Project description:ADHD is the most common neurobehavioral disorder in school-aged children. In addition to genetic factors, environmental influences or gene x environmental interactions also play an important role in ADHD. One example of a well studied environmental risk factor for ADHD is exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, we investigated whether the well-established genetic model of ADHD based on the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) and a well established PCB-based model of ADHD exhibited similar molecular changes in brain circuits involved in ADHD. The brains from 28 male rats (8 SHR, 8 Sprague-Dawley (SD) controls, 8 Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) controls, and 4 PCB-exposed SD rats) were harvested at postnatal day 55-65 and RNA was isolated from six brain regions of interest. The RNA was analyzed for differences in expression of a set of 308 probe sets interrogating 218 unique genes considered highly relevant to ADHD or epigenetic gene regulation using the Rat RAE 230 2.0 GeneChip (Affymetrix). Selected observations were confirmed by real time quantitative RT-PCR. The results show that the expression levels of genes Gnal, COMT, Adrbk1, Ntrk2, Hk1, Syt11 and Csnk1a1 were altered in both the SHR rats and the PCB-exposed SD rats. Arrb2, Stx12, Aqp6, Syt1, Ddc and Pgk1 expression levels were changed only in the PCB-exposed SD rats. Genes with altered expression only in the SHRs included Oprm1, Calcyon, Calmodulin, Lhx1 and Hes6.The epigenetic genes Crebbp, Mecp2 and Hdac5 are significantly altered in both models. The data provide strong evidence that genes and environment can affect different set of genes in two different models of ADHD and yet result in the similar disease-like symptoms. The brains from 28 male rats (8 SHR, 8 Sprague-Dawley (SD) controls, 8 Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) controls, and 4 PCB-exposed SD rats) were harvested at postnatal day 55-65 and RNA was isolated from six brain regions of interest. The RNA was analyzed for differences in expression of a set of 308 probe sets interrogating 218 unique genes considered highly relevant to ADHD or epigenetic gene regulation using the Rat RAE 230 2.0 GeneChip (Affymetrix). Selected observations were confirmed by real time quantitative RT-PCR.
Project description:In our previous study, we found that WBC miRNA may serve as ADHD prediction biomarkers. Therefore, we wonder whether WBC gene expression profile could also serve as ADHD biomarkers. We enrolled ADHD and healthy control subjects, followed by collecting RNA samples from total WBC.
Project description:<p>The PUWMa GWAS of ADHD is a multi-site collaboration initiated to conduct a family-based association study from existing research samples. The source sample of ADHD families was ascertained at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH, N=309 trios), Washington University at St. Louis (WASH-U, N=272 trios), and University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA, N=156 trios). All offspring met criteria for DSM-IV-TR attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder with childhood onset.</p>
Project description:ADHD is the most common neurobehavioral disorder in school-aged children. In addition to genetic factors, environmental influences or gene x environmental interactions also play an important role in ADHD. One example of a well studied environmental risk factor for ADHD is exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, we investigated whether the well-established genetic model of ADHD based on the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) and a well established PCB-based model of ADHD exhibited similar molecular changes in brain circuits involved in ADHD. The brains from 28 male rats (8 SHR, 8 Sprague-Dawley (SD) controls, 8 Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) controls, and 4 PCB-exposed SD rats) were harvested at postnatal day 55-65 and RNA was isolated from six brain regions of interest. The RNA was analyzed for differences in expression of a set of 308 probe sets interrogating 218 unique genes considered highly relevant to ADHD or epigenetic gene regulation using the Rat RAE 230 2.0 GeneChip (Affymetrix). Selected observations were confirmed by real time quantitative RT-PCR. The results show that the expression levels of genes Gnal, COMT, Adrbk1, Ntrk2, Hk1, Syt11 and Csnk1a1 were altered in both the SHR rats and the PCB-exposed SD rats. Arrb2, Stx12, Aqp6, Syt1, Ddc and Pgk1 expression levels were changed only in the PCB-exposed SD rats. Genes with altered expression only in the SHRs included Oprm1, Calcyon, Calmodulin, Lhx1 and Hes6.The epigenetic genes Crebbp, Mecp2 and Hdac5 are significantly altered in both models. The data provide strong evidence that genes and environment can affect different set of genes in two different models of ADHD and yet result in the similar disease-like symptoms.
Project description:<p>Studies at Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands, has recruited participants with ADHD and participants without ADHD, which included matched healthy controls and family members of participants with ADHD. ADHD participants met DSM-IV-TR criteria for ADHD. DNAs of these participants, 1005 samples, were anonymously genotyped with Illumina PsychArray. These samples were not part of the PGC-ADHD group. After removing family members, 820 case/control independent samples, including 211 ADHD cases, went through genomic association analyses. Results of ADHD risk genetic markers were compared with genetic markers associated with brain structure alterations in ADHD in adults and adolescents.</p>
Project description:In our previous study, we found that WBC miRNA may serve as ADHD prediction biomarkers. Therefore, we wonder whether these biomarkers miRNAs may regulate the neuron cells. We had Human Cortical Neuronal cells (HCN-2) transfected with miR-126-5p, miR-140-3p or Scrambled control mimics, followed by observing the differentiation of HCN-2 cells. We found that miR-126-5p and miR-140-3p promoted HCN-2 differentiation.
Project description:Despite the prevalence and high heritability of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), genetic etiology remains elusive. Clinical evidence points in part to reduced function of the striatum, but which specific genes are differentially expressed and how they sculpt striatal physiology to predispose ADHD are not well understood. As an exploratory tool, a polygenic mouse model of ADHD was recently developed through selective breeding for high home cage activity. Relative to the Control line, the High-Active line displays hyperactivity and motor impulsivity which are ameliorated with amphetamine. This study compared gene expression in the striatum between Control and High-Active mice to develop a coherent hypothesis for how genes might affect striatal physiology and predispose ADHD-like symptoms. To this end, striatal transcriptomes of High-Active and Control mice were analyzed after mice were treated with saline or amphetamines. The pseudogene Gm6180 for n-cofilin (Cfl1) displayed 20-fold higher expression in High-Active mice corresponding with reduced Cfl1 expression suggesting synaptic actin dysregulation. Latrophilin 3 (Lphn3), which is associated with ADHD in human populations and is involved in synapse structure, and its ligand fibronectin leucine rich transmembrane protein 3 (Flrt3), were downregulated in High-Active mice. Multiple genes were altered in High-Active mice in a manner predicted to downregulate the canonical Wnt pathway. A smaller and different set of genes including glyoxalase (Glo1) were differentially regulated in High-Active as compared to Control in response to amphetamine. Together, results suggest genes involved in excitatory synapse regulation and maintenance are downregulated in ADHD-like mice. Consistent with the molecular prediction, stereological analysis of the striatum from a separate set of mice processed for imunohistochemical detection of synaptophysin revealed approximately a 46% reduction in synaptophysin immunoreactivity in High-Active relative to Control. Results provide a new set of molecular targets related to synapse maintenance for the next generation of ADHD medicines.
Project description:PGC-1α (Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha) coactivators regulate adaptive gene expression in response to challenges such as cold exposure, fasting, or physical exercise to balance energy supply and demand. Transcription of a single PGC-1α gene produces different isoforms (e.g. PGC-1α1 to α4) with different biological functions. We aimed to characterize the nuclear interactome for each PGC-1α variant, in particular the transcription factors they bind to regulate gene expression. This was done by generating GST-fusions of all PGC-1a variants, expressed in an insect cell system. These were used to capture associated protein complexes from HeLa nuclear extracts.