Dataset Information

Transcriptional consequences of 16p11.2 deletion and duplication in mouse cortex and multiplex autism families.

ABSTRACT: Reciprocal copy-number variation (CNV) of a 593 kb region of 16p11.2 is a common genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet it is not completely penetrant and can manifest in a wide array of phenotypes. To explore its molecular consequences, we performed RNA sequencing of cerebral cortex from mouse models with CNV of the syntenic 7qF3 region and lymphoblast lines from 34 members of 7 multiplex ASD-affected families harboring the 16p11.2 CNV. Expression of all genes in the CNV region correlated well with their DNA copy number, with no evidence of dosage compensation. We observed effects on gene expression outside the CNV region, including apparent positional effects in cis and in trans at genomic segments with evidence of physical interaction in Hi-C chromosome conformation data. One of the most significant positional effects was telomeric to the 16p11.2 CNV and includes the previously described "distal" 16p11.2 microdeletion. Overall, 16p11.2 CNV was associated with altered expression of genes and networks that converge on multiple hypotheses of ASD pathogenesis, including synaptic function (e.g., NRXN1, NRXN3), chromatin modification (e.g., CHD8, EHMT1, MECP2), transcriptional regulation (e.g., TCF4, SATB2), and intellectual disability (e.g., FMR1, CEP290). However, there were differences between tissues and species, with the strongest effects being consistently within the CNV region itself. Our analyses suggest that through a combination of indirect regulatory effects and direct effects on nuclear architecture, alteration of 16p11.2 genes disrupts expression networks that involve other genes and pathways known to contribute to ASD, suggesting an overlap in mechanisms of pathogenesis.

SUBMITTER: Blumenthal I

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4121471 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Transcriptional consequences of 16p11.2 deletion and duplication in mouse cortex and multiplex autism families.

Blumenthal Ian I Ragavendran Ashok A Erdin Serkan S Klei Lambertus L Sugathan Aarathi A Guide Jolene R JR Manavalan Poornima P Zhou Julian Q JQ Wheeler Vanessa C VC Levin Joshua Z JZ Ernst Carl C Roeder Kathryn K Devlin Bernie B Gusella James F JF Talkowski Michael E ME

American journal of human genetics 20140601 6

Reciprocal copy-number variation (CNV) of a 593 kb region of 16p11.2 is a common genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet it is not completely penetrant and can manifest in a wide array of phenotypes. To explore its molecular consequences, we performed RNA sequencing of cerebral cortex from mouse models with CNV of the syntenic 7qF3 region and lymphoblast lines from 34 members of 7 multiplex ASD-affected families harboring the 16p11.2 CNV. Expression of all genes in the CNV region co ...[more]

PMID: 24906019

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Project description:16p11.2 microdeletion/microduplication syndrome is one of the common genetic causes of autism spectrum disorder, although it is not wholly penetrant with a wide range of phenotypic manifestations. We have previously explored the transcriptional consequences of the copy number variant (CNV) in cortical tissue of mouse models of the CNV within the syntenic 7qF3 region (Blumenthal et al 2014). We found that the strongest effects were from genes within the region itself, with no evidence for dosage compensation for any gene. Importantly, we found that global transcriptional effects due to the CNV were associated with multiple hypotheses for ASD pathogenesis, at the level of individual genes, networks and functional enrichments. To delineate tissue-specificity effects of the CNV, we embarked on exploration of the transcriptional landscape across multiple tissues for all mice from our earlier study. Specifically to disentangle brain-specific effects from others, we chose two additional brain tissues, namely Cerebellum and Striatum, as well as three other non-neuronal tissues, namely Liver, White Fat and Brown Fat. We present strand-specific RNAseq data for these five tissues in addition to the data for the Cortical tissue from our previous publication. Preliminary analyses of the data suggest that there are strong tissue-specific consequences of the CNV, with the effect being strongest in the Cortical tissue relative to other tissues, and observe low overlaps in differentially expressed genes across tissue. Furthermore, we see that the genes within the CNV region behave in a strong-tissue specific manner, with differences being more pronounced among the neuronal and non-neuronal tissues, relative to within tissue classes. Interestingly, we see that in non-neuronal tissues dosage compensation occurs for a handful of genes, when expressed. Finally, we see that genes within the CNV region show the strongest effects relative to the overall transcriptome in neuronal tissues and these effects are ameliorated in non-neuronal tissues.

Project description:Autism spectrum disorder comprises several neurodevelopmental conditions presenting symptoms in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. A major roadblock for drug development for autism is the lack of robust behavioral signatures predictive of clinical efficacy. To address this issue, we further characterized, in a uniform and rigorous way, mouse models of autism that are of interest because of their construct validity and wide availability to the scientific community. We implemented a broad behavioral battery that included but was not restricted to core autism domains, with the goal of identifying robust, reliable phenotypes amenable for further testing. Here we describe comprehensive findings from two known mouse models of autism, obtained at different developmental stages, using a systematic behavioral test battery combining standard tests as well as novel, quantitative, computer-vision based systems. The first mouse model recapitulates a deletion in human chromosome 16p11.2, found in 1% of individuals with autism. The second mouse model harbors homozygous null mutations in Cntnap2, associated with autism and Pitt-Hopkins-like syndrome. Consistent with previous results, 16p11.2 heterozygous null mice, also known as Del(7Slx1b-Sept1)4Aam weighed less than wild type littermates displayed hyperactivity and no social deficits. Cntnap2 homozygous null mice were also hyperactive, froze less during testing, showed a mild gait phenotype and deficits in the three-chamber social preference test, although less robust than previously published. In the open field test with exposure to urine of an estrous female, however, the Cntnap2 null mice showed reduced vocalizations. In addition, Cntnap2 null mice performed slightly better in a cognitive procedural learning test. Although finding and replicating robust behavioral phenotypes in animal models is a challenging task, such functional readouts remain important in the development of therapeutics and we anticipate both our positive and negative findings will be utilized as a resource for the broader scientific community.

Dataset Information

Transcriptional consequences of 16p11.2 deletion and duplication in mouse cortex and multiplex autism families.

Publications

Transcriptional consequences of 16p11.2 deletion and duplication in mouse cortex and multiplex autism families.

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