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Orhan F, Malwade S, Khanlarkhani N, Gkogka A, Langeder A, Jungholm O, Koskuvi M, Lehtonen Š, Schwieler L, Jardemark K, Tiihonen J, Koistinaho J, Erhardt S, Engberg G, Samudyata S, Sellgren CM. Kynurenic Acid and Promotion of Activity-Dependent Synapse Elimination in Schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 2025; 182:389-400. [PMID: 40165559 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20240048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2025]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by an excessive loss of synapses. Kynurenic acid (KYNA), a neuroactive metabolite of tryptophan along the kynurenine pathway, can induce schizophrenia-related phenotypes in rodents, and clinical studies have revealed elevated KYNA levels in the CNS of individuals with schizophrenia. However, the factors that cause elevated KYNA levels in schizophrenia, and the mechanisms by which KYNA contributes to pathophysiology, remain largely elusive. The authors used patient-derived cellular modeling to test the hypothesis that KYNA can induce microglia-mediated synapse engulfment by reducing neuronal activity. METHODS Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells were used to generate 2D cultures of neurons and microglia-like cells, as well as forebrain organoids with innately developing microglia, to study how KYNA influences synaptic activity and microglial uptake of synaptic structures. To verify the experimental data in a clinical context, large-scale developmental postmortem brain tissue and genetic datasets were used to study coexpression networks for the KYNA-producing kynurenine aminotransferases (KATs) regarding enrichment for common schizophrenia genetic risk variants and functional annotations. RESULTS In these patient-derived experimental models, KYNA induced uptake of synaptic structures in microglia, and inhibition of the endogenous KYNA production led to a decrease in the internalization of synapses in microglia. The integrated large-scale transcriptomic and genetic datasets showed that KYNA-producing KATs enriched for genes governing synaptic activity and genetic risk variants for schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS Together, these results link genetic risk variants for schizophrenia to elevated production of KYNA and excessive and activity-dependent internalization of synaptic material in microglia, while implicating pharmacological inhibition of KATs as a strategy to avoid synapse loss in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Funda Orhan
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Susmita Malwade
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Neda Khanlarkhani
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Asimenia Gkogka
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Angelika Langeder
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Oscar Jungholm
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Marja Koskuvi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Šárka Lehtonen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Lilly Schwieler
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Kent Jardemark
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Jari Tiihonen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Jari Koistinaho
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Sophie Erhardt
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Göran Engberg
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Samudyata Samudyata
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
| | - Carl M Sellgren
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Orhan, Malwade, Khanlarkhani, Gkogka, Jungholm, Koskuvi, Schwieler, Jardemark, Erhardt, Engberg, Samudyata, Sellgren); Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Langeder); Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Koskuvi, Lehtonen, Tiihonen, Koistinaho); A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences (Lehtonen) and Department of Forensic Psychiatry (Tiihonen), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm (Tiihonen, Sellgren); Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania (Engberg)
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Noori HR, Mervin LH, Bokharaie V, Durmus Ö, Egenrieder L, Fritze S, Gruhlke B, Reinhardt G, Schabel HH, Staudenmaier S, Logothetis NK, Bender A, Spanagel R. Systemic neurotransmitter responses to clinically approved and experimental neuropsychiatric drugs. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4699. [PMID: 30410047 PMCID: PMC6224407 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07239-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders are the third leading cause of global disease burden. Current pharmacological treatment for these disorders is inadequate, with often insufficient efficacy and undesirable side effects. One reason for this is that the links between molecular drug action and neurobehavioral drug effects are elusive. We use a big data approach from the neurotransmitter response patterns of 258 different neuropsychiatric drugs in rats to address this question. Data from experiments comprising 110,674 rats are presented in the Syphad database [ www.syphad.org ]. Chemoinformatics analyses of the neurotransmitter responses suggest a mismatch between the current classification of neuropsychiatric drugs and spatiotemporal neurostransmitter response patterns at the systems level. In contrast, predicted drug-target interactions reflect more appropriately brain region related neurotransmitter response. In conclusion the neurobiological mechanism of neuropsychiatric drugs are not well reflected by their current classification or their chemical similarity, but can be better captured by molecular drug-target interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid R Noori
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Max Planck Ring 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, New York, NY, 10012, USA.
- Neuronal Convergence Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Max Planck Ring 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Lewis H Mervin
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Vahid Bokharaie
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Max Planck Ring 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Özlem Durmus
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lisamon Egenrieder
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Fritze
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Britta Gruhlke
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Giulia Reinhardt
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Hans-Hendrik Schabel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sabine Staudenmaier
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nikos K Logothetis
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Max Planck Ring 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Bender
- Centre for Molecular Informatics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, J5 68159, Mannheim, Germany
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