Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40795403›Full record

ArticleGenetics2025

Multiple autism genes influence GABA neuron remodeling via distinct developmental trajectories.

Kristi Zoga, Sophia Villiere, Vina Tikiyani, Andrea F Edwards-Cintron, Pranav Thokachichu, Patrick Nicodemus, Pablo G Camara, Michael P Hart

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Genetics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Research progress inFrontiers in neurology
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kristi ZogaDepartment of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
Sophia VilliereDepartment of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
Vina TikiyaniDepartment of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
Andrea F Edwards-CintronDepartment of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
Pranav ThokachichuDepartment of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
Patrick NicodemusDepartment of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
Pablo G CamaraDepartment of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
Michael P HartDepartment of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-8865-3062

Funding

Translational Research Support CoreP30ES013508 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI A. Clementina Mesaros · 2006 to 2026
$35.3M
Enhancing and expanding the CGC Strain CollectionP40OD010440 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI Aric L Daul, Ann E. Rougvie · 2012 to 2026
$7.5M
Genetic and molecular regulation of experience-dependent structural plasticityR01NS129736 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI Michael P Hart · 2023 to 2026
$1.5M
CAJAL: A computational framework for the combined morphometric, transcriptomic, and physiological analysis of cellsRF1MH130553 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI GONZALEZ CAMARA, PABLO · 2022 to 2022
$1.3M
Chan Zuckerberg InitiativeNDCN Collaborative PilotNIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES013508NIH HHS 1R01NS129736NIH HHS P30ES013508NIH HHS P40 OD010440NIH HHS RF1MH130553NIMH NIH HHS RF1 MH130553NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS129736Penn CEET pilotSFARI Bridge to Independence Award
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Variation in over 100 genes is now associated with increased risk for autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions, but how this variation results in distinct and overlapping behavioral changes is still not well understood. Recent efforts have focused on screening many autism genes at once for functional and phenotypic convergence, and identified subsets that are crucial for many early steps of neurodevelopment. Few studies have screened later steps of neurodevelopment, circuit function, circuit plasticity, or behaviors. We screened 20 conserved autism-associated genes for impact on experience-dependent neuron remodeling in Caenorhabditis elegans. Loss of unc-44/ANK2, set-4/KMT5B, daf-18/PTEN, gap-2/SYNGAP1, and chd-1/CHD2/8 increased, while unc-36/CACNA2D3 decreased, neurite outgrowth of the GABAergic DVB neuron in adults. Although daf-18/PTEN, set-4/KMT5B, and unc-44/ANK2 had convergent phenotypes, they arise from distinct temporal trajectories with differential impact on DVB presynaptic morphology. Screening for the DVB regulated spicule protraction behavior identified multiple autism genes involved, but only unc-44/ANK2 and unc-36/CACNA2D3 were shared between screens. Application of a metric geometry computational framework (CAJAL) to the DVB morphology dataset identified 5 additional genes that impact DVB morphology, including unc-2/CACNA1A and unc-10/RIMS1, which also significantly impacted behavior. This work defines new regulators and molecular mechanisms of experience-dependent neuron remodeling and circuit plasticity, and further links these processes with conserved autism genes. It also demonstrates the utility of using intact, behavior generating circuits in C. elegans, to screen for novel roles for conserved autism genes.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderGABAergic NeuronsNeuronal PlasticityAnimalsCaenorhabditis elegansCaenorhabditis elegans ProteinsHumansCaenorhabditis elegans ProteinsautismplasticityremodelingWormBase

Identifiers

PMID40795403
PMCPMC12505306

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.