In a first, Chinese team observes dogs with a mutated gene to try to understand autism
- Scientists in Beijing used CRISPR/Cas9 tool to mutate a gene repeatedly found in people with autism spectrum disorder
- They say the beagles they created exhibited behaviours associated with the condition such as social withdrawal and anxiety
Chinese scientists have used gene-editing technology to create the first known model of autism spectrum disorder in dogs, opening a new avenue for research into treating the condition.
The team said they used the CRISPR/Cas9 tool to mutate the SHANK3 gene, as mutations of the gene were repeatedly found in people with autism. They then created multiple lines of beagles that exhibited behaviours – such as social withdrawal and anxiety – seen in people on the spectrum.
The researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing Sinogene Biotechnology and Yale School of Medicine published their study in Nature’s Molecular Psychiatry journal last month.
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental condition that is seen as mostly lifelong, affecting an estimated 1 per cent of the population worldwide. It can affect how a person communicates and interacts, and can include repetitive behaviours and intense interests.
There is no single known cause, but researchers have identified genetic mutations that may lead to the condition.
The Chinese team noted that both mice and non-human primates had been used in the past to model autism spectrum disorder, in the hope of understanding “the molecular and neural circuit mechanisms”.
But they said neither were ideal. The brains and behaviour of mice are very different from humans’ – so any treatments based on mouse models might not translate, according to the paper. And although the behaviour of non-human primates is closer to that of humans, their long reproductive cycles and low birth rates make them difficult and costly to use in studies.