Browsing by Author "Becker, Kevin G"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Genomic deletion of GIT2 induces a premature age-related thymic dysfunction and systemic immune system disruption.
    (Aging (Albany NY), 2017-03-04) Siddiqui, Sana; Lustig, Ana; Carter, Arnell; Sankar, Mathavi; Daimon, Caitlin M; Premont, Richard T; Etienne, Harmonie; van Gastel, Jaana; Azmi, Abdelkrim; Janssens, Jonathan; Becker, Kevin G; Zhang, Yongqing; Wood, William; Lehrmann, Elin; Martin, James G; Martin, Bronwen; Taub, Dennis D; Maudsley, Stuart
    Recent research has proposed that GIT2 (G protein-coupled receptor kinase interacting protein 2) acts as an integrator of the aging process through regulation of 'neurometabolic' integrity. One of the commonly accepted hallmarks of the aging process is thymic involution. At a relatively young age, 12 months old, GIT2(-/-) mice present a prematurely distorted thymic structure and dysfunction compared to age-matched 12 month-old wild-type control (C57BL/6) mice. Disruption of thymic structure in GIT2(-/-) (GIT2KO) mice was associated with a significant reduction in the expression of the cortical thymic marker, Troma-I (cytokeratin 8). Double positive (CD4(+)CD8(+)) and single positive CD4(+) T cells were also markedly reduced in 12 month-old GIT2KO mice compared to age-matched control wild-type mice. Coincident with this premature thymic disruption in GIT2KO mice was the unique generation of a novel cervical 'organ', i.e. 'parathymic lobes'. These novel organs did not exhibit classical peripheral lymph node-like characteristics but expressed high levels of T cell progenitors that were reflexively reduced in GIT2KO thymi. Using signaling pathway analysis of GIT2KO thymus and parathymic lobe transcriptomic data we found that the molecular signaling functions lost in the dysfunctional GIT2KO thymus were selectively reinstated in the novel parathymic lobe - suggestive of a compensatory effect for the premature thymic disruption. Broader inspection of high-dimensionality transcriptomic data from GIT2KO lymph nodes, spleen, thymus and parathymic lobes revealed a systemic alteration of multiple proteins (Dbp, Tef, Per1, Per2, Fbxl3, Ddit4, Sin3a) involved in the multidimensional control of cell cycle clock regulation, cell senescence, cellular metabolism and DNA damage. Altered cell clock regulation across both immune and non-immune tissues therefore may be responsible for the premature 'aging' phenotype of GIT2KO mice.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    GIT2 Acts as a Systems-Level Coordinator of Neurometabolic Activity and Pathophysiological Aging.
    (Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 2015) Martin, Bronwen; Chadwick, Wayne; Janssens, Jonathan; Premont, Richard T; Schmalzigaug, Robert; Becker, Kevin G; Lehrmann, Elin; Wood, William H; Zhang, Yongqing; Siddiqui, Sana; Park, Sung-Soo; Cong, Wei-Na; Daimon, Caitlin M; Maudsley, Stuart
    Aging represents one of the most complicated and highly integrated somatic processes. Healthy aging is suggested to rely upon the coherent regulation of hormonal and neuronal communication between the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. The hypothalamus is one of the main structures in the body responsible for sustaining an efficient interaction between energy balance and neurological activity and therefore likely coordinates multiple systems in the aging process. We previously identified, in hypothalamic and peripheral tissues, the G protein-coupled receptor kinase interacting protein 2 (GIT2) as a stress response and aging regulator. As metabolic status profoundly affects aging trajectories, we investigated the role of GIT2 in regulating metabolic activity. We found that genomic deletion of GIT2 alters hypothalamic transcriptomic signatures related to diabetes and metabolic pathways. Deletion of GIT2 reduced whole animal respiratory exchange ratios away from those related to primary glucose usage for energy homeostasis. GIT2 knockout (GIT2KO) mice demonstrated lower insulin secretion levels, disruption of pancreatic islet beta cell mass, elevated plasma glucose, and insulin resistance. High-dimensionality transcriptomic signatures from islets isolated from GIT2KO mice indicated a disruption of beta cell development. Additionally, GIT2 expression was prematurely elevated in pancreatic and hypothalamic tissues from diabetic-state mice (db/db), compared to age-matched wild type (WT) controls, further supporting the role of GIT2 in metabolic regulation and aging. We also found that the physical interaction of pancreatic GIT2 with the insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate 2 was diminished in db/db mice compared to WT mice. Therefore, GIT2 appears to exert a multidimensional "keystone" role in regulating the aging process by coordinating somatic responses to energy deficits.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Hippocampal Transcriptomic and Proteomic Alterations in the BTBR Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
    (Front Physiol, 2015) Daimon, Caitlin M; Jasien, Joan M; Wood, William H; Zhang, Yongqing; Becker, Kevin G; Silverman, Jill L; Crawley, Jacqueline N; Martin, Bronwen; Maudsley, Stuart
    Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders of an unclear etiology, and no cure currently exists. Prior studies have demonstrated that the black and tan, brachyury (BTBR) T+ Itpr3tf/J mouse strain displays a behavioral phenotype with ASD-like features. BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J mice (referred to simply as BTBR) display deficits in social functioning, lack of communication ability, and engagement in stereotyped behavior. Despite extensive behavioral phenotypic characterization, little is known about the genes and proteins responsible for the presentation of the ASD-like phenotype in the BTBR mouse model. In this study, we employed bioinformatics techniques to gain a wide-scale understanding of the transcriptomic and proteomic changes associated with the ASD-like phenotype in BTBR mice. We found a number of genes and proteins to be significantly altered in BTBR mice compared to C57BL/6J (B6) control mice controls such as BDNF, Shank3, and ERK1, which are highly relevant to prior investigations of ASD. Furthermore, we identified distinct functional pathways altered in BTBR mice compared to B6 controls that have been previously shown to be altered in both mouse models of ASD, some human clinical populations, and have been suggested as a possible etiological mechanism of ASD, including "axon guidance" and "regulation of actin cytoskeleton." In addition, our wide-scale bioinformatics approach also discovered several previously unidentified genes and proteins associated with the ASD phenotype in BTBR mice, such as Caskin1, suggesting that bioinformatics could be an avenue by which novel therapeutic targets for ASD are uncovered. As a result, we believe that informed use of synergistic bioinformatics applications represents an invaluable tool for elucidating the etiology of complex disorders like ASD.