1
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Kambali M, Li Y, Unichenko P, Feria Pliego JA, Yadav R, Liu J, McGuinness P, Cobb JG, Wang M, Nagarajan R, Lyu J, Vongsouthi V, Jackson CJ, Engin E, Coyle JT, Shin J, Hodgson NW, Hensch TK, Talkowski ME, Homanics GE, Bolshakov VY, Henneberger C, Rudolph U. An increased copy number of glycine decarboxylase (GLDC) associated with psychosis reduces extracellular glycine and impairs NMDA receptor function. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02711-5. [PMID: 39210012 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02711-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Glycine is an obligatory co-agonist at excitatory NMDA receptors in the brain, especially in the dentate gyrus, which has been postulated to be crucial for the development of psychotic associations and memories with psychotic content. Drugs modulating glycine levels are in clinical development for improving cognition in schizophrenia. However, the functional relevance of the regulation of glycine metabolism by endogenous enzymes is unclear. Using a chromosome-engineered allelic series in mice, we report that a triplication of the gene encoding the glycine-catabolizing enzyme glycine decarboxylase (GLDC) - as found on a small supernumerary marker chromosome in patients with psychosis - reduces extracellular glycine levels as determined by optical fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) in dentate gyrus (DG) and suppresses long-term potentiation (LTP) in mPP-DG synapses but not in CA3-CA1 synapses, reduces the activity of biochemical pathways implicated in schizophrenia and mitochondrial bioenergetics, and displays deficits in schizophrenia-like behaviors which are in part known to be dependent on the activity of the dentate gyrus, e.g., prepulse inhibition, startle habituation, latent inhibition, working memory, sociability and social preference. Our results demonstrate that Gldc negatively regulates long-term synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus in mice, suggesting that an increase in GLDC copy number possibly contributes to the development of psychosis in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maltesh Kambali
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, McLean Hospital Belmont, Belmont, MA, USA
- Deparment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Petr Unichenko
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Rachita Yadav
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jing Liu
- Deparment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Patrick McGuinness
- Deparment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Johanna G Cobb
- Deparment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Muxiao Wang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Rajasekar Nagarajan
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Jinrui Lyu
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Vanessa Vongsouthi
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Colin J Jackson
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Elif Engin
- Deparment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Joseph T Coyle
- Deparment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jaeweon Shin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathaniel W Hodgson
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Takao K Hensch
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michael E Talkowski
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gregg E Homanics
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Vadim Y Bolshakov
- Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, McLean Hospital Belmont, Belmont, MA, USA
- Deparment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christian Henneberger
- Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Uwe Rudolph
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Deparment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Laboratory of Genetic Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.
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2
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Blokland G, Maleki N, Jovicich J, Mesholam-Gately R, DeLisi L, Turner J, Shenton M, Voineskos A, Kahn R, Roffman J, Holt D, Ehrlich S, Kikinis Z, Dazzan P, Murray R, Lee J, Sim K, Lam M, de Zwarte S, Walton E, Kelly S, Picchioni M, Bramon E, Makris N, David A, Mondelli V, Reinders A, Oykhman E, Morris D, Gill M, Corvin A, Cahn W, Ho N, Liu J, Gollub R, Manoach D, Calhoun V, Sponheim S, Buka S, Cherkerzian S, Thermenos H, Dickie E, Ciufolini S, Reis Marques T, Crossley N, Purcell S, Smoller J, van Haren N, Toulopoulou T, Donohoe G, Goldstein J, Keshavan M, Petryshen T, del Re E. MIR137 polygenic risk for schizophrenia and ephrin-regulated pathway: Role in lateral ventricles and corpus callosum volume. Int J Clin Health Psychol 2024; 24:100458. [PMID: 38623146 PMCID: PMC11017057 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100458] [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: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/Objective. Enlarged lateral ventricle (LV) volume and decreased volume in the corpus callosum (CC) are hallmarks of schizophrenia (SZ). We previously showed an inverse correlation between LV and CC volumes in SZ, with global functioning decreasing with increased LV volume. This study investigates the relationship between LV volume, CC abnormalities, and the microRNA MIR137 and its regulated genes in SZ, because of MIR137's essential role in neurodevelopment. Methods. Participants were 1224 SZ probands and 1466 unaffected controls from the GENUS Consortium. Brain MRI scans, genotype, and clinical data were harmonized across cohorts and employed in the analyses. Results. Increased LV volumes and decreased CC central, mid-anterior, and mid-posterior volumes were observed in SZ probands. The MIR137-regulated ephrin pathway was significantly associated with CC:LV ratio, explaining a significant proportion (3.42 %) of CC:LV variance, and more than for LV and CC separately. Other pathways explained variance in either CC or LV, but not both. CC:LV ratio was also positively correlated with Global Assessment of Functioning, supporting previous subsample findings. SNP-based heritability estimates were higher for CC central:LV ratio (0.79) compared to CC or LV separately. Discussion. Our results indicate that the CC:LV ratio is highly heritable, influenced in part by variation in the MIR137-regulated ephrin pathway. Findings suggest that the CC:LV ratio may be a risk indicator in SZ that correlates with global functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- G.A.M. Blokland
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Netherlands
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - N. Maleki
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - J. Jovicich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - R.I. Mesholam-Gately
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - L.E. DeLisi
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - J.A. Turner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - M.E. Shenton
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, MA, United States
| | - A.N. Voineskos
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - R.S. Kahn
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - J.L. Roffman
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - D.J. Holt
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - S. Ehrlich
- Division of Psychological & Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Z. Kikinis
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - P. Dazzan
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - R.M. Murray
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - J. Lee
- Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore
| | - K. Sim
- Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore
| | - M. Lam
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore
- Analytical & Translational Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
| | - S.M.C. de Zwarte
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - E. Walton
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - S. Kelly
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Laboratory of NeuroImaging, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - M.M. Picchioni
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - E. Bramon
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Mental Health Neuroscience Research Department, UCL Division of Psychiatry, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - N. Makris
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - A.S. David
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - V. Mondelli
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - A.A.T.S. Reinders
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - E. Oykhman
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - D.W. Morris
- Cognitive Genetics and Cognitive Therapy Group, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Genomics (NICOG) Centre and NCBES Galway Neuroscience Centre, School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - M. Gill
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - A.P. Corvin
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - W. Cahn
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - N. Ho
- Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore
| | - J. Liu
- Genome Institute, Singapore
| | - R.L. Gollub
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - D.S. Manoach
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - V.D. Calhoun
- Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - S.R. Sponheim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - S.L. Buka
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - S. Cherkerzian
- Department of Medicine, Division of Women's Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - H.W. Thermenos
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - E.W. Dickie
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - S. Ciufolini
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - T. Reis Marques
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - N.A. Crossley
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - S.M. Purcell
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - J.W. Smoller
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - N.E.M. van Haren
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - T. Toulopoulou
- Department of Psychology & National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM), Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Centre (ASBAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - G. Donohoe
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Cognitive Genetics and Cognitive Therapy Group, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Genomics (NICOG) Centre and NCBES Galway Neuroscience Centre, School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - J.M. Goldstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Women's Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - M.S. Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - T.L. Petryshen
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - E.C. del Re
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, MA, United States
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3
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Baker MR, Lee AS, Rajadhyaksha AM. L-type calcium channels and neuropsychiatric diseases: Insights into genetic risk variant-associated genomic regulation and impact on brain development. Channels (Austin) 2023; 17:2176984. [PMID: 36803254 PMCID: PMC9980663 DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2023.2176984] [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: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent human genetic studies have linked a variety of genetic variants in the CACNA1C and CACNA1D genes to neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. This is not surprising given the work from multiple laboratories using cell and animal models that have established that Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 L-type calcium channels (LTCCs), encoded by CACNA1C and CACNA1D, respectively, play a key role in various neuronal processes that are essential for normal brain development, connectivity, and experience-dependent plasticity. Of the multiple genetic aberrations reported, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CACNA1C and CACNA1D that are present within introns, in accordance with the growing body of literature establishing that large numbers of SNPs associated with complex diseases, including neuropsychiatric disorders, are present within non-coding regions. How these intronic SNPs affect gene expression has remained a question. Here, we review recent studies that are beginning to shed light on how neuropsychiatric-linked non-coding genetic variants can impact gene expression via regulation at the genomic and chromatin levels. We additionally review recent studies that are uncovering how altered calcium signaling through LTCCs impact some of the neuronal developmental processes, such as neurogenesis, neuron migration, and neuron differentiation. Together, the described changes in genomic regulation and disruptions in neurodevelopment provide possible mechanisms by which genetic variants of LTCC genes contribute to neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelyn R. Baker
- Neuroscience Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Andrew S. Lee
- Neuroscience Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, USA
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, USA
| | - Anjali M. Rajadhyaksha
- Neuroscience Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, USA
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Autism Research Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA
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4
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Kambali M, Li Y, Unichenko P, Pliego JF, Yadav R, Liu J, McGuinness P, Cobb JG, Wang M, Nagarajan R, Lyu J, Vongsouthi V, Jackson CJ, Engin E, Coyle JT, Shin J, Talkowski ME, Homanics GE, Bolshakov VY, Henneberger C, Rudolph U. A marker chromosome in psychosis identifies glycine decarboxylase (GLDC) as a novel regulator of neuronal and synaptic function in the hippocampus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.29.542745. [PMID: 37398055 PMCID: PMC10312439 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.29.542745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The biological significance of a small supernumerary marker chromosome that results in dosage alterations to chromosome 9p24.1, including triplication of the GLDC gene encoding glycine decarboxylase, in two patients with psychosis is unclear. In an allelic series of copy number variant mouse models, we identify that triplication of Gldc reduces extracellular glycine levels as determined by optical fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) in dentate gyrus (DG) but not in CA1, suppresses long-term potentiation (LTP) in mPP-DG synapses but not in CA3-CA1 synapses, reduces the activity of biochemical pathways implicated in schizophrenia and mitochondrial bioenergetics, and displays deficits in prepulse inhibition, startle habituation, latent inhibition, working memory, sociability and social preference. Our results thus provide a link between a genomic copy number variation, biochemical, cellular and behavioral phenotypes, and further demonstrate that GLDC negatively regulates long-term synaptic plasticity at specific hippocampal synapses, possibly contributing to the development of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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5
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Shmakova AA, Semina EV, Neyfeld EA, Tsygankov BD, Karagyaur MN. [An analysis of the relationship between genetic factors and the risk of schizophrenia]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2023; 123:26-36. [PMID: 36843456 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro202312302126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
The etiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia remain poorly understood, but it has been established that the contribution of heredity to the development of the disease is about 80-85%. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in the search for specific genetic variants associated with the development of schizophrenia. The review discusses the results of modern large-scale studies aimed at searching for genetic associations with schizophrenia: genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and the search for rare variants (mutations or copy number variations, CNV), including the use of whole exome sequencing. We synthesize data on currently known genes that are significantly associated with schizophrenia and discuss their biological functions in order to identify the main molecular pathways involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Shmakova
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Moscow, Russia
| | - E V Semina
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine - Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - E A Neyfeld
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - M N Karagyaur
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine - Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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6
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The evolutionarily conserved miRNA-137 targets the neuropeptide hypocretin/orexin and modulates the wake to sleep ratio. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2112225119. [PMID: 35452310 PMCID: PMC9169915 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2112225119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypocretin (Hcrt, also known as orexin) neuropeptides regulate sleep and wake stability, and disturbances of Hcrt can lead to sleep disorders. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs that fine-tune protein expression levels, and miRNA-based therapeutics are emerging. We report a functional interaction between miRNA (miR-137) and Hcrt. We demonstrate that intracellular miR-137 levels in Hcrt neurons regulate Hcrt expression with downstream effects on wakefulness. Specifically, lowering of miR-137 levels increased wakefulness in mice. We further show that the miR-137:Hcrt interaction is conserved across mice and humans, that miR-137 also regulates sleep–wake balance in zebrafish, and that the MIR137 locus is genetically associated with sleep duration in humans. Together, our findings reveal an evolutionarily conserved sleep–wake regulatory role of miR-137. Hypocretin (Hcrt), also known as orexin, neuropeptide signaling stabilizes sleep and wakefulness in all vertebrates. A lack of Hcrt causes the sleep disorder narcolepsy, and increased Hcrt signaling has been speculated to cause insomnia, but while the signaling pathways of Hcrt are relatively well-described, the intracellular mechanisms that regulate its expression remain unclear. Here, we tested the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating Hcrt expression. We found that miR-137, miR-637, and miR-654-5p target the human HCRT gene. miR-137 is evolutionarily conserved and also targets mouse Hcrt as does miR-665. Inhibition of miR-137 specifically in Hcrt neurons resulted in Hcrt upregulation, longer episodes of wakefulness, and significantly longer wake bouts in the first 4 h of the active phase. IL-13 stimulation upregulated endogenous miR-137, while Hcrt mRNA decreased both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, knockdown of miR-137 in zebrafish substantially increased wakefulness. Finally, we show that in humans, the MIR137 locus is genetically associated with sleep duration. In conclusion, these results show that an evolutionarily conserved miR-137:Hcrt interaction is involved in sleep–wake regulation.
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7
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Magwai T, Shangase KB, Oginga FO, Chiliza B, Mpofana T, Xulu KR. DNA Methylation and Schizophrenia: Current Literature and Future Perspective. Cells 2021; 10:2890. [PMID: 34831111 PMCID: PMC8616184 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by dissociation of thoughts, idea, identity, and emotions. It has no central pathophysiological mechanism and precise diagnostic markers. Despite its high heritability, there are also environmental factors implicated in the development of schizophrenia. Epigenetic factors are thought to mediate the effects of environmental factors in the development of the disorder. Epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation are a risk factor for schizophrenia. Targeted gene approach studies attempted to find candidate gene methylation, but the results are contradictory. Genome-wide methylation studies are insufficient in literature and the available data do not cover different populations like the African populations. The current genome-wide studies have limitations related to the sample and methods used. Studies are required to control for these limitations. Integration of DNA methylation, gene expression, and their effects are important in the understanding of the development of schizophrenia and search for biomarkers. There are currently no precise and functional biomarkers for the disorder. Several epigenetic markers have been reported to be common in functional and peripheral tissue. This makes the peripheral tissue epigenetic changes a surrogate of functional tissue, suggesting common epigenetic alteration can be used as biomarkers of schizophrenia in peripheral tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thabo Magwai
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
- National Health Laboratory Service, Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4085, South Africa
| | - Khanyiso Bright Shangase
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
| | - Fredrick Otieno Oginga
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
| | - Bonginkosi Chiliza
- Department of Psychiatry, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa;
| | - Thabisile Mpofana
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
| | - Khethelo Richman Xulu
- Department of Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa; (K.B.S.); (F.O.O.); (T.M.)
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8
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Yao Y, Guo W, Zhang S, Yu H, Yan H, Zhang H, Sanders AR, Yue W, Duan J. Cell type-specific and cross-population polygenic risk score analyses of MIR137 gene pathway in schizophrenia. iScience 2021; 24:102785. [PMID: 34308291 PMCID: PMC8283158 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell type-specific pathway-based polygenic risk scores (PRSs) may better inform disease biology and improve the precision of PRS-based clinical prediction. For microRNA-137 (MIR137), a leading neuropsychiatric risk gene and a post-transcriptional master regulator, we conducted a cell type-specific gene set PRS analysis in both European and Han Chinese schizophrenia (SZ) samples. We found that the PRS of neuronal MIR137-target genes better explains SZ risk than PRS derived from MIR137-target genes in iPSC or from the reported gene sets showing MIR137-altered expression. Compared with the PRS derived from the whole genome or the target genes of TCF4, the PRS of neuronal MIR137-target genes explained a disproportionally larger (relative to SNP number) SZ risk in the European sample, but with a more modest advantage in the Han Chinese sample. Our study demonstrated a cell type-specific polygenic contribution of MIR137-target genes to SZ risk, highlighting the value of cell type-specific pathway-based PRS analysis for uncovering disease-relevant biological features. PRS of neural MIR137 target genes better explains schizophrenia (SZ) risk variance SZ risk and SNP heritability explained by MIR137 target genes is cell type-specific MIR137 target genes explain a disproportionally larger SZ risk than genomic control PRS of MIR137 target genes better explains SZ risk in Europeans than in Han Chinese
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Yao
- Department of Computational Biology, Life Science Institutes and School of Life Science and Human Phenomics Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Siwei Zhang
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
| | - Hao Yu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), Beijing 100191, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China.,Department of Psychiatry, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, China.,Shandong Key Laboratory of Behavioral Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, China
| | - Hao Yan
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), Beijing 100191, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hanwen Zhang
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
| | - Alan R Sanders
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Weihua Yue
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), Beijing 100191, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing 100191, China.,PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jubao Duan
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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9
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Richetto J, Meyer U. Epigenetic Modifications in Schizophrenia and Related Disorders: Molecular Scars of Environmental Exposures and Source of Phenotypic Variability. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:215-226. [PMID: 32381277 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications are increasingly recognized to play a role in the etiology and pathophysiology of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders with developmental origins. Here, we summarize clinical and preclinical findings of epigenetic alterations in schizophrenia and relevant disease models and discuss their putative origin. Recent findings suggest that certain schizophrenia risk loci can influence stochastic variation in gene expression through epigenetic processes, highlighting the intricate interaction between genetic and epigenetic control of neurodevelopmental trajectories. In addition, a substantial portion of epigenetic alterations in schizophrenia and related disorders may be acquired through environmental factors and may be manifested as molecular "scars." Some of these scars can influence brain functions throughout the entire lifespan and may even be transmitted across generations via epigenetic germline inheritance. Epigenetic modifications, whether caused by genetic or environmental factors, are plausible molecular sources of phenotypic heterogeneity and offer a target for therapeutic interventions. The further elucidation of epigenetic modifications thus may increase our knowledge regarding schizophrenia's heterogeneous etiology and pathophysiology and, in the long term, may advance personalized treatments through the use of biomarker-guided epigenetic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Richetto
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, and Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, and Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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10
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Alonso-Gonzalez A, Calaza M, Amigo J, González-Peñas J, Martínez-Regueiro R, Fernández-Prieto M, Parellada M, Arango C, Rodriguez-Fontenla C, Carracedo A. Exploring the biological role of postzygotic and germinal de novo mutations in ASD. Sci Rep 2021; 11:319. [PMID: 33431980 PMCID: PMC7801448 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79412-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
De novo mutations (DNMs), including germinal and postzygotic mutations (PZMs), are a strong source of causality for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, the biological processes involved behind them remain unexplored. Our aim was to detect DNMs (germinal and PZMs) in a Spanish ASD cohort (360 trios) and to explore their role across different biological hierarchies (gene, biological pathway, cell and brain areas) using bioinformatic approaches. For the majority of the analysis, a combined ASD cohort (N = 2171 trios) was created using previously published data by the Autism Sequencing Consortium (ASC). New plausible candidate genes for ASD such as FMR1 and NFIA were found. In addition, genes harboring PZMs were significantly enriched for miR-137 targets in comparison with germinal DNMs that were enriched in GO terms related to synaptic transmission. The expression pattern of genes with PZMs was restricted to early mid-fetal cortex. In contrast, the analysis of genes with germinal DNMs revealed a spatio-temporal window from early to mid-fetal development stages, with expression in the amygdala, cerebellum, cortex and striatum. These results provide evidence of the pathogenic role of PZMs and suggest the existence of distinct mechanisms between PZMs and germinal DNMs that are influencing ASD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Alonso-Gonzalez
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (FIDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Av Barcelona 31, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - M Calaza
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (FIDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Av Barcelona 31, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - J Amigo
- Fundación Pública Galega de Medicina Xenómica (FPGMX), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - J González-Peñas
- Centro De Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - R Martínez-Regueiro
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (FIDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Av Barcelona 31, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - M Fernández-Prieto
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (FIDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Av Barcelona 31, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - M Parellada
- Centro De Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - C Arango
- Centro De Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Rodriguez-Fontenla
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Av Barcelona 31, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - A Carracedo
- Grupo de Medicina Xenómica, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (FIDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Genomics and Bioinformatics Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Av Barcelona 31, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Fundación Pública Galega de Medicina Xenómica (FPGMX), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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11
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Combined cellomics and proteomics analysis reveals shared neuronal morphology and molecular pathway phenotypes for multiple schizophrenia risk genes. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:784-799. [PMID: 31142819 PMCID: PMC7910218 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0436-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
An enigma in studies of neuropsychiatric disorders is how to translate polygenic risk into disease biology. For schizophrenia, where > 145 significant GWAS loci have been identified and only a few genes directly implicated, addressing this issue is a particular challenge. We used a combined cellomics and proteomics approach to show that polygenic risk can be disentangled by searching for shared neuronal morphology and cellular pathway phenotypes of candidate schizophrenia risk genes. We first performed an automated high-content cellular screen to characterize neuronal morphology phenotypes of 41 candidate schizophrenia risk genes. The transcription factors Tcf4 and Tbr1 and the RNA topoisomerase Top3b shared a neuronal phenotype marked by an early and progressive reduction in synapse numbers upon knockdown in mouse primary neuronal cultures. Proteomics analysis subsequently showed that these three genes converge onto the syntaxin-mediated neurotransmitter release pathway, which was previously implicated in schizophrenia, but for which genetic evidence was weak. We show that dysregulation of multiple proteins in this pathway may be due to the combined effects of schizophrenia risk genes Tcf4, Tbr1, and Top3b. Together, our data provide new biological functions for schizophrenia risk genes and support the idea that polygenic risk is the result of multiple small impacts on common neuronal signaling pathways.
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12
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Mahmoudi E, Atkins JR, Quidé Y, Reay WR, Cairns HM, Fitzsimmons C, Carr VJ, Green MJ, Cairns MJ. The MIR137 VNTR rs58335419 Is Associated With Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia and Altered Cortical Morphology. Schizophr Bull 2020; 47:495-504. [PMID: 32910167 PMCID: PMC8370045 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbaa123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of schizophrenia have strongly implicated a risk locus in close proximity to the gene for miR-137. While there are candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with functional implications for the microRNA's expression encompassed by the common haplotype tagged by rs1625579, there are likely to be others, such as the variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) variant rs58335419, that have no proxy on the SNP genotyping platforms used in GWAS to date. Using whole-genome sequencing data from schizophrenia patients (n = 299) and healthy controls (n = 131), we observed that the MIR137 4-repeats VNTR (VNTR4) variant was enriched in a cognitive deficit subtype of schizophrenia and associated with altered brain morphology, including thicker left inferior temporal gyrus and deeper right postcentral sulcus. These findings suggest that the MIR137 VNTR4 may impact neuroanatomical development that may, in turn, influence the expression of more severe cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebrahim Mahmoudi
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Hunter Medical Research Institute, New South Wales, New Lambton,
Australia
| | - Joshua R Atkins
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Hunter Medical Research Institute, New South Wales, New Lambton,
Australia
| | - Yann Quidé
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New
South Wales, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales,
Australia
| | - William R Reay
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Hunter Medical Research Institute, New South Wales, New Lambton,
Australia
| | - Heath M Cairns
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Hunter Medical Research Institute, New South Wales, New Lambton,
Australia
| | - Chantel Fitzsimmons
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Hunter Medical Research Institute, New South Wales, New Lambton,
Australia
| | - Vaughan J Carr
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New
South Wales, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales,
Australia,Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash
University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Melissa J Green
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New
South Wales, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales,
Australia
| | - Murray J Cairns
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of
Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia,Hunter Medical Research Institute, New South Wales, New Lambton,
Australia,To whom correspondence should be addressed; tel: +61 (02) 4921 8670, fax:
+61 (02) 4921 7903, e-mail:
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13
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Howell KR, Law AJ. Neurodevelopmental concepts of schizophrenia in the genome-wide association era: AKT/mTOR signaling as a pathological mediator of genetic and environmental programming during development. Schizophr Res 2020; 217:95-104. [PMID: 31522868 PMCID: PMC7065975 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.08.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Normative brain development is contingent on the complex interplay between genes and environment. Schizophrenia (SCZ) is considered a highly polygenic, neurodevelopmental disorder associated with impaired neural circuit development, neurocognitive function and variations in neurotransmitter signaling systems, including dopamine. Significant evidence, accumulated over the last 30 years indicates a role for the in utero environment in SCZ pathophysiology. Emerging data suggests that changes in placental programming and function may mediate the link between genetic risk, early life complications (ELC) and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, with risk highlighted in key developmental drivers that converge on AKT/mTOR signaling. In this article we overview select risk genes identified through recent genome-wide association studies of SCZ including AKT3, miR-137, DRD2, and AKT1 itself. We propose that through convergence on AKT/mTOR signaling, these genes are critical factors directing both placentation and neurodevelopment, influencing risk for SCZ through dysregulation of placental function, metabolism and early brain development. We discuss association of risk genes in the context of their known roles in neurodevelopment, placental expression and their possible mechanistic links to SCZ in the broad context of the 'developmental origins of adult disease' construct. Understanding how common genetic variation impacts early fetal programming may advance our knowledge of disease etiology and identify early critical developmental windows for prevention and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amanda J. Law
- Corresponding Author: Amanda J. Law, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine and Cell and Developmental Biology, Nancy L. Gary Endowed Chair in Children’s Mental Disorders Research, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, , Phone: 303-724-4418, Fax: 303-724-4425, 12700 E. 19th Ave., MS 8619, Aurora, CO 80045
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14
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Rammos A, Gonzalez LAN, Weinberger DR, Mitchell KJ, Nicodemus KK. The role of polygenic risk score gene-set analysis in the context of the omnigenic model of schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1562-1569. [PMID: 31078131 PMCID: PMC6785707 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0410-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
A recent development in the genetic architecture of schizophrenia suggested that an omnigenic model may underlie the risk for this disorder. The aim of our study was to use polygenic profile scoring to quantitatively assess whether a number of experimentally derived sets would contribute to the disorder above and beyond the omnigenic effect. Using the PGC2 secondary analysis schizophrenia case-control cohort (N = 29,125 cases and 34,836 controls), a robust polygenic signal was observed from gene sets based on TCF4, FMR1, upregulation from MIR137 and downregulation from CHD8. Additional analyses revealed a constant floor effect in the amount of variance explained, consistent with the omnigenic model. Thus, we report that putative core gene sets showed a significant effect above and beyond the floor effect that might be linked with the underlying omnigenic background. In addition, we demonstrate a method to quantify the contribution of specific gene sets within the omnigenic context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Rammos
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lara A Neira Gonzalez
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kevin J Mitchell
- Smurfit Institute of Genetics and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Kristin K Nicodemus
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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15
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Abstract
Understanding the complexity and regular function of the human brain is an unresolved challenge that hampers the identification of disease-contributing components and mechanisms of psychiatric disorders. It is accepted that the majority of psychiatric disorders result from a complex interaction of environmental and heritable factors, and efforts to determine, for example, genetic variants contributing to the pathophysiology of these diseases are becoming increasingly successful. We also continue to discover new molecules with unknown functions that might play a role in brain physiology. One such class of polymeric molecules is noncoding RNAs; though discovered years ago, they have only recently started to receive careful attention. Furthermore, recent technological advances in the field of molecular genetics and high-throughput sequencing have facilitated the discovery of a broad spectrum of RNAs that show no obvious coding potential but may provide additional layers of complexity and regulation to the molecular mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders. Their exquisite enrichment and expression profiles in the brain may point to important functions of these RNAs in health and disease. This review will therefore aim to provide insight into the expression of noncoding RNAs in the brain, their function, and potential role in psychiatric disorders.
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16
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Dezhina Z, Ranlund S, Kyriakopoulos M, Williams SCR, Dima D. A systematic review of associations between functional MRI activity and polygenic risk for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Brain Imaging Behav 2019; 13:862-877. [PMID: 29748770 PMCID: PMC6538577 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-018-9879-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Genetic factors account for up to 80% of the liability for schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). Genome-wide association studies have successfully identified several genes associated with increased risk for both disorders. This has allowed researchers to model the aggregate effect of genes associated with disease status and create a polygenic risk score (PGRS) for each individual. The interest in imaging genetics using PGRS has grown in recent years, with several studies now published. We have conducted a systematic review to examine the effects of PGRS of SCZ, BD and cross psychiatric disorders on brain function and connectivity using fMRI data. Results indicate that the effect of genetic load for SCZ and BD on brain function affects task-related recruitment, with frontal areas having a more prominent role, independent of task. Additionally, the results suggest that the polygenic architecture of psychotic disorders is not regionally confined but impacts on the task-dependent recruitment of multiple brain regions. Future imaging genetics studies with large samples, especially population studies, would be uniquely informative in mapping the spatial distribution of the genetic risk to psychiatric disorders on brain processes during various cognitive tasks and may lead to the discovery of biological pathways that could be crucial in mediating the link between genetic factors and alterations in brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zalina Dezhina
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Siri Ranlund
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Marinos Kyriakopoulos
- National and Specialist Acorn Lodge Inpatient Children Unit, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Steve C R Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Danai Dima
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Social Sciences, City, University of London, 10 Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK.
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17
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Billingsley KJ, Manca M, Gianfrancesco O, Collier DA, Sharp H, Bubb VJ, Quinn JP. Regulatory characterisation of the schizophrenia-associated CACNA1C proximal promoter and the potential role for the transcription factor EZH2 in schizophrenia aetiology. Schizophr Res 2018; 199:168-175. [PMID: 29501388 PMCID: PMC6179964 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.02.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Genomic wide association studies identified the CACNA1C locus as genetically associated with both schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder. CACNA1C encodes Cav1.2, one of four subunits of L-type voltage gated calcium channels. Variation resides in non-coding regions of CACNA1C which interact with the promoter and are validated expression quantitative trait loci. Using reporter gene constructs we demonstrate the CACNA1C promoter is a major mediator of inducible regulation of CACNA1C activity in the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line. Exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to lithium and cocaine modulated both the endogenous CACNA1C gene and the promoter in reporter gene constructs. Deletion analysis of the promoter demonstrated the actions of both lithium and cocaine were mediated by the proximal promoter. Initial interrogation of ENCODE ChIP-seq data over the CACNA1C promoter indicated binding of the transcription factor 'Enhancer of zeste homolog 2' (EZH2), which was consistent with our data that overexpression of EZH2 repressed CACNA1C promoter reporter gene expression. Array data from the Human Brain Transcriptome demonstrated that EZH2 was highly expressed across the developing brain, but subsequently maintained at low levels after birth and adulthood. RNA-seq data obtained from PD_NGSAtlas, a reference database for epigenomic and transcriptomic data for psychiatric disorders, demonstrated a 3-fold increase in EZH2 expression in the anterior cingulate cortex of individuals with schizophrenia compared to controls. We propose that EZH2 may contribute to schizophrenia risk at two distinct time points either through disruption in development leading to neurodevelopmental changes, or through anomalous reactivation of expression in the adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley J Billingsley
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Maurizio Manca
- Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Olympia Gianfrancesco
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | | | - Helen Sharp
- Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Vivien J Bubb
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - John P Quinn
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK.
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18
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He E, Lozano MAG, Stringer S, Watanabe K, Sakamoto K, den Oudsten F, Koopmans F, Giamberardino SN, Hammerschlag A, Cornelisse LN, Li KW, van Weering J, Posthuma D, Smit AB, Sullivan PF, Verhage M. MIR137 schizophrenia-associated locus controls synaptic function by regulating synaptogenesis, synapse maturation and synaptic transmission. Hum Mol Genet 2018; 27:1879-1891. [PMID: 29635364 PMCID: PMC5961183 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The MIR137 locus is a replicated genetic risk factor for schizophrenia. The risk-associated allele is reported to increase miR-137 expression and miR-137 overexpression alters synaptic transmission in mouse hippocampus. We investigated the cellular mechanisms underlying these observed effects in mouse hippocampal neurons in culture. First, we correlated the risk allele to expression of the genes in the MIR137 locus in human postmortem brain. Some evidence for increased MIR137HG expression was observed, especially in hippocampus of the disease-associated genotype. Second, in mouse hippocampal neurons, we confirmed previously observed changes in synaptic transmission upon miR-137 overexpression. Evoked synaptic transmission and spontaneous release were 50% reduced. We identified defects in release probability as the underlying cause. In contrast to previous observations, no evidence was obtained for selective synaptic vesicle docking defects. Instead, ultrastructural morphometry revealed multiple effects of miR-137 overexpression on docking, active zone length and total vesicle number. Moreover, proteomic analyses of neuronal protein showed that expression of Syt1 and Cplx1, previously reported as downregulated upon miR-137 overexpression, was unaltered. Immunocytochemistry of synapses overexpressing miR-137 showed normal Synaptotagmin1 and Complexin1 protein levels. Instead, our proteomic analyses revealed altered expression of genes involved in synaptogenesis. Concomitantly, synaptogenesis assays revealed 31% reduction in synapse formation. Taken together, these data show that miR-137 regulates synaptic function by regulating synaptogenesis, synaptic ultrastructure and synapse function. These effects are plausible contributors to the increased schizophrenia risk associated with miR-137 overexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enqi He
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Miguel A Gonzalez Lozano
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sven Stringer
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kyoko Watanabe
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kensuke Sakamoto
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 12A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Genetics, Center for Psychiatric Genomics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Frank den Oudsten
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Koopmans
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stephanie N Giamberardino
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 12A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Genetics, Center for Psychiatric Genomics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Anke Hammerschlag
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L Niels Cornelisse
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ka Wan Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan van Weering
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Danielle Posthuma
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick F Sullivan
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 12A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Genetics, Center for Psychiatric Genomics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthijs Verhage
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Amsterdam and VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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19
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Vogel BO, Lett TA, Erk S, Mohnke S, Wackerhagen C, Brandl EJ, Romanczuk-Seiferth N, Otto K, Schweiger JI, Tost H, Nöthen MM, Rietschel M, Degenhardt F, Witt SH, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Heinz A, Walter H. The influence of MIR137 on white matter fractional anisotropy and cortical surface area in individuals with familial risk for psychosis. Schizophr Res 2018; 195:190-196. [PMID: 28958479 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The rs1625579 variant near the microRNA-137 (MIR137) gene is one of the best-supported schizophrenia variants in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and microRNA-137 functionally regulates other GWAS identified schizophrenia risk variants. Schizophrenia patients with the MIR137 rs1625579 risk genotype (homozygous for the schizophrenia risk variant) also have aberrant brain structure. It is unclear if the effect of MIR137 among schizophrenia patients is due to potential epistasis with genetic risk for schizophrenia or other factors of the disorder. Here, we investigated the effect of MIR137 genotype on white matter fractional anisotropy (FA), cortical thickness (CT), and surface area (SA) in a sample comprising healthy control subjects, and individuals with familial risk for psychosis (first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder; N=426). In voxel-wise analyses of FA, we observed a significant genotype-by-group interaction (PFWE<0.05). The familial risk group with risk genotype had lower FA (PFWE<0.05), but there was no genetic association in controls. In vertex-wise analyses of SA, we also observed a significant genotype-by-group interaction (PFWE<0.05). Relatives with MIR137 risk genotype had lower SA, however the risk genotype was associated with higher SA in the controls (all PFWE<0.05). These results show that MIR137 risk genotype is associated with lower FA in psychosis relatives that is similar to previous imaging-genetics findings in patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, MIR137 genotype may also be a risk factor in a subclinical population with wide reductions in white matter FA and cortical SA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bob O Vogel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Tristram A Lett
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Susanne Erk
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Mohnke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Carolin Wackerhagen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Eva J Brandl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health, Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Straße 2, 10178 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Nina Romanczuk-Seiferth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Kristina Otto
- Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, J 5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Janina I Schweiger
- Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, J 5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Heike Tost
- Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, J 5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Markus M Nöthen
- Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, J 5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Franziska Degenhardt
- Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Stephanie H Witt
- Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, J 5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
| | | | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
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20
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Cosgrove D, Mothersill DO, Whitton L, Harold D, Kelly S, Holleran L, Holland J, Anney R, Richards A, Mantripragada K, Owen M, O'Donovan MC, Gill M, Corvin A, Morris DW, Donohoe G. Effects of MiR-137 genetic risk score on brain volume and cortical measures in patients with schizophrenia and controls. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2018; 177:369-376. [PMID: 29418072 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Multiple genome-wide association studies of schizophrenia have implicated genetic variants within the gene encoding microRNA-137. As risk variants within or regulated by MIR137 have been implicated in memory performance, we investigated the additive effects of schizophrenia-associated risk variants in genes empirically regulated by MIR137 on brain regions associated with memory function. A polygenic risk score (PRS) was calculated (at a p = 0.05 threshold), using this empirically regulated MIR137 gene set, to investigate associations between this PRS and structural brain measures. These measures included total brain volume, cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and hippocampal volume, in a sample of 216 individuals consisting of healthy participants (n = 171) and patients with psychosis (n = 45). We did not observe a significant association between MIR137 PRS and these cortical thickness, surface area or hippocampal volume measures linked to memory function; a significant association between increasing PRS and decreasing total brain volume, independent of diagnosis status (R2 = 0.008, Beta = -0.09, p = 0.029), was observed. This did not survive correction for multiple testing. In conclusion, our study yielded only suggestive evidence that risk variants interacting with MIR137 impacts on cortical structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna Cosgrove
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - David O Mothersill
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Laura Whitton
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Denise Harold
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sinead Kelly
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Laurena Holleran
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Jessica Holland
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Richard Anney
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | - Alex Richards
- MRC Center for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Kiran Mantripragada
- MRC Center for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Michael Owen
- MRC Center for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Michael C O'Donovan
- MRC Center for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Michael Gill
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aiden Corvin
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Derek W Morris
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Gary Donohoe
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
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21
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Sakamoto K, Crowley JJ. A comprehensive review of the genetic and biological evidence supports a role for MicroRNA-137 in the etiology of schizophrenia. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2018; 177:242-256. [PMID: 29442441 PMCID: PMC5815396 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Since it was first associated with schizophrenia (SCZ) in a 2011 genome-wide association study (GWAS), there have been over 100 publications focused on MIR137, the gene encoding microRNA-137. These studies have examined everything from its fundamental role in the development of mice, flies, and fish to the intriguing enrichment of its target gene network in SCZ. Indeed, much of the excitement surrounding MIR137 is due to the distinct possibility that it could regulate a gene network involved in SCZ etiology, a disease which we now recognize is highly polygenic. Here we comprehensively review, to the best of our ability, all published genetic and biological evidence that could support or refute a role for MIR137 in the etiology of SCZ. Through a careful consideration of the literature, we conclude that the data gathered to date continues to strongly support the involvement of MIR137 and its target gene network in neuropsychiatric traits, including SCZ risk. There remain, however, more unanswered than answered questions regarding the mechanisms linking MIR137 genetic variation with behavior. These questions need answers before we can determine whether there are opportunities for diagnostic or therapeutic interventions based on MIR137. We conclude with a number of suggestions for future research on MIR137 that could help to provide answers and hope for a greater understanding of this devastating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensuke Sakamoto
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - James J. Crowley
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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22
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Olde Loohuis NFM, Nadif Kasri N, Glennon JC, van Bokhoven H, Hébert SS, Kaplan BB, Martens GJM, Aschrafi A. The schizophrenia risk gene MIR137 acts as a hippocampal gene network node orchestrating the expression of genes relevant to nervous system development and function. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 73:109-118. [PMID: 26925706 PMCID: PMC5002268 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2016.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRs) are small regulatory molecules, which orchestrate neuronal development and plasticity through modulation of complex gene networks. MicroRNA-137 (miR-137) is a brain-enriched RNA with a critical role in regulating brain development and in mediating synaptic plasticity. Importantly, mutations in this miR are associated with the pathoetiology of schizophrenia (SZ), and there is a widespread assumption that disruptions in miR-137 expression lead to aberrant expression of gene regulatory networks associated with SZ. To systematically identify the mRNA targets for this miR, we performed miR-137 gain- and loss-of-function experiments in primary rat hippocampal neurons and profiled differentially expressed mRNAs through next-generation sequencing. We identified 500 genes that were bidirectionally activated or repressed in their expression by the modulation of miR-137 levels. Gene ontology analysis using two independent software resources suggested functions for these miR-137-regulated genes in neurodevelopmental processes, neuronal maturation processes and cell maintenance, all of which known to be critical for proper brain circuitry formation. Since many of the putative miR-137 targets identified here also have been previously shown to be associated with SZ, we propose that this miR acts as a critical gene network hub contributing to the pathophysiology of this neurodevelopmental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikkie F M Olde Loohuis
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nael Nadif Kasri
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey C Glennon
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans van Bokhoven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sébastien S Hébert
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, CHUL, Québec, QC G1V4G2, Canada; Département de psychiatrie et neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Barry B Kaplan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gerard J M Martens
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 HP Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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23
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Cosgrove D, Harold D, Mothersill O, Anney R, Hill MJ, Bray NJ, Blokland G, Petryshen T, Richards A, Mantripragada K, Owen M, O'Donovan MC, Gill M, Corvin A, Morris DW, Donohoe G. MiR-137-derived polygenic risk: effects on cognitive performance in patients with schizophrenia and controls. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1012. [PMID: 28117840 PMCID: PMC5545742 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Variants at microRNA-137 (MIR137), one of the most strongly associated schizophrenia risk loci identified to date, have been associated with poorer cognitive performance. As microRNA-137 is known to regulate the expression of ~1900 other genes, including several that are independently associated with schizophrenia, we tested whether this gene set was also associated with variation in cognitive performance. Our analysis was based on an empirically derived list of genes whose expression was altered by manipulation of MIR137 expression. This list was cross-referenced with genome-wide schizophrenia association data to construct individual polygenic scores. We then tested, in a sample of 808 patients and 192 controls, whether these risk scores were associated with altered performance on cognitive functions known to be affected in schizophrenia. A subgroup of healthy participants also underwent functional imaging during memory (n=108) and face processing tasks (n=83). Increased polygenic risk within the empirically derived miR-137 regulated gene score was associated with significantly lower performance on intelligence quotient, working memory and episodic memory. These effects were observed most clearly at a polygenic threshold of P=0.05, although significant results were observed at all three thresholds analyzed. This association was found independently for the gene set as a whole, excluding the schizophrenia-associated MIR137 SNP itself. Analysis of the spatial working memory fMRI task further suggested that increased risk score (thresholded at P=10-5) was significantly associated with increased activation of the right inferior occipital gyrus. In conclusion, these data are consistent with emerging evidence that MIR137 associated risk for schizophrenia may relate to its broader downstream genetic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Cosgrove
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - D Harold
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - O Mothersill
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - R Anney
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - M J Hill
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - N J Bray
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - G Blokland
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - T Petryshen
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - A Richards
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - K Mantripragada
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - M Owen
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - M C O'Donovan
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - M Gill
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - A Corvin
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - D W Morris
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - G Donohoe
- The Cognitive Genetics & Cognitive Therapy Group, The School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, The Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
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24
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Mahmoudi E, Cairns MJ. MiR-137: an important player in neural development and neoplastic transformation. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:44-55. [PMID: 27620842 PMCID: PMC5414082 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent an important class of small regulatory RNAs that control gene expression posttranscriptionally by targeting mRNAs for degradation or translation inhibition. Early studies have revealed a complex role for miRNAs in major biological processes such as development, differentiation, growth and metabolism. MiR-137 in particular, has been of great interest due to its critical role in brain function and putative involvement in the etiology of both neuropsychiatric disorders and cancer. Several lines of evidence suggest that development, differentiation and maturation of the nervous system is strongly linked to the expression of miR-137 and its regulation of a large number of downstream target genes in various pathways. Dysregulation of this molecule has also been implicated in major mental illnesses through its position in a variant allele highly associated with schizophrenia in the largest mega genome-wide association studies. Interestingly, miR-137 has also been shown to act as a tumor suppressor, with numerous studies finding reduced expression in neoplasia including brain tumor. Restoration of miR-137 expression has also been shown to inhibit cell proliferation, migration and metastasis, and induce cell cycle arrest, differentiation and apoptosis. These properties of miR-137 propose its potential for prognosis, diagnosis and as a therapeutic target for treatment of several human neurological and neoplastic disorders. In this review, we provide details on the discovery, targets, function, regulation and disease involvement of miR-137 with a broad look at recent discovery in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Mahmoudi
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia,Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - M J Cairns
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia,Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia,Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia,School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. E-mail:
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25
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Tucci A, Ciaccio C, Scuvera G, Esposito S, Milani D. MIR137 is the key gene mediator of the syndromic obesity phenotype of patients with 1p21.3 microdeletions. Mol Cytogenet 2016; 9:80. [PMID: 27822311 PMCID: PMC5093957 DOI: 10.1186/s13039-016-0289-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Deletions in the long arm of chromosome 1 have been described in patients with a phenotype consisting primarily of obesity, intellectual disability and autism-spectrum disorder. The minimal region of overlap comprises two genes: DPYD and MIR137. Case presentation We describe a 10-year-old boy with syndromic obesity who carries a novel 1p21.3 deletion overlapping the critical region with the MIR137 gene only. Conclusions This study suggests that MIR137 is the mediator of the obesity phenotype of patients carrying 1p21.3 microdeletions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Tucci
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Claudia Ciaccio
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Giulietta Scuvera
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Susanna Esposito
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - Donatella Milani
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Commenda 9, 20122 Milano, Italy
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26
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Guebel DV, Torres NV. Sexual Dimorphism and Aging in the Human Hyppocampus: Identification, Validation, and Impact of Differentially Expressed Genes by Factorial Microarray and Network Analysis. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:229. [PMID: 27761111 PMCID: PMC5050216 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Motivation: In the brain of elderly-healthy individuals, the effects of sexual dimorphism and those due to normal aging appear overlapped. Discrimination of these two dimensions would powerfully contribute to a better understanding of the etiology of some neurodegenerative diseases, such as “sporadic” Alzheimer. Methods: Following a system biology approach, top-down and bottom-up strategies were combined. First, public transcriptome data corresponding to the transition from adulthood to the aging stage in normal, human hippocampus were analyzed through an optimized microarray post-processing (Q-GDEMAR method) together with a proper experimental design (full factorial analysis). Second, the identified genes were placed in context by building compatible networks. The subsequent ontology analyses carried out on these networks clarify the main functionalities involved. Results: Noticeably we could identify large sets of genes according to three groups: those that exclusively depend on the sex, those that exclusively depend on the age, and those that depend on the particular combinations of sex and age (interaction). The genes identified were validated against three independent sources (a proteomic study of aging, a senescence database, and a mitochondrial genetic database). We arrived to several new inferences about the biological functions compromised during aging in two ways: by taking into account the sex-independent effects of aging, and considering the interaction between age and sex where pertinent. In particular, we discuss the impact of our findings on the functions of mitochondria, autophagy, mitophagia, and microRNAs. Conclusions: The evidence obtained herein supports the occurrence of significant neurobiological differences in the hippocampus, not only between adult and elderly individuals, but between old-healthy women and old-healthy men. Hence, to obtain realistic results in further analysis of the transition from the normal aging to incipient Alzheimer, the features derived from the sexual dimorphism in hippocampus should be explicitly considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel V Guebel
- Biotechnology Counselling ServicesBuenos Aires, Argentina; Systems Biology and Mathematical Modelling Group, Departamento de Bioquímica, Microbiología, Biología Celular y Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La LagunaSan Cristóbal de La Laguna, España
| | - Néstor V Torres
- Systems Biology and Mathematical Modelling Group, Departamento de Bioquímica, Microbiología, Biología Celular y Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Laguna San Cristóbal de La Laguna, España
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27
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van de Leemput J, Hess JL, Glatt SJ, Tsuang MT. Genetics of Schizophrenia: Historical Insights and Prevailing Evidence. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2016; 96:99-141. [PMID: 27968732 DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2016.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia's (SZ's) heritability and familial transmission have been known for several decades; however, despite the clear evidence for a genetic component, it has been very difficult to pinpoint specific causative genes. Even so genetic studies have taught us a lot, even in the pregenomic era, about the molecular underpinnings and disease-relevant pathways. Recurring themes emerged revealing the involvement of neurodevelopmental processes, glutamate regulation, and immune system differential activation in SZ etiology. The recent emergence of epigenetic studies aimed at shedding light on the biological mechanisms underlying SZ has provided another layer of information in the investigation of gene and environment interactions. However, this epigenetic insight also brings forth another layer of complexity to the (epi)genomic landscape such as interactions between genetic variants, epigenetic marks-including cross-talk between DNA methylation and histone modification processes-, gene expression regulation, and environmental influences. In this review, we seek to synthesize perspectives, including limitations and obstacles yet to overcome, from genetic and epigenetic literature on SZ through a qualitative review of risk factors and prevailing hypotheses. Encouraged by the findings of both genetic and epigenetic studies to date, as well as the continued development of new technologies to collect and interpret large-scale studies, we are left with a positive outlook for the future of elucidating the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying SZ and other complex neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- J van de Leemput
- University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - J L Hess
- SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - S J Glatt
- SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - M T Tsuang
- University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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28
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Identification and Potential Regulatory Properties of Evolutionary Conserved Regions (ECRs) at the Schizophrenia-Associated MIR137 Locus. J Mol Neurosci 2016; 60:239-47. [PMID: 27525637 PMCID: PMC5026716 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-016-0812-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a region at chromosome 1p21.3, containing the microRNA MIR137, to be among the most significant associations for schizophrenia. However, the mechanism by which genetic variation at this locus increases risk of schizophrenia is unknown. Identifying key regulatory regions around MIR137 is crucial to understanding the potential role of this gene in the aetiology of psychiatric disorders. Through alignment of vertebrate genomes, we identified seven non-coding regions at the MIR137 locus with conservation comparable to exons (>70 %). Bioinformatic analysis using the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium GWAS dataset for schizophrenia showed five of the ECRs to have genome-wide significant SNPs in or adjacent to their sequence. Analysis of available datasets on chromatin marks and histone modification data showed that three of the ECRs were predicted to be functional in the human brain, and three in development. In vitro analysis of ECR activity using reporter gene assays showed that all seven of the selected ECRs displayed transcriptional regulatory activity in the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line. This data suggests a regulatory role in the developing and adult brain for these highly conserved regions at the MIR137 schizophrenia-associated locus and further that these domains could act individually or synergistically to regulate levels of MIR137 expression.
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29
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Topol A, Zhu S, Hartley BJ, English J, Hauberg ME, Tran N, Rittenhouse CA, Simone A, Ruderfer DM, Johnson J, Readhead B, Hadas Y, Gochman PA, Wang YC, Shah H, Cagney G, Rapoport J, Gage FH, Dudley JT, Sklar P, Mattheisen M, Cotter D, Fang G, Brennand KJ. Dysregulation of miRNA-9 in a Subset of Schizophrenia Patient-Derived Neural Progenitor Cells. Cell Rep 2016; 15:1024-1036. [PMID: 27117414 PMCID: PMC4856588 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.03.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Converging evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) may contribute to disease risk for schizophrenia (SZ). We show that microRNA-9 (miR-9) is abundantly expressed in control neural progenitor cells (NPCs) but also significantly downregulated in a subset of SZ NPCs. We observed a strong correlation between miR-9 expression and miR-9 regulatory activity in NPCs as well as between miR-9 levels/activity, neural migration, and diagnosis. Overexpression of miR-9 was sufficient to ameliorate a previously reported neural migration deficit in SZ NPCs, whereas knockdown partially phenocopied aberrant migration in control NPCs. Unexpectedly, proteomic- and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)-based analysis revealed that these effects were mediated primarily by small changes in expression of indirect miR-9 targets rather than large changes in direct miR-9 targets; these indirect targets are enriched for migration-associated genes. Together, these data indicate that aberrant levels and activity of miR-9 may be one of the many factors that contribute to SZ risk, at least in a subset of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Topol
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Shijia Zhu
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Brigham J Hartley
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jane English
- Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Mads E Hauberg
- Department of Biomedicine and Centre for Integrative Sequencing (iSEQ), Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 4, Aarhus 8000 C, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 4, Aarhus 8000 C, Denmark
| | - Ngoc Tran
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Chelsea Ann Rittenhouse
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Anthony Simone
- Laboratory of Genetics, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Douglas M Ruderfer
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jessica Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ben Readhead
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Yoav Hadas
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Peter A Gochman
- Childhood Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ying-Chih Wang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Hardik Shah
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Gerard Cagney
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Judith Rapoport
- Childhood Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Fred H Gage
- Laboratory of Genetics, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Joel T Dudley
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Pamela Sklar
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Manuel Mattheisen
- Department of Biomedicine and Centre for Integrative Sequencing (iSEQ), Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 4, Aarhus 8000 C, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 4, Aarhus 8000 C, Denmark
| | - David Cotter
- Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Gang Fang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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30
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Giacomotto J, Carroll AP, Rinkwitz S, Mowry B, Cairns MJ, Becker TS. Developmental suppression of schizophrenia-associated miR-137 alters sensorimotor function in zebrafish. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e818. [PMID: 27219344 PMCID: PMC5070046 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurodevelopmentally regulated microRNA miR-137 was strongly implicated as risk locus for schizophrenia in the most recent genome wide association study coordinated by the Psychiatric Genome Consortium (PGC). This molecule is highly conserved in vertebrates enabling the investigation of its function in the developing zebrafish. We utilized this model system to achieve overexpression and suppression of miR-137, both transiently and stably through transgenesis. While miR-137 overexpression was not associated with an observable specific phenotype, downregulation by antisense morpholino and/or transgenic expression of miR-sponge RNA induced significant impairment of both embryonic and larval touch-sensitivity without compromising overall anatomical development. We observed miR-137 expression and activity in sensory neurons including Rohon-Beard neurons and dorsal root ganglia, two neuronal cell types that confer touch-sensitivity in normal zebrafish, suggesting a role of these cell types in the observed phenotype. The lack of obvious anatomical or histological pathology in these cells, however, suggested that subtle axonal network defects or a change in synaptic function and neural connectivity might be responsible for the behavioral phenotype rather than a change in the cellular morphology or neuroanatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Giacomotto
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia,Psychiatric Genomics Group, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, 94 Mallet Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. E-mail: or or
| | - A P Carroll
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - S Rinkwitz
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - B Mowry
- Psychiatric Genomics Group, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - M J Cairns
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia,Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, 94 Mallet Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. E-mail: or or
| | - T S Becker
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia,Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, 94 Mallet Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. E-mail: or or
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31
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Brownstein CA, Kleiman RJ, Engle EC, Towne MC, D'Angelo EJ, Yu TW, Beggs AH, Picker J, Fogler JM, Carroll D, Schmitt RCO, Wolff RR, Shen Y, Lip V, Bilguvar K, Kim A, Tembulkar S, O'Donnell K, Gonzalez-Heydrich J. Overlapping 16p13.11 deletion and gain of copies variations associated with childhood onset psychosis include genes with mechanistic implications for autism associated pathways: Two case reports. Am J Med Genet A 2016; 170A:1165-73. [PMID: 26887912 PMCID: PMC4833544 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Copy number variability at 16p13.11 has been associated with intellectual disability, autism, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Adolescent/adult- onset psychosis has been reported in a subset of these cases. Here, we report on two children with CNVs in 16p13.11 that developed psychosis before the age of 7. The genotype and neuropsychiatric abnormalities of these patients highlight several overlapping genes that have possible mechanistic relevance to pathways previously implicated in Autism Spectrum Disorders, including the mTOR signaling and the ubiquitin-proteasome cascades. A careful screening of the 16p13.11 region is warranted in patients with childhood onset psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Brownstein
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Robin J Kleiman
- Translational Neuroscience Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth C Engle
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
| | - Meghan C Towne
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Eugene J D'Angelo
- Division of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, Developmental Neuropsychiatry Research Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Timothy W Yu
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Alan H Beggs
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jonathan Picker
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jason M Fogler
- Division of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Developmental Medicine Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Devon Carroll
- Department of Psychiatry, Developmental Neuropsychiatry Research Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rachel C O Schmitt
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Robert R Wolff
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yiping Shen
- Claritas Genomics, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Genetics, Yale Center for Genome Analysis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Va Lip
- Claritas Genomics, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Kaya Bilguvar
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - April Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Developmental Neuropsychiatry Research Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sahil Tembulkar
- Department of Psychiatry, Developmental Neuropsychiatry Research Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kyle O'Donnell
- Department of Psychiatry, Developmental Neuropsychiatry Research Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Joseph Gonzalez-Heydrich
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Psychiatry, Developmental Neuropsychiatry Research Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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32
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Wright C, Gupta CN, Chen J, Patel V, Calhoun VD, Ehrlich S, Wang L, Bustillo JR, Perrone-Bizzozero NI, Turner JA. Polymorphisms in MIR137HG and microRNA-137-regulated genes influence gray matter structure in schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e724. [PMID: 26836412 PMCID: PMC4872419 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that microRNA-137 (miR-137) is involved in the genetic basis of schizophrenia. Risk variants within the miR-137 host gene (MIR137HG) influence structural and functional brain-imaging measures, and miR-137 itself is predicted to regulate hundreds of genes. We evaluated the influence of a MIR137HG risk variant (rs1625579) in combination with variants in miR-137-regulated genes TCF4, PTGS2, MAPK1 and MAPK3 on gray matter concentration (GMC). These genes were selected based on our previous work assessing schizophrenia risk within possible miR-137-regulated gene sets using the same cohort of subjects. A genetic risk score (GRS) was determined based on genotypes of these four schizophrenia risk-associated genes in 221 Caucasian subjects (89 schizophrenia patients and 132 controls). The effects of the rs1625579 genotype with the GRS of miR-137-regulated genes in a three-way interaction with diagnosis on GMC patterns were assessed using a multivariate analysis. We found that schizophrenia subjects homozygous for the MIR137HG risk allele show significant decreases in occipital, parietal and temporal lobe GMC with increasing miR-137-regulated GRS, whereas those carrying the protective minor allele show significant increases in GMC with GRS. No correlations of GMC and GRS were found in control subjects. Variants within or upstream of genes regulated by miR-137 in combination with the MIR137HG risk variant may influence GMC in schizophrenia-related regions in patients. Given that the genes evaluated here are involved in protein kinase A signaling, dysregulation of this pathway through alterations in miR-137 biogenesis may underlie the gray matter loss seen in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Wright
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - C N Gupta
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - J Chen
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - V Patel
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - V D Calhoun
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - S Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - L Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Radiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - J R Bustillo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - N I Perrone-Bizzozero
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - J A Turner
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Schork AJ, Wang Y, Thompson WK, Dale AM, Andreassen OA. New statistical approaches exploit the polygenic architecture of schizophrenia--implications for the underlying neurobiology. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2016; 36:89-98. [PMID: 26555806 PMCID: PMC5380793 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex disorder with high heritability. Recent findings from several large genetic studies suggest a large number of risk variants are involved (i.e. schizophrenia is a polygenic disorder) and analytic approaches could be tailored for this scenario. Novel statistical approaches for analyzing GWAS data have recently been developed to be more sensitive to polygenic traits. These approaches have provided intriguing new insights into neurobiological pathways and support for the involvement of regulatory mechanisms, neurotransmission (glutamate, dopamine, GABA), and immune and neurodevelopmental pathways. Integrating the emerging statistical genetics evidence with sound neurobiological experiments will be a crucial, and challenging, next step in deciphering the specific disease mechanisms of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Schork
- Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Center for Human Development, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Cognitive Science, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yunpeng Wang
- Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; NORMENT, KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Neuroscience, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Wesley K Thompson
- Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anders M Dale
- Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Neuroscience, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Radiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- NORMENT, KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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Hecht PM, Ballesteros-Yanez I, Grepo N, Knowles JA, Campbell DB. Noncoding RNA in the transcriptional landscape of human neural progenitor cell differentiation. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:392. [PMID: 26557050 PMCID: PMC4615820 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that noncoding RNAs play key roles in cellular processes, particularly in the brain. The present study used RNA sequencing to identify the transcriptional landscape of two human neural progenitor cell lines, SK-N-SH and ReNcell CX, as they differentiate into human cortical projection neurons. Protein coding genes were found to account for 54.8 and 57.0% of expressed genes, respectively, and alignment of RNA sequencing reads revealed that only 25.5-28.1% mapped to exonic regions of the genome. Differential expression analysis in the two cell lines identified altered gene expression in both protein coding and noncoding RNAs as they undergo neural differentiation with 222 differentially expressed genes observed in SK-N-SH cells and 19 differentially expressed genes in ReNcell CX. Interestingly, genes showing differential expression in SK-N-SH cells are enriched in genes implicated in autism spectrum disorder, but not in gene sets related to cancer or Alzheimer's disease. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to detect modules of co-expressed protein coding and noncoding RNAs in SK-N-SH cells and found four modules to be associated with neural differentiation. These modules contain varying levels of noncoding RNAs ranging from 10.7 to 49.7% with gene ontology suggesting roles in numerous cellular processes important for differentiation. These results indicate that noncoding RNAs are highly expressed in human neural progenitor cells and likely hold key regulatory roles in gene networks underlying neural differentiation and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Hecht
- Keck School of Medicine, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Inmaculada Ballesteros-Yanez
- Department of Inorganic, Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, CRIB, University of Castile-La Mancha Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Nicole Grepo
- Keck School of Medicine, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - James A Knowles
- Keck School of Medicine, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA ; Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Daniel B Campbell
- Keck School of Medicine, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA ; Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Tao B, Xu S, Pan X, Gao Q, Wang W. Personality trait correlates of color preference in schizophrenia. Transl Neurosci 2015; 6:174-178. [PMID: 28123802 PMCID: PMC4936627 DOI: 10.1515/tnsci-2015-0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The goal of the present study was to evaluate the color preferences of patients with schizophrenia and their correlations with personality traits. METHODOLOGY Sixty-three patients with schizophrenia and 59 healthy volunteers were asked to undertake the color preference and the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ) tests. RESULTS The healthy volunteers showed a greater preference for green but a lesser one for brown compared to the patients with schizophrenia. Patients scored higher than the healthy volunteers on the ZKPQ Neuroticism-Anxiety and Activity scales. Moreover, in patients, black preference ranking was associated with the Neuroticism-Anxiety, whereas pink and orange preferences were negatively associated with Activity; white preference correlated negatively with Sociability. CONCLUSIONS Patients with schizophrenia preferred green less but brown more, and displayed their personality correlates of these color preferences. These findings are suggesting that patients with schizophrenia should be encouraged to be more exposed to bright colors such as green and white, and less to dark colors such as black, during therapy and rehabilitation sessions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiping Tao
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry / School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China; The Third People's Hospital of Huzhou, Huzhou, 313000, China
| | - Shaofang Xu
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry / School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xin Pan
- The Third People's Hospital of Huzhou, Huzhou, 313000, China
| | - Qianqian Gao
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry / School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry / School of Public Health, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
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Zeng Y, Huo G, Mo Y, Wang W, Chen H. MIR137 Regulates Starvation-Induced Autophagy by Targeting ATG7. J Mol Neurosci 2015; 56:815-821. [PMID: 25687327 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-015-0514-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a cellular catabolic mechanism in response to stress conditions and has been implicated in the progression and chemoresistance of various cancers. Human microR-137 (MIR137) is involved in neuronal maturation and neurogenesis, while little is known about its role in cancer. In this study, we showed that starvation increased the formation of autophagic marker microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) without significant change of MIR137 level in U87 cells. In addition, overexpression of MIR137 decreased LC3 expression and inhibited the degradation of the autophagy receptor sequestosome 1(SQSTM1/p62), while the MIR137 antagomirs showed the opposite effect on these autophagic markers. Moreover, MIR137 overexpression decreased, while its antagomirs increased the expression of autophagy-related 7(ATG7) mRNA and protein. MIR137-mediated inhibition of autophagy was prevented by ATG7. Finally, MIR137 promoted the sensitivity of U87 cells to adriamycin, an anticancer drug. Taken together, our study demonstrated that MIR137 attenuated starvation-induced autophagy by regulating the expression of ATG7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuecheng Zeng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Gang Huo
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Yongbiao Mo
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wentao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Olde Loohuis NFM, Ba W, Stoerchel PH, Kos A, Jager A, Schratt G, Martens GJM, van Bokhoven H, Nadif Kasri N, Aschrafi A. MicroRNA-137 Controls AMPA-Receptor-Mediated Transmission and mGluR-Dependent LTD. Cell Rep 2015; 11:1876-84. [PMID: 26095359 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2013] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations affecting the levels of microRNA miR-137 are associated with intellectual disability and schizophrenia. However, the pathophysiological role of miR-137 remains poorly understood. Here, we describe a highly conserved miR-137-binding site within the mRNA encoding the GluA1 subunit of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) and confirm that GluA1 is a direct target of miR-137. Postsynaptic downregulation of miR-137 at the CA3-CA1 hippocampal synapse selectively enhances AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission and converts silent synapses to active synapses. Conversely, miR-137 overexpression selectively reduces AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission and silences active synapses. In addition, we find that miR-137 is transiently upregulated in response to metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), but not mGluR1 activation. Consequently, acute interference with miR-137 function impedes mGluR-LTD expression. Our findings suggest that miR-137 is a key factor in the control of synaptic efficacy and mGluR-dependent synaptic plasticity, supporting the notion that glutamatergic dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of miR-137-linked cognitive impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikkie F M Olde Loohuis
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Wei Ba
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Peter H Stoerchel
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Biochemical-Pharmacological Center Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Aron Kos
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Amanda Jager
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Biochemical-Pharmacological Center Marburg, Philipps University Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Gerard J M Martens
- Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 HP Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Hans van Bokhoven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Nael Nadif Kasri
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Armaz Aschrafi
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 HP Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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Kocerha J, Dwivedi Y, Brennand KJ. Noncoding RNAs and neurobehavioral mechanisms in psychiatric disease. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:677-684. [PMID: 25824307 PMCID: PMC4440836 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The human genome project has revolutionized our understanding of the underlying mechanisms in psychiatric disease. It is now abundantly clear that neurobehavioral phenotypes are epigenetically controlled by noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). The microRNA (miRNA) class of ncRNAs are ubiquitously expressed throughout the brain and govern all major neuronal pathways. The attractive therapeutic potential of miRNAs is underscored by their pleiotropic capacities, putatively targeting multiple pathways within a single neuron. Many psychiatric diseases stem from a multifactorial origin, thus conventional drug targeting of single proteins may not prove most effective. In this exciting post-genome sequencing era, many new epigenetic targets are emerging for therapeutic investigation. Here we review the reported roles of miRNAs, as well as other ncRNA classes, in the pathology of psychiatric disorders; there are both common and unique ncRNA mechanisms that influence the various diagnoses. Collectively, these potent epigenetic regulators may clarify the disrupted signaling networks in psychiatric phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannet Kocerha
- Department of Chemistry, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 8064, Statesboro, GA 30460, USA
| | - Yogesh Dwivedi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0017
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Ave, 9-20B New York, NY 10029, USA
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Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that patients with psychiatric disorders have altered microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in the circulation and brain. Furthermore, animal studies have shown that manipulating the levels of particular miRNAs in the brain can alter behaviour. Here, we review recent studies in humans, animal models, cellular systems and bioinformatics that have advanced our understanding of the contribution of brain miRNAs to the regulation of behaviour in the context of psychiatric conditions. These studies highlight the potential of miRNA levels to be used in the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and suggest that brain miRNAs could become novel treatment targets for psychiatric disorders.
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Wright C, Calhoun VD, Ehrlich S, Wang L, Turner JA, Bizzozero NIP. Meta gene set enrichment analyses link miR-137-regulated pathways with schizophrenia risk. Front Genet 2015; 6:147. [PMID: 25941532 PMCID: PMC4403556 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within MIR137, the host gene for miR-137, has been identified repeatedly as a risk factor for schizophrenia. Previous genetic pathway analyses suggest that potential targets of this microRNA (miRNA) are also highly enriched in schizophrenia-relevant biological pathways, including those involved in nervous system development and function. METHODS In this study, we evaluated the schizophrenia risk of miR-137 target genes within these pathways. Gene set enrichment analysis of pathway-specific miR-137 targets was performed using the stage 1 (21,856 subjects) schizophrenia genome wide association study data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and a small independent replication cohort (244 subjects) from the Mind Clinical Imaging Consortium and Northwestern University. RESULTS Gene sets of potential miR-137 targets were enriched with variants associated with schizophrenia risk, including target sets involved in axonal guidance signaling, Ephrin receptor signaling, long-term potentiation, PKA signaling, and Sertoli cell junction signaling. The schizophrenia-risk association of SNPs in PKA signaling targets was replicated in the second independent cohort. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that these biological pathways may be involved in the mechanisms by which this MIR137 variant enhances schizophrenia risk. SNPs in targets and the miRNA host gene may collectively lead to dysregulation of target expression and aberrant functioning of such implicated pathways. Pathway-guided gene set enrichment analyses should be useful in evaluating the impact of other miRNAs and target genes in different diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Wright
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Vince D. Calhoun
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität DresdenDresden, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General HospitalBoston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital/Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Harvard Medical SchoolCharlestown, MA, USA
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicago, IL, USA
- Department of Radiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineChicago, IL, USA
| | - Jessica A. Turner
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nora I. Perrone- Bizzozero
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM, USA
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Williamson VS, Mamdani M, McMichael GO, Kim AH, Lee D, Bacanu S, Vladimirov VI. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) in microRNA genes are enriched for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder association signals. Psychol Med 2015; 45:2557-2569. [PMID: 25817407 PMCID: PMC4845662 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291715000483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) have substantial negative impact on the quality of human life. Both, microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling in SZ and BD postmortem brains [and genome-wide association studies (GWAS)] have implicated miRNAs in disease etiology. Here, we aim to determine whether significant GWAS signals observed in the Psychiatric Genetic Consortium (PGC) are enriched for miRNAs. METHOD A two-stage approach was used to determine whether association signals from PGC affect miRNAs: (i) statistical assessment of enrichment using a Simes test and sum of squares test (SST) and (ii) biological evidence that quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping to known miRNA genes affect their expression in an independent sample of 78 postmortem brains from the Stanley Medical Research Institute. RESULTS A total of 2567 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (R2 > 0.8) were mapped locally, within 1 Mb, to all known miRNAs (miRBase v. 21). We show robust enrichment for SZ- and BD-related SNPs with miRNAs using Simes (SZ: p ≤ 0.0023, BD: p ≤ 0.038), which remained significant after adjusting for background inflation in SZ (empirical p = 0.018) and approached significance in BD (empirical p = 0.07). At a false discovery rate of 10%, we identified a total of 32 eQTLs to influence miRNA expression; 11 of these overlapped with BD. CONCLUSIONS Our approach of integrating PGC findings with eQTL results can be used to generate specific hypotheses regarding the role of miRNAs in SZ and BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. S. Williamson
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
| | - M. Mamdani
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
| | - G. O. McMichael
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
| | - A. H. Kim
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
| | - D. Lee
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
| | - S. Bacanu
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
| | - V. I. Vladimirov
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
- Center for Biomarker Research and Personalized Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Chen J, Cao F, Liu L, Wang L, Chen X. Genetic studies of schizophrenia: an update. Neurosci Bull 2015; 31:87-98. [PMID: 25652814 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-014-1494-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a complex and heterogeneous mental disorder that affects about 1% of global population. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in genetic studies of SCZ. A number of common variants with small effects and rare variants with relatively larger effects have been identified. These variants include risk loci identified by genome-wide association studies, rare copy-number variants identified by comparative genomic analyses, and de novo mutations identified by high-throughput DNA sequencing. Collectively, they contribute to the heterogeneity of the disease. In this review, we update recent discoveries in the field of SCZ genetics, and outline the perspectives of future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchun Chen
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA,
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D'Angelo CS, Moller Dos Santos MF, Alonso LG, Koiffmann CP. Two New Cases of 1p21.3 Deletions and an Unbalanced Translocation t(8;12) among Individuals with Syndromic Obesity. Mol Syndromol 2015; 6:63-70. [PMID: 26279650 DOI: 10.1159/000371600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a highly heritable but genetically heterogeneous disorder. Various well-known microdeletion syndromes (e.g. 1p36, 2q37, 6q16, 9q34, 17p11.2) can cause this phenotype along with intellectual disability (ID) and other findings. Chromosomal microarrays have identified 'new' microdeletion/duplication syndromes often associated with obesity. We report on 2 unrelated patients with an overlapping region of deletion at 1p21.3p21.2, and a third patient with a de novo recurrent unbalanced translocation der(8)t(8;12)(p23.1;p13.31), detected by 180K array CGH in a prospective cohort of syndromic obesity patients. Deletion of 1p21.3 is a rare condition, and there have been only 11 cases of the same recurrent translocation between chromosomes 8 and 12 [t(8;12)] reported to date. The former has been associated with ID, autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and mild dysmorphic features, and in 4 patients who were obese or had a tendency to obesity, a minimal overlapping region of 2 genes, DPYD and MIR137, was detected; t(8;12) has recently been recognized to cause a childhood obesity syndrome due to duplication of the GNB3 gene. Thus, our findings add to the existing literature on the clinical description of these new syndromes, providing additional support that these loci are associated with syndromic obesity. We suggest that heterozygous loss of MIR137 may contribute to obesity as well as ID and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla S D'Angelo
- Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Human Genome and Stem Cell Center, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mauren F Moller Dos Santos
- Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Human Genome and Stem Cell Center, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luis G Alonso
- Genetics Division, Department of Morphology and Genetics, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Celia P Koiffmann
- Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Human Genome and Stem Cell Center, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Duan J, Shi J, Fiorentino A, Leites C, Chen X, Moy W, Chen J, Alexandrov BS, Usheva A, He D, Freda J, O'Brien NL, McQuillin A, Sanders AR, Gershon ES, DeLisi LE, Bishop AR, Gurling HMD, Pato MT, Levinson DF, Kendler KS, Pato CN, Gejman PV. A rare functional noncoding variant at the GWAS-implicated MIR137/MIR2682 locus might confer risk to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Am J Hum Genet 2014; 95:744-53. [PMID: 25434007 PMCID: PMC4259974 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified common risk variants in >100 susceptibility loci; however, the contribution of rare variants at these loci remains largely unexplored. One of the strongly associated loci spans MIR137 (miR137) and MIR2682 (miR2682), two microRNA genes important for neuronal function. We sequenced ∼6.9 kb MIR137/MIR2682 and upstream regulatory sequences in 2,610 SZ cases and 2,611 controls of European ancestry. We identified 133 rare variants with minor allele frequency (MAF) <0.5%. The rare variant burden in promoters and enhancers, but not insulators, was associated with SZ (p = 0.021 for MAF < 0.5%, p = 0.003 for MAF < 0.1%). A rare enhancer SNP, 1:g.98515539A>T, presented exclusively in 11 SZ cases (nominal p = 4.8 × 10(-4)). We further identified its risk allele T in 2 of 2,434 additional SZ cases, 11 of 4,339 bipolar (BP) cases, and 3 of 3,572 SZ/BP study controls and 1,688 population controls; yielding combined p values of 0.0007, 0.0013, and 0.0001 for SZ, BP, and SZ/BP, respectively. The risk allele T of 1:g.98515539A>T reduced enhancer activity of its flanking sequence by >50% in human neuroblastoma cells, predicting lower expression of MIR137/MIR2682. Both empirical and computational analyses showed weaker transcription factor (YY1) binding by the risk allele. Chromatin conformation capture (3C) assay further indicated that 1:g.98515539A>T influenced MIR137/MIR2682, but not the nearby DPYD or LOC729987. Our results suggest that rare noncoding risk variants are associated with SZ and BP at MIR137/MIR2682 locus, with risk alleles decreasing MIR137/MIR2682 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jubao Duan
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Jianxin Shi
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alessia Fiorentino
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London WC1E 6JJ, UK
| | - Catherine Leites
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
| | - Xiangning Chen
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Winton Moy
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
| | - Jingchun Chen
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Boian S Alexandrov
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87544, USA
| | - Anny Usheva
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Deli He
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
| | - Jessica Freda
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
| | - Niamh L O'Brien
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London WC1E 6JJ, UK
| | - Andrew McQuillin
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London WC1E 6JJ, UK
| | - Alan R Sanders
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Elliot S Gershon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Lynn E DeLisi
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, Brockton, MA 02301, USA
| | - Alan R Bishop
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87544, USA
| | - Hugh M D Gurling
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London WC1E 6JJ, UK
| | - Michele T Pato
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Douglas F Levinson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kenneth S Kendler
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Carlos N Pato
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine at USC, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Pablo V Gejman
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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