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Devine EA, Imami AS, Eby H, Hamoud AR, Golchin H, Ryan W, Sahay S, Shedroff EA, Arvay T, Joyce AW, Asah SM, Walss-Bass C, O'Donovan S, McCullumsmith RE. Neuronal alterations in AKT isotype expression in schizophrenia. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3940448. [PMID: 38559131 PMCID: PMC10980160 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3940448/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is characterized by substantial alterations in brain function, and previous studies suggest insulin signaling pathways, particularly involving AKT, are implicated in the pathophysiology of the disorder. This study demonstrates elevated mRNA expression of AKT1-3 in neurons from schizophrenia subjects, contrary to unchanged or diminished total AKT protein expression reported in previous postmortem studies, suggesting a potential decoupling of transcript and protein levels. Sex-specific differential AKT activity was observed, indicating divergent roles in males and females with schizophrenia. Alongside AKT, upregulation of PDPK1, a critical component of the insulin signaling pathway, and several protein phosphatases known to regulate AKT were detected. Moreover, enhanced expression of the transcription factor FOXO1, a regulator of glucose metabolism, hints at possible compensatory mechanisms related to insulin signaling dysregulation. Findings were largely independent of antipsychotic medication use, suggesting inherent alterations in schizophrenia. These results highlight the significance of AKT and related signaling pathways in schizophrenia, proposing that these changes might represent a compensatory response to a primary defect of conical insulin signaling pathways. This research underscores the need for a detailed understanding of these signaling pathways for the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Devine
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Ali S Imami
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Hunter Eby
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Abdul-Rizaq Hamoud
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Hasti Golchin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - William Ryan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Smita Sahay
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Shedroff
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Taylen Arvay
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Alex W Joyce
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Sophie M Asah
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Consuelo Walss-Bass
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sinead O'Donovan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
- Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
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2
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Dean B, Scarr E. Common changes in rat cortical gene expression after antidepressant drug treatment: Impacts on metabolism of polyamines, mRNA splicing, regulation of RAS by GAPs, neddylation and GPCR ligand binding. World J Biol Psychiatry 2024; 25:200-213. [PMID: 38349617 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2024.2312475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study sought to identify pathways affected by rat cortical RNA that were changed after treatment with fluoxetine or imipramine. METHODS We measured levels of cortical RNA in male rats using GeneChip® Rat Exon 1.0 ST Array after treatment with vehicle (0.9% NaCl), fluoxetine (10 mg/kg/day) or imipramine (20 mg/kg/day) for 28 days. Levels of coding and non-coding RNA in vehicle treated rats were compared to those in treated rats using ANOVA in JMP Genomics 13 and the Panther Gene Ontology Classification System was used to identify pathways involving the changed RNAs. RESULTS 18,876 transcripts were detected; there were highly correlated changes in 1010 levels of RNA after both drug treatments that would principally affect the metabolism of polyamines, mRNA splicing, regulation of RAS by GAPs, neddylation and GPCR ligand binding. Using our previously published data, we compared changes in transcripts after treatment with antipsychotic and mood stabilising drugs. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows there are common, correlated, changes in coding and non-coding RNA in the rat cortex after treatment with fluoxetine or imipramine; we propose the pathways affected by these changes are involved in the therapeutic mechanisms of action of antidepressant drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Dean
- The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Scarr
- The Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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3
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Pöpplau JA, Schwarze T, Dorofeikova M, Pochinok I, Günther A, Marquardt A, Hanganu-Opatz IL. Reorganization of adolescent prefrontal cortex circuitry is required for mouse cognitive maturation. Neuron 2024; 112:421-440.e7. [PMID: 37979584 PMCID: PMC10855252 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.10.024] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Most cognitive functions involving the prefrontal cortex emerge during late development. Increasing evidence links this delayed maturation to the protracted timeline of prefrontal development, which likely does not reach full maturity before the end of adolescence. However, the underlying mechanisms that drive the emergence and fine-tuning of cognitive abilities during adolescence, caused by circuit wiring, are still unknown. Here, we continuously monitored prefrontal activity throughout the postnatal development of mice and showed that an initial activity increase was interrupted by an extensive microglia-mediated breakdown of activity, followed by the rewiring of circuit elements to achieve adult-like patterns and synchrony. Interfering with these processes during adolescence, but not adulthood, led to a long-lasting microglia-induced disruption of prefrontal activity and neuronal morphology and decreased cognitive abilities. These results identified a nonlinear reorganization of prefrontal circuits during adolescence and revealed its importance for adult network function and cognitive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jastyn A Pöpplau
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg Center of Neuroscience (HCNS), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Timo Schwarze
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg Center of Neuroscience (HCNS), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mariia Dorofeikova
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg Center of Neuroscience (HCNS), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Irina Pochinok
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg Center of Neuroscience (HCNS), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anne Günther
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg Center of Neuroscience (HCNS), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Annette Marquardt
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg Center of Neuroscience (HCNS), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ileana L Hanganu-Opatz
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, Hamburg Center of Neuroscience (HCNS), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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4
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Dean B, Scarr E. Common changes in rat cortical gene expression after valproate or lithium treatment particularly affect pre- and post-synaptic pathways that regulate four neurotransmitters systems. World J Biol Psychiatry 2024; 25:54-64. [PMID: 37722808 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2023.2258972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We have postulated that common changes in gene expression after treatment with different therapeutic classes of psychotropic drugs contribute to their common therapeutic mechanisms of action. METHODS To test this hypothesis, we measured levels of cortical coding and non-coding RNA using GeneChip® Rat Exon 1.0 ST Array after treatment with vehicle (chow only), chow containing 1.8 g lithium carbonate/kg (n = 10) or chow containing 12 g sodium valproate/kg (n = 10) for 28 days. Differences in levels of RNA were identified using JMP Genomics 13 and the Panther Gene Ontology Classification System was used to identify potential consequences of RNA. RESULTS Compared to vehicle treatment, levels of cortical RNA for 543 and 583 coding and non-coding RNAs were different after treatment with valproate and lithium, respectively. Moreover, levels of 323 coding and non-coding RNAs were altered in a highly correlated way by treatment with valproate and lithium, changes that would impact on cholinergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission as well as on voltage gated ion channels. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that treating with mood stabilisers cause many common changes in levels of RNA which will impact on CNS function, particularly affecting post-synaptic muscarinic receptor functioning and the release of multiple neurotransmitters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Dean
- The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Scarr
- The Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Smail MA, Smith BL, Shukla R, Alganem K, Eby HM, Bollinger JL, Parikh RK, Chambers JB, Reigle JK, Moloney RD, Nawreen N, Wohleb ES, Pantazopoulos H, McCullumsmith RE, Herman JP. Molecular neurobiology of loss: a role for basolateral amygdala extracellular matrix. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4729-4741. [PMID: 37644175 PMCID: PMC10914625 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02231-8] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Psychological loss is a common experience that erodes well-being and negatively impacts quality of life. The molecular underpinnings of loss are poorly understood. Here, we investigate the mechanisms of loss using an environmental enrichment removal (ER) paradigm in male rats. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) was identified as a region of interest, demonstrating differential Fos responsivity to ER and having an established role in stress processing and adaptation. A comprehensive multi-omics investigation of the BLA, spanning multiple cohorts, platforms, and analyses, revealed alterations in microglia and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Follow-up studies indicated that ER decreased microglia size, complexity, and phagocytosis, suggesting reduced immune surveillance. Loss also substantially increased ECM coverage, specifically targeting perineuronal nets surrounding parvalbumin interneurons, suggesting decreased plasticity and increased inhibition within the BLA following loss. Behavioral analyses suggest that these molecular effects are linked to impaired BLA salience evaluation, leading to a mismatch between stimulus and reaction intensity. These loss-like behaviors could be rescued by depleting BLA ECM during the removal period, helping us understand the mechanisms underlying loss and revealing novel molecular targets to ameliorate its impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa A Smail
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Brittany L Smith
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Rammohan Shukla
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Khaled Alganem
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Hunter M Eby
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Justin L Bollinger
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Ria K Parikh
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - James B Chambers
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - James K Reigle
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Rachel D Moloney
- School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, UK
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, UK
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, UK
| | - Nawshaba Nawreen
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Eric S Wohleb
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Harry Pantazopoulos
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - Robert E McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
- Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - James P Herman
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Schulmann A, Marenco S, Vawter MP, Akula N, Limon A, Mandal A, Auluck PK, Patel Y, Lipska BK, McMahon FJ. Antipsychotic drug use complicates assessment of gene expression changes associated with schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:93. [PMID: 36932057 PMCID: PMC10023659 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02392-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent postmortem transcriptomic studies of schizophrenia (SCZ) have shown hundreds of differentially expressed genes. However, the extent to which these gene expression changes reflect antipsychotic drug (APD) exposure remains uncertain. We compared differential gene expression in the prefrontal cortex of SCZ patients who tested positive for APDs at the time of death with SCZ patients who did not. APD exposure was associated with numerous changes in the brain transcriptome, especially among SCZ patients on atypical APDs. Brain transcriptome data from macaques chronically treated with APDs showed that APDs affect the expression of many functionally relevant genes, some of which show expression changes in the same directions as those observed in SCZ. Co-expression modules enriched for synaptic function showed convergent patterns between SCZ and some of the APD effects, while those associated with inflammation and glucose metabolism exhibited predominantly divergent patterns between SCZ and APD effects. In contrast, major cell-type shifts inferred in SCZ were primarily unaffected by APD use. These results show that APDs may confound SCZ-associated gene expression changes in postmortem brain tissue. Disentangling these effects will help identify causal genes and improve our neurobiological understanding of SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Schulmann
- Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Stefano Marenco
- Human Brain Collection Core, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marquis P Vawter
- Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nirmala Akula
- Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Agenor Limon
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Ajeet Mandal
- Human Brain Collection Core, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Pavan K Auluck
- Human Brain Collection Core, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yash Patel
- Human Brain Collection Core, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Barbara K Lipska
- Human Brain Collection Core, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Francis J McMahon
- Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Chen Y, Dai J, Tang L, Mikhailova T, Liang Q, Li M, Zhou J, Kopp RF, Weickert C, Chen C, Liu C. Neuroimmune transcriptome changes in patient brains of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:710-721. [PMID: 36424395 PMCID: PMC9911365 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01854-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation has been implicated in multiple brain disorders but the extent and the magnitude of change in immune-related genes (IRGs) across distinct brain disorders has not been directly compared. In this study, 1275 IRGs were curated and their expression changes investigated in 2467 postmortem brains of controls and patients with six major brain disorders, including schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), major depressive disorder (MDD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD). There were 865 IRGs present across all microarray and RNA-seq datasets. More than 60% of the IRGs had significantly altered expression in at least one of the six disorders. The differentially expressed immune-related genes (dIRGs) shared across disorders were mainly related to innate immunity. Moreover, sex, tissue, and putative cell type were systematically evaluated for immune alterations in different neuropsychiatric disorders. Co-expression networks revealed that transcripts of the neuroimmune systems interacted with neuronal-systems, both of which contribute to the pathology of brain disorders. However, only a few genes with expression changes were also identified as containing risk variants in genome-wide association studies. The transcriptome alterations at gene and network levels may clarify the immune-related pathophysiology and help to better define neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Jiacheng Dai
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, and School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Longfei Tang
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Tatiana Mikhailova
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Qiuman Liang
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Miao Li
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Jiaqi Zhou
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China
| | - Richard F. Kopp
- Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Cynthia Weickert
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA,School of Psychiatry, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 1466 Australia
| | - Chao Chen
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China. .,Hunan Key Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Chunyu Liu
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, and Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China. .,Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
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Dean B, Thomas EHX, Bozaoglu K, Tan EJ, Van Rheenen TE, Neill E, Sumner PJ, Carruthers SP, Scarr E, Rossell SL, Gurvich C. Evidence that a working memory cognitive phenotype within schizophrenia has a unique underlying biology. Psychiatry Res 2022; 317:114873. [PMID: 36252418 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
It is suggested studying phenotypes within the syndrome of schizophrenia will accelerate understanding the complex molecular pathology of the disorder. Supporting this hypothesis, we have identified a sub-group within schizophrenia with impaired working memory (WM) and have used Affymetrix™ Human Exon 1.0 ST Arrays to compare their blood RNA levels (n=16) to a group of with intact WM (n=18). Levels of 72 RNAs were higher in blood from patients with impaired WM, 11 of which have proven links to the maintenance of different aspects of working memory (cognition). Overall, changed gene expression in those with impaired WM could be linked to cognition through glutamatergic activity, olfaction, immunity, inflammation as well as energy and metabolism. Our data gives preliminary support to the hypotheses that there is a working memory deficit phenotype within the syndrome of schizophrenia with has a biological underpinning. In addition, our data raises the possibility that a larger study could show that the specific changes in gene expression we have identified could prove to be the biomarkers needed to develop a blood test to identify those with impaired WM; a significant step toward allowing the use of personalised medicine directed toward improving their impaired working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Dean
- The Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Elizabeth H X Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kiymet Bozaoglu
- The Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eric J Tan
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tamsyn E Van Rheenen
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia; Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Erica Neill
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
| | - Philip J Sumner
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sean P Carruthers
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Scarr
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Susan L Rossell
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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9
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Almeida D, Turecki G. Profiling cell-type specific gene expression in post-mortem human brain samples through laser capture microdissection. Methods 2022; 207:3-10. [PMID: 36064002 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2022.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcriptome of a cell constitutes an essential piece of cellular identity and contributes to the multifaceted complexity and heterogeneity of cell-types within the mammalian brain. Thus, while a wealth of studies have investigated transcriptomic alterations underlying the pathophysiology of diseases of the brain, their use of bulk-tissue homogenates makes it difficult to tease apart whether observed differences are explained by disease state or cellular composition. Cell-type-specific enrichment strategies are, therefore, crucial in the context of gene expression profiling. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is one such strategy that allows for the capture of specific cell-types, or regions of interest, under microscopic visualization. In this review, we focus on using LCM for cell-type specific gene expression profiling in post-mortem human brain samples. We begin with a discussion of various LCM systems, followed by a walk-through of each step in the LCM to gene expression profiling workflow and a description of some of the limitations associated with LCM. Throughout the review, we highlight important considerations when using LCM with post-mortem human brain samples. Whenever applicable, commercially available kits that have proven successful in the context of LCM with post-mortem human brain samples are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Almeida
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4H 1R3
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4H 1R3; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A 1A1.
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10
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Identification of activity-induced Egr3-dependent genes reveals genes associated with DNA damage response and schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:320. [PMID: 35941129 PMCID: PMC9360026 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioinformatics and network studies have identified the immediate early gene transcription factor early growth response 3 (EGR3) as a master regulator of genes differentially expressed in the brains of patients with neuropsychiatric illnesses ranging from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to Alzheimer's disease. However, few studies have identified and validated Egr3-dependent genes in the mammalian brain. We have previously shown that Egr3 is required for stress-responsive behavior, memory, and hippocampal long-term depression in mice. To identify Egr3-dependent genes that may regulate these processes, we conducted an expression microarray on hippocampi from wildtype (WT) and Egr3-/- mice following electroconvulsive seizure (ECS), a stimulus that induces maximal expression of immediate early genes including Egr3. We identified 69 genes that were differentially expressed between WT and Egr3-/- mice one hour following ECS. Bioinformatic analyses showed that many of these are altered in, or associated with, schizophrenia, including Mef2c and Calb2. Enrichr pathway analysis revealed the GADD45 (growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible) family (Gadd45b, Gadd45g) as a leading group of differentially expressed genes. Together with differentially expressed genes in the AP-1 transcription factor family genes (Fos, Fosb), and the centromere organization protein Cenpa, these results revealed that Egr3 is required for activity-dependent expression of genes involved in the DNA damage response. Our findings show that EGR3 is critical for the expression of genes that are mis-expressed in schizophrenia and reveal a novel requirement for EGR3 in the expression of genes involved in activity-induced DNA damage response.
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