Actin cytoskeleton dynamics in stem cells from autistic individuals

Sci Rep. 2018 Jul 24;8(1):11138. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-29309-6.

Abstract

Several lines of indirect evidence, such as mutations or dysregulated expression of genes related to cytoskeleton, have suggested that cytoskeletal dynamics, a process essential for axons and dendrites development, is compromised in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, no study has yet examined whether cytoskeleton dynamics is functionally altered in cells from ASD patients. Here we investigated the regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics in stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) of 13 ASD patients and 8 control individuals by inducing actin filament depolymerization and then measuing their reconstruction upon activation of the RhoGTPases Rac, Cdc42 or RhoA. We observed that stem cells from seven ASD individuals (53%) presented altered dymanics of filament reconstruction, including a patient recently studied by our group whose iPSC-derived neuronal cells show shorten and less arborized neurites. We also report potentially pathogenic genetic variants that might be related to the alterations in actin repolymerization dynamics observed in some patient-derived cells. Our results suggest that, at least for a subgroup of ASD patients, the dynamics of actin polymerization is impaired, which might be ultimately leading to neuronal abnormalities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actin Cytoskeleton / chemistry*
  • Actin Cytoskeleton / genetics
  • Actins / chemistry*
  • Actins / genetics
  • Animals
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / genetics*
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / metabolism
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / pathology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / chemistry
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Neurons / chemistry*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Tooth Exfoliation
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • rac GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / genetics

Substances

  • Actins
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein
  • rac GTP-Binding Proteins
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein