1
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Hiramoto T, Sumiyoshi A, Kato R, Yamauchi T, Takano T, Kang G, Esparza M, Matsumura B, Stevens LJ, Hiroi YJ, Tanifuji T, Ryoke R, Nonaka H, Machida A, Nomoto K, Mogi K, Kikusui T, Kawashima R, Hiroi N. Highly demarcated structural alterations in the brain and impaired social incentive learning in Tbx1 heterozygous mice. Mol Psychiatry 2025; 30:1876-1886. [PMID: 39463450 PMCID: PMC12014486 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02797-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2024] [Accepted: 10/16/2024] [Indexed: 10/29/2024]
Abstract
Copy number variants (CNVs) are robustly associated with psychiatric disorders and changes in brain structures. However, because CNVs contain many genes, the precise gene-phenotype relationship remains unclear. Although various volumetric alterations in the brains of 22q11.2 CNV carriers have been identified in humans and mouse models, it is unknown how each gene encoded in the 22q11.2 region contributes to structural alterations, associated mental illnesses, and their dimensions. Our previous studies identified Tbx1, a T-box family transcription factor encoded in the 22q11.2 CNV, as a driver gene for social interaction and communication, spatial and working memory, and cognitive flexibility. However, it remains unclear how TBX1 impacts the volumes of various brain regions and their functionally linked behavioral dimensions. In this study, we used volumetric magnetic resonance imaging analysis to comprehensively evaluate brain region volumes and behavioral alterations relevant to affected structures in congenic Tbx1 heterozygous mice. Our data showed that the volumes of the anterior and posterior portions of the amygdaloid complex and its surrounding cortical regions were most robustly reduced in Tbx1 heterozygous mice. In an amygdala-dependent task, Tbx1 heterozygous mice were impaired in their ability to learn the incentive value of a social partner. The volumes of the primary and secondary auditory cortexes were increased, and acoustic, but not non-acoustic, sensorimotor gating was impaired in Tbx1 heterozygous mice. Our findings identify the brain's regional volume alterations and their relevant behavioral dimensions associated with Tbx1 heterozygosity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Akira Sumiyoshi
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Risa Kato
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Takeshi Takano
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Gina Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Marisa Esparza
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Yukiko J Hiroi
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Rie Ryoke
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hiroi Nonaka
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Akihiro Machida
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kensaku Nomoto
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Mogi
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takefumi Kikusui
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Noboru Hiroi
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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2
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Asano H, Arai M, Narita A, Kuroiwa T, Fukuchi M, Yoshimoto Y, Oya S, Miyoshi G. Developmental regression of novel space preference in an autism spectrum disorder model is unlinked to GABAergic and social circuitry. Front Cell Neurosci 2025; 18:1513347. [PMID: 39882215 PMCID: PMC11775510 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1513347] [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: 10/18/2024] [Accepted: 12/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2025] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social deficits and restricted behaviors, with developmental defects in GABAergic circuits proposed as a key underlying etiology. Here, we introduce the V-Y assay, a novel space preference test in which one arm of the Y-maze is initially hidden and later revealed as a novel space. Using an ASD mouse model with FOXG1 haploinsufficiency, which exhibits ASD-like social impairments that can be either exacerbated or ameliorated by GABAergic circuit manipulations, we observed impaired novel space preference and exploratory behavior in the V-Y assay. Interestingly, unlike social phenotypes, novel space preference was initially established by 3 weeks of age but regressed by 6 weeks. Furthermore, alterations in GABAergic signaling via Gad2 mutation did not affect novel space preference, in contrast to their impact on social behaviors. These findings reveal that the regression of novel space preference in ASD follows a distinct developmental trajectory from GABA-driven social impairments, providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Asano
- Department of Developmental Genetics and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Masaya Arai
- Department of Developmental Genetics and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Takasaki, Gunma, Japan
| | - Aito Narita
- Department of Developmental Genetics and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kuroiwa
- Department of Developmental Genetics and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Mamoru Fukuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Takasaki, Gunma, Japan
| | - Yuhei Yoshimoto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Soichi Oya
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Goichi Miyoshi
- Department of Developmental Genetics and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
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3
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Eom TY, Schmitt JE, Li Y, Davenport CM, Steinberg J, Bonnan A, Alam S, Ryu YS, Paul L, Hansen BS, Khairy K, Pelletier S, Pruett-Miller SM, Roalf DR, Gur RE, Emanuel BS, McDonald-McGinn DM, Smith JN, Li C, Christie JM, Northcott PA, Zakharenko SS. Tbx1 haploinsufficiency leads to local skull deformity, paraflocculus and flocculus dysplasia, and motor-learning deficit in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Nat Commun 2024; 15:10510. [PMID: 39638997 PMCID: PMC11621701 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54837-3] [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: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 11/22/2024] [Indexed: 12/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders are thought to arise from intrinsic brain abnormalities. Alternatively, they may arise from disrupted crosstalk among tissues. Here we show the local reduction of two vestibulo-cerebellar lobules, the paraflocculus and flocculus, in mouse models and humans with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). In mice, this paraflocculus/flocculus dysplasia is associated with haploinsufficiency of the Tbx1 gene. Tbx1 haploinsufficiency also leads to impaired cerebellar synaptic plasticity and motor learning. However, neural cell compositions and neurogenesis are not altered in the dysplastic paraflocculus/flocculus. Interestingly, 22q11DS and Tbx1+/- mice have malformations of the subarcuate fossa, a part of the petrous temporal bone, which encapsulates the paraflocculus/flocculus. Single-nuclei RNA sequencing reveals that Tbx1 haploinsufficiency leads to precocious differentiation of chondrocytes to osteoblasts in the petrous temporal bone autonomous to paraflocculus/flocculus cell populations. These findings suggest a previously unrecognized pathogenic structure/function relation in 22q11DS in which local skeletal deformity and cerebellar dysplasia result in behavioral deficiencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Yeon Eom
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - J Eric Schmitt
- Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yiran Li
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Christopher M Davenport
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Jeffrey Steinberg
- Center for In Vivo Imaging and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Audrey Bonnan
- Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Shahinur Alam
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Center for Bioimage Informatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Young Sang Ryu
- Center for In Vivo Imaging and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Leena Paul
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Baranda S Hansen
- Center for Advanced Genome Engineering, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Khaled Khairy
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Center for Bioimage Informatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Stephane Pelletier
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Shondra M Pruett-Miller
- Center for Advanced Genome Engineering, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - David R Roalf
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Raquel E Gur
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Beverly S Emanuel
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Division of Human Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Donna M McDonald-McGinn
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Division of Human Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Division of Human Biology and Medical Genetics, Sapienza University, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Jesse N Smith
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Cai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Jason M Christie
- Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Paul A Northcott
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
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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: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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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5
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Zhong Y, Zhang N, Zhao F, Chang S, Chen W, Cao Q, Sun L, Wang Y, Gong Z, Lu L, Liu D, Yang L. RBFOX1 and Working Memory: From Genome to Transcriptome Revealed Posttranscriptional Mechanism Separate From Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:1042-1052. [PMID: 37881587 PMCID: PMC10593897 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many psychiatric disorders share a working memory (WM) impairment phenotype, yet the genetic causes remain unclear. Here, we generated genetic profiles of WM deficits using attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder samples and validated the results in zebrafish models. Methods We used 2 relatively large attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder cohorts, 799 and 776 cases, respectively. WM impairment was assessed using the Rey Complex Figure Test. First, association analyses were conducted at single-variant, gene-based, and gene-set levels. Deeper insights into the biological mechanism were gained from further functional exploration by bioinformatic analyses and zebrafish models. Results Genomic analyses identified and replicated a locus with rs75885813 as the index single nucleotide polymorphism showing significant association with WM defects but not with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Functional feature exploration found that these single nucleotide polymorphisms may regulate the expression level of RBFOX1 through chromatin interaction. Further pathway enrichment analysis of potential associated single nucleotide polymorphisms revealed the involvement of posttranscription regulation that affects messenger RNA stability and/or alternative splicing. Zebrafish with functionally knocked down or genome-edited rbfox1 exhibited WM impairment but no hyperactivity. Transcriptome profiling of rbfox1-defective zebrafish indicated that alternative exon usages of snap25a might partially lead to reduced WM learning of larval zebrafish. Conclusions The locus with rs75885813 in RBFOX1 was identified as associated with WM. Rbfox1 regulates synaptic and long-term potentiation-related gene snap25a to adjust WM at the posttranscriptional level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanxin Zhong
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Na Zhang
- School of Life Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Biological Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Feng Zhao
- School of Life Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Suhua Chang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Qingjiu Cao
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Li Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyuan Gong
- Department of Biological Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lin Lu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, International Data Group, McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Peking University, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Liu
- School of Life Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Yang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing, China
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Hiramoto T, Sumiyoshi A, Kato R, Yamauchi T, Kang G, Matsumura B, Stevens LJ, Ryoke R, Nonaka H, Machida A, Nomoto K, Mogi K, Kikusui T, Kawashima R, Hiroi N. Structural alterations in the amygdala and impaired social incentive learning in a mouse model of a genetic variant associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3070199. [PMID: 37461714 PMCID: PMC10350205 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3070199/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Copy number variants (CNVs) are robustly associated with psychiatric disorders and their dimensions and changes in brain structures and behavior. However, as CNVs contain many genes, the precise gene-phenotype relationship remains unclear. Although various volumetric alterations in the brains of 22q11.2 CNV carriers have been identified in humans and mouse models, it is unknown how the genes in the 22q11.2 region individually contribute to structural alterations and associated mental illnesses and their dimensions. Our previous studies have identified Tbx1, a T-box family transcription factor encoded in 22q11.2 CNV, as a driver gene for social interaction and communication, spatial and working memory, and cognitive flexibility. However, it remains unclear how TBX1 impacts the volumes of various brain regions and their functionally linked behavioral dimensions. In this study, we used volumetric magnetic resonance imaging analysis to comprehensively evaluate brain region volumes in congenic Tbx1 heterozygous mice. Our data show that the volumes of anterior and posterior portions of the amygdaloid complex and its surrounding cortical regions were reduced in Tbx1 heterozygous mice. Moreover, we examined the behavioral consequences of an altered volume of the amygdala. Tbx1 heterozygous mice were impaired for their ability to detect the incentive value of a social partner in a task that depends on the amygdala. Our findings identify the structural basis for a specific social dimension associated with loss-of-function variants of TBX1 and 22q11.2 CNV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Hiramoto
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
| | - Akira Sumiyoshi
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1 Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Risa Kato
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
| | | | - Gina Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
| | - Bailey Matsumura
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
| | - Lucas J. Stevens
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
| | - Rie Ryoke
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1 Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Hiroi Nonaka
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1 Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Akihiro Machida
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
| | - Kensaku Nomoto
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Mogi
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
| | - Takefumi Kikusui
- Laboratory of Human-Animal Interaction and Reciprocity, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1 Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Noboru Hiroi
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Health San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, Texas 78229, USA
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7
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Hiramoto T, Sumiyoshi A, Kato R, Yamauchi T, Kang G, Matsumura B, Stevens LJ, Ryoke R, Nonaka H, Machida A, Nomoto K, Mogi K, Kikusui T, Kawashima R, Hiroi N. Structural alterations in the amygdala and impaired social incentive learning in a mouse model of a genetic variant associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.14.545013. [PMID: 37398198 PMCID: PMC10312713 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.14.545013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Copy number variants (CNVs) are robustly associated with psychiatric disorders and their dimensions and changes in brain structures and behavior. However, as CNVs contain many genes, the precise gene-phenotype relationship remains unclear. Although various volumetric alterations in the brains of 22q11.2 CNV carriers have been identified in humans and mouse models, it is unknown how the genes in the 22q11.2 region individually contribute to structural alterations and associated mental illnesses and their dimensions. Our previous studies have identified Tbx1 , a T-box family transcription factor encoded in 22q11.2 CNV, as a driver gene for social interaction and communication, spatial and working memory, and cognitive flexibility. However, it remains unclear how TBX1 impacts the volumes of various brain regions and their functionally linked behavioral dimensions. In this study, we used volumetric magnetic resonance imaging analysis to comprehensively evaluate brain region volumes in congenic Tbx1 heterozygous mice. Our data show that the volumes of anterior and posterior portions of the amygdaloid complex and its surrounding cortical regions were reduced in Tbx1 heterozygous mice. Moreover, we examined the behavioral consequences of an altered volume of the amygdala. Tbx1 heterozygous mice were impaired for their ability to detect the incentive value of a social partner in a task that depends on the amygdala. Our findings identify the structural basis for a specific social dimension associated with loss-of-function variants of TBX1 and 22q11.2 CNV.
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8
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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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9
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Liu C, Liu J, Gong H, Liu T, Li X, Fan X. Implication of Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Implications. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:2266-2282. [PMID: 36545727 PMCID: PMC10556385 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666221220155455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a cluster of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental conditions with atypical social communication and repetitive sensory-motor behaviors. The formation of new neurons from neural precursors in the hippocampus has been unequivocally demonstrated in the dentate gyrus of rodents and non-human primates. Accumulating evidence sheds light on how the deficits in the hippocampal neurogenesis may underlie some of the abnormal behavioral phenotypes in ASD. In this review, we describe the current evidence concerning pre-clinical and clinical studies supporting the significant role of hippocampal neurogenesis in ASD pathogenesis, discuss the possibility of improving hippocampal neurogenesis as a new strategy for treating ASD, and highlight the prospect of emerging pro-neurogenic therapies for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanqi Liu
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
- Battalion 5 of Cadet Brigade, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Jiayin Liu
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
- Battalion 5 of Cadet Brigade, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Gong
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Tianyao Liu
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
- Army 953 Hospital, Shigatse Branch of Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Shigatse, China
| | - Xiaotang Fan
- Department of Military Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China
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10
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Delprato A, Xiao E, Manoj D. Connecting DCX, COMT and FMR1 in social behavior and cognitive impairment. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2022; 18:7. [PMID: 35590332 PMCID: PMC9121553 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-022-00191-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variants of DCX, COMT and FMR1 have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders related to intellectual disability and social behavior. In this systematic review we examine the roles of the DCX, COMT and FMR1 genes in the context of hippocampal neurogenesis with respect to these disorders with the aim of identifying important hubs and signaling pathways that may bridge these conditions. Taken together our findings indicate that factors connecting DCX, COMT, and FMR1 in intellectual disability and social behavior may converge at Wnt signaling, neuron migration, and axon and dendrite morphogenesis. Data derived from genomic research has identified a multitude of genes that are linked to brain disorders and developmental differences. Information about where and how these genes function and cooperate is lagging behind. The approach used here may help to shed light on the biological underpinnings in which key genes interface and may prove useful for the testing of specific hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Delprato
- Department of Research and Education, BioScience Project, Wakefield, MA, 01880, USA.
| | - Emily Xiao
- Department of Research and Education, BioScience Project, Wakefield, MA, 01880, USA.,Alexander Mackenzie High School, Richmond Hill, ON, 14519, Canada
| | - Devika Manoj
- Department of Research and Education, BioScience Project, Wakefield, MA, 01880, USA.,Lambert High School, Suwanee, GA, 30024, USA
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11
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Hiramoto T, Sumiyoshi A, Yamauchi T, Tanigaki K, Shi Q, Kang G, Ryoke R, Nonaka H, Enomoto S, Izumi T, Bhat MA, Kawashima R, Hiroi N. Tbx1, a gene encoded in 22q11.2 copy number variant, is a link between alterations in fimbria myelination and cognitive speed in mice. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:929-938. [PMID: 34737458 PMCID: PMC9054676 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01318-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Copy number variants (CNVs) have provided a reliable entry point to identify the structural correlates of atypical cognitive development. Hemizygous deletion of human chromosome 22q11.2 is associated with impaired cognitive function; however, the mechanisms by which the CNVs contribute to cognitive deficits via diverse structural alterations in the brain remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the cellular basis of the link between alterations in brain structure and cognitive functions in mice with a heterozygous deletion of Tbx1, one of the 22q11.2-encoded genes. Ex vivo whole-brain diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in Tbx1 heterozygous mice indicated that the fimbria was the only region with significant myelin alteration. Electron microscopic and histological analyses showed that Tbx1 heterozygous mice exhibited an apparent absence of large myelinated axons and thicker myelin in medium axons in the fimbria, resulting in an overall decrease in myelin. The fimbria of Tbx1 heterozygous mice showed reduced mRNA levels of Ng2, a gene required to produce oligodendrocyte precursor cells. Moreover, postnatal progenitor cells derived from the subventricular zone, a source of oligodendrocytes in the fimbria, produced fewer oligodendrocytes in vitro. Behavioral analyses of these mice showed selectively slower acquisition of spatial memory and cognitive flexibility with no effects on their accuracy or sensory or motor capacities. Our findings provide a genetic and cellular basis for the compromised cognitive speed in patients with 22q11.2 hemizygous deletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Hiramoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Akira Sumiyoshi
- Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1, Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Takahira Yamauchi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Kenji Tanigaki
- Research Institute, Shiga Medical Center, 5-4-30 Moriyama, Moriyama-shi, Shiga, Japan
| | - Qian Shi
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Gina Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Rie Ryoke
- Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1, Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Hiroi Nonaka
- Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1, Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Shingo Enomoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Takeshi Izumi
- Department of Pharmacology, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, 1757 Kanazawa, Tobetsu, Ishikari, Hokkaido, 061-0293, Japan
- Advanced Research Promotion Center, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, 1757 Kanazawa, Tobetsu, Ishikari, Hokkaido, 061-0293, Japan
| | - Manzoor A Bhat
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer, Tohoku University, 4-1, Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Noboru Hiroi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
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12
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Nakamura M, Ye K, E Silva MB, Yamauchi T, Hoeppner DJ, Fayyazuddin A, Kang G, Yuda EA, Nagashima M, Enomoto S, Hiramoto T, Sharp R, Kaneko I, Tajinda K, Adachi M, Mihara T, Tokuno S, Geyer MA, Broin PÓ, Matsumoto M, Hiroi N. Computational identification of variables in neonatal vocalizations predictive for postpubertal social behaviors in a mouse model of 16p11.2 deletion. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:6578-6588. [PMID: 33859357 PMCID: PMC8517042 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01089-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often signaled by atypical cries during infancy. Copy number variants (CNVs) provide genetically identifiable cases of ASD, but how early atypical cries predict a later onset of ASD among CNV carriers is not understood in humans. Genetic mouse models of CNVs have provided a reliable tool to experimentally isolate the impact of CNVs and identify early predictors for later abnormalities in behaviors relevant to ASD. However, many technical issues have confounded the phenotypic characterization of such mouse models, including systematically biased genetic backgrounds and weak or absent behavioral phenotypes. To address these issues, we developed a coisogenic mouse model of human proximal 16p11.2 hemizygous deletion and applied computational approaches to identify hidden variables within neonatal vocalizations that have predictive power for postpubertal dimensions relevant to ASD. After variables of neonatal vocalizations were selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso), random forest, and Markov model, regression models were constructed to predict postpubertal dimensions relevant to ASD. While the average scores of many standard behavioral assays designed to model dimensions did not differentiate a model of 16p11.2 hemizygous deletion and wild-type littermates, specific call types and call sequences of neonatal vocalizations predicted individual variability of postpubertal reciprocal social interaction and olfactory responses to a social cue in a genotype-specific manner. Deep-phenotyping and computational analyses identified hidden variables within neonatal social communication that are predictive of postpubertal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuteru Nakamura
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenny Ye
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Science, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Mariel Barbachan E Silva
- School of Mathematics, Statistics & Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Takahira Yamauchi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Daniel J Hoeppner
- La Jolla Laboratory, Astellas Research Institute of America LLC, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Amir Fayyazuddin
- La Jolla Laboratory, Astellas Research Institute of America LLC, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Gina Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Emi A Yuda
- Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masako Nagashima
- Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Shingo Enomoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Takeshi Hiramoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Richard Sharp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Itaru Kaneko
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Katsunori Tajinda
- La Jolla Laboratory, Astellas Research Institute of America LLC, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Megumi Adachi
- La Jolla Laboratory, Astellas Research Institute of America LLC, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Takuma Mihara
- Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Shinichi Tokuno
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Health Innovation, Kanagawa University of Human Services, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Mark A Geyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Pilib Ó Broin
- School of Mathematics, Statistics & Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Mitsuyuki Matsumoto
- La Jolla Laboratory, Astellas Research Institute of America LLC, San Diego, CA, USA
- Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Noboru Hiroi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Department of Cell Systems Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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13
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Gass N, Peterson Z, Reinwald J, Sartorius A, Weber-Fahr W, Sack M, Chen J, Cao H, Didriksen M, Stensbøl TB, Klemme G, Schwarz AJ, Schwarz E, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Nickl-Jockschat T. Differential resting-state patterns across networks are spatially associated with Comt and Trmt2a gene expression patterns in a mouse model of 22q11.2 deletion. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118520. [PMID: 34455061 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Copy number variations (CNV) involving multiple genes are ideal models to study polygenic neuropsychiatric disorders. Since 22q11.2 deletion is regarded as the most important single genetic risk factor for developing schizophrenia, characterizing the effects of this CNV on neural networks offers a unique avenue towards delineating polygenic interactions conferring risk for the disorder. We used a Df(h22q11)/+ mouse model of human 22q11.2 deletion to dissect gene expression patterns that would spatially overlap with differential resting-state functional connectivity (FC) patterns in this model (N = 12 Df(h22q11)/+ mice, N = 10 littermate controls). To confirm the translational relevance of our findings, we analyzed tissue samples from schizophrenia patients and healthy controls using machine learning to explore whether identified genes were co-expressed in humans. Additionally, we employed the STRING protein-protein interaction database to identify potential interactions between genes spatially associated with hypo- or hyper-FC. We found significant associations between differential resting-state connectivity and spatial gene expression patterns for both hypo- and hyper-FC. Two genes, Comt and Trmt2a, were consistently over-expressed across all networks. An analysis of human datasets pointed to a disrupted co-expression of these two genes in the brain in schizophrenia patients, but not in healthy controls. Our findings suggest that COMT and TRMT2A form a core genetic component implicated in differential resting-state connectivity patterns in the 22q11.2 deletion. A disruption of their co-expression in schizophrenia patients points out a prospective cause for the aberrance of brain networks communication in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome on a molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Gass
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Zeru Peterson
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jonathan Reinwald
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Sartorius
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Weber-Fahr
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Sack
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Junfang Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Han Cao
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Gabrielle Klemme
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Adam J Schwarz
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Emanuel Schwarz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Nickl-Jockschat
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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14
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Stavroulaki V, Ioakeimidis V, Konstantoudaki X, Sidiropoulou K. Enhanced synaptic properties of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus after learning a spatial working memory task in adult male mice. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1802-1814. [PMID: 33740288 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is the ability to hold on-line and manipulate information. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a key brain region involved in WM, while the hippocampus is also involved, particularly, in spatial WM. Although several studies have investigated the neuronal substrates of WM in trained animals, the effects and the mechanisms underlying learning WM tasks have not been explored. In our study, we investigated the effects of learning WM tasks in mice on the function of PFC and hippocampus, by training mice in the delayed alternation task for 9 days (adaptive group). This group was compared to naïve mice (which stayed in their homecage) and mice trained in the alternation procedure only (non-adaptive). Following training, a cohort of mice (Experiment A) was tested in the left-right discrimination task and the reversal learning task, while another cohort (Experiment B) was tested in the attention set-shifting task (AST). The adaptive group performed significantly better in the reversal learning task (Experiment A) and AST (Experiment B), compared to non-adaptive and naïve groups. At the end of the behavioral experiments in Experiment A, field excitatory post-synaptic potential (fEPSP) recordings were performed in PFC and hippocampal brain slices. The adaptive group had enhanced the long-term potentiation (LTP) in the PFC, compared to the other groups. In the hippocampus, both the adaptive and the non-adaptive groups exhibited increased fEPSP compared to the naïve group, but no differences in LTP. In Experiment B, the dendritic spine density was measured, which, in the PFC, was found increased in the adaptive group, compared to the non-adaptive and naïve groups. In the hippocampus, there was an increase in mature dendritic spine density in the adaptive group, compared to the other two groups. Our results indicate a role for LTP and dendritic spine density in learning WM tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - 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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15
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Yamauchi T, Kang G, Hiroi N. Heterozygosity of murine Crkl does not recapitulate behavioral dimensions of human 22q11.2 hemizygosity. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12719. [PMID: 33269541 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Deletions in 22q11.2 human chromosome are known to be associated with psychiatric disorders, such as intellectual disability, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and anxiety disorders. This copy number variation includes a 3.0 Mb deletion and a nested proximal 1.5 Mb hemizygous deletion in the same region. Evidence indicates that the distal 22q11.2 region outside the nested 1.5 Mb deletion also might be contributory in humans. However, the precise genetic architecture within the distal region responsible for psychiatric disorders remains unclear, and this issue cannot be experimentally evaluated beyond the correlation in humans. As CRKL (CRK-like Proto-Oncogene, Adaptor Protein) is one of the genes encoded in the distal 22q11.2 segment and its homozygous deletion causes physical phenotypes of 22q11.2 hemizygous deletion, we tested the hypothesis that its murine homolog Crkl contributes to behavioral phenotypes relevant to psychiatric disorders in mice. Congenic Crkl heterozygosity reduced thigmotaxis, an anxiety-related behavior, in an inescapable open field, but had no apparent effect on social interaction, spontaneous alternation in a T-maze, anxiety-like behavior in an elevated plus maze, or motor activity in an open field. Our data indicate that the heterozygosity of murine Crkl does not recapitulate social deficits, working memory deficits, repetitive behavior traits or hyperactivity of human 22q11.2 hemizygous deletion. Moreover, while 22q11.2 hemizygous deletion is associated with high levels of phobia and anxiety in humans, our data suggest that Crkl heterozygosity rather acts as a protective factor for phobia-like behavior in an open field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahira Yamauchi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Gina Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Noboru Hiroi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.,Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.,Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
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16
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miR-19b is elevated in peripheral blood of schizophrenic patients and attenuates proliferation of hippocampal neural progenitor cells. J Psychiatr Res 2020; 131:102-107. [PMID: 32950706 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been investigated in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia (SZ). Previous studies showed miRNAs dysregulation in postmortem brain tissues and peripheral blood of SZ patients. These suggest that miRNAs may play a role in the pathophysiology of SZ and be a potential biomarker of SZ. Previous studies also showed that miRNAs regulated neurogenesis and that neurogenesis was involved in the pathophysiology of SZ. In addition, a recent study showed that miR-19a and 19b, enriched in neural progenitor cells (NPC) in adult hippocampus, were increased in human NPC derived from induced pluripotent stem cell derived from SZ patients. However, it remains unclear whether the levels of miR-19a and 19b are altered in peripheral blood of SZ patients and how miR-19a and 19b affects neurogenesis. To elucidate them, first we examined the levels of miR-19a and 19b in peripheral blood of SZ patients with quantitative RT-PCR and showed that the level of miR-19b, but not miR-19a, was significantly higher (miR-19a: p = 0.5733, miR-19b: p = 0.0038) in peripheral blood of SZ patients (N = 22) than that of healthy controls (N = 19). Next, we examined the involvement of miR-19b in proliferation and survival of mouse neonatal mice hippocampus-derived NPC with BrdU assay and TUNEL assay. The silencing of miR-19b significantly increased proliferation (N = 5, p = 0.0139), but not survival (N = 5, p = 0.9571), of neonatal mice hippocampus-derived NPC. These results suggest that the level of miR-19b in peripheral blood is a potential biomarker of schizophrenia and that the higher level of miR-19b may increase the vulnerability of SZ via attenuating proliferation of hippocampal NPC.
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17
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Solot CB, Moore TM, Crowley TB, Gerdes M, Moss E, McGinn DE, Emanuel BS, Zackai EH, Gallagher S, Calkins ME, Ruparel K, Gur RC, McDonald-McGinn D, Gur RE. Early language measures associated with later psychosis features in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2020; 183:392-400. [PMID: 32715620 PMCID: PMC8050829 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is associated with impaired cognitive functions and increased risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Speech and language deficits are prominent, with evidence of decline anteceding emergence of psychosis. There is paucity of data examining language function in children with 22q11DS with follow-up assessment of psychosis spectrum (PS) symptoms. We examined the association between early language measures, obtained clinically, and PS status, obtained on average 10.1 years later, in 166 youths with 22q11DS, with repeated language testing in 48. Participants were administered the Preschool Language Scale (receptive/expressive), and/or, for school aged children, the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (receptive/expressive), and age appropriate IQ tests. The structured interview for prodromal syndromes (SIPS) assessed PS symptoms. We found that performance on all preschool measures showed age associated decline, and males performed more poorly on core composite (receptive/expressive) and receptive language measures. For language assessment later in childhood, poorer performance was consistently associated with subsequent PS status. Furthermore, steeper age-related decline was seen in the PS group across language measures and marginally for full-scale IQ. These findings suggest that while preschool language testing is useful in characterizing performance decline in individuals with 22q11DS, it does not robustly differentiate those with subsequent PS from those without. However, language testing in the school age population can help identify individuals with 22q11DS who are at risk for psychosis. Such data are needed for elucidating a lifespan trajectory for affected individuals and may help understand pathways to psychosis applicable to the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia B. Solot
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Tyler M. Moore
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Behavior Laboratory, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - T. Blaine Crowley
- Division of Human Genetics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Marsha Gerdes
- Division of Human Genetics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Edward Moss
- Division of Human Genetics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel E. McGinn
- Division of Human Genetics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Beverly S. Emanuel
- Division of Human Genetics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Elaine H. Zackai
- Division of Human Genetics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sean Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Monica E. Calkins
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kosha Ruparel
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Donna McDonald-McGinn
- Division of Human Genetics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
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18
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Lin A, Vajdi A, Kushan-Wells L, Helleman G, Hansen LP, Jonas RK, Jalbrzikowski M, Kingsbury L, Raznahan A, Bearden CE. Reciprocal Copy Number Variations at 22q11.2 Produce Distinct and Convergent Neurobehavioral Impairments Relevant for Schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:260-272. [PMID: 32143830 PMCID: PMC7354903 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND 22q11.2 deletions and duplications are copy number variations (CNVs) that predispose to developmental neuropsychiatric disorders. Both CNVs are associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while the deletion confers disproportionate risk for schizophrenia. Neurobehavioral profiles associated with these reciprocal CNVs in conjunction with brain imaging measures have not been reported. METHODS We profiled the impact of 22q11.2 CNVs on neurobehavioral measures relevant to ASD and psychosis in 106 22q11.2 deletion carriers, 38 22q11.2 duplication carriers, and 82 demographically matched healthy control subjects. To determine whether brain-behavior relationships were altered in CNV carriers, we further tested for interactions between group and regional brain structure on neurobehavioral domains. RESULTS Cognitive deficits were observed in both CNV groups, with the lowest IQs in deletion carriers. ASD and dimensionally measured ASD traits were elevated in both CNV groups; however, duplication carriers exhibited increased stereotypies compared to deletion carriers. Moreover, discriminant analysis using ASD subdomains distinguished between CNV cases with 76% accuracy. Both psychotic disorder diagnosis and dimensionally measured positive and negative symptoms were elevated in deletion carriers. Finally, healthy control subjects showed an inverse relationship between processing speed and cortical thickness in heteromodal association areas, which was absent in both CNV groups. CONCLUSIONS 22q11.2 CNVs differentially modulate intellectual functioning and psychosis-related symptomatology but converge on broad ASD-related symptomatology. However, subtle differences in ASD profiles distinguish CNV groups. Processing speed impairments, coupled with the lack of normative relationship between processing speed and cortical thickness in CNV carriers, implicate aberrant development of the cortical mantle in the pathology underlying impaired processing speed ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Lin
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ariana Vajdi
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Leila Kushan-Wells
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Gerhard Helleman
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Laura Pacheco Hansen
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Rachel K Jonas
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Maria Jalbrzikowski
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Lyle Kingsbury
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Carrie E Bearden
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
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19
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Francisco AA, Foxe JJ, Horsthuis DJ, DeMaio D, Molholm S. Assessing auditory processing endophenotypes associated with Schizophrenia in individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:85. [PMID: 32139692 PMCID: PMC7058163 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0764-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS) is the strongest known molecular risk factor for schizophrenia. Brain responses to auditory stimuli have been studied extensively in schizophrenia and described as potential biomarkers of vulnerability to psychosis. We sought to understand whether these responses might aid in differentiating individuals with 22q11.2DS as a function of psychotic symptoms, and ultimately serve as signals of risk for schizophrenia. A duration oddball paradigm and high-density electrophysiology were used to test auditory processing in 26 individuals with 22q11.2DS (13-35 years old, 17 females) with varying degrees of psychotic symptomatology and in 26 age- and sex-matched neurotypical controls (NT). Presentation rate varied across three levels, to examine the effect of increasing demands on memory and the integrity of sensory adaptation. We tested whether N1 and mismatch negativity (MMN), typically reduced in schizophrenia, related to clinical/cognitive measures, and how they were affected by presentation rate. N1 adaptation effects interacted with psychotic symptomatology: Compared to an NT group, individuals with 22q11.2DS but no psychotic symptomatology presented larger adaptation effects, whereas those with psychotic symptomatology presented smaller effects. In contrast, individuals with 22q11.2DS showed increased effects of presentation rate on MMN amplitude, regardless of the presence of symptoms. While IQ and working memory were lower in the 22q11.2DS group, these measures did not correlate with the electrophysiological data. These findings suggest the presence of two distinct mechanisms: One intrinsic to 22q11.2DS resulting in increased N1 and MMN responses; another related to psychosis leading to a decreased N1 response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana A Francisco
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - John J Foxe
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, The Ernest J. Del Monde Institute for Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Douwe J Horsthuis
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Danielle DeMaio
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Sophie Molholm
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, The Ernest J. Del Monde Institute for Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
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20
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Akiyama K, Saito A, Saito S, Ozeki Y, Watanabe T, Fujii K, Shimoda K. Association of genetic variants at 22q11.2 chromosomal region with cognitive performance in Japanese patients with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res Cogn 2019; 17:100134. [PMID: 31193788 PMCID: PMC6543121 DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2019.100134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
22q11.2 heterozygous multigene deletions confer an increased risk of schizophrenia with marked impairment of cognition. We explored whether genes on 22q11.2 are associated with cognitive performance in patients with idiopathic schizophrenia. A total of 240 schizophrenia patients and 240 healthy controls underwent the Japanese-language version of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) and were genotyped for 115 tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tag SNPs) at the 22q11.2 region using the golden gate assay (Illumina®). Associations between z-scores of the BACS cognitive domains and SNPs and haplotypes were analyzed using linear regression in PLINK 1.07. An additional set of 149 patients with bipolar disorder were included for cognitive assessment and selected SNPs were genotyped using real-time PCR. Patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder showed qualitatively comparable profiles of cognitive impairment across BACS subdomains, as revealed by significant correlation between the two groups in the resulting cognitive effect sizes relative to controls. rs4819522 (TBX1) and rs2238769 (UFD1L) were significantly and nominally associated, respectively, with symbol coding in patients with schizophrenia. Haplotype analyses revealed that haplotypes containing the A allele at rs4819522 and G allele at rs2238769 showed significant negative associations with symbol coding in patients with schizophrenia. There was no effect of any haplotypes on cognition in patients with bipolar disorder. Our results have implications for the understanding of the role of haplotypes of UFD1L and TBX1 genes associated with symbol coding in patients with schizophrenia. Further replication studies in a cohort of newly diagnosed patients and other ethnicities are warranted.
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21
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Hiroi N, Yamauchi T. Modeling and Predicting Developmental Trajectories of Neuropsychiatric Dimensions Associated With Copy Number Variations. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 22:488-500. [PMID: 31135887 PMCID: PMC6672556 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyz026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Copy number variants, such as duplications and hemizygous deletions at chromosomal loci of up to a few million base pairs, are highly associated with psychiatric disorders. Hemizygous deletions at human chromosome 22q11.2 were found to be associated with elevated instances of schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder in 1992 and 2002, respectively. Following these discoveries, many mouse models have been developed and tested to analyze the effects of gene dose alterations in small chromosomal segments and single genes of 22q11.2. Despite several limitations to modeling mental illness in mice, mouse models have identified several genes on 22q11.2-Tbx1, Dgcr8, Comt, Sept5, and Prodh-that contribute to dimensions of autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, including working memory, social communication and interaction, and sensorimotor gating. Mouse studies have identified that heterozygous deletion of Tbx1 results in defective social communication during the neonatal period and social interaction deficits during adolescence/adulthood. Overexpression of Tbx1 or Comt in adult neural progenitor cells in the hippocampus delays the developmental maturation of working memory capacity. Collectively, mouse models of variants of these 4 genes have revealed several potential neuronal mechanisms underlying various aspects of psychiatric disorders, including adult neurogenesis, microRNA processing, catecholamine metabolism, and synaptic transmission. The validity of the mouse data would be ultimately tested when therapies or drugs based on such potential mechanisms are applied to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noboru Hiroi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Takahira Yamauchi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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22
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Bahji A, Khalid-Khan S. Episodic Behavioural Regression in an 8-Year-Old Female: Sequelae of 22q11.2 Duplication Syndrome. Case Rep Psychiatry 2018; 2018:1394356. [PMID: 30174976 PMCID: PMC6106909 DOI: 10.1155/2018/1394356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
22q11.2 duplication syndrome is a recently discovered genetic syndrome with unclear neuropsychiatric sequelae. While its connection to 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is actively investigated, case reports on the neuropsychiatric sequelae of affected individuals have been previously described, largely focusing on comorbid autism spectrum disorder. Here, we present the case of an 8-year-old female experiencing episodes of severe behavioural regression following medical illness. We analyze the case and relate it to the available literature and identify potential risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Bahji
- Division of Child & Youth Psychiatry, Queen's University, Canada
| | - S. Khalid-Khan
- Division of Child & Youth Psychiatry, Queen's University, Canada
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23
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Hiroi N. Critical reappraisal of mechanistic links of copy number variants to dimensional constructs of neuropsychiatric disorders in mouse models. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2018; 72:301-321. [PMID: 29369447 PMCID: PMC5935536 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Copy number variants are deletions and duplications of a few thousand to million base pairs and are associated with extraordinarily high levels of autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, intellectual disability, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The unprecedented levels of robust and reproducible penetrance of copy number variants make them one of the most promising and reliable entry points to delve into the mechanistic bases of many mental disorders. However, the precise mechanistic bases of these associations still remain elusive in humans due to the many genes encoded in each copy number variant and the diverse associated phenotypic features. Genetically engineered mice have provided a technical means to ascertain precise genetic mechanisms of association between copy number variants and dimensional aspects of mental illnesses. Molecular, cellular, and neuronal phenotypes can be detected as potential mechanistic substrates for various behavioral constructs of mental illnesses. However, mouse models come with many technical pitfalls. Genetic background is not well controlled in many mouse models, leading to rather obvious interpretative issues. Dose alterations of many copy number variants and single genes within copy number variants result in some molecular, cellular, and neuronal phenotypes without a behavioral phenotype or with a behavioral phenotype opposite to what is seen in humans. In this review, I discuss technical and interpretative pitfalls of mouse models of copy number variants and highlight well-controlled studies to suggest potential neuronal mechanisms of dimensional aspects of mental illnesses. Mouse models of copy number variants represent toeholds to achieve a better understanding of the mechanistic bases of dimensions of neuropsychiatric disorders and thus for development of mechanism-based therapeutic options in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noboru Hiroi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA.,Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA
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