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Espinoza F, Carrazana R, Retamal-Fredes E, Ávila D, Papes F, Muotri AR, Ávila A. Tcf4 dysfunction alters dorsal and ventral cortical neurogenesis in Pitt-Hopkins syndrome mouse model showing sexual dimorphism. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167178. [PMID: 38636614 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by haploinsufficiency of transcription factor 4 (TCF4). In this work, we focused on the cerebral cortex and investigated in detail the progenitor cell dynamics and the outcome of neurogenesis in a PTHS mouse model. Labeling and quantification of progenitors and newly generated neurons at various time points during embryonic development revealed alterations affecting the dynamic of cortical progenitors since the earliest stages of cortex formation in PTHS mice. Consequently, establishment of neuronal populations and layering of the cortex were found to be altered in heterozygotes subjects at birth. Interestingly, defective layering process of pyramidal neurons was partially rescued by reintroducing TCF4 expression using focal in utero electroporation in the cerebral cortex. Coincidentally with a defective dorsal neurogenesis, we found that ventral generation of interneurons was also defective in this model, which may lead to an excitation/inhibition imbalance in PTHS. Overall, sex-dependent differences were detected with more marked effects evidenced in males compared with females. All of this contributes to expand our understanding of PTHS, paralleling the advances of research in autism spectrum disorder and further validating the PTHS mouse model as an important tool to advance preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Espinoza
- Neurodevelopmental Biology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), Concepción, Chile
| | - Ramón Carrazana
- Neurodevelopmental Biology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), Concepción, Chile
| | - Eduardo Retamal-Fredes
- Neurodevelopmental Biology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), Concepción, Chile
| | - Denisse Ávila
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College of London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Fabio Papes
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Alysson R Muotri
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ariel Ávila
- Neurodevelopmental Biology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), Concepción, Chile.
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2
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Zhou F, Yang Y, Li J, Jin Y, Zhang T, Yu G. Mendelian randomization and single-cell expression analyses identify the causal relationship between depression and chronic rhinosinusitis. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1342376. [PMID: 38827438 PMCID: PMC11140484 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1342376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The causative relationship between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and depression remains unclear. Herein we employed Mendelian randomization (MR) coupled with single-cell analysis to investigate the causality between CRS and depression. Methods Data pertaining to CRS and depression were mined from the genome-wide association study database, and a single-cell dataset was sourced from the literature. To explore causality, we conducted bidirectional MR analysis using MR-Egger, weighted median, inverse variance weighted (IVW), simple mode, and weighted mode, with IVW representing the most important method. Further, sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the robustness of MR analysis results. Candidate genes were analyzed via single-cell combined MR analysis. Results Forward MR analysis indicated depression as a risk factor for CRS when depression was the exposure factor and CRS was the outcome (OR = 1.425, P < 0.001). Reverse MR analysis revealed the same positive relationship between CRS and depression when CRS was the exposure factor and depression was the outcome (OR = 1.012, P = 0.038). Sensitivity analysis validated the robustness of bidirectional MR analysis results. Ten cell types (endothelial, ciliated, basal, myeloid, mast, apical, plasma, glandular, fibroblast, and T cells) were identified in the single-cell dataset. The network of receptor-ligand pairs showed that in normal samples, cell-cell interactions were present among various cell types, such as epithelial, mast, myeloid, and endothelial cells. In contrast, CRS samples featured only one specific receptor-ligand pair, confined to myeloid cells. TCF4 and MEF2C emerged as potentially crucial for CRS-associated depression development. Conclusions Our findings suggest a bidirectional causal relationship between CRS and depression, offering a new perspective on the association between CRS and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Tian Zhang
- *Correspondence: Tian Zhang, ; Guodong Yu,
| | - Guodong Yu
- *Correspondence: Tian Zhang, ; Guodong Yu,
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3
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Davis BA, Chen HY, Ye Z, Ostlund I, Tippani M, Das D, Sripathy SR, Wang Y, Martin JM, Shim G, Panchwagh NM, Moses RL, Farinelli F, Bohlen JF, Li M, Luikart BW, Jaffe AE, Maher BJ. TCF4 Mutations Disrupt Synaptic Function Through Dysregulation of RIMBP2 in Patient-Derived Cortical Neurons. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:662-675. [PMID: 37573005 PMCID: PMC10858293 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.07.021] [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: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic variation in the TCF4 (transcription factor 4) gene is associated with risk for a variety of developmental and psychiatric conditions, which includes a syndromic form of autism spectrum disorder called Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS). TCF4 encodes an activity-dependent transcription factor that is highly expressed during cortical development and in animal models has been shown to regulate various aspects of neuronal development and function. However, our understanding of how disease-causing mutations in TCF4 confer pathophysiology in a human context is lacking. METHODS To model PTHS, we differentiated human cortical neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells that were derived from patients with PTHS and neurotypical individuals. To identify pathophysiology and disease mechanisms, we assayed cortical neurons with whole-cell electrophysiology, Ca2+ imaging, multielectrode arrays, immunocytochemistry, and RNA sequencing. RESULTS Cortical neurons derived from patients with TCF4 mutations showed deficits in spontaneous synaptic transmission, network excitability, and homeostatic plasticity. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that these phenotypes resulted in part from altered expression of genes involved in presynaptic neurotransmission and identified the presynaptic binding protein RIMBP2 as the most differentially expressed gene in PTHS neurons. Remarkably, TCF4-dependent deficits in spontaneous synaptic transmission and network excitability were rescued by increasing RIMBP2 expression in presynaptic neurons. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results identify TCF4 as a critical transcriptional regulator of human synaptic development and plasticity and specifically identifies dysregulation of presynaptic function as an early pathophysiology in PTHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany A Davis
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Huei-Ying Chen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Zengyou Ye
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Isaac Ostlund
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Madhavi Tippani
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Debamitra Das
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Srinidhi Rao Sripathy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Yanhong Wang
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jacqueline M Martin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Gina Shim
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Neel M Panchwagh
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Rebecca L Moses
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Federica Farinelli
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Joseph F Bohlen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Meijie Li
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Bryan W Luikart
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Andrew E Jaffe
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; McKusick-Nathans Institute, Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Brady J Maher
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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4
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Lim Y. Transcription factors in microcephaly. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1302033. [PMID: 38094004 PMCID: PMC10716367 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1302033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Higher cognition in humans, compared to other primates, is often attributed to an increased brain size, especially forebrain cortical surface area. Brain size is determined through highly orchestrated developmental processes, including neural stem cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, lamination, arborization, and apoptosis. Disruption in these processes often results in either a small (microcephaly) or large (megalencephaly) brain. One of the key mechanisms controlling these developmental processes is the spatial and temporal transcriptional regulation of critical genes. In humans, microcephaly is defined as a condition with a significantly smaller head circumference compared to the average head size of a given age and sex group. A growing number of genes are identified as associated with microcephaly, and among them are those involved in transcriptional regulation. In this review, a subset of genes encoding transcription factors (e.g., homeobox-, basic helix-loop-helix-, forkhead box-, high mobility group box-, and zinc finger domain-containing transcription factors), whose functions are important for cortical development and implicated in microcephaly, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngshin Lim
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Science Education, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Chen HY, Phan BN, Shim G, Hamersky GR, Sadowski N, O'Donnell TS, Sripathy SR, Bohlen JF, Pfenning AR, Maher BJ. Psychiatric risk gene Transcription Factor 4 (TCF4) regulates the density and connectivity of distinct inhibitory interneuron subtypes. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4679-4692. [PMID: 37770578 PMCID: PMC11144438 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02248-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that is implicated in a variety of psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), major depression, and schizophrenia. Autosomal dominant mutations in TCF4 are causal for a specific ASD called Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS). However, our understanding of etiological and pathophysiological mechanisms downstream of TCF4 mutations is incomplete. Single cell sequencing indicates TCF4 is highly expressed in GABAergic interneurons (INs). Here, we performed cell-type specific expression analysis (CSEA) and cellular deconvolution (CD) on bulk RNA sequencing data from 5 different PTHS mouse models. Using CSEA we observed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in parvalbumin expressing (PV+) INs and CD predicted a reduction in the PV+ INs population. Therefore, we investigated the role of TCF4 in regulating the development and function of INs in the Tcf4+/tr mouse model of PTHS. In Tcf4+/tr mice, immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of subtype-specific IN markers and reporter mice identified reductions in PV+, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP+), and cortistatin (CST+) expressing INs in the cortex and cholinergic (ChAT+) INs in the striatum, with the somatostatin (SST+) IN population being spared. The reduction of these specific IN populations led to cell-type specific alterations in the balance of excitatory and inhibitory inputs onto PV+ and VIP+ INs and excitatory pyramidal neurons within the cortex. These data indicate TCF4 is a critical regulator of the development of specific subsets of INs and highlight the inhibitory network as an important source of pathophysiology in PTHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huei-Ying Chen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - BaDoi N Phan
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Gina Shim
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Gregory R Hamersky
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Norah Sadowski
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Thomas S O'Donnell
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Srinidhi Rao Sripathy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Joseph F Bohlen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Andreas R Pfenning
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Brady J Maher
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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Talley MJ, Nardini D, Ehrman LA, Lu QR, Waclaw RR. Distinct requirements for Tcf3 and Tcf12 during oligodendrocyte development in the mouse telencephalon. Neural Dev 2023; 18:5. [PMID: 37684687 PMCID: PMC10485956 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-023-00173-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND E-proteins encoded by Tcf3, Tcf4, and Tcf12 are class I basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) that are thought to be widely expressed during development. However, their function in the developing brain, specifically in the telencephalon remains an active area of research. Our study examines for the first time if combined loss of two E-proteins (Tcf3 and Tcf12) influence distinct cell fates and oligodendrocyte development in the mouse telencephalon. METHODS We generated Tcf3/12 double conditional knockouts (dcKOs) using Olig2Cre/+ or Olig1Cre/+ to overcome compensatory mechanisms between E-proteins and to understand the specific requirement for Tcf3 and Tcf12 in the ventral telencephalon and during oligodendrogenesis. We utilized a combination of in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence to address development of the telencephalon and oligodendrogenesis at embryonic and postnatal stages in Tcf3/12 dcKOs. RESULTS We show that the E-proteins Tcf3 and Tcf12 are expressed in progenitors of the embryonic telencephalon and throughout the oligodendrocyte lineage in the postnatal brain. Tcf3/12 dcKOs showed transient defects in progenitor cells with an enlarged medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) region which correlated with reduced generation of embryonic oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and increased expression of MGE interneuron genes. Postnatal Tcf3/12 dcKOs showed a recovery of OPCs but displayed a sustained reduction in mature oligodendrocytes (OLs). Interestingly, Tcf4 remained expressed in the dcKOs suggesting that it cannot compensate for the loss of Tcf3 and Tcf12. Generation of Tcf3/12 dcKOs with Olig1Cre/+ avoided the MGE morphology defect caused by Olig2Cre/+ but dcKOs still exhibited reduced embryonic OPCs and subsequent reduction in postnatal OLs. CONCLUSION Our data reveal that Tcf3 and Tcf12 play a role in controlling OPC versus cortical interneuron cell fate decisions in MGE progenitors in addition to playing roles in the generation of embryonic OPCs and differentiation of postnatal OLs in the oligodendrocyte lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Jo Talley
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Diana Nardini
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Lisa A Ehrman
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Q Richard Lu
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Ronald R Waclaw
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
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7
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Ji F, Feng C, Qin J, Wang C, Zhang D, Su L, Wang W, Zhang M, Li H, Ma L, Lu W, Liu C, Teng Z, Hu B, Jian F, Xie J, Jiao J. Brain-specific Pd1 deficiency leads to cortical neurogenesis defects and depressive-like behaviors in mice. Cell Death Differ 2023; 30:2053-2065. [PMID: 37553426 PMCID: PMC10482844 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-023-01203-3] [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: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Embryonic neurogenesis is tightly regulated by multiple factors to ensure the precise development of the cortex. Deficiency in neurogenesis may result in behavioral abnormalities. Pd1 is a well-known inhibitory immune molecule, but its function in brain development remains unknown. Here, we find brain specific deletion of Pd1 results in abnormal cortical neurogenesis, including enhanced proliferation of neural progenitors and reduced neuronal differentiation. In addition, neurons in Pd1 knockout mice exhibit abnormal morphology, both the total length and the number of primary dendrites were reduced. Moreover, Pd1cKO mice exhibit depressive-like behaviors, including immobility, despair, and anhedonia. Mechanistically, Pd1 regulates embryonic neurogenesis by targeting Pax3 through the β-catenin signaling pathway. The constitutive expression of Pax3 partly rescues the deficiency of neurogenesis in the Pd1 deleted embryonic brain. Besides, the administration of β-catenin inhibitor, XAV939, not only rescues abnormal brain development but also ameliorates depressive-like behaviors in Pd1cKO mice. Simultaneously, Pd1 plays a similar role in human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) proliferation and differentiation. Taken together, our findings reveal the critical role and regulatory mechanism of Pd1 in embryonic neurogenesis and behavioral modulation, which could contribute to understanding immune molecules in brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
- Innovation Academy for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
| | - Chao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
- Sino-Danish College at University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
- Sino-Danish College at University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Chong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Dongming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Libo Su
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Wenwen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Mengtian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- Innovation Academy for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Longbing Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100053, Beijing, China
| | - Weicheng Lu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, China
| | - Changmei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- Innovation Academy for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoqian Teng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- Innovation Academy for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Baoyang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- Innovation Academy for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Fengzeng Jian
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100053, Beijing, China.
| | - Jingdun Xie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jianwei Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
- Innovation Academy for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
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Hepkema J, Lee NK, Stewart BJ, Ruangroengkulrith S, Charoensawan V, Clatworthy MR, Hemberg M. Predicting the impact of sequence motifs on gene regulation using single-cell data. Genome Biol 2023; 24:189. [PMID: 37582793 PMCID: PMC10426127 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03021-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The binding of transcription factors at proximal promoters and distal enhancers is central to gene regulation. Identifying regulatory motifs and quantifying their impact on expression remains challenging. Using a convolutional neural network trained on single-cell data, we infer putative regulatory motifs and cell type-specific importance. Our model, scover, explains 29% of the variance in gene expression in multiple mouse tissues. Applying scover to distal enhancers identified using scATAC-seq from the developing human brain, we identify cell type-specific motif activities in distal enhancers. Scover can identify regulatory motifs and their importance from single-cell data where all parameters and outputs are easily interpretable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Hepkema
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Nicholas Keone Lee
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
- The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Benjamin J Stewart
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Siwat Ruangroengkulrith
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Varodom Charoensawan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Integrative Computational BioScience (ICBS) Center, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 7310, Thailand
- Systems Biology of Diseases Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Menna R Clatworthy
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Martin Hemberg
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK.
- The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK.
- Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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9
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Fujimura K, Guise AJ, Nakayama T, Schlaffner CN, Meziani A, Kumar M, Cheng L, Vaughan DJ, Kodani A, Van Haren S, Parker K, Levy O, Durbin AF, Bosch I, Gehrke L, Steen H, Mochida GH, Steen JA. Integrative systems biology characterizes immune-mediated neurodevelopmental changes in murine Zika virus microcephaly. iScience 2023; 26:106909. [PMID: 37332674 PMCID: PMC10275723 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterizing perturbation of molecular pathways in congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is critical for improved therapeutic approaches. Leveraging integrative systems biology, proteomics, and RNA-seq, we analyzed embryonic brain tissues from an immunocompetent, wild-type congenital ZIKV infection mouse model. ZIKV induced a robust immune response accompanied by the downregulation of critical neurodevelopmental gene programs. We identified a negative correlation between ZIKV polyprotein abundance and host cell cycle-inducing proteins. We further captured the downregulation of genes/proteins, many of which are known to be causative for human microcephaly, including Eomesodermin/T-box Brain Protein 2 (EOMES/TBR2) and Neuronal Differentiation 2 (NEUROD2). Disturbances of distinct molecular pathways in neural progenitors and post-mitotic neurons may contribute to complex brain phenotype of congenital ZIKV infection. Overall, this report on protein- and transcript-level dynamics enhances understanding of the ZIKV immunopathological landscape through characterization of fetal immune response in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimino Fujimura
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics and The Manton Center for Orphan Disease, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Shin-Yurigaoka General Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Amanda J. Guise
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tojo Nakayama
- Division of Genetics and Genomics and The Manton Center for Orphan Disease, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christoph N. Schlaffner
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anais Meziani
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mukesh Kumar
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Long Cheng
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dylan J. Vaughan
- Division of Genetics and Genomics and The Manton Center for Orphan Disease, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Kodani
- Center for Pediatric Neurological Disease Research and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Simon Van Haren
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ofer Levy
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ann F. Durbin
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Irene Bosch
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lee Gehrke
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hanno Steen
- Precision Vaccines Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ganeshwaran H. Mochida
- Division of Genetics and Genomics and The Manton Center for Orphan Disease, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judith A. Steen
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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10
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Medina E, Peterson S, Ford K, Singletary K, Peixoto L. Critical periods and Autism Spectrum Disorders, a role for sleep. Neurobiol Sleep Circadian Rhythms 2023; 14:100088. [PMID: 36632570 PMCID: PMC9826922 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbscr.2022.100088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain development relies on both experience and genetically defined programs. Time windows where certain brain circuits are particularly receptive to external stimuli, resulting in heightened plasticity, are referred to as "critical periods". Sleep is thought to be essential for normal brain development. Importantly, studies have shown that sleep enhances critical period plasticity and promotes experience-dependent synaptic pruning in the developing mammalian brain. Therefore, normal plasticity during critical periods depends on sleep. Problems falling and staying asleep occur at a higher rate in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) relative to typical development. In this review, we explore the potential link between sleep, critical period plasticity, and ASD. First, we review the importance of critical period plasticity in typical development and the role of sleep in this process. Next, we summarize the evidence linking ASD with deficits in synaptic plasticity in rodent models of high-confidence ASD gene candidates. We then show that the high-confidence rodent models of ASD that show sleep deficits also display plasticity deficits. Given how important sleep is for critical period plasticity, it is essential to understand the connections between synaptic plasticity, sleep, and brain development in ASD. However, studies investigating sleep or plasticity during critical periods in ASD mouse models are lacking. Therefore, we highlight an urgent need to consider developmental trajectory in studies of sleep and plasticity in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Medina
- Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology, Sleep and Performance Research Center, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, United States
| | - Sarah Peterson
- Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology, Sleep and Performance Research Center, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, United States
| | - Kaitlyn Ford
- Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology, Sleep and Performance Research Center, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, United States
| | - Kristan Singletary
- Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology, Sleep and Performance Research Center, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, United States
| | - Lucia Peixoto
- Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology, Sleep and Performance Research Center, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, United States
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11
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Birkhoff JC, Korporaal AL, Brouwer RWW, Nowosad K, Milazzo C, Mouratidou L, van den Hout MCGN, van IJcken WFJ, Huylebroeck D, Conidi A. Zeb2 DNA-Binding Sites in Neuroprogenitor Cells Reveal Autoregulation and Affirm Neurodevelopmental Defects, Including in Mowat-Wilson Syndrome. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030629. [PMID: 36980900 PMCID: PMC10048071 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030629] [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: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional perturbation and action mechanism studies have shown that the transcription factor Zeb2 controls cell fate decisions, differentiation, and/or maturation in multiple cell lineages in embryos and after birth. In cultured embryonic stem cells (ESCs), Zeb2’s mRNA/protein upregulation is necessary for the exit from primed pluripotency and for entering general and neural differentiation. We edited mouse ESCs to produce Flag-V5 epitope-tagged Zeb2 protein from one endogenous allele. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with sequencing (ChIP-seq), we mapped 2432 DNA-binding sites for this tagged Zeb2 in ESC-derived neuroprogenitor cells (NPCs). A new, major binding site maps promoter-proximal to Zeb2 itself. The homozygous deletion of this site demonstrates that autoregulation of Zeb2 is necessary to elicit the appropriate Zeb2-dependent effects in ESC-to-NPC differentiation. We have also cross-referenced all the mapped Zeb2 binding sites with previously obtained transcriptome data from Zeb2 perturbations in ESC-derived NPCs, GABAergic interneurons from the ventral forebrain of mouse embryos, and stem/progenitor cells from the post-natal ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) in mouse forebrain, respectively. Despite the different characteristics of each of these neurogenic systems, we found interesting target gene overlaps. In addition, our study also contributes to explaining developmental disorders, including Mowat-Wilson syndrome caused by ZEB2 deficiency, and also other monogenic syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith C. Birkhoff
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne L. Korporaal
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rutger W. W. Brouwer
- Center for Biomics-Genomics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Karol Nowosad
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
- The Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Claudia Milazzo
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lidia Mouratidou
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Wilfred F. J. van IJcken
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Center for Biomics-Genomics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Danny Huylebroeck
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Andrea Conidi
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-10-7043169
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12
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Davis BA, Chen HY, Ye Z, Ostlund I, Tippani M, Das D, Sripathy SR, Wang Y, Martin JM, Shim G, Panchwagh NM, Moses RL, Farinelli F, Bohlen JF, Li M, Luikart BW, Jaffe AE, Maher BJ. TCF4 mutations disrupt synaptic function through dysregulation of RIMBP2 in patient-derived cortical neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.19.524788. [PMID: 36712024 PMCID: PMC9882330 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.19.524788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Genetic variation in the transcription factor 4 ( TCF4) gene is associated with risk for a variety of developmental and psychiatric conditions, which includes a syndromic form of ASD called Pitt Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS). TCF4 encodes an activity-dependent transcription factor that is highly expressed during cortical development and in animal models is shown to regulate various aspects of neuronal development and function. However, our understanding of how disease-causing mutations in TCF4 confer pathophysiology in a human context is lacking. Here we show that cortical neurons derived from patients with TCF4 mutations have deficits in spontaneous synaptic transmission, network excitability and homeostatic plasticity. Transcriptomic analysis indicates these phenotypes result from altered expression of genes involved in presynaptic neurotransmission and identifies the presynaptic binding protein, RIMBP2 as the most differentially expressed gene in PTHS neurons. Remarkably, TCF4-dependent deficits in spontaneous synaptic transmission and network excitability were rescued by increasing RIMBP2 expression in presynaptic neurons. Together, these results identify TCF4 as a critical transcriptional regulator of human synaptic development and plasticity and specifically identifies dysregulation of presynaptic function as an early pathophysiology in PTHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany A. Davis
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Huei-Ying Chen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Zengyou Ye
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Isaac Ostlund
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Madhavi Tippani
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Debamitra Das
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Srinidhi Rao Sripathy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yanhong Wang
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jacqueline M. Martin
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Gina Shim
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Neel M. Panchwagh
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rebecca L. Moses
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Federica Farinelli
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Joseph F. Bohlen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Meijie Li
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Bryan W. Luikart
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Andrew E. Jaffe
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- McKusick-Nathans Institute, Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Brady J. Maher
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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13
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Martinowich K, Das D, Sripathy SR, Mai Y, Kenney RF, Maher BJ. Evaluation of Na v1.8 as a therapeutic target for Pitt Hopkins Syndrome. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:76-82. [PMID: 36224259 PMCID: PMC9812766 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01811-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pitt Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS) is a rare syndromic form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) caused by autosomal dominant mutations in the Transcription Factor 4 (TCF4) gene. TCF4 is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that is critical for neurodevelopment and brain function through its binding to cis-regulatory elements of target genes. One potential therapeutic strategy for PTHS is to identify dysregulated target genes and normalize their dysfunction. Here, we propose that SCN10A is an important target gene of TCF4 that is an applicable therapeutic approach for PTHS. Scn10a encodes the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8 and is consistently shown to be upregulated in PTHS mouse models. In this perspective, we review prior literature and present novel data that suggests inhibiting Nav1.8 in PTHS mouse models is effective at normalizing neuron function, brain circuit activity and behavioral abnormalities and posit this therapeutic approach as a treatment for PTHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keri Martinowich
- grid.429552.d0000 0004 5913 1291Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA ,grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA ,grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Debamitra Das
- grid.429552.d0000 0004 5913 1291Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Srinidhi Rao Sripathy
- grid.429552.d0000 0004 5913 1291Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Yishan Mai
- grid.429552.d0000 0004 5913 1291Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Rakaia F. Kenney
- grid.429552.d0000 0004 5913 1291Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Brady J. Maher
- grid.429552.d0000 0004 5913 1291Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA ,grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA ,grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
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14
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Differential Regulation of the BDNF Gene in Cortical and Hippocampal Neurons. J Neurosci 2022; 42:9110-9128. [PMID: 36316156 PMCID: PMC9761680 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2535-21.2022] [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: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a widely expressed neurotrophin that supports the survival, differentiation, and signaling of various neuronal populations. Although it has been well described that expression of BDNF is strongly regulated by neuronal activity, little is known whether regulation of BDNF expression is similar in different brain regions. Here, we focused on this fundamental question using neuronal populations obtained from rat cerebral cortices and hippocampi of both sexes. First, we thoroughly characterized the role of the best-described regulators of BDNF gene - cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) family transcription factors, and show that activity-dependent BDNF expression depends more on CREB and the coactivators CREB binding protein (CBP) and CREB-regulated transcriptional coactivator 1 (CRTC1) in cortical than in hippocampal neurons. Our data also reveal an important role of CREB in the early induction of BDNF mRNA expression after neuronal activity and only modest contribution after prolonged neuronal activity. We further corroborated our findings at BDNF protein level. To determine the transcription factors regulating BDNF expression in these rat brain regions in addition to CREB family, we used in vitro DNA pulldown assay coupled with mass spectrometry, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and bioinformatics, and propose a number of neurodevelopmentally important transcription factors, such as FOXP1, SATB2, RAI1, BCL11A, and TCF4 as brain region-specific regulators of BDNF expression. Together, our data reveal complicated brain region-specific fine-tuning of BDNF expression.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To date, majority of the research has focused on the regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain but much less is known whether the regulation of BDNF expression is universal in different brain regions and neuronal populations. Here, we report that the best described regulators of BDNF gene from the cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) transcription factor family have a more profound role in the activity-dependent regulation of BDNF in cortex than in hippocampus. Our results indicate a brain region-specific fine tuning of BDNF expression. Moreover, we have used unbiased determination of novel regulators of the BDNF gene and report a number of neurodevelopmentally important transcription factors as novel potential regulators of the BDNF expression.
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15
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Komorowski A, Murgaš M, Vidal R, Singh A, Gryglewski G, Kasper S, Wiltfang J, Lanzenberger R, Goya‐Maldonado R. Regional gene expression patterns are associated with task-specific brain activation during reward and emotion processing measured with functional MRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:5266-5280. [PMID: 35796185 PMCID: PMC9812247 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The exploration of the spatial relationship between gene expression profiles and task-evoked response patterns known to be altered in neuropsychiatric disorders, for example depression, can guide the development of more targeted therapies. Here, we estimated the correlation between human transcriptome data and two different brain activation maps measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in healthy subjects. Whole-brain activation patterns evoked during an emotional face recognition task were associated with topological mRNA expression of genes involved in cellular transport. In contrast, fMRI activation patterns related to the acceptance of monetary rewards were associated with genes implicated in cellular localization processes, metabolism, translation, and synapse regulation. An overlap of these genes with risk genes from major depressive disorder genome-wide association studies revealed the involvement of the master regulators TCF4 and PAX6 in emotion and reward processing. Overall, the identification of stable relationships between spatial gene expression profiles and fMRI data may reshape the prospects for imaging transcriptomics studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arkadiusz Komorowski
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health (C3NMH)Medical University of ViennaVienna
| | - Matej Murgaš
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health (C3NMH)Medical University of ViennaVienna
| | - Ramon Vidal
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular MedicineBerlinGermany
| | - Aditya Singh
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience and Imaging in Psychiatry (SNIP‐Lab), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG)Georg‐August UniversityGoettingenGermany
| | - Gregor Gryglewski
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health (C3NMH)Medical University of ViennaVienna
- Child Study CenterYale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Siegfried Kasper
- Center for Brain ResearchMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Jens Wiltfang
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyUniversity Medical Center Goettingen (UMG), Georg‐August UniversityGoettingenGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)GoettingenGermany
- Neurosciences and Signalling Group, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of AveiroAveiroPortugal
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health (C3NMH)Medical University of ViennaVienna
| | - Roberto Goya‐Maldonado
- Laboratory of Systems Neuroscience and Imaging in Psychiatry (SNIP‐Lab), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG)Georg‐August UniversityGoettingenGermany
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16
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Sirp A, Shubina A, Tuvikene J, Tamberg L, Kiir CS, Kranich L, Timmusk T. Expression of alternative transcription factor 4 mRNAs and protein isoforms in the developing and adult rodent and human tissues. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1033224. [PMID: 36407762 PMCID: PMC9666405 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1033224] [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: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) belongs to the class I basic helix-loop-helix family of transcription factors (also known as E-proteins) and is vital for the development of the nervous system. Aberrations in the TCF4 gene are associated with several neurocognitive disorders such as schizophrenia, intellectual disability, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome, a rare but severe autism spectrum disorder. Expression of the human TCF4 gene can produce at least 18 N-terminally distinct protein isoforms, which activate transcription with different activities and thus may vary in their function during development. We used long-read RNA-sequencing and western blot analysis combined with the analysis of publicly available short-read RNA-sequencing data to describe both the mRNA and protein expression of the many distinct TCF4 isoforms in rodent and human neural and nonneural tissues. We show that TCF4 mRNA and protein expression is much higher in the rodent brain compared to nonneural tissues. TCF4 protein expression is highest in the rodent cerebral cortex and hippocampus, where expression peaks around birth, and in the rodent cerebellum, where expression peaks about a week after birth. In human, highest TCF4 expression levels were seen in the developing brain, although some nonneural tissues displayed comparable expression levels to adult brain. In addition, we show for the first time that out of the many possible TCF4 isoforms, the main TCF4 isoforms expressed in the rodent and human brain and other tissues are TCF4-B, -C, -D, -A, and-I. Taken together, our isoform specific analysis of TCF4 expression in different tissues could be used for the generation of gene therapy applications for patients with TCF4-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Sirp
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Anastassia Shubina
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Jürgen Tuvikene
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Laura Tamberg
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Carl Sander Kiir
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Laura Kranich
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Tõnis Timmusk
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia,*Correspondence: Tõnis Timmusk,
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17
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Identifying disease-critical cell types and cellular processes by integrating single-cell RNA-sequencing and human genetics. Nat Genet 2022; 54:1479-1492. [PMID: 36175791 PMCID: PMC9910198 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01187-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies provide a powerful means of identifying loci and genes contributing to disease, but in many cases, the related cell types/states through which genes confer disease risk remain unknown. Deciphering such relationships is important for identifying pathogenic processes and developing therapeutics. In the present study, we introduce sc-linker, a framework for integrating single-cell RNA-sequencing, epigenomic SNP-to-gene maps and genome-wide association study summary statistics to infer the underlying cell types and processes by which genetic variants influence disease. The inferred disease enrichments recapitulated known biology and highlighted notable cell-disease relationships, including γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic neurons in major depressive disorder, a disease-dependent M-cell program in ulcerative colitis and a disease-specific complement cascade process in multiple sclerosis. In autoimmune disease, both healthy and disease-dependent immune cell-type programs were associated, whereas only disease-dependent epithelial cell programs were prominent, suggesting a role in disease response rather than initiation. Our framework provides a powerful approach for identifying the cell types and cellular processes by which genetic variants influence disease.
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18
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Molecular Organization and Patterning of the Medulla Oblongata in Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169260. [PMID: 36012524 PMCID: PMC9409237 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The medulla oblongata, located in the hindbrain between the pons and the spinal cord, is an important relay center for critical sensory, proprioceptive, and motoric information. It is an evolutionarily highly conserved brain region, both structural and functional, and consists of a multitude of nuclei all involved in different aspects of basic but vital functions. Understanding the functional anatomy and developmental program of this structure can help elucidate potential role(s) of the medulla in neurological disorders. Here, we have described the early molecular patterning of the medulla during murine development, from the fundamental units that structure the very early medullary region into 5 rhombomeres (r7–r11) and 13 different longitudinal progenitor domains, to the neuronal clusters derived from these progenitors that ultimately make-up the different medullary nuclei. By doing so, we developed a schematic overview that can be used to predict the cell-fate of a progenitor group, or pinpoint the progenitor domain of origin of medullary nuclei. This schematic overview can further be used to help in the explanation of medulla-related symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders, e.g., congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, Wold–Hirschhorn syndrome, Rett syndrome, and Pitt–Hopkins syndrome. Based on the genetic defects seen in these syndromes, we can use our model to predict which medullary nuclei might be affected, which can be used to quickly direct the research into these diseases to the likely affected nuclei.
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19
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Papes F, Camargo AP, de Souza JS, Carvalho VMA, Szeto RA, LaMontagne E, Teixeira JR, Avansini SH, Sánchez-Sánchez SM, Nakahara TS, Santo CN, Wu W, Yao H, Araújo BMP, Velho PENF, Haddad GG, Muotri AR. Transcription Factor 4 loss-of-function is associated with deficits in progenitor proliferation and cortical neuron content. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2387. [PMID: 35501322 PMCID: PMC9061776 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29942-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription Factor 4 (TCF4) has been associated with autism, schizophrenia, and other neuropsychiatric disorders. However, how pathological TCF4 mutations affect the human neural tissue is poorly understood. Here, we derive neural progenitor cells, neurons, and brain organoids from skin fibroblasts obtained from children with Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome carrying clinically relevant mutations in TCF4. We show that neural progenitors bearing these mutations have reduced proliferation and impaired capacity to differentiate into neurons. We identify a mechanism through which TCF4 loss-of-function leads to decreased Wnt signaling and then to diminished expression of SOX genes, culminating in reduced progenitor proliferation in vitro. Moreover, we show reduced cortical neuron content and impaired electrical activity in the patient-derived organoids, phenotypes that were rescued after correction of TCF4 expression or by pharmacological modulation of Wnt signaling. This work delineates pathological mechanisms in neural cells harboring TCF4 mutations and provides a potential target for therapeutic strategies for genetic disorders associated with this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Papes
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil.
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Center for Medicinal Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-886, Brazil.
| | - Antonio P Camargo
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Janaina S de Souza
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Vinicius M A Carvalho
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Ryan A Szeto
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Erin LaMontagne
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - José R Teixeira
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Simoni H Avansini
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Sandra M Sánchez-Sánchez
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Thiago S Nakahara
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Carolina N Santo
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Center for Medicinal Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-886, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Hang Yao
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Barbara M P Araújo
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Paulo E N F Velho
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Gabriel G Haddad
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, 92123, USA
| | - Alysson R Muotri
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, 92123, USA.
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA) and Archealization (ArchC), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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Song W, Li Q, Wang T, Li Y, Fan T, Zhang J, Wang Q, Pan J, Dong Q, Sun ZS, Wang Y. Putative complement control protein CSMD3 dysfunction impairs synaptogenesis and induces neurodevelopmental disorders. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 102:237-250. [PMID: 35245678 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have reported that complement-related proteins modulate brain development through regulating synapse processes in the cortex. CSMD3 belongs to a group of putative complement control proteins. However, its role in the central nervous system and synaptogenesis remains largely unknown. Here we report that CSMD3 deleterious mutations occur frequently in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Csmd3 is predominantly expressed in cortical neurons of the developing cortex. In mice, Csmd3 disruption induced retarded development and NDD-related behaviors. Csmd3 deficiency impaired synaptogenesis and neurogenesis, allowing fewer neurons reaching the cortical plate. Csmd3 deficiency also induced perturbed functional networks in the developing cortex, involving a number of downregulated synapse-associated genes that influence early synaptic organization and upregulated genes related to immune activity. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the endogenous regulation of complement-related proteins in synaptic development and supports the pathological role of CSMD3 in NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Song
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Quan Li
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tianda Fan
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Jianghong Zhang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qingqing Wang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinrong Pan
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qiwen Dong
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhong Sheng Sun
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China; Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yan Wang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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21
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Jagadeesh KA, Dey KK, Montoro DT, Mohan R, Gazal S, Engreitz JM, Xavier RJ, Price AL, Regev A. Identifying disease-critical cell types and cellular processes across the human body by integration of single-cell profiles and human genetics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.03.19.436212. [PMID: 34845454 PMCID: PMC8629197 DOI: 10.1101/2021.03.19.436212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) provide a powerful means to identify loci and genes contributing to disease, but in many cases the related cell types/states through which genes confer disease risk remain unknown. Deciphering such relationships is important for identifying pathogenic processes and developing therapeutics. Here, we introduce sc-linker, a framework for integrating single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), epigenomic maps and GWAS summary statistics to infer the underlying cell types and processes by which genetic variants influence disease. We analyzed 1.6 million scRNA-seq profiles from 209 individuals spanning 11 tissue types and 6 disease conditions, and constructed gene programs capturing cell types, disease progression, and cellular processes both within and across cell types. We evaluated these gene programs for disease enrichment by transforming them to SNP annotations with tissue-specific epigenomic maps and computing enrichment scores across 60 diseases and complex traits (average N= 297K). Cell type, disease progression, and cellular process programs captured distinct heritability signals even within the same cell type, as we show in multiple complex diseases that affect the brain (Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis), colon (ulcerative colitis) and lung (asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, severe COVID-19). The inferred disease enrichments recapitulated known biology and highlighted novel cell-disease relationships, including GABAergic neurons in major depressive disorder (MDD), a disease progression M cell program in ulcerative colitis, and a disease-specific complement cascade process in multiple sclerosis. In autoimmune disease, both healthy and disease progression immune cell type programs were associated, whereas for epithelial cells, disease progression programs were most prominent, perhaps suggesting a role in disease progression over initiation. Our framework provides a powerful approach for identifying the cell types and cellular processes by which genetic variants influence disease.
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22
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Sarkar D, Shariq M, Dwivedi D, Krishnan N, Naumann R, Bhalla US, Ghosh HS. Adult brain neurons require continual expression of the schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 for structural and functional integrity. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:494. [PMID: 34564703 PMCID: PMC8464606 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01618-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 has been widely studied in the context of brain development using mouse models of haploinsufficiency, in utero knockdown and embryonic deletion. However, Tcf4 continues to be abundantly expressed in adult brain neurons where its functions remain unknown. Given the importance of Tcf4 in psychiatric diseases, we investigated its role in adult neurons using cell-specific deletion and genetic tracing in adult animals. Acute loss of Tcf4 in adult excitatory neurons in vivo caused hyperexcitability and increased dendritic complexity of neurons, effects that were distinct from previously observed effects in embryonic-deficiency models. Interestingly, transcriptomic analysis of genetically traced adult-deleted FACS-sorted Tcf4-knockout neurons revealed that Tcf4 targets in adult neurons are distinct from those in the embryonic brain. Meta-analysis of the adult-deleted neuronal transcriptome from our study with the existing datasets of embryonic Tcf4 deficiencies revealed plasma membrane and ciliary genes to underlie Tcf4-mediated structure-function regulation specifically in adult neurons. The profound changes both in the structure and excitability of adult neurons upon acute loss of Tcf4 indicates that proactive regulation of membrane-related processes underlies the functional and structural integrity of adult neurons. These findings not only provide insights for the functional relevance of continual expression of a psychiatric disease-risk gene in the adult brain but also identify previously unappreciated gene networks underpinning mature neuronal regulation during the adult lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipannita Sarkar
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India ,grid.502290.cThe University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, 560064 India
| | - Mohammad Shariq
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India ,grid.502290.cThe University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, 560064 India
| | - Deepanjali Dwivedi
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Nirmal Krishnan
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Ronald Naumann
- grid.419537.d0000 0001 2113 4567MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, 01307 Germany
| | - Upinder Singh Bhalla
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Hiyaa Singhee Ghosh
- National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065, India.
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Isoform-Specific Reduction of the Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factor TCF4 Levels in Huntington's Disease. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0197-21.2021. [PMID: 34518368 PMCID: PMC8519306 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0197-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder with onset of characteristic motor symptoms at midlife, preceded by subtle cognitive and behavioral disturbances. Transcriptional dysregulation emerges early in the disease course and is considered central to HD pathogenesis. Using wild-type (wt) and HD knock-in mouse striatal cell lines we observed a HD genotype-dependent reduction in the protein levels of transcription factor 4 (TCF4), a member of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family with critical roles in brain development and function. We characterized mouse Tcf4 gene structure and expression of alternative mRNAs and protein isoforms in cell-based models of HD, and in four different brain regions of male transgenic HD mice (R6/1) from young to mature adulthood. The largest decrease in the levels of TCF4 at mRNA and specific protein isoforms were detected in the R6/1 mouse hippocampus. Translating this finding to human disease, we found reduced expression of long TCF4 isoforms in the postmortem hippocampal CA1 area and in the cerebral cortex of HD patients. Additionally, TCF4 protein isoforms showed differential synergism with the proneural transcription factor ASCL1 in activating reporter gene transcription in hippocampal and cortical cultured neurons. Induction of neuronal activity increased these synergistic effects in hippocampal but not in cortical neurons, suggesting brain region-dependent differences in TCF4 functions. Collectively, this study demonstrates isoform-specific changes in TCF4 expression in HD that could contribute to the progressive impairment of transcriptional regulation and neuronal function in this disease.
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24
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Panov J, Kaphzan H. Angelman Syndrome and Angelman-like Syndromes Share the Same Calcium-Related Gene Signatures. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9870. [PMID: 34576033 PMCID: PMC8469403 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189870] [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: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman-like syndromes are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that entail clinical presentation similar to Angelman Syndrome (AS). In our previous study, we showed that calcium signaling is disrupted in AS, and we identified calcium-target and calcium-regulating gene signatures that are able to differentiate between AS and their controls in different models. In the herein study, we evaluated these sets of calcium-target and calcium-regulating genes as signatures of AS-like and non-AS-like syndromes. We collected a number of RNA-seq datasets of various AS-like and non-AS-like syndromes and performed Principle Component Analysis (PCA) separately on the two sets of signature genes to visualize the distribution of samples on the PC1-PC2 plane. In addition to the evaluation of calcium signature genes, we performed differential gene expression analyses to identify calcium-related genes dysregulated in each of the studied syndromes. These analyses showed that the calcium-target and calcium-regulating signatures differentiate well between AS-like syndromes and their controls. However, in spite of the fact that many of the non-AS-like syndromes have multiple differentially expressed calcium-related genes, the calcium signatures were not efficient classifiers for non-AS-like neurodevelopmental disorders. These results show that features based on clinical presentation are reflected in signatures derived from bioinformatics analyses and suggest the use of bioinformatics as a tool for classification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hanoch Kaphzan
- Laboratory for Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders, Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel;
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25
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Abstract
In the mammalian neocortex, projection neuron types are sequentially generated by the same pool of neural progenitors. How neuron type specification is related to developmental timing remains unclear. To determine whether temporal gene expression in neural progenitors correlates with neuron type specification, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) analysis of the developing mouse neocortex. We uncovered neuroepithelial cell enriched genes such as Hmga2 and Ccnd1 when compared to radial glial cells (RGCs). RGCs display dynamic gene expression over time; for instance, early RGCs express higher levels of Hes5, and late RGCs show higher expression of Pou3f2 Interestingly, intermediate progenitor cell marker gene Eomes coexpresses temporally with known neuronal identity genes at different developmental stages, though mostly in postmitotic cells. Our results delineate neural progenitor cell diversity in the developing mouse neocortex and support that neuronal identity genes are transcriptionally evident in Eomes-positive cells.
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26
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Ji F, Wang W, Feng C, Gao F, Jiao J. Brain-specific Wt1 deletion leads to depressive-like behaviors in mice via the recruitment of Tet2 to modulate Epo expression. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:4221-4233. [PMID: 32393787 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0759-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common psychiatric disease worldwide. The precise molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying this disorder remain largely unknown. Wilms' tumor 1 (Wt1), a transcription factor, plays critical roles in cancer and organ development. Importantly, deletion of the 11p13 region that contains the WT1 gene is a major cause of WARG syndrome (Wilms' tumor, aniridia, genitourinary anomalies, and mental retardation), which is characterized by psychiatric disease, including depression. However, the roles and mechanisms of WT1 in embryonic neurogenesis and psychiatric disease remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the brain-specific deletion of Wt1 results in abnormal cell distribution during embryonic neurogenesis, which is accompanied by enhanced proliferation of neural progenitors and reduced neuronal differentiation. Moreover, neurons exhibit abnormal morphology during cortical development following Wt1 ablation. Furthermore, Wt1cKO mice exhibit depressive-like behaviors, including immobility, despair, and anhedonia. Mechanistically, Wt1 recruits Tet2 to the promoter of erythropoietin (Epo), which results in enhanced 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) levels and the promotion of Epo expression. Either Epo plasmid electroporation or Epo protein injection can partially restore the deficiency caused by Wt1 deletion. Importantly, administration of Epo to both embryos and adults can ameliorate the depressive-like behavior of Wt1cKO mice. In addition, WT1 plays a similar role in human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) proliferation and differentiation. Taken together, our findings reveal the critical role and regulatory mechanism of Wt1 in embryonic neurogenesis and behavioral modulation, which could contribute to the understanding of MDD etiology and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
| | - Wenwen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.,School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Chao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Jianwei Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China. .,Innovation Academy for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
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27
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Biological implications of genetic variations in autism spectrum disorders from genomics studies. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:229227. [PMID: 34240107 PMCID: PMC8298259 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20210593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition characterized by atypical social interaction and communication together with repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. The prevalence of ASD has been increased these years. Compelling evidence has shown that genetic factors contribute largely to the development of ASD. However, knowledge about its genetic etiology and pathogenesis is limited. Broad applications of genomics studies have revealed the importance of gene mutations at protein-coding regions as well as the interrupted non-coding regions in the development of ASD. In this review, we summarize the current evidence for the known molecular genetic basis and possible pathological mechanisms as well as the risk genes and loci of ASD. Functional studies for the underlying mechanisms are also implicated. The understanding of the genetics and genomics of ASD is important for the genetic diagnosis and intervention for this condition.
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28
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Wittmann MT, Katada S, Sock E, Kirchner P, Ekici AB, Wegner M, Nakashima K, Lie DC, Reis A. scRNA sequencing uncovers a TCF4-dependent transcription factor network regulating commissure development in mouse. Development 2021; 148:269257. [PMID: 34184026 PMCID: PMC8327186 DOI: 10.1242/dev.196022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) is a crucial regulator of neurodevelopment and has been linked to the pathogenesis of autism, intellectual disability and schizophrenia. As a class I bHLH transcription factor (TF), it is assumed that TCF4 exerts its neurodevelopmental functions through dimerization with proneural class II bHLH TFs. Here, we aim to identify TF partners of TCF4 in the control of interhemispheric connectivity formation. Using a new bioinformatic strategy integrating TF expression levels and regulon activities from single cell RNA-sequencing data, we find evidence that TCF4 interacts with non-bHLH TFs and modulates their transcriptional activity in Satb2+ intercortical projection neurons. Notably, this network comprises regulators linked to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders, e.g. FOXG1, SOX11 and BRG1. In support of the functional interaction of TCF4 with non-bHLH TFs, we find that TCF4 and SOX11 biochemically interact and cooperatively control commissure formation in vivo, and regulate the transcription of genes implicated in this process. In addition to identifying new candidate interactors of TCF4 in neurodevelopment, this study illustrates how scRNA-Seq data can be leveraged to predict TF networks in neurodevelopmental processes. Summary: Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies interactions of TCF4 with non-bHLH transcription factors linked to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disease in the regulation of interhemispheric projection neuron development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Theres Wittmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sayako Katada
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Elisabeth Sock
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Philipp Kirchner
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arif B Ekici
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Wegner
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kinichi Nakashima
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Dieter Chichung Lie
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - André Reis
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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Chen HY, Bohlen JF, Maher BJ. Molecular and Cellular Function of Transcription Factor 4 in Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:159-167. [PMID: 34134113 DOI: 10.1159/000516666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4, also known as ITF2 or E2-2) is a type I basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor. Autosomal dominant mutations in TCF4 cause Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS), a rare syndromic form of autism spectrum disorder. In this review, we provide an update on the progress regarding our understanding of TCF4 function at the molecular, cellular, physiological, and behavioral levels with a focus on phenotypes and therapeutic interventions. We examine upstream and downstream regulatory networks associated with TCF4 and discuss a range of in vitro and in vivo data with the aim of understanding emerging TCF4-specific mechanisms relevant for disease pathophysiology. In conclusion, we provide comments about exciting future avenues of research that may provide insights into potential new therapeutic targets for PTHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huei-Ying Chen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland, USA,
| | - Joseph F Bohlen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Brady J Maher
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Ma H, Su L, Xia W, Wang W, Tan G, Jiao J. MacroH2A1.2 deficiency leads to neural stem cell differentiation defects and autism-like behaviors. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e52150. [PMID: 34046991 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202052150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of the nervous system requires precise regulation. Any disturbance in the regulation process can lead to neurological developmental diseases, such as autism and schizophrenia. Histone variants are important components of epigenetic regulation. The function and mechanisms of the macroH2A (mH2A) histone variant during brain development are unknown. Here, we show that deletion of the mH2A isoform mH2A1.2 interferes with neural stem cell differentiation in mice. Deletion of mH2A1.2 affects neurodevelopment, enhances neural progenitor cell (NPC) proliferation, and reduces NPC differentiation in the developing mouse brain. mH2A1.2-deficient mice exhibit autism-like behaviors, such as deficits in social behavior and exploratory abilities. We identify NKX2.2 as an important downstream effector gene and show that NKX2.2 expression is reduced after mH2A1.2 deletion and that overexpression of NKX2.2 rescues neuronal abnormalities caused by mH2A1.2 loss. Our study reveals that mH2A1.2 reduces the proliferation of neural progenitors and enhances neuronal differentiation during embryonic neurogenesis and that these effects are at least in part mediated by NKX2.2. These findings provide a basis for studying the relationship between mH2A1.2 and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Libo Su
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenlong Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenwen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Guohe Tan
- Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Jianwei Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute of Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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31
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Transcription factor encoding of neuron subtype: Strategies that specify arbor pattern. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 69:149-158. [PMID: 33895620 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Dendrite and axon arbors form scaffolds that connect a neuron to its partners; they are patterned to support the specific connectivity and computational requirements of each neuron subtype. Transcription factor networks control the specification of neuron subtypes, and the consequent diversification of their stereotyped arbor patterns during differentiation. We outline how the differentiation trajectories of stereotyped arbors are shaped by hierarchical deployment of precursor cell and postmitotic transcription factors. These transcription factors exert modular control over the dendrite and axon features of a single neuron, create spatial and functional compartmentalization of an arbor, instruct implementation of developmental patterning rules, and exert operational control over the cell biological processes that construct an arbor.
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Mesman S, Wever I, Smidt MP. Tcf4 Is Involved in Subset Specification of Mesodiencephalic Dopaminergic Neurons. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9030317. [PMID: 33804772 PMCID: PMC8003918 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9030317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
During development, mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons form into different molecular subsets. Knowledge of which factors contribute to the specification of these subsets is currently insufficient. In this study, we examined the role of Tcf4, a member of the E-box protein family, in mdDA neuronal development and subset specification. We show that Tcf4 is expressed throughout development, but is no longer detected in adult midbrain. Deletion of Tcf4 results in an initial increase in TH-expressing neurons at E11.5, but this normalizes at later embryonic stages. However, the caudal subset marker Nxph3 and rostral subset marker Ahd2 are affected at E14.5, indicating that Tcf4 is involved in correct differentiation of mdDA neuronal subsets. At P0, expression of these markers partially recovers, whereas expression of Th transcript and TH protein appears to be affected in lateral parts of the mdDA neuronal population. The initial increase in TH-expressing cells and delay in subset specification could be due to the increase in expression of the bHLH factor Ascl1, known for its role in mdDA neuronal differentiation, upon loss of Tcf4. Taken together, our data identified a minor role for Tcf4 in mdDA neuronal development and subset specification.
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Zhang Y, Cai Y, Wang Y, Deng X, Zhao Y, Zhang Y, Xie Y. Survival control of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells requires the transcription factor 4 during olfactory bulb development. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:91. [PMID: 33462220 PMCID: PMC7813844 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03371-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
A proper number of oligodendrocytes in the nerve system is essential for neuronal functions. In the olfactory bulb (OB), enriched oligodendrocytes are crucial for olfactory information processing. However, how the precise number of oligodendrocytes in the OB is regulated remains elusive. Here we identified that the transcription factor 4 (Tcf4)-mediated cell death is essential for generating an appropriate number of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and thereby oligodendrocytes in the OB. We showed that Nkx2.1-positive progenitors in the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) and anterior entopeduncular area (AEP) provide the first source of OPCs in the OB. Conditional depletion of Tcf4 leads to an increase of OPCs in the OB, which is mediated by the suppression of programmed cell death. Furthermore, we showed that Tcf4 mediated OPC survival is cell-autonomous by transplantation assay. Mechanistically, we identified Bax/Bak as a potential key pathway to promote OPC elimination during OB development. Depletion of Bax/Bak in Nkx2.1 lineage results in an increase of OPCs in the OB. Mutations in TCF4 causes Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. Thus, our findings reveal an important intrinsic mechanism underlying the survival control of OPCs in the OB and provide new insights into the pathogenesis of Pitt-Hopkins syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilan Zhang
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yuqun Cai
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yafei Wang
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Xin Deng
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yifan Zhao
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443School of Public Health/MOE Key Laboratory for Public Health Safety, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yubin Zhang
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443School of Public Health/MOE Key Laboratory for Public Health Safety, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yunli Xie
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
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Volkmann P, Stephan M, Krackow S, Jensen N, Rossner MJ. PsyCoP - A Platform for Systematic Semi-Automated Behavioral and Cognitive Profiling Reveals Gene and Environment Dependent Impairments of Tcf4 Transgenic Mice Subjected to Social Defeat. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 14:618180. [PMID: 33519394 PMCID: PMC7841301 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.618180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, hundreds of risk genes associated with psychiatric disorders have been identified. These are thought to interact with environmental stress factors in precipitating pathological behaviors. However, the individual phenotypes resulting from specific genotype by environment (G×E) interactions remain to be determined. Toward a more systematic approach, we developed a novel standardized and partially automatized platform for systematic behavioral and cognitive profiling (PsyCoP). Here, we assessed the behavioral and cognitive disturbances in Tcf4 transgenic mice (Tcf4tg) exposed to psychosocial stress by social defeat during adolescence using a "two-hit" G×E mouse model. Notably, TCF4 has been repeatedly identified as a candidate risk gene for different psychiatric diseases and Tcf4tg mice display behavioral endophenotypes such as fear memory impairment and hyperactivity. We use the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) concept as framework to categorize phenotyping results in a translational approach. We propose two methods of dimension reduction, clustering, and visualization of behavioral phenotypes to retain statistical power and clarity of the overview. Taken together, our results reveal that sensorimotor gating is disturbed by Tcf4 overexpression whereas both negative and positive valence systems are primarily influenced by psychosocial stress. Moreover, we confirm previous reports showing that deficits in the cognitive domain are largely dependent on the interaction between Tcf4 and psychosocial stress. We recommend that the standardized analysis and visualization strategies described here should be applied to other two-hit mouse models of psychiatric diseases and anticipate that this will help directing future preclinical treatment trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Volkmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Marius Stephan
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - Sven Krackow
- Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Niels Jensen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Moritz J Rossner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
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35
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Teixeira JR, Szeto RA, Carvalho VMA, Muotri AR, Papes F. Transcription factor 4 and its association with psychiatric disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:19. [PMID: 33414364 PMCID: PMC7791034 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01138-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human transcription factor 4 gene (TCF4) encodes a helix-loop-helix transcription factor widely expressed throughout the body and during neural development. Mutations in TCF4 cause a devastating autism spectrum disorder known as Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, characterized by a range of aberrant phenotypes including severe intellectual disability, absence of speech, delayed cognitive and motor development, and dysmorphic features. Moreover, polymorphisms in TCF4 have been associated with schizophrenia and other psychiatric and neurological conditions. Details about how TCF4 genetic variants are linked to these diseases and the role of TCF4 during neural development are only now beginning to emerge. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the functions of TCF4 and its protein products at both the cellular and organismic levels, as well as a description of pathophysiological mechanisms associated with this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- José R. Teixeira
- grid.411087.b0000 0001 0723 2494Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo Brazil
| | - Ryan A. Szeto
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Vinicius M. A. Carvalho
- grid.411087.b0000 0001 0723 2494Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo Brazil ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Alysson R. Muotri
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Fabio Papes
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Braun K, Häberle BM, Wittmann MT, Lie DC. Enriched environment ameliorates adult hippocampal neurogenesis deficits in Tcf4 haploinsufficient mice. BMC Neurosci 2020; 21:50. [PMID: 33228529 PMCID: PMC7684915 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-020-00602-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) has been linked to human neurodevelopmental disorders such as intellectual disability, Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS), autism, and schizophrenia. Recent work demonstrated that TCF4 participates in the control of a wide range of neurodevelopmental processes in mammalian nervous system development including neural precursor proliferation, timing of differentiation, migration, dendritogenesis and synapse formation. TCF4 is highly expressed in the adult hippocampal dentate gyrus – one of the few brain regions where neural stem / progenitor cells generate new functional neurons throughout life. Results We here investigated whether TCF4 haploinsufficiency, which in humans causes non-syndromic forms of intellectual disability and PTHS, affects adult hippocampal neurogenesis, a process that is essential for hippocampal plasticity in rodents and potentially in humans. Young adult Tcf4 heterozygote knockout mice showed a major reduction in the level of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, which was at least in part caused by lower stem/progenitor cell numbers and impaired maturation and survival of adult-generated neurons. Interestingly, housing in an enriched environment was sufficient to enhance maturation and survival of new neurons and to substantially augment neurogenesis levels in Tcf4 heterozygote knockout mice. Conclusion The present findings indicate that haploinsufficiency for the intellectual disability- and PTHS-linked transcription factor TCF4 not only affects embryonic neurodevelopment but impedes neurogenesis in the hippocampus of adult mice. These findings suggest that TCF4 haploinsufficiency may have a negative impact on hippocampal function throughout adulthood by impeding hippocampal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Braun
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Benjamin M Häberle
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marie-Theres Wittmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - D Chichung Lie
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
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Garcia-Forn M, Boitnott A, Akpinar Z, De Rubeis S. Linking Autism Risk Genes to Disruption of Cortical Development. Cells 2020; 9:cells9112500. [PMID: 33218123 PMCID: PMC7698947 DOI: 10.3390/cells9112500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and social interaction, and the presence of repetitive behaviors and/or restricted interests. In the past few years, large-scale whole-exome sequencing and genome-wide association studies have made enormous progress in our understanding of the genetic risk architecture of ASD. While showing a complex and heterogeneous landscape, these studies have led to the identification of genetic loci associated with ASD risk. The intersection of genetic and transcriptomic analyses have also begun to shed light on functional convergences between risk genes, with the mid-fetal development of the cerebral cortex emerging as a critical nexus for ASD. In this review, we provide a concise summary of the latest genetic discoveries on ASD. We then discuss the studies in postmortem tissues, stem cell models, and rodent models that implicate recently identified ASD risk genes in cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Garcia-Forn
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; (M.G.-F.); (A.B.); (Z.A.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- The Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Andrea Boitnott
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; (M.G.-F.); (A.B.); (Z.A.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- The Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Zeynep Akpinar
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; (M.G.-F.); (A.B.); (Z.A.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- The Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Silvia De Rubeis
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; (M.G.-F.); (A.B.); (Z.A.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- The Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-212-241-0179
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Modulation of cognition and neuronal plasticity in gain- and loss-of-function mouse models of the schizophrenia risk gene Tcf4. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:343. [PMID: 33037178 PMCID: PMC7547694 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01026-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor TCF4 was confirmed in several large genome-wide association studies as one of the most significant schizophrenia (SZ) susceptibility genes. Transgenic mice moderately overexpressing Tcf4 in forebrain (Tcf4tg) display deficits in fear memory and sensorimotor gating. As second hit, we exposed Tcf4tg animals to isolation rearing (IR), chronic social defeat (SD), enriched environment (EE), or handling control (HC) conditions and examined mice with heterozygous deletion of the exon 4 (Tcf4Ex4δ+/-) to unravel gene-dosage effects. We applied multivariate statistics for behavioral profiling and demonstrate that IR and SD cause strong cognitive deficits of Tcf4tg mice, whereas EE masked the genetic vulnerability. We observed enhanced long-term depression in Tcf4tg mice and enhanced long-term potentiation in Tcf4Ex4δ+/- mice indicating specific gene-dosage effects. Tcf4tg mice showed higher density of immature spines during development as assessed by STED nanoscopy and proteomic analyses of synaptosomes revealed concurrently increased levels of proteins involved in synaptic function and metabolic pathways. We conclude that environmental stress and Tcf4 misexpression precipitate cognitive deficits in 2-hit mouse models of relevance for schizophrenia.
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Generation of 10 patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome. Stem Cell Res 2020; 48:102001. [PMID: 32971458 PMCID: PMC7592084 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2020.102001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Autosomal dominant mutations in transcription factor 4 (TCF4) are associated with a rare syndromic form of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) called Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS). Here, we report the generation of a collection of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from 5 patients diagnosed with PTHS and 5 familial controls. These patient-derived iPSCs contain a variety of mutations within the TCF4 gene, possess a normal karyotype and express all the appropriate pluripotent stem cell markers. These novel patient lines will be a useful resource for the research community to study PTHS and the function of TCF4.
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40
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Xia Z, Qi W, Xiaofeng G, Jiguang K, Hongfei H, Yuchen Z, Yihan Z, Yan W, Nannan L, Yiwei L, Hongsheng B, Xiaobai L. AMBMP activates WNT pathway and alleviates stress-induced behaviors in maternal separation and chronic stress models. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 881:173192. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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41
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De Felice B, Montanino C, Oliva M, Bonavita S, Di Onofrio V, Coppola C. MicroRNA Expression Signature in Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4408-4416. [PMID: 32737762 PMCID: PMC7515963 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02029-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) defines an intermediate state between normal ageing and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Identification of MCI subjects who will progress to AD (MCI-AD) is today of crucial importance, especially in light of the possible development of new pathogenic therapies. Several evidences suggest that miRNAs could play relevant roles in the biogenesis of AD, and the links between selected miRNAs and specific pathogenic aspects have been partly explored. In this study, we analysed the composition of microRNA transcriptome in blood, serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from MCI-AD subjects, from an enriched small RNA library. Real-time qPCR from MCI-AD and AD patients and normal controls was performed to profile miRNA expression. In particular, four microRNAs, hsa-mir-5588-5p, hsa-mir-3658, hsa-mir-567 and hsa-mir-3908, among all selected microRNAs, are dysregulated. Hsa-mir-567 was found to be differentially expressed in cerebrospinal fluid samples, blood and serum from MCI-AD patients, showing the highest fold change and statistical significance. Target prediction analysis have been performed to evaluate mRNAs whose expression was controlled by miRNAs found to be dysregulated here, showing that hsa-mir-567 target genes are functionally active in neuronal cells. We propose that miRNA profiles found in samples from MCI-AD patients might be relevant for a better understanding of AD-related cognitive decline and could lead to set up suitable and potential biomarkers for MCI-AD progression to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna De Felice
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DISTABIF), University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Vivaldi 43, 81100, Caserta, Italy.
| | - Concetta Montanino
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DISTABIF), University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Vivaldi 43, 81100, Caserta, Italy
| | - Mariano Oliva
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Bonavita
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Di Onofrio
- Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Naples "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | - Cinzia Coppola
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
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Tamberg L, Jaago M, Säälik K, Sirp A, Tuvikene J, Shubina A, Kiir CS, Nurm K, Sepp M, Timmusk T, Palgi M. Daughterless, the Drosophila orthologue of TCF4, is required for associative learning and maintenance of the synaptic proteome. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm042747. [PMID: 32641419 PMCID: PMC7406316 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.042747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian transcription factor 4 (TCF4) has been linked to schizophrenia and intellectual disabilities, such as Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS). Here, we show that similarly to mammalian TCF4, fruit fly orthologue Daughterless (Da) is expressed widely in the Drosophila brain. Furthermore, silencing of da, using several central nervous system-specific Gal4 driver lines, impairs appetitive associative learning of the larvae and leads to decreased levels of the synaptic proteins Synapsin (Syn) and Discs large 1 (Dlg1), suggesting the involvement of Da in memory formation. Here, we demonstrate that Syn and dlg1 are direct target genes of Da in adult Drosophila heads, as Da binds to the regulatory regions of these genes and the modulation of Da levels alter the levels of Syn and dlg1 mRNA. Silencing of da also affects negative geotaxis of the adult flies, suggesting the impairment of locomotor function. Overall, our findings suggest that Da regulates Drosophila larval memory and adult negative geotaxis, possibly via its synaptic target genes Syn and dlg1 These behavioural phenotypes can be further used as a PTHS model to screen for therapeutics.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tamberg
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Mariliis Jaago
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
- Protobios LLC, Mäealuse 4, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Kristi Säälik
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Alex Sirp
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Jürgen Tuvikene
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
- Protobios LLC, Mäealuse 4, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Anastassia Shubina
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Carl Sander Kiir
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Kaja Nurm
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Mari Sepp
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Tõnis Timmusk
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
- Protobios LLC, Mäealuse 4, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Mari Palgi
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
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Kim H, Berens NC, Ochandarena NE, Philpot BD. Region and Cell Type Distribution of TCF4 in the Postnatal Mouse Brain. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:42. [PMID: 32765228 PMCID: PMC7379912 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.00042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 is a class I basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor regulating gene expression. Altered TCF4 gene expression has been linked to non-syndromic intellectual disability, schizophrenia, and a severe neurodevelopmental disorder known as Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. An understanding of the cell types expressing TCF4 protein in the mouse brain is needed to help identify potential pathophysiological mechanisms and targets for therapeutic delivery in TCF4-linked disorders. Here we developed a novel green fluorescent protein reporter mouse to visualize TCF4-expressing cells throughout the brain. Using this TCF4 reporter mouse, we observed prominent expression of TCF4 in the pallial region and cerebellum of the postnatal brain. At the cellular level, both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons express TCF4 in the cortex and hippocampus, while only a subset of GABAergic interneurons express TCF4 in the striatum. Among glial cell groups, TCF4 is present in astrocytes and immature and mature oligodendrocytes. In the cerebellum, cells in the granule and molecular layer express TCF4. Our findings greatly extend our knowledge of the spatiotemporal and cell type-specific expression patterns of TCF4 in the brain, and hence, lay the groundwork to better understand TCF4-linked neurological disorders. Any effort to restore TCF4 functions through small molecule or genetic therapies should target these brain regions and cell groups to best recapitulate TCF4 expression patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyojin Kim
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Noah C. Berens
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Nicole E. Ochandarena
- MD-Ph.D. Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Benjamin D. Philpot
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Repurposing the Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Inhibitor Nicardipine as a Na v1.8 Inhibitor In Vivo for Pitt Hopkins Syndrome. Pharm Res 2020; 37:127. [PMID: 32529312 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-020-02853-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Individuals with the rare genetic disorder Pitt Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS) do not have sufficient expression of the transcription factor 4 (TCF4) which is located on chromosome 18. TCF4 is a basic helix-loop-helix E protein that is critical for the normal development of the nervous system and the brain in humans. PTHS patients lacking sufficient TCF4 frequently display gastrointestinal issues, intellectual disability and breathing problems. PTHS patients also commonly do not speak and display distinctive facial features and seizures. Recent research has proposed that decreased TCF4 expression can lead to the increased translation of the sodium channel Nav1.8. This in turn results in increased after-hyperpolarization as well as altered firing properties. We have recently identified through a drug repurposing screen an FDA approved dihydropyridine calcium antagonist nicardipine used to treat angina, which inhibited Nav1.8. METHODS We have now performed behavioral testing in groups of 10 male Tcf4(± ) PTHS mice dosing by oral gavage at 3 mg/kg once a day for 3 weeks using standard methods to assess sociability, nesting, fear conditioning, self-grooming, open field and test of force. RESULTS Nicardipine returned this spectrum of behavioral deficits in the Tcf4(± ) PTHS mouse model to WT levels and resulted in statistically significant results. CONCLUSIONS These in vivo results in the well characterized Tcf4(± ) PTHS mice may suggest the potential to test this already approved drug further in a clinical study with PTHS patients or suggest the potential for use off label under compassionate use with their physician.
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Tripon F, Bogliș A, Micheu C, Streață I, Bănescu C. Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome: Clinical and Molecular Findings of a 5-Year-Old Patient. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11060596. [PMID: 32481733 PMCID: PMC7349262 DOI: 10.3390/genes11060596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pitt Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) is a very rare condition and until now, approximately 500 patients were reported worldwide, of which not all are genetically confirmed. Usually, individuals with variants affecting exons 1 to 5 in the TCF4 gene associate mild intellectual disability (ID), between exons 5 to 8, moderate to severe ID and sometimes have some of the characteristics of PTHS, and variants starting from exon 9 to exon 20 associate a typical PTHS phenotype. In this report, we describe the clinical and molecular findings of a Caucasian boy diagnosed with PTHS. PTHS phenotype is described including craniofacial dysmorphism with brachycephaly, biparietal narrowing, wide nasal bridge, thin and linear lateral eyebrows, palpebral edema, full cheeks, short philtrum, wide mouth with prominent and everted lips, prominent Cupid’s bow, downturned corners of the mouth, microdontia and also the clinical management of the patient. The previously and the current diagnosis scores are described in this report and also the challenges and their benefits for an accurate and early diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florin Tripon
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Emergency Clinical County Hospital Târgu Mureș, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania; (F.T.); (C.B.)
- Department of Genetics, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology/Genetics, Center for Advanced Medical and Pharmaceutical Research, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Alina Bogliș
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Emergency Clinical County Hospital Târgu Mureș, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania; (F.T.); (C.B.)
- Department of Genetics, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology/Genetics, Center for Advanced Medical and Pharmaceutical Research, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +40-265-21-55-51
| | - Cristian Micheu
- Child Neurology Psychiatry Clinic, Clinical County Hospital Mureș, 540072 Târgu Mureş, Romania;
| | - Ioana Streață
- Regional Center for Medical Genetics Dolj—Clinical County Emergency Hospital Craiova, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, 200642 Craiova, Romania;
| | - Claudia Bănescu
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Emergency Clinical County Hospital Târgu Mureș, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania; (F.T.); (C.B.)
- Department of Genetics, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology/Genetics, Center for Advanced Medical and Pharmaceutical Research, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142 Târgu Mureș, Romania
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Identifying Cattle Breed-Specific Partner Choice of Transcription Factors during the African Trypanosomiasis Disease Progression Using Bioinformatics Analysis. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:vaccines8020246. [PMID: 32456126 PMCID: PMC7350023 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8020246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
African Animal Trypanosomiasis (AAT) is a disease caused by pathogenic trypanosomes which affects millions of livestock every year causing huge economic losses in agricultural production especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is spread by the tsetse fly which carries the parasite in its saliva. During the disease progression, the cattle are prominently subjected to anaemia, weight loss, intermittent fever, chills, neuronal degeneration, congestive heart failure, and finally death. According to their different genetic programs governing the level of tolerance to AAT, cattle breeds are classified as either resistant or susceptible. In this study, we focus on the cattle breeds N’Dama and Boran which are known to be resistant and susceptible to trypanosomiasis, respectively. Despite the rich literature on both breeds, the gene regulatory mechanisms of the underlying biological processes for their resistance and susceptibility have not been extensively studied. To address the limited knowledge about the tissue-specific transcription factor (TF) cooperations associated with trypanosomiasis, we investigated gene expression data from these cattle breeds computationally. Consequently, we identified significant cooperative TF pairs (especially DBP−PPARA and DBP−THAP1 in N’Dama and DBP−PAX8 in Boran liver tissue) which could help understand the underlying AAT tolerance/susceptibility mechanism in both cattle breeds.
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47
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Li HJ, Qu N, Hui L, Cai X, Zhang CY, Zhong BL, Zhang SF, Chen J, Xia B, Wang L, Jia QF, Li W, Chang H, Xiao X, Li M, Li Y. Further confirmation of netrin 1 receptor (DCC) as a depression risk gene via integrations of multi-omics data. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:98. [PMID: 32184385 PMCID: PMC7078234 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0777-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of major depression and its relevant biological phenotypes have been extensively conducted in large samples, and transcriptome-wide analyses in the tissues of brain regions relevant to pathogenesis of depression, e.g., dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), have also been widely performed recently. Integrating these multi-omics data will enable unveiling of depression risk genes and even underlying pathological mechanisms. Here, we employ summary data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) and integrative risk gene selector (iRIGS) approaches to integrate multi-omics data from GWAS, DLPFC expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analyses and enhancer-promoter physical link studies to prioritize high-confidence risk genes for depression, followed by independent replications across distinct populations. These integrative analyses identify multiple high-confidence depression risk genes, and numerous lines of evidence supporting pivotal roles of the netrin 1 receptor (DCC) gene in this illness across different populations. Our subsequent explorative analyses further suggest that DCC significantly predicts neuroticism, well-being spectrum, cognitive function and putamen structure in general populations. Gene expression correlation and pathway analyses in DLPFC further show that DCC potentially participates in the biological processes and pathways underlying synaptic plasticity, axon guidance, circadian entrainment, as well as learning and long-term potentiation. These results are in agreement with the recent findings of this gene in neurodevelopment and psychiatric disorders, and we thus further confirm that DCC is an important susceptibility gene for depression, and might be a potential target for new antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Juan Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Na Qu
- Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Li Hui
- Suzhou Guangji Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Cai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chu-Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Bao-Liang Zhong
- Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shu-Fang Zhang
- Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bin Xia
- Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiu-Fang Jia
- Suzhou Guangji Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hong Chang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| | - Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| | - Yi Li
- Affiliated Wuhan Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Schoof M, Hellwig M, Harrison L, Holdhof D, Lauffer MC, Niesen J, Virdi S, Indenbirken D, Schüller U. The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor TCF4 impacts brain architecture as well as neuronal morphology and differentiation. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 51:2219-2235. [PMID: 31919899 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Germline mutations in the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 4 (TCF4) cause the Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS), a developmental disorder with severe intellectual disability. Here, we report findings from a new mouse model with a central nervous system-specific truncation of Tcf4 leading to severe phenotypic abnormalities. Furthermore, it allows the study of a complete TCF4 knockout in adult mice, circumventing early postnatal lethality of previously published mouse models. Our data suggest that a TCF4 truncation results in an impaired hippocampal architecture affecting both the dentate gyrus as well as the cornu ammonis. In the cerebral cortex, loss of TCF4 generates a severe differentiation delay of neural precursors. Furthermore, neuronal morphology was critically affected with shortened apical dendrites and significantly increased branching of dendrites. Our data provide novel information about the role of Tcf4 in brain development and may help to understand the mechanisms leading to intellectual deficits observed in patients suffering from PTHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Schoof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Malte Hellwig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Luke Harrison
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Dörthe Holdhof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marlen C Lauffer
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Judith Niesen
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sanamjeet Virdi
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Indenbirken
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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49
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Wang Y, Lu Z, Zhang Y, Cai Y, Yun D, Tang T, Cai Z, Wang C, Zhang Y, Fang F, Yang Z, Behnisch T, Xie Y. Transcription Factor 4 Safeguards Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus Development by Regulating Neural Progenitor Migration. Cereb Cortex 2019; 30:3102-3115. [PMID: 31845732 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampal formation plays essential roles in learning and memory. Defective DG development is associated with neurological disorders. Here, we show that transcription factor 4 (Tcf4) is essential for DG development. Tcf4 expression is elevated in neural progenitors of the dentate neuroepithelium in the developing mouse brain. We demonstrate that conditional disruption of Tcf4 in the dentate neuroepithelium leads to abnormal neural progenitor migration guided by disorganized radial glial fibers, which further leads to hypoplasia in the DG. Moreover, we reveal that Wnt7b is a key downstream effector of Tcf4 in regulating neural progenitor migration. Behavioral analysis shows that disruption of integrity of the DG impairs the social memory highlighting the importance of proper development of the DG. These results reveal a critical role for Tcf4 in regulating DG development. As mutations in TCF4 cause Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) characterized by severe intellectual disability, our data also potentially provide insights into the basis of neurological defects linked to TCF4 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Wang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhiheng Lu
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yilan Zhang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yuqun Cai
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Di Yun
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Tianxiang Tang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zheping Cai
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chunyang Wang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yandong Zhang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Fang Fang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhengang Yang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Thomas Behnisch
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yunli Xie
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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50
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Vidal S, Xiol C, Pascual-Alonso A, O'Callaghan M, Pineda M, Armstrong J. Genetic Landscape of Rett Syndrome Spectrum: Improvements and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20163925. [PMID: 31409060 PMCID: PMC6719047 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20163925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily affects females, resulting in severe cognitive and physical disabilities, and is one of the most prevalent causes of intellectual disability in females. More than fifty years after the first publication on Rett syndrome, and almost two decades since the first report linking RTT to the MECP2 gene, the research community's effort is focused on obtaining a better understanding of the genetics and the complex biology of RTT and Rett-like phenotypes without MECP2 mutations. Herein, we review the current molecular genetic studies, which investigate the genetic causes of RTT or Rett-like phenotypes which overlap with other genetic disorders and document the swift evolution of the techniques and methodologies employed. This review also underlines the clinical and genetic heterogeneity of the Rett syndrome spectrum and provides an overview of the RTT-related genes described to date, many of which are involved in epigenetic gene regulation, neurotransmitter action or RNA transcription/translation. Finally, it discusses the importance of including both phenotypic and genetic diagnosis to provide proper genetic counselling from a patient's perspective and the appropriate treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Vidal
- Sant Joan de Déu Research Foundation, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clara Xiol
- Sant Joan de Déu Research Foundation, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ainhoa Pascual-Alonso
- Sant Joan de Déu Research Foundation, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - M O'Callaghan
- Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- Neurology Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER-ER (Biomedical Network Research Center for Rare Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercè Pineda
- Sant Joan de Déu Research Foundation, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Judith Armstrong
- Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain.
- CIBER-ER (Biomedical Network Research Center for Rare Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain.
- Molecular and Genetics Medicine Section, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Barcelona, Spain.
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