Reduced Brd1 expression leads to reversible depression-like behaviors and gene-expression changes in female mice.

Anto P Rajkumar; Per Qvist; Julie G Donskov; Ross Lazarus; Jonatan Pallesen; Nicoletta Nava; Gudrun Winther; Nico Liebenberg; Sanne H la Cour; Veerle Paternoster; Tue Fryland; Johan Palmfeldt; Kim Fejgin; Arne Mørk; Mette Nyegaard; Bente Pakkenberg; Michael Didriksen; Jens R Nyengaard; Gregers Wegener; Ole Mors; Jane H Christensen; Anders D Børglum
Abstract
The schizophrenia-associated gene, BRD1, encodes an epigenetic regulator in which chromatin interactome is enriched with genes implicated in mental health. Alterations in histone modifications and epigenetic regulation contribute to brain transcriptomic changes in affective disorders and preclinical data supports a role for BRD1 in psychopathology. However, the implication of BRD1 on affective pathology remains poorly understood. In this study, we assess affective behaviors and associated neurobiology in Brd1 mice along with their responses to Fluoxetine and Imipramine. This involves behavioral, neurostructural, and neurochemical characterizations along with regional cerebral gene expression profiling combined with integrative functional genomic analyses. We report behavioral changes in female Brd1 mice with translational value to depressive symptomatology that can be alleviated by the administration of antidepressant medications. Behavioral changes are accompanied by altered brain morphometry and imbalances in monoaminergic systems. In accordance, gene expression changes across brain tissues reveal altered neurotransmitter signaling and cluster in functional pathways associated with depression including 'Adrenergic-, GPCR-, cAMP-, and CREB/CREM-signaling'. Integrative gene expression analysis specifically links changes in amygdaloid intracellular signaling activity to the behavioral treatment response in Brd1 mice. Collectively, our study highlights the importance of BRD1 as a modulator of affective pathology and adds to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying affective disorders and their treatment response.+/-
Journal TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
ISSN 2158-3188
Published 17 Jul 2020
Volume 10
Issue 1
Pages 239
DOI 10.1038/s41398-020-00914-2
Type Journal Article | Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Sponsorship