Cell Reports (Jan 2018)

Integrative Analyses of De Novo Mutations Provide Deeper Biological Insights into Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Atsushi Takata,
  • Noriko Miyake,
  • Yoshinori Tsurusaki,
  • Ryoko Fukai,
  • Satoko Miyatake,
  • Eriko Koshimizu,
  • Itaru Kushima,
  • Takashi Okada,
  • Mako Morikawa,
  • Yota Uno,
  • Kanako Ishizuka,
  • Kazuhiko Nakamura,
  • Masatsugu Tsujii,
  • Takeo Yoshikawa,
  • Tomoko Toyota,
  • Nobuhiko Okamoto,
  • Yoko Hiraki,
  • Ryota Hashimoto,
  • Yuka Yasuda,
  • Shinji Saitoh,
  • Kei Ohashi,
  • Yasunari Sakai,
  • Shouichi Ohga,
  • Toshiro Hara,
  • Mitsuhiro Kato,
  • Kazuyuki Nakamura,
  • Aiko Ito,
  • Chizuru Seiwa,
  • Emi Shirahata,
  • Hitoshi Osaka,
  • Ayumi Matsumoto,
  • Saoko Takeshita,
  • Jun Tohyama,
  • Tomoko Saikusa,
  • Toyojiro Matsuishi,
  • Takumi Nakamura,
  • Takashi Tsuboi,
  • Tadafumi Kato,
  • Toshifumi Suzuki,
  • Hirotomo Saitsu,
  • Mitsuko Nakashima,
  • Takeshi Mizuguchi,
  • Fumiaki Tanaka,
  • Norio Mori,
  • Norio Ozaki,
  • Naomichi Matsumoto

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2017.12.074
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 3
pp. 734 – 747

Abstract

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Recent studies have established important roles of de novo mutations (DNMs) in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Here, we analyze DNMs in 262 ASD probands of Japanese origin and confirm the “de novo paradigm” of ASDs across ethnicities. Based on this consistency, we combine the lists of damaging DNMs in our and published ASD cohorts (total number of trios, 4,244) and perform integrative bioinformatics analyses. Besides replicating the findings of previous studies, our analyses highlight ATP-binding genes and fetal cerebellar/striatal circuits. Analysis of individual genes identified 61 genes enriched for damaging DNMs, including ten genes for which our dataset now contributes to statistical significance. Screening of compounds altering the expression of genes hit by damaging DNMs reveals a global downregulating effect of valproic acid, a known risk factor for ASDs, whereas cardiac glycosides upregulate these genes. Collectively, our integrative approach provides deeper biological and potential medical insights into ASDs.

Keywords