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Valle-Bautista R, Márquez-Valadez B, Herrera-López G, Griego E, Galván EJ, Díaz NF, Arias-Montaño JA, Molina-Hernández A. Long-Term Functional and Cytoarchitectonic Effects of the Systemic Administration of the Histamine H1 Receptor Antagonist/Inverse Agonist Chlorpheniramine During Gestation in the Rat Offspring Primary Motor Cortex. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:740282. [PMID: 35140581 PMCID: PMC8820484 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.740282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The transient histaminergic system is among the first neurotransmitter systems to appear during brain development in the rat mesencephalon/rhombencephalon. Histamine increases FOXP2-positive deep-layer neuron differentiation of cortical neural stem cells through H1 receptor activation in vitro. The in utero or systemic administration of chlorpheniramine (H1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist) during deep-layer cortical neurogenesis decreases FOXP2 neurons in the developing cortex, and H1R- or histidine decarboxylase-knockout mice show impairment in learning and memory, wakefulness and nociception, functions modulated by the cerebral cortex. Due to the role of H1R in cortical neural stem cell neurogenesis, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the postnatal impact of the systemic administration of chlorpheniramine during deep-layer cortical neuron differentiation (E12–14) in the primary motor cortex (M1) of neonates (P0) and 21-day-old pups (P21). Chlorpheniramine or vehicle were systemically administered (5 mg/kg, i.p.) to pregnant Wistar rats at gestational days 12–14, and the expression and distribution of deep- (FOXP2 and TBR1) and superficial-layer (SATB2) neuronal cortical markers were analyzed in neonates from both groups. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed a reduction in the expression of Satb2 and FoxP2. However, Western blot and immunofluorescence showed increased protein levels in the chlorpheniramine-treated group. In P21 pups, the three markers showed impaired distribution and increased immunofluorescence in the experimental group. The Sholl analysis evidenced altered dendritic arborization of deep-layer neurons, with lower excitability in response to histamine, as evaluated by whole-cell patch-clamp recording, as well as diminished depolarization-evoked [3H]-glutamate release from striatal slices. Overall, these results suggest long-lasting effects of blocking H1Rs during early neurogenesis that may impact the pathways involved in voluntary motor activity and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Valle-Bautista
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Células Troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Berenice Márquez-Valadez
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Células Troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Herrera-López
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ernesto Griego
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Emilio J. Galván
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Néstor-Fabián Díaz
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Células Troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - José-Antonio Arias-Montaño
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Anayansi Molina-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Células Troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Fisiología y Desarrollo Celular, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Anayansi Molina-Hernández, ; orcid.org/0000-0002-4787-312X
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Lowell JA, O’Neill N, Danzi MC, Al-Ali H, Bixby JL, Lemmon VP. Phenotypic Screening Following Transcriptomic Deconvolution to Identify Transcription Factors Mediating Axon Growth Induced by a Kinase Inhibitor. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2021; 26:1337-1354. [PMID: 34218704 PMCID: PMC10509783 DOI: 10.1177/24725552211026270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
After injury to the central nervous system (CNS), both neuron-intrinsic limitations on regenerative responses and inhibitory factors in the injured CNS environment restrict regenerative axon growth. Instances of successful axon regrowth offer opportunities to identify features that differentiate these situations from that of the normal adult CNS. One such opportunity is provided by the kinase inhibitor RO48, which dramatically enhances neurite outgrowth of neurons in vitro and substantially increased contralateral sprouting of corticospinal tract neurons when infused intraventricularly following unilateral pyramidotomy. The authors present here a transcriptomic deconvolution of RO48-associated axon growth, with the goal of identifying transcriptional regulators associated with axon growth in the CNS. Through the use of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and transcription factor binding site enrichment analysis, the authors identified a list of transcription factors putatively driving differential gene expression during RO48-induced neurite outgrowth of rat hippocampal neurons in vitro. The 82 transcription factor motifs identified in this way included some with known association to axon growth regulation, such as Jun, Klf4, Myc, Atf4, Stat3, and Nfatc2, and many with no known association to axon growth. A phenotypic loss-of-function screen was carried out to evaluate these transcription factors for their roles in neurite outgrowth; this screen identified several potential outgrowth regulators. Subsequent validation suggests that the Forkhead box (Fox) family transcription factor Foxp2 restricts neurite outgrowth, while FoxO subfamily members Foxo1 and Foxo3a promote neurite outgrowth. The authors' combined transcriptomic-phenotypic screening strategy therefore allowed identification of novel transcriptional regulators of neurite outgrowth downstream of a multitarget kinase inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A. Lowell
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Nicholas O’Neill
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Matt C. Danzi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Hassan Al-Ali
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Medicine and Peggy & Harold Katz Family Drug Discovery Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - John L. Bixby
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics and John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Vance P. Lemmon
- Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
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den Hoed J, Devaraju K, Fisher SE. Molecular networks of the FOXP2 transcription factor in the brain. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e52803. [PMID: 34260143 PMCID: PMC8339667 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202152803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the FOXP2 transcription factor, and its implication in a rare severe human speech and language disorder, has led to two decades of empirical studies focused on uncovering its roles in the brain using a range of in vitro and in vivo methods. Here, we discuss what we have learned about the regulation of FOXP2, its downstream effectors, and its modes of action as a transcription factor in brain development and function, providing an integrated overview of what is currently known about the critical molecular networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joery den Hoed
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- International Max Planck Research School for Language SciencesMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Karthikeyan Devaraju
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
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4
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CircRNA_0058063 functions as a ceRNA in bladder cancer progression via targeting miR-486-3p/FOXP4 axis. Biosci Rep 2021; 40:222397. [PMID: 32181485 PMCID: PMC7103589 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20193484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence has uncovered critical regulatory roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) function as dynamic scaffolding molecules in tumorigenesis and progression. However, the aberrant expression and clinical significance of hsa_circ_0058063 (circRNA_0058063) in bladder cancer (BC) remain poorly understood. circRNA expression was analyzed via a microarray in cancerous tissue and non-carcinoma tissues. Luciferase reporter assays and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were both conducted to uncover the function of circRNA_0058063 in BC. circRNA_0058063 was overexpressed in BC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Knockdown of circRNA_0058063 dramatically decreased cell proliferation and invasion, and promoted apoptosis in 5637 and BIU-87 cell lines. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations showed that circRNA_0058063 and FOXP4 could directly bind to miR-486-3p, demonstrating that circRNA_0058063 regulated FOXP4 expression by competitively binding to miR-486-3p. Taken together, circRNA_0058063 functions by sponging miR-486-3p in BC progression, which could act as a new biomarker and further developed to be a therapeutic target in BC.
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Liu Y, Chen T, Guo M, Li Y, Zhang Q, Tan G, Yu L, Tan Y. FOXA2-Interacting FOXP2 Prevents Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Breast Cancer Cells by Stimulating E-Cadherin and PHF2 Transcription. Front Oncol 2021; 11:605025. [PMID: 33718155 PMCID: PMC7947682 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.605025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
FOXP2, a member of forkhead box transcription factor family, was first identified as a language-related gene that played an important role in language learning and facial movement. In addition, FOXP2 was also suggested regulating the progression of cancer cells. In previous studies, we found that FOXA2 inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer cells. In this study, by identifying FOXA2-interacting proteins from FOXA2-pull-down cell lysates with Mass Spectrometry Analysis, we found that FOXP2 interacted with FOXA2. After confirming the interaction between FOXP2 and FOXA2 through Co-IP and immunofluorescence assays, we showed a correlated expression of FOXP2 and FOXA2 existing in clinical breast cancer samples. The overexpression of FOXP2 attenuated the mesenchymal phenotype whereas the stable knockdown of FOXP2 promoted EMT in breast cancer cells. Even though FOXP2 was believed to act as a transcriptional repressor in most cases, we found that FOXP2 could activate the expression of tumor suppressor PHF2. Meanwhile, we also found that FOXP2 could endogenously bind to the promoter of E-cadherin and activate its transcription. This transcriptional activity of FOXP2 relied on its interaction with FOXA2. Furthermore, the stable knockdown of FOXP2 enhanced the metastatic capacity of breast cancer cells in vivo. Together, the results suggested that FOXP2 could inhibit EMT by activating the transcription of certain genes, such as E-cadherin and PHF2, in concert with FOXA2 in breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan Engineering Research Center for Anticancer Targeted Protein Pharmaceuticals, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Taolin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan Engineering Research Center for Anticancer Targeted Protein Pharmaceuticals, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingyue Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan Engineering Research Center for Anticancer Targeted Protein Pharmaceuticals, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Yu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan Engineering Research Center for Anticancer Targeted Protein Pharmaceuticals, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan Engineering Research Center for Anticancer Targeted Protein Pharmaceuticals, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Guixiang Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan Engineering Research Center for Anticancer Targeted Protein Pharmaceuticals, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan Engineering Research Center for Anticancer Targeted Protein Pharmaceuticals, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Yongjun Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan Engineering Research Center for Anticancer Targeted Protein Pharmaceuticals, Hunan University, Changsha, China
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Richter G, Gui T, Bourgeois B, Koyani CN, Ulz P, Heitzer E, von Lewinski D, Burgering BMT, Malle E, Madl T. β-catenin regulates FOXP2 transcriptional activity via multiple binding sites. FEBS J 2020; 288:3261-3284. [PMID: 33284517 PMCID: PMC8246981 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor forkhead box protein P2 (FOXP2) is a highly conserved key regulator of embryonal development. The molecular mechanisms of how FOXP2 regulates embryonal development, however, remain elusive. Using RNA sequencing, we identified the Wnt signaling pathway as key target of FOXP2‐dependent transcriptional regulation. Using cell‐based assays, we show that FOXP2 transcriptional activity is regulated by the Wnt coregulator β‐catenin and that β‐catenin contacts multiple regions within FOXP2. Using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we uncovered the molecular details of these interactions. β‐catenin contacts a disordered FOXP2 region with α‐helical propensity via its folded armadillo domain, whereas the intrinsically disordered β‐catenin N terminus and C terminus bind to the conserved FOXP2 DNA‐binding domain. Using RNA sequencing, we confirmed that β‐catenin indeed regulates transcriptional activity of FOXP2 and that the FOXP2 α‐helical motif acts as a key regulatory element of FOXP2 transcriptional activity. Taken together, our findings provide first insight into novel regulatory interactions and help to understand the intricate mechanisms of FOXP2 function and (mis)‐regulation in embryonal development and human diseases. Database Expression data are available in the GEO database under the accession number GSE138938.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gesa Richter
- Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Tianshu Gui
- Oncode Institute and Department of Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin Bourgeois
- Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Chintan N Koyani
- Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, Austria.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Peter Ulz
- Institute of Human Genetics, Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Ellen Heitzer
- Institute of Human Genetics, Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Dirk von Lewinski
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Boudewijn M T Burgering
- Oncode Institute and Department of Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ernst Malle
- Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, Austria
| | - Tobias Madl
- Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, Austria.,BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
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7
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Kitazono I, Hamada T, Yoshimura T, Kirishima M, Yokoyama S, Akahane T, Tanimoto A. PCP4/PEP19 downregulates neurite outgrowth via transcriptional regulation of Ascl1 and NeuroD1 expression in human neuroblastoma M17 cells. J Transl Med 2020; 100:1551-1563. [PMID: 32641824 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-020-0462-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purkinje cell protein 4/peptide 19 (PCP4/PEP19) is 7.6 kDa peptide originally found in Purkinje cells. PCP4/PEP19 is a differentiation maker of Purkinje cells, where it functions as an antiapoptotic factor. Cerebral neuronal cells also express PCP4/PEP19, which may be related to neuronal cell survival. However, evidence suggests that PCP4/PEP19 may also be involved in neuronal differentiation. Here, we investigated the effects of PCP4/PEP19 expression on neuronal differentiation by analyzing neurite outgrowth, and expression of neuronal differentiation markers in cultured human neuroblastoma M17 cells. When PCP4/PEP19 expression was reduced by siRNA-mediated knockdown, neurite outgrowth was significantly increased. Among many differentiation markers tested, expression of NeuroD1 was increased, while that of Ascl1 was decreased upon PCP4/PEP19 knockdown. Furthermore, luciferase reporter assays revealed that PCP4/PEP19 knockdown upregulated NeuroD1 and downregulated Ascl1 expression, at the transcriptional level. These results suggest a new function of PCP4/PEP19, which suppresses neurite outgrowth and neuronal differentiation through the regulation of NeuroD1 and Ascl1 expression in M17 cells. Furthermore, immunohistochemical studies showed that PCP4/PEP19 localizes in the nuclei of human neuroblastoma cells. Therefore, PCP4/PEP19 may also be an intranuclear negative regulator of neuronal differentiation and may thus be a potential therapeutic target to promote cellular differentiation in human neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikumi Kitazono
- Department of Pathology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Taiji Hamada
- Department of Pathology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Takuya Yoshimura
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Mari Kirishima
- Department of Pathology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Seiya Yokoyama
- Department of Pathology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Akahane
- Department of Pathology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Akihide Tanimoto
- Department of Pathology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan.
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8
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Lyons EL, Leone-Kabler S, Kovach AL, Thomas BF, Howlett AC. Cannabinoid receptor subtype influence on neuritogenesis in human SH-SY5Y cells. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 109:103566. [PMID: 33049367 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells stably expressing exogenous CB1 (CB1XS) or CB2 (CB2XS) receptors were developed to investigate endocannabinoid signaling in the extension of neuronal projections. Expression of cannabinoid receptors did not alter proliferation rate, viability, or apoptosis relative to parental SH-SY5Y. Transcripts for endogenous cannabinoid system enzymes (diacylglycerol lipase, monoacylglycerol lipase, α/β-hydrolase domain containing proteins 6 and 12, N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine-phospholipase D, and fatty acid amide hydrolase) were not altered by CB1 or CB2 expression. Endocannabinoid ligands 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide were quantitated in SH-SY5Y cells, and diacylglycerol lipase inhibitor tetrahydrolipstatin decreased 2-AG abundance by 90% but did not alter anandamide abundance. M3 muscarinic agonist oxotremorine M, and inhibitors of monoacylglycerol lipase and α/β hydrolase domain containing proteins 6 &12 increased 2-AG abundance. CB1 receptor expression increased lengths of short (<30 μm) and long (>30 μm) projections, and this effect was significantly reduced by tetrahydrolipstatin, indicative of stimulation by endogenously produced 2-AG. Pertussis toxin, Gβγ inhibitor gallein, and β-arrestin inhibitor barbadin did not significantly alter long projection length in CB1XS, but significantly reduced short projections, with gallein having the greatest inhibition. The rho kinase inhibitor Y27632 increased CB1 receptor-mediated long projection extension, indicative of actin cytoskeleton involvement. CB1 receptor expression increased GAP43 and ST8SIA2 mRNA and decreased ITGA1 mRNA, whereas CB2 receptor expression increased NCAM and SYT mRNA. We propose that basal endogenous production of 2-AG provides autocrine stimulation of CB1 receptor signaling through Gi/o, Gβγ, and β-arrestin mechanisms to promote neuritogenesis, and rho kinase influences process extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Lyons
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, One Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Sandra Leone-Kabler
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, One Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Alexander L Kovach
- Discovery Sciences, RTI International, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
| | - Brian F Thomas
- Discovery Sciences, RTI International, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
| | - Allyn C Howlett
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, One Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
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Foxp2 loss of function increases striatal direct pathway inhibition via increased GABA release. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:4211-4226. [PMID: 30187194 PMCID: PMC6267273 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1746-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Heterozygous mutations of the Forkhead-box protein 2 (FOXP2) gene in humans cause childhood apraxia of speech. Loss of Foxp2 in mice is known to affect striatal development and impair motor skills. However, it is unknown if striatal excitatory/inhibitory balance is affected during development and if the imbalance persists into adulthood. We investigated the effect of reduced Foxp2 expression, via a loss-of-function mutation, on striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Our data show that heterozygous loss of Foxp2 decreases excitatory (AMPA receptor-mediated) and increases inhibitory (GABA receptor-mediated) currents in D1 dopamine receptor positive MSNs of juvenile and adult mice. Furthermore, reduced Foxp2 expression increases GAD67 expression, leading to both increased presynaptic content and release of GABA. Finally, pharmacological blockade of inhibitory activity in vivo partially rescues motor skill learning deficits in heterozygous Foxp2 mice. Our results suggest a novel role for Foxp2 in the regulation of striatal direct pathway activity through managing inhibitory drive.
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Hachigian LJ, Carmona V, Fenster RJ, Kulicke R, Heilbut A, Sittler A, Pereira de Almeida L, Mesirov JP, Gao F, Kolaczyk ED, Heiman M. Control of Huntington's Disease-Associated Phenotypes by the Striatum-Enriched Transcription Factor Foxp2. Cell Rep 2018; 21:2688-2695. [PMID: 29212017 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alteration of corticostriatal glutamatergic function is an early pathophysiological change associated with Huntington's disease (HD). The factors that regulate the maintenance of corticostriatal glutamatergic synapses post-developmentally are not well understood. Recently, the striatum-enriched transcription factor Foxp2 was implicated in the development of these synapses. Here, we show that, in mice, overexpression of Foxp2 in the adult striatum of two models of HD leads to rescue of HD-associated behaviors, while knockdown of Foxp2 in wild-type mice leads to development of HD-associated behaviors. We note that Foxp2 encodes the longest polyglutamine repeat protein in the human reference genome, and we show that it can be sequestered into aggregates with polyglutamine-expanded mutant Huntingtin protein (mHTT). Foxp2 overexpression in HD model mice leads to altered expression of several genes associated with synaptic function, genes that present additional targets for normalization of corticostriatal dysfunction in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea J Hachigian
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Vitor Carmona
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC) and Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Coimbra Rua Larga, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Robert J Fenster
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ruth Kulicke
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Adrian Heilbut
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Program in Bioinformatics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Annie Sittler
- ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, CNRS UMR 7225, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC) and Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Coimbra Rua Larga, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jill P Mesirov
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Fan Gao
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Eric D Kolaczyk
- Program in Bioinformatics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Myriam Heiman
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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Herrero MJ, Gitton Y. The untold stories of the speech gene, the FOXP2 cancer gene. Genes Cancer 2018; 9:11-38. [PMID: 29725501 PMCID: PMC5931254 DOI: 10.18632/genesandcancer.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
FOXP2 encodes a transcription factor involved in speech and language acquisition. Growing evidence now suggests that dysregulated FOXP2 activity may also be instrumental in human oncogenesis, along the lines of other cardinal developmental transcription factors such as DLX5 and DLX6 [1-4]. Several FOXP familymembers are directly involved during cancer initiation, maintenance and progression in the adult [5-8]. This may comprise either a pro-oncogenic activity or a deficient tumor-suppressor role, depending upon cell types and associated signaling pathways. While FOXP2 is expressed in numerous cell types, its expression has been found to be down-regulated in breast cancer [9], hepatocellular carcinoma [8] and gastric cancer biopsies [10]. Conversely, overexpressed FOXP2 has been reported in multiple myelomas, MGUS (Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance), several subtypes of lymphomas [5,11], as well as in neuroblastomas [12] and ERG fusion-negative prostate cancers [13]. According to functional evidences reported in breast cancer [9] and survey of recent transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of different tumor biopsies, we postulate that FOXP2 dysregulation may play a main role throughout cancer initiation and progression. In some cancer conditions, FOXP2 levels are now considered as a critical diagnostic marker of neoplastic cells, and in many situations, they even bear strong prognostic value [5]. Whether FOXP2 may further become a therapeutic target is an actively explored lead. Knowledge reviewed here may help improve our understanding of FOXP2 roles during oncogenesis and provide cues for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jesus Herrero
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, NW, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Yorick Gitton
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, CNRS, Vision Institute Research Center, Paris, France
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Lei H, Yan Z, Sun X, Zhang Y, Wang J, Ma C, Xu Q, Wang R, Jarvis ED, Sun Z. Axon guidance pathways served as common targets for human speech/language evolution and related disorders. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2017; 174:1-8. [PMID: 28692932 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Human and several nonhuman species share the rare ability of modifying acoustic and/or syntactic features of sounds produced, i.e. vocal learning, which is the important neurobiological and behavioral substrate of human speech/language. This convergent trait was suggested to be associated with significant genomic convergence and best manifested at the ROBO-SLIT axon guidance pathway. Here we verified the significance of such genomic convergence and assessed its functional relevance to human speech/language using human genetic variation data. In normal human populations, we found the affected amino acid sites were well fixed and accompanied with significantly more associated protein-coding SNPs in the same genes than the rest genes. Diseased individuals with speech/language disorders have significant more low frequency protein coding SNPs but they preferentially occurred outside the affected genes. Such patients' SNPs were enriched in several functional categories including two axon guidance pathways (mediated by netrin and semaphorin) that interact with ROBO-SLITs. Four of the six patients have homozygous missense SNPs on PRAME gene family, one youngest gene family in human lineage, which possibly acts upon retinoic acid receptor signaling, similarly as FOXP2, to modulate axon guidance. Taken together, we suggest the axon guidance pathways (e.g. ROBO-SLIT, PRAME gene family) served as common targets for human speech/language evolution and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimeng Lei
- Department of Neurobiology, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing Center of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases of the Ministry of Education, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
| | - Zhangming Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaohong Sun
- Department of Neurobiology, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing Center of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases of the Ministry of Education, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Children Healthcare, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Jianhong Wang
- Department of Children Healthcare, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Caihong Ma
- Reproductive Medicine Center of Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Qunyuan Xu
- Department of Neurobiology, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing Center of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Diseases of the Ministry of Education, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Hengkuan Telegenomics Co., Ltd., 36/F, 5 Meiyuan Rd., Tianjin 300384, China
| | - Erich D Jarvis
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815-6789, USA
| | - Zhirong Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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Oswald F, Klöble P, Ruland A, Rosenkranz D, Hinz B, Butter F, Ramljak S, Zechner U, Herlyn H. The FOXP2-Driven Network in Developmental Disorders and Neurodegeneration. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:212. [PMID: 28798667 PMCID: PMC5526973 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription repressor FOXP2 is a crucial player in nervous system evolution and development of humans and songbirds. In order to provide an additional insight into its functional role we compared target gene expression levels between human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) stably overexpressing FOXP2 cDNA of either humans or the common chimpanzee, Rhesus monkey, and marmoset, respectively. RNA-seq led to identification of 27 genes with differential regulation under the control of human FOXP2, which were previously reported to have FOXP2-driven and/or songbird song-related expression regulation. RT-qPCR and Western blotting indicated differential regulation of additional 13 new target genes in response to overexpression of human FOXP2. These genes may be directly regulated by FOXP2 considering numerous matches of established FOXP2-binding motifs as well as publicly available FOXP2-ChIP-seq reads within their putative promoters. Ontology analysis of the new and reproduced targets, along with their interactors in a network, revealed an enrichment of terms relating to cellular signaling and communication, metabolism and catabolism, cellular migration and differentiation, and expression regulation. Notably, terms including the words "neuron" or "axonogenesis" were also enriched. Complementary literature screening uncovered many connections to human developmental (autism spectrum disease, schizophrenia, Down syndrome, agenesis of corpus callosum, trismus-pseudocamptodactyly, ankyloglossia, facial dysmorphology) and neurodegenerative diseases and disorders (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases, Lewy body dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Links to deafness and dyslexia were detected, too. Such relations existed for single proteins (e.g., DCDC2, NURR1, PHOX2B, MYH8, and MYH13) and groups of proteins which conjointly function in mRNA processing, ribosomal recruitment, cell-cell adhesion (e.g., CDH4), cytoskeleton organization, neuro-inflammation, and processing of amyloid precursor protein. Conspicuously, many links pointed to an involvement of the FOXP2-driven network in JAK/STAT signaling and the regulation of the ezrin-radixin-moesin complex. Altogether, the applied phylogenetic perspective substantiated FOXP2's importance for nervous system development, maintenance, and functioning. However, the study also disclosed new regulatory pathways that might prove to be useful for understanding the molecular background of the aforementioned developmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz Oswald
- Center for Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Medical Center UlmUlm, Germany
| | - Patricia Klöble
- Center for Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Medical Center UlmUlm, Germany
| | - André Ruland
- Center for Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Medical Center UlmUlm, Germany
| | - David Rosenkranz
- Institut für Organismische und Molekulare Evolutionsbiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzMainz, Germany
| | - Bastian Hinz
- Institut für Organismische und Molekulare Evolutionsbiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzMainz, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center MainzMainz, Germany
| | - Falk Butter
- Institute of Molecular BiologyMainz, Germany
| | | | - Ulrich Zechner
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center MainzMainz, Germany
- Dr. Senckenbergisches Zentrum für HumangenetikFrankfurt, Germany
| | - Holger Herlyn
- Institut für Organismische und Molekulare Evolutionsbiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzMainz, Germany
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Khademul Islam ABMM. Intronic miRNA miR-3666 Modulates its Host Gene FOXP2 Functions in Neurodevelopment and May Contribute to Pathogenesis of Neurological Disorders Schizophrenia and Autism. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.15406/jabb.2017.02.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Usui N, Co M, Harper M, Rieger MA, Dougherty JD, Konopka G. Sumoylation of FOXP2 Regulates Motor Function and Vocal Communication Through Purkinje Cell Development. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 81:220-230. [PMID: 27009683 PMCID: PMC4983264 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations in the gene encoding the transcription factor forkhead box P2 (FOXP2) result in brain developmental abnormalities, including reduced gray matter in both human patients and rodent models and speech and language deficits. However, neither the region-specific function of FOXP2 in the brain, in particular the cerebellum, nor the effects of any posttranslational modifications of FOXP2 in the brain and disorders have been explored. METHODS We characterized sumoylation of FOXP2 biochemically and analyzed the region-specific function and sumoylation of FOXP2 in the developing mouse cerebellum. Using in utero electroporation to manipulate the sumoylation state of FOXP2 as well as Foxp2 expression levels in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum in vivo, we reduced Foxp2 expression approximately 40% in the mouse cerebellum. Such a reduction approximates the haploinsufficiency observed in human patients who demonstrate speech and language impairments. RESULTS We identified sumoylation of FOXP2 at K674 (K673 in mice) in the cerebellum of neonates. In vitro co-immunoprecipitation and in vivo colocalization experiments suggest that PIAS3 acts as the small ubiquitin-like modifier E3 ligase for FOXP2 sumoylation. This sumoylation modifies transcriptional regulation by FOXP2. We demonstrated that FOXP2 sumoylation is required for regulation of cerebellar motor function and vocal communication, likely through dendritic outgrowth and arborization of Purkinje cells in the mouse cerebellum. CONCLUSIONS Sumoylation of FOXP2 in neonatal mouse cerebellum regulates Purkinje cell development and motor functions and vocal communication, demonstrating evidence for sumoylation in regulating mammalian behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyoshi Usui
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-911, USA
| | - Marissa Co
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-911, USA
| | - Matthew Harper
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-911, USA
| | - Michael A. Rieger
- Department of Genetics and Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Joseph D. Dougherty
- Department of Genetics and Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
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Negwer M, Schubert D. Talking Convergence: Growing Evidence Links FOXP2 and Retinoic Acid in Shaping Speech-Related Motor Circuitry. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:19. [PMID: 28179876 PMCID: PMC5263127 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Negwer
- Max Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Dirk Schubert
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and BehaviourNijmegen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Dirk Schubert
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Benítez-Burraco A, Lattanzi W, Murphy E. Language Impairments in ASD Resulting from a Failed Domestication of the Human Brain. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:373. [PMID: 27621700 PMCID: PMC5002430 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders entailing social and cognitive deficits, including marked problems with language. Numerous genes have been associated with ASD, but it is unclear how language deficits arise from gene mutation or dysregulation. It is also unclear why ASD shows such high prevalence within human populations. Interestingly, the emergence of a modern faculty of language has been hypothesized to be linked to changes in the human brain/skull, but also to the process of self-domestication of the human species. It is our intention to show that people with ASD exhibit less marked domesticated traits at the morphological, physiological, and behavioral levels. We also discuss many ASD candidates represented among the genes known to be involved in the “domestication syndrome” (the constellation of traits exhibited by domesticated mammals, which seemingly results from the hypofunction of the neural crest) and among the set of genes involved in language function closely connected to them. Moreover, many of these genes show altered expression profiles in the brain of autists. In addition, some candidates for domestication and language-readiness show the same expression profile in people with ASD and chimps in different brain areas involved in language processing. Similarities regarding the brain oscillatory behavior of these areas can be expected too. We conclude that ASD may represent an abnormal ontogenetic itinerary for the human faculty of language resulting in part from changes in genes important for the “domestication syndrome” and, ultimately, from the normal functioning of the neural crest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wanda Lattanzi
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Rome, Italy
| | - Elliot Murphy
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London London, UK
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Benítez-Burraco A, Uriagereka J. The Immune Syntax Revisited: Opening New Windows on Language Evolution. Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 8:84. [PMID: 26793054 PMCID: PMC4707268 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2015.00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent research has added new dimensions to our understanding of classical evolution, according to which evolutionary novelties result from gene mutations inherited from parents to offspring. Language is surely one such novelty. Together with specific changes in our genome and epigenome, we suggest that two other (related) mechanisms may have contributed to the brain rewiring underlying human cognitive evolution and, specifically, the changes in brain connectivity that prompted the emergence of our species-specific linguistic abilities: the horizontal transfer of genetic material by viral and non-viral vectors and the brain/immune system crosstalk (more generally, the dialogue between the microbiota, the immune system, and the brain).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Uriagereka
- Department of Linguistics, University of Maryland College Park, MD, USA
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20
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van Rhijn JR, Vernes SC. Retinoic Acid Signaling: A New Piece in the Spoken Language Puzzle. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1816. [PMID: 26635706 PMCID: PMC4660430 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Speech requires precise motor control and rapid sequencing of highly complex vocal musculature. Despite its complexity, most people produce spoken language effortlessly. This is due to activity in distributed neuronal circuitry including cortico-striato-thalamic loops that control speech–motor output. Understanding the neuro-genetic mechanisms involved in the correct development and function of these pathways will shed light on how humans can effortlessly and innately use spoken language and help to elucidate what goes wrong in speech-language disorders. FOXP2 was the first single gene identified to cause speech and language disorder. Individuals with FOXP2 mutations display a severe speech deficit that includes receptive and expressive language impairments. The neuro-molecular mechanisms controlled by FOXP2 will give insight into our capacity for speech–motor control, but are only beginning to be unraveled. Recently FOXP2 was found to regulate genes involved in retinoic acid (RA) signaling and to modify the cellular response to RA, a key regulator of brain development. Here we explore evidence that FOXP2 and RA function in overlapping pathways. We summate evidence at molecular, cellular, and behavioral levels that suggest an interplay between FOXP2 and RA that may be important for fine motor control and speech–motor output. We propose RA signaling is an exciting new angle from which to investigate how neuro-genetic mechanisms can contribute to the (spoken) language ready brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon-Ruben van Rhijn
- Department of Language and Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics Nijmegen, Netherlands ; Molecular Neurophysiology Group, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Department of Language and Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics Nijmegen, Netherlands ; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands
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21
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Balari S, Lorenzo G. It is an organ, it is new, but it is not a new organ. Conceptualizing language from a homological perspective. Front Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Lozano R, Vino A, Lozano C, Fisher SE, Deriziotis P. A de novo FOXP1 variant in a patient with autism, intellectual disability and severe speech and language impairment. Eur J Hum Genet 2015; 23:1702-7. [PMID: 25853299 DOI: 10.1038/ejhg.2015.66] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
FOXP1 (forkhead box protein P1) is a transcription factor involved in the development of several tissues, including the brain. An emerging phenotype of patients with protein-disrupting FOXP1 variants includes global developmental delay, intellectual disability and mild to severe speech/language deficits. We report on a female child with a history of severe hypotonia, autism spectrum disorder and mild intellectual disability with severe speech/language impairment. Clinical exome sequencing identified a heterozygous de novo FOXP1 variant c.1267_1268delGT (p.V423Hfs*37). Functional analyses using cellular models show that the variant disrupts multiple aspects of FOXP1 activity, including subcellular localization and transcriptional repression properties. Our findings highlight the importance of performing functional characterization to help uncover the biological significance of variants identified by genomics approaches, thereby providing insight into pathways underlying complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Moreover, our data support the hypothesis that de novo variants represent significant causal factors in severe sporadic disorders and extend the phenotype seen in individuals with FOXP1 haploinsufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reymundo Lozano
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, Department of Pediatrics, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Arianna Vino
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Cristina Lozano
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, Department of Pediatrics, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Pelagia Deriziotis
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Benítez-Burraco A, Boeckx C. FOXP2, retinoic acid, and language: a promising direction. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:387. [PMID: 25431551 PMCID: PMC4230053 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- Catalan Institute for Advanced Studies and Research (ICREA) Barcelona, Spain ; Department of Linguistics, Universitat de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
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Boeckx C, Benítez-Burraco A. Globularity and language-readiness: generating new predictions by expanding the set of genes of interest. Front Psychol 2014; 5:1324. [PMID: 25505436 PMCID: PMC4243498 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study builds on the hypothesis put forth in Boeckx and Benítez-Burraco (2014), according to which the developmental changes expressed at the levels of brain morphology and neural connectivity that resulted in a more globular braincase in our species were crucial to understand the origins of our language-ready brain. Specifically, this paper explores the links between two well-known 'language-related' genes like FOXP2 and ROBO1 implicated in vocal learning and the initial set of genes of interest put forth in Boeckx and Benítez-Burraco (2014), with RUNX2 as focal point. Relying on the existing literature, we uncover potential molecular links that could be of interest to future experimental inquiries into the biological foundations of language and the testing of our initial hypothesis. Our discussion could also be relevant for clinical linguistics and for the interpretation of results from paleogenomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Boeckx
- Catalan Institute for Advanced Studies and Research (ICREA)Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Linguistics, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
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