Gene network analysis reveals a role for striatal glutamatergic receptors in dysregulated risk-assessment behavior of autism mouse models

Transl Psychiatry. 2019 Oct 17;9(1):257. doi: 10.1038/s41398-019-0584-5.

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents a wide, and often varied, behavioral phenotype. Improper assessment of risks has been reported among individuals diagnosed with ASD. Improper assessment of risks may lead to increased accidents and self-injury, also reported among individuals diagnosed with ASD. However, there is little knowledge of the molecular underpinnings of the impaired risk-assessment phenotype. In this study, we have identified impaired risk-assessment activity in multiple male ASD mouse models. By performing network-based analysis of striatal whole transcriptome data from each of these ASD models, we have identified a cluster of glutamate receptor-associated genes that correlate with the risk-assessment phenotype. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of striatal glutamatergic receptors was able to mimic the dysregulation in risk-assessment. Therefore, this study has identified a molecular mechanism that may underlie risk-assessment dysregulation in ASD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / etiology
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / genetics*
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Receptors, Glutamate / genetics*
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • CNTNAP2 protein, mouse
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Receptors, Glutamate
  • Shank3 protein, mouse