1
|
Sandin S, Yip BHK, Yin W, Weiss LA, Dougherty JD, Fass S, Constantino JN, Hailin Z, Turner TN, Marrus N, Gutmann DH, Sanders SJ, Christoffersson B. Examining Sex Differences in Autism Heritability. JAMA Psychiatry 2024:2817601. [PMID: 38630491 PMCID: PMC11024771 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0525] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Importance Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder more prevalent in males than in females. The cause of ASD is largely genetic, but the association of genetics with the skewed sex ratio is not yet understood. To our knowledge, no large population-based study has provided estimates of heritability by sex. Objective To estimate the sex-specific heritability of ASD. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a population-based, retrospective analysis using national health registers of nontwin siblings and cousins from Sweden born between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 1998, with follow-up to 19 years of age. Data analysis occurred from August 2022 to November 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures Models were fitted to estimate the relative variance in risk for ASD occurrence owing to sex-specific additive genetics, shared environmental effects, and a common residual term. The residual term conceptually captured other factors that promote individual behavioral variation (eg, maternal effects, de novo variants, rare genetic variants not additively inherited, or gene-environment interactions). Estimates were adjusted for differences in prevalence due to birth year and maternal and paternal age by sex. Results The sample included 1 047 649 individuals in 456 832 families (538 283 males [51.38%]; 509 366 females [48.62%]). Within the entire sample, 12 226 (1.17%) received a diagnosis of ASD, comprising 8128 (1.51%) males and 4098 (0.80%) females. ASD heritability was estimated at 87.0% (95% CI, 81.4%-92.6%) for males and 75.7% (95% CI, 68.4%-83.1%) for females with a difference in heritability estimated at 11.3% (95% CI, 1.0%-21.6%). There was no support for shared environmental contributions. Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that the degree of phenotypic variation attributable to genetic differences (heritability) differs between males and females, indicating that some of the underlying causes of the condition may differ between the 2 sexes. The skewed sex ratio in ASD may be partly explained by differences in genetic variance between the sexes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sven Sandin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Benjamin H. K. Yip
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Weiyao Yin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lauren A. Weiss
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco
| | - Joseph D. Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Stuart Fass
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - John N. Constantino
- Pediatric Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Zhu Hailin
- Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Tychele N. Turner
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Natasha Marrus
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - David H. Gutmann
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
- Neurofibromatosis Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Stephan J. Sanders
- Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Benjamin Christoffersson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Churney ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
LeMaster C, Schwendinger-Schreck C, Ge B, Cheung W, Johnston JJ, Pastinen T, Smail C. Mapping structural variants to rare disease genes using long-read whole genome sequencing and trait-relevant polygenic scores. medRxiv 2024:2024.03.15.24304216. [PMID: 38562793 PMCID: PMC10984062 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.24304216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed the pervasive landscape of rare structural variants (rSVs) present in human genomes. rSVs can have extreme effects on the expression of proximal genes and, in a rare disease context, have been implicated in patient cases where no diagnostic single nucleotide variant (SNV) was found. Approaches for integrating rSVs to date have focused on targeted approaches in known Mendelian rare disease genes. This approach is intractable for rare diseases with many causal loci or patients with complex, multi-phenotype syndromes. We hypothesized that integrating trait-relevant polygenic scores (PGS) would provide a substantial reduction in the number of candidate disease genes in which to assess rSV effects. We further implemented a method for ranking PGS genes to define a set of core/key genes where a rSV has the potential to exert relatively larger effects on disease risk. Among a subset of patients enrolled in the Genomic Answers for Kids (GA4K) rare disease program (N=497), we used PacBio HiFi long-read whole genome sequencing (lrWGS) to identify rSVs intersecting genes in trait-relevant PGSs. Illustrating our approach in Autism (N=54 cases), we identified 1,827 deletions, 158 duplications, 619 insertions, and 14 inversions overlapping putative core/key PGS genes. Additionally, by integrating genomic constraint annotations from gnomAD, we observed that rare duplications overlapping putative core/key PGS genes were frequently in higher constraint regions compared to controls (P = 2×10-04). This difference was not observed in the lowest-ranked gene set (P = 0.18). Overall, our study provides a framework for the annotation of long-read rSVs from lrWGS data and prioritization of disease-linked genomic regions for downstream functional validation of rSV impacts. To enable reuse by other researchers, we have made SV allele frequencies and gene associations freely available.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C LeMaster
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute and Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - C Schwendinger-Schreck
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute and Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - B Ge
- McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - W Cheung
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute and Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - J J Johnston
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute and Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - T Pastinen
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute and Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - C Smail
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Research Institute and Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhuang H, Liang Z, Ma G, Qureshi A, Ran X, Feng C, Liu X, Yan X, Shen L. Autism spectrum disorder: pathogenesis, biomarker, and intervention therapy. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e497. [PMID: 38434761 PMCID: PMC10908366 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.497] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has become a common neurodevelopmental disorder. The heterogeneity of ASD poses great challenges for its research and clinical translation. On the basis of reviewing the heterogeneity of ASD, this review systematically summarized the current status and progress of pathogenesis, diagnostic markers, and interventions for ASD. We provided an overview of the ASD molecular mechanisms identified by multi-omics studies and convergent mechanism in different genetic backgrounds. The comorbidities, mechanisms associated with important physiological and metabolic abnormalities (i.e., inflammation, immunity, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction), and gut microbial disorder in ASD were reviewed. The non-targeted omics and targeting studies of diagnostic markers for ASD were also reviewed. Moreover, we summarized the progress and methods of behavioral and educational interventions, intervention methods related to technological devices, and research on medical interventions and potential drug targets. This review highlighted the application of high-throughput omics methods in ASD research and emphasized the importance of seeking homogeneity from heterogeneity and exploring the convergence of disease mechanisms, biomarkers, and intervention approaches, and proposes that taking into account individuality and commonality may be the key to achieve accurate diagnosis and treatment of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongbin Zhuang
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Zhiyuan Liang
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Guanwei Ma
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Ayesha Qureshi
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Xiaoqian Ran
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Chengyun Feng
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of BaoanShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Xukun Liu
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Xi Yan
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
| | - Liming Shen
- College of Life Science and OceanographyShenzhen UniversityShenzhenP. R. China
- Shenzhen‐Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science‐Shenzhen Fundamental Research InstitutionsShenzhenP. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Aydin E, Tsompanidis A, Chaplin D, Hawkes R, Allison C, Hackett G, Austin T, Padaigaitė E, Gabis LV, Sucking J, Holt R, Baron-Cohen S. Fetal brain growth and infant autistic traits. Mol Autism 2024; 15:11. [PMID: 38419120 PMCID: PMC10900793 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-024-00586-5] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structural differences exist in the brains of autistic individuals. To date only a few studies have explored the relationship between fetal brain growth and later infant autistic traits, and some have used fetal head circumference (HC) as a proxy for brain development. These findings have been inconsistent. Here we investigate whether fetal subregional brain measurements correlate with autistic traits in toddlers. METHODS A total of 219 singleton pregnancies (104 males and 115 females) were recruited at the Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK. 2D ultrasound was performed at 12-, 20- and between 26 and 30 weeks of pregnancy, measuring head circumference (HC), ventricular atrium (VA) and transcerebellar diameter (TCD). A total of 179 infants were followed up at 18-20 months of age and completed the quantitative checklist for autism in toddlers (Q-CHAT) to measure autistic traits. RESULTS Q-CHAT scores at 18-20 months of age were positively associated with TCD size at 20 weeks and with HC at 28 weeks, in univariate analyses, and in multiple regression models which controlled for sex, maternal age and birth weight. LIMITATIONS Due to the nature and location of the study, ascertainment bias could also have contributed to the recruitment of volunteer mothers with a higher than typical range of autistic traits and/or with a significant interest in the neurodevelopment of their children. CONCLUSION Prenatal brain growth is associated with toddler autistic traits and this can be ascertained via ultrasound starting at 20 weeks gestation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ezra Aydin
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Alex Tsompanidis
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Daren Chaplin
- The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rebecca Hawkes
- The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carrie Allison
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gerald Hackett
- The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Topun Austin
- The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
- NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eglė Padaigaitė
- Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lidia V Gabis
- Tel Aviv University, Wolfson Hospital and Maccabi healthcare, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - John Sucking
- NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rosemary Holt
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhou H, McPeek MS. Overcoming the "feast or famine" effect: improved interaction testing in genome-wide association studies. bioRxiv 2024:2024.02.13.580168. [PMID: 38405994 PMCID: PMC10888770 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.13.580168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
In genetic association analysis of complex traits, detection of interaction (either GxG or GxE) can help to elucidate the genetic architecture and biological mechanisms underlying the trait. Detection of interaction in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) can be methodologically challenging for various reasons, including a high burden of multiple comparisons when testing for epistasis between all possible pairs of a set of genomewide variants, as well as heteroscedasticity effects occurring in the presence of GxG or GxE interaction. In this paper, we address the problem of an even more striking phenomenon that we call the "feast or famine" effect that occurs when testing interaction in a genomewide context. As we verify, even in a simplified setting in which there is no interaction at all (and so no heteroscedasticity), in a GWAS to detect GxG or GxE interaction with a fixed genetic variant or environmental factor, the distribution of the genome-wide p-values under the null hypothesis is not the i.i.d. uniform one that is commonly assumed. Using standard methods, even if all SNPs are independent, some GWASs will have systematically underinflated p-values ("feast"), and others will have systematically overinflated p-values ("famine"), which can lead to false detection of interaction, reduced power, inconsistent results across studies, and failure to replicate true signal. This startling phenomenon is specific to detection of interaction in a GWAS, and it may partly explain why such detection has so far proved challenging and difficult to replicate. We show theoretically that the key cause of this phenomenon is which variables are conditioned on in the analysis, and this suggests an approach to correct the problem by changing the way the conditioning is done. Using this insight, we have developed the TINGA method to adjust the interaction test statistics to make their p-values closer to uniform under the null hypothesis. In simulations we show that TINGA both controls type 1 error and improves power. TINGA allows for covariates and population structure through use of a linear mixed model and accounts for heteroscedasticity. We apply TINGA to detection of epistasis in a study of flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huanlin Zhou
- Department of Statistics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A
| | - Mary Sara McPeek
- Department of Statistics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A
- Department of Human Genetics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ziemka-Nalecz M, Pawelec P, Ziabska K, Zalewska T. Sex Differences in Brain Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14571. [PMID: 37834018 PMCID: PMC10572175 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A remarkable feature of the brain is its sexual dimorphism. Sexual dimorphism in brain structure and function is associated with clinical implications documented previously in healthy individuals but also in those who suffer from various brain disorders. Sex-based differences concerning some features such as the risk, prevalence, age of onset, and symptomatology have been confirmed in a range of neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. The mechanisms responsible for the establishment of sex-based differences between men and women are not fully understood. The present paper provides up-to-date data on sex-related dissimilarities observed in brain disorders and highlights the most relevant features that differ between males and females. The topic is very important as the recognition of disparities between the sexes might allow for the identification of therapeutic targets and pharmacological approaches for intractable neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Teresa Zalewska
- NeuroRepair Department, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 5, A. Pawinskiego Str., 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (M.Z.-N.); (P.P.); (K.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Khramtsova EA, Wilson MA, Martin J, Winham SJ, He KY, Davis LK, Stranger BE. Quality control and analytic best practices for testing genetic models of sex differences in large populations. Cell 2023; 186:2044-2061. [PMID: 37172561 PMCID: PMC10266536 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic sex-based differences exist for many complex traits. In other cases, phenotypes may be similar, but underlying biology may vary. Thus, sex-aware genetic analyses are becoming increasingly important for understanding the mechanisms driving these differences. To this end, we provide a guide outlining the current best practices for testing various models of sex-dependent genetic effects in complex traits and disease conditions, noting that this is an evolving field. Insights from sex-aware analyses will not only teach us about the biology of complex traits but also aid in achieving the goals of precision medicine and health equity for all.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina A Khramtsova
- Population Analytics and Insights, Data Science Analytics & Insights, Janssen R&D, Lower Gwynedd Township, PA, USA.
| | - Melissa A Wilson
- School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85282, USA
| | - Joanna Martin
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Stacey J Winham
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Division of Computational Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Karen Y He
- Population Analytics and Insights, Data Science Analytics & Insights, Janssen R&D, Lower Gwynedd Township, PA, USA
| | - Lea K Davis
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Barbara E Stranger
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Tsompanidis A, Warrier V, Baron-Cohen S. The genetics of autism and steroid-related traits in prenatal and postnatal life. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1126036. [PMID: 37223033 PMCID: PMC10200920 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1126036] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autism likelihood is a largely heritable trait. Autism prevalence has a skewed sex ratio, with males being diagnosed more often than females. Steroid hormones play a mediating role in this, as indicated by studies of both prenatal biology and postnatal medical conditions in autistic men and women. It is currently unclear if the genetics of steroid regulation or production interact with the genetic liability for autism. Methods To address this, two studies were conducted using publicly available datasets, which focused respectively on rare genetic variants linked to autism and neurodevelopmental conditions (study 1) and common genetic variants (study 2) for autism. In Study 1 an enrichment analysis was conducted, between autism-related genes (SFARI database) and genes that are differentially expressed (FDR<0.1) between male and female placentas, in 1st trimester chorionic villi samples of viable pregnancies (n=39). In Study 2 summary statistics of genome wide association studies (GWAS) were used to investigate the genetic correlation between autism and bioactive testosterone, estradiol and postnatal PlGF levels, as well as steroid-related conditions such as polycystic ovaries syndrome (PCOS), age of menarche, and androgenic alopecia. Genetic correlation was calculated based on LD Score regression and results were corrected for multiple testing with FDR. Results In Study 1, there was significant enrichment of X-linked autism genes in male-biased placental genes, independently of gene length (n=5 genes, p<0.001). In Study 2, common genetic variance associated with autism did not correlate to the genetics for the postnatal levels of testosterone, estradiol or PlGF, but was associated with the genotypes associated with early age of menarche in females (b=-0.109, FDR-q=0.004) and protection from androgenic alopecia for males (b=-0.135, FDR-q=0.007). Conclusion The rare genetic variants associated with autism appear to interact with placental sex differences, while the common genetic variants associated with autism appear to be involved in the regulation of steroid-related traits. These lines of evidence indicate that the likelihood for autism is partly linked to factors mediating physiological sex differences throughout development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex Tsompanidis
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Stallworthy IC, Masten AS. Advancing research on early autism through an integrated risk and resilience perspective. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:44-61. [PMID: 35379370 DOI: 10.1017/S0954579421001437] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
To date, a deficit-oriented approach dominates autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research, including studies of infant siblings of children with ASD at high risk (HR) for the disabilities associated with this disorder. Despite scientific advances regarding early ASD-related risk, there remains little systematic investigation of positive development, limiting the scope of research and quite possibly a deeper understanding of pathways toward and away from ASD-related impairments. In this paper, we argue that integrating a resilience framework into early ASD research has the potential to enhance knowledge on prodromal course, phenotypic heterogeneity, and developmental processes of risk and adaptation. We delineate a developmental systems resilience framework with particular reference to HR infants. To illustrate the utility of a resilience perspective, we consider the "female protective effect" and other evidence of adaptation in the face of ASD-related risk. We suggest that a resilience framework invites focal questions about the nature, timing, levels, interactions, and mechanisms by which positive adaptation occurs in relation to risk and developmental pathways toward and away from ASD-related difficulties. We conclude with recommendations for future research, including more focus on adaptive development and multisystem processes, pathways away from disorder, and reconsideration of extant evidence within an integrated risk-and-resilience framework.
Collapse
|
10
|
Dong L, Wang Y, Wang X, Luo T, Zhou Q, Zhao G, Li B, Xia L, Xia K, Li J. Interactions of genetic risks for autism and the broad autism phenotypes. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1110080. [PMID: 37102084 PMCID: PMC10123509 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1110080] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Common polygenic risk and de novo variants (DNVs) capture a small proportion of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) liability, and ASD phenotypic heterogeneity remains difficult to explain. Integrating multiple genetic factors contribute to clarifying the risk and clinical presentation of ASD. Methods In our study, we investigated the individual and combined effects of polygenic risk, damaging DNVs (including those in ASD risk genes), and sex among 2,591 ASD simplex families in the Simons Simplex Collection. We also explored the interactions among these factors, along with the broad autism phenotypes of ASD probands and their unaffected siblings. Finally, we combined the effects of polygenic risk, damaging DNVs in ASD risk genes, and sex to explain the total liability of ASD phenotypic spectrum. Results Our findings revealed that both polygenic risk and damaging DNVs contribute to an increased risk for ASD, with females exhibiting higher genetic burdens than males. ASD probands that carry damaging DNVs in ASD risk genes showed reduced polygenic risk. The effects of polygenic risk and damaging DNVs on autism broad phenotypes were inconsistent; probands with higher polygenic risk exhibited improvement in some behaviors, such as adaptive/cognitive behaviors, while those with damaging DNVs exhibited more severe phenotypes. Siblings with higher polygenic risk and damaging DNVs tended to have higher scores on broader autism phenotypes. Females exhibited more severe cognitive and behavioral problems compared to males among both ASD probands and siblings. The combination of polygenic risk, damaging DNVs in ASD risk genes, and sex explained 1-4% of the total liability of adaptive/cognitive behavior measurements. Conclusion Our study revealed that the risk for ASD and the autism broad phenotypes likely arises from a combination of common polygenic risk, damaging DNVs (including those in ASD risk genes), and sex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lijie Dong
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Centre for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yijing Wang
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Centre for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaomeng Wang
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Centre for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Tengfei Luo
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Centre for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qiao Zhou
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Guihu Zhao
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Bin Li
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lu Xia
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Centre for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- *Correspondence: Lu Xia,
| | - Kun Xia
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Kun Xia,
| | - Jinchen Li
- Bioinformatics Center and National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Centre for Medical Genetics and Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Jinchen Li,
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Waldhorn I, Turetsky T, Steiner D, Gil Y, Benyamini H, Gropp M, Reubinoff BE. Modeling sex differences in humans using isogenic induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:2732-2744. [PMID: 36427492 PMCID: PMC9768579 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.10.017] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological sex is a fundamental trait influencing development, reproduction, pathogenesis, and medical treatment outcomes. Modeling sex differences is challenging because of the masking effect of genetic variability and the hurdle of differentiating chromosomal versus hormonal effects. In this work we developed a cellular model to study sex differences in humans. Somatic cells from a mosaic Klinefelter syndrome patient were reprogrammed to generate isogenic induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines with different sex chromosome complements: 47,XXY/46,XX/46,XY/45,X0. Transcriptional analysis of the hiPSCs revealed novel and known genes and pathways that are sexually dimorphic in the pluripotent state and during early neural development. Female hiPSCs more closely resembled the naive pluripotent state than their male counterparts. Moreover, the system enabled differentiation between the contributions of X versus Y chromosome to these differences. Taken together, isogenic hiPSCs present a novel platform for studying sex differences in humans and bear potential to promote gender-specific medicine in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ithai Waldhorn
- Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Tikva Turetsky
- Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Debora Steiner
- Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yaniv Gil
- Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hadar Benyamini
- Bioinformatics Unit of the I-CORE at Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michal Gropp
- Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Benjamin E. Reubinoff
- Hadassah Stem Cell Research Center, Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ein Kerem, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel,Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Dougherty JD, Marrus N, Maloney SE, Yip B, Sandin S, Turner TN, Selmanovic D, Kroll KL, Gutmann DH, Constantino JN, Weiss LA. Can the "female protective effect" liability threshold model explain sex differences in autism spectrum disorder? Neuron 2022; 110:3243-3262. [PMID: 35868305 PMCID: PMC9588569 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Male sex is a strong risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The leading theory for a "female protective effect" (FPE) envisions males and females have "differing thresholds" under a "liability threshold model" (DT-LTM). Specifically, this model posits that females require either a greater number or larger magnitude of risk factors (i.e., greater liability) to manifest ASD, which is supported by the finding that a greater proportion of females with ASD have highly penetrant genetic mutations. Herein, we derive testable hypotheses from the DT-LTM for ASD, investigating heritability, familial recurrence, correlation between ASD penetrance and sex ratio, population traits, clinical features, the stability of the sex ratio across diagnostic changes, and highlight other key prerequisites. Our findings reveal that several key predictions of the DT-LTM are not supported by current data, requiring us to establish a different conceptual framework for evaluating alternate models that explain sex differences in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Natasha Marrus
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Susan E Maloney
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Benjamin Yip
- JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sven Sandin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tychele N Turner
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Din Selmanovic
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kristen L Kroll
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David H Gutmann
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - John N Constantino
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lauren A Weiss
- Institute for Human Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Traglia M, Bout M, Weiss LA. Sex-heterogeneous SNPs disproportionately influence gene expression and health. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010147. [PMID: 35511767 PMCID: PMC9070888 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic differences across sexes are pervasive, but the genetic architecture of sex differences within and across phenotypes is mostly unknown. In this study, we aimed to improve detection power for sex-differentially contributing SNPs previously demonstrated to be enriched in disease association, and we investigate their functions in health, pathophysiology, and genetic function. We leveraged GIANT and UK Biobank summary statistics and defined a set of 2,320 independent SNPs having sexually dimorphic effects within and across biometric traits (MAF > 0.001, P < 5x10-8). Biometric trait sex-heterogeneous SNPs (sex-het SNPs) showed enrichment in association signals for 20 out of 33 diseases/traits at 5% alpha compared to sex-homogeneous matched SNPs (empP < 0.001), and were significantly overrepresented in muscle, skeletal and stem cell development processes, and in calcium channel and microtubule complexes (FDR < 0.05, empP < 0.05). Interestingly, we found that sex-het SNPs significantly map to predicted expression quantitative trait loci (Pr-eQTLs) across brain and other tissues, methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs) during development, and transcription start sites, compared to sex-homogeneous SNPs. Finally, we verified that the sex-het disease/trait enrichment was not explained by Pr-eQTL enrichment alone, as sex-het Pr-eQTLs were more enriched than matched sex-homogeneous Pr-eQTLs. We conclude that genetic polymorphisms with sexually dimorphic effects on biometric traits not only contribute to fundamental embryogenic processes, but later in life play an outsized role in disease risk. These sex-het SNPs disproportionately influence gene expression and have a greater influence on disorders of body and brain than other expression-regulatory variation. Together, our data emphasize the genetic underpinnings of sexual dimorphism and its role in human health.
Collapse
|
14
|
Jasim H, Hamdan F, Shareef H. Visual evoked potential findings and correlation between visual evoked potential and clinical severity in children with autism spectrum disorder. Med J Babylon 2022. [DOI: 10.4103/mjbl.mjbl_88_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
|
15
|
Blokland GAM, Grove J, Chen CY, Cotsapas C, Tobet S, Handa R, St Clair D, Lencz T, Mowry BJ, Periyasamy S, Cairns MJ, Tooney PA, Wu JQ, Kelly B, Kirov G, Sullivan PF, Corvin A, Riley BP, Esko T, Milani L, Jönsson EG, Palotie A, Ehrenreich H, Begemann M, Steixner-Kumar A, Sham PC, Iwata N, Weinberger DR, Gejman PV, Sanders AR, Buxbaum JD, Rujescu D, Giegling I, Konte B, Hartmann AM, Bramon E, Murray RM, Pato MT, Lee J, Melle I, Molden E, Ophoff RA, McQuillin A, Bass NJ, Adolfsson R, Malhotra AK, Martin NG, Fullerton JM, Mitchell PB, Schofield PR, Forstner AJ, Degenhardt F, Schaupp S, Comes AL, Kogevinas M, Guzman-Parra J, Reif A, Streit F, Sirignano L, Cichon S, Grigoroiu-Serbanescu M, Hauser J, Lissowska J, Mayoral F, Müller-Myhsok B, Świątkowska B, Schulze TG, Nöthen MM, Rietschel M, Kelsoe J, Leboyer M, Jamain S, Etain B, Bellivier F, Vincent JB, Alda M, O'Donovan C, Cervantes P, Biernacka JM, Frye M, McElroy SL, Scott LJ, Stahl EA, Landén M, Hamshere ML, Smeland OB, Djurovic S, Vaaler AE, Andreassen OA, Baune BT, Air T, Preisig M, Uher R, Levinson DF, Weissman MM, Potash JB, Shi J, Knowles JA, Perlis RH, Lucae S, Boomsma DI, Penninx BWJH, Hottenga JJ, de Geus EJC, Willemsen G, Milaneschi Y, Tiemeier H, Grabe HJ, Teumer A, Van der Auwera S, Völker U, Hamilton SP, Magnusson PKE, Viktorin A, Mehta D, Mullins N, Adams MJ, Breen G, McIntosh AM, Lewis CM, Hougaard DM, Nordentoft M, Mors O, Mortensen PB, Werge T, Als TD, Børglum AD, Petryshen TL, Smoller JW, Goldstein JM. Sex-Dependent Shared and Nonshared Genetic Architecture Across Mood and Psychotic Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:102-117. [PMID: 34099189 PMCID: PMC8458480 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.02.972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in incidence and/or presentation of schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BIP) are pervasive. Previous evidence for shared genetic risk and sex differences in brain abnormalities across disorders suggest possible shared sex-dependent genetic risk. METHODS We conducted the largest to date genome-wide genotype-by-sex (G×S) interaction of risk for these disorders using 85,735 cases (33,403 SCZ, 19,924 BIP, and 32,408 MDD) and 109,946 controls from the PGC (Psychiatric Genomics Consortium) and iPSYCH. RESULTS Across disorders, genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphism-by-sex interaction was detected for a locus encompassing NKAIN2 (rs117780815, p = 3.2 × 10-8), which interacts with sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) enzymes, implicating neuronal excitability. Three additional loci showed evidence (p < 1 × 10-6) for cross-disorder G×S interaction (rs7302529, p = 1.6 × 10-7; rs73033497, p = 8.8 × 10-7; rs7914279, p = 6.4 × 10-7), implicating various functions. Gene-based analyses identified G×S interaction across disorders (p = 8.97 × 10-7) with transcriptional inhibitor SLTM. Most significant in SCZ was a MOCOS gene locus (rs11665282, p = 1.5 × 10-7), implicating vascular endothelial cells. Secondary analysis of the PGC-SCZ dataset detected an interaction (rs13265509, p = 1.1 × 10-7) in a locus containing IDO2, a kynurenine pathway enzyme with immunoregulatory functions implicated in SCZ, BIP, and MDD. Pathway enrichment analysis detected significant G×S interaction of genes regulating vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling in MDD (false discovery rate-corrected p < .05). CONCLUSIONS In the largest genome-wide G×S analysis of mood and psychotic disorders to date, there was substantial genetic overlap between the sexes. However, significant sex-dependent effects were enriched for genes related to neuronal development and immune and vascular functions across and within SCZ, BIP, and MDD at the variant, gene, and pathway levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriëlla A M Blokland
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
| | - Jakob Grove
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark; Bioinformatics Research Centre (BiRC), Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Chia-Yen Chen
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Biogen Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Chris Cotsapas
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Departments of Neurology and Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Stuart Tobet
- Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine (ICON), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Robert Handa
- Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine (ICON), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - David St Clair
- University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Todd Lencz
- The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; The Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York; The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York
| | - Bryan J Mowry
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sathish Periyasamy
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park - Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, Queensland, Australia
| | - Murray J Cairns
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Priority Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul A Tooney
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Priority Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jing Qin Wu
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brian Kelly
- Priority Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - George Kirov
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick F Sullivan
- Departments of Genetics and Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Aiden Corvin
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brien P Riley
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Departments of Psychiatry and Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Tõnu Esko
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Lili Milani
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Erik G Jönsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry Section, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Aarno Palotie
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannelore Ehrenreich
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Martin Begemann
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Agnes Steixner-Kumar
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Pak C Sham
- Department of Psychiatry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China; State Key Laboratory for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China; Centre for Genomic Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Nakao Iwata
- Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, Maryland; Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuroscience and Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Pablo V Gejman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, North Shore University Health System, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Alan R Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, North Shore University Health System, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Joseph D Buxbaum
- Departments of Human Genetics and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Halle, Halle, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ina Giegling
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Halle, Halle, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bettina Konte
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Halle, Halle, Germany
| | | | - Elvira Bramon
- Mental Health Neuroscience Research Department, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robin M Murray
- Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michele T Pato
- Institute for Genomic Health, SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine, Brooklyn, New York; Department of Psychiatry and Zilkha Neurogenetics Institute, Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jimmy Lee
- Research Division and Department of General Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore; Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore
| | - Ingrid Melle
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Espen Molden
- Center for Psychopharmacology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Roel A Ophoff
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California; David Geffen School of Medicine, and Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Andrew McQuillin
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J Bass
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rolf Adolfsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Psychiatry, Umeå University Medical Faculty, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Anil K Malhotra
- The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; The Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, New York; The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York
| | - Nicholas G Martin
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Janice M Fullerton
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Philip B Mitchell
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter R Schofield
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andreas J Forstner
- Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Franziska Degenhardt
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Schaupp
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ashley L Comes
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | | | - José Guzman-Parra
- Mental Health Department, University Regional Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fabian Streit
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lea Sirignano
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sven Cichon
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria Grigoroiu-Serbanescu
- Biometric Psychiatric Genetics Research Unit, Alexandru Obregia Clinical Psychiatric Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Joanna Hauser
- Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Psychiatric Genetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Jolanta Lissowska
- Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, M. Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Fermin Mayoral
- Mental Health Department, University Regional Hospital, Biomedical Research Institute of Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain
| | - Bertram Müller-Myhsok
- University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Beata Świątkowska
- Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland
| | - Thomas G Schulze
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus M Nöthen
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - John Kelsoe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Marion Leboyer
- Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est, Créteil, France; Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France; Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Jamain
- Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Est, Créteil, France; INSERM U955, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Créteil, France
| | - Bruno Etain
- Centre for Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France; UMR-S1144 Team 1 Biomarkers of relapse and therapeutic response in addiction and mood disorders, INSERM, Paris, France; Psychiatry, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Frank Bellivier
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France; UMR-S1144 Team 1 Biomarkers of relapse and therapeutic response in addiction and mood disorders, INSERM, Paris, France; Psychiatry, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France; Paris Bipolar and TRD Expert Centres, FondaMental Foundation, Paris, France
| | - John B Vincent
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Martin Alda
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Claire O'Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Pablo Cervantes
- Department of Psychiatry, Mood Disorders Program, McGill University Health Center, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Joanna M Biernacka
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Mark Frye
- Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | | | - Laura J Scott
- Center for Statistical Genetics and Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Eli A Stahl
- Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Mikael Landén
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marian L Hamshere
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Olav B Smeland
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Srdjan Djurovic
- Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; NORMENT Centre, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Arne E Vaaler
- Department of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, St Olavs' University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bernhard T Baune
- Department of Psychiatry, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Tracy Air
- Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Austrlalia, Australia
| | - Martin Preisig
- Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rudolf Uher
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Douglas F Levinson
- Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Myrna M Weissman
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Division of Translational Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - James B Potash
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Jianxin Shi
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - James A Knowles
- Psychiatry & The Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Susanne Lucae
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology/Netherlands Twin Register, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Brenda W J H Penninx
- Department of Psychiatry, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center and GGZ inGeest, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jouke-Jan Hottenga
- Department of Biological Psychology/Netherlands Twin Register, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eco J C de Geus
- Department of Biological Psychology/Netherlands Twin Register, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Gonneke Willemsen
- Department of Biological Psychology/Netherlands Twin Register, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Yuri Milaneschi
- Department of Psychiatry, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center and GGZ inGeest, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hans J Grabe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alexander Teumer
- Institute of Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sandra Van der Auwera
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Patrik K E Magnusson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Viktorin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Divya Mehta
- School of Psychology and Counseling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Niamh Mullins
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark J Adams
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Gerome Breen
- NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew M McIntosh
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Cathryn M Lewis
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David M Hougaard
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Merete Nordentoft
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Mental Health Center, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Mors
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen, Denmark; Psychosis Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark
| | - Preben B Mortensen
- Centre for Integrative Sequencing (iSEQ), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; National Centre for Register-Based Research (NCCR), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Centre for Integrated Register-based Research (CIRRAU), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Werge
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Center Sct. Hans, Mental Health Services Copenhagen, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Thomas D Als
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anders D Børglum
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Tracey L Petryshen
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Concert Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Lexington, Massachusetts
| | - Jordan W Smoller
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Jill M Goldstein
- Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine (ICON), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry and Vincent Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; MGH-MIT-HMS Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, Massachusetts; Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
Disease classification, or nosology, was historically driven by careful examination of clinical features of patients. As technologies to measure and understand human phenotypes advanced, so too did classifications of disease, and the advent of genetic data has led to a surge in genetic subtyping in the past decades. Although the fundamental process of refining disease definitions and subtypes is shared across diverse fields, each field is driven by its own goals and technological expertise, leading to inconsistent and conflicting definitions of disease subtypes. Here, we review several classical and recent subtypes and subtyping approaches and provide concrete definitions to delineate subtypes. In particular, we focus on subtypes with distinct causal disease biology, which are of primary interest to scientists, and subtypes with pragmatic medical benefits, which are of primary interest to physicians. We propose genetic heterogeneity as a gold standard for establishing biologically distinct subtypes of complex polygenic disease. We focus especially on methods to find and validate genetic subtypes, emphasizing common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andy Dahl
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA; .,Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA; .,Department of Computational Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Noah Zaitlen
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA; .,Department of Computational Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Martin J, Khramtsova EA, Goleva SB, Blokland GAM, Traglia M, Walters RK, Hübel C, Coleman JRI, Breen G, Børglum AD, Demontis D, Grove J, Werge T, Bralten J, Bulik CM, Lee PH, Mathews CA, Peterson RE, Winham SJ, Wray N, Edenberg HJ, Guo W, Yao Y, Neale BM, Faraone SV, Petryshen TL, Weiss LA, Duncan LE, Goldstein JM, Smoller JW, Stranger BE, Davis LK. Examining Sex-Differentiated Genetic Effects Across Neuropsychiatric and Behavioral Traits. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:1127-1137. [PMID: 33648717 PMCID: PMC8163257 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The origin of sex differences in prevalence and presentation of neuropsychiatric and behavioral traits is largely unknown. Given established genetic contributions and correlations, we tested for a sex-differentiated genetic architecture within and between traits. METHODS Using European ancestry genome-wide association summary statistics for 20 neuropsychiatric and behavioral traits, we tested for sex differences in single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability and genetic correlation (rg < 1). For each trait, we computed per-SNP z scores from sex-stratified regression coefficients and identified genes with sex-differentiated effects using a gene-based approach. We calculated correlation coefficients between z scores to test for shared sex-differentiated effects. Finally, we tested for sex differences in across-trait genetic correlations. RESULTS We observed no consistent sex differences in SNP-based heritability. Between-sex, within-trait genetic correlations were high, although <1 for educational attainment and risk-taking behavior. We identified 4 genes with significant sex-differentiated effects across 3 traits. Several trait pairs shared sex-differentiated effects. The top genes with sex-differentiated effects were enriched for multiple gene sets, including neuron- and synapse-related sets. Most between-trait genetic correlation estimates were not significantly different between sexes, with exceptions (educational attainment and risk-taking behavior). CONCLUSIONS Sex differences in the common autosomal genetic architecture of neuropsychiatric and behavioral phenotypes are small and polygenic and unlikely to fully account for observed sex-differentiated attributes. Larger sample sizes are needed to identify sex-differentiated effects for most traits. For well-powered studies, we identified genes with sex-differentiated effects that were enriched for neuron-related and other biological functions. This work motivates further investigation of genetic and environmental influences on sex differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Martin
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
| | - Ekaterina A Khramtsova
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine and Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Computational Sciences, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Spring House, Pennsylvania
| | - Slavina B Goleva
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Gabriëlla A M Blokland
- Psychiatric & Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Michela Traglia
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Raymond K Walters
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Christopher Hübel
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonathan R I Coleman
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley National Health Service Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gerome Breen
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley National Health Service Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anders D Børglum
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ditte Demontis
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jakob Grove
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thomas Werge
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Center Sct. Hans, Mental Health Services Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Section for GeoGenetics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Janita Bralten
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Cynthia M Bulik
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Phil H Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Carol A Mathews
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Roseann E Peterson
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia; Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Stacey J Winham
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Naomi Wray
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Howard J Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Wei Guo
- Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yin Yao
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Benjamin M Neale
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Tracey L Petryshen
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lauren A Weiss
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Laramie E Duncan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Jill M Goldstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jordan W Smoller
- Psychiatric & Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Barbara E Stranger
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine and Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Center for Genetic Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Lea K Davis
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Georgitsi M, Dermitzakis I, Soumelidou E, Bonti E. The Polygenic Nature and Complex Genetic Architecture of Specific Learning Disorder. Brain Sci 2021; 11:631. [PMID: 34068951 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) is a multifactorial, neurodevelopmental disorder which may involve persistent difficulties in reading (dyslexia), written expression and/or mathematics. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with speed and accuracy of word reading, deficient decoding abilities, and poor spelling. Several studies from different, but complementary, scientific disciplines have investigated possible causal/risk factors for SLD. Biological, neurological, hereditary, cognitive, linguistic-phonological, developmental and environmental factors have been incriminated. Despite worldwide agreement that SLD is highly heritable, its exact biological basis remains elusive. We herein present: (a) an update of studies that have shaped our current knowledge on the disorder’s genetic architecture; (b) a discussion on whether this genetic architecture is ‘unique’ to SLD or, alternatively, whether there is an underlying common genetic background with other neurodevelopmental disorders; and, (c) a brief discussion on whether we are at a position of generating meaningful correlations between genetic findings and anatomical data from neuroimaging studies or specific molecular/cellular pathways. We conclude with open research questions that could drive future research directions.
Collapse
|
19
|
Johnston KJA, Ward J, Ray PR, Adams MJ, McIntosh AM, Smith BH, Strawbridge RJ, Price TJ, Smith DJ, Nicholl BI, Bailey MES. Sex-stratified genome-wide association study of multisite chronic pain in UK Biobank. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009428. [PMID: 33830993 PMCID: PMC8031124 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is highly prevalent worldwide and imparts a significant socioeconomic and public health burden. Factors influencing susceptibility to, and mechanisms of, chronic pain development, are not fully understood, but sex is thought to play a significant role, and chronic pain is more prevalent in women than in men. To investigate sex differences in chronic pain, we carried out a sex-stratified genome-wide association study of Multisite Chronic Pain (MCP), a derived chronic pain phenotype, in UK Biobank on 178,556 men and 209,093 women, as well as investigating sex-specific genetic correlations with a range of psychiatric, autoimmune and anthropometric phenotypes and the relationship between sex-specific polygenic risk scores for MCP and chronic widespread pain. We also assessed whether MCP-associated genes showed expression pattern enrichment across tissues. A total of 123 SNPs at five independent loci were significantly associated with MCP in men. In women, a total of 286 genome-wide significant SNPs at ten independent loci were discovered. Meta-analysis of sex-stratified GWAS outputs revealed a further 87 independent associated SNPs. Gene-level analyses revealed sex-specific MCP associations, with 31 genes significantly associated in females, 37 genes associated in males, and a single gene, DCC, associated in both sexes. We found evidence for sex-specific pleiotropy and risk for MCP was found to be associated with chronic widespread pain in a sex-differential manner. Male and female MCP were highly genetically correlated, but at an rg of significantly less than 1 (0.92). All 37 male MCP-associated genes and all but one of 31 female MCP-associated genes were found to be expressed in the dorsal root ganglion, and there was a degree of enrichment for expression in sex-specific tissues. Overall, the findings indicate that sex differences in chronic pain exist at the SNP, gene and transcript abundance level, and highlight possible sex-specific pleiotropy for MCP. Results support the proposition of a strong central nervous-system component to chronic pain in both sexes, additionally highlighting a potential role for the DRG and nociception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keira J. A. Johnston
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Joey Ward
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Pradipta R. Ray
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
| | - Mark J. Adams
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew M. McIntosh
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Blair H. Smith
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Rona J. Strawbridge
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Theodore J. Price
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Smith
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara I. Nicholl
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Mark E. S. Bailey
- School of Life Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Nayar K, Sealock JM, Maltman N, Bush L, Cook EH, Davis LK, Losh M. Elevated Polygenic Burden for Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Associated With the Broad Autism Phenotype in Mothers of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:476-485. [PMID: 33229037 PMCID: PMC7901138 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder that encompasses a complex and heterogeneous set of traits. Subclinical traits that mirror the core features of ASD, referred to as the broad autism phenotype (BAP), have been documented repeatedly in unaffected relatives and are believed to reflect underlying genetic liability to ASD. The BAP may help inform the etiology of ASD by allowing the stratification of families into more phenotypically and etiologically homogeneous subgroups. This study explores polygenic scores related to the BAP. METHODS Phenotypic and genotypic information were obtained from 2614 trios from the Simons Simplex Collection. Polygenic scores of ASD (ASD-PGSs) were generated across the sample to determine the shared genetic overlap between the BAP and ASD. Maternal and paternal ASD-PGSs were explored in relation to BAP traits and their child's ASD symptomatology. RESULTS Maternal pragmatic language was related to child's social communicative atypicalities. In fathers, rigid personality was related to increased repetitive behaviors in children. Maternal (but not paternal) ASD-PGSs were related to the pragmatic language and rigid BAP domains. CONCLUSIONS Associations emerged between parent and child phenotypes, with more associations emerging in mothers than in fathers. ASD-PGS associations emerged with BAP in mothers only, highlighting the potential for a female protective factor, and implicating the polygenic etiology of ASD-related phenotypes in the BAP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Molly Losh
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Traccis F, Serra V, Sagheddu C, Congiu M, Saba P, Giua G, Devoto P, Frau R, Cheer JF, Melis M. Prenatal THC Does Not Affect Female Mesolimbic Dopaminergic System in Preadolescent Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041666. [PMID: 33562259 PMCID: PMC7914408 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis use among pregnant women is increasing worldwide along with permissive sociocultural attitudes toward it. Prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE), however, is associated with adverse outcome among offspring, ranging from reduced birth weight to child psychopathology. We have previously shown that male rat offspring prenatally exposed to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a rat model of PCE, exhibit extensive molecular, cellular, and synaptic changes in dopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), resulting in a susceptible mesolimbic dopamine system associated with a psychotic-like endophenotype. This phenotype only reveals itself upon a single exposure to THC in males but not females. Here, we characterized the impact of PCE on female behaviors and mesolimbic dopamine system function by combining in vivo single-unit extracellular recordings in anesthetized animals and ex vivo patch clamp recordings, along with neurochemical and behavioral analyses. We find that PCE female offspring do not show any spontaneous or THC-induced behavioral disease-relevant phenotypes. The THC-induced increase in dopamine levels in nucleus accumbens was reduced in PCE female offspring, even when VTA dopamine activity in vivo and ex vivo did not differ compared to control. These findings indicate that PCE impacts mesolimbic dopamine function and its related behavioral domains in a sex-dependent manner and warrant further investigations to decipher the mechanisms determining this sex-related protective effect from intrauterine THC exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Traccis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Valeria Serra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Claudia Sagheddu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Mauro Congiu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Pierluigi Saba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Gabriele Giua
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Paola Devoto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Roberto Frau
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
| | - Joseph Francois Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Miriam Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (F.T.); (V.S.); (C.S.); (M.C.); (P.S.); (G.G.); (P.D.); (R.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-070-675-4322
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Loss CM, Teodoro L, Rodrigues GD, Moreira LR, Peres FF, Zuardi AW, Crippa JA, Hallak JEC, Abílio VC. Is Cannabidiol During Neurodevelopment a Promising Therapy for Schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorders? Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:635763. [PMID: 33613289 PMCID: PMC7890086 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.635763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are psychiatric neurodevelopmental disorders that cause high levels of functional disabilities. Also, the currently available therapies for these disorders are limited. Therefore, the search for treatments that could be beneficial for the altered course of the neurodevelopment associated with these disorders is paramount. Preclinical and clinical evidence points to cannabidiol (CBD) as a promising strategy. In this review, we discuss clinical and preclinical studies on schizophrenia and ASD investigating the behavioral, molecular, and functional effects of chronic treatment with CBD (and with cannabidivarin for ASD) during neurodevelopment. In summary, the results point to CBD's beneficial potential for the progression of these disorders supporting further investigations to strengthen its use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cássio Morais Loss
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/CAPES/FAPESP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Lucas Teodoro
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Doná Rodrigues
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucas Roberto Moreira
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Fiel Peres
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/CAPES/FAPESP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Antonio Waldo Zuardi
- National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/CAPES/FAPESP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - José Alexandre Crippa
- National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/CAPES/FAPESP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Jaime Eduardo Cecilio Hallak
- National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/CAPES/FAPESP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Costhek Abílio
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/CAPES/FAPESP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Xia Y, Dai R, Wang K, Jiao C, Zhang C, Xu Y, Li H, Jing X, Chen Y, Jiang Y, Kopp RF, Giase G, Chen C, Liu C. Sex-differential DNA methylation and associated regulation networks in human brain implicated in the sex-biased risks of psychiatric disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:835-48. [PMID: 30976086 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0416-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [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: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Many psychiatric disorders are characterized by a strong sex difference, but the mechanisms behind sex-bias are not fully understood. DNA methylation plays important roles in regulating gene expression, ultimately impacting sexually different characteristics of the human brain. Most previous literature focused on DNA methylation alone without considering the regulatory network and its contribution to sex-bias of psychiatric disorders. Since DNA methylation acts in a complex regulatory network to connect genetic and environmental factors with high-order brain functions, we investigated the regulatory networks associated with different DNA methylation and assessed their contribution to the risks of psychiatric disorders. We compiled data from 1408 postmortem brain samples in 3 collections to identify sex-differentially methylated positions (DMPs) and regions (DMRs). We identified and replicated thousands of DMPs and DMRs. The DMR genes were enriched in neuronal related pathways. We extended the regulatory networks related to sex-differential methylation and psychiatric disorders by integrating methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs), gene expression, and protein-protein interaction data. We observed significant enrichment of sex-associated genes in psychiatric disorder-associated gene sets. We prioritized 2080 genes that were sex-biased and associated with psychiatric disorders, such as NRXN1, NRXN2, NRXN3, FDE4A, and SHANK2. These genes are enriched in synapse-related pathways and signaling pathways, suggesting that sex-differential genes of these neuronal pathways may cause the sex-bias of psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
|
24
|
Calderoni S, Ricca I, Balboni G, Cagiano R, Cassandrini D, Doccini S, Cosenza A, Tolomeo D, Tancredi R, Santorelli FM, Muratori F. Evaluation of Chromosome Microarray Analysis in a Large Cohort of Females with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Single Center Italian Study. J Pers Med 2020; 10:E160. [PMID: 33050239 PMCID: PMC7720139 DOI: 10.3390/jpm10040160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) encompass a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders resulting from the complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Thanks to the chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) in clinical practice, the accurate identification and characterization of submicroscopic deletions/duplications (copy number variants, CNVs) associated with ASD was made possible. However, the widely acknowledged excess of males on the autism spectrum reflects on a paucity of CMA studies specifically focused on females with ASD (f-ASD). In this framework, we aim to evaluate the frequency of causative CNVs in a single-center cohort of idiopathic f-ASD. Among the 90 f-ASD analyzed, we found 20 patients with one or two potentially pathogenic CNVs, including those previously associated with ASD (located at 16p13.2 16p11.2, 15q11.2, and 22q11.21 regions). An exploratory genotype/phenotype analysis revealed that the f-ASD with causative CNVs had statistically significantly lower restrictive and repetitive behaviors than those without CNVs or with non-causative CNVs. Future work should focus on further understanding of f-ASD genetic underpinnings, taking advantage of next-generation sequencing technologies, with the ultimate goal of contributing to precision medicine in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Calderoni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.C.); (A.C.); (R.T.); (F.M.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Savi, 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Ivana Ricca
- Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, via dei Giacinti 2, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (I.R.); (D.C.); (S.D.); (D.T.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Giulia Balboni
- Department of Philosophy, Social and Human Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Piazza G. Ermini 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Romina Cagiano
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.C.); (A.C.); (R.T.); (F.M.)
| | - Denise Cassandrini
- Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, via dei Giacinti 2, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (I.R.); (D.C.); (S.D.); (D.T.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Stefano Doccini
- Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, via dei Giacinti 2, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (I.R.); (D.C.); (S.D.); (D.T.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Angela Cosenza
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.C.); (A.C.); (R.T.); (F.M.)
| | - Deborah Tolomeo
- Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, via dei Giacinti 2, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (I.R.); (D.C.); (S.D.); (D.T.); (F.M.S.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini, 6-50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Raffaella Tancredi
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.C.); (A.C.); (R.T.); (F.M.)
| | - Filippo Maria Santorelli
- Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, via dei Giacinti 2, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (I.R.); (D.C.); (S.D.); (D.T.); (F.M.S.)
| | - Filippo Muratori
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Viale del Tirreno 331, Calambrone, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (R.C.); (A.C.); (R.T.); (F.M.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Savi, 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Ruzicka F, Dutoit L, Czuppon P, Jordan CY, Li X, Olito C, Runemark A, Svensson EI, Yazdi HP, Connallon T. The search for sexually antagonistic genes: Practical insights from studies of local adaptation and statistical genomics. Evol Lett 2020; 4:398-415. [PMID: 33014417 PMCID: PMC7523564 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually antagonistic (SA) genetic variation-in which alleles favored in one sex are disfavored in the other-is predicted to be common and has been documented in several animal and plant populations, yet we currently know little about its pervasiveness among species or its population genetic basis. Recent applications of genomics in studies of SA genetic variation have highlighted considerable methodological challenges to the identification and characterization of SA genes, raising questions about the feasibility of genomic approaches for inferring SA selection. The related fields of local adaptation and statistical genomics have previously dealt with similar challenges, and lessons from these disciplines can therefore help overcome current difficulties in applying genomics to study SA genetic variation. Here, we integrate theoretical and analytical concepts from local adaptation and statistical genomics research-including F ST and F IS statistics, genome-wide association studies, pedigree analyses, reciprocal transplant studies, and evolve-and-resequence experiments-to evaluate methods for identifying SA genes and genome-wide signals of SA genetic variation. We begin by developing theoretical models for between-sex F ST and F IS, including explicit null distributions for each statistic, and using them to critically evaluate putative multilocus signals of sex-specific selection in previously published datasets. We then highlight new statistics that address some of the limitations of F ST and F IS, along with applications of more direct approaches for characterizing SA genetic variation, which incorporate explicit fitness measurements. We finish by presenting practical guidelines for the validation and evolutionary analysis of candidate SA genes and discussing promising empirical systems for future work.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Filip Ruzicka
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVIC 3800Australia
| | - Ludovic Dutoit
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of OtagoDunedin9054New Zealand
| | - Peter Czuppon
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, UPEC, CNRS, IRD, INRASorbonne UniversitéParis75252France
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS, Collège de FrancePSL Research UniversityParis75231France
| | - Crispin Y. Jordan
- School of Biomedical SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghEH8 9XDUnited Kingdom
| | - Xiang‐Yi Li
- Institute of BiologyUniversity of NeuchâtelNeuchatelCH‐2000Switzerland
| | - Colin Olito
- Department of BiologyLund UniversityLundSE‐22362Sweden
| | - Anna Runemark
- Department of BiologyLund UniversityLundSE‐22362Sweden
| | | | | | - Tim Connallon
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVIC 3800Australia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Merikangas AK, Almasy L. Using the tools of genetic epidemiology to understand sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders. Genes Brain Behav 2020; 19:e12660. [PMID: 32348611 PMCID: PMC7507200 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [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: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Many neuropsychiatric disorders exhibit differences in prevalence, age of onset, symptoms or course of illness between males and females. For the most part, the origins of these differences are not well understood. In this article, we provide an overview of sex differences in psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, alcohol and substance abuse, schizophrenia, eating disorders and risk of suicide. We discuss both genetic and nongenetic mechanisms that have been hypothesized to underlie these differences, including ascertainment bias, environmental stressors, X‐ or Y‐linked risk loci, and differential liability thresholds in males and females. We then review the use of twin, family and genome‐wide association approaches to study potential genetic mechanisms of sex differences and the extent to which these designs have been employed in studies of psychiatric disorders. We describe the utility of genetic epidemiologic study designs, including classical twin and family studies, large‐scale studies of population registries, derived recurrence risks, and molecular genetic analyses of genome‐wide variation that may enhance our understanding sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison K Merikangas
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Penn-CHOP Lifespan Brain Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Laura Almasy
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Penn-CHOP Lifespan Brain Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Abstract
Advances in human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) biology coupled with protocols to generate diverse brain cell types in vitro have provided neuroscientists with opportunities to dissect basic and disease mechanisms in increasingly relevant cellular substrates. At the same time, large data collections and analyses have facilitated unprecedented insights into autism genetics, normal human genetic variation, and the molecular landscape of the developing human brain. While such insights have enabled the investigation of key mechanistic questions in autism, they also highlight important limitations associated with the use of existing hPSC models. In this review, we discuss four such issues which influence the efficacy of hPSC models for studying autism, including (i) sources of variance, (ii) scale and format of study design, (iii) divergence from the human brain in vivo, and (iv) regulatory policies and compliance governing the use of hPSCs. Moreover, we advocate for a set of immediate and long-term priorities to address these issues and to accelerate the generation and reproducibility of data in order to facilitate future fundamental as well as therapeutic discoveries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ralda Nehme
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Lindy E Barrett
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Lee JK, Amaral DG, Solomon M, Rogers SJ, Ozonoff S, Nordahl CW. Sex Differences in the Amygdala Resting-State Connectome of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging 2020; 5:320-329. [PMID: 31563470 PMCID: PMC7033019 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multifactorial liability models predict greater dissimilarity in the neural phenotype of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in female individuals than in male individuals, while gender incoherence and extreme male brain models predict attenuated sex differences in ASD. The amygdala is an informative target to explore these models because it is implicated in both the neurobiology of ASD and sex differences in typical development. METHODS This study investigated amygdala resting-state functional connectivity in a cohort of 116 children with ASD (36 female) and 58 typically developing children (27 female) 2 to 7 years of age during natural sleep. First, multivariate distance matrix regression assessed global sex and diagnostic differences across the amygdala connectome. Second, univariate general linear models identified regions with mean connectivity differences. RESULTS Multivariate distance matrix regression revealed greater differences between typically developing children and those with ASD in females than in males, consistent with multifactorial liability models, and attenuated sex differences in the left amygdala connectome of children with ASD in a pattern consistent with the gender incoherence model. Univariate analysis identified similar sex differences in dorsomedial and ventral prefrontal cortices, lingual gyrus, and posterior cingulate cortex, but also noted that lower amygdala connectivity with superior temporal sulcus is observed across sexes. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that compared with sex-matched control subjects, ASD manifests differently in the brain at the time of diagnosis and prior to the influence of compensatory mechanisms in male and female children, consistent with multifactorial liability models, and that ASD is associated with reduced sex differences in a pattern consistent with gender incoherence models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua K Lee
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California.
| | - David G Amaral
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Sally J Rogers
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Sally Ozonoff
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Christine Wu Nordahl
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Zhang Y, Li N, Li C, Zhang Z, Teng H, Wang Y, Zhao T, Shi L, Zhang K, Xia K, Li J, Sun Z. Genetic evidence of gender difference in autism spectrum disorder supports the female-protective effect. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:4. [PMID: 32066658 PMCID: PMC7026157 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0699-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a male-to-female prevalence of 4:1. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying this gender difference remain unclear. Mutation burden analysis, a TADA model, and co-expression and functional network analyses were performed on de novo mutations (DNMs) and corresponding candidate genes. We found that the prevalence of putative functional DNMs (loss-of-function and predicted deleterious missense mutations) in females was significantly higher than that in males, suggesting that a higher genetic load was required in females to reach the threshold for a diagnosis. We then prioritized 174 candidate genes, including 60 shared genes, 91 male-specific genes, and 23 female-specific genes. All of the three subclasses of candidate genes were significantly more frequently co-expressed in female brains than male brains, suggesting that compensation effects of the deficiency of ASD candidate genes may be more likely in females. Nevertheless, the three subclasses of candidate genes were co-expressed with each other, suggesting a convergent functional network of male and female-specific genes. Our analysis of different aspects of genetic components provides suggestive evidence supporting the female-protective effect in ASD. Moreover, further study is needed to integrate neuronal and hormonal data to elucidate the underlying gender difference in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China ,grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Na Li
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Chao Li
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Ze Zhang
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Huajing Teng
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Yan Wang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Tingting Zhao
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Leisheng Shi
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Kun Zhang
- grid.268099.c0000 0001 0348 3990Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325025 China
| | - Kun Xia
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Jinchen Li
- National Clinical Research Centre for Geriatric Disorders, Department of Geriatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China. .,Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China.
| | - Zhongsheng Sun
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325025, China. .,Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100101, China.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Dahl A, Nguyen K, Cai N, Gandal MJ, Flint J, Zaitlen N. A Robust Method Uncovers Significant Context-Specific Heritability in Diverse Complex Traits. Am J Hum Genet 2020; 106:71-91. [PMID: 31901249 PMCID: PMC7042488 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [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: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene-environment interactions (GxE) can be fundamental in applications ranging from functional genomics to precision medicine and is a conjectured source of substantial heritability. However, unbiased methods to profile GxE genome-wide are nascent and, as we show, cannot accommodate general environment variables, modest sample sizes, heterogeneous noise, and binary traits. To address this gap, we propose a simple, unifying mixed model for gene-environment interaction (GxEMM). In simulations and theory, we show that GxEMM can dramatically improve estimates and eliminate false positives when the assumptions of existing methods fail. We apply GxEMM to a range of human and model organism datasets and find broad evidence of context-specific genetic effects, including GxSex, GxAdversity, and GxDisease interactions across thousands of clinical and molecular phenotypes. Overall, GxEMM is broadly applicable for testing and quantifying polygenic interactions, which can be useful for explaining heritability and invaluable for determining biologically relevant environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andy Dahl
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Khiem Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Na Cai
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK; European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Michael J Gandal
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jonathan Flint
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Noah Zaitlen
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Abstract
Autism is a heterogenous set of early-onset neurodevelopmental conditions that are more prevalent in males than in females. Due to the high phenotypic, neurobiological, developmental, and etiological heterogeneity in the autism spectrum, recent research programs are increasingly exploring whether sex- and gender-related factors could be helpful markers to clarify the heterogeneity in autism and work toward a personalized approach to intervention and support. In this chapter, we summarize recent clinical and neuroscientific research addressing sex/gender influences in autism and explore how sex/gender-based investigations shed light on similar or different underlying neurodevelopmental mechanisms of autism by sex/gender. We review evidence that may help to explain some of the underlying sex-related biological mechanisms associated with autism, including genetics and the effects of sex steroid hormones in the prenatal environment. We conclude that current research points toward coexisting quantitative and, perhaps more evidently, qualitative sex/gender-modulation effects in autism across multiple neurobiological aspects. However, converging findings of specific neurobiological presentations and sex/gender-informed mechanisms cutting across the many subgroups within the autism spectrum are still lacking. Future research should use big data approaches and new stratification methods to decompose sex/gender-related heterogeneity in autism and work toward personalized, sex/gender-informed intervention and support for autistic people.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amber N V Ruigrok
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health & The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Mossa A, Manzini MC. Molecular causes of sex-specific deficits in rodent models of neurodevelopmental disorders. J Neurosci Res 2019; 99:37-56. [PMID: 31872500 PMCID: PMC7754327 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder consistently show a male bias in prevalence, but it remains unclear why males and females are affected with different frequency. While many behavioral studies of transgenic NDD models have focused only on males, the requirement by the National Institutes of Health to consider sex as a biological variable has promoted the comparison of male and female performance in wild-type and mutant animals. Here, we review examples of rodent models of NDDs in which sex-specific deficits were identified in molecular, physiological, and/or behavioral responses, showing sex differences in susceptibility to disruption of genes mutated in NDDs. Haploinsufficiency in genes involved in mechanisms such as synaptic function (GABRB3 and NRXN1), chromatin remodeling (CHD8, EMHT1, and ADNP), and intracellular signaling (CC2D1A and ERK1) lead to more severe behavioral outcomes in males. However, in the absence of behavioral deficits, females can still present with cellular and electrophysiological changes that could be due to compensatory mechanisms or differential allocation of molecular and cellular functions in the two sexes. By contrasting these findings with mouse models where females are more severely affected (MTHFR and AMBRA1), we propose a framework to approach the study of sex-specific deficits possibly leading to sex bias in NDDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adele Mossa
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - M Chiara Manzini
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Capkova Z, Capkova P, Srovnal J, Staffova K, Becvarova V, Trkova M, Adamova K, Santava A, Curtisova V, Hajduch M, Prochazka M. Differences in the importance of microcephaly, dysmorphism, and epilepsy in the detection of pathogenic CNVs in ID and ASD patients. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7979. [PMID: 31741789 PMCID: PMC6859875 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (ID) are heterogeneous and complex developmental diseases with significant genetic backgrounds and overlaps of genetic susceptibility loci. Copy number variants (CNVs) are known to be frequent causes of these impairments. However, the clinical heterogeneity of both disorders causes the diagnostic efficacy of CNV analysis to be modest. This could be resolved by stratifying patients according to their clinical features. Aim First, we sought to assess the significance of particular clinical features for the detection of pathogenic CNVs in separate groups of ID and ASD patients and determine whether and how these groups differ from each other in the significance of these variables. Second, we aimed to create a statistical model showing how particular clinical features affect the probability of pathogenic CNV findings. Method We tested a cohort of 204 patients with ID (N = 90) and ASD (N = 114) for the presence of pathogenic CNVs. We stratified both groups according to their clinical features. Fisher’s exact test was used to determine the significance of these variables for pathogenic CNV findings. Logistic regression was used to create a statistical model of pathogenic CNV findings. Results The frequency of pathogenic CNV was significantly higher in the ID group than in the ASD group: 18 (19.78%) versus 8 (7%) (p < 0.004). Microcephaly showed a significant association with pathogenic findings in ID patients (p < 0.01) according to Fisher’s exact test, whereas epilepsy showed a significant association with pathogenic findings in ASD patients (p < 0.01). The probability of pathogenic CNV findings when epilepsy occurred in ASD patients was more than two times higher than if epilepsy co-occurred with ID (29.6%/14.0%). Facial dysmorphism was a significant variable for detecting pathogenic CNVs in both groups (ID p = 0.05, ASD p = 0.01). However, dysmorphism increased the probability of pathogenic CNV detection in the ID group nearly twofold compared to the ASD group (44.4%/23.7%). The presence of macrocephaly in the ASD group showed a 25% probability of pathogenic CNV findings by logistic regression, but this was insignificant according to Fisher’s exact test. The probability of detecting pathogenic CNVs decreases up to 1% in the absence of dysmorphism, macrocephaly, and epilepsy in the ASD group. Conclusion Dysmorphism, microcephaly, and epilepsy increase the probability of pathogenic CNV findings in ID and ASD patients. The significance of each feature as a predictor for pathogenic CNV detection differs depending on whether the patient has only ASD or ID. The probability of pathogenic CNV findings without dysmorphism, macrocephaly, or epilepsy in ASD patients is low. Therefore the efficacy of CNV analysis is limited in these patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Capkova
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.,Department of Medical Genetics/Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Pavlina Capkova
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.,Department of Medical Genetics/Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Srovnal
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.,Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine/Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Staffova
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine/Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Katerina Adamova
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.,Department of Medical Genetics/Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Santava
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.,Department of Medical Genetics/Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Vaclava Curtisova
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.,Department of Medical Genetics/Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Marian Hajduch
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine/Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Prochazka
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.,Department of Medical Genetics/Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Braun AE, Carpentier PA, Babineau BA, Narayan AR, Kielhold ML, Moon HM, Shankar A, Su J, Saravanapandian V, Haditsch U, Palmer TD. "Females Are Not Just 'Protected' Males": Sex-Specific Vulnerabilities in Placenta and Brain after Prenatal Immune Disruption. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO. [PMID: 31611335 DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0358-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [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: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Current perceptions of genetic and environmental vulnerabilities in the developing fetus are biased toward male outcomes. An argument is made that males are more vulnerable to gestational complications and neurodevelopmental disorders, the implication being that an understanding of disrupted development in males is sufficient to understand causal mechanisms that are assumed to be similar but attenuated in females. Here we examine this assumption in the context of immune-driven alterations in fetal brain development and related outcomes in female and male mice. Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were treated with low-dose lipopolysaccharide at embryonic day 12.5. Placental pathology, acute fetal brain inflammation and hypoxia, long-term changes in adult cortex cytoarchitecture, altered densities and ratio of excitatory (Satb2+) to inhibitory (parvalbumin+) neuronal subtypes, postnatal growth, and behavior outcomes were compared between male and female offspring. We find that while males experience more pronounced placental pathology, fetal brain hypoxia, depleted PV and Satb2+ densities, and social and learning-related behavioral abnormalities, females exhibit unique acute inflammatory signaling in fetal brain, postnatal growth delay, opposite alterations in cortical PV densities, changes in juvenile behavior, delayed postnatal body growth, and elevated anxiety-related behavior as adults. While males are more severely impacted by prenatal immune disruption by several measures, females exposed to the same insult exhibit a unique set of vulnerabilities and developmental consequences that is not present in males. Our results clearly outline disparate sex-specific features of prenatal vulnerability to inflammatory insults and warn against the casual extrapolation of male disease mechanisms to females.
Collapse
|
35
|
Lee SC, Quinn TP, Lai J, Kong SW, Hertz-Picciotto I, Glatt SJ, Crowley TM, Venkatesh S, Nguyen T. Solving for X: Evidence for sex-specific autism biomarkers across multiple transcriptomic studies. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:377-389. [PMID: 30520558 PMCID: PMC6551334 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a markedly heterogeneous condition with a varied phenotypic presentation. Its high concordance among siblings, as well as its clear association with specific genetic disorders, both point to a strong genetic etiology. However, the molecular basis of ASD is still poorly understood, although recent studies point to the existence of sex-specific ASD pathophysiologies and biomarkers. Despite this, little is known about how exactly sex influences the gene expression signatures of ASD probands. In an effort to identify sex-dependent biomarkers and characterize their function, we present an analysis of a single paired-end postmortem brain RNA-Seq data set and a meta-analysis of six blood-based microarray data sets. Here, we identify several genes with sex-dependent dysregulation, and many more with sex-independent dysregulation. Moreover, through pathway analysis, we find that these sex-independent biomarkers have substantially different biological roles than the sex-dependent biomarkers, and that some of these pathways are ubiquitously dysregulated in both postmortem brain and blood. We conclude by synthesizing the discovered biomarker profiles with the extant literature, by highlighting the advantage of studying sex-specific dysregulation directly, and by making a call for new transcriptomic data that comprise large female cohorts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel C. Lee
- Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
| | - Thomas P. Quinn
- Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
- Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
- Bioinformatics Core Research Group, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
| | - Jerry Lai
- Deakin eResearch, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia | Intersect Australia, Sydney, 2000, Australia
| | - Sek Won Kong
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA | Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences and UC Davis MIND Institute, School of Medicine, Davis, California
| | - Stephen J. Glatt
- Psychiatric Genetic Epidemiology and Neurobiology Laboratory (PsychGENe Lab) | SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Tamsyn M. Crowley
- Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
- Bioinformatics Core Research Group, Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
- Poultry Hub Australia, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, 2351, Australia
| | - Svetha Venkatesh
- Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
| | - Thin Nguyen
- Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, 3220, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Khramtsova EA, Heldman R, Derks EM, Yu D, Davis LK, Stranger BE. Sex differences in the genetic architecture of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:351-364. [PMID: 30456828 PMCID: PMC6527502 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a highly heritable complex phenotype that demonstrates sex differences in age of onset and clinical presentation, suggesting a possible sex difference in underlying genetic architecture. We present the first genome-wide characterization of the sex-specific genetic architecture of OCD, utilizing the largest set of OCD cases and controls available from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. We assessed evidence for several mechanisms that may contribute to sex differences including a sex-dependent liability threshold, the presence of individual sex-specific risk variants on the autosomes and the X chromosome, and sex-specific pleiotropic effects. Furthermore, we tested the hypothesis that genetic heterogeneity between the sexes may obscure associations in a sex-combined genome-wide association study. We observed a strong genetic correlation between male and female OCD and no evidence for a sex-dependent liability threshold model, suggesting that sex-combined analysis does not suffer from widespread loss of power because of genetic heterogeneity between the sexes. While we did not detect any significant sex-specific genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associations, we did identify two significant gene-based associations in females: GRID2 and GRP135, which showed no association in males. We observed that the SNPs with sexually differentiated effects showed an enrichment of regulatory variants influencing expression of genes in brain and immune tissues. These findings suggest that future studies with larger sample sizes hold great promise for the identification of sex-specific genetic risk factors for OCD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina A Khramtsova
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | - Eske M Derks
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dongmei Yu
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lea K Davis
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute; Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Barbara E Stranger
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Center for Data Intensive Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Martin J, Tammimies K, Karlsson R, Lu Y, Larsson H, Lichtenstein P, Magnusson PKE. Copy number variation and neuropsychiatric problems in females and males in the general population. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:341-350. [PMID: 30307693 PMCID: PMC6767107 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental problems (NPs) are more common in males, whereas anxiety and depression are more common in females. Rare copy number variants (CNVs) have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between rare CNVs with NPs, anxiety, and depression in a childhood population sample, as well as to examine sex-specific effects. We analyzed a sample of N = 12,982 children, of whom 5.3% had narrowly defined NPs (clinically diagnosed), 20.9% had broadly defined NPs (based on validated screening measures, but no diagnosis), and 3.0% had clinically diagnosed anxiety or depression. Rare (<1% frequency) CNVs were categorized by size (100-500 kb or > 500 kb), type, and putative relevance to NPs. We tested for association of CNV categories with outcomes and examined sex-specific effects. Medium deletions (OR[CI] = 1.18[1.05-1.33], p = .0053) and large duplications (OR[CI] = 1.45[1.19-1.75], p = .00017) were associated with broadly defined NPs. Large deletions (OR[CI] = 1.85[1.14-3.01], p = .013) were associated with narrowly defined NPs. There were no significant sex differences in CNV burden in individuals with NPs. Although CNVs were not associated with anxiety/depression in the whole sample, in individuals diagnosed with these disorders, females were more likely to have large CNVs (OR[CI] = 3.75[1.45-9.68], p = .0064). Rare CNVs are associated with both narrowly and broadly defined NPs in a general population sample of children. Our results also suggest that large, rare CNVs may show sex-specific phenotypic effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Martin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & BiostatisticsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and GenomicsCardiff UniversityCardiffUnited Kingdom
| | - Kristiina Tammimies
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), Department of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska Institutet and Center for Psychiatry ResearchStockholmSweden
| | - Robert Karlsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & BiostatisticsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & BiostatisticsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Henrik Larsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & BiostatisticsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- School of Medical SciencesÖrebro UniversityÖrebroSweden
| | - Paul Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & BiostatisticsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Abstract
Nearly all human complex traits and disease phenotypes exhibit some degree of sex differences, including differences in prevalence, age of onset, severity or disease progression. Until recently, the underlying genetic mechanisms of such sex differences have been largely unexplored. Advances in genomic technologies and analytical approaches are now enabling a deeper investigation into the effect of sex on human health traits. In this Review, we discuss recent insights into the genetic models and mechanisms that lead to sex differences in complex traits. This knowledge is critical for developing deeper insight into the fundamental biology of sex differences and disease processes, thus facilitating precision medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina A Khramtsova
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lea K Davis
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Barbara E Stranger
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. .,Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. .,Center for Data Intensive Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Kappel DB, Schuch JB, Rovaris DL, da Silva BS, Müller D, Breda V, Teche SP, S Riesgo R, Schüler-Faccini L, Rohde LA, Grevet EH, Bau CHD. ADGRL3 rs6551665 as a Common Vulnerability Factor Underlying Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neuromolecular Med 2019; 21:60-67. [PMID: 30652248 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-019-08525-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders are prevalent, frequently occur in comorbidity and share substantial genetic correlation. Previous evidence has suggested a role for the ADGRL3 gene in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) susceptibility in several samples. Considering ADGRL3 functionality in central nervous system development and its previous association with neurodevelopmental disorders, we aimed to assess ADGRL3 influence in early-onset ADHD (before 7 years of age) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The sample comprises 187 men diagnosed with early-onset ADHD, 135 boys diagnosed with ASD and 468 male blood donors. We tested the association of an ADGRL3 variant (rs6551665) with both early-onset ADHD and ASD susceptibility. We observed significant associations between ADGRL3-rs6551665 on ADHD and ASD susceptibilities; we found that G-carriers were at increased risk of ADHD and ASD, in accordance with previous studies. The overall evidence from the literature, corroborated by our results, suggests that ADGRL3 might be involved in brain development, and genetic modifications related to it might be part of a shared vulnerability factor associated with the underlying neurobiology of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Djenifer B Kappel
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP: 91501-970, Brazil.,ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline B Schuch
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP: 91501-970, Brazil.,ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Diego L Rovaris
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP: 91501-970, Brazil.,ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Bruna S da Silva
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP: 91501-970, Brazil.,ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Diana Müller
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP: 91501-970, Brazil.,ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Vitor Breda
- ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Stefania P Teche
- ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rudimar S Riesgo
- Child Neurology Unit, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lavínia Schüler-Faccini
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP: 91501-970, Brazil
| | - Luís A Rohde
- ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Eugenio H Grevet
- ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Claiton H D Bau
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP: 91501-970, Brazil. .,ADHD Outpatient Program - Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Davis LK. Bridging Molecular Genetics and Epidemiology to Better Understand Sex Differences in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:e55-e57. [PMID: 29804590 PMCID: PMC9134214 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lea Karatheodoris Davis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Martin J, Walters RK, Demontis D, Mattheisen M, Lee SH, Robinson E, Brikell I, Ghirardi L, Larsson H, Lichtenstein P, Eriksson N, Werge T, Mortensen PB, Pedersen MG, Mors O, Nordentoft M, Hougaard DM, Bybjerg-Grauholm J, Wray NR, Franke B, Faraone SV, O'Donovan MC, Thapar A, Børglum AD, Neale BM. A Genetic Investigation of Sex Bias in the Prevalence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:1044-1053. [PMID: 29325848 PMCID: PMC5992329 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) shows substantial heritability and is two to seven times more common in male individuals than in female individuals. We examined two putative genetic mechanisms underlying this sex bias: sex-specific heterogeneity and higher burden of risk in female cases. METHODS We analyzed genome-wide autosomal common variants from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and iPSYCH Project (n = 20,183 cases, n = 35,191 controls) and Swedish population register data (n = 77,905 cases, n = 1,874,637 population controls). RESULTS Genetic correlation analyses using two methods suggested near complete sharing of common variant effects across sexes, with rg estimates close to 1. Analyses of population data, however, indicated that female individuals with ADHD may be at especially high risk for certain comorbid developmental conditions (i.e., autism spectrum disorder and congenital malformations), potentially indicating some clinical and etiological heterogeneity. Polygenic risk score analysis did not support a higher burden of ADHD common risk variants in female cases (odds ratio [confidence interval] = 1.02 [0.98-1.06], p = .28). In contrast, epidemiological sibling analyses revealed that the siblings of female individuals with ADHD are at higher familial risk for ADHD than the siblings of affected male individuals (odds ratio [confidence interval] = 1.14 [1.11-1.18], p = 1.5E-15). CONCLUSIONS Overall, this study supports a greater familial burden of risk in female individuals with ADHD and some clinical and etiological heterogeneity, based on epidemiological analyses. However, molecular genetic analyses suggest that autosomal common variants largely do not explain the sex bias in ADHD prevalence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Martin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
| | - Raymond K Walters
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ditte Demontis
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Centre for Integrative Sequencing [iSEQ], Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine-Human Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Manuel Mattheisen
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden; Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Centre for Integrative Sequencing [iSEQ], Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine-Human Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - S Hong Lee
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Population Health Research, School of Health Sciences and Sansom Institute of Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Elise Robinson
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Isabell Brikell
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura Ghirardi
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Larsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Paul Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Thomas Werge
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Institute of Biological Psychiatry, MHC Sct. Hans, Mental Health Services Copenhagen, Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Preben Bo Mortensen
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Centre for Integrative Sequencing [iSEQ], Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Centre for Integrated Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Marianne Giørtz Pedersen
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Centre for Integrated Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ole Mors
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Psychosis Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark
| | - Merete Nordentoft
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David M Hougaard
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Center for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas Bybjerg-Grauholm
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Center for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Naomi R Wray
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Barbara Franke
- Departments of Human Genetics and Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Stephen V Faraone
- Departments of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York; K.G. Jebsen Centre for Research on Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Michael C O'Donovan
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Anita Thapar
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Anders D Børglum
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research [iPSYCH], Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Centre for Integrative Sequencing [iSEQ], Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine-Human Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Benjamin M Neale
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Manoli DS, Tollkuhn J. Gene regulatory mechanisms underlying sex differences in brain development and psychiatric disease. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1420:26-45. [PMID: 29363776 PMCID: PMC5991992 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The sexual differentiation of the mammalian nervous system requires the precise coordination of the temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression in diverse cell types. Sex hormones act at multiple developmental time points to specify sex-typical differentiation during embryonic and early development and to coordinate subsequent responses to gonadal hormones later in life by establishing sex-typical patterns of epigenetic modifications across the genome. Thus, mutations associated with neuropsychiatric conditions may result in sexually dimorphic symptoms by acting on different neural substrates or chromatin landscapes in males and females. Finally, as stress hormone signaling may directly alter the molecular machinery that interacts with sex hormone receptors to regulate gene expression, the contribution of chronic stress to the pathogenesis or presentation of mental illness may be additionally different between the sexes. Here, we review the mechanisms that contribute to sexual differentiation in the mammalian nervous system and consider some of the implications of these processes for sex differences in neuropsychiatric conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Devanand S. Manoli
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Abstract
Background The male predominance in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has motivated research on sex differentiation in ASD. Multiple sources of evidence have suggested a neurophenotypic convergence of ASD-related characteristics and typical sex differences. Two existing, albeit competing, models provide predictions on such neurophenotypic convergence. These two models are testable with neuroimaging. Specifically, the Extreme Male Brain (EMB) model predicts that ASD is associated with enhanced brain maleness in both males and females with ASD (i.e., a shift-towards-maleness). In contrast, the Gender Incoherence (GI) model predicts a shift-towards-maleness in females, yet a shift-towards-femaleness in males with ASD. Methods To clarify whether either model applies to the intrinsic functional properties of the brain in males with ASD, we measured the statistical overlap between typical sex differences and ASD-related atypicalities in resting-state fMRI (R-fMRI) datasets largely available in males. Main analyses focused on two large-scale R-fMRI samples: 357 neurotypical (NT) males and 471 NT females from the 1000 Functional Connectome Project and 360 males with ASD and 403 NT males from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange. Results Across all R-fMRI metrics, results revealed coexisting, but network-specific, shift-towards-maleness and shift-towards-femaleness in males with ASD. A shift-towards-maleness mostly involved the default network, while a shift-towards-femaleness mostly occurred in the somatomotor network. Explorations of the associated cognitive processes using available cognitive ontology maps indicated that higher-order social cognitive functions corresponded to the shift-towards-maleness, while lower-order sensory motor processes corresponded to the shift-towards-femaleness. Conclusions The present findings suggest that atypical intrinsic brain properties in males with ASD partly reflect mechanisms involved in sexual differentiation. A model based on network-dependent atypical sex mosaicism can synthesize prior competing theories on factors involved in sex differentiation in ASD. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-018-0192-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea L Floris
- 1Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Study Center, 1 Park Avenue, New York City, NY 10016 USA
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- 2Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4 Canada.,3Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH UK
| | - Tanmay Nath
- 1Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Study Center, 1 Park Avenue, New York City, NY 10016 USA
| | - Michael P Milham
- 4Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY 10022 USA.,5Nathan S Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962 USA
| | - Adriana Di Martino
- 1Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Study Center, 1 Park Avenue, New York City, NY 10016 USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Neurodevelopmental disorders disproportionately affect males. The mechanisms underlying male vulnerability or female protection are not known and remain understudied. Determining the processes involved is crucial to understanding the etiology and advancing treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we review current findings and theories that contribute to male preponderance of neurodevelopmental disorders, with a focus on autism. RECENT FINDINGS Recent work on the biological basis of the male preponderance of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders includes discussion of a higher genetic burden in females and sex-specific gene mutations or epigenetic changes that differentially confer risk to males or protection to females. Other mechanisms discussed are sex chromosome and sex hormone involvement. Specifically, fetal testosterone is involved in many aspects of development and may interact with neurotransmitter, neuropeptide, or immune pathways to contribute to male vulnerability. Finally, the possibilities of female underdiagnosis and a multi-hit hypothesis are discussed. This review highlights current theories of male bias in developmental disorders. Topics include environmental, genetic, and epigenetic mechanisms; theories of sex chromosomes, hormones, neuroendocrine, and immune function; underdiagnosis of females; and a multi-hit hypothesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. Ferri
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building, 169 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building, 169 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
| | - Edward S. Brodkin
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Translational Research Laboratory, 125 South 31 Street, Room 2202, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3403 USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Abstract
Human neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) involve mutations in hundreds of individual genes, with over-representation in genes encoding proteins that alter chromatin structure to modulate gene expression. Here, we highlight efforts to model these NDDs through in vitro differentiation of patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells into neurons. We discuss how epigenetic regulation controls normal cortical development, how mutations in several classes of epigenetic regulators contribute to NDDs, and approaches for modeling cortical development and function using both directed differentiation and formation of cerebral organoids. We explore successful applications of these models to study both syndromic and nonsyndromic NDDs and to define convergent mechanisms, addressing both the potential and challenges of using this approach to define cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie NDDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily MA Lewis
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kristen L Kroll
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased incidence and prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over the last two decades have prompted considerable efforts to investigate its aetiological factors. We examined an association between month of birth and ASD incidence. METHODS In a retrospective cohort of male children born from January 1999 to December 2008 in a large health organisation in Israel (Maccabi Healthcare Services), ASD was followed from birth through December 2015. RESULTS Of 108 548 boys, 975 cases of ASD were identified. The highest rates (10.3 and 10.2 per 1000 male live births) were recorded for children born in May and August, respectively, and the lowest rates for February (7.6 per 1000 male live births). Among lower socioeconomic status households, boys born in August were more likely (OR=1.71; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.74) of being diagnosed with ASD than children born in January. Significantly higher rates were not observed for other months. CONCLUSIONS In line with several previous studies, we found a modestly higher likelihood of autism occurrence among male children of lower socioeconomic levels born in August.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ido Solt
- Faculty of Medicine,Technion, Haifa, Israel
- Rambam Health Care campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Gabriel Chodick
- Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
|
48
|
Sayad A, Noroozi R, Omrani MD, Taheri M, Ghafouri-Fard S. Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) variants are associated with autism spectrum disorder. Metab Brain Dis 2017; 32:1595-1601. [PMID: 28608249 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-0049-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with various epidemiologic, genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors being associated with it. The observed sex bias in ASD towards male has prompted investigators to propose sex-dependent mechanisms for ASD. Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-alpha (RORA) is a new autism candidate gene that has been shown to be differentially regulated by male and female hormones. Previous studies have shown deregulation of its expression in the prefrontal cortex and the cerebellum of ASD patients. In the present study we aimed at identification of the possible associations between two functional polymorphisms in the RORA gene (rs11639084 and rs4774388) and the risk of ASD in 518 Iranian ASD patients and 472 age, gender, and ethnic-matched healthy controls by means of tetra primer-amplification refractory mutation system-PCR. The allele and genotype frequencies of rs11639084 were not significantly different between patients and controls. However, the allele frequencies of rs4774388 showed significant overrepresentation of T allele in patients compared with controls (P = 0.04, OR (95% CI) =1.21 (1.01-1.46)). The rs4774388-TT genotype was significantly higher in patients compared with controls and was associated with ASD risk in dominant inheritance model (P = 0.04, OR (95% CI) =0.77 (0.59-0.99)). Haplotype analysis showed significant association of two estimated blocks of rs11639084/ rs4774388 with ASD risk. Consequently, the present data provide further evidence for RORA participation in the pathogenesis of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arezou Sayad
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rezvan Noroozi
- Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mir Davood Omrani
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, No 23, Shahid Labbafi Nejad Educational Hospital, Amir Ebrahimi St, Pasdaran Ave, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Taheri
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, No 23, Shahid Labbafi Nejad Educational Hospital, Amir Ebrahimi St, Pasdaran Ave, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
|
50
|
Mitra I, Tsang K, Ladd-Acosta C, Croen LA, Aldinger KA, Hendren RL, Traglia M, Lavillaureix A, Zaitlen N, Oldham MC, Levitt P, Nelson S, Amaral DG, Hertz-Picciotto I, Fallin MD, Weiss LA. Correction: Pleiotropic Mechanisms Indicated for Sex Differences in Autism. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006831. [PMID: 28591140 PMCID: PMC5462340 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|