In the new papers published in Science, researchers from more than a dozen institutions from around the world provide the largest-ever datasets on the molecular workings of the brain. The findings provide a roadmap for development of a new generation of therapies for psychiatric conditions. "This work provides several missing links necessary for understanding the mechanisms of psychiatric diseases," said a senior author on two of the new papers.
During the last decade, scientists have conducted genetic studies of people with psychiatric diseases, comparing the results to healthy individuals to find genes that have different sequences in those with disease. Often, however, their findings led to more questions than answers. Scientists not only discovered genes linked to the diseases, they also uncovered hundreds of areas of DNA found in between genes, called regulatory DNA, that also seemed to have an association. Scientists know these sections of DNA can control when, where and how genes are turned on and off in many ways. However, figuring out which "regulatory regions" affect which genes-- and therefore the RNA and proteins encoded by the genes-- is not straightforward.
In 2015, researchers at 15 institutions around the country, came together in the PsychENCODE Consortium to study in more detail the brain's regulatory DNA. An earlier project, known as ENCODE, already had uncovered the roles sections of regulatory DNA, but it was clear that these might be different in the brain than other organs. The PsychENCODE has analyzed not just genetic variants linked to psychiatric diseases, but also patterns of RNA and proteins in 2,188 brain bank samples from both healthy individuals and those with a psychiatric disorder.
In one new paper, researchers describe this new data, which helps explain the roles of tens of thousands of sections of regulatory DNA in affecting RNA and proteins in the brain. The data also reveals which genes are most often expressed at the same time as each other, suggesting new biological processes and pathways. The dataset--essentially a detailed model of the inner molecular workings of the human brain-- is now publicly available as a starting point for other researchers to mine mechanisms of disease and potential drug targets. "This resource is so vast that you can start by choosing one interesting disease associated genetic variant and begin digging into that and discovering how it impacts molecular networks in the brain," co-senior author said. "Having robust data of this scope provides a foundation for countless new studies."
In a second paper, researchers used that new data to look specifically at how RNA molecules are dysregulated--either present at higher levels, lower levels, or in altered conformations-- in autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Using nearly 1,700 brain bank samples, the researchers revealed thousands of RNA molecules that are either spliced differently-- with different sections of genetic material--or present at higher or lower levels in the brains of people with one of the psychiatric diseases. "You can't look at the brain under a microscope and see substantial differences in these disorders," another author said. "But we've now shown that if you look finely at patterns of how genes are expressed, you see pathways that are clearly dysregulated."
Among the surprises in the data-- altered levels of RNA linked to neuroinflammation and the brain's immune cells showed very different trajectories in people with schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder. Additionally, the study showed the importance of looking at individual cell types within the brain when parsing the new RNA data-- in some cases, alternately spliced RNA was linked to disease but only when the RNA was found in certain cell types and not others.
Finally, new genes were implicated in the diseases based on the RNA results; five were linked to autism spectrum disorder, 11 to bipolar disorder, and 56 to schizophrenia. Once again, the data is mostly important as a jumping off point for future studies, the researchers said. "This is the tip of the iceberg," the co-author said. "The ability to compile together 2,000 brains has been revolutionary in terms of revealing new genetic mechanisms, but it also points to how much we don't know."
http://sciencemission.com/site/index.php?page=news&type=view&id=publications%2Fneuron-specific&filter=22
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/362/6420/eaat8127
http://sciencemission.com/site/index.php?page=news&type=view&id=publications%2Fneuron-specific&filter=22
RNA dysregulation in ASD, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder patients
- 4,722 views
- Added
Edited
Latest News
Microfluidic systems resemb…
By newseditor
Posted 11 May
Neurotransmitter classifica…
By newseditor
Posted 11 May
Uncovering the secret of lo…
By newseditor
Posted 10 May
A cubic-millimeter fragment…
By newseditor
Posted 10 May
mtDNA transcription Inhibit…
By newseditor
Posted 09 May
Other Top Stories
The reward system synapses mature poorly in autism
Read more
Neonatal hypoxia affects learning and neuronal firing!
Read more
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!
Read more
Could vitamin B3 treat acute kidney injury?
Read more
MicroRNA (miRNA) misregulation in Huntington's disease
Read more
Protocols
Improved detection of DNA r…
By newseditor
Posted 09 May
Single-cell adhesive profil…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Parasympathetic neurons der…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Non-invasive measurements o…
By newseditor
Posted 05 May
A validation strategy to as…
By newseditor
Posted 04 May
Publications
Vascular network-inspired f…
By newseditor
Posted 11 May
Neurotransmitter classifica…
By newseditor
Posted 11 May
Forward programming human p…
By newseditor
Posted 10 May
Cyclophilin A supports tran…
By newseditor
Posted 10 May
Sortases: structure, mechan…
By newseditor
Posted 10 May
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar