Project description:Shank2 is an excitatory postsynaptic scaffolding protein strongly implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Shank2-mutant mice with a homozygous deletion of exons 6 and 7 show decreased NMDA receptor (NMDAR) functions and autistic-like behaviors in juvenile (~postnatal day or P21) and adult (> P56) stages that are rescued by NMDAR activation. These mice, however, show an opposite change increased NMDAR functions—at ~P14, and NMDAR suppression by early and chronic memantine treatment during P7–21 prevents NMDAR hypofunction and autistic-like behaviors at juvenile (~P21) and adult (~P56) stages. To explore molecular mechanisms underlying the long-lasting effects of early memantine treatment, we performed RNA-Seq analysis of forebrains from wild-type and Shank2-mutant mice early and chronically treated with vehicle or memantine. Memantine-treated Shank2-mutant mice showed upregulations of chromatin-related genes and downregulations of mitochondria- and ribosome-related genes. In addition, vehicle-treated Shank2-mutant mice showed transcriptomic patterns that are largely opposite to those observed in ASD, as supported by the expression patterns of ASD-risk/related genes and cell-type-specific genes. These patterns, likely representing compensatory changes, were weakened by early memantine treatment. These results suggest that early chronic memantine treatment in Shank2-mutant mice alters chromatin- and mitochondria/ribosome-related gene expressions and weakens anti-ASD transcriptomic patterns.
Project description:Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are thought to involve diverse neurodevelopmental dysregulations that lead to visible symptoms at early stages of life. Many ASD-related mechanisms suggested by animal studies are supported by demonstrated improvement in autistic-like phenotypes in adult animals following experimental reversal of dysregulated mechanisms. However, whether such mechanisms also act at earlier stages to play important roles in the development of autistic-like phenotypes is unclear. Here, we show that early correction of a dysregulated mechanism in young mice prevents manifestation of autistic-like phenotypes in adult mice. Shank2–/– mice, known to display N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction and autistic-like behaviors at post-weaning stages after postnatal day 21 (P21), show the opposite synaptic phenotype—NMDAR hyperfunction—at an earlier pre-weaning stage (~P14). Moreover, this NMDAR hyperfunction at P14 is rapidly shifted to NMDAR hypofunction after weaning (~P24). Chronic suppression of the early NMDAR hyperfunction in Shank2–/– mice by the NMDAR antagonist memantine before weaning (P7–21) prevents the NMDAR hypofunction and autistic-like behaviors from manifesting at later stages (~P28 and P56). In addition, early memantine treatment of Shank2–/– mice substantially alters transcription of numerous genes, driving gene expression patterns in a direction largely opposite that observed in drug-untreated Shank2–/– mice, which, interestingly, mimic those observed in autistic individuals. These results suggest that early NMDAR hyperfunction in Shank2–/– mice leads to late NMDAR hypofunction and autistic-like behaviors, and that early correction of NMDAR function has the long-lasting effect of preventing autistic-like phenotypes from developing at later stages. This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Project description:Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are thought to involve neurodevelopmental dysregulations that lead to visible symptoms at early stages of life. Many ASD-related mechanisms suggested by animal studies are supported by demonstrated improvement in autistic-like phenotypes in adult animals following experimental reversal of dysregulated mechanisms. However, whether such mechanisms also act at earlier stages to cause autistic-like phenotypes is unclear. Here, we show that early correction of a dysregulated mechanism in young mice prevents manifestation of autistic-like phenotypes in adult mice. Shank2–/– mice, known to display N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction and autistic-like behaviors at post-weaning stages after postnatal day 21 (P21), show the opposite synaptic phenotype–NMDAR hyperfunction–at an earlier pre-weaning stage (~P14). Moreover, this NMDAR hyperfunction at P14 is rapidly shifted to NMDAR hypofunction after weaning (~P24). Chronic suppression of the early NMDAR hyperfunction by the NMDAR antagonist memantine (P7?21) prevents the NMDAR hypofunction and autistic-like behaviors from manifesting at later stages (~P28 and P56). These results suggest that early NMDAR hyperfunction leads to late NMDAR hypofunction and autistic-like behaviors in Shank2–/– mice, and that early correction of NMDAR function has the long-lasting effect of preventing autistic-like phenotypes from developing at later stages.
Project description:To investigate the functional importance of a nucleoside transporter, the mENT1 (Slc29a1) was knocked out in mice. The gene expression profile was compared between wildtype and mENT1 knock out mice in two tissues.
Project description:We used microarrays to detail the global programme gene expression of Phf8 knock out and wild type mice Different expression profile were compared between Phf8 knock out and wild type mice
Project description:Adam17, a shedding protease, is strongly upregtulated during inflammation and cancer. Here we investigate the genome wide effects of Adam17 knock out on the transcriptome.
Project description:Adam10, a cell surface protease, cleaving many proteins including TNF-alpha and E-cadherin. Here we investigate the genome wide effects of Adam10 knock out on the transcriptome. Commercial microarrays (Affymetrix Mouse Gene ST 1.0) were used to generate genome wide mRNA profiles.
Project description:the gene expression profiling results provide important information for the genes regulated by crosstalk between Shp2 and Pten mediated signal pathways Total RNA was extracted from CD71mid Ter119high erythroblasts isolated from the bone marrow of wide type, Shp2 knock-out, Pten knock-out and double knock-out mice