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Gene expression analysis in mouse brain identifies biological processes underlying stress response in Fkbp5 deficient mice

ABSTRACT: Fkbp5 encodes the FK506 binding protein 5, a glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding protein which is an important factor in stress responses that form coping behavior. However, the results of previous studies have been controversial about the relationships between variants in Fkbp5 and stress have been controversial. To clarify the effects of the loss of Fkbp5 on the stress response, we conducted behavior test with mice following chronic restraint stress with homozygous wild type (WT) and knock-out (KO) genotypes. WT mice showed anhedonia, one of depressive-like behaviors, but KO mice did not show this symptom in sucrose preference test (SPT). To examine the molecular mechanism of this stress resilience, we performed RNAseq analysis. The results of differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis showed that diverse biological processes related with cell-cell communication are changed by chronic stress. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis detected 60 gene modules which show varied correlation patterns with stress or Fkbp5 genotype. The expression pattern of M55 module correlated with SPT results and the gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis in this module revealed that the genes in this module are involved in nervous system development, gland morphogenesis and inflammatory response. We identify the role of Fkbp5 KO in stress response and the transcriptome study provide insight into stress-related biological processes.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE138240 | GEO | 2019/11/06

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:While the paradigm that genetic predisposition and environmental exposures interact to shape development and function of the human brain and ultimately the risk of psychiatric disorders has drawn wide interest, the corresponding molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated yet. Here we show that a functional polymorphism altering chromatin interaction between the transcription start site and long range enhancers in the FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) gene, an important regulator of the stress hormone system, increases the risk of developing stress-related psychiatric disorders in adulthood by allele-specific, childhood trauma-dependent DNA demethylation in functional glucocorticoid response elements (GREs) of FKBP5. This demethylation is linked to increased stress-dependent gene transcription followed by a long-term dysregulation of the stress hormone system and a global impact on the function of immune cells and brain areas associated with stress regulation. This first identification of molecular mechanisms of genotype-directed long-term environmental reactivity will also critically contribute to designing more effective treatment strategies for stress-related disorders. Effects of FKBP5 rs1360780 genotype x environment interaction on peripheral blood mRNA expression of GR responsive genes, as measured by gene expression arrays, were explored in 129 individuals (child abuse/risk allele carrier N = 40, child abuse/protective allele carrier N = 15; and no child abuse/risk allele carrier N = 60, no child abuse/protective allele carrier N = 14). In all 129 individuals, 1627 transcripts showed a significant correlation with plasma cortisol concentrations, suggesting their GR responsiveness. The correlation of 76 of these transcripts with cortisol plasma levels showed significant differences when stratifying by FKBP5 genotype in individuals with child abuse (Fisher z score ≥ 1.96) For these 76 transcripts, the mean absolute correlation coefficient with plasma cortisol was R = 0.23 in the risk allele carriers with child abuse, that is those exhibiting a demethylation of FKBP5 intron 7 as compared to R = 0.74 in the carriers of the protective genotype with child abuse where intron 7 methylation remains largely stable. This indicates a relative GR-resistance in the trauma exposed FKBP5 risk allele vs. protective genotype carriers. These 76 transcripts did not show a genotype-dependent difference in correlation coefficients in non-trauma exposed individuals suggesting that exposure to early trauma enhances FKBP5 genotype-dependent effect of GR sensitivity, most likely by epigenetic mechanisms. These findings suggest that the combination of FKBP5 risk allele carrier status and early trauma exposure alters the stress hormone-dependent regulation of several genes in peripheral blood cells, and might thereby enhance the reported association of early trauma with immune and inflammatory dysregulation, further promoting system-wide symptoms of stress-related disorders.

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Gene expression analysis in mouse brain identifies biological processes underlying stress response in Fkbp5 deficient mice

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