scholarly journals Seizure-like activity in a juvenile Angelman syndrome mouse model is attenuated by reducing Arc expression

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (16) ◽  
pp. 5129-5134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caleigh Mandel-Brehm ◽  
John Salogiannis ◽  
Sameer C. Dhamne ◽  
Alexander Rotenberg ◽  
Michael E. Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Angelman Syndrome ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Ultrasonic Vocalizations ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Circuit Defects

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder arising from loss-of-function mutations in the maternally inherited copy of the UBE3A gene, and is characterized by an absence of speech, excessive laughter, cognitive delay, motor deficits, and seizures. Despite the fact that the symptoms of AS occur in early childhood, behavioral characterization of AS mouse models has focused primarily on adult phenotypes. In this report we describe juvenile behaviors in AS mice that are strain-independent and clinically relevant. We find that young AS mice, compared with their wild-type littermates, produce an increased number of ultrasonic vocalizations. In addition, young AS mice have defects in motor coordination, as well as abnormal brain activity that results in an enhanced seizure-like response to an audiogenic challenge. The enhanced seizure-like activity, but not the increased ultrasonic vocalizations or motor deficits, is rescued in juvenile AS mice by genetically reducing the expression level of the activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein, Arc. These findings suggest that therapeutic interventions that reduce the level of Arc expression have the potential to reverse the seizures associated with AS. In addition, the identification of aberrant behaviors in young AS mice may provide clues regarding the neural circuit defects that occur in AS and ultimately allow new approaches for treating this disorder.

scholarly journals Deleting a UBE3A substrate rescues impaired hippocampal physiology and learning in Angelman syndrome mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle L. Sell ◽  
Wendy Xin ◽  
Emily K. Cook ◽  
Mark A. Zbinden ◽  
Thomas B. Schaffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Angelman Syndrome ◽  
Developmental Disorders ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Behavioral Deficits ◽  
Altered Expression ◽  
Exciting Potential

AbstractIn humans, loss-of-function mutations in the UBE3A gene lead to the neurodevelopmental disorder Angelman syndrome (AS). AS patients have severe impairments in speech, learning and memory, and motor coordination, for which there is currently no treatment. In addition, UBE3A is duplicated in > 1–2% of patients with autism spectrum disorders—a further indication of the significant role it plays in brain development. Altered expression of UBE3A, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is hypothesized to lead to impaired levels of its target proteins, but identifying the contribution of individual UBE3A targets to UBE3A-dependent deficits remains of critical importance. Ephexin5 is a putative UBE3A substrate that has restricted expression early in development, regulates synapse formation during hippocampal development, and is abnormally elevated in AS mice, modeled by maternally-derived Ube3a gene deletion. Here, we report that Ephexin5 can be directly ubiquitylated by UBE3A. Furthermore, removing Ephexin5 from AS mice specifically rescued hippocampus-dependent behaviors, CA1 physiology, and deficits in dendritic spine number. Our findings identify Ephexin5 as a key driver of hippocampal dysfunction and related behavioral deficits in AS mouse models. These results demonstrate the exciting potential of targeting Ephexin5, and possibly other UBE3A substrates, to improve symptoms of AS and other UBE3A-related developmental disorders.

scholarly journals Emerging Gene and Small Molecule Therapies for the Neurodevelopmental Disorder Angelman Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nycole A. Copping ◽  
Stephanie M. McTighe ◽  
Kyle D. Fink ◽  
Jill L. Silverman
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecule ◽  
Angelman Syndrome ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
The Body ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Gene Therapies ◽  
High Prevalence

AbstractAngelman syndrome (AS) is a rare (~1:15,000) neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe developmental delay and intellectual disability, impaired communication skills, and a high prevalence of seizures, sleep disturbances, ataxia, motor deficits, and microcephaly. AS is caused by loss-of-function of the maternally inherited UBE3A gene. UBE3A is located on chromosome 15q11–13 and is biallelically expressed throughout the body but only maternally expressed in the brain due to an RNA antisense transcript that silences the paternal copy. There is currently no cure for AS, but advancements in small molecule drugs and gene therapies offer a promising approach for the treatment of the disorder. Here, we review AS and how loss-of-function of the maternal UBE3A contributes to the disorder. We also discuss the strengths and limitations of current animal models of AS. Furthermore, we examine potential small molecule drug and gene therapies for the treatment of AS and associated challenges faced by the therapeutic design. Finally, gene therapy offers the opportunity for precision medicine in AS and advancements in the treatment of this disorder can serve as a foundation for other single-gene neurodevelopmental disorders.

scholarly journals Deleting a UBE3A substrate rescues impaired hippocampal physiology and learning in Angelman syndrome mice

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle L. Sell ◽  
Wendy Xin ◽  
Emily K. Cook ◽  
Mark A. Zbinden ◽  
Thomas B. Schaffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Angelman Syndrome ◽  
Developmental Disorders ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Altered Expression ◽  
Exciting Potential

ABSTRACTIn humans, loss-of-function mutations in the UBE3A gene lead to the neurodevelopmental disorder Angelman syndrome (AS). AS patients have severe impairments in speech, learning and memory, and motor coordination, for which there is currently no treatment. In addition, UBE3A is duplicated in >1-2% of patients with autism spectrum disorders – a further indication of the significant role it plays in brain development. Altered expression of UBE3A, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is hypothesized to lead to impaired levels of its target proteins, but identifying the contribution of individual UBE3A targets to UBE3A-dependent deficits remains of critical importance. Ephexin5 is a putative UBE3A substrate that has restricted expression early in development, regulates synapse formation during hippocampal development, and is abnormally elevated in AS mice, modeled by maternally-derived Ube3a gene deletion. Here, we report that Ephexin5 is a direct substrate of UBE3A ubiquitin ligase activity. Furthermore, removing Ephexin5 from AS mice specifically rescued hippocampus-dependent behaviors, CA1 physiology, and deficits in dendritic spine number. Our findings identify Ephexin5 as a key driver of hippocampal dysfunction and related behavioral deficits in AS mouse models. These results demonstrate the exciting potential of targeting Ephexin5, and possibly other UBE3A substrates, to improve symptoms of AS and other UBE3A-related developmental disorders.

scholarly journals Aberrant aggressive behavior in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilach Simchi ◽  
Hanoch Kaphzan
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Angelman Syndrome ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Affiliative Behavior ◽  
Severe Difficulty

AbstractAngelman syndrome (AS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder due to the absence of the E3-ligase protein, UBE3A. Inappropriate social interactions, usually hyper-sociability, is a part of that syndrome. In addition, clinical surveys and case reports describe aggressive behavior in AS individuals as a severe difficulty for caretakers. A mouse model for AS recapitulates most of the human AS phenotypes. However, very few studies utilized this mouse model for investigating affiliative social behavior, and not even a single study examined aggressive behavior. Hence, the aim of the herein study was to examine affiliative and aggressive social behavior. For that, we utilized a battery of behavioral paradigms, and performed detailed analyses of these behaviors. AS mice exhibited a unique characteristic of reduced habituation towards a social stimulus in comparison to their wild-type (WT) littermates. However, overall there were no additional marked differences in affiliative social behavior. In contrast to the mild changes in affiliative behavior, there was a striking enhanced aggression in the AS mice compared to their WT littermates. The herein findings emphasize the use of AS mouse model in characterizing and measuring inappropriate aggressive behavior, and suggests these as tools for investigating therapeutic interventions aimed at attenuating aggressive behavior.

scholarly journals BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: Genetics

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack S. Hsiao ◽  
Noelle D. Germain ◽  
Andrea Wilderman ◽  
Christopher Stoddard ◽  
Luke A. Wojenski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Element ◽  
Angelman Syndrome ◽  
Antisense Transcript ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Boundary Function ◽  
Paternal Allele ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Maternal Allele ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Human Neurons

ABSTRACTAngelman syndrome (AS) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the loss of function from the maternal allele of UBE3A, a gene encoding an E3 ubiquitin ligase. UBE3A is only expressed from the maternally-inherited allele in mature human neurons due to tissue-specific genomic imprinting. Imprinted expression of UBE3A is restricted to neurons by expression of UBE3A antisense transcript (UBE3A-ATS) from the paternally-inherited allele, which silences the paternal allele of UBE3A in cis. However, the mechanism restricting UBE3A-ATS expression and UBE3A imprinting to neurons is not understood. We used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing to functionally define a bipartite boundary element critical for neuron-specific expression of UBE3A-ATS in humans. Removal of this element led to upregulation of UBE3A-ATS without repressing paternal UBE3A. However, increasing expression of UBE3A-ATS in the absence of the boundary element resulted in full repression of paternal UBE3A, demonstrating that UBE3A imprinting requires both the loss of function from the boundary element as well as upregulation of UBE3A-ATS. These results suggest that manipulation of the competition between UBE3A-ATS and UBE3A may provide a potential therapeutic approach for AS.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTAngelman syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss of function from the maternal allele of UBE3A, an imprinted gene. The paternal allele of UBE3A is silenced by a long, non-coding antisense transcript in mature neurons. We have identified a boundary element that stops the transcription of the antisense transcript in human pluripotent stem cells, and thus restricts UBE3A imprinted expression to neurons. We further determined that UBE3A imprinting requires both the loss of the boundary function and sufficient expression of the antisense transcript to silence paternal UBE3A. These findings provide essential details about the mechanisms of UBE3A imprinting that may suggest additional therapeutic approaches for Angelman syndrome.

scholarly journals Identification of disease-linked hyperactivating mutations in UBE3A through large-scale functional variant analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kellan P. Weston ◽  
Xiaoyi Gao ◽  
Jinghan Zhao ◽  
Kwang-Soo Kim ◽  
Susan E. Maloney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Angelman Syndrome ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Phenotypic Diversity ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Genetic Disorders ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Monogenic Disorders ◽  
Functional Variant ◽  
Variant Analysis

AbstractThe mechanisms that underlie the extensive phenotypic diversity in genetic disorders are poorly understood. Here, we develop a large-scale assay to characterize the functional valence (gain or loss-of-function) of missense variants identified in UBE3A, the gene whose loss-of-function causes the neurodevelopmental disorder Angelman syndrome. We identify numerous gain-of-function variants including a hyperactivating Q588E mutation that strikingly increases UBE3A activity above wild-type UBE3A levels. Mice carrying the Q588E mutation exhibit aberrant early-life motor and communication deficits, and individuals possessing hyperactivating UBE3A variants exhibit affected phenotypes that are distinguishable from Angelman syndrome. Additional structure-function analysis reveals that Q588 forms a regulatory site in UBE3A that is conserved among HECT domain ubiquitin ligases and perturbed in various neurodevelopmental disorders. Together, our study indicates that excessive UBE3A activity increases the risk for neurodevelopmental pathology and suggests that functional variant analysis can help delineate mechanistic subtypes in monogenic disorders.

scholarly journals Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress contribute to cognitive and motor impairment in FOXP1 syndrome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Wang ◽  
Henning Froehlich ◽  
Felipe Bodaleo Torres ◽  
Rangel Leal Silva ◽  
Amit Agarwal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Motor Impairment ◽  
Motor Dysfunction ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Cytochrome C Release ◽  
And Oxidative Stress

There is increasing evidence that mitochondrial homeostasis - influenced by both genetic and environmental factors - is crucial in neurodevelopment. FOXP1 syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests motor dysfunction, intellectual disability, autism and language impairment. In this study, we used a Foxp1+/- mouse model to address whether cognitive and motor deficits in FOXP1 syndrome are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Here we show that genes with a role in mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics (e.g. Foxo1, Pgc-1α, Tfam, Opa1, and Drp1) were dysregulated in the striatum of Foxp1+/- mice at different postnatal stages. Furthermore, in the striatum of Foxp1+/- animals, mitochondrial membrane potential was disrupted, and reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and cytochrome c release were significantly elevated. These features can explain the reduced neurite branching, learning and memory, endurance, and motor coordination that we observed in these animals. Taken together, we provide strong evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in Foxp1+/- mice, suggesting that insufficient energy supply and excessive oxidative stress underlies the cognitive and motor impairment in FOXP1 deficiency.

scholarly journals Fluoxetine rescues rotarod motor deficits in Mecp2 heterozygous mouse model of Rett syndrome via brain serotonin

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Villani ◽  
Giuseppina Sacchetti ◽  
Mirjana Carli ◽  
Roberto W. Invernizzi
Keyword(s):  
Rett Syndrome ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Specific Area ◽  
Repeated Administration ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Beneficial Effects

AbstractMotor skill is a specific area of disability of Rett syndrome (RTT), a rare disorder occurring almost exclusively in girls, caused by loss-of-function mutations of the X-linked methyl-CpG-binding protein2 (MECP2) gene, encoding the MECP2 protein, a member of the methyl-CpG-binding domain nuclear proteins family. Brain 5-HT, which is defective in RTT patients and Mecp2 mutant mice, regulates motor circuits and SSRIs enhance motor skill learning and plasticity.In the present study, we used heterozygous (Het) Mecp2 female and Mecp2-null male mice to investigate whether fluoxetine, a SSRI with pleiotropic effects on neuronal circuits, rescues motor coordination deficits. Repeated administration of 10 mg/kg fluoxetine fully rescued rotarod deficit in Mecp2 Het mice regardless of age, route of administration or pre-training to rotarod. The motor improvement was confirmed in the beam walking test while no effect was observed in the hanging-wire test, suggesting a preferential action of fluoxetine on motor coordination. Citalopram mimicked the effects of fluoxetine, while the inhibition of 5-HT synthesis abolished the fluoxetine-induced improvement of motor coordination. Mecp2 null mice, which responded poorly to fluoxetine in the rotarod, showed reduced 5-HT synthesis in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum, and reduced efficacy of fluoxetine in raising extracellular 5-HT as compared to female mutants. No sex differences were observed in the ability of fluoxetine to desensitize 5-HT1A autoreceptors upon repeated administration. These findings indicate that fluoxetine rescues motor coordination in Mecp2 Het mice through its ability to enhance brain 5-HT and suggest that drugs enhancing 5-HT neurotransmission may have beneficial effects on motor symptoms of RTT.

scholarly journals Gait as a Quantitative Translational Outcome Measure in Angelman Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stela P. Petkova ◽  
Jessica D. Duis ◽  
Jill L LYNN Silverman
Keyword(s):  
Angelman Syndrome ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Outcome Measure ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Genetic Syndromes ◽  
Quantitative Metrics ◽  
Therapeutic Development ◽  
Motor Outcomes ◽  
Wildtype Littermate ◽  
Behavioral Assays

Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by developmental delay, lack of speech, seizures, intellectual disability, and walking and balance disorders. Recently, motor ability became an interesting outcome measure in AS, as it is broad including ataxia, hypotonia, delayed and abnormal walking and postural movements and affects nearly every individual with AS. We predict that gait presents a strong opportunity for rigorous, reliable, and quantitative metrics with direct translation to evaluate pharmacological, dietary, and genetic therapies. Numerous motoric deficits have been identified clinically. In this study, we used an innovative, automated gait analysis as well as gold standard motor behavioral assays to further delineate components of motor, coordination, balance, and gait impairments in an AS mouse model across development. Our study demonstrated marked global motoric deficits in AS mice, corroborating many previous reports. Uniquely, this is the first report of nuanced and pertinent aberrations in quantitative spatial and temporal components of gait between AS and wildtype littermate controls, that are analogous in AS individuals. These metrics were followed longitudinally to observe the progression of maladaptive gait in AS, a clinical phenotype. This has not been reported previously and contributes a substantial novel metric for therapeutic development. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the robust translational value in the study of nuanced motor outcomes, i.e., gait, for AS, as well as similar genetic syndromes, in the endeavor of therapeutic screening.

scholarly journals Understanding the Pathogenesis of Angelman Syndrome through Animal Models

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nihar Ranjan Jana
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Angelman Syndrome ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Synaptic Function ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Disease Biology ◽  
Regulation Of Activity ◽  
Fundamental Insight ◽  
Motor Abnormalities ◽  
Activity Dependent

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe mental retardation, lack of speech, ataxia, susceptibility to seizures, and unique behavioral features such as easily provoked smiling and laughter and autistic features. The disease is primarily caused by deletion or loss-of-function mutations of the maternally inheritedUBE3Agene located within chromosome 15q11-q13. TheUBE3Agene encodes a 100 kDa protein that functions as ubiquitin ligase and transcriptional coactivator. Emerging evidence now indicates that UBE3A plays a very important role in synaptic function and in regulation of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. A number of animal models for AS have been generated to understand the disease pathogenesis. The most widely used model is theUBE3A-maternal-deficient mouse that recapitulates most of the essential features of AS including cognitive and motor abnormalities. This paper mainly discusses various animal models of AS and how these models provide fundamental insight into understanding the disease biology for potential therapeutic intervention.

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