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Gao Q, Bi D, Li B, Ni M, Pang D, Li X, Zhang X, Xu Y, Zhao Q, Zhu C. The Association Between Branched-Chain Amino Acid Concentrations and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Preschool-Aged Children. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-03965-4. [PMID: 38265552 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-03965-4] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Several studies have linked branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism disorders with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the results have been inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between BCAA concentrations and the risk of ASD. A total of 313 participants were recruited from two tertiary referral hospitals from May 2018 to July 2021. Concentrations of BCAAs in dried blood spots were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based analysis. Multivariate analyses and restricted cubic spline models were used to identify the association between BCAAs and the risk of ASD, and a nomogram was developed by using multivariate logistic regression and the risk was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and calibration curve analysis. Concentrations of total BCAA, valine, and leucine/isoleucine were higher in the ASD group, and all of them were positively and non-linearly associated with the risk of ASD even after adjusting for potential confounding factors such as age, gender, body mass index, and concentrations of BCAAs (P < 0.05). The nomogram integrating total BCAA and valine showed a good discriminant AUC value of 0.756 (95% CI 0.676-0.835). The model could yield net benefits across a reasonable range of risk thresholds. In the stratified analysis, the diagnostic ability of the model was more pronounced in children older than 3 years. We provide evidence that increased levels of BCAAs are associated with the risk of ASD, and the nomogram model of BCAAs presented here can serve as a marker for the early diagnosis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Gao
- Key Clinical Laboratory of Henan Province, Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Dan Bi
- Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, No. 107, Wen Hua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Bingbing Li
- Henan Key Laboratory of Child Brain Injury and Henan Pediatric Clinical Research Center, Third Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Neuroscience of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Min Ni
- Department of Henan Newborn Screening Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450054, China
| | - Dizhou Pang
- Center for Child Behavioral Development, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Xian Li
- Henan Key Laboratory of Children's Genetics and Metabolic Diseases, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Child Brain Injury and Henan Pediatric Clinical Research Center, Third Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Neuroscience of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yiran Xu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Child Brain Injury and Henan Pediatric Clinical Research Center, Third Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Neuroscience of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- Key Clinical Laboratory of Henan Province, Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Changlian Zhu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Child Brain Injury and Henan Pediatric Clinical Research Center, Third Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Neuroscience of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Tian S, Peng C, Xing H, Xue Y, Li J, Wang E. Boosting Photon Emission from the Chemiluminescence of Luminol Based on Host-Guest Recognition for the Determination of Dopamine. Anal Chem 2024; 96:514-521. [PMID: 38145394 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c04645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Modulating the photon emission of the luminophore for boosting chemiluminescence (CL) response is very crucial for the construction of highly sensitive sensors via the introduction of functionalized materials. Herein, the integration of the emitter and coreactant accelerator into one entity is realized by simply assembling cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) through simple assembly via a Au-O bond. The loaded CB[7] on the AuNPs improves their catalytic capacity for the generation of hydroxyl radicals(•OH). Moreover, the host-guest recognition interaction between luminol and CB[7] enables the capture of luminol on AuNPs efficiently. Also, the intramolecular electron-transfer reaction between the luminol and •OH enables the CL response more effectively in the entity, which greatly boosts photon emission ca 100 folds compared with the individual luminol/H2O2. The host-guest recognition between luminol and CB[7] is revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electrochemical, and thermogravimetric characterization. Moreover, the proposed CL system is successfully used for the sensitive and selective determination of dopamine (DA) based on a synergistic quenching mechanism including the competition quenching and radical-scavenging effect from DA. The present amplified strategy by integrating recognized and amplified elements within one entity simplifies the sensing process and holds great potential for sensitive analysis based on the self-enhanced strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sipeng Tian
- College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130012, China
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Chao Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Huanhuan Xing
- Institute of Materials Science and Devices, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215011, China
| | - Yuan Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Erkang Wang
- College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130012, China
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
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Cubello J, Marvin E, Conrad K, Merrill AK, George JV, Welle K, Jackson BP, Chalupa D, Oberdörster G, Sobolewski M, Cory-Slechta DA. The contributions of neonatal inhalation of copper to air pollution-induced neurodevelopmental outcomes in mice. Neurotoxicology 2024; 100:55-71. [PMID: 38081392 PMCID: PMC10842733 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.12.007] [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: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Exposures to ambient ultrafine particle (UFP) air pollution (AP) during the early postnatal period in mice (equivalent to human third trimester brain development) produce male-biased changes in brain structure, including ventriculomegaly, reduced brain myelination, alterations in neurotransmitters and glial activation, as well as impulsive-like behavioral characteristics, all of which are also features characteristic of male-biased neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent to which inhaled Cu, a common contaminant of AP that is also dysregulated across multiple NDDs, might contribute to these phenotypes. For this purpose, C57BL/6J mice were exposed from postnatal days 4-7 and 10-13 for 4 hr/day to inhaled copper oxide (CuxOy) nanoparticles at an environmentally relevant concentration averaging 171.9 ng/m3. Changes in brain metal homeostasis and neurotransmitter levels were determined following termination of exposure (postnatal day 14), while behavioral changes were assessed in adulthood. CuxOy inhalation modified cortical metal homeostasis and produced male-biased disruption of striatal neurotransmitters, with marked increases in dopaminergic function, as well as excitatory/inhibitory imbalance and reductions in serotonergic function. Impulsive-like behaviors in a fixed ratio (FR) waiting-for-reward schedule and a fixed interval (FI) schedule of food reward occurred in both sexes, but more prominently in males, effects which could not be attributed to altered locomotor activity or short-term memory. Inhaled Cu as from AP exposures, at environmentally relevant levels experienced during development, may contribute to impaired brain function, as shown by its ability to disrupt brain metal homeostasis and striatal neurotransmission. In addition, its ability to evoke impulsive-like behavior, particularly in male offspring, may be related to striatal dopaminergic dysfunction that is known to mediate such behaviors. As such, regulation of air Cu levels may be protective of public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Cubello
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
| | - Elena Marvin
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Katherine Conrad
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Alyssa K Merrill
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Jithin V George
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Kevin Welle
- Proteomics Core, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - David Chalupa
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Günter Oberdörster
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Marissa Sobolewski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Deborah A Cory-Slechta
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
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Maussion G, Rocha C, Abdian N, Yang D, Turk J, Carrillo Valenzuela D, Pimentel L, You Z, Morquette B, Nicouleau M, Deneault E, Higgins S, Chen CXQ, Reintsch WE, Ho S, Soubannier V, Lépine S, Modrusan Z, Lund J, Stephenson W, Schubert R, Durcan TM. Transcriptional Dysregulation and Impaired Neuronal Activity in FMR1 Knock-Out and Fragile X Patients' iPSC-Derived Models. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14926. [PMID: 37834379 PMCID: PMC10573568 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914926] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by a repression of the FMR1 gene that codes the Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), an RNA binding protein involved in processes that are crucial for proper brain development. To better understand the consequences of the absence of FMRP, we analyzed gene expression profiles and activities of cortical neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and neurons obtained from FXS patients' induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) and IPSC-derived cells from FMR1 knock-out engineered using CRISPR-CAS9 technology. Multielectrode array recordings revealed in FMR1 KO and FXS patient cells, decreased mean firing rates; activities blocked by tetrodotoxin application. Increased expression of presynaptic mRNA and transcription factors involved in the forebrain specification and decreased levels of mRNA coding AMPA and NMDA subunits were observed using RNA sequencing on FMR1 KO neurons and validated using quantitative PCR in both models. Intriguingly, 40% of the differentially expressed genes were commonly deregulated between NPCs and differentiating neurons with significant enrichments in FMRP targets and autism-related genes found amongst downregulated genes. Our findings suggest that the absence of FMRP affects transcriptional profiles since the NPC stage, and leads to impaired activity and neuronal differentiation over time, which illustrates the critical role of FMRP protein in neuronal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilles Maussion
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Cecilia Rocha
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Narges Abdian
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Dimitri Yang
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Julien Turk
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Dulce Carrillo Valenzuela
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Luisa Pimentel
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Zhipeng You
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Barbara Morquette
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Michael Nicouleau
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Eric Deneault
- Regulatory Research Division, Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Samuel Higgins
- Roche Sequencing, Computational Science and Informatics, Roche Molecular Systems, Santa Clara, CA 95050, USA
| | - Carol X.-Q. Chen
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Wolfgang E. Reintsch
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Stanley Ho
- Research and Early Development, Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA 94588, USA
| | - Vincent Soubannier
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
| | - Sarah Lépine
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Rajib Schubert
- Research and Early Development, Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA 94588, USA
| | - Thomas M. Durcan
- The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; (G.M.); (C.R.)
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5
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Pavăl D. The dopamine hypothesis of autism spectrum disorder: A comprehensive analysis of the evidence. Int Rev Neurobiol 2023; 173:1-42. [PMID: 37993174 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.08.009] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Despite intensive research into the etiopathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), limited progress has been achieved so far. Among the plethora of models seeking to clarify how ASD arises, a coherent dopaminergic model was lacking until recently. In 2017, we provided a theoretical framework that we designated "the dopamine hypothesis of ASD". In the meantime, numerous studies yielded empirical evidence for this model. 4 years later, we provided a second version encompassing a refined and reconceptualized framework that accounted for these novel findings. In this chapter, we will review the evidence backing the previous versions of our model and add the most recent developments to the picture. Along these lines, we intend to lay out a comprehensive analysis of the supporting evidence for the dopamine hypothesis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Pavăl
- The Romanian Association for Autoimmune Encephalitis, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Psychiatry, "Iuliu Hațieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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Li Y, Zhu M, Chen WX, Luo J, Li X, Cao Y, Zheng M, Ma S, Xiao Z, Zhang Y, Jiang L, Wang X, Tan T, Li X, Gong Q, Xiong X, Wang J, Tang M, Li M, Tang YP. A novel mutation in intron 1 of Wnt1 causes developmental loss of dopaminergic neurons in midbrain and ASD-like behaviors in rats. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3795-3805. [PMID: 37658228 PMCID: PMC10730402 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02223-8] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with a strong genetic liability. Despite extensive studies, however, the underlying pathogenic mechanism still remains elusive. In the present study, we identified a homozygous mutation in the intron 1 of Wnt1 via large-scale screening of ASD risk/causative genes and verified that this mutation created a new splicing donor site in the intron 1, and consequently, a decrease of WNT1 expression. Interestingly, humanized rat models harboring this mutation exhibited robust ASD-like behaviors including impaired ultrasonic vocalization (USV), decreased social interactions, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Moreover, in the substantia nigra compacta (SNpc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of mutant rats, dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons were dramatically lost, together with a comparable decrease in striatal DAergic fibers. Furthermore, using single-cell RNA sequencing, we demonstrated that the decreased DAergic neurons in these midbrain areas might attribute to a shift of the boundary of the local pool of progenitor cells from the hypothalamic floor plate to the midbrain floor plate during the early embryonic stage. Moreover, treatments of mutant rats with levodopa could attenuate the impaired USV and social interactions almost completely, but not the restricted and repetitive behaviors. Our results for the first time documented that the developmental loss of DAergic neurons in the midbrain underlies the pathogenesis of ASD, and that the abnormal progenitor cell patterning is a cellular underpinning for this developmental DAergic neuronal loss. Importantly, the effective dopamine therapy suggests a translational significance in the treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyi Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Mingwei Zhu
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Wen-Xiong Chen
- Department of Neurology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Jing Luo
- School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Xin Li
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Yangyang Cao
- Department of Child Health, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China
| | - Meng Zheng
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Shanshan Ma
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zhilan Xiao
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Yani Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Linyan Jiang
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Xiumin Wang
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Ting Tan
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Xia Li
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Qian Gong
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Xiaoli Xiong
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Child Health, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China
| | - Mingxi Tang
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, China.
| | - Mingtao Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Ya-Ping Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510623, China.
- Department of Child Health, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China.
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Finszter CK, Kemecsei R, Zachar G, Holtkamp S, Echevarría D, Adorján I, Ádám Á, Csillag A. Early cellular and synaptic changes in dopaminoceptive forebrain regions of juvenile mice following gestational exposure to valproate. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1235047. [PMID: 37603782 PMCID: PMC10435871 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1235047] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Gestational exposure of mice to valproic acid (VPA) is one currently used experimental model for the investigation of typical failure symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the present study we hypothesized that the reduction of dopaminergic source neurons of the VTA, followed by perturbed growth of the mesotelencephalic dopamine pathway (MT), should also modify pattern formation in the dopaminoceptive target regions (particularly its mesoaccumbens/mesolimbic portion). Here, we investigated VPA-evoked cellular morphological (apoptosis-frequency detected by Caspase-3, abundance of Ca-binding proteins, CaBP), as well as synaptic proteomic (western blotting) changes, in selected dopaminoceptive subpallial, as compared to pallial, regions of mice, born to mothers treated with 500 mg/kg VPA on day 13.5 of pregnancy. We observed a surge of apoptosis on VPA treatment in nearly all investigated subpallial and pallial regions; with a non-significant trend of similar increase the nucleus accumbens (NAc) at P7, the age at which the MT pathway reduction has been reported (also supplemented by current findings). Of the CaBPs, calretinin (CR) expression was decreased in pallial regions, most prominently in retrosplenial cortex, but not in the subpallium of P7 mice. Calbindin-D 28K (CB) was selectively reduced in the caudate-putamen (CPu) of VPA exposed animals at P7 but no longer at P60, pointing to a potency of repairment. The VPA-associated overall increase in apoptosis at P7 did not correlate with the abundance and distribution of CaBPs, except in CPu, in which the marked drop of CB was negatively correlated with increased apoptosis. Abundance of parvalbumin (PV) at P60 showed no significant response to VPA treatment in any of the observed regions we did not find colocalization of apoptotic (Casp3+) cells with CaBP-immunoreactive neurons. The proteomic findings suggest reduction of tyrosine hydroxylase in the crude synaptosome fraction of NAc, but not in the CPu, without simultaneous decrease of the synaptic protein, synaptophysin, indicating selective impairment of dopaminergic synapses. The morpho-functional changes found in forebrain regions of VPA-exposed mice may signify dendritic and synaptic reorganization in dopaminergic target regions, with potential translational value to similar impairments in the pathogenesis of human ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cintia Klaudia Finszter
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Róbert Kemecsei
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergely Zachar
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Sophie Holtkamp
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Diego Echevarría
- Institute of Neuroscience (UMH-CSIC), University of Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain
| | - István Adorján
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ágota Ádám
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - András Csillag
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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8
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Zhong G, Choi YA, Shen Y. VBASS enables integration of single cell gene expression data in Bayesian association analysis of rare variants. Commun Biol 2023; 6:774. [PMID: 37491581 PMCID: PMC10368729 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05155-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Rare or de novo variants have substantial contribution to human diseases, but the statistical power to identify risk genes by rare variants is generally low due to rarity of genotype data. Previous studies have shown that risk genes usually have high expression in relevant cell types, although for many conditions the identity of these cell types are largely unknown. Recent efforts in single cell atlas in human and model organisms produced large amount of gene expression data. Here we present VBASS, a Bayesian method that integrates single-cell expression and de novo variant (DNV) data to improve power of disease risk gene discovery. VBASS models disease risk prior as a function of expression profiles, approximated by deep neural networks. It learns the weights of neural networks and parameters of Gamma-Poisson likelihood models of DNV counts jointly from expression and genetics data. On simulated data, VBASS shows proper error rate control and better power than state-of-the-art methods. We applied VBASS to published datasets and identified more candidate risk genes with supports from literature or data from independent cohorts. VBASS can be generalized to integrate other types of functional genomics data in statistical genetics analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guojie Zhong
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yoolim A Choi
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yufeng Shen
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- JP Sulzberger Columbia Genome Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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9
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Mercaldo V, Vidimova B, Gastaldo D, Fernández E, Lo AC, Cencelli G, Pedini G, De Rubeis S, Longo F, Klann E, Smit AB, Grant SGN, Achsel T, Bagni C. Altered striatal actin dynamics drives behavioral inflexibility in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. Neuron 2023; 111:1760-1775.e8. [PMID: 36996810 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.03.008] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The proteome of glutamatergic synapses is diverse across the mammalian brain and involved in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Among those is fragile X syndrome (FXS), an NDD caused by the absence of the functional RNA-binding protein FMRP. Here, we demonstrate how the brain region-specific composition of postsynaptic density (PSD) contributes to FXS. In the striatum, the FXS mouse model shows an altered association of the PSD with the actin cytoskeleton, reflecting immature dendritic spine morphology and reduced synaptic actin dynamics. Enhancing actin turnover with constitutively active RAC1 ameliorates these deficits. At the behavioral level, the FXS model displays striatal-driven inflexibility, a typical feature of FXS individuals, which is rescued by exogenous RAC1. Striatal ablation of Fmr1 is sufficient to recapitulate behavioral impairments observed in the FXS model. These results indicate that dysregulation of synaptic actin dynamics in the striatum, a region largely unexplored in FXS, contributes to the manifestation of FXS behavioral phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Mercaldo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Barbora Vidimova
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Denise Gastaldo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Esperanza Fernández
- VIB & UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Universiteit Gent, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Adrian C Lo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Cencelli
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy; Institute of Neurosurgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgia Pedini
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia De Rubeis
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Francesco Longo
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Eric Klann
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - August B Smit
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Seth G N Grant
- Center for the Clinical Brain Sciences and Simons Initiatives for the Developing Brain, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, Scotland
| | - Tilmann Achsel
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Claudia Bagni
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Université de Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
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10
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Matthiesen M, Khlaifia A, Steininger CFD, Dadabhoy M, Mumtaz U, Arruda-Carvalho M. Maturation of nucleus accumbens synaptic transmission signals a critical period for the rescue of social deficits in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Mol Brain 2023; 16:46. [PMID: 37226266 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-023-01028-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Social behavior emerges early in development, a time marked by the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders featuring social deficits, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although social deficits are at the core of the clinical diagnosis of ASD, very little is known about their neural correlates at the time of clinical onset. The nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain region extensively implicated in social behavior, undergoes synaptic, cellular and molecular alterations in early life, and is particularly affected in ASD mouse models. To explore a link between the maturation of the NAc and neurodevelopmental deficits in social behavior, we compared spontaneous synaptic transmission in NAc shell medium spiny neurons (MSNs) between the highly social C57BL/6J and the idiopathic ASD mouse model BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J at postnatal day (P) 4, P6, P8, P12, P15, P21 and P30. BTBR NAc MSNs display increased spontaneous excitatory transmission during the first postnatal week, and increased inhibition across the first, second and fourth postnatal weeks, suggesting accelerated maturation of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs compared to C57BL/6J mice. BTBR mice also show increased optically evoked medial prefrontal cortex-NAc paired pulse ratios at P15 and P30. These early changes in synaptic transmission are consistent with a potential critical period, which could maximize the efficacy of rescue interventions. To test this, we treated BTBR mice in either early life (P4-P8) or adulthood (P60-P64) with the mTORC1 antagonist rapamycin, a well-established intervention for ASD-like behavior. Rapamycin treatment rescued social interaction deficits in BTBR mice when injected in infancy, but did not affect social interaction in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Matthiesen
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | - Abdessattar Khlaifia
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | | | - Maryam Dadabhoy
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | - Unza Mumtaz
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | - Maithe Arruda-Carvalho
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada.
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S3G5, Canada.
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11
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Ilchibaeva T, Tsybko A, Lipnitskaya M, Eremin D, Milutinovich K, Naumenko V, Popova N. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Mechanisms of Autistic-like Behavior in BTBR Mice: Crosstalk with the Dopaminergic Brain System. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051482. [PMID: 37239153 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051482] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Disturbances in neuroplasticity undoubtedly play an important role in the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Brain neurotransmitters and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are known as crucial players in cerebral and behavioral plasticity. Such an important neurotransmitter as dopamine (DA) is involved in the behavioral inflexibility of ASD. Additionally, much evidence from human and animal studies implicates BDNF in ASD pathogenesis. Nonetheless, crosstalk between BDNF and the DA system has not been studied in the context of an autistic-like phenotype. For this reason, the aim of our study was to compare the effects of either the acute intracerebroventricular administration of a recombinant BDNF protein or hippocampal adeno-associated-virus-mediated BDNF overexpression on autistic-like behavior and expression of key DA-related and BDNF-related genes in BTBR mice (a widely recognized model of autism). The BDNF administration failed to affect autistic-like behavior but downregulated Comt mRNA in the frontal cortex and hippocampus; however, COMT protein downregulation in the hippocampus and upregulation in the striatum were insignificant. BDNF administration also reduced the receptor TrkB level in the frontal cortex and midbrain and the BDNF/proBDNF ratio in the striatum. In contrast, hippocampal BDNF overexpression significantly diminished stereotypical behavior and anxiety; these alterations were accompanied only by higher hippocampal DA receptor D1 mRNA levels. The results indicate an important role of BDNF in mechanisms underlying anxiety and repetitive behavior in ASDs and implicates BDNF-DA crosstalk in the autistic-like phenotype of BTBR mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Ilchibaeva
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Anton Tsybko
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Marina Lipnitskaya
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Dmitry Eremin
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Kseniya Milutinovich
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Vladimir Naumenko
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Nina Popova
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
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12
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Brewster PR, Mohammad Ishraq Bari S, Walker GM, Werfel TA. Current and Future Directions of Drug Delivery for the Treatment of Mental Illnesses. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 197:114824. [PMID: 37068660 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Mental illnesses including anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and others exact an immense toll on the healthcare system and society at large. Depression alone impacts 21 million adults and costs over $200 billion annually in the United States. However, pharmaceutical strategies to treat mental illnesses are lagging behind drug development in many other disease areas. Because many of the shortcomings of therapeutics for mental illness relate to delivery problems, drug delivery technologies have the potential to radically improve the effectiveness of therapeutics for these diseases. This review describes the current pharmacotherapeutic approaches to treating mental illnesses as well as drug delivery approaches that have improved existing therapies. Approaches to improve drug bioavailability, provide controlled release of therapeutics, and enable drug targeting to the central nervous system (CNS) will be highlighted. Moreover, next-generation delivery approaches such as environmentally-controlled release and interval/sequential drug release will be addressed. Based on the evolving landscape of the treatment of mental illnesses, the nascent field of drug delivery in mental health has tremendous potential for growth in terms of both economic and patient impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker R Brewster
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | | | - Glenn M Walker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Thomas A Werfel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA; Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA; Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
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13
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Rozhkova IN, Okotrub SV, Brusentsev EY, Uldanova KE, Chuyko EА, Naprimerov VA, Lipina TV, Amstislavskaya TG, Amstislavsky SY. Alterations in the social-conditioned place preference and density of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area in Clsnt2-KO mice. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2023; 27:177-184. [PMID: 37063509 PMCID: PMC10090113 DOI: 10.18699/vjgb-23-14] [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: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) constantly increases in the world. Studying the mechanisms underlying ASD as well as searching for new therapeutic targets are crucial tasks. Many researchers agree that autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Clstn2-KO mouse strain with a knockout of calsyntenin 2 gene (Clstn2) is model for investigating ASD. This study aims to evaluate the social-conditioned place preference as well as density of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which belongs to the brain reward system, in the males of the Clstn2-KO strain using wild type C57BL/6J males as controls. Social-conditioned place preference test evaluates a reward-dependent component of social behavior. The results of this test revealed differences between the Clstn2-KO and the control males, as the former did not value socializing with the familiar partner, spending equal time in the isolation- and socializing-associated compartments. The Clstn2-KO group entered both compartments more frequently, but spent less time in the socializing-associated compartment compared to the controls. By contrast, the control males of the C57BL/6J strain spent more time in socializing-associated compartment and less time in the compartment that was associated with loneness. At the same time, an increased number of DA and possibly GABA neurons labeled with antibodies against the type 2 dopamine receptor as well as against tyrosine hydroxylase were detected in the VTA of the Clstn2-KO mice. Thus, a change in social-conditioned place preference in Clstn2-KO mice as well as a higher number of neurons expressing type 2 dopamine receptors and tyrosine hydroxylase in the VTA, the key structure of the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway, were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- I N Rozhkova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - S V Okotrub
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - E Yu Brusentsev
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - K E Uldanova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - E А Chuyko
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - V A Naprimerov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia Novosibirsk State Agricultural University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | | | - T G Amstislavskaya
- Scientific Research Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - S Ya Amstislavsky
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
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14
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Saha S, Chatterjee M, Dutta N, Sinha S, Mukhopadhyay K. Analysis of neurotransmitters validates the importance of the dopaminergic system in autism spectrum disorder. World J Pediatr 2023. [PMID: 36847977 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-023-00702-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reasons behind the cardinal symptoms of communication deficits and repetitive, stereotyped behaviors that characterize autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remain unknown. The dopamine (DA) system, which regulates motor activity, goal-directed behaviors, and reward function, is believed to play a crucial role in ASD, although the exact mechanism is still unclear. Investigations have shown an association of the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) with various neurobehavioral disorders. METHODS We analyzed the association between ASD and four DRD4 genetic polymorphisms, 5' flanking 120-bp duplication (rs4646984), rs1800955 in the promoter, exon 1 12 bp duplication (rs4646983), and exon 3 48 bp repeats. We also examined plasma DA and its metabolite levels, DRD4 mRNA expression, and correlations of the studied polymorphisms with these parameters by case-control comparative analyses. The expression of DA transporter (DAT), which is important in regulating the circulating DA level, was also evaluated. RESULTS A significantly higher occurrence of rs1800955 "T/TT" was observed in the probands. ASD traits were affected by rs1800955 "T" and the higher repeat alleles of the exon 3 48 bp repeats, rs4646983 and rs4646984. ASD probands exhibited lower DA and norepinephrine levels together with higher homovanillic acid levels than the control subjects. DAT and DRD4 mRNA expression were down-regulated in the probands, especially in the presence of DAT rs3836790 "6R" and rs27072 "CC" and DRD4 rs4646984 higher repeat allele and rs1800955 "T". CONCLUSION This pioneering investigation revealed a positive correlation between genetic variants, hypodopaminergic state, and impairment in socio-emotional and communication reciprocity in Indian subjects with ASD, warranting further in-depth analysis.
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15
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Abstract
The fragile X-related disorders are an important group of hereditary disorders that are caused by expanded CGG repeats in the 5' untranslated region of the FMR1 gene or by mutations in the coding sequence of this gene. Two categories of pathological CGG repeats are associated with these disorders, full mutation alleles and shorter premutation alleles. Individuals with full mutation alleles develop fragile X syndrome, which causes autism and intellectual disability, whereas those with premutation alleles, which have shorter CGG expansions, can develop fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Thus, fragile X-related disorders can manifest as neurodegenerative or neurodevelopmental disorders, depending on the size of the repeat expansion. Here, we review mouse models of fragile X-related disorders and discuss how they have informed our understanding of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. We also assess the translational value of these models for developing rational targeted therapies for intellectual disability and autism disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob Willemsen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - R Frank Kooy
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 CN Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
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16
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Chhabra S, Nardi L, Leukel P, Sommer CJ, Schmeisser MJ. Striatal increase of dopamine receptor 2 density in idiopathic and syndromic mouse models of autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1110525. [PMID: 36970280 PMCID: PMC10030619 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1110525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a wide range of neurodevelopmental phenotypes united by impaired social interaction and repetitive behavior. Environmental and genetic factors are associated with the pathogenesis of ASD, while other cases are classified as idiopathic. The dopaminergic system has a profound impact in the modulation of motor and reward-motivated behaviors, and defects in dopaminergic circuits are implicated in ASD. In our study, we compare three well-established mouse models of ASD, one idiopathic, the BTBR strain, and two syndromic, Fmr1 and Shank3 mutants. In these models, and in humans with ASD, alterations in dopaminergic metabolism and neurotransmission were highlighted. Still, accurate knowledge about the distribution of dopamine receptor densities in the basal ganglia is lacking. Using receptor autoradiography, we describe the neuroanatomical distribution of D1 and D2 receptors in dorsal and ventral striatum at late infancy and adulthood in the above-mentioned models. We show that D1 receptor binding density is different among the models irrespective of the region. A significant convergence in increased D2 receptor binding density in the ventral striatum at adulthood becomes apparent in BTBR and Shank3 lines, and a similar trend was observed in the Fmr1 line. Altogether, our results confirm the involvement of the dopaminergic system, showing defined alterations in dopamine receptor binding density in three well-established ASD lines, which may provide a plausible explanation to some of the prevalent traits of ASD. Moreover, our study provides a neuroanatomical framework to explain the utilization of D2-acting drugs such as Risperidone and Aripiprazole in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuti Chhabra
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Leonardo Nardi
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Petra Leukel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Clemens J. Sommer
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael J. Schmeisser
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- *Correspondence: Michael J. Schmeisser,
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17
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D’Elia A, Schiavi S, Manduca A, Rava A, Buzzelli V, Ascone F, Orsini T, Putti S, Soluri A, Galli F, Soluri A, Mattei M, Cicconi R, Massari R, Trezza V. FMR1 deletion in rats induces hyperactivity with no changes in striatal dopamine transporter availability. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22535. [PMID: 36581671 PMCID: PMC9800572 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26986-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder emerging in early life characterized by impairments in social interaction, poor verbal and non-verbal communication, and repetitive patterns of behaviors. Among the best-known genetic risk factors for ASD, there are mutations causing the loss of the Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMRP) leading to Fragile X syndrome (FXS), a common form of inherited intellectual disability and the leading monogenic cause of ASD. Being a pivotal regulator of motor activity, motivation, attention, and reward processing, dopaminergic neurotransmission has a key role in several neuropsychiatric disorders, including ASD. Fmr1 Δexon 8 rats have been validated as a genetic model of ASD based on FMR1 deletion, and they are also a rat model of FXS. Here, we performed behavioral, biochemical and in vivo SPECT neuroimaging experiments to investigate whether Fmr1 Δexon 8 rats display ASD-like repetitive behaviors associated with changes in striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) availability assessed through in vivo SPECT neuroimaging. At the behavioral level, Fmr1 Δexon 8 rats displayed hyperactivity in the open field test in the absence of repetitive behaviors in the hole board test. However, these behavioral alterations were not associated with changes in striatal DAT availability as assessed by non-invasive in vivo SPECT and Western blot analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annunziata D’Elia
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), c/o International Campus “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, Via E. Ramarini, 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo (Rome), Italy ,grid.8509.40000000121622106Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Schiavi
- grid.8509.40000000121622106Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonia Manduca
- grid.8509.40000000121622106Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy ,grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Neuroendocrinology, Metabolism and Neuropharmacology Unit, IRCSS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rava
- grid.8509.40000000121622106Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Buzzelli
- grid.8509.40000000121622106Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ascone
- grid.8509.40000000121622106Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Tiziana Orsini
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), c/o International Campus “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, Via E. Ramarini, 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo (Rome), Italy
| | - Sabrina Putti
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), c/o International Campus “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, Via E. Ramarini, 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo (Rome), Italy
| | - Andrea Soluri
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), c/o International Campus “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, Via E. Ramarini, 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo (Rome), Italy ,grid.9657.d0000 0004 1757 5329Unit of Molecular Neurosciences, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Galli
- grid.7841.aNuclear Medicine Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Soluri
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), c/o International Campus “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, Via E. Ramarini, 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo (Rome), Italy
| | - Maurizio Mattei
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Biology and Centro di Servizi Interdipartimentale-Stazione per la Tecnologia Animale, “Tor Vergata” University, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosella Cicconi
- grid.6530.00000 0001 2300 0941Department of Biology and Centro di Servizi Interdipartimentale-Stazione per la Tecnologia Animale, “Tor Vergata” University, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Massari
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), c/o International Campus “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, Via E. Ramarini, 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo (Rome), Italy
| | - Viviana Trezza
- grid.8509.40000000121622106Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
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18
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Cogram P, Fernández-Beltrán LC, Casarejos MJ, Sánchez-Yepes S, Rodríguez-Martín E, García-Rubia A, Sánchez-Barrena MJ, Gil C, Martínez A, Mansilla A. The inhibition of NCS-1 binding to Ric8a rescues fragile X syndrome mice model phenotypes. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1007531. [PMID: 36466176 PMCID: PMC9709425 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1007531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the loss of function of Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). FXS is one of the leading monogenic causes of intellectual disability (ID) and autism. Although it is caused by the failure of a single gene, FMRP that functions as an RNA binding protein affects a large number of genes secondarily. All these genes represent hundreds of potential targets and different mechanisms that account for multiple pathological features, thereby hampering the search for effective treatments. In this scenario, it seems desirable to reorient therapies toward more general approaches. Neuronal calcium sensor 1 (NCS-1), through its interaction with the guanine-exchange factor Ric8a, regulates the number of synapses and the probability of the release of a neurotransmitter, the two neuronal features that are altered in FXS and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Inhibitors of the NCS-1/Ric8a complex have been shown to be effective in restoring abnormally high synapse numbers as well as improving associative learning in FMRP mutant flies. Here, we demonstrate that phenothiazine FD44, an NCS-1/Ric8a inhibitor, has strong inhibition ability in situ and sufficient bioavailability in the mouse brain. More importantly, administration of FD44 to two different FXS mouse models restores well-known FXS phenotypes, such as hyperactivity, associative learning, aggressive behavior, stereotype, or impaired social approach. It has been suggested that dopamine (DA) may play a relevant role in the behavior and in neurodevelopmental disorders in general. We have measured DA and its metabolites in different brain regions, finding a higher metabolic rate in the limbic area, which is also restored with FD44 treatment. Therefore, in addition to confirming that the NCS-1/Ric8a complex is an excellent therapeutic target, we demonstrate the rescue effect of its inhibitor on the behavior of cognitive and autistic FXS mice and show DA metabolism as a FXS biochemical disease marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Cogram
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- FRAXA-DVI, FRAXA Research Foundation, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis C. Fernández-Beltrán
- Department of Neurobiology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Casarejos
- Department of Neurobiology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Sánchez-Yepes
- Department of Neurobiology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eulalia Rodríguez-Martín
- Department of Immunology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso García-Rubia
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Carmen Gil
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Martínez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alicia Mansilla
- Department of Neurobiology, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biology Systems, Universidad de Alcala, Madrid, Spain
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19
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Spee BTM, Sladky R, Fingerhut J, Laciny A, Kraus C, Carls-Diamante S, Brücke C, Pelowski M, Treven M. Repeating patterns: Predictive processing suggests an aesthetic learning role of the basal ganglia in repetitive stereotyped behaviors. Front Psychol 2022; 13:930293. [PMID: 36160532 PMCID: PMC9497189 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.930293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent, unvarying, and seemingly purposeless patterns of action and cognition are part of normal development, but also feature prominently in several neuropsychiatric conditions. Repetitive stereotyped behaviors (RSBs) can be viewed as exaggerated forms of learned habits and frequently correlate with alterations in motor, limbic, and associative basal ganglia circuits. However, it is still unclear how altered basal ganglia feedback signals actually relate to the phenomenological variability of RSBs. Why do behaviorally overlapping phenomena sometimes require different treatment approaches−for example, sensory shielding strategies versus exposure therapy for autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder, respectively? Certain clues may be found in recent models of basal ganglia function that extend well beyond action selection and motivational control, and have implications for sensorimotor integration, prediction, learning under uncertainty, as well as aesthetic learning. In this paper, we systematically compare three exemplary conditions with basal ganglia involvement, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Parkinson’s disease, and autism spectrum conditions, to gain a new understanding of RSBs. We integrate clinical observations and neuroanatomical and neurophysiological alterations with accounts employing the predictive processing framework. Based on this review, we suggest that basal ganglia feedback plays a central role in preconditioning cortical networks to anticipate self-generated, movement-related perception. In this way, basal ganglia feedback appears ideally situated to adjust the salience of sensory signals through precision weighting of (external) new sensory information, relative to the precision of (internal) predictions based on prior generated models. Accordingly, behavioral policies may preferentially rely on new data versus existing knowledge, in a spectrum spanning between novelty and stability. RSBs may then represent compensatory or reactive responses, respectively, at the opposite ends of this spectrum. This view places an important role of aesthetic learning on basal ganglia feedback, may account for observed changes in creativity and aesthetic experience in basal ganglia disorders, is empirically testable, and may inform creative art therapies in conditions characterized by stereotyped behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca T. M. Spee
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Neurology, Center of Expertise for Parkinson and Movement Disorders, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Ronald Sladky
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Joerg Fingerhut
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Department of Philosophy, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and Religious Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Alice Laciny
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Christoph Kraus
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Medical Neuroscience Cluster, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Christof Brücke
- Medical Neuroscience Cluster, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthew Pelowski
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marco Treven
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Klosterneuburg, Austria
- Medical Neuroscience Cluster, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Marco Treven,
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20
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Eissa N, Venkatachalam K, Jayaprakash P, Yuvaraju P, Falkenstein M, Stark H, Sadek B. Experimental Studies Indicate That ST-2223, the Antagonist of Histamine H3 and Dopamine D2/D3 Receptors, Restores Social Deficits and Neurotransmission Dysregulation in Mouse Model of Autism. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15. [PMID: 36015079 DOI: 10.3390/ph15080929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered regulation of neurotransmitters may lead to many pathophysiological changes in brain disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Given the fact that there are no FDA-approved effective treatments for the social deficits in ASD, the present study determined the effects of chronic systemic treatment of the novel multiple-active H3R/D2R/D3R receptor antagonist ST-2223 on ASD-related social deficits in a male Black and Tan Brachyury (BTBR) mice. ST-2223 (2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly and dose-dependently mitigated social deficits and disturbed anxiety levels of BTBR mice (p < 0.05) in comparison to the effects of aripiprazole (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Moreover, levels of monoaminergic neurotransmitters quantified by LC-MS/MS in four brain regions including the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, striatum, and hippocampus unveiled significant elevation of histamine (HA) in the cerebellum and striatum; dopamine (DA) in the prefrontal cortex and striatum; as well as acetylcholine (ACh) in the prefrontal cortex, striatum, and hippocampus following ST-2223 (5 mg/kg) administration (all p < 0.05). These in vivo findings demonstrate the mitigating effects of a multiple-active H3R/D2R/D3R antagonist on social deficits of assessed BTBR mice, signifying its pharmacological potential to rescue core ASD-related behaviors and altered monoaminergic neurotransmitters. Further studies on neurochemical alterations in ASD are crucial to elucidate the early neurodevelopmental variations behind the core symptoms and heterogeneity of ASD, leading to new approaches for the future therapeutic management of ASD.
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21
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Yang L, Xia Z, Feng J, Zhang M, Miao P, Nie Y, Zhang X, Hao Z, Hu R. Retinoic Acid Supplementation Rescues the Social Deficits in Fmr1 Knockout Mice. Front Genet 2022; 13:928393. [PMID: 35783275 PMCID: PMC9247356 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.928393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heritable neurodevelopmental disorder with the underlying etiology yet incompletely understood and no cure treatment. Patients of fragile X syndrome (FXS) also manifest symptoms, e.g. deficits in social behaviors, that are core traits with ASD. Several studies demonstrated that a mutual defect in retinoic acid (RA) signaling was observed in FXS and ASD. However, it is still unknown whether RA replenishment could pose a positive effect on autistic-like behaviors in FXS. Herein, we found that RA signaling was indeed down-regulated when the expression of FMR1 was impaired in SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, RA supplementation rescued the atypical social novelty behavior, but failed to alleviate the defects in sociability behavior or hyperactivity, in Fmr1 knock-out (KO) mouse model. The repetitive behavior and motor coordination appeared to be normal. The RNA sequencing results of the prefrontal cortex in Fmr1 KO mice indicated that deregulated expression of Foxp2, Tnfsf10, Lepr and other neuronal genes was restored to normal after RA treatment. Gene ontology terms of metabolic processes, extracellular matrix organization and behavioral pathways were enriched. Our findings provided a potential therapeutic intervention for social novelty defects in FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqin Yang
- School of Medicine, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhixiong Xia
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianhua Feng
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Menghuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Pu Miao
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yingjie Nie
- School of Medicine, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Immune-related Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Xiangyan Zhang
- School of Medicine, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Immune-related Diseases, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangyan Zhang, ; Zijian Hao, ; Ronggui Hu,
| | - Zijian Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangyan Zhang, ; Zijian Hao, ; Ronggui Hu,
| | - Ronggui Hu
- School of Medicine, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangyan Zhang, ; Zijian Hao, ; Ronggui Hu,
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22
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Delprato A, Xiao E, Manoj D. Connecting DCX, COMT and FMR1 in social behavior and cognitive impairment. Behav Brain Funct 2022; 18:7. [PMID: 35590332 PMCID: PMC9121553 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-022-00191-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variants of DCX, COMT and FMR1 have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders related to intellectual disability and social behavior. In this systematic review we examine the roles of the DCX, COMT and FMR1 genes in the context of hippocampal neurogenesis with respect to these disorders with the aim of identifying important hubs and signaling pathways that may bridge these conditions. Taken together our findings indicate that factors connecting DCX, COMT, and FMR1 in intellectual disability and social behavior may converge at Wnt signaling, neuron migration, and axon and dendrite morphogenesis. Data derived from genomic research has identified a multitude of genes that are linked to brain disorders and developmental differences. Information about where and how these genes function and cooperate is lagging behind. The approach used here may help to shed light on the biological underpinnings in which key genes interface and may prove useful for the testing of specific hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Delprato
- Department of Research and Education, BioScience Project, Wakefield, MA, 01880, USA.
| | - Emily Xiao
- Department of Research and Education, BioScience Project, Wakefield, MA, 01880, USA.,Alexander Mackenzie High School, Richmond Hill, ON, 14519, Canada
| | - Devika Manoj
- Department of Research and Education, BioScience Project, Wakefield, MA, 01880, USA.,Lambert High School, Suwanee, GA, 30024, USA
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23
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Wang AL, Chao OY, Nikolaus S, Lamounier-Zepter V, Hollenberg CP, Lubec G, Trossbach SV, Korth C, Huston JP. Disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1 Protein Misassembly Impairs Cognitive Flexibility and Social Behaviors in a Transgenic Rat Model. Neuroscience 2022; 493:41-51. [PMID: 35461978 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.04.013] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in cognitive functions, social behaviors and stress reactions are commonly diagnosed in chronic mental illnesses (CMI). Animal models expressing mutant genes associated to CMI represent either rare mutations or those contributing only minimally to genetic risk. Non-genetic causes of CMI can be modeled by disturbing downstream signaling pathways, for example through inducing protein misassembly or aggregation. The Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene was identified to be disrupted and thereby haploinsufficient in a large pedigree where it associated to CMI. The DISC1 protein misassembles to an insoluble protein in a subset of CMI patients and this has been modeled in a rat (tgDISC1 rat) where the full-length, non mutant human transgene was overexpressed and cognitive impairments were observed. Here, we investigated the scope of effects of DISC1 protein misassembly by investigating spatial memory, social behavior and stress resilience. In water maze tasks, the tgDISC1 rats showed intact spatial learning and memory, but were deficient in flexible adaptation to spatial reversal learning compared to littermate controls. They also displayed less social interaction. Additionally, there was a trend towards increased corticosterone levels after restraint stress in the tgDISC1 rats. Our findings suggest that DISC1 protein misassembly leads to disturbances of cognitive flexibility and social behaviors, and might also be involved in stress sensitization. Since the observed behavioral features resemble symptoms of CMI, the tgDISC1 rat may be a valuable model for the investigation of cognitive, social and - possibly - also stress-related symptoms of major mental illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- An-Li Wang
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Owen Y Chao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, USA.
| | - Susanne Nikolaus
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | | | - Cornelis P Hollenberg
- Institute of Microbiology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Gert Lubec
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Paracelsus Private Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Svenja V Trossbach
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Carsten Korth
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Joseph P Huston
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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24
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Khera R, Mehan S, Kumar S, Sethi P, Bhalla S, Prajapati A. Role of JAK-STAT and PPAR-Gamma Signalling Modulators in the Prevention of Autism and Neurological Dysfunctions. Mol Neurobiol 2022. [PMID: 35437700 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02819-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The Janus-kinase (JAK) and signal transducer activator of transcription (STAT) signalling pathways regulate gene expression and control various factors involved in normal physiological functions such as cell proliferation, neuronal development, and cell survival. JAK activation phosphorylates STAT3 in astrocytes and microglia, and this phosphorylation has been linked to mitochondrial damage, apoptosis, neuroinflammation, reactive astrogliosis, and genetic mutations. As a regulator, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma), in relation to JAK-STAT signalling, prevents this phosphorylation and aids in the treatment of the above-mentioned neurocomplications. Changes in cellular signalling may also contribute to the onset and progression of autism. Thus, PPAR-gamma agonist upregulation may be associated with JAK-STAT signal transduction downregulation. It may also be responsible for attenuating neuropathological changes by stimulating SOCS3 or involving RXR or SMRT, thereby reducing transcription of the various cytokine proteins and genes involved in neuronal damage. Along with JAK-STAT inhibitors, PPAR-gamma agonists could be used as target therapeutic interventions for autism. This research-based review explores the potential involvement and mutual regulation of JAK-STAT and PPAR-gamma signalling in controlling multiple pathological factors associated with autism.
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25
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Adiletta A, Pross A, Taricco N, Sgadò P. Embryonic Valproate Exposure Alters Mesencephalic Dopaminergic Neurons Distribution and Septal Dopaminergic Gene Expression in Domestic Chicks. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:804881. [PMID: 35369647 PMCID: PMC8966611 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.804881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the role of the dopaminergic system in the regulation of social behavior is being progressively outlined, and dysfunctions of the dopaminergic system are increasingly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To study the role of the dopaminergic (DA) system in an animal model of ASD, we investigated the effects of embryonic exposure to valproic acid (VPA) on the postnatal development of the mesencephalic DA system in the domestic chick. We found that VPA affected the rostro-caudal distribution of DA neurons, without changing the expression levels of several dopaminergic markers in the mesencephalon. We also investigated a potential consequence of this altered DA neuronal distribution in the septum, a social brain area previously associated to social behavior in several vertebrate species, describing alterations in the expression of genes linked to DA neurotransmission. These findings support the emerging hypothesis of a role of DA dysfunction in ASD pathogenesis. Together with previous studies showing impairments of early social orienting behavior, these data also support the use of the domestic chick model to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms potentially involved in early ASD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Adiletta
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandra Pross
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Lleida’s Institute for Biomedical Research Dr. Pifarre Foundation (IRBLleida), Lleida, Spain
| | - Nicolò Taricco
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Paola Sgadò
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- *Correspondence: Paola Sgadò,
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26
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DiCarlo GE, Wallace MT. Modeling dopamine dysfunction in autism spectrum disorder: From invertebrates to vertebrates. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 133:104494. [PMID: 34906613 PMCID: PMC8792250 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and by patterns of restricted interests and/or repetitive behaviors. The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative's Human Gene and CNV Modules now list over 1000 genes implicated in ASD and over 2000 copy number variant loci reported in individuals with ASD. Given this ever-growing list of genetic changes associated with ASD, it has become evident that there is likely not a single genetic cause of this disorder nor a single neurobiological basis of this disorder. Instead, it is likely that many different neurobiological perturbations (which may represent subtypes of ASD) can result in the set of behavioral symptoms that we called ASD. One such of possible subtype of ASD may be associated with dopamine dysfunction. Precise regulation of synaptic dopamine (DA) is required for reward processing and behavioral learning, behaviors which are disrupted in ASD. Here we review evidence for DA dysfunction in ASD and in animal models of ASD. Further, we propose that these studies provide a scaffold for scientists and clinicians to consider subcategorizing the ASD diagnosis based on the genetic changes, neurobiological difference, and behavioral features identified in individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella E DiCarlo
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mark T Wallace
- Vanderbilt University Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Hearing & Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.
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27
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Chao OY, Zhang H, Pathak SS, Huston JP, Yang YM. Functional Convergence of Motor and Social Processes in Lobule IV/V of the Mouse Cerebellum. Cerebellum 2021; 20:836-852. [PMID: 33661502 PMCID: PMC8417139 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-021-01246-7] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Topographic organization of the cerebellum is largely segregated into the anterior and posterior lobes that represent its "motor" and "non-motor" functions, respectively. Although patients with damage to the anterior cerebellum often exhibit motor deficits, it remains unclear whether and how such an injury affects cognitive and social behaviors. To address this, we perturbed the activity of major anterior lobule IV/V in mice by either neurotoxic lesion or chemogenetic excitation of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex. We found that both of the manipulations impaired motor coordination, but not general locomotion or anxiety-related behavior. The lesioned animals showed memory deficits in object recognition and social-associative recognition tests, which were confounded by a lack of exploration. Chemogenetic excitation of Purkinje cells disrupted the animals' social approach in a less-preferred context and social memory, without affecting their overall exploration and object-based memory. In a free social interaction test, the two groups exhibited less interaction with a stranger conspecific. Subsequent c-Fos imaging indicated that decreased neuronal activities in the medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampal dentate gyrus, parahippocampal cortices, and basolateral amygdala, as well as disorganized modular structures of the brain networks might underlie the reduced social interaction. These findings suggest that the anterior cerebellum plays an intricate role in processing motor, cognitive, and social functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen Y Chao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, 1035 University Drive, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, 1035 University Drive, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA
| | - Salil Saurav Pathak
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, 1035 University Drive, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA
| | - Joseph P Huston
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Yi-Mei Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, 1035 University Drive, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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28
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Seif A, Shea C, Schmid S, Stevenson RA. A Systematic Review of Brainstem Contributions to Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:760116. [PMID: 34790102 PMCID: PMC8591260 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.760116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects one in 66 children in Canada. The contributions of changes in the cortex and cerebellum to autism have been studied for decades. However, our understanding of brainstem contributions has only started to emerge more recently. Disruptions of sensory processing, startle response, sensory filtering, sensorimotor gating, multisensory integration and sleep are all features of ASD and are processes in which the brainstem is involved. In addition, preliminary research into brainstem contribution emphasizes the importance of the developmental timeline rather than just the mature brainstem. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to compile histological, behavioral, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological evidence from human and animal studies about brainstem contributions and their functional implications in autism. Moreover, due to the developmental nature of autism, the review pays attention to the atypical brainstem development and compares findings based on age. Overall, there is evidence of an important role of brainstem disruptions in ASD, but there is still the need to examine the brainstem across the life span, from infancy to adulthood which could lead the way for early diagnosis and possibly treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala Seif
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Carly Shea
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Susanne Schmid
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ryan A Stevenson
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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Opendak M, Raineki C, Perry RE, Rincón-Cortés M, Song SC, Zanca RM, Wood E, Packard K, Hu S, Woo J, Martinez K, Vinod KY, Brown RW, Deehan GA, Froemke RC, Serrano PA, Wilson DA, Sullivan RM. Bidirectional control of infant rat social behavior via dopaminergic innervation of the basolateral amygdala. Neuron 2021; 109:4018-4035.e7. [PMID: 34706218 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Social interaction deficits seen in psychiatric disorders emerge in early-life and are most closely linked to aberrant neural circuit function. Due to technical limitations, we have limited understanding of how typical versus pathological social behavior circuits develop. Using a suite of invasive procedures in awake, behaving infant rats, including optogenetics, microdialysis, and microinfusions, we dissected the circuits controlling the gradual increase in social behavior deficits following two complementary procedures-naturalistic harsh maternal care and repeated shock alone or with an anesthetized mother. Whether the mother was the source of the adversity (naturalistic Scarcity-Adversity) or merely present during the adversity (repeated shock with mom), both conditions elevated basolateral amygdala (BLA) dopamine, which was necessary and sufficient in initiating social behavior pathology. This did not occur when pups experienced adversity alone. These data highlight the unique impact of social adversity as causal in producing mesolimbic dopamine circuit dysfunction and aberrant social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Opendak
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Charlis Raineki
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Rosemarie E Perry
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10012, USA
| | - Millie Rincón-Cortés
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15260, USA
| | - Soomin C Song
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Roseanna M Zanca
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Psychology, CUNY Hunter College, New York, 10016, USA; The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Emma Wood
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Katherine Packard
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Shannon Hu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Joyce Woo
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Krissian Martinez
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - K Yaragudri Vinod
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Russell W Brown
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA
| | - Gerald A Deehan
- Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA
| | - Robert C Froemke
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA; Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Peter A Serrano
- Department of Psychology, CUNY Hunter College, New York, 10016, USA; The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Donald A Wilson
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Regina M Sullivan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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30
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Li JS, Yang SS, Huston JP, Chao OY, Yang YM, Mattern C. Acute intranasal dopamine application counteracts the reversal learning deficit of spontaneously hypertensive rats in an attentional set-shifting task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:2419-28. [PMID: 33982142 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05863-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Studies on the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have concluded that the disorder might be caused by a deficit in the inhibitory control of executive functions because of dopamine hypofunction. Recently, the intranasal route has emerged as an effective alternative means for sending dopamine directly to the brain. However, whether the treatment can ameliorate the deficits of inhibitory control in ADHD remains unknown. OBJECTIVES Investigating the effects of acute intranasal dopamine (IN-DA) on the inhibitory control of executive functions of an ADHD rodent model. METHODS We trained an animal model of ADHD, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), and Wistar rats as controls, in an attentional set-shifting task (ASST) in which dopamine (0.15 mg/kg, 0.3 mg/kg, or vehicle) was intranasally administered before the final test. RESULTS IN-DA application dose-dependently improved the performance and reduced errors of SHR in the initial reversal learning. The effect size was comparable to that of a peripheral injection of 0.6 mg/kg methylphenidate. In control Wistar rats, the highest dose of intranasal dopamine (0.3 mg/kg) induced deficits in the reversal learning of extradimensional discriminations. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that the IN-DA treatment has potential for use in the treatment of ADHD; however, caution must be exercised when determining the dosage to be administered, because too much dopamine may have negative effects.
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31
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Kosillo P, Bateup HS. Dopaminergic Dysregulation in Syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorders: Insights From Genetic Mouse Models. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:700968. [PMID: 34366796 PMCID: PMC8343025 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.700968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by altered social interaction and communication, and repetitive, restricted, inflexible behaviors. Approximately 1.5-2% of the general population meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD and several brain regions including the cortex, amygdala, cerebellum and basal ganglia have been implicated in ASD pathophysiology. The midbrain dopamine system is an important modulator of cellular and synaptic function in multiple ASD-implicated brain regions via anatomically and functionally distinct dopaminergic projections. The dopamine hypothesis of ASD postulates that dysregulation of dopaminergic projection pathways could contribute to the behavioral manifestations of ASD, including altered reward value of social stimuli, changes in sensorimotor processing, and motor stereotypies. In this review, we examine the support for the idea that cell-autonomous changes in dopaminergic function are a core component of ASD pathophysiology. We discuss the human literature supporting the involvement of altered dopamine signaling in ASD including genetic, brain imaging and pharmacologic studies. We then focus on genetic mouse models of syndromic neurodevelopmental disorders in which single gene mutations lead to increased risk for ASD. We highlight studies that have directly examined dopamine neuron number, morphology, physiology, or output in these models. Overall, we find considerable support for the idea that the dopamine system may be dysregulated in syndromic ASDs; however, there does not appear to be a consistent signature and some models show increased dopaminergic function, while others have deficient dopamine signaling. We conclude that dopamine dysregulation is common in syndromic forms of ASD but that the specific changes may be unique to each genetic disorder and may not account for the full spectrum of ASD-related manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Kosillo
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Helen S. Bateup
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, United States
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32
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Pavăl D, Micluția IV. The Dopamine Hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Revisited: Current Status and Future Prospects. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:73-83. [PMID: 34010842 DOI: 10.1159/000515751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [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: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social deficits and stereotyped behaviors. Despite intensive research, its etiopathogenesis remains largely unclear. Although studies consistently reported dopaminergic anomalies, a coherent dopaminergic model of ASD was lacking until recently. In 2017, we provided a theoretical framework for a "dopamine hypothesis of ASD" which proposed that autistic behavior arises from a dysfunctional midbrain dopaminergic system. Namely, we hypothesized that malfunction of 2 critical circuits originating in the midbrain, that is, the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways, generates the core behavioral features of ASD. Moreover, we provided key predictions of our model along with testing means. Since then, a notable number of studies referenced our work and numerous others provided support for our model. To account for these developments, we review all these recent data and discuss their implications. Furthermore, in the light of these new insights, we further refine and reconceptualize our model, debating on the possibility that various etiologies of ASD converge upon a dysfunctional midbrain dopaminergic system. In addition, we discuss future prospects, providing new means of testing our hypothesis, as well as its limitations. Along these lines, we aimed to provide a model which, if confirmed, could provide a better understanding of the etiopathogenesis of ASD along with new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Pavăl
- Psychiatry Clinic, Emergency County Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioana Valentina Micluția
- Department of Psychiatry, "Iuliu Hațieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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33
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Pham HTN, Tran HN, Le XT, Do HT, Nguyen TT, Le Nguyen C, Yoshida H, Yamaguchi M, William FR, Matsumoto K. Ilex kudingcha C.J. Tseng Mitigates Phenotypic Characteristics of Human Autism Spectrum Disorders in a Drosophila Melanogaster Rugose Mutant. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:1995-2007. [PMID: 33950474 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-021-03337-7] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have heterogeneous etiologies involving dysfunction of central nervous systems, for which no effective pan-specific treatments are available. Ilex kudingcha (IK) C.J. Tseng is a nootropic botanical used in Asia for neuroprotection and improvement of cognition. This study establishes that a chemically characterized extract from IK (IKE) mitigates behavioral traits in the Drosophila melanogaster rugose mutant, whose traits resemble human ASD, and examines possible mechanisms. IKE treatment significantly ameliorated deficits in social interaction, short-term memory, and locomotor activity in Drosophila rugose, and significantly increased synaptic bouton number of size more than 2 μm2 in the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) of Drosophila rugose. To clarify mechanism(s) of IKE action, methylphenidate (MPH), a dopamine transporter inhibitor, was included as a reference drug in the behavioral assays: MPH significantly improved social interaction and short-term memory deficit in Drosophila rugose; administration of the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH23390 and dopamine D2 receptor antagonist sulpiride reversed the ameliorative effects of both MPH and IKE on the social interaction deficits of Drosophila rugose. To extend analysis of IKE treatment to the vertebrate central nervous system, ASD-associated gene expression in mouse hippocampus was studied by RNA-seq: IKE treatment altered the expression of genes coding phosphoinositide 3-kinases/protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt), proteins in glutamatergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic synapses, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and RNA transporter proteins. These results provide a foundation for further analysis of IKE as a candidate for treatment of some forms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Thi Nguyet Pham
- National Institute of Medicinal Materials, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, 110100, Vietnam.
| | - Hong Nguyen Tran
- National Institute of Medicinal Materials, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, 110100, Vietnam
| | - Xoan Thi Le
- National Institute of Medicinal Materials, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, 110100, Vietnam
| | - Ha Thi Do
- National Institute of Medicinal Materials, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, 110100, Vietnam
| | - Tue Trong Nguyen
- Hanoi Medical University, Dong Da District, Hanoi, 116001, Vietnam
| | - Chien Le Nguyen
- Military Medical Academy, Ha Dong District, Hanoi, 100000, Vietnam
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Masamistu Yamaguchi
- Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8585, Japan.,Kansai Gakken Laboratory, Kankyo Eisei Yakuhin Co. Ltd, Seika-cho, Kyoto, 619-0237, Japan
| | - Folk R William
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Kinzo Matsumoto
- Center for Supporting Pharmaceutical Education, Daiichi University of Phamacy, Fukuoka, 815-8511, Japan
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34
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Kurzina NP, Volnova AB, Aristova IY, Gainetdinov RR. A New Paradigm for Training Hyperactive Dopamine Transporter Knockout Rats: Influence of Novel Stimuli on Object Recognition. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:654469. [PMID: 33967714 PMCID: PMC8100052 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.654469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is believed to be connected with a high level of hyperactivity caused by alterations of the control of dopaminergic transmission in the brain. The strain of hyperdopaminergic dopamine transporter knockout (DAT-KO) rats represents an optimal model for investigating ADHD-related pathological mechanisms. The goal of this work was to study the influence of the overactivated dopamine system in the brain on a motor cognitive task fulfillment. The DAT-KO rats were trained to learn an object recognition task and store it in long-term memory. We found that DAT-KO rats can learn to move an object and retrieve food from the rewarded familiar objects and not to move the non-rewarded novel objects. However, we observed that the time of task performance and the distances traveled were significantly increased in DAT-KO rats in comparison with wild-type controls. Both groups of rats explored the novel objects longer than the familiar cubes. However, unlike controls, DAT-KO rats explored novel objects significantly longer and with fewer errors, since they preferred not to move the non-rewarded novel objects. After a 3 months' interval that followed the training period, they were able to retain the learned skills in memory and to efficiently retrieve them. The data obtained indicate that DAT-KO rats have a deficiency in learning the cognitive task, but their hyperactivity does not prevent the ability to learn a non-spatial cognitive task under the presentation of novel stimuli. The longer exploration of novel objects during training may ensure persistent learning of the task paradigm. These findings may serve as a base for developing new ADHD learning paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia P. Kurzina
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna B. Volnova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Irina Y. Aristova
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Raul R. Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Saint Petersburg State University Hospital, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
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Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) remains one of the most detrimental neurodevelopmental conditions in society today. Common symptoms include diminished social and communication ability. Investigations on autism etiology remain largely ambiguous. Previous studies have highlighted exposure to lead (Pb) may play a role in ASD. In addition, lead has been shown to be one of the most prevalent metal exposures associated with neurological deficits. A semi-systematic review was conducted using public databases in order to evaluate the extent of lead's role in the etiology of autism. This review examines the relationship between autistic comorbid symptoms-such as deterioration in intelligence scores, memory, language ability, and social interaction-and lead exposure. Specifically, the mechanisms of action of lead exposure, including changes within the cholinergic, dopaminergic, glutamatergic, gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic systems, are discussed. The goal of this review is to help illustrate the connections between lead's mechanistic interference and the possible furthering of the comorbidities of ASD. Considerations of the current data and trends suggest a potential strong role for lead in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA;
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36
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Mandic-Maravic V, Grujicic R, Milutinovic L, Munjiza-Jovanovic A, Pejovic-Milovancevic M. Dopamine in Autism Spectrum Disorders-Focus on D2/D3 Partial Agonists and Their Possible Use in Treatment. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:787097. [PMID: 35185637 PMCID: PMC8850940 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.787097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of disorders characterized by impairment in social communication and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. ASD etiology is very complex, including the effect of both genetic and environmental factors. So far, no specific treatment for the core symptoms of ASD has been developed, although attempts have been made for the treatment of repetitive behavior. The pharmacological treatment is aimed at treating non-specific symptoms such as irritability and aggression. Recent studies pointed out to the possible role of altered dopamine signaling in mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal circuits in ASD. In addition, several research pointed out to the association of dopamine receptors polymorphism and ASD, specifically repetitive and stereotyped behavior. In this paper, we will provide a review of the studies regarding dopamine signaling in ASD, existing data on the effects of D2/D3 partial agonists in ASD, possible implications regarding their individual receptor profiles, and future perspectives of their possible use in ASD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanja Mandic-Maravic
- Institute of Mental Health, Belgrade, Serbia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | | | - Ana Munjiza-Jovanovic
- Institute of Mental Health, Belgrade, Serbia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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