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Syding LA, Kubik-Zahorodna A, Reguera DP, Nickl P, Hruskova B, Kralikova M, Kopkanova J, Novosadova V, Kasparek P, Prochazka J, Rozman J, Turecek R, Sedlacek R. Ablation of Gabra5 Influences Corticosterone Levels and Anxiety-like Behavior in Mice. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14020285. [PMID: 36833213 PMCID: PMC9956889 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress responses are activated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), culminating in the release of glucocorticoids. During prolonged periods of secretion of glucocorticoids or inappropriate behavioral responses to a stressor, pathologic conditions may occur. Increased glucocorticoid concentration is linked to generalized anxiety, and there are knowledge gaps regarding its regulation. It is known that the HPA axis is under GABAergic control, but the contribution of the individual subunits of the GABA receptor is largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the α5 subunit and corticosterone levels in a new mouse model deficient for Gabra5, which is known to be linked to anxiety disorders in humans and phenologs observed in mice. We observed decreased rearing behavior, suggesting lower anxiety in the Gabra5-/- animals; however, such a phenotype was absent in the open field and elevated plus maze tests. In addition to decreased rearing behavior, we also found decreased levels of fecal corticosterone metabolites in Gabra5-/- mice indicating a lowered stress response. Moreover, based on the electrophysiological recordings where we observed a hyperpolarized state of hippocampal neurons, we hypothesize that the constitutive ablation of the Gabra5 gene leads to functional compensation with other channels or GABA receptor subunits in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linn Amanda Syding
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Agnieszka Kubik-Zahorodna
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: (A.K.-Z.); (R.S.)
| | - David Pajuelo Reguera
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Nickl
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Bohdana Hruskova
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Kralikova
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Kopkanova
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Vendula Novosadova
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kasparek
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Prochazka
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Rozman
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Rostislav Turecek
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radislav Sedlacek
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: (A.K.-Z.); (R.S.)
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Syding LA, Nickl P, Kasparek P, Sedlacek R. CRISPR/Cas9 Epigenome Editing Potential for Rare Imprinting Diseases: A Review. Cells 2020; 9:cells9040993. [PMID: 32316223 PMCID: PMC7226972 DOI: 10.3390/cells9040993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Imprinting diseases (IDs) are rare congenital disorders caused by aberrant dosages of imprinted genes. Rare IDs are comprised by a group of several distinct disorders that share a great deal of homology in terms of genetic etiologies and symptoms. Disruption of genetic or epigenetic mechanisms can cause issues with regulating the expression of imprinted genes, thus leading to disease. Genetic mutations affect the imprinted genes, duplications, deletions, and uniparental disomy (UPD) are reoccurring phenomena causing imprinting diseases. Epigenetic alterations on methylation marks in imprinting control centers (ICRs) also alters the expression patterns and the majority of patients with rare IDs carries intact but either silenced or overexpressed imprinted genes. Canonical CRISPR/Cas9 editing relying on double-stranded DNA break repair has little to offer in terms of therapeutics for rare IDs. Instead CRISPR/Cas9 can be used in a more sophisticated way by targeting the epigenome. Catalytically dead Cas9 (dCas9) tethered with effector enzymes such as DNA de- and methyltransferases and histone code editors in addition to systems such as CRISPRa and CRISPRi have been shown to have high epigenome editing efficiency in eukaryotic cells. This new era of CRISPR epigenome editors could arguably be a game-changer for curing and treating rare IDs by refined activation and silencing of disturbed imprinted gene expression. This review describes major CRISPR-based epigenome editors and points out their potential use in research and therapy of rare imprinting diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linn Amanda Syding
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, v.v.i, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Nickl
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, v.v.i, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kasparek
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, v.v.i, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, v.v.i, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Radislav Sedlacek
- Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, v.v.i, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, v.v.i, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-325-873-243
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