scholarly journals Social Deficits and Repetitive Behaviors Are Improved by Early Postnatal Low-Dose VPA Intervention in a Novel shank3-Deficient Zebrafish Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunxue Liu ◽  
Yi Wang ◽  
Jingxin Deng ◽  
Jia Lin ◽  
Chunchun Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Dose ◽  
Social Preference ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Neural Tube Closure ◽  
Synaptic Proteins ◽  
Therapeutic Window ◽  
Social Deficits ◽  
Zebrafish Model ◽  
Expression Levels

Mutations of the SHANK3 gene are found in some autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients, and animal models harboring SHANK3 mutations exhibit a variety of ASD-like behaviors, presenting a unique opportunity to explore the underlying neuropathological mechanisms and potential pharmacological treatments. The histone deacetylase (HDAC) valproic acid (VPA) has demonstrated neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties, suggesting possible therapeutic utility for ASD. Therefore, SHANK3-associated ASD-like symptoms present a convenient model to evaluate the potential benefits, therapeutic window, and optimal dose of VPA. We constructed a novel shank3-deficient (shank3ab–/–) zebrafish model through CRISPR/Cas9 editing and conducted comprehensive morphological and neurobehavioral evaluations, including of core ASD-like behaviors, as well as molecular analyses of synaptic proteins expression levels. Furthermore, different VPA doses and treatment durations were examined for effects on ASD-like phenotypes. Compared to wild types (WTs), shank3ab–/– zebrafish exhibited greater developmental mortality, more frequent abnormal tail bending, pervasive developmental delay, impaired social preference, repetitive swimming behaviors, and generally reduced locomotor activity. The expression levels of synaptic proteins were also dramatically reduced in shank3ab–/– zebrafish. These ASD-like behaviors were attenuated by low-dose (5 μM) VPA administered from 4 to 8 days post-fertilization (dpf), and the effects persisted to adulthood. In addition, the observed underexpression of grm5, encoding glutamate metabotropic receptor 5, was significantly improved in VPA-treated shank3ab–/– zebrafish. We report for the first time that low-dose VPA administered after neural tube closure has lasting beneficial effects on the social deficits and repetitive behavioral patterns in shank3-deficient ASD model zebrafish. These findings provide a promising strategy for ASD clinical drug development.

scholarly journals Local Protein Translation and RNA Processing of Synaptic Proteins in Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 2811
Author(s):  
Yuyoung Joo ◽  
David R. Benavides
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Fragile X ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Protein Translation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Synaptic Proteins ◽  
Local Translation ◽  
Translation Control

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heritable neurodevelopmental condition associated with impairments in social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviors. While the underlying disease mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated, dysfunction of neuronal plasticity and local translation control have emerged as key points of interest. Translation of mRNAs for critical synaptic proteins are negatively regulated by Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), which is lost in the most common single-gene disorder associated with ASD. Numerous studies have shown that mRNA transport, RNA metabolism, and translation of synaptic proteins are important for neuronal health, synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory. Accordingly, dysfunction of these mechanisms may contribute to the abnormal brain function observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this review, we summarize recent studies about local translation and mRNA processing of synaptic proteins and discuss how perturbations of these processes may be related to the pathophysiology of ASD.

scholarly journals Neuroanatomy and behavior in mice with a haploinsufficiency of AT-rich interactive domain 1B (ARID1B) throughout development

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ellegood ◽  
S. P. Petkova ◽  
A. Kinman ◽  
L. R. Qiu ◽  
A. Adhikari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Corpus Callosum ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Chromatin Modification ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Social Deficits ◽  
Altered Expression ◽  
Developmental Growth ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract Background One of the causal mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) is chromatin modification and the genes that regulate chromatin. AT-rich interactive domain 1B (ARID1B), a chromatin modifier, has been linked to autism spectrum disorder and to affect rare and inherited genetic variation in a broad set of NDDs. Methods A novel preclinical mouse model of Arid1b deficiency was created and validated to characterize and define neuroanatomical, behavioral and transcriptional phenotypes. Neuroanatomy was assessed ex vivo in adult animals and in vivo longitudinally from birth to adulthood. Behavioral testing was also performed throughout development and tested all aspects of motor, learning, sociability, repetitive behaviors, seizure susceptibility, and general milestones delays. Results We validated decreased Arid1b mRNA and protein in Arid1b+/− mice, with signatures of increased axonal and synaptic gene expression, decreased transcriptional regulator and RNA processing expression in adult Arid1b+/− cerebellum. During neonatal development, Arid1b+/− mice exhibited robust impairments in ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and metrics of developmental growth. In addition, a striking sex effect was observed neuroanatomically throughout development. Behaviorally, as adults, Arid1b+/− mice showed low motor skills in open field exploration and normal three-chambered approach. Arid1b+/− mice had learning and memory deficits in novel object recognition but not in visual discrimination and reversal touchscreen tasks. Social interactions in the male–female social dyad with USVs revealed social deficits on some but not all parameters. No repetitive behaviors were observed. Brains of adult Arid1b+/− mice had a smaller cerebellum and a larger hippocampus and corpus callosum. The corpus callosum increase seen here contrasts previous reports which highlight losses in corpus callosum volume in mice and humans. Limitations The behavior and neuroimaging analyses were done on separate cohorts of mice, which did not allow a direct correlation between the imaging and behavioral findings, and the transcriptomic analysis was exploratory, with no validation of altered expression beyond Arid1b. Conclusions This study represents a full validation and investigation of a novel model of Arid1b+/− haploinsufficiency throughout development and highlights the importance of examining both sexes throughout development in NDDs.

scholarly journals Intranasal oxytocin treatment for social deficits and biomarkers of response in children with autism

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (30) ◽  
pp. 8119-8124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen J. Parker ◽  
Ozge Oztan ◽  
Robin A. Libove ◽  
Raena D. Sumiyoshi ◽  
Lisa P. Jackson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Functioning ◽  
Placebo Treatment ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Social Deficits ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Social Abilities

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by core social deficits. Prognosis is poor, in part, because existing medications target only associated ASD features. Emerging evidence suggests that the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) may be a blood-based biomarker of social functioning and a possible treatment for ASD. However, prior OXT treatment trials have produced equivocal results, perhaps because of variability in patients’ underlying neuropeptide biology, but this hypothesis has not been tested. Using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel design, we tested the efficacy and tolerability of 4-wk intranasal OXT treatment (24 International Units, twice daily) in 32 children with ASD, aged 6–12 y. When pretreatment neuropeptide measures were included in the statistical model, OXT compared with placebo treatment significantly enhanced social abilities in children with ASD [as measured by the trial’s primary outcome measure, the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS)]. Importantly, pretreatment blood OXT concentrations also predicted treatment response, such that individuals with the lowest pretreatment OXT concentrations showed the greatest social improvement. OXT was well tolerated, and its effects were specific to social functioning, with no observed decrease in repetitive behaviors or anxiety. Finally, as with many trials, some placebo-treated participants showed improvement on the SRS. This enhanced social functioning was mirrored by a posttreatment increase in their blood OXT concentrations, suggesting that increased endogenous OXT secretion may underlie this improvement. These findings indicate that OXT treatment enhances social abilities in children with ASD and that individuals with pretreatment OXT signaling deficits may stand to benefit the most from OXT treatment.

scholarly journals Inhibition of Trpv4 rescues circuit and social deficits unmasked by acute inflammatory response in a Shank3 mouse model of Autism

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stamatina Tzanoulinou ◽  
Stefano Musardo ◽  
Alessandro Contestabile ◽  
Sebastiano Bariselli ◽  
Giulia Casarotto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Response ◽  
Transient Receptor Potential ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Genetic Alterations ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid ◽  
Acute Inflammatory Response ◽  
Social Deficits ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disease

AbstractMutations in the SHANK3 gene have been recognized as a genetic risk factor for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by social deficits and repetitive behaviors. While heterozygous SHANK3 mutations are usually the types of mutations associated with idiopathic autism in patients, heterozygous deletion of Shank3 gene in mice does not commonly induce ASD-related behavioral deficit. Here, we used in-vivo and ex-vivo approaches to demonstrate that region-specific neonatal downregulation of Shank3 in the Nucleus Accumbens promotes D1R-medium spiny neurons (D1R-MSNs) hyperexcitability and upregulates Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 (Trpv4) to impair social behavior. Interestingly, genetically vulnerable Shank3+/− mice, when challenged with Lipopolysaccharide to induce an acute inflammatory response, showed similar circuit and behavioral alterations that were rescued by acute Trpv4 inhibition. Altogether our data demonstrate shared molecular and circuit mechanisms between ASD-relevant genetic alterations and environmental insults, which ultimately lead to sociability dysfunctions.

scholarly journals Inhibition of TRPV4 rescues circuit and social deficits unmasked by acute inflammatory response in a Shank3 mouse model of Autism

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stamatina Tzanoulinou ◽  
Stefano Musardo ◽  
Alessandro Contestabile ◽  
Sebastiano Bariselli ◽  
Giulia Casarotto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Response ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Genetic Alterations ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Social Deficits ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disease ◽  
Environmental Interactions ◽  
Potential Risk Factors

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by social deficits and repetitive behaviors. The high heterogeneity of the disease may be explained by gene and environmental interactions and potential risk factors include immune dysfunctions and immune-mediated co-morbidities. Mutations in the SHANK3 gene have been recognized as a genetic risk factor for ASD. While heterozygous SHANK3 mutations are usually the types of mutations associated with idiopathic autism in patients, heterozygous deletion of Shank3 gene in mice does not commonly induce ASD-related behavioural deficit. Here, we used in-vivo and ex-vivo approaches to demonstrate that region-specific neonatal downregulation of Shank3 in the NAc promotes D1R-MSN hyperexcitability and upregulates Trpv4 to impair social behaviour. Interestingly, genetically vulnerable Shank3+/- mice, when challenged with Lipopolysaccharide to induce inflammatory response, showed similar circuit and behavioural alterations that were rescued by acute Trpv4 inhibition. Altogether our data demonstrate shared molecular and circuit mechanisms between ASD-relevant genetic alterations and environmental insults, which ultimately lead to sociability dysfunctions.

scholarly journals Conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin- or somatostatin-positive neurons sufficiently leads to autism-related behavioral phenotypes

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangyep Shin ◽  
Andrea Santi ◽  
Shiyong Huang
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Gabaergic Neurons ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Inhibitory Neurons ◽  
Social Deficits ◽  
Behavioral Phenotypes ◽  
Behavioral Assessments

AbstractDisrupted GABAergic neurons have been extensively described in brain tissues from individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and animal models for ASD. However, the contribution of these aberrant inhibitory neurons to autism-related behavioral phenotypes is not well understood. We examined ASD-related behaviors in mice with conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin (PV)-expressing or somatostatin (Sst)-expressing neurons, two common subtypes of GABAergic neurons. We found that mice with deletion of Pten in either PV-neurons or Sst-neurons displayed social deficits, repetitive behaviors and impaired motor coordination/learning. In addition, mice with one copy of Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited hyperlocomotion in novel open fields and home cages. We also examined anxiety behaviors and found that mice with Pten deletion in Sst-neurons displayed anxiety-like behaviors, while mice with Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited anxiolytic-like behaviors. These behavioral assessments demonstrate that Pten knockout in the subtype of inhibitory neurons sufficiently gives rise to ASD-core behaviors, providing evidence that both PV- and Sst-neurons may play a critical role in ASD symptoms.

scholarly journals Conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin- or somatostatin-positive neurons sufficiently leads to autism-related behavioral phenotypes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangyep Shin ◽  
Andrea Santi ◽  
Shiyong Huang
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Gabaergic Neurons ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Inhibitory Neurons ◽  
Social Deficits ◽  
Behavioral Phenotypes ◽  
Behavioral Assessments

ABSTRACTDisrupted GABAergic neurons have been extensively described in brain tissues from individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and animal models for ASD. However, the contribution of these aberrant inhibitory neurons to autism-related behavioral phenotypes is not well understood. We examined ASD-related behaviors in mice with conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin (PV)-expressing or somatostatin (Sst)-expressing neurons, two common subtypes of GABAergic neurons. We found that mice with deletion of Pten in either PV-neurons or Sst-neurons displayed social deficits, repetitive behaviors and impaired motor coordination/learning. In addition, mice with one copy of Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited hyperlocomotion in novel open fields and home cages. We also examined anxiety behaviors and found that mice with Pten deletion in Sst-neurons displayed anxiety-like behaviors, while mice with Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited anxiolytic-like behaviors. These behavioral assessments demonstrate that Pten knockout in the subtype of inhibitory neurons sufficiently gives rise to ASD-core behaviors, providing evidence that both PV- and Sst-neurons may play a critical role in ASD symptoms.

scholarly journals Maternal Diabetes-Induced Suppression of Oxytocin Receptor Contributes to Social Deficits in Offspring

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianbo Liu ◽  
Yujie Liang ◽  
Xing Jiang ◽  
Jianchang Xu ◽  
Yumeng Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Diabetes ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Social Deficits ◽  
Epigenetic Methylation ◽  
Mouse Study

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired skills in social interaction and communication in addition to restricted and repetitive behaviors. Many different factors may contribute to ASD development; in particular, oxytocin receptor (OXTR) deficiency has been reported to be associated with ASD, although the detailed mechanism has remained largely unknown. Epidemiological study has shown that maternal diabetes is associated with ASD development. In this study, we aim to investigate the potential role of OXTR on maternal diabetes-mediated social deficits in offspring. Our in vitro study of human neuron progenitor cells showed that hyperglycemia induces OXTR suppression and that this suppression remains during subsequent normoglycemia. Further investigation showed that OXTR suppression is due to hyperglycemia-induced persistent oxidative stress and epigenetic methylation in addition to the subsequent dissociation of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) from the OXTR promoter. Furthermore, our in vivo mouse study showed that maternal diabetes induces OXTR suppression; prenatal OXTR deficiency mimics and potentiates maternal diabetes-mediated anxiety-like behaviors, while there is less of an effect on autism-like behaviors. Additionally, postnatal infusion of OXTR partly, while infusion of ERβ completely, reverses maternal diabetes-induced social deficits. We conclude that OXTR may be an important factor for ASD development and that maternal diabetes-induced suppression of oxytocin receptor contributes to social deficits in offspring.

scholarly journals Conditional Pten Knockout in Parvalbumin- or Somatostatin-positive Neurons Sufficiently Leads to Autism-related Behavioral Phenotypes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangyep Shin ◽  
Andrea Santi ◽  
Shiyong Huang
Keyword(s):  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Gabaergic Neurons ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Inhibitory Neurons ◽  
Social Deficits ◽  
Behavioral Phenotypes ◽  
Pten Deletion ◽  
Behavioral Assessments

Abstract Disrupted GABAergic neurons have been extensively described in brain tissues from individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and animal models for ASD. However, the contribution of these aberrant inhibitory neurons to autism-related behavioral phenotypes is not well understood. We examined ASD-related behaviors in mice with conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin (PV)-expressing or somatostatin (Sst)-expressing neurons, two common subtypes of GABAergic neurons. We found that mice with deletion of Pten in either PV-neurons or Sstneurons displayed social deficits, repetitive behaviors and impaired motor coordination/learning. In addition, mice with one copy of Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited hyperlocomotion in novel open fields and home cages. We also examined anxiety behaviors and found that mice with Pten deletion in Sst-neurons displayed anxiety-like behaviors, while mice with Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited anxiolytic-like behaviors. These behavioral assessments demonstrate that Pten knockout in the subtype of inhibitory neurons sufficiently gives rise to ASD-core behaviors, providing evidence that both PV- and Sst-neurons may play a critical role in ASD symptoms.

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