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Ozernov-Palchik O, Pollack C, Bonawitz E, Christodoulou JA, Gaab N, Gabrieli JD, Kievlan PM, Kirby C, Lin G, Luk G, Nelson CA. Reflections on the past two decades of Mind, Brain, and Education. Mind Brain Educ 2024; 18:6-16. [PMID: 38745857 PMCID: PMC11090485 DOI: 10.1111/mbe.12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ola Ozernov-Palchik
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT
| | | | | | - Joanna A. Christodoulou
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT
- MGH Institute of Health Professions
| | | | - John D.E. Gabrieli
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT
| | | | | | - Grace Lin
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University
- Scheller Teacher Education Program The Education Arcade, MIT
| | - Gigi Luk
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University
| | - Charles A. Nelson
- Harvard Graduate School of Education
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital
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2
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Wang S, Wang B, Drury V, Drake S, Sun N, Alkhairo H, Arbelaez J, Duhn C, Bal VH, Langley K, Martin J, Hoekstra PJ, Dietrich A, Xing J, Heiman GA, Tischfield JA, Fernandez TV, Owen MJ, O'Donovan MC, Thapar A, State MW, Willsey AJ. Rare X-linked variants carry predominantly male risk in autism, Tourette syndrome, and ADHD. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8077. [PMID: 38057346 PMCID: PMC10700338 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43776-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Tourette syndrome (TS), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) display strong male sex bias, due to a combination of genetic and biological factors, as well as selective ascertainment. While the hemizygous nature of chromosome X (Chr X) in males has long been postulated as a key point of "male vulnerability", rare genetic variation on this chromosome has not been systematically characterized in large-scale whole exome sequencing studies of "idiopathic" ASD, TS, and ADHD. Here, we take advantage of informative recombinations in simplex ASD families to pinpoint risk-enriched regions on Chr X, within which rare maternally-inherited damaging variants carry substantial risk in males with ASD. We then apply a modified transmission disequilibrium test to 13,052 ASD probands and identify a novel high confidence ASD risk gene at exome-wide significance (MAGEC3). Finally, we observe that rare damaging variants within these risk regions carry similar effect sizes in males with TS or ADHD, further clarifying genetic mechanisms underlying male vulnerability in multiple neurodevelopmental disorders that can be exploited for systematic gene discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Belinda Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Vanessa Drury
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Sam Drake
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Nawei Sun
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Hasan Alkhairo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Juan Arbelaez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Clif Duhn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Vanessa H Bal
- Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Kate Langley
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Joanna Martin
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Pieter J Hoekstra
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Accare Child Study Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Dietrich
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Accare Child Study Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jinchuan Xing
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Gary A Heiman
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jay A Tischfield
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Thomas V Fernandez
- Yale Child Study Center and Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael J Owen
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Michael C O'Donovan
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Anita Thapar
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - A Jeremy Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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3
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Falkovich R, Danielson EW, Perez de Arce K, Wamhoff EC, Strother J, Lapteva AP, Sheng M, Cottrell JR, Bathe M. A synaptic molecular dependency network in knockdown of autism- and schizophrenia-associated genes revealed by multiplexed imaging. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112430. [PMID: 37099425 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The complex functions of neuronal synapses depend on their tightly interconnected protein network, and their dysregulation is implicated in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. However, it remains unclear how synaptic molecular networks are altered biochemically in these disorders. Here, we apply multiplexed imaging to probe the effects of RNAi knockdown of 16 autism- and schizophrenia-associated genes on the simultaneous joint distribution of 10 synaptic proteins, observing several protein composition phenotypes associated with these risk genes. We apply Bayesian network analysis to infer hierarchical dependencies among eight excitatory synaptic proteins, yielding predictive relationships that can only be accessed with single-synapse, multiprotein measurements performed simultaneously in situ. Finally, we find that central features of the network are affected similarly across several distinct gene knockdowns. These results offer insight into the convergent molecular etiology of these widespread disorders and provide a general framework to probe subcellular molecular networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reuven Falkovich
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Eric W Danielson
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Karen Perez de Arce
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Eike-C Wamhoff
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Juliana Strother
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anna P Lapteva
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Morgan Sheng
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Cottrell
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mark Bathe
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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4
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Günther A, Hanganu-Opatz IL. Neuronal oscillations: early biomarkers of psychiatric disease? Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1038981. [PMID: 36600993 PMCID: PMC9806131 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1038981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the environmental and genetic factors contributing to the wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders has significantly increased in recent years. Impairment of neuronal network activity during early development has been suggested as a contributor to the emergence of neuropsychiatric pathologies later in life. Still, the neurobiological substrates underlying these disorders remain yet to be fully understood and the lack of biomarkers for early diagnosis has impeded research into curative treatment options. Here, we briefly review current knowledge on potential biomarkers for emerging neuropsychiatric disease. Moreover, we summarize recent findings on aberrant activity patterns in the context of psychiatric disease, with a particular focus on their potential as early biomarkers of neuropathologies, an essential step towards pre-symptomatic diagnosis and, thus, early intervention.
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5
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de Camargo RW, de Novais Júnior LR, da Silva LM, Meneguzzo V, Daros GC, da Silva MG, de Bitencourt RM. Implications of the endocannabinoid system and the therapeutic action of cannabinoids in autism spectrum disorder: A literature review. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 221:173492. [PMID: 36379443 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, onset in early childhood and associated with cognitive, social, behavioral, and sensory impairments. The pathophysiology is still unclear, and it is believed that genetic and environmental factors are fully capable of influencing ASD, especially cell signaling and microglial functions. Furthermore, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) participates in the modulation of various brain processes and is also involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms of this condition. Due to the health and quality of life impacts of autism for the patient and his/her family and the lack of effective medications, the literature has elucidated the possibility that Cannabis phytocannabinoids act favorably on ASD symptoms, probably through the modulation of neurotransmitters, in addition to endogenous ligands derived from arachidonic acid, metabolizing enzymes and even transporters of the membrane. These findings support the notion that there are links between key features of ASD and ECS due to the favorable actions of cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids on symptoms related to behavioral and cognitive disorders, as well as deficits in communication and social interaction, hyperactivity, anxiety and sleep disorders. Thus, phytocannabinoids emerge as therapeutic alternatives for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rick Wilhiam de Camargo
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
| | | | - Larissa Mendes da Silva
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Vicente Meneguzzo
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Cabreira Daros
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Marina Goulart da Silva
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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6
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Willsey HR, Willsey AJ, Wang B, State MW. Genomics, convergent neuroscience and progress in understanding autism spectrum disorder. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:323-341. [PMID: 35440779 PMCID: PMC10693992 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00576-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
More than a hundred genes have been identified that, when disrupted, impart large risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current knowledge about the encoded proteins - although incomplete - points to a very wide range of developmentally dynamic and diverse biological processes. Moreover, the core symptoms of ASD involve distinctly human characteristics, presenting challenges to interpreting evolutionarily distant model systems. Indeed, despite a decade of striking progress in gene discovery, an actionable understanding of pathobiology remains elusive. Increasingly, convergent neuroscience approaches have been recognized as an important complement to traditional uses of genetics to illuminate the biology of human disorders. These methods seek to identify intersection among molecular-level, cellular-level and circuit-level functions across multiple risk genes and have highlighted developing excitatory neurons in the human mid-gestational prefrontal cortex as an important pathobiological nexus in ASD. In addition, neurogenesis, chromatin modification and synaptic function have emerged as key potential mediators of genetic vulnerability. The continued expansion of foundational 'omics' data sets, the application of higher-throughput model systems and incorporating developmental trajectories and sex differences into future analyses will refine and extend these results. Ultimately, a systems-level understanding of ASD genetic risk holds promise for clarifying pathobiology and advancing therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Rankin Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - A Jeremy Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Belinda Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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7
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Panagiotakos G, Pasca SP. A matter of space and time: Emerging roles of disease-associated proteins in neural development. Neuron 2022; 110:195-208. [PMID: 34847355 PMCID: PMC8776599 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent genetic studies of neurodevelopmental disorders point to synaptic proteins and ion channels as key contributors to disease pathogenesis. Although many of these proteins, such as the L-type calcium channel Cav1.2 or the postsynaptic scaffolding protein SHANK3, have well-studied functions in mature neurons, new evidence indicates that they may subserve novel, distinct roles in immature cells as the nervous system is assembled in prenatal development. Emerging tools and technologies, including single-cell sequencing and human cellular models of disease, are illuminating differential isoform utilization, spatiotemporal expression, and subcellular localization of ion channels and synaptic proteins in the developing brain compared with the adult, providing new insights into the regulation of developmental processes. We propose that it is essential to consider the temporally distinct and cell-specific roles of these proteins during development and maturity in our framework for understanding neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Panagiotakos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Sergiu P Pasca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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8
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Nadeem MS, Hosawi S, Alshehri S, Ghoneim MM, Imam SS, Murtaza BN, Kazmi I. Symptomatic, Genetic, and Mechanistic Overlaps between Autism and Alzheimer's Disease. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1635. [PMID: 34827633 PMCID: PMC8615882 DOI: 10.3390/biom11111635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders affecting two opposite ends of life span, i.e., childhood and old age. Both disorders pose a cumulative threat to human health, with the rate of incidences increasing considerably worldwide. In the context of recent developments, we aimed to review correlated symptoms and genetics, and overlapping aspects in the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of ASD and AD. Dementia, insomnia, and weak neuromuscular interaction, as well as communicative and cognitive impairments, are shared symptoms. A number of genes and proteins linked with both disorders have been tabulated, including MECP2, ADNP, SCN2A, NLGN, SHANK, PTEN, RELN, and FMR1. Theories about the role of neuron development, processing, connectivity, and levels of neurotransmitters in both disorders have been discussed. Based on the recent literature, the roles of FMRP (Fragile X mental retardation protein), hnRNPC (heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein-C), IRP (Iron regulatory proteins), miRNAs (MicroRNAs), and α-, β0, and γ-secretases in the posttranscriptional regulation of cellular synthesis and processing of APP (amyloid-β precursor protein) have been elaborated to describe the parallel and overlapping routes and mechanisms of ASD and AD pathogenesis. However, the interactive role of genetic and environmental factors, oxidative and metal ion stress, mutations in the associated genes, and alterations in the related cellular pathways in the development of ASD and AD needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Shahid Nadeem
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (M.S.N.); (S.H.)
| | - Salman Hosawi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (M.S.N.); (S.H.)
| | - Sultan Alshehri
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (S.A.); (S.S.I.)
| | - Mohammed M. Ghoneim
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Ad Diriyah 13713, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Syed Sarim Imam
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (S.A.); (S.S.I.)
| | - Bibi Nazia Murtaza
- Department of Zoology, Abbottabad University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abbottabad 22310, Pakistan;
| | - Imran Kazmi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; (M.S.N.); (S.H.)
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9
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Díaz-Caneja CM, State MW, Hagerman RJ, Jacquemont S, Marín O, Bagni C, Umbricht D, Simonoff E, de Andrés-Trelles F, Kaale A, Pandina G, Gómez-Mancilla B, Wang PP, Cusak J, Siafis S, Leucht S, Parellada M, Loth E, Charman T, Buitelaar JK, Murphy D, Arango C. A white paper on a neurodevelopmental framework for drug discovery in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 48:49-88. [PMID: 33781629 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade there has been a revolution in terms of genetic findings in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), with many discoveries critical for understanding their aetiology and pathophysiology. Clinical trials in single-gene disorders such as fragile X syndrome highlight the challenges of investigating new drug targets in NDDs. Incorporating a developmental perspective into the process of drug development for NDDs could help to overcome some of the current difficulties in identifying and testing new treatments. This paper provides a summary of the proceedings of the 'New Frontiers Meeting' on neurodevelopmental disorders organised by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in conjunction with the Innovative Medicines Initiative-sponsored AIMS-2-TRIALS consortium. It brought together experts in developmental genetics, autism, NDDs, and clinical trials from academia and industry, regulators, patient and family associations, and other stakeholders. The meeting sought to provide a platform for focused communication on scientific insights, challenges, and methodologies that might be applicable to the development of CNS treatments from a neurodevelopmental perspective. Multidisciplinary translational consortia to develop basic and clinical research in parallel could be pivotal to advance knowledge in the field. Although implementation of clinical trials for NDDs in paediatric populations is widely acknowledged as essential, safety concerns should guide each aspect of their design. Industry and academia should join forces to improve knowledge of the biology of brain development, identify the optimal timing of interventions, and translate these findings into new drugs, allowing for the needs of users and families, with support from regulatory agencies.
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10
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Davatolhagh MF, Fuccillo MV. Neurexin1⍺ differentially regulates synaptic efficacy within striatal circuits. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108773. [PMID: 33626349 PMCID: PMC8071350 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in genes essential for synaptic function, such as the presynaptic adhesion molecule Neurexin1α (Nrxn1α), are strongly implicated in neuropsychiatric pathophysiology. As the input nucleus of the basal ganglia, the striatum integrates diverse excitatory projections governing cognitive and motor control, and its impairment may represent a recurrent pathway to disease. Here, we test the functional relevance of Nrxn1α in striatal circuits by employing optogenetic-mediated afferent recruitment of dorsal prefrontal cortical (dPFC) and parafascicular thalamic connections onto dorsomedial striatal (DMS) spiny projection neurons (SPNs). For dPFC-DMS circuits, we find decreased synaptic strength specifically onto indirect pathway SPNs in both Nrxn1α+/- and Nrxn1α-/- mice, driven by reductions in neurotransmitter release. In contrast, thalamic excitatory inputs to DMS exhibit relatively normal excitatory synaptic strength despite changes in synaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) content. These findings suggest that dysregulation of Nrxn1α modulates striatal function in an input- and target-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Felicia Davatolhagh
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marc V Fuccillo
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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11
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Willsey HR, Exner CRT, Xu Y, Everitt A, Sun N, Wang B, Dea J, Schmunk G, Zaltsman Y, Teerikorpi N, Kim A, Anderson AS, Shin D, Seyler M, Nowakowski TJ, Harland RM, Willsey AJ, State MW. Parallel in vivo analysis of large-effect autism genes implicates cortical neurogenesis and estrogen in risk and resilience. Neuron 2021; 109:788-804.e8. [PMID: 33497602 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Gene Ontology analyses of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) risk genes have repeatedly highlighted synaptic function and transcriptional regulation as key points of convergence. However, these analyses rely on incomplete knowledge of gene function across brain development. Here we leverage Xenopus tropicalis to study in vivo ten genes with the strongest statistical evidence for association with ASD. All genes are expressed in developing telencephalon at time points mapping to human mid-prenatal development, and mutations lead to an increase in the ratio of neural progenitor cells to maturing neurons, supporting previous in silico systems biological findings implicating cortical neurons in ASD vulnerability, but expanding the range of convergent functions to include neurogenesis. Systematic chemical screening identifies that estrogen, via Sonic hedgehog signaling, rescues this convergent phenotype in Xenopus and human models of brain development, suggesting a resilience factor that may mitigate a range of ASD genetic risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Rankin Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Cameron R T Exner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Yuxiao Xu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Amanda Everitt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nawei Sun
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Belinda Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jeanselle Dea
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Galina Schmunk
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Yefim Zaltsman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nia Teerikorpi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Albert Kim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Aoife S Anderson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - David Shin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Meghan Seyler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Tomasz J Nowakowski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Richard M Harland
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - A Jeremy Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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12
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Searles Quick VB, Wang B, State MW. Leveraging large genomic datasets to illuminate the pathobiology of autism spectrum disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:55-69. [PMID: 32668441 PMCID: PMC7688655 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0768-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
"Big data" approaches in the form of large-scale human genomic studies have led to striking advances in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) genetics. Similar to many other psychiatric syndromes, advances in genotyping technology, allowing for inexpensive genome-wide assays, has confirmed the contribution of polygenic inheritance involving common alleles of small effect, a handful of which have now been definitively identified. However, the past decade of gene discovery in ASD has been most notable for the application, in large family-based cohorts, of high-density microarray studies of submicroscopic chromosomal structure as well as high-throughput DNA sequencing-leading to the identification of an increasingly long list of risk regions and genes disrupted by rare, de novo germline mutations of large effect. This genomic architecture offers particular advantages for the illumination of biological mechanisms but also presents distinctive challenges. While the tremendous locus heterogeneity and functional pleiotropy associated with the more than 100 identified ASD-risk genes and regions is daunting, a growing armamentarium of comprehensive, large, foundational -omics databases, across species and capturing developmental trajectories, are increasingly contributing to a deeper understanding of ASD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica B. Searles Quick
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA
| | - Belinda Wang
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA
| | - Matthew W. State
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA
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13
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Abstract
Recent progress in the identification of genes and genomic regions contributing to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has had a broad impact on our understanding of the nature of genetic risk for a range of psychiatric disorders, on our understanding of ASD biology, and on defining the key challenges now facing the field in efforts to translate gene discovery into an actionable understanding of pathology. While these advances have not yet had a transformative impact on clinical practice, there is nonetheless cause for real optimism: reliable lists of risk genes are large and growing rapidly; the identified encoded proteins have already begun to point to a relatively small number of areas of biology, where parallel advances in neuroscience and functional genomics are yielding profound insights; there is strong evidence pointing to mid-fetal prefrontal cortical development as one nexus of vulnerability for some of the largest-effect ASD risk genes; and there are multiple plausible paths forward toward rational therapeutics development that, while admittedly challenging, constitute fundamental departures from what was possible prior to the era of successful gene discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devanand S Manoli
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neuroscience Graduate Program, and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neuroscience Graduate Program, and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco
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14
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by markedly impaired social interaction, impaired communication, and restricted/repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. In addition to challenges caused by core symptoms, maladaptive behaviors such as aggression can be associated with ASD and can further disrupt functioning and quality of life. For adults with ASD, these behaviors can portend adverse outcomes (e.g., harm to others or to the individual with ASD, hindering of employment opportunities, criminal justice system involvement). This article reviews the scientific literature to provide an update on evidence-based interventions for aggression in adults with ASD. METHOD A search of the electronic databases CINAHL, EMBASE, and PsycINFO was conducted using relevant search terms. After reviewing titles, abstracts, full-length articles, and reference lists, 70 articles were identified and reviewed. RESULTS The strongest (controlled trial) evidence suggests beneficial effects of risperidone, propranolol, fluvoxamine, vigorous aerobic exercise, and dextromethorphan/quinidine for treating aggression in adults with ASD, with lower levels of evidence supporting behavioral interventions, multisensory environments, yokukansan, and other treatments. CONCLUSIONS Additional randomized, controlled trials using consistent methodology that adequately addresses sources of bias are needed to determine which treatments are reliably effective in addressing aggression in adults with ASD. In the meantime, considering efficacy and adverse effect/long-term risk profiles, a practical approach could start with functional assessment-informed behavioral interventions along with encouragement of regular, vigorous aerobic exercise to target aggression in adults with ASD, with pharmacotherapy employed if these interventions are unavailable or inadequate based on symptom acuity.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S. Im
- From the University of Michigan Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School
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15
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Liu C, Li D, Yang H, Li H, Xu Q, Zhou B, Hu C, Li C, Wang Y, Qiao Z, Jiang YH, Xu X. Altered striatum centered brain structures in SHANK3 deficient Chinese children with genotype and phenotype profiling. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 200:101985. [PMID: 33388374 PMCID: PMC8572121 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
SHANK3 deficiency represents one of the most replicated monogenic risk factors for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and SHANK3 caused ASD presents a unique opportunity to understand the underlying neuropathological mechanisms of ASD. In this study, genetic tests, comprehensive clinical and neurobehavioral evaluations, as well as multimodal structural MRI using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were conducted in SHANK3 group (N = 14 with SHANK3 defects), ASD controls (N = 26 with idiopathic ASD without SHANK3 defects) and typically developing (TD) controls (N = 32). Phenotypically, we reported several new features in Chinese SHANK3 deficient children including anteverted nares, sensory stimulation seeking, dental abnormalities and hematological problems. In SHANK3 group, VBM revealed decreased grey matter volumes mainly in dorsal striatum, amygdala, hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus; TBSS demonstrated decreased fractional anisotropy in multiple tracts involving projection, association and commissural fibers, including middle cerebral peduncle, corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, corona radiata, external and internal capsule, and posterior thalamic radiation, etc. We report that the disrupted striatum centered brain structures are associated with SHANK3 deficient children. Study of subjects with monogenic cause offer specific insights into the neuroimaging studies of ASD. The discovery may support a path for future functional connectivity studies to allow for more in-depth understandings of the abnormal neural circuits and the underlying neuropathological mechanisms for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxue Liu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongyun Li
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Haowei Yang
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Huiping Li
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiong Xu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingrui Zhou
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunchun Hu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyang Li
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongwei Qiao
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yong-Hui Jiang
- Department of Genetics, Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Heaven CT 06520 USA.
| | - Xiu Xu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai, China.
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16
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Alabi OO, Davatolhagh MF, Robinson M, Fortunato MP, Vargas Cifuentes L, Kable JW, Fuccillo MV. Disruption of Nrxn1α within excitatory forebrain circuits drives value-based dysfunction. eLife 2020; 9:e54838. [PMID: 33274715 PMCID: PMC7759380 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Goal-directed behaviors are essential for normal function and significantly impaired in neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite extensive associations between genetic mutations and these disorders, the molecular contributions to goal-directed dysfunction remain unclear. We examined mice with constitutive and brain region-specific mutations in Neurexin1α, a neuropsychiatric disease-associated synaptic molecule, in value-based choice paradigms. We found Neurexin1α knockouts exhibited reduced selection of beneficial outcomes and impaired avoidance of costlier options. Reinforcement modeling suggested that this was driven by deficits in updating and representation of value. Disruption of Neurexin1α within telencephalic excitatory projection neurons, but not thalamic neurons, recapitulated choice abnormalities of global Neurexin1α knockouts. Furthermore, this selective forebrain excitatory knockout of Neurexin1α perturbed value-modulated neural signals within striatum, a central node in feedback-based reinforcement learning. By relating deficits in value-based decision-making to region-specific Nrxn1α disruption and changes in value-modulated neural activity, we reveal potential neural substrates for the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disease-associated cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Opeyemi O Alabi
- Department of NeurosciencePhiladelphiaUnited States
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - M Felicia Davatolhagh
- Department of NeurosciencePhiladelphiaUnited States
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphiaUnited States
| | | | | | - Luigim Vargas Cifuentes
- Department of NeurosciencePhiladelphiaUnited States
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Joseph W Kable
- Department of Psychology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
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Shalev I, Uzefovsky F. Empathic disequilibrium in two different measures of empathy predicts autism traits in neurotypical population. Mol Autism 2020; 11:59. [PMID: 32660537 PMCID: PMC7359469 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00362-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Features of autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are normally distributed within the population, giving rise to the notion of the autism spectrum. One of the hallmark features of ASC is difficulties in social communication, which relies heavily on our ability to empathize with others. Empathy comprises of both cognitive (CE) and emotional (EE) components that, together, allow us to understand another’s emotions and be affected by them appropriately, while maintaining a self-other distinction. Although CE and EE depend on distinct neural and developmental trajectories, it was suggested that the two empathic capacities can influence, balance, and regulate each other. Previous findings regarding the role of emotional and cognitive empathy in ASC have been mixed. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate whether the intra-personal empathy imbalance between the cognitive and emotional components, a measure we termed empathic disequilibrium (ED), can be associated with autism traits at the neurotypical range. Methods Participants were 671 young-adults at the neurotypical range who self-reported their empathy, assessed using two highly validated questionnaires—the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the Empathy Quotient, autism traits using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, and the related traits, alexithymia, and systemizing. Results Controlling for the total empathy score, greater ED was found to be positively correlated with autism traits. Specifically, autism traits were found to be elevated in groups of individuals with relatively higher EE than CE, underscoring their imbalance. Conclusions Our study offers a novel perspective on the understanding of the social difficulties associated with autism tendencies in the general population and has potentially important clinical implications for understanding of ASC. We also propose a novel characterization of autism tendencies based on the imbalance between EE and CE, which we term ED, as opposed to examining EE and CE separately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ido Shalev
- Department of Psychology Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beersheba, Israel.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Florina Uzefovsky
- Department of Psychology Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beersheba, Israel. .,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel.
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18
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Hong SJ, Vogelstein JT, Gozzi A, Bernhardt BC, Yeo BTT, Milham MP, Di Martino A. Toward Neurosubtypes in Autism. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:111-128. [PMID: 32553193 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
There is a consensus that substantial heterogeneity underlies the neurobiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As such, it has become increasingly clear that a dissection of variation at the molecular, cellular, and brain network domains is a prerequisite for identifying biomarkers. Neuroimaging has been widely used to characterize atypical brain patterns in ASD, although findings have varied across studies. This is due, at least in part, to a failure to account for neurobiological heterogeneity. Here, we summarize emerging data-driven efforts to delineate more homogeneous ASD subgroups at the level of brain structure and function-that is, neurosubtyping. We break this pursuit into key methodological steps: the selection of diagnostic samples, neuroimaging features, algorithms, and validation approaches. Although preliminary and methodologically diverse, current studies generally agree that at least 2 to 4 distinct ASD neurosubtypes may exist. Their identification improved symptom prediction and diagnostic label accuracy above and beyond group average comparisons. Yet, this nascent literature has shed light onto challenges and gaps. These include 1) the need for wider and more deeply transdiagnostic samples collected while minimizing artifacts (e.g., head motion), 2) quantitative and unbiased methods for feature selection and multimodal fusion, 3) greater emphasis on algorithms' ability to capture hybrid dimensional and categorical models of ASD, and 4) systematic independent replications and validations that integrate different units of analyses across multiple scales. Solutions aimed to address these challenges and gaps are discussed for future avenues leading toward a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying ASD heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok-Jun Hong
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York
| | - Joshua T Vogelstein
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Institute for Computational Medicine, Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alessandro Gozzi
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Boris C Bernhardt
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - B T Thomas Yeo
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Center for Sleep and Cognition, Clinical Imaging Research Centre, N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore; NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Michael P Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York; Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, New York
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19
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Chen D, Ren K, Liu H, Mao H, Li Z, Mo H, Xie S, Shi Y, Chen Q, Wang W. A Whole-Brain Cell-Type-Specific Sparse Neuron Labeling Method and Its Application in a Shank3 Autistic Mouse Model. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:145. [PMID: 32581718 PMCID: PMC7291601 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Single neurons, as the basic unit of the brain, consist of a cell body and processes, including dendrites and axons. Even neurons of the same type show various subtle process characteristics to fit into the diverse neural circuits. Different cell types of neurons form complicated circuits in the brain. Therefore, detailed neuronal morphology is required to understand normal neuronal function and pathological mechanisms, such as those that occur in autism. Here, we developed a strategy to sparsely label the same type of neurons throughout the whole brain and tested its application in an autistic animal model—Shank3 knockout (KO) mice. To achieve this, we designed an adeno-associated virus (AAV) that expresses Cre recombinase-dependent regular and membrane-targeted enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under a human synapsin 1 promoter and verified it in several Cre transgenic mice. We could sparsely label the projection neurons in multiple brain areas by retro-ocular injection of the virus into CaMKIIα-Cre mice. Then, we analyzed the morphology of the projection neurons in Shank3 KO mice with this method. We found differential dendritic complexity and dendritic spine changes in projection neurons in Shank3 KO mice crossed with CaMKIIα-Cre mice compared with littermate control mice in the striatum, cortex, and hippocampus. By combining this method with various Cre mouse lines crossed with mouse models of disease, we can screen the morphological traits of distinct types of neurons throughout the whole brain that will help us to understand the exact role of the specific cell types of neurons not only in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) mouse models but also in other psychiatric disorder mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Keke Ren
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Haiying Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Honghui Mao
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zongyan Li
- Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiming Mo
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Yan'an University, Yan'an, China
| | - Shengjun Xie
- Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiwu Shi
- Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenting Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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20
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Su LD, Xu FX, Wang XT, Cai XY, Shen Y. Cerebellar Dysfunction, Cerebro-cerebellar Connectivity and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neuroscience 2020; 462:320-327. [PMID: 32450293 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The cerebellum has long been conceptualized to control motor learning and motor coordination. However, increasing evidence suggests its roles in cognition and emotion behaviors. In particular, the cerebellum has been recognized as one of key brain regions affected in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To better understand the contribution of the cerebellum in ASD pathogenesis, we here discuss recent behavioral, genetic, and molecular studies from the human and mouse models. In addition, we raise several questions that need to be investigated in future studies from the point view of cerebellar dysfunction, cerebro-cerebellar connectivity and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Da Su
- Neuroscience Care Unit, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Fang-Xiao Xu
- Department of Physiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xin-Tai Wang
- Department of Physiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xin-Yu Cai
- Department of Physiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ying Shen
- Department of Physiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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21
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Abstract
Neuroglia are a large class of neural cells of ectodermal (astroglia, oligodendroglia, and peripheral glial cells) and mesodermal (microglia) origin. Neuroglial cells provide homeostatic support, protection, and defense to the nervous tissue. Pathological potential of neuroglia has been acknowledged since their discovery. Research of the recent decade has shown the key role of all classes of glial cells in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), although molecular mechanisms defining glial contribution to ASD are yet to be fully characterized. This narrative conceptualizes recent findings of the broader roles of glial cells, including their active participation in the control of cerebral environment and regulation of synaptic development and scaling, highlighting their putative involvement in the etiopathogenesis of ASD.
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22
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Tai C, Chang CW, Yu GQ, Lopez I, Yu X, Wang X, Guo W, Mucke L. Tau Reduction Prevents Key Features of Autism in Mouse Models. Neuron 2020; 106:421-437.e11. [PMID: 32126198 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Autism is characterized by repetitive behaviors, impaired social interactions, and communication deficits. It is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder, and available treatments offer little benefit. Here, we show that genetically reducing the protein tau prevents behavioral signs of autism in two mouse models simulating distinct causes of this condition. Similar to a proportion of people with autism, both models have epilepsy, abnormally enlarged brains, and overactivation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt (protein kinase B)/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. All of these abnormalities were prevented or markedly diminished by partial or complete genetic removal of tau. We identify disinhibition of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), a negative PI3K regulator that tau controls, as a plausible mechanism and demonstrate that tau interacts with PTEN via tau's proline-rich domain. Our findings suggest an enabling role of tau in the pathogenesis of autism and identify tau reduction as a potential therapeutic strategy for some of the disorders that cause this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Tai
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Che-Wei Chang
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Gui-Qiu Yu
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Isabel Lopez
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xinxing Yu
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Weikun Guo
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Lennart Mucke
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Neurology and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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23
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Borgmann-Winter KE, Wang K, Bandyopadhyay S, Torshizi AD, Hahn CG, Hahn CG. The proteome and its dynamics: A missing piece for integrative multi-omics in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2020; 217:148-161. [PMID: 31416743 PMCID: PMC7500806 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The complex and heterogeneous pathophysiology of schizophrenia can be deconstructed by integration of large-scale datasets encompassing genes through behavioral phenotypes. Genome-wide datasets are now available for genetic, epigenetic and transcriptomic variations in schizophrenia, which are then analyzed by newly devised systems biology algorithms. A missing piece, however, is the inclusion of information on the proteome and its dynamics in schizophrenia. Proteomics has lagged behind omics of the genome, transcriptome and epigenome since analytic platforms were relatively less robust for proteins. There has been remarkable progress, however, in the instrumentation of liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS) (LCMS), experimental paradigms and bioinformatics of the proteome. Here, we present a summary of methodological innovations of recent years in MS based proteomics and the power of new generation proteomics, review proteomics studies that have been conducted in schizophrenia to date, and propose how such data can be analyzed and integrated with other omics results. The function of a protein is determined by multiple molecular properties, i.e., subcellular localization, posttranslational modification (PTMs) and protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Incorporation of these properties poses additional challenges in proteomics and their integration with other omics; yet is a critical next step to close the loop of multi-omics integration. In sum, the recent advent of high-throughput proteome characterization technologies and novel mathematical approaches enable us to incorporate functional properties of the proteome to offer a comprehensive multi-omics based understanding of schizophrenia pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin E. Borgmann-Winter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104,Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | | | - Abolfazl Doostparast Torshizi
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Chang-Gyu Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403, United States of America.
| | - Chang-Gyu Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403, United States of America.
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Janke C, Magiera MM. The tubulin code and its role in controlling microtubule properties and functions. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2020; 21:307-26. [PMID: 32107477 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-0214-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 356] [Impact Index Per Article: 89.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Microtubules are core components of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton with essential roles in cell division, shaping, motility and intracellular transport. Despite their functional heterogeneity, microtubules have a highly conserved structure made from almost identical molecular building blocks: the tubulin proteins. Alternative tubulin isotypes and a variety of post-translational modifications control the properties and functions of the microtubule cytoskeleton, a concept known as the 'tubulin code'. Here we review the current understanding of the molecular components of the tubulin code and how they impact microtubule properties and functions. We discuss how tubulin isotypes and post-translational modifications control microtubule behaviour at the molecular level and how this translates into physiological functions at the cellular and organism levels. We then go on to show how fine-tuning of microtubule function by some tubulin modifications can affect homeostasis and how perturbation of this fine-tuning can lead to a range of dysfunctions, many of which are linked to human disease.
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Abstract
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been increasing steadily over the last 20 years; however, the molecular basis for the majority of ASD cases remains unknown. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing and detection of DNA modifications have made methylation-dependent regulation of transcription an attractive hypothesis for being a causative factor in ASD etiology. Evidence for abnormal DNA methylation in ASD can be seen on multiple levels, from genetic mutations in epigenetic machinery to loci-specific and genome-wide changes in DNA methylation. Epimutations in DNA methylation can be acquired throughout life, as global DNA methylation reprogramming is dynamic during embryonic development and the early postnatal period that corresponds to the peak time of synaptogenesis. However, technical advances and causative evidence still need to be established before abnormal DNA methylation and ASD can be confidently associated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine W Tremblay
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Yong-Hui Jiang
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.,Departments of Pediatrics and Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA;
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Alshaban F, Aldosari M, Al‐Shammari H, El‐Hag S, Ghazal I, Tolefat M, Ali M, Kamal M, Abdel Aati N, Abeidah M, Saad AH, Dekair L, Al Khasawneh M, Ramsay K, Fombonne E. Prevalence and correlates of autism spectrum disorder in Qatar: a national study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2019; 60:1254-1268. [PMID: 31069792 PMCID: PMC6899566 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few epidemiological data on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exist for Arabic countries. We conducted the first survey of ASD in Qatar, a population with high consanguinity level. METHODS This cross-sectional survey was conducted from 2015 to 2018 in Qatar school-age children (N = 176,960) from national and immigrant families. Children diagnosed with ASD were identified through medical centers and special needs schools. Records were abstracted and supplemented by parental interviews. Additionally, children attending 93 schools were screened; ASD case status was confirmed in random samples of screen-positive and screen-negative children. Prevalence was estimated after taking into account different sampling fractions and participation rates at each survey phase. RESULTS One thousand three hundred and ninety-three children already diagnosed with ASD were identified. Among 9,074 school survey participants, 760 screen-negative children and 163 screen-positive children were evaluated; 17 were confirmed to have ASD including five children newly diagnosed. Prevalence was 1.14% (95% CI: 0.89-1.46) among 6- to 11-year-olds. ASD was reported in full siblings/extended relatives in 5.9% (95% CI: 0.042-0.080)/11.8% (95% CI: 0.095-0.146) families. First-degree consanguinity in Qatari cases (45%) was comparable to known population levels. Among 844 ASD cases (mean age: 7.2 years; 81% male), most children experienced language delay (words: 75.1%; phrase speech: 91.4%), and 19.4% reported developmental regression. At the time of the survey, persisting deficits in expressive language (19.4%) and peer interactions (14.0%) were reported in conjunction with behavioral problems (ADHD: 30.2%; anxiety: 11.0%). In multivariate logistic regression, ASD severity was associated with parental consanguinity, gestational diabetes, delay in walking, and developmental regression. CONCLUSIONS ASD prevalence in Qatar is consistent with recent international studies. The methods employed in this study should help designing comparable surveys in the region. We estimated that 187,000 youths under age 20 have ASD in Gulf countries. This figure should assist in planning health and educational services for a young, fast-growing population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fouad Alshaban
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI)Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityDohaQatar
| | | | - Hawraa Al‐Shammari
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI)Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityDohaQatar
| | - Saba El‐Hag
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI)Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityDohaQatar
| | - Iman Ghazal
- Neurological Disorders Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI)Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityDohaQatar
| | - Mohamed Tolefat
- Department of Clinical ServicesShafallah Center for Children with DisabilitiesDoha
| | - Mogahed Ali
- Department of Clinical ServicesShafallah Center for Children with DisabilitiesDoha
| | - Madeeha Kamal
- Department of PediatricsHamad Medical CorporationDohaQatar
| | | | | | | | - Lobna Dekair
- Department of PediatricsHamad Medical CorporationDohaQatar
| | | | - Katrina Ramsay
- Department of Public Health, Biostatistics and Design UnitOregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandORUSA
| | - Eric Fombonne
- Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Behavioral NeurosciencesOregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandORUSA
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Carlezon WA Jr, Kim W, Missig G, Finger BC, Landino SM, Alexander AJ, Mokler EL, Robbins JO, Li Y, Bolshakov VY, McDougle CJ, Kim KS. Maternal and early postnatal immune activation produce sex-specific effects on autism-like behaviors and neuroimmune function in mice. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16928. [PMID: 31729416 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53294-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests a role for inflammation in neuropsychiatric conditions including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental syndrome with higher prevalence in males than females. Here we examined the effects of early-life immune system activation (EIA)—comprising regimens of prenatal, early postnatal, or combined (“two-hit”) immune activation—on the core behavioral features of ASD (decreased social interaction, increased repetitive behavior, and aberrant communication) in C57BL/6J mice. We treated timed-pregnant mice with polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) on gestational day 12.5 to produce maternal immune activation (MIA). Some offspring also received lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on postnatal day 9 to produce postnatal immune activation (PIA). EIA produced disruptions in social behavior and increases in repetitive behaviors that were larger in males than in females. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) were altered in both sexes. Molecular studies revealed that EIA also produced prominent sex-specific changes in inflammation-related gene expression in the brain. Whereas both sexes showed increases in pro-inflammatory factors, as reflected by levels of mRNA and protein, expression of anti-inflammatory factors was decreased in males but increased in females. Our findings demonstrate that EIA can produce sex-specific behavioral effects and immune responses in the brain, and identify molecular processes that may contribute to resilience in females.
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Tong DL, Chen RG, Lu YL, Li WK, Zhang YF, Lin JK, He LJ, Dang T, Shan SF, Xu XH, Zhang Y, Zhang C, Du YS, Zhou WH, Wang X, Qiu Z. The critical role of ASD-related gene CNTNAP3 in regulating synaptic development and social behavior in mice. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 130:104486. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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Abstract
Mental illness exerts a major burden on human health, yet evidence-based treatments are rudimentary due to a limited understanding of the underlying pathologies. Clinical studies point to roles for the immune system in psychiatric diseases, while basic science has revealed that the brain has an active and multi-cellular resident immune system that interacts with peripheral immunity and impacts behavior. In this perspective, we highlight evidence of immune involvement in human psychiatric disease and review data from animal models that link immune signaling to neuronal function and behavior. We propose a conceptual framework for linking advances in basic neuroimmunology to their potential relevance for psychiatric diseases, based on the subtypes of immune responses defined in peripheral tissues. Our goal is to identify novel areas of focus for future basic and translational studies that may reveal the potential of the immune system for diagnosing and treating mental illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. C. Bennett
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of Pennsylvania, The Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - A. V. Molofsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for NeurosciencesUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
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Sestan N, State MW. Lost in Translation: Traversing the Complex Path from Genomics to Therapeutics in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neuron 2019; 100:406-423. [PMID: 30359605 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Revised: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent progress in the genomics of non-syndromic autism spectrum disorder (nsASD) highlights rare, large-effect, germline, heterozygous de novo coding mutations. This distinguishes nsASD from later-onset psychiatric disorders where gene discovery efforts have predominantly yielded common alleles of small effect. These differences point to distinctive opportunities for clarifying the neurobiology of nsASD and developing novel treatments. We argue that the path ahead also presents key challenges, including distinguishing human pathophysiology from the potentially pleiotropic neurobiology mediated by established risk genes. We present our view of some of the conceptual limitations of traditional studies of model organisms, suggest a strategy focused on investigating the convergence of multiple nsASD genes, and propose that the detailed characterization of the molecular and cellular landscapes of developing human brain is essential to illuminate disease mechanisms. Finally, we address how recent advances are leading to novel strategies for therapeutics that target various points along the path from genes to behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nenad Sestan
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Departments of Genetics, of Psychiatry, and of Comparative Medicine, Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, and Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry, Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, Quantitative Biosciences Institute, Institute for Human Genetics, and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Theoharides TC, Kavalioti M, Tsilioni I. Mast Cells, Stress, Fear and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E3611. [PMID: 31344805 PMCID: PMC6696098 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20153611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition characterized by impaired communication and obsessive behavior that affects 1 in 59 children. ASD is expected to affect 1 in about 40 children by 2020, but there is still no distinct pathogenesis or effective treatments. Prenatal stress has been associated with higher risk of developing ASD in the offspring. Moreover, children with ASD cannot handle anxiety and respond disproportionately even to otherwise benign triggers. Stress and environmental stimuli trigger the unique immune cells, mast cells, which could then trigger microglia leading to abnormal synaptic pruning and dysfunctional neuronal connectivity. This process could alter the "fear threshold" in the amygdala and lead to an exaggerated "fight-or-flight" reaction. The combination of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), secreted under stress, together with environmental stimuli could be major contributors to the pathogenesis of ASD. Recognizing these associations and preventing stimulation of mast cells and/or microglia could greatly benefit ASD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theoharis C Theoharides
- Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
- Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
| | - Maria Kavalioti
- Graduate Program in Education, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Irene Tsilioni
- Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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Guo B, Chen J, Chen Q, Ren K, Feng D, Mao H, Yao H, Yang J, Liu H, Liu Y, Jia F, Qi C, Lynn-Jones T, Hu H, Fu Z, Feng G, Wang W, Wu S. Anterior cingulate cortex dysfunction underlies social deficits in Shank3 mutant mice. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:1223-1234. [DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0445-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David A Ross
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Daniel Moreno De Luca
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
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Pittenger C. The histidine decarboxylase model of tic pathophysiology: a new focus on the histamine H 3 receptor. Br J Pharmacol 2019; 177:570-579. [PMID: 30714121 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Histamine dysregulation was implicated as a rare cause of Tourette syndrome and other tic disorders a decade ago by a landmark genetic study in a high density family pedigree, which implicated a hypomorphic mutation in the histidine decarboxylase (Hdc) gene as a rare but high penetrance genetic cause. Studies in Hdc knockout (KO) mice have confirmed that this mutation causes tic-relevant behavioural and neurochemical abnormalities that parallel what is seen in patients and thus validate the KO as a potentially informative model of tic pathophysiology. Recent studies have focused on the potential role of the histamine H3 receptor in this model, and by association in tic disorders and related neuropsychiatric conditions. The H3 receptor is up-regulated in the striatum in Hdc KO mice. As the H3 receptor has constitutive activity in the absence of ligand, this receptor up-regulation may have significant cellular effects despite the absence of neurotransmitter histamine in these mice. Activation in vivo of H3 receptors in wild type mice regulates signalling in striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) that interacts non-linearly with dopamine receptor signalling. Baseline signalling alterations in MSNs in Hdc KO mice resemble those seen after H3 receptor agonist treatment in wild type animals. H3 receptor agonist treatment in the KOs further accentuates most of these signalling abnormalities and produces behavioural stereotypy. Together, these data suggest the intriguing hypothesis that constitutive signalling by up-regulated H3 receptors explains many of the molecular and behavioural abnormalities seen in these animals. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on New Uses for 21st Century. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v177.3/issuetoc.
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Angelakos CC, Tudor JC, Ferri SL, Jongens TA, Abel T. Home-cage hypoactivity in mouse genetic models of autism spectrum disorder. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 165:107000. [PMID: 30797034 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide association and whole exome sequencing studies from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) patient populations have implicated numerous risk factor genes whose mutation or deletion results in significantly increased incidence of ASD. Behavioral studies of monogenic mutant mouse models of ASD-associated genes have been useful for identifying aberrant neural circuitry. However, behavioral results often differ from lab to lab, and studies incorporating both males and females are often not performed despite the significant sex-bias of ASD. In this study, we sought to investigate the simple, passive behavior of home-cage activity monitoring across multiple 24-h days in four different monogenic mouse models of ASD: Shank3b-/-, Cntnap2-/-, Pcdh10+/-, and Fmr1 knockout mice. Relative to sex-matched wildtype (WT) littermates, we discovered significant home-cage hypoactivity, particularly in the dark (active) phase of the light/dark cycle, in male mice of all four ASD-associated transgenic models. For Cntnap2-/- and Pcdh10+/- mice, these activity alterations were sex-specific, as female mice did not exhibit home-cage activity differences relative to sex-matched WT controls. These home-cage hypoactivity alterations differ from activity findings previously reported using short-term activity measurements in a novel open field. Despite circadian problems reported in human ASD patients, none of the mouse models studied had alterations in free-running circadian period. Together, these findings highlight a shared phenotype across several monogenic mouse models of ASD, outline the importance of methodology on behavioral interpretation, and in some genetic lines parallel the male-enhanced phenotypic presentation observed in human ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher C Angelakos
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Jennifer C Tudor
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, United States
| | - Sarah L Ferri
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Thomas A Jongens
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States.
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Abraham J, Szoko N, Natowicz MR. Proteomic Investigations of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Past Findings, Current Challenges, and Future Prospects. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-05542-4_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Xu Q, Liu YY, Wang X, Tan GH, Li HP, Hulbert SW, Li CY, Hu CC, Xiong ZQ, Xu X, Jiang YH. Autism-associated CHD8 deficiency impairs axon development and migration of cortical neurons. Mol Autism 2018; 9:65. [PMID: 30574290 PMCID: PMC6299922 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0244-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mutations in CHD8, chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 8, are among the most replicated and common findings in genetic studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The CHD8 protein is believed to act as a transcriptional regulator by remodeling chromatin structure and recruiting histone H1 to target genes. The mechanism by which deficiency of CHD8 causes ASD has not been fully elucidated. Methods We examined the expression of CHD8 in human and mouse brains using both immunohistochemistry and RNA in situ hybridization. We performed in utero electroporation, neuronal culture, and biochemical analysis using RNAi to examine the functional consequences of CHD8 deficiency. Results We discovered that CHD8 is expressed highly in neurons and at low levels in glia cells in both humans and mice. Specifically, CHD8 is localized predominately in the nucleus of both MAP2 and parvalbumin-positive neurons. In the developing mouse brain, expression of Chd8 peaks from E16 to E18 and then decreases significantly at P14 to adulthood. Knockdown of Chd8 results in reduced axon and dendritic growth, disruption of axon projections to the contralateral cortex, and delayed neuronal migration at E18.5 which recovers by P3 and P7. Conclusion Our findings indicate an important role for CHD8 in dendritic and axon development and neuronal migration and thus offer novel insights to further dissect the underlying molecular and circuit mechanisms of ASD caused by CHD8 deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Xu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102 China
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, 27710 NC USA
| | - Yuan-yuan Liu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine & Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedicine, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021 Guangxi China
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, 27710 NC USA
| | - Guo-he Tan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine & Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedicine, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021 Guangxi China
| | - Hui-ping Li
- Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102 China
| | - Samuel W. Hulbert
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, 27710 NC USA
| | - Chun-yang Li
- Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102 China
| | - Chun-chun Hu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102 China
| | - Zhi-qi Xiong
- Institute of Neuroscience & State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Xiu Xu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102 China
| | - Yong-hui Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, 27710 NC USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, 27710 NC USA
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, 27710 NC USA
- Cellular Molecular Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, 27710 NC USA
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Tsilioni I, Theoharides TC. Extracellular vesicles are increased in the serum of children with autism spectrum disorder, contain mitochondrial DNA, and stimulate human microglia to secrete IL-1β. J Neuroinflammation 2018; 15:239. [PMID: 30149804 PMCID: PMC6112123 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-018-1275-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been associated with brain inflammation as indicated by the activation of microglia, but the triggers are not known. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted from many cells in the blood and other biological fluids and carry molecules that could influence the function of target cells. EVs have been recently implicated in several diseases, but their presence or function in ASD has not been studied. Methods EVs were isolated from the serum of children with ASD (n = 20, 16 males and 4 females, 4–12 years old) and unrelated age and sex-matched normotypic controls (n = 8, 6 males and 2 females, 4–12 years old) using the exoEasy Qiagen kit. EVs were characterized by determining the CD9 and CD81 membrane-associated markers with Western blot analysis, while their morphology and size were assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Human microglia SV40 were cultured for 24 h and then stimulated with EVs (1 or 5 μg/mL), quantitated as total EV-associated protein, for 24 or 48 h. IL-1β secretion was measured by ELISA. The results were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U non-parametric test, and all statistical analyses were performed using Graph Pad Prism 5. Results EVs were isolated and shown to be spherical structures (about 100 nm) surrounded by a membrane. Total EV-associated protein was found to be significantly increased (p = 0.02) in patients as compared to normotypic controls. EVs (5 μg/mL) isolated from the serum of patients with ASD stimulated cultured human microglia to secrete significantly more of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin IL-1β (163.5 ± 13.34 pg/mL) as compared to the control (117.7 ± 3.96 pg/mL, p < 0.0001). The amount of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA7S) contained in EVs from children with ASD was found to be increased (p = 0.046) compared to the normotypic controls. Conclusions These findings provide novel information that may help explain what triggers inflammation in the brain of children with ASD and could lead to novel effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Tsilioni
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Suite J304, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Theoharis C Theoharides
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Suite J304, Boston, MA, 02111, USA. .,Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. .,Department of Internal Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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Parras A, Anta H, Santos-Galindo M, Swarup V, Elorza A, Nieto-González JL, Picó S, Hernández IH, Díaz-Hernández JI, Belloc E, Rodolosse A, Parikshak NN, Peñagarikano O, Fernández-Chacón R, Irimia M, Navarro P, Geschwind DH, Méndez R, Lucas JJ. Autism-like phenotype and risk gene mRNA deadenylation by CPEB4 mis-splicing. Nature 2018; 560:441-446. [PMID: 30111840 PMCID: PMC6217926 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0423-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Common genetic contributions to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) reside in risk gene variants that individually have minimal effect sizes. As environmental factors that perturb neurodevelopment also underlie idiopathic ASD, it is crucial to identify altered regulators that can orchestrate multiple ASD risk genes during neurodevelopment. Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding proteins 1-4 (CPEB1-4) regulate the translation of specific mRNAs by modulating their poly(A)-tails and thereby participate in embryonic development and synaptic plasticity. Here we find that CPEB4 binds transcripts of most high-confidence ASD risk genes. The brains of individuals with idiopathic ASD show imbalances in CPEB4 transcript isoforms that result from decreased inclusion of a neuron-specific microexon. In addition, 9% of the transcriptome shows reduced poly(A)-tail length. Notably, this percentage is much higher for high-confidence ASD risk genes, correlating with reduced expression of the protein products of ASD risk genes. An equivalent imbalance in CPEB4 transcript isoforms in mice mimics the changes in mRNA polyadenylation and protein expression of ASD risk genes and induces ASD-like neuroanatomical, electrophysiological and behavioural phenotypes. Together, these data identify CPEB4 as a regulator of ASD risk genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Parras
- Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO) CSIC/UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Héctor Anta
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.,Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Santos-Galindo
- Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO) CSIC/UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vivek Swarup
- Department of Neurology, Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ainara Elorza
- Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO) CSIC/UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - José L Nieto-González
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla and Departamento de Fisiología Médica y Biofísica, Seville, Spain
| | - Sara Picó
- Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO) CSIC/UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ivó H Hernández
- Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO) CSIC/UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología (Unidad Docente Fisiología Animal), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan I Díaz-Hernández
- Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO) CSIC/UAM, Madrid, Spain.,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eulàlia Belloc
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Annie Rodolosse
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Neelroop N Parikshak
- Department of Neurology, Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Olga Peñagarikano
- Department of Neurology, Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Fernández-Chacón
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla and Departamento de Fisiología Médica y Biofísica, Seville, Spain
| | - Manuel Irimia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pilar Navarro
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Department of Neurology, Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Raúl Méndez
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - José J Lucas
- Centro de Biología Molecular 'Severo Ochoa' (CBMSO) CSIC/UAM, Madrid, Spain. .,Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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Willsey AJ, Morris MT, Wang S, Willsey HR, Sun N, Teerikorpi N, Baum TB, Cagney G, Bender KJ, Desai TA, Srivastava D, Davis GW, Doudna J, Chang E, Sohal V, Lowenstein DH, Li H, Agard D, Keiser MJ, Shoichet B, von Zastrow M, Mucke L, Finkbeiner S, Gan L, Sestan N, Ward ME, Huttenhain R, Nowakowski TJ, Bellen HJ, Frank LM, Khokha MK, Lifton RP, Kampmann M, Ideker T, State MW, Krogan NJ. The Psychiatric Cell Map Initiative: A Convergent Systems Biological Approach to Illuminating Key Molecular Pathways in Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Cell 2018; 174:505-520. [PMID: 30053424 PMCID: PMC6247911 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Although gene discovery in neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and Tourette disorder, has accelerated, resulting in a large number of molecular clues, it has proven difficult to generate specific hypotheses without the corresponding datasets at the protein complex and functional pathway level. Here, we describe one path forward-an initiative aimed at mapping the physical and genetic interaction networks of these conditions and then using these maps to connect the genomic data to neurobiology and, ultimately, the clinic. These efforts will include a team of geneticists, structural biologists, neurobiologists, systems biologists, and clinicians, leveraging a wide array of experimental approaches and creating a collaborative infrastructure necessary for long-term investigation. This initiative will ultimately intersect with parallel studies that focus on other diseases, as there is a significant overlap with genes implicated in cancer, infectious disease, and congenital heart defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Jeremy Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Montana T Morris
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Sheng Wang
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Helen R Willsey
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nawei Sun
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nia Teerikorpi
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Tierney B Baum
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Gerard Cagney
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Kevin J Bender
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Tejal A Desai
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Deepak Srivastava
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Graeme W Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jennifer Doudna
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; MBIB Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Edward Chang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Vikaas Sohal
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Daniel H Lowenstein
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Hao Li
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - David Agard
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Michael J Keiser
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Brian Shoichet
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Mark von Zastrow
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Lennart Mucke
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Li Gan
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nenad Sestan
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Michael E Ward
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ruth Huttenhain
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Tomasz J Nowakowski
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Neuroscience, Neurological Research Institute at TCH, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Loren M Frank
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Mustafa K Khokha
- Pediatric Genomics Discovery Program, Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Richard P Lifton
- Laboratory of Human Genetics and Genomics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Martin Kampmann
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Trey Ideker
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Matthew W State
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nevan J Krogan
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Wang X, Kery R, Xiong Q. Synaptopathology in autism spectrum disorders: Complex effects of synaptic genes on neural circuits. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:398-415. [PMID: 28986278 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xinxing Wang
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Rachel Kery
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Qiaojie Xiong
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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Ratnaseelan AM, Tsilioni I, Theoharides TC. Effects of Mycotoxins on Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Immune Processes. Clin Ther 2018; 40:903-917. [PMID: 29880330 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The effects of air pollutants have been receiving increased attention both clinically and in the media. One such pollutant is mold, fungal growth in the form of multicellular filaments known as hyphae. The growth of molds is omnipresent not only in outdoor settings but also in indoor environments containing excessive amounts of moisture. METHODS PubMed was searched for relevant articles using terms such as mold, mycotoxins, fungi, immunity, inflammation, neurodevelopment, cognition, Alzheimer's, and autism. FINDINGS Exposure to molds is most commonly associated with allergies and asthma. However, it is now thought to be associated with many complex health problems, since some molds, especially Trichoderma, Fusarium and Stachybotrys spp, produce mycotoxins that are absorbed from the skin, airways, and intestinal lining. People exposed to molds and mycotoxins present with symptoms affecting multiple organs, including the lungs, musculoskeletal system, as well as the central and peripheral nervous systems. Furthermore, evidence has recently implicated exposure to mycotoxins in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder. The effects of mycotoxins can be mediated via different pathways that include the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially from mast cells. IMPLICATIONS The information reviewed indicates that exposure to mold and mycotoxins can affect the nervous system, directly or through immune cell activation, thus contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarane M Ratnaseelan
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Irene Tsilioni
- Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Theoharis C Theoharides
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Internal Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Luo W, Zhang C, Jiang YH, Brouwer CR. Systematic reconstruction of autism biology from massive genetic mutation profiles. Sci Adv 2018; 4:e1701799. [PMID: 29651456 PMCID: PMC5895441 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1% of world population and has become a pressing medical and social problem worldwide. As a paradigmatic complex genetic disease, ASD has been intensively studied and thousands of gene mutations have been reported. Because these mutations rarely recur, it is difficult to (i) pinpoint the fewer disease-causing versus majority random events and (ii) replicate or verify independent studies. A coherent and systematic understanding of autism biology has not been achieved. We analyzed 3392 and 4792 autism-related mutations from two large-scale whole-exome studies across multiple resolution levels, that is, variants (single-nucleotide), genes (protein-coding unit), and pathways (molecular module). These mutations do not recur or replicate at the variant level, but significantly and increasingly do so at gene and pathway levels. Genetic association reveals a novel gene + pathway dual-hit model, where the mutation burden becomes less relevant. In multiple independent analyses, hundreds of variants or genes repeatedly converge to several canonical pathways, either novel or literature-supported. These pathways define recurrent and systematic ASD biology, distinct from previously reported gene groups or networks. They also present a catalog of novel ASD risk factors including 118 variants and 72 genes. At a subpathway level, most variants disrupt the pathway-related gene functions, and in the same gene, they tend to hit residues extremely close to each other and in the same domain. Multiple interacting variants spotlight key modules, including the cAMP (adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate) second-messenger system and mGluR (metabotropic glutamate receptor) signaling regulation by GRKs (G protein-coupled receptor kinases). At a superpathway level, distinct pathways further interconnect and converge to three biology themes: synaptic function, morphology, and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijun Luo
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
- UNC Charlotte Bioinformatics Service Division, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
| | - Chaolin Zhang
- Department of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yong-hui Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Program in Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Cory R. Brouwer
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
- UNC Charlotte Bioinformatics Service Division, North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
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Moazen-Zadeh E, Shirzad F, Karkhaneh-Yousefi MA, Khezri R, Mohammadi MR, Akhondzadeh S. Simvastatin as an Adjunctive Therapy to Risperidone in Treatment of Autism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2018; 28:82-89. [PMID: 28719227 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2017.0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Providing novel treatments for autism has been a subject of long-standing research. Based on etiopathological findings, we aim at assessing potential therapeutic effects of statins, here simvastatin, on autism symptoms for the first time. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group 10-week clinical trial, 70 drug-free children aged 4 to 12 years old with diagnosis of autistic disorder based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, who had an Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community (ABC-C) scale irritability subscale score of ≥12, were equally randomized to receive either simvastatin (20-40 mg/day) or placebo as an adjunct to risperidone (1-2 mg/day) whereas administration of both drugs was started simultaneously from baseline. Patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders, active medical conditions, severe intellectual disability, seizure disorders, history of any treatments for autism in the past 6 months, or history of current anti-inflammatory drug consumption were excluded. Primary outcome was defined as the difference in mean change of the ABC-C scale irritability subscale score from baseline to the endpoint ( www.irct.ir ; IRCT201602041556N86). RESULTS Significant differences in change of the ABC-C scale irritability (mean difference [95% confidence interval (CI)] = -3.45 [-5.37 to -1.54], p = 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.89) and hyperactivity/noncompliance (mean difference [95% CI] = -4.27 [-6.69 to -1.86], p = 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.87) subscales scores were detected between the two arms. No significant difference was detected in case of the other three subscales. CONCLUSIONS This study provides preliminary evidence for potential therapeutic effects of simvastatin in the treatment of autism that warrants further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Moazen-Zadeh
- Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Shirzad
- Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Rasoul Khezri
- Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Reza Mohammadi
- Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahin Akhondzadeh
- Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
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Petrelli F, Bezzi P. mGlu5-mediated signalling in developing astrocyte and the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 48:139-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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47
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Wang P, Zhao D, Lachman HM, Zheng D. Enriched expression of genes associated with autism spectrum disorders in human inhibitory neurons. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:13. [PMID: 29317598 PMCID: PMC5802446 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-017-0058-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is highly heritable but genetically heterogeneous. The affected neural circuits and cell types remain unclear and may vary at different developmental stages. By analyzing multiple sets of human single cell transcriptome profiles, we found that ASD candidates showed relatively enriched gene expression in neurons, especially in inhibitory neurons. ASD candidates were also more likely to be the hubs of the co-expression gene module that is highly expressed in inhibitory neurons, a feature not detected for excitatory neurons. In addition, we found that upregulated genes in multiple ASD cortex samples were enriched with genes highly expressed in inhibitory neurons, suggesting a potential increase of inhibitory neurons and an imbalance in the ratio between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in ASD brains. Furthermore, the downstream targets of several ASD candidates, such as CHD8, EHMT1 and SATB2, also displayed enriched expression in inhibitory neurons. Taken together, our analyses of single cell transcriptomic data suggest that inhibitory neurons may be a major neuron subtype affected by the disruption of ASD gene networks, providing single cell functional evidence to support the excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalance hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Wang
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Dejian Zhao
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Herbert M Lachman
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY, USA.
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48
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Fakhoury M. Imaging genetics in autism spectrum disorders: Linking genetics and brain imaging in the pursuit of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 80:101-114. [PMID: 28322981 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) include a wide range of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental conditions that affect an individual in several aspects of social communication and behavior. Recent advances in molecular genetic technologies have dramatically increased our understanding of ASD etiology through the identification of several autism risk genes, most of which serve important functions in synaptic plasticity and protein synthesis. However, despite significant progress in this field of research, the characterization of the neurobiological mechanisms by which common genetic risk variants might operate to give rise to ASD symptomatology has proven to be far more difficult than expected. The imaging genetics approach holds great promise for advancing our understanding of ASD etiology by bridging the gap between genetic variations and their resultant biological effects on the brain. This paper provides a conceptual overview of the contribution of genetics in ASD and discusses key findings from the emerging field of imaging genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Fakhoury
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7, Canada.
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49
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Abstract
The cerebellum has long been known for its importance in motor learning and coordination. However, increasing evidence supports a role for the cerebellum in cognition and emotion. Consistent with a role in cognitive functions, the cerebellum has emerged as one of the key brain regions affected in nonmotor disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Here, we discuss behavioral, postmortem, genetic, and neuroimaging studies in humans in order to understand the cerebellar contributions to the pathogenesis of both disorders. We also review relevant animal model findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muriel M K Bruchhage
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria-Pia Bucci
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Esther B E Becker
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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50
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Yang C, Li J, Wu Q, Yang X, Huang AY, Zhang J, Ye AY, Dou Y, Yan L, Zhou WZ, Kong L, Wang M, Ai C, Yang D, Wei L. AutismKB 2.0: a knowledgebase for the genetic evidence of autism spectrum disorder. Database (Oxford) 2018; 2018:5134097. [PMID: 30339214 PMCID: PMC6193446 DOI: 10.1093/database/bay106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with strong genetic contributions. To provide a comprehensive resource for the genetic evidence of ASD, we have updated the Autism KnowledgeBase (AutismKB) to version 2.0. AutismKB 2.0 integrates multiscale genetic data on 1379 genes, 5420 copy number variations and structural variations, 11 669 single-nucleotide variations or small insertions/deletions (SNVs/indels) and 172 linkage regions. In particular, AutismKB 2.0 highlights 5669 de novo SNVs/indels due to their significant contribution to ASD genetics and includes 789 mosaic variants due to their recently discovered contributions to ASD pathogenesis. The genes and variants are annotated extensively with genetic evidence and clinical evidence. To help users fully understand the functional consequences of SNVs and small indels, we provided comprehensive predictions of pathogenicity with iFish, SIFT, Polyphen etc. To improve user experiences, the new version incorporates multiple query methods, including simple query, advanced query and batch query. It also functionally integrates two analytical tools to help users perform downstream analyses, including a gene ranking tool and an enrichment analysis tool, KOBAS. AutismKB 2.0 is freely available and can be a valuable resource for researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhong Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiarui Li
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qixi Wu
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxu Yang
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - August Yue Huang
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China.,Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Adam Yongxin Ye
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanmei Dou
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Linlin Yan
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei-Zhen Zhou
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory for Molecular Diagnostics of Cardiovascular Diseases, Diagnostic Laboratory Service, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Kong
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Ai
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Dechang Yang
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Liping Wei
- Center for Bioinformatics, State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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