Catarina Cunha,David Ashurov,German Todorov,Karthikeyan Mayilvahanan,
Dysregulation of DNA Methylation During Development as a Potential Mechanism Contributing to Obsessive Compulsive Disorders and Autism
Neurology and Neurobiology
2020
2613-7828
http://dx.doi.org/10.31487/j.NNB.2020.01.04
https://www.sciencerepository.org/dysregulation-of-dna-methylation-during-development_NNB-2020-1-104 
Abstract: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder, that is rising at a concerning rate.
However, underlying mechanisms are still to be discovered. Obsessions and compulsions are the most
debilitating aspect of these disorders (OCD), and they are the treatment priority for patients. SAPAP3 knock
out mice present a reliable mouse model for repetitive compulsive behaviour and are mechanistically closely
related to the ASD mouse model Shank3 on a molecular level and AMPA receptor net effect. The phenotype
of SAPAP3 knock out mice is obsessive grooming that leads to self-inflicted lesions by 4 months of age.
Recent studies have accumulated evidence, that epigenetic mechanisms are important effectors in
psychiatric conditions such as ASD and OCD. Methylation is the most studied mechanism, that recently
leads to drug developments for more precise cancer treatments. We injected SAPAP3 mice with an
epigenetic demethylation drug RG108 during pregnancy and delayed the onset of the phenotype in the
offspring by 4 months. This result gives us clues about the possible mechanisms involved in OCD and ASD.
Additionally, it shows that the modulation of methylation mechanisms during development might be
explored as a preventative treatment in the cases of the high inherited risk of certain mental health
conditions.
Keywords: Epigenetic mechanisms, methylation, autism, compulsions, OCD, development,novel epigenetic cancer drug, mental health,a transgenic mouse model