Project description:We postulated that specific differences in alternative splicing/exon usage in immune blood cells may be present in ASD boys, and this might differ in ASD boys with large total cerebral volumes (ASD_LTCV) versus ASD boys with normal total cerebral volumes (ASD_NTCV). Thus, we compared ASD and ASD sub-groups related to total cerebral volume to typically developing (TD) controls.
Project description:Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder where patients have impaired social behavior and communication, and restricted interests. Although various studies have been carried out to unveil the mechanisms associated with ASD, its pathophysiology is still poorly understood. Genetic variants on CNTNAP2 have been found and considered representative ASD genetic risk factors, and disruption of Cntnap2 causes ASD phenotypes in mice. Here, we performed an integrative multi-omics analysis by combining quantitative proteometabolomics data of Cntnap2 knockout (KO) mice with multi-omics data from ASD patients and forebrain organoids to elucidate Cntnap2-dependent molecular networks of ASD. First, we found Cntnap2-associated molecular signatures and cellular processes by conducting mass spectrometry-based proteometabolomic analysis of the medial prefrontal cortex of the Cntnap2 KO mouse model. Then, we narrowed these identified processes into bona fide ASD molecular processes by incorporating multi-omics data of ASD patients' prefrontal cortex. Further, we mapped cell-type-specific ASD networks by reanalyzing single-cell RNA-seq data of forebrain organoids derived from patients with CNTNAP2 mutation. Finally, we constructed a Cntnap2-associated ASD network model consisting of mitochondrial dysfunction, axonal impairment, and synaptic activity. Our results may shed light on understanding of the Cntnap2-dependent molecular networks of ASD.
Project description:Austism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous behavioral disease most commonly characterized by severe impairment of social engagement and the presence of repetitive activities. The molecular etiology of ASD is still largely unknown despite a strong genetic component. Part of the difficulty in turning genetics into disease mechanisms and potentially new therapeutics is the sheer number and diversity of the genes that have been associated with ASD and ASD symptoms. The goal of this work is to use shRNA-generated models of genetic defects proposed as causative for ASD to identify the common pathways that might explain how they produce a common clinical outcome. Transcript levels of Mecp2, Mef2a, Mef2d, Fmr1, Nlgn1, Nlgn3, Pten, and Shank3 were knocked-down in mouse primary neuron cultures using shRNA/lentivirus constructs. Whole genome expression analysis was conducted for each of the knock-down cultures as well as a mock-transduced culture and a culture exposed to a lentivirus expressing luciferase. Gene set enrichment and a causal reasoning engine were employed to indentify pathway level perturbations generated by the transcript knock-down. Quantitation of the shRNA targets confirmed the successful knock-down at the transcript and protein levels of at least 75% for each of the genes. After subtracting out potential artifacts caused by transfection and viral infection, gene set enrichment and causal reasoning engine analysis showed that a significant number of gene expression changes mapped to pathways associated with neurogenesis, long-term potentiation, and synaptic activity. This work demonstrates that despite the complex genetic nature of ASD, there are common molecular mechanisms that connect many of the best established autism candidate genes. By identifying the key regulatory checkpoints in the interlinking transcriptional networks underlying autism, we are better able to discover the ideal points of intervention that provide the broadest efficacy across the diverse population of autism patients. n=4 per group. Luciferase shRNA used as control group for shRNA to various gene targets.
Project description:DNA from ectodermal cells of individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder born to mothers aged 35 and older was analzyed for discovery of differentially methylated regions and comethylation modules associated with ASD DNA from 48 individuals with ASD and DNA from 48 typically developing controls (all born to mothers older than 35) was isolated, bisulphite converte, and hybridized to the Illumina 450K array.