April Pruitt
About
Research
Publications
2026
Pharmaco-behavioral profiling identifies suppressors of autism gene–associated phenotypes in zebrafish
Jamadagni P, Dai Y, Liu Y, Mendes H, Pruitt A, Khan S, Yang L, Huang T, Huang X, Deans P, Balafkan N, Zhao D, Xu G, Liu Y, Li N, Wu W, Fitzpatrick S, Neelakantan U, Chen T, Szialta C, Jin D, Lacadie C, Umlauf S, Papademetris X, Surovtseva Y, Brennand K, Wang Z, Hoffman E. Pharmaco-behavioral profiling identifies suppressors of autism gene–associated phenotypes in zebrafish. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2026, 123: e2518846123. PMID: 41838920, PMCID: PMC13012064, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2518846123.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsASD genesAutism spectrum disorder genesAutism spectrum disorderBehavioral phenotypesHigh-throughput assayRegional brain activity deficitsGene mutantsUS Food and Drug AdministrationBrain activity deficitsMutantsMetabolic pathwaysFood and Drug AdministrationEstrogen receptor agonistMitochondrial modulatorsGenesReceptor agonistsPhenotypeSignaling deficitsGlutamatergic neuronsSuppressorMicrotubule inhibitorsCarnitine supplementationSpectrum disorderBehavioral profileDrug rescue
2025
T52. THE ROLE OF ESTROGEN IN MODULATING RESILIENCE IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
Pruitt A, Yang L, Lee J, Seah C, Balafkan N, Dai Y, Xu G, Retallick-Townsley K, Deans P, Fernandez-Garcia M, Huckins L, Wang Z, Hoffman E, Brennand K. T52. THE ROLE OF ESTROGEN IN MODULATING RESILIENCE IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS. European Neuropsychopharmacology 2025, 99: 184-185. DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2025.08.335.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchASD risk genesEffects of 17b-estradiolRisk genesNeural progenitor cellsSingle-cell RNAseqGene expressionGenetic mutantsAutism spectrum disorder risk genesDose-dependent impactEffects of loss-of-function mutationsRegulation of gene expressionLoss-of-function mutationsIn vitro calcium imagingCalcium imagingAutism spectrum disorderBrain-related genesCell typesCRISPR-based strategiesDevelopmental stagesBiologically active estrogensASD genesGenetic contextSex steroid hormonesTranscriptomic landscapeCellular signalingMolecular 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, 98: 1163-1177. 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