Transcriptomics reveal an integrative role for maternal thyroid hormones during zebrafish embryogenesis

Thyroid hormones (THs) are essential for embryonic brain development but the genetic mechanisms involved in the action of maternal THs (MTHs) are still largely unknown. As the basis for understanding the underlying genetic mechanisms of MTHs regulation we used an established zebrafish monocarboxylic acid transporter 8 (MCT8) knock-down model and characterised the transcriptome in 25hpf zebrafish embryos. Subsequent mapping of differentially expressed genes using Reactome pathway analysis together with in situ expression analysis and immunohistochemistry revealed the genetic networks and cells under MTHs regulation during zebrafish embryogenesis. We found 4,343 differentially expressed genes and the Reactome pathway analysis revealed that TH is involved in 1681 of these pathways. MTHs regulated the expression of core developmental pathways, such as NOTCH and WNT in a cell specific context. The cellular distribution of neural MTH-target genes demonstrated their cell specific action on neural stem cells and differentiated neuron classes. Taken together our data show that MTHs have a role in zebrafish neurogenesis and suggest they may be involved in cross talk between key pathways in neural development. Given that the observed MCT8 zebrafish knockdown phenotype resembles the symptoms in human patients with Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome our data open a window into understanding the genetics of this human congenital condition.Portuguese Fundacao para Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) [PTDC/EXPL/MARBIO/0430/2013]; CCMAR FCT Plurianual financing [UID/Multi/04326/2013]; FCT [SFRH/BD/111226/2015, SFRH/BD/108842/2015, SFRH/BPD/89889/2012]; FCT-IF Starting Grant [IF/01274/2014]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dose the clinical characteristics of patients with anxiety due to hyperthyroidism differ from patients with generalized anxiety disorder? A comparative study

Background: Hyperthyroidism is associated with anxiety symptoms. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics of patients with anxiety due to hyperthyroidism with patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in Abolfazl psychiatry clinic affiliated to Bushehr University of Medical Sciences from September 2012 to September 2013. Anxiety severity and characteristics of thirty-two patients with GAD was compared to 34 patients with anxiety due to hyperthyroidism. Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM-A) was used to evaluate the overall anxiety severity and anxiety symptom profile of the two groups. Results: There was no significant difference regarding overall anxiety severity between the two groups (P = 0.65). Autonomic symptoms were more sever in hyperthyroid patients (P = 0.003) whereas anxious mood and fears were more prominent in patients with GAD (P = 0.001 and P = 0.045, respectively). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that patients with GAD reported more psychology symptoms of anxiety whereas physical symptoms of anxiety were more prominent in hyperthyroid patients. Our findingsmayhelp differentiate these two disorders in the clinic, based on the symptom profile. However, it is important to note that this study is preliminary, and larger studies are needed to confirm the results