the somatosensory cortex or CA1 of 16p11.2+/- rats but found that CA1 Sst INs were hyperexcitable with an enlarged axon initial segment, which was not the case for CA1 pyramidal cells. LIMITATIONS The human foetal gene expression data was acquired from cerebral cortex between gestational week (GW) 8 to 26. We cannot draw inferences about potential vulnerabilities to genetic autism risk factors for cells not present in the developing cerebral cortex at these stages. The analysis 16p11.2+/- rat phenotypes reported in the current study was restricted to 3-week old (P21) animals around the time of weaning and to a single interneuron cell-type while in human 16p11.2 microdeletion carriers symptoms likely involve multiple cell types and manifest in the first few years of life and on into adulthood. CONCLUSIONS We have identified developing interneurons in human foetal cerebral cortex as potentially vulnerable to monogenic autism risk factors and the 16p11.2 microdeletion and report interneuron phenotypes in post-natal 16p11.2+/- rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Yang
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - Sam A Booker
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - James M Clegg
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Idoia Quintana-Urzainqui
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69012, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Sumera
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Zrinko Kozic
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Owen Dando
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Sandra Martin Lorenzo
- CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, IGBMC, 1 rue Laurent Fries, 67404, Illkirch, France
| | - Yann Herault
- CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, IGBMC, 1 rue Laurent Fries, 67404, Illkirch, France
| | - Peter C Kind
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - David J Price
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Pratt
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom. .,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom.
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