Project description:After induction of ischemic chronic heart failure (CHF), mice exhibited depression-like behavior, in terms of increased anhedonia, and decreased both exploratory activity and interest in novelty. On histology, ischemic CHF mice showed no alterations in overall cerebral morphology. To further evaluate relevant behavioral changes found in CHF mice, RNA-sequencing analysis of prefrontal cortex and hippocampus - the brain regions, whose structural and functional alterations are associated with an increased risk for developing major depressive disorder - and of left myocardial tissue was performed in CHF vs. sham-operated animals. RNA-sequencing revealed relevant changes in hippocampal or prefrontal cortical expression of genes responsible for axonal vesicle transport (Kif5b), signal transduction (Arc, Gabrb2), limitation of inflammation (RORA; Nr4a1) and of hypoxic brain damage (Hif3a). Besides, the actual literature describes some of the genes (RORA, Gabrb2, Npas4, and Junb) being associated with depression-like behavior. Nr4a1 significantly regulated in both brain and heart tissue after induction of ischemic CHF could be a potential link and reveals the central role of inflammation in the interrelation of the brain and the failing heart. Heart failure vs. sham-operation were performed in C57BL/6 male mice. After development of chronic heart failure (CHF) 8 weeks after the operation RNA was extracted out of prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and left ventricular myocardium in both groups. RNA of 3 ischemic CHF mice versus 6 sham operated mice was pooled and further subjected to RNA sequencing. To fabricate singular pools each probe of the group equally contributed with the final amount of 2 µg RNA per pool with the result that we had 6 different pools to be further evaluated. The mRNA profile was generated by IGA Technology, Italy (http://www.igatechnology.com/) by deep sequencing, using Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform (HiSeq). CLC-Bio Genomics Workbench software (CLC Bio, Denmark) was used to calculate gene expression levels based on Mortazavi et al. (Nat Methods. 2008;5:621-628) approach.

Project description:Background: We have recently identified the nuclear hormone receptor RORA (retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-alpha) as a novel candidate gene for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our independent cohort studies have consistently demonstrated the reduction of RORA transcript and/or protein levels in blood-derived lymphoblasts as well as the postmortem prefrontal cortex and cerebellum of individuals with ASD. Moreover, we have also shown that RORA has the potential to be under negative and positive regulation by androgen and estrogen, respectively, suggesting the possibility that RORA may contribute to the male bias of ASD. However, little is known about transcriptional targets of this nuclear receptor, particularly in humans. Methods: Here we comprehensively identify transcriptional targets of RORA in human neuronal cells using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), followed by whole-genome promoter array (chip) analysis. Selected potential targets of RORA were then further validated by an independent chromatin immunoprecipitation, followed by qPCR analysis. To further demonstrate that reduced RORA expression results in aberrant transcription of RORA targets, we determined the expression levels of selected transcriptional targets in RORA-deficient human neuronal cells, as well as in postmortem brain tissues from individuals with ASD who exhibit reduced RORA expression. Results: The ChIP-on-chip analysis reveals that RORA1, a major isoform of RORA protein in human brain, can be recruited to as many as 1,338 genomic locations corresponding to promoter regions of 1,274 genes across the human genome. Among the genes potentially directly regulated by RORA1 are genes known to have biological functions negatively impacted in individuals with ASD, including neuronal adhesion and survival, synaptogenesis, and development of the cortex and the cerebellum. Independent ChIP-qPCR analyses confirm binding of RORA1 to promoter regions of several ASD-associated genes, including A2BP1, CYP19A1, HSD17B10, ITPR1, NLGN1, and NTRK2, whose expression levels are also decreased in RORA1-repressed human neuronal cells and in prefrontal cortex tissues from individuals with ASD. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that RORA transcriptionally regulates A2BP1, CYP19A1, HSD17B10, ITPR1, NLGN1, and NTRK2, and strongly suggest that reduction of this sex hormone-sensitive nuclear receptor in the brain causes dysregulated expression of these genes which, in turn, may contribute to the underlying pathobiology of ASD. Nuclear lysates from the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y were chromatin-immunoprecipitated with goat anti-RORA1 antibody vs. normal goat IgG antibody

Project description:Background: We have recently identified the nuclear hormone receptor RORA (retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-alpha) as a novel candidate gene for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our independent cohort studies have consistently demonstrated the reduction of RORA transcript and/or protein levels in blood-derived lymphoblasts as well as the postmortem prefrontal cortex and cerebellum of individuals with ASD. Moreover, we have also shown that RORA has the potential to be under negative and positive regulation by androgen and estrogen, respectively, suggesting the possibility that RORA may contribute to the male bias of ASD. However, little is known about transcriptional targets of this nuclear receptor, particularly in humans. Methods: Here we comprehensively identify transcriptional targets of RORA in human neuronal cells using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), followed by whole-genome promoter array (chip) analysis. Selected potential targets of RORA were then further validated by an independent chromatin immunoprecipitation, followed by qPCR analysis. To further demonstrate that reduced RORA expression results in aberrant transcription of RORA targets, we determined the expression levels of selected transcriptional targets in RORA-deficient human neuronal cells, as well as in postmortem brain tissues from individuals with ASD who exhibit reduced RORA expression. Results: The ChIP-on-chip analysis reveals that RORA1, a major isoform of RORA protein in human brain, can be recruited to as many as 1,338 genomic locations corresponding to promoter regions of 1,274 genes across the human genome. Among the genes potentially directly regulated by RORA1 are genes known to have biological functions negatively impacted in individuals with ASD, including neuronal adhesion and survival, synaptogenesis, and development of the cortex and the cerebellum. Independent ChIP-qPCR analyses confirm binding of RORA1 to promoter regions of several ASD-associated genes, including A2BP1, CYP19A1, HSD17B10, ITPR1, NLGN1, and NTRK2, whose expression levels are also decreased in RORA1-repressed human neuronal cells and in prefrontal cortex tissues from individuals with ASD. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that RORA transcriptionally regulates A2BP1, CYP19A1, HSD17B10, ITPR1, NLGN1, and NTRK2, and strongly suggest that reduction of this sex hormone-sensitive nuclear receptor in the brain causes dysregulated expression of these genes which, in turn, may contribute to the underlying pathobiology of ASD.

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MRNA sequencing of two brain regions (prefrontal cortex and hippocampus) and left myocardial tissue in mice with chronic heart failure vs. sham-operated control mice

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