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Folate-Dependent Cognitive Impairment Associated With Specific Gene Networks in the Adult Mouse Hippocampus.

ABSTRACT: Short-term folate deficiency has been linked to cognitive defects. Given folate's role in regulating nucleotide synthesis and DNA and histone methylation, these changes are often linked to altered gene expression and might be controlled by specific regulatory networks. In our study we examined the effects of folic acid (FA) deficient or replete diets in mice, containing either no source of folate or normal FA intake, beginning post-weaning and persisting through the end of adult life at 18 months. Our goal was to assess levels of cognition in these mice using the novel object test and then connect the cognitive results to genetic changes. FA deficient mice showed significant memory impairment compared to control counterparts beginning at 5 months and persisting through 17 months, as determined by the novel object test. These deficits were associated with 363 significantly downregulated and 101 significantly upregulated genes in the deficient condition compared to the control condition in microarray analysis of hippocampal tissue. Many of these gene expression changes were determined to be specific to the hippocampus. Significant ontological categories for differential genes included nucleotide regulation, ion channel activity, and MAPK signaling; while some of these categories contain genes previously mapped to cognitive decline, other genes have not previously been associated with cognition. To determine proteins possibly involved in regulation of these genes, we performed bioinformatics analysis and found enriched motifs of for MafB and Zfp410 binding sites. These genes and enriched motifs may represent targets for treatment or investigation of memory-related diseases.

SUBMITTER: Lawton A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7689186 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Folate-Dependent Cognitive Impairment Associated With Specific Gene Networks in the Adult Mouse Hippocampus.

Lawton Abigail A Morgan Caroline R CR Schreiner Caleb R CR Schreiner Chris G CG Baumann Jacqueline J Upchurch Britton B Xu Feifan F Price Michael S MS Isaacs Gary D GD

Frontiers in nutrition 20201112

Short-term folate deficiency has been linked to cognitive defects. Given folate's role in regulating nucleotide synthesis and DNA and histone methylation, these changes are often linked to altered gene expression and might be controlled by specific regulatory networks. In our study we examined the effects of folic acid (FA) deficient or replete diets in mice, containing either no source of folate or normal FA intake, beginning post-weaning and persisting through the end of adult life at 18 month ...[more]

PMID: 33282900

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Project description:Short-term folate deficiency has been linked to cognitive defects. Given folate’s role in regulating nucleotide synthesis and DNA and histone methylation, these changes are often linked to altered gene expression. We hypothesize that chronic folate deficiency will induce memory deficits that can be linked to tissue-specific changes in gene expression. This study placed mice on folic acid deficient or replete diets, containing either no source of folate or AIN-93G normal folic acid intake, beginning post-weaning and persisting through the end of adult life at 18 months. Cognitive outcomes were assessed using the novel object test for memory. Changes in hippocampal gene expression were examined by RNA microarray analysis and confirmed by qPCR. qPCR was also use to compare a subset of significant hippocampal genes to potential changes in liver and heart expression. Ontological categories were determined using GeneCodis for genes whose expression significantly changed in the deficient condition. Significantly enriched motifs in the deficient genes were examined using the HOMER bioinformatics analysis tool to identify transcription factors associated with changing genes. Folic acid deficient mice showed significant memory impairment (P<0.05) compared to replete counterparts beginning at 5 mo and persisting through 17 mo. These deficits were associated with 363 significantly downregulated and 101 significantly upregulated genes (P<0.05, fold change > 2) in the deficient condition. Of the 16 genes whose differential hippocampal expression was confirmed by qPCR, none were also differentially regulated in the heart, and only one was differentially regulated in the liver (P<0.05). Significant ontological categories for differential genes included nucleotide regulation, ion channel activity, and MAPK signaling. Two enriched motifs were identified and determined to be associated with MafB and Zfp410 binding sites. These genes and enriched motifs may represent targets for treatment or investigation of memory-related diseases.

Project description:Mice transgenic for human P301S tau protein exhibit many characteristics of the human tauopathies, including the formation of abundant hyperphoshorylated tau filaments, the associated neuroinflammation and disease phenotype. However, the exact underpinning mechanisms are still not fully addressed that hinder our understanding of the tauopathy diseases and the development of possible therapeutic targets.Methods: In the current study, hippocampus from three disease time points (2, 4 and 6 months) of P301S mice were further characterized in comparison to the age and sex matched control wild type mice (WT) that do not express the transgene. Different spectrum of hippocampal dependent cognitive tests, biochemical and pathological analysis were conducted to understand the disease progression and the associated changes in each stage. Results: Cognitive impairment was manifested as early as 2 months age, prior to the identification of tau aggregation and phosphorylation by immunostaining. P301S mice manifested an increased pro-inflammatory related changes at mRNA transcription level (IL-1b and IL17A) with the progression of the disease and when compared to the WT mice of the same age. Among the identified genes in the current study, the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) genes expression that is considered as the master regulator of an endogenous inducible defense system was significantly impaired in P301S mice by 4 and 6 months when compared to healthy WT controls. A data that was also supported by the immunostaining of the serial brain sections including the both brain stem and hippocampus. The current result is suggesting that the downregulation of Nrf2 gene and the impaired Nrf2 dependent anti-inflammatory mechanisms in P301S mice brain is possibly contributing -among other factors- in the neuroinflammation and tauopathy, and that modulation of Nrf2 signaling impairments can be further investigated as a promising potential therapeutic target for tauopathy.

Dataset Information

Folate-Dependent Cognitive Impairment Associated With Specific Gene Networks in the Adult Mouse Hippocampus.

Publications

Folate-Dependent Cognitive Impairment Associated With Specific Gene Networks in the Adult Mouse Hippocampus.

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