April Pruitt
About
Research
Publications
2025
Molecular and Genetic Mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Pruitt A, Gupta A, Hoffman E. Molecular and Genetic Mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Annals Of Neurology 2025 PMID: 40801227, DOI: 10.1002/ana.70013.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAutism spectrum disorderGenome sequencing studiesFunctional analysisASD-associated genesSpectrum disorderASD genesGroup of neurodevelopmental disordersSequencing studiesWhole exomeGenetic mechanismsBiological convergenceGenesRestrictive behaviorsBehavioral levelTherapeutic targetNeurodevelopmental disordersSocial communicationDisordersAutismGenomeExomeGeneration of stable brain cell cultures from embryonic zebrafish to interrogate phenotypes in zebrafish mutants of neurodevelopmental disorders
Odierna G, Stednitz S, Pruitt A, Arnold J, Hoffman E, Scott E. Generation of stable brain cell cultures from embryonic zebrafish to interrogate phenotypes in zebrafish mutants of neurodevelopmental disorders. Journal Of Neuroscience Methods 2025, 418: 110426. PMID: 40086601, DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2025.110426.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBrain cell culturesCell culturesCell typesNeuronal culture protocolCultured primary neuronsEmbryonic zebrafishPrimary brain cell culturesZebrafish mutantsCellular consequencesStructural hallmarksMature synaptic connectionsPrimary neuronsCell survivalMammalian tissuesTranscriptional signatureCell linesEmbryonic tissuesZebrafish neuronsZebrafishNeuron purityNeuronal culturesNetwork of neuronsMixed cell typeDays in vitroModel system
2023
High-throughput functional analysis of autism genes in zebrafish identifies convergence in dopaminergic and neuroimmune pathways
Mendes H, Neelakantan U, Liu Y, Fitzpatrick S, Chen T, Wu W, Pruitt A, Jin D, Jamadagni P, Carlson M, Lacadie C, Enriquez K, Li N, Zhao D, Ijaz S, Sakai C, Szi C, Rooney B, Ghosh M, Nwabudike I, Gorodezky A, Chowdhury S, Zaheer M, McLaughlin S, Fernandez J, Wu J, Eilbott J, Vander Wyk B, Rihel J, Papademetris X, Wang Z, Hoffman E. High-throughput functional analysis of autism genes in zebrafish identifies convergence in dopaminergic and neuroimmune pathways. Cell Reports 2023, 42: 112243. PMID: 36933215, PMCID: PMC10277173, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112243.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGene lossFunctional analysisHigh-throughput functional analysisZebrafish mutantsGene discoverySelect mutantsASD genesAutism genesKey pathwaysASD biologyBrain size differencesMutantsGenesSize differencesPathwayGlobal increaseRelevant mechanismsBiologyCentral challengeNeuroimmune dysfunctionRegionFunctionDiscoveryAutism spectrum disorder