Environmental factors, including pesticides, have been linked to autism and neurodegeneration risk using retrospective epidemiological studies.  Here, we sought to prospectively identify chemicals that share transcriptomic signatures with neurological disorders by exposing mouse cortical neuron-enriched cultures to hundreds of chemicals commonly found in the environment and on food.  We find that rotenone, a pesticide associated with Parkinsons disease risk, and certain fungicides, including pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin, famoxadone, and fenamidone, produce transcriptional changes in vitro that are similar to those seen in brain samples from humans with autism, advanced age and neurodegeneration (Alzheimers disease, Huntingtons disease).  These chemicals stimulate free radical production and disrupt microtubules in neurons, effects that can be reduced by pretreating with a microtubule stabilizer, an antioxidant, or with sulforaphane.  Our study provides an approach to prospectively identify environmental chemicals that transcriptionally mimic autism and other brain disorders. SOURCE: Mark Zylka University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE70249: Identification of chemicals that mimic transcriptional changes associated with autism, brain aging and neurodegeneration