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Wahl N, Espeso-Gil S, Chietera P, Nagel A, Laighneach A, Morris DW, Rajarajan P, Akbarian S, Dechant G, Apostolova G. SATB2 organizes the 3D genome architecture of cognition in cortical neurons. Mol Cell 2024; 84:621-639.e9. [PMID: 38244545 PMCID: PMC10923151 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
The DNA-binding protein SATB2 is genetically linked to human intelligence. We studied its influence on the three-dimensional (3D) epigenome by mapping chromatin interactions and accessibility in control versus SATB2-deficient cortical neurons. We find that SATB2 affects the chromatin looping between enhancers and promoters of neuronal-activity-regulated genes, thus influencing their expression. It also alters A/B compartments, topologically associating domains, and frequently interacting regions. Genes linked to SATB2-dependent 3D genome changes are implicated in highly specialized neuronal functions and contribute to cognitive ability and risk for neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Non-coding DNA regions with a SATB2-dependent structure are enriched for common variants associated with educational attainment, intelligence, and schizophrenia. Our data establish SATB2 as a cell-type-specific 3D genome modulator, which operates both independently and in cooperation with CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) to set up the chromatin landscape of pyramidal neurons for cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Wahl
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria.
| | - Sergio Espeso-Gil
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria; Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Paola Chietera
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Amelie Nagel
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Aodán Laighneach
- Centre for Neuroimaging, Cognition and Genomics (NICOG), School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Derek W Morris
- Centre for Neuroimaging, Cognition and Genomics (NICOG), School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Prashanth Rajarajan
- Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Georg Dechant
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria.
| | - Galina Apostolova
- Institute for Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria.
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2
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Nie L, He J, Wang J, Wang R, Huang L, Jia L, Kim YT, Bhawal UK, Fan X, Zille M, Jiang C, Chen X, Wang J. Environmental Enrichment for Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury: Mechanisms and Translational Implications. Compr Physiol 2023; 14:5291-5323. [PMID: 38158368 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c230007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Acquired brain injuries, such as ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and traumatic brain injury (TBI), can cause severe neurologic damage and even death. Unfortunately, currently, there are no effective and safe treatments to reduce the high disability and mortality rates associated with these brain injuries. However, environmental enrichment (EE) is an emerging approach to treating and rehabilitating acquired brain injuries by promoting motor, sensory, and social stimulation. Multiple preclinical studies have shown that EE benefits functional recovery, including improved motor and cognitive function and psychological benefits mediated by complex protective signaling pathways. This article provides an overview of the enriched environment protocols used in animal models of ischemic stroke, ICH, and TBI, as well as relevant clinical studies, with a particular focus on ischemic stroke. Additionally, we explored studies of animals with stroke and TBI exposed to EE alone or in combination with multiple drugs and other rehabilitation modalities. Finally, we discuss the potential clinical applications of EE in future brain rehabilitation therapy and the molecular and cellular changes caused by EE in rodents with stroke or TBI. This article aims to advance preclinical and clinical research on EE rehabilitation therapy for acquired brain injury. © 2024 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 14:5291-5323, 2024.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luwei Nie
- Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinxin He
- Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
- Key Laboratory for Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Junmin Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Ruike Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Leo Huang
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lin Jia
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yun Tai Kim
- Division of Functional Food Research, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Korea University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ujjal K Bhawal
- Research Institute of Oral Science, Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Chiba, Japan
- Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Xiaochong Fan
- Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Marietta Zille
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Chao Jiang
- Department of Neurology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Xuemei Chen
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
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3
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Dyakonova VE. DNA Instability in Neurons: Lifespan Clock and Driver of Evolution. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:1719-1731. [PMID: 38105193 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923110044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
In the last ten years, the discovery of neuronal DNA postmitotic instability has changed the theoretical landscape in neuroscience and, more broadly, biology. In 2003, A. M. Olovnikov suggested that neuronal DNA is the "initial substrate of aging". Recent experimental data have significantly increased the likelihood of this hypothesis. How does neuronal DNA accumulate damage and in what genome regions? What factors contribute to this process and how are they associated with aging and lifespan? These questions will be discussed in the review. In the course of Metazoan evolution, the instability of neuronal DNA has been accompanied by searching for the pathways to reduce the biological cost of brain activity. Various processes and activities, such as sleep, evolutionary increase in the number of neurons in the vertebrate brain, adult neurogenesis, distribution of neuronal activity, somatic polyploidy, and RNA editing in cephalopods, can be reconsidered in the light of the trade-off between neuronal plasticity and DNA instability in neurons. This topic is of considerable importance for both fundamental neuroscience and translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varvara E Dyakonova
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia.
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4
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Akbarian S, Won H. Chromosomal contacts change with age. Science 2023; 381:1049-1050. [PMID: 37676934 DOI: 10.1126/science.adk0961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
The three-dimensional organization of the genome is remodeled throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hyejung Won
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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5
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Farmer AL, Lewis MH. Reduction of restricted repetitive behavior by environmental enrichment: Potential neurobiological mechanisms. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105291. [PMID: 37353046 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Restricted repetitive behaviors (RRB) are one of two diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder and common in other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. The term restricted repetitive behavior refers to a wide variety of inflexible patterns of behavior including stereotypy, self-injury, restricted interests, insistence on sameness, and ritualistic and compulsive behavior. However, despite their prevalence in clinical populations, their underlying causes remain poorly understood hampering the development of effective treatments. Intriguingly, numerous animal studies have demonstrated that these behaviors are reduced by rearing in enriched environments (EE). Understanding the processes responsible for the attenuation of repetitive behaviors by EE should offer insights into potential therapeutic approaches, as well as shed light on the underlying neurobiology of repetitive behaviors. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the relationship between EE and RRB and discusses potential mechanisms for EE's attenuation of RRB based on the broader EE literature. Existing gaps in the literature and future directions are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Farmer
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Mark H Lewis
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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El-Demerdash N, Pan T, Choi O, Saraswati M, Koehler RC, Robertson CL, Savonenko A. Importance of Control Groups for Evaluating Long-Term Behavioral and Cognitive Outcomes of Controlled Cortical Impact in Immature Rats. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:1197-1215. [PMID: 36416234 PMCID: PMC10259614 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2021.0376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapies are limited for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI), especially for the very young who can experience long-term consequences to learning, memory, and social behavior. Animal models of pediatric TBI have yielded mechanistic insights, but demonstration of clinically relevant long-term behavioral and/or cognitive deficits has been challenging. We characterized short- and long-term outcomes in a controlled cortical impact (CCI) model of pediatric TBI using a panel of tests between 2 weeks and ∼4 months after injury. Male rats with CCI at postnatal Day (PND) 10 were compared with three control groups: Naïve, Anesthesia, and Craniotomy. Motor testing (PND 25-33), novel object recognition (NOR; PND 40-50), and multiple tasks in water maze (WM; PND 65-100) were followed by social interaction tests (PND 120-140). Anesthesia rats performed the same as Naïve rats in all tasks. TBI rats, when compared with Naïve controls, had functional impairments across most tests studied. The most sensitive cognitive processes affected by TBI included those that required fast one-trial learning (NOR, WM), flexibility of acquired memory traces (reversals in WM), response strategies (WM), or recognition memory in the setting of reciprocal social interactions. Both TBI and Craniotomy groups demonstrated increased rates of decision making across several WM tasks, suggesting disinhibition of motor responses. When the TBI group was compared with the Craniotomy group, however, deficits were detected in a limited number of outcomes. The latter included learning speed (WM), cognitive flexibility (WM), and social recognition memory. Notably, effects of craniotomy, when compared with Naïve controls, spanned across multiple tasks, and in some tasks, could reach the effect sizes observed in TBI. These results highlight the importance of appropriate control groups in pediatric CCI models. In addition, the study demonstrates the high sensitivity of comprehensive cognitive testing to detect long-term effects of early-age craniotomy and TBI and provides a template for future testing of experimental therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagat El-Demerdash
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tiffany Pan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Olivia Choi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Manda Saraswati
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Raymond C. Koehler
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Courtney L. Robertson
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alena Savonenko
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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7
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Neurodynamical Computing at the Information Boundaries of Intelligent Systems. Cognit Comput 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12559-022-10081-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractArtificial intelligence has not achieved defining features of biological intelligence despite models boasting more parameters than neurons in the human brain. In this perspective article, we synthesize historical approaches to understanding intelligent systems and argue that methodological and epistemic biases in these fields can be resolved by shifting away from cognitivist brain-as-computer theories and recognizing that brains exist within large, interdependent living systems. Integrating the dynamical systems view of cognition with the massive distributed feedback of perceptual control theory highlights a theoretical gap in our understanding of nonreductive neural mechanisms. Cell assemblies—properly conceived as reentrant dynamical flows and not merely as identified groups of neurons—may fill that gap by providing a minimal supraneuronal level of organization that establishes a neurodynamical base layer for computation. By considering information streams from physical embodiment and situational embedding, we discuss this computational base layer in terms of conserved oscillatory and structural properties of cortical-hippocampal networks. Our synthesis of embodied cognition, based in dynamical systems and perceptual control, aims to bypass the neurosymbolic stalemates that have arisen in artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and computational neuroscience.
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8
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Plaza-Jennings A, Valada A, Akbarian S. 3D Genome Plasticity in Normal and Diseased Neurodevelopment. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1999. [PMID: 36360237 PMCID: PMC9690570 DOI: 10.3390/genes13111999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-random spatial organization of the chromosomal material inside the nuclei of brain cells emerges as an important regulatory layer of genome organization and function in health and disease. Here, we discuss how integrative approaches assessing chromatin in context of the 3D genome is providing new insights into normal and diseased neurodevelopment. Studies in primate (incl. human) and rodent brain have confirmed that chromosomal organization in neurons and glia undergoes highly dynamic changes during pre- and early postnatal development, with potential for plasticity across a much wider age window. For example, neuronal 3D genomes from juvenile and adult cerebral cortex and hippocampus undergo chromosomal conformation changes at hundreds of loci in the context of learning and environmental enrichment, viral infection, and neuroinflammation. Furthermore, locus-specific structural DNA variations, such as micro-deletions, duplications, repeat expansions, and retroelement insertions carry the potential to disrupt the broader epigenomic and transcriptional landscape far beyond the boundaries of the site-specific variation, highlighting the critical importance of long-range intra- and inter-chromosomal contacts for neuronal and glial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amara Plaza-Jennings
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Scientist Training Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Aditi Valada
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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9
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Manosso LM, Broseghini LDR, Campos JMB, Padilha APZ, Botelho MEM, da Costa MA, Abelaira HM, Gonçalves CL, Réus GZ. Beneficial effects and neurobiological aspects of environmental enrichment associated to major depressive disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Brain Res Bull 2022; 190:152-167. [PMID: 36191730 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A suitable enriched environment favors development but can also influence behavior and neuronal circuits throughout development. Studies have shown that environmental enrichment (EE) can be used as an essential tool or combined with conventional treatments to improve psychiatric and neurological symptoms, including major depressive disorder (MDD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both disorders affect a significant percentage of the world's population and have complex pathophysiology. Moreover, the available treatments for MDD and ASD are still inadequate for many affected individuals. Experimental models demonstrate that EE has significant positive effects on behavioral modulation. In addition, EE has effects on neurobiology, including improvement in synaptic connections and neuroplasticity, modulation of neurotransmissions, a decrease in inflammation and oxidative stress, and other neurobiology effects that can be involved in the pathophysiology of MDD and ASD. Thus, this review aims to describe the leading behavioral and neurobiological effects associated with EE in MDD and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana M Manosso
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Lia D R Broseghini
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - José Marcelo B Campos
- Experimental Neurology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Alex Paulo Z Padilha
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Maria Eduarda M Botelho
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Maiara A da Costa
- Experimental Neurology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Helena M Abelaira
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Cinara L Gonçalves
- Experimental Neurology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Gislaine Z Réus
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
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10
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Schaffner SL, Kobor MS. DNA methylation as a mediator of genetic and environmental influences on Parkinson's disease susceptibility: Impacts of alpha-Synuclein, physical activity, and pesticide exposure on the epigenome. Front Genet 2022; 13:971298. [PMID: 36061205 PMCID: PMC9437223 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.971298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with a complex etiology and increasing prevalence worldwide. As PD is influenced by a combination of genetic and environment/lifestyle factors in approximately 90% of cases, there is increasing interest in identification of the interindividual mechanisms underlying the development of PD as well as actionable lifestyle factors that can influence risk. This narrative review presents an outline of the genetic and environmental factors contributing to PD risk and explores the possible roles of cytosine methylation and hydroxymethylation in the etiology and/or as early-stage biomarkers of PD, with an emphasis on epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of PD conducted over the past decade. Specifically, we focused on variants in the SNCA gene, exposure to pesticides, and physical activity as key contributors to PD risk. Current research indicates that these factors individually impact the epigenome, particularly at the level of CpG methylation. There is also emerging evidence for interaction effects between genetic and environmental contributions to PD risk, possibly acting across multiple omics layers. We speculated that this may be one reason for the poor replicability of the results of EWAS for PD reported to date. Our goal is to provide direction for future epigenetics studies of PD to build upon existing foundations and leverage large datasets, new technologies, and relevant statistical approaches to further elucidate the etiology of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L. Schaffner
- Edwin S. H. Leong Healthy Aging Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- Edwin S. H. Leong Healthy Aging Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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11
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Neuron-specific chromosomal megadomain organization is adaptive to recent retrotransposon expansions. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7243. [PMID: 34903713 PMCID: PMC8669064 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26862-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory mechanisms associated with repeat-rich sequences and chromosomal conformations in mature neurons remain unexplored. Here, we map cell-type specific chromatin domain organization in adult mouse cerebral cortex and report strong enrichment of Endogenous Retrovirus 2 (ERV2) repeat sequences in the neuron-specific heterochromatic B2NeuN+ megabase-scaling subcompartment. Single molecule long-read sequencing and comparative Hi-C chromosomal contact mapping in wild-derived SPRET/EiJ (Mus spretus) and laboratory inbred C57BL/6J (Mus musculus) reveal neuronal reconfigurations tracking recent ERV2 expansions in the murine germline, with significantly higher B2NeuN+ contact frequencies at sites with ongoing insertions in Mus musculus. Neuronal ablation of the retrotransposon silencer Kmt1e/Setdb1 triggers B2NeuN+ disintegration and rewiring with open chromatin domains enriched for cellular stress response genes, along with severe neuroinflammation and proviral assembly with infiltration of dendrites . We conclude that neuronal megabase-scale chromosomal architectures include an evolutionarily adaptive heterochromatic organization which, upon perturbation, results in transcriptional dysregulation and unleashes ERV2 proviruses with strong neuronal tropism.
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