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Allard RL, Mayfield J, Barchiesi R, Salem NA, Mayfield RD. Toll-like receptor 7: A novel neuroimmune target to reduce excessive alcohol consumption. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100639. [PMID: 38765062 PMCID: PMC11101708 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of innate immune receptors that recognize molecular patterns in foreign pathogens and intrinsic danger/damage signals from cells. TLR7 is a nucleic acid sensing endosomal TLR that is activated by single-stranded RNAs from microbes or by small noncoding RNAs that act as endogenous ligands. TLR7 signals through the MyD88 adaptor protein and activates the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7). TLR7 is found throughout the brain and is highly expressed in microglia, the main immune cells of the brain that have also been implicated in alcohol drinking in mice. Upregulation of TLR7 mRNA and protein has been identified in postmortem hippocampus and cortex from AUD subjects that correlated positively with lifetime consumption of alcohol. Similarly, Tlr7 and downstream signaling genes were upregulated in rat hippocampal and cortical slice cultures after chronic alcohol exposure and in these regions after chronic binge-like alcohol treatment in mice. In addition, repeated administration of the synthetic TLR7 agonists imiquimod (R837) or resiquimod (R848) increased voluntary alcohol drinking in different rodent models and produced sustained upregulation of IRF7 in the brain. These findings suggest that chronic TLR7 activation may drive excessive alcohol drinking. In the brain, this could occur through increased levels of endogenous TLR7 activators, like microRNAs and Y RNAs. This review explores chronic TLR7 activation as a pathway of dysregulated neuroimmune signaling in AUD and the endogenous small RNA ligands in the brain that could perpetuate innate immune responses and escalate alcohol drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth L. Allard
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Jody Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Riccardo Barchiesi
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Nihal A. Salem
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - R. Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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Dilly GA, Blednov YA, Warden AS, Ezerskiy L, Fleischer C, Plotkin JD, Patil S, Osterndorff-Kahanek EA, Mayfield J, Mayfield RD, Homanics GE, Messing RO. Knockdown of Tlr3 in dorsal striatum reduces ethanol consumption and acute functional tolerance in male mice. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:437-448. [PMID: 38499210 PMCID: PMC11007683 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Systemic activation of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) signaling using poly(I:C), a TLR3 agonist, drives ethanol consumption in several rodent models, while global knockout of Tlr3 reduces drinking in C57BL/6J male mice. To determine if brain TLR3 pathways are involved in drinking behavior, we used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate a Tlr3 floxed (Tlr3F/F) mouse line. After sequence confirmation and functional validation of Tlr3 brain transcripts, we injected Tlr3F/F male mice with an adeno-associated virus expressing Cre recombinase (AAV5-CMV-Cre-GFP) to knockdown Tlr3 in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, or dorsal striatum (DS). Only Tlr3 knockdown in the DS decreased two-bottle choice, every-other-day (2BC-EOD) ethanol consumption. DS-specific deletion of Tlr3 also increased intoxication and prevented acute functional tolerance to ethanol. In contrast, poly(I:C)-induced activation of TLR3 signaling decreased intoxication in male C57BL/6J mice, consistent with its ability to increase 2BC-EOD ethanol consumption in these mice. We also found that TLR3 was highly colocalized with DS neurons. AAV5-Cre transfection occurred predominantly in neurons, but there was minimal transfection in astrocytes and microglia. Collectively, our previous and current studies show that activating or inhibiting TLR3 signaling produces opposite effects on acute responses to ethanol and on ethanol consumption. While previous studies, however, used global knockout or systemic TLR3 activation (which alter peripheral and brain innate immune responses), the current results provide new evidence that brain TLR3 signaling regulates ethanol drinking. We propose that activation of TLR3 signaling in DS neurons increases ethanol consumption and that a striatal TLR3 pathway is a potential target to reduce excessive drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey A Dilly
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Yuri A Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Anna S Warden
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Lubov Ezerskiy
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Caleb Fleischer
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Jesse D Plotkin
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Shruti Patil
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | | | - Jody Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Gregg E Homanics
- Departments of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Neurobiology, and Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Robert O Messing
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
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Balan I, Boero G, Chéry SL, McFarland MH, Lopez AG, Morrow AL. Neuroactive Steroids, Toll-like Receptors, and Neuroimmune Regulation: Insights into Their Impact on Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:582. [PMID: 38792602 PMCID: PMC11122352 DOI: 10.3390/life14050582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Pregnane neuroactive steroids, notably allopregnanolone and pregnenolone, exhibit efficacy in mitigating inflammatory signals triggered by toll-like receptor (TLR) activation, thus attenuating the production of inflammatory factors. Clinical studies highlight their therapeutic potential, particularly in conditions like postpartum depression (PPD), where the FDA-approved compound brexanolone, an intravenous formulation of allopregnanolone, effectively suppresses TLR-mediated inflammatory pathways, predicting symptom improvement. Additionally, pregnane neurosteroids exhibit trophic and anti-inflammatory properties, stimulating the production of vital trophic proteins and anti-inflammatory factors. Androstane neuroactive steroids, including estrogens and androgens, along with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), display diverse effects on TLR expression and activation. Notably, androstenediol (ADIOL), an androstane neurosteroid, emerges as a potent anti-inflammatory agent, promising for therapeutic interventions. The dysregulation of immune responses via TLR signaling alongside reduced levels of endogenous neurosteroids significantly contributes to symptom severity across various neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuroactive steroids, such as allopregnanolone, demonstrate efficacy in alleviating symptoms of various neuropsychiatric disorders and modulating neuroimmune responses, offering potential intervention avenues. This review emphasizes the significant therapeutic potential of neuroactive steroids in modulating TLR signaling pathways, particularly in addressing inflammatory processes associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. It advances our understanding of the complex interplay between neuroactive steroids and immune responses, paving the way for personalized treatment strategies tailored to individual needs and providing insights for future research aimed at unraveling the intricacies of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Balan
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (I.B.); (S.L.C.); (M.H.M.); (A.G.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Giorgia Boero
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA;
| | - Samantha Lucenell Chéry
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (I.B.); (S.L.C.); (M.H.M.); (A.G.L.)
- Neuroscience Curriculum, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Minna H. McFarland
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (I.B.); (S.L.C.); (M.H.M.); (A.G.L.)
- Neuroscience Curriculum, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Alejandro G. Lopez
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (I.B.); (S.L.C.); (M.H.M.); (A.G.L.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - A. Leslie Morrow
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (I.B.); (S.L.C.); (M.H.M.); (A.G.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Hitzemann R, Gao L, Fei SS, Ray K, Vigh-Conrad KA, Phillips TJ, Searles R, Cervera-Juanes RP, Khadka R, Carlson TL, Gonzales SW, Newman N, Grant KA. Effects of repeated alcohol abstinence on within-subject prefrontal cortical gene expression in rhesus macaques. ADVANCES IN DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH 2024; 4:12528. [PMID: 38737578 PMCID: PMC11082748 DOI: 10.3389/adar.2024.12528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Male rhesus monkeys (n = 24) had a biopsy of prefrontal cortical area 46 prior to chronic ethanol self-administration (n = 17) or caloric control (n = 7). Fourteen months of daily self-administration (water vs. 4% alcohol, 22 h access/day termed "open-access") was followed by two cycles of prolonged abstinence (5 weeks) each followed by 3 months of open-access alcohol and a final abstinence followed by necropsy. At necropsy, a biopsy of Area 46, contralateral to the original biopsy, was obtained. Gene expression data (RNA-Seq) were collected comparing biopsy/necropsy samples. Monkeys were categorized by drinking status during the final post-abstinent drinking phase as light (LD), binge (BD), heavy (HD) and very heavy (VHD drinkers). Comparing pre-ethanol to post-abstinent biopsies, four animals that converted from HD to VHD status had significant ontology enrichments in downregulated genes (necropsy minus biopsy n = 286) that included immune response (FDR < 9 × 10-7) and plasma membrane changes (FDR < 1 × 10-7). Genes in the immune response category included IL16 and 18, CCR1, B2M, TLR3, 6 and 7, SP2 and CX3CR1. Upregulated genes (N = 388) were particularly enriched in genes associated with the negative regulation of MAP kinase activity (FDR < 3 × 10-5), including DUSP 1, 4, 5, 6 and 18, SPRY 2, 3, and 4, SPRED2, BMP4 and RGS2. Overall, these data illustrate the power of the NHP model and the within-subject design of genomic changes due to alcohol and suggest new targets for treating severe escalated drinking following repeated alcohol abstinence attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Hitzemann
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Lina Gao
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Suzanne S. Fei
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Karina Ray
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Katinka A. Vigh-Conrad
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Tamara J. Phillips
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Robert Searles
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Integrated Genomics Laboratory, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Rita P. Cervera-Juanes
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Rupak Khadka
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Timothy L. Carlson
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Steven W. Gonzales
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Natali Newman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
| | - Kathleen A. Grant
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
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5
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Airapetov M, Eresko S, Ignatova P, Lebedev A, Bychkov E, Shabanov P. Effect of rifampicin on TLR4-signaling pathways in the nucleus accumbens of the rat brain during abstinence of long-term alcohol treatment. Alcohol Alcohol 2024; 59:agae016. [PMID: 38520481 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agae016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS The treatment with the antibiotic rifampicin (Rif) led to a decrease in the frequency of neurodegenerative pathologies. There are suggestions that the mechanism of action of Rif may be mediated by its effect on toll-like receptor (TLR)4-dependent pathways. We evaluated the expression status of TLR4-dependent genes during abstinence from long-term alcohol treatments in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the rat brain, and also studied the effects of Rif to correct these changes. METHODS The long-term alcohol treatment was performed by intragastric delivery of ethanol solution. At the end of alcohol treatment intraperitoneal injections of Rif (100 mg/kg) or saline were made. Extraction of the brain structures was performed on the 10th day of abstinence from alcohol. We used the SYBR Green qPCR method to quantitatively analyze the relative expression levels of the studied genes. RESULTS The long-term alcohol treatment promotes an increase in the level of TLR4 mRNA and mRNA of its endogenous ligand high-mobility group protein B1 during abstinence drop alcohol in NAc of rats. The use of Rif in our study led to a decrease in the increased expression of high-mobility group protein B1, Tlr4, and proinflammatory cytokine genes (Il1β, Il6) in the NAc of the rat brain during abstinence of long-term alcohol treatment. In addition, Rif administration increased the decreased mRNA levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (Il10, Il11). CONCLUSION The data obtained indicate the ability of Rif to correct the mechanisms of the TLR4 system genes in the NAc of the rat brain during alcohol abstinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marat Airapetov
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, P.O. Box 197376, 12 Academician Pavlova str., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Military Medical Academy of S.M. Kirov, P.O. Box 194044, 6G Akademika Lebedeva str., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Sergei Eresko
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, P.O. Box 197376, 12 Academician Pavlova str., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Center for Chemical Engineering, Saint-Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, P.O. Box 197101, 49 Kronverksky pr., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Polina Ignatova
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, P.O. Box 197376, 12 Academician Pavlova str., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Andrei Lebedev
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, P.O. Box 197376, 12 Academician Pavlova str., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Evgenii Bychkov
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, P.O. Box 197376, 12 Academician Pavlova str., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Petr Shabanov
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, P.O. Box 197376, 12 Academician Pavlova str., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Military Medical Academy of S.M. Kirov, P.O. Box 194044, 6G Akademika Lebedeva str., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
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Melbourne JK, Wooden JI, Carlson ER, Anasooya Shaji C, Nixon K. Neuroimmune Activation and Microglia Reactivity in Female Rats Following Alcohol Dependence. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1603. [PMID: 38338883 PMCID: PMC10855949 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The rates of alcohol use disorder among women are growing, yet little is known about how the female brain is affected by alcohol. The neuroimmune system, and specifically microglia, have been implicated in mediating alcohol neurotoxicity, but most preclinical studies have focused on males. Further, few studies have considered changes to the microglial phenotype when examining the effects of ethanol on brain structure and function. Therefore, we quantified microglial reactivity in female rats using a binge model of alcohol dependence, assessed through morphological and phenotypic marker expression, coupled with regional cytokine levels. In a time- and region-dependent manner, alcohol altered the microglial number and morphology, including the soma and process area, and the overall complexity within the corticolimbic regions examined, but no significant increases in the proinflammatory markers MHCII or CD68 were observed. The majority of cytokine and growth factor levels examined were similarly unchanged. However, the expression of the proinflammatory cytokine TNFα was increased, and the anti-inflammatory IL-10, decreased. Thus, female rats showed subtle differences in neuroimmune reactivity compared to past work in males, consistent with reports of enhanced neuroimmune responses in females across the literature. These data suggest that specific neuroimmune reactions in females may impact their susceptibility to alcohol neurotoxicity and other neurodegenerative events with microglial contributions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Kimberly Nixon
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; (J.K.M.)
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Grantham EK, Tiwari GR, Ponomareva O, Harris RA, Lopez MF, Becker HC, Mayfield RD. Transcriptome changes in the nucleus of the solitary tract induced by repeated stress, alcohol dependence, or stress-induced drinking in dependent mice. Neuropharmacology 2024; 242:109768. [PMID: 37865137 PMCID: PMC10688594 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Stress increases alcohol consumption in dependent animals and contributes to the development of alcohol use disorder. The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) is a critical brainstem region for integrating and relaying central and peripheral signals to regulate stress responses, but it is not known if it plays a role in alcohol dependence- or in stress-induced escalations in alcohol drinking in dependent mice. Here, we used RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analyses to study molecular adaptations in the NTS of C57BL/6J male mice that underwent an ethanol drinking procedure that uses exposure to chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor, forced swim stress (FSS), or both conditions (CIE + FSS). Transcriptome profiling was performed at three different times after the last vapor cycle (0-hr, 72-hr, and 168-hr) to identify changes in gene expression associated with different stages of ethanol intoxication and withdrawal. In the CIE and CIE + FSS groups at 0-hr, there was upregulation of genes enriched for cellular response to type I interferon (IFN) and type I IFN- and cytokine-mediated signaling pathways, while the FSS group showed upregulation of neuronal genes. IFN signaling was the top gene network positively correlated with ethanol consumption levels in the CIE and CIE + FSS groups. Results from different analyses (differential gene expression, weighted gene coexpression network analysis, and rank-rank hypergeometric overlap) indicated that activation of type I IFN signaling would be expected to increase ethanol consumption. The CIE and CIE + FSS groups also shared an immune signature in the NTS as has been demonstrated in other brain regions after chronic ethanol exposure. A temporal-based clustering analysis revealed a unique expression pattern in the CIE + FSS group that suggests the interaction of these two stressors produces adaptations in synaptic and glial functions that may drive stress-induced drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Grantham
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Gayatri R Tiwari
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Olga Ponomareva
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - R Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Marcello F Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Howard C Becker
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 28425, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, 20401, USA
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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8
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Cruz B, Borgonetti V, Bajo M, Roberto M. Sex-dependent factors of alcohol and neuroimmune mechanisms. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 26:100562. [PMID: 37601537 PMCID: PMC10432974 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Excessive alcohol use disrupts neuroimmune signaling across various cell types, including neurons, microglia, and astrocytes. The present review focuses on recent, albeit limited, evidence of sex differences in biological factors that mediate neuroimmune responses to alcohol and underlying neuroimmune systems that may influence alcohol drinking behaviors. Females are more vulnerable than males to the neurotoxic and negative consequences of chronic alcohol drinking, reflected by elevations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators. Differences in cytokine, microglial, astrocytic, genomic, and transcriptomic evidence suggest females are more reactive than males to neuroinflammatory changes after chronic alcohol exposure. The growing body of evidence supports that innate immune factors modulate synaptic transmission, providing a mechanistic framework to examine sex differences across neurocircuitry. Targeting neuroimmune signaling may be a viable strategy for treating AUD, but more research is needed to understand sex-specific differences in alcohol drinking and neuroimmune mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Cruz
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA, 92073
| | - Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA, 92073
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA, 92073
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA, 92073
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9
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Holloway KN, Douglas JC, Rafferty TM, Kane CJM, Drew PD. Ethanol Induces Neuroinflammation in a Chronic Plus Binge Mouse Model of Alcohol Use Disorder via TLR4 and MyD88-Dependent Signaling. Cells 2023; 12:2109. [PMID: 37626919 PMCID: PMC10453365 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ethanol induces neuroinflammation, which is believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) expressed on both immune cells, including microglia and astrocytes, and non-immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS). Studies have shown that alcohol activates TLR4 signaling, resulting in the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the CNS. However, the effect of alcohol on signaling pathways downstream of TLR4, such as MyD88 and TRIF (TICAM) signaling, has not been evaluated extensively. In the current study, we treated male wild-type, TLR4-, MyD88-, and TRIF-deficient mice using a chronic plus binge mouse model of AUD. Evaluation of mRNA expression by qRT-PCR revealed that ethanol increased IL-1β, TNF-α, CCL2, COX2, FosB, and JunB in the cerebellum in wild-type and TRIF-deficient mice, while ethanol generally did not increase the expression of these molecules in TLR4- and MyD88-deficient mice. Furthermore, IRF3, IRF7, and IFN-β1, which are associated with the TRIF-dependent signaling cascade, were largely unaffected by alcohol. Collectively, these results suggest that the TLR4 and downstream MyD88-dependent signaling pathways are essential in ethanol-induced neuroinflammation in this mouse model of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalee N. Holloway
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - James C. Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Tonya M. Rafferty
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Cynthia J. M. Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Paul D. Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
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10
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Atkinson NS. The Role of Toll and Nonnuclear NF-κB Signaling in the Response to Alcohol. Cells 2023; 12:1508. [PMID: 37296629 PMCID: PMC10252657 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
An understanding of neuroimmune signaling has become central to a description of how alcohol causes addiction and how it damages people with an AUD. It is well known that the neuroimmune system influences neural activity via changes in gene expression. This review discusses the roles played by CNS Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling in the response to alcohol. Also discussed are observations in Drosophila that show how TLR signaling pathways can be co-opted by the nervous system and potentially shape behavior to a far greater extent and in ways different than generally recognized. For example, in Drosophila, TLRs substitute for neurotrophin receptors and an NF-κB at the end of a TLR pathway influences alcohol responsivity by acting non-genomically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel S Atkinson
- Department of Neuroscience and The Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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11
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Mondello JE, Gano A, Vore AS, Deak T. Cues associated with repeated ethanol exposure facilitate the corticosterone response to ethanol and immunological challenges in adult male Sprague Dawley rats: implications for neuroimmune regulation. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2023; 49:359-369. [PMID: 36862971 PMCID: PMC10474242 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2023.2169831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Background: We previously found a conditioned increase in central neuroinflammatory markers (Interleukin 6; IL-6) following exposure to alcohol-associated cues. Recent studies suggest (unconditioned) induction of IL-6 is entirely dependent on ethanol-induced corticosterone.Objectives: The goals of these present studies were to test whether alcohol-paired cues facilitated the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to either a subthreshold priming alcohol dose or an immune or psychological stress challengeMethods: In Experiment 1 (N = 64), adult male Sprague Dawley rats were trained (paired or unpaired, four pairings total) with either vehicle or 2 g/kg alcohol [intragastric (i.g.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.)] injections. In Experiments 2 (N = 28) and 3 (N = 30), male rats were similarly trained but with 4 g/kg alcohol i.g. intubations. On test day, all rats were either administered a 0.5 g/kg alcohol dose (i.p. or i.g. Experiment 1), a 100 µg/kg i.p. lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge (Experiment 2), or a restraint challenge (Experiment 3), and exposed to alcohol-associated cues. Blood plasma was collected for analysis.Results: Alcohol-associated cues facilitated the plasma corticosterone response to a subthreshold dose of alcohol (F1,28 = 4.85, p < .05) and an immune challenge (F8,80 = 6.23, p < .001), but not a restraint challenge (F2,27 = 0.18, p > .05).Conclusion: These findings reveal that the impact of the cues associated with alcohol intoxication on the HPA axis may be context-specific. This work illustrates how HPA axis learning processes form in the early stages of alcohol use and has important implications for how the HPA and neuroimmune conditioning may develop in alcohol use disorder in humans and facilitate the response to a later immune challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie E. Mondello
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Anny Gano
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Andrew S. Vore
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Terrence Deak
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton NY 13902-6000, USA
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12
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Karimi-Haghighi S, Chavoshinezhad S, Mozafari R, Noorbakhsh F, Borhani-Haghighi A, Haghparast A. Neuroinflammatory Response in Reward-Associated Psychostimulants and Opioids: A Review. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:649-682. [PMID: 35461410 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01223-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Substance abuse is one of the significant problems in social and public health worldwide. Vast numbers of evidence illustrate that motivational and reinforcing impacts of addictive drugs are primarily attributed to their ability to change dopamine signaling in the reward circuit. However, the roles of classic neurotransmitters, especially dopamine and neuromodulators, monoamines, and neuropeptides, in reinforcing characteristics of abused drugs have been extensively investigated. It has recently been revealed that central immune signaling includes cascades of chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines released by neurons and glia via downstream intracellular signaling pathways that play a crucial role in mediating rewarding behavioral effects of drugs. More interestingly, inflammatory responses in the central nervous system modulate the mesolimbic dopamine signaling and glutamate-dependent currents induced by addictive drugs. This review summarized researches in the alterations of inflammatory responses accompanied by rewarding and reinforcing properties of addictive drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioids that were evaluated by conditioned place preference and self-administration procedures as highly common behavioral tests to investigate the motivational and reinforcing impacts of addictive drugs. The neuroinflammatory responses affect the rewarding properties of psychostimulants and opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeideh Karimi-Haghighi
- Clinical Neurology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 19615-1178, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Chavoshinezhad
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Roghayeh Mozafari
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 19615-1178, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farshid Noorbakhsh
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Abbas Haghparast
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 19615-1178, Tehran, Iran.
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13
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Randall CA, Sun D, Randall PA. Differential Effects of Nicotine, Alcohol, and Coexposure on Neuroimmune-Related Protein and Gene Expression in Corticolimbic Brain Regions of Rats. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:628-644. [PMID: 36705334 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Nicotine and alcohol co-use is extremely common and their use constitutes two of the most common causes of preventable death, yet the underlying biological mechanisms are largely understudied. Activation of neuroimmune toll-like receptors (TLRs) promotes the induction of proinflammatory cascades and increases alcohol intake in rodents, which further promotes TLRs in the brain; nicotine may decrease central proinflammatory signaling. The current studies sought to determine the effects of nicotine ± alcohol (alone or in combination) on circulating blood plasma and TLR protein/gene expression in addiction-associated corticolimbic brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex-prelimbic (mPFC-PL) and nucleus accumbens core (AcbC). Adult rats were treated with alcohol (0 or 2 g/kg, IG) and exposed to nicotine vapor (0 or 30 mg/mL solution) daily for 2, 14, or 28 days. Plasma studies indicated no effects of independent exposure or coexposure in males. Coexposure decreased plasma nicotine levels versus nicotine-only treated females, yet alcohol and cotinine concentrations were unchanged. By 28 days, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-13 was decreased in alcohol-only females. Divergent changes in TLR3 (but not TLR4) protein occurred for independent-drug exposed males (but not coexposure), with reductions in the mPFC-PL after 14 days and increases in the AcbC by 28 days. Gene expression following chronic coexposure suggests nicotine may regionally counteract alcohol-induced inflammation, including increased AcbC-TLR3/4/7 and several downstream markers in females and increased mPFC-PL-TLR3 and -STAT3 (but not IRF3) evident in males with exposure to either drug alone. These findings give further insight into the role of sex and the neuroimmune system in independent exposure and coexposure to nicotine ± alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christie A Randall
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
| | - Dongxiao Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033 United States
| | - Patrick A Randall
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033 United States
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14
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Arora S, Gupta S, Akram W, Altyar AE, Tagde P. Effect of TLR3/dsRNA complex inhibitor on Poly(I:C)-induced airway inflammation in Swiss albino mice. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:28118-28132. [PMID: 36394807 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23987-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Rhinovirus infection frequently causes COPD and asthma exacerbations. Impaired anti-viral signaling and reduced viral clearance have both been seen in sick bronchial epithelium, potentially increasing exacerbations. Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly(I:C)), a Toll-like receptor-3 (TLR3) ligand, has been shown to cause a viral exacerbation of severe asthma by detecting double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). The purpose of this work was to determine the effect of a TLR3/dsRNA complex inhibitor-Calbiochem drug in the prevention of Poly(I:C)-induced airway inflammation following TLR3 activation and to uncover a potential pathway for the cure of asthma through TLR3 inhibition. Mice were sensitized with Poly(I:C) as an asthma model before being challenged by PBS and ovalbumin (OVA) chemicals. The mice were administered a TLR3/dsRNA complex inhibitor. Throughout the trial, the mice's body weight was measured after each dosage. Biochemical methods are used to analyze the protein as well as enzyme composition in airway tissues. BALF specimens are stained using Giemsa to identify inflammatory cells and lung histopathology to determine morphological abnormalities in lung tissues. By using the ELISA approach, cytokine levels such as TNF-α, IL-13, IL-6, IL-5, and IgE antibody expression in lung tissue and blood serum were assessed. TLR3/dsRNA complex inhibitor drug significantly lowered the number of cells in BALF and also on Giemsa staining slides. It also downregulated the level of TNF-α and IL-6 in contrast to OVA and Poly(I:C) administered in animals. A TLR3/dsRNA complex inhibitor decreased the fraction of oxidative stress markers (MDA, GSH, GPx, and CAT) in lung tissues while keeping the mice's body weight constant during the treatment period. By decreasing alveoli, bronchial narrowing, smooth muscle hypertrophy, and granulocyte levels, the TLR3/dsRNA complex blocker significantly reduced the histopathological damage caused by OVA and Poly(I:C) compounds. In an animal model utilizing ovalbumin, TLR3/dsRNA complex inhibitors similarly reduced the bronchial damage produced by Poly(I:C). A novel TLR3/dsRNA complex inhibitor is expected to be employed in clinical studies since it suppresses airway inflammation without inducing antiviral approach resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swamita Arora
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, A -Block, Amity University, Sector-125, Noida, U.P., 201303, India
| | - Sangeetha Gupta
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, A -Block, Amity University, Sector-125, Noida, U.P., 201303, India
| | - Wasim Akram
- Department of Pharmacology, SPER, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Ahmed E Altyar
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80260, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Priti Tagde
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, A -Block, Amity University, Sector-125, Noida, U.P., 201303, India.
- PRISAL Foundation (Pharmaceutical Royal International Society), 462042, Bhopal, India.
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15
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Grantham EK, Barchiesi R, Salem NA, Mayfield RD. Neuroimmune pathways as targets to reduce alcohol consumption. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2023; 222:173491. [PMID: 36400266 PMCID: PMC9906983 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Riccardo Barchiesi
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and the Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States.
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16
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Gano A, Lebonville CL, Becker HC. TLR3 activation with poly I:C exacerbates escalated alcohol consumption in dependent male C57BL/6J mice. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2022:1-12. [PMID: 36095319 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2092492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Background: Activation of TLR3 receptors, which are sensitive to viral infection, has emerged as a possible mechanism that increases alcohol intake in rodents.Objectives: These studies examined whether a history of ethanol dependence exacerbated the increase in drinking driven by the TLR3 agonist poly I:C.Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice (>10 per group) were given access to ethanol (20% v/v) 2 hours a day following a history of home cage drinking or after having been rendered ethanol-dependent using a chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor model. After testing multiple doses, a 5 mg/kg repeated poly I:C challenge was used to probe the effects of repeated immune challenge, alone or in conjunction with repeated cycles of CIE, on voluntary drinking. An ethanol (12% v/v) operant self-administration model was used to test the effects of poly I:C on stress-induced reinstatement of ethanol seeking and consumption.Results: Poly I:C in naive animals resulted in transient, modest increases in ethanol intake in the home cage and in self-administration (p < 0.05). However, poly I:C challenge resulted in sensitized stress-induced ethanol consumption and evoked a strong and persistent escalation of drinking in mice with a history of dependence (p < 0.05 for both).Conclusion: Activation of viral immune defense may affect ethanol consumption in dependence and sensitivity to future stressors. As patients who suffer from alcohol use disorder are at a heightened risk for viral infection, this interaction could generate risk factors for exacerbating behaviors associated with Alcohol Use Disorders via an immune mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anny Gano
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Christina L Lebonville
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Howard C Becker
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- RHJ Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA
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17
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Squillace S, Salvemini D. Toll-like receptor-mediated neuroinflammation: relevance for cognitive dysfunctions. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:726-739. [PMID: 35753845 PMCID: PMC9378500 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) with a well-documented role in the innate and adaptive immune responses. Interestingly, TLR activation has also been linked to several brain functions including neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. Increasing evidence supports TLR involvement in peripheral and central inflammation underlying normal aging and the pathogenesis of clinical conditions characterized by cognitive decline. These include not only major neurodegenerative diseases but also traumatic brain injuries, surgeries, and alcohol consumption- and chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment. We first summarize the physiological roles of TLRs in the nervous system, and then illustrate the emerging involvement of TLRs in cognitive functions, pointing to these receptors as novel enticing pharmacological targets to develop more efficient drugs for the treatment of cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Squillace
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, and the Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 1402 South Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Daniela Salvemini
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, and the Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 1402 South Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
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18
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Lovelock DF, Liu W, Langston SE, Liu J, Van Voorhies K, Giffin KA, Vetreno RP, Crews FT, Besheer J. The Toll-like receptor 7 agonist imiquimod increases ethanol self-administration and induces expression of Toll-like receptor related genes. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13176. [PMID: 35470561 PMCID: PMC9286850 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that immune signalling may be involved in both the causes and consequences of alcohol abuse. Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression is increased by alcohol consumption and is implicated in AUD, and specifically TLR7 may play an important role in ethanol consumption. We administered the TLR7-specific agonist imiquimod in male and female Long-Evans rats to determine (1) gene expression changes in brain regions involved in alcohol reinforcement, the nucleus accumbens core and anterior insular cortex, in rats with and without an alcohol history, and (2) whether TLR7 activation could modulate operant alcohol self-administration. Interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) was dramatically increased in both sexes at both 2- and 24-h post-injection regardless of alcohol history and TLR3 and 7 gene expression was increased as well. The proinflammatory cytokine TNFα was increased 24-h post-injection in rats with an alcohol self-administration history, but this effect did not persist after four injections, suggesting molecular tolerance. Ethanol consumption was increased 24 h after imiquimod injections but did not occur until the third injection, suggesting adaptation to repeated TLR7 activation is necessary for increased drinking to occur. Notably, imiquimod reliably induced weight loss, indicating that sickness behaviour persisted across repeated injections. These findings show that TLR7 activation can modulate alcohol drinking in an operant self-administration paradigm and suggest that TLR7 and IRF7 signalling pathways may be a viable druggable target for treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis F. Lovelock
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
| | - Wen Liu
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
| | - Sarah E. Langston
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
| | - Kalynn Van Voorhies
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
| | - Kaitlin A. Giffin
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
| | - Ryan P. Vetreno
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
- Department of Psychiatry University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
| | - Fulton T. Crews
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
- Department of Psychiatry University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
- Department of Pharmacology University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
| | - Joyce Besheer
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
- Department of Psychiatry University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
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19
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Lovelock DF, Randall PA, Van Voorhies K, Vetreno RP, Crews FT, Besheer J. Increased alcohol self-administration following repeated Toll-like receptor 3 agonist treatment in male and female rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 216:173379. [PMID: 35395252 PMCID: PMC9263963 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling may play an important role in the neuroimmune system's involvement in the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD). In the present study we administered the TLR3 agonist poly(I:C) in male and female Long-Evans rats to determine whether TLR3 agonism can increase alcohol consumption on a daily 15% alcohol operant self-administration paradigm. We found few effects when poly(I:C) was given every-other-day at 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg. However, when 1.0 mg/kg was given on consecutive days, alcohol intake increased in the days following injections specifically in females. In a second experiment, we found that this effect only emerged when rats had a history of multiple poly(I:C) injections. In the final experiment the poly(I:C) dose was increased to 3.0 mg/kg on consecutive days which resulted in significant reductions in alcohol intake on injection days in females that were not accompanied by subsequent increases. The poly(I:C) dose was increased to 9.0 mg/kg for one final pair of injections which led to reductions in intake in both males and females followed by a male specific delayed increase in alcohol intake. Overall, repeated poly(I:C) administration was able to increase subsequent alcohol consumption in both sexes, with females showing an increase at a lower dose than males. These findings support TLR3 agonism in contributing to increased alcohol consumption and add to the body of work identifying the neuroimmune system as a potential therapeutic target for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis F Lovelock
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Patrick A Randall
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Kalynn Van Voorhies
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ryan P Vetreno
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Fulton T Crews
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Joyce Besheer
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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20
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Zhou W, Peng S, Du P, Zhou P, Xue C, Ye Q. Hypothermic oxygenated perfusion combined with TJ-M2010-5 alleviates hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in donation after circulatory death. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 105:108541. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.108541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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21
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Olsen CM, Corrigan JD. Does Traumatic Brain Injury Cause Risky Substance Use or Substance Use Disorder? Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:421-437. [PMID: 34561027 PMCID: PMC8776913 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
There is a high co-occurrence of risky substance use among adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI), although it is unknown if the neurologic sequelae of TBI can promote this behavior. We propose that to conclude that TBI can cause risky substance use, it must be determined that TBI precedes risky substance use, that confounders with the potential to increase the likelihood of both TBI and risky substance use must be ruled out, and that there must be a plausible mechanism of action. In this review, we address these factors by providing an overview of key clinical and preclinical studies and list plausible mechanisms by which TBI could increase risky substance use. Human and animal studies have identified an association between TBI and risky substance use, although the strength of this association varies. Factors that may limit detection of this relationship include differential variability due to substance, sex, age of injury, and confounders that may influence the likelihood of both TBI and risky substance use. We propose possible mechanisms by which TBI could increase substance use that include damage-associated neuroplasticity, chronic changes in neuroimmune signaling, and TBI-associated alterations in brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Olsen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
| | - John D Corrigan
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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22
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Ying L, Wu H, Zhou S, Lu H, Ding M, Wang B, Wang S, Mao Y, Xiao F, Li Y. Toll-Like Receptors Signaling Pathway of Quercetin Regulating Avian Beta-Defensin in the Ileum of Broilers. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:816771. [PMID: 35281079 PMCID: PMC8906402 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.816771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the experiment was to investigate the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway of quercetin regulating avian beta-defensin (AvBD) in the ileum of Arbor Acre (AA) broilers. Four hundred and eighty one-day-old Arbor Acre broilers with similar body weight, half male and female, were randomly allotted to four treatments; the control treatment and three dietary treatments were fed with the basal diets supplemented with 0, 0.02%, 0.04, and 0.06% quercetin, respectively. The results showed that dietary quercetin supplementation did not significantly influence growth performance (p > 0.05), but significantly decreased the mortality rate of broilers by 85.74%, 85.74, and 71.28%, respectively (p < 0.05, F = 9.06). Compared with control, dietary supplementation with 0.04 and 0.06% quercetin significantly upregulated mRNA expression of total AvBD (p < 0.05), and there were no significant differences in the mRNA expression of AvBD1, AvBD2, and AvBD14 in three quercetin supplementation groups in the ileum of AA broilers (p > 0.05). Dietary supplementation with 0.02 and 0.06% quercetin significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of total Toll-like receptors (p < 0.05). Dietary quercetin supplementation significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of TLR1A, TLR1B, and TLR2A (p < 0.05); however, there were no significant differences in the mRNA expression of TLR2B, TLR5, and TLR15 (p > 0.05). Dietary quercetin supplementation significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88) and TIR domain-containing adaptor protein/MyD88-adaptor-like (TIRAP/MAL) (p < 0.05), 0.02% quercetin significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of tank-binding kinase1 (TBK1), IκB kinase complex-α (IKKα), IKKβ, IKKε, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), NF-κB inhibitor-alpha (IκBα), IκBα, IκBβ, TNF-receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3), and interferons regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) (p < 0.05), 0.04% quercetin significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of IKKβ, IKKε, NF-κB, IκBα, IκBβ, TRAF3, and TRAF6 (p < 0.05), and 0.06% quercetin significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of TBK1 and IKKα (p < 0.05). 0.02% quercetin significantly decreased the relative abundance of Escherichia, Staphylococcus (p < 0.05), and Salmonella (p < 0.01), 0.04% quercetin significantly decreased the relative abundance of Staphylococcus (p < 0.05), Escherichia, and Salmonella (p < 0.01), and 0.06% quercetin significantly decreased the relative abundance of Salmonella (p < 0.05) and Staphylococcus (p < 0.01) in the ileum of AA broilers. These findings suggested that dietary quercetin supplementation regulated the mRNA expression of AvBD, TLR, and the TLR signaling pathways and NF-κB signalling pathways, thereby maintaining the microecological balance of the intestinal tract and decreasing the mortality of broilers, and the optimum addition amount of quercetin is 0.04% under the test conditions.
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Abstract
Alcohol is well known for promoting systemic inflammation and aggravating multiple chronic health conditions. Thus, alcohol may also be expected to serve as a risk factor in autoimmune diseases. However, emerging data from human and animal studies suggest that alcohol may in fact be protective in autoimmune diseases. These studies point toward alcohol's complex dose-dependent relationship in autoimmune diseases as well as potential modulation by duration and type of alcohol consumption, cultural background and sex. In this review, we will explore alcohol's pro- and anti-inflammatory properties in human and animal autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune diabetes, thyroid disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis. We will also discuss potential mechanisms of alcohol's anti-inflammatory effects mediated by the gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blaine Caslin
- Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Kailey Mohler
- Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Shreya Thiagarajan
- Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Esther Melamed
- Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States,CONTACT Esther Melamed Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
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Doremus-Fitzwater TL, Deak T. Adolescent neuroimmune function and its interaction with alcohol. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 161:167-208. [PMID: 34801169 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is an evolutionarily conserved developmental period associated with behavioral change, including increased risk-taking and alcohol use. Experimentation with alcohol typically begins in adolescence and transitions to binge-like patterns of consumption. Alcohol exposure during adolescence can alter normative changes in brain structure and function. Understanding mechanisms by which ethanol impacts neurodevelopmental processes is important for preventing and ameliorating the deleterious consequences of adolescent alcohol abuse. This review focuses on the neuroimmune system as a key contributor to ethanol-induced changes in adolescent brain and behavior. After brief review of neuroimmune system development, acute and chronic effects of ethanol on adolescent neuroimmune functioning are addressed. Comparisons between stress/immunological challenges and ethanol on adolescent neuroimmunity are reviewed, as cross-sensitization is relevant during adolescence. The mechanisms by which ethanol alters neuroimmune functioning are then discussed, as they may portend development of neuropathological consequences and thus increase vulnerability to subsequent challenges and potentiate addictive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- T L Doremus-Fitzwater
- Department of Psychology, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Binghamton, NY, United States.
| | - T Deak
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Binghamton, NY, United States; Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY, United States
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25
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Peng Q, Ehlers CL. Long tracks of homozygosity predict the severity of alcohol use disorders in an American Indian population. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2200-2211. [PMID: 33398086 PMCID: PMC8254832 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-00989-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Runs of homozygosity (ROH) arise when an individual inherits two copies of the same haplotype segment. While ROH are ubiquitous across human populations, Native populations-with shared parental ancestry arising from isolation and endogamy-can carry a substantial enrichment for ROH. We have been investigating genetic and environmental risk factors for alcohol use disorders (AUD) in a group of American Indians (AI) who have higher rates of AUD than the general U. S. population. Here we explore whether ROH might be associated with incidence and severity of AUD in this admixed AI population (n = 742) that live on geographically contiguous reservations, using low-coverage whole genome sequences. We have found that the genomic regions in the ROH that were identified in this population had significantly elevated American Indian heritage compared with the rest of the genome. Increased ROH abundance and ROH burden are likely risk factors for AUD severity in this AI population, especially in those diagnosed with severe and moderate AUD. The association between ROH and AUD was mostly driven by ROH of moderate lengths between 1 and 2 Mb. An ROH island on chromosome 1p32.3 and a rare ROH pool on chromosome 3p12.3 were found to be significantly associated with AUD severity. They contain genes involved in lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammatory responses; and OSBPL9 was found to reside on the consensus part of the ROH island. These data demonstrate that ROH are associated with risk for AUD severity in this AI population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Peng
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
| | - Cindy L Ehlers
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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26
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Sex Differences in the Brain Transcriptome Related to Alcohol Effects and Alcohol Use Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 91:43-52. [PMID: 34274109 PMCID: PMC8558111 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
There is compelling evidence that sex and gender have crucial roles in excessive alcohol (ethanol) consumption. Here, we review some of the data from the perspective of brain transcriptional differences between males and females, focusing on rodent animal models. A key emerging transcriptional feature is the role of neuroimmune processes. Microglia are the resident neuroimmune cells in the brain and exhibit substantial functional differences between males and females. Selective breeding for binge ethanol consumption and the impacts of chronic ethanol consumption and withdrawal from chronic ethanol exposure all demonstrate sex-dependent neuroimmune signatures. A focus is on resolving sex-dependent differences in transcriptional responses to ethanol at the neurocircuitry level. Sex-dependent transcriptional differences are found in the extended amygdala and the nucleus accumbens. Telescoping of ethanol consumption is found in some, but not all, studies to be more prevalent in females. Recent transcriptional studies suggest that some sex differences may be due to female-dependent remodeling of the primary cilium. An interesting theme appears to be developing: at least from the animal model perspective, even when males and females are phenotypically similar, they differ significantly at the level of the transcriptome.
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Blednov YA, Da Costa A, Mayfield J, Harris RA, Messing RO. Deletion of Tlr3 reduces acute tolerance to alcohol and alcohol consumption in the intermittent access procedure in male mice. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12932. [PMID: 32604471 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological studies implicate toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) signaling in alcohol drinking. We examined the role of TLR3 in behavioral responses to alcohol and GABAergic drugs by studying Tlr3 -/- mice. Because of opposing signaling between TLR3 and MyD88 pathways, we also evaluated Myd88 -/- mice. Ethanol consumption and preference decreased in male but not in female Tlr3 -/- mice during two-bottle choice every-other-day (2BC-EOD) drinking. There were no genotype differences in either sex during continuous or limited-access drinking. Null mutations in Tlr3 or Myd88 did not alter conditioned taste aversion to alcohol and had small or no effects on conditioned place preference. The Tlr3 null mutation did not alter acute alcohol withdrawal. Male, but not female, Tlr3 -/- mice took longer than wild-type littermates to recover from ataxia by ethanol or diazepam and longer to recover from sedative-hypnotic effects of ethanol or gaboxadol, indicating regulation of GABAergic signaling by TLR3. Acute functional tolerance (AFT) to alcohol-induced ataxia was decreased in Tlr3 -/- mice but was increased in Myd88 -/- mice. Thus, MyD88 and TLR3 pathways coordinately regulate alcohol consumption and tolerance to intoxicating doses of alcohol and GABAergic drugs. Despite similar alcohol metabolism and similar amounts of total alcohol consumed during 2BC and 2BC-EOD procedures in C57BL/6J mice, only 2BC-EOD drinking induced tolerance to alcohol-induced ataxia. Ataxia recovery was inversely correlated with level of drinking in wild-type and Tlr3 -/- littermates. Thus, deleting Tlr3 reduces alcohol consumption by reducing AFT to alcohol and not by altering tolerance induced by 2BC-EOD drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri A. Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Adriana Da Costa
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Jody Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - R. Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- Department of Neuroscience The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Robert O. Messing
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- Department of Neuroscience The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
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28
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Warden AS, Triplett TA, Lyu A, Grantham EK, Azzam MM, DaCosta A, Mason S, Blednov YA, Ehrlich LI, Mayfield RD, Harris RA. Microglia depletion and alcohol: Transcriptome and behavioral profiles. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12889. [PMID: 32176824 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol abuse induces changes in microglia morphology and immune function, but whether microglia initiate or simply amplify the harmful effects of alcohol exposure is still a matter of debate. Here, we determine microglia function in acute and voluntary drinking behaviors using a colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor (PLX5622). We show that microglia depletion does not alter the sedative or hypnotic effects of acute intoxication. Microglia depletion also does not change the escalation or maintenance of chronic voluntary alcohol consumption. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that although many immune genes have been implicated in alcohol abuse, downregulation of microglia genes does not necessitate changes in alcohol intake. Instead, microglia depletion and chronic alcohol result in compensatory upregulation of alcohol-responsive, reactive astrocyte genes, indicating astrocytes may play a role in regulation of these alcohol behaviors. Taken together, our behavioral and transcriptional data indicate that microglia are not the primary effector cell responsible for regulation of acute and voluntary alcohol behaviors. Because microglia depletion did not regulate acute or voluntary alcohol behaviors, we hypothesized that these doses were insufficient to activate microglia and recruit them to an effector phenotype. Therefore, we used a model of repeated immune activation using polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) to activate microglia. Microglia depletion blocked poly(I:C)-induced escalations in alcohol intake, indicating microglia regulate drinking behaviors with sufficient immune activation. By testing the functional role of microglia in alcohol behaviors, we provide insight into when microglia are causal and when they are consequential for the transition from alcohol use to dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S. Warden
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for Neuroscience University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Todd A. Triplett
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Department of Oncology University of Texas Dell Medical School, LiveSTRONG Cancer Institutes Austin TX USA
| | - Aram Lyu
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Emily K. Grantham
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for Neuroscience University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Moatasem M. Azzam
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Adriana DaCosta
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Sonia Mason
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Yuri A. Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Lauren I.R. Ehrlich
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Department of Oncology University of Texas Dell Medical School, LiveSTRONG Cancer Institutes Austin TX USA
| | - R. Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for Neuroscience University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - R. Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for Neuroscience University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
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29
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Balan I, Aurelian L, Schleicher R, Boero G, O'Buckley T, Morrow AL. Neurosteroid allopregnanolone (3α,5α-THP) inhibits inflammatory signals induced by activated MyD88-dependent toll-like receptors. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:145. [PMID: 33637705 PMCID: PMC7909379 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01266-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We have shown that endogenous neurosteroids, including pregnenolone and 3α,5α-THP inhibit toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signal activation in mouse macrophages and the brain of alcohol-preferring (P) rat, which exhibits innate TLR4 signal activation. The current studies were designed to examine whether other activated TLR signals are similarly inhibited by 3α,5α-THP. We report that 3α,5α-THP inhibits selective agonist-mediated activation of TLR2 and TLR7, but not TLR3 signaling in the RAW246.7 macrophage cell line. The TLR4 and TLR7 signals are innately activated in the amygdala and NAc from P rat brains and inhibited by 3α,5α-THP. The TLR2 and TLR3 signals are not activated in P rat brain and they are not affected by 3α,5α-THP. Co-immunoprecipitation studies indicate that 3α,5α-THP inhibits the binding of MyD88 with TLR4 or TLR7 in P rat brain, but the levels of TLR4 co-precipitating with TRIF are not altered by 3α,5α-THP treatment. Collectively, the data indicate that 3α,5α-THP inhibits MyD88- but not TRIF-dependent TLR signal activation and the production of pro-inflammatory mediators through its ability to block TLR-MyD88 binding. These results have applicability to many conditions involving pro-inflammatory TLR activation of cytokines, chemokines, and interferons and support the use of 3α,5α-THP as a therapeutic for inflammatory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Balan
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Laure Aurelian
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Riana Schleicher
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Giorgia Boero
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Todd O'Buckley
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - A Leslie Morrow
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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30
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Gipson CD, Rawls S, Scofield MD, Siemsen BM, Bondy EO, Maher EE. Interactions of neuroimmune signaling and glutamate plasticity in addiction. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:56. [PMID: 33612110 PMCID: PMC7897396 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02072-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic use of drugs of abuse affects neuroimmune signaling; however, there are still many open questions regarding the interactions between neuroimmune mechanisms and substance use disorders (SUDs). Further, chronic use of drugs of abuse can induce glutamatergic changes in the brain, but the relationship between the glutamate system and neuroimmune signaling in addiction is not well understood. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to bring into focus the role of neuroimmune signaling and its interactions with the glutamate system following chronic drug use, and how this may guide pharmacotherapeutic treatment strategies for SUDs. In this review, we first describe neuroimmune mechanisms that may be linked to aberrant glutamate signaling in addiction. We focus specifically on the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, a potentially important neuroimmune mechanism that may be a key player in driving drug-seeking behavior. We highlight the importance of astroglial-microglial crosstalk, and how this interacts with known glutamatergic dysregulations in addiction. Then, we describe the importance of studying non-neuronal cells with unprecedented precision because understanding structure-function relationships in these cells is critical in understanding their role in addiction neurobiology. Here we propose a working model of neuroimmune-glutamate interactions that underlie drug use motivation, which we argue may aid strategies for small molecule drug development to treat substance use disorders. Together, the synthesis of this review shows that interactions between glutamate and neuroimmune signaling may play an important and understudied role in addiction processes and may be critical in developing more efficacious pharmacotherapies to treat SUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra D Gipson
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Kentucky, 741 S. Limestone, BBSRB, Room 363, Lexington, KY, 40536-0509, USA.
| | - Scott Rawls
- Department of Pharmacology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Michael D Scofield
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
| | - Benjamin M Siemsen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA
| | - Emma O Bondy
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Kentucky, 741 S. Limestone, BBSRB, Room 363, Lexington, KY, 40536-0509, USA
| | - Erin E Maher
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Kentucky, 741 S. Limestone, BBSRB, Room 363, Lexington, KY, 40536-0509, USA
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31
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Israel Y, Quintanilla ME, Ezquer F, Morales P, Santapau D, Berríos‐Cárcamo P, Ezquer M, Olivares B, Herrera‐Marschitz M. Aspirin and N-acetylcysteine co-administration markedly inhibit chronic ethanol intake and block relapse binge drinking: Role of neuroinflammation-oxidative stress self-perpetuation. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12853. [PMID: 31733014 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chronic alcohol intake leads to neuroinflammation and cell injury, proposed to result in alterations that perpetuate alcohol intake and cued relapse. Studies show that brain oxidative stress is consistently associated with alcohol-induced neuroinflammation, and literature implies that oxidative stress and neuroinflammation perpetuate each other. In line with a self-perpetuating mechanism, it is hypothesized that inhibition of either oxidative stress or neuroinflammation could reduce chronic alcohol intake and relapse. The present study conducted on alcohol-preferring rats shows that chronic ethanol intake was inhibited by 50% to 55% by the oral administration of low doses of either the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (40 mg/kg/d) or the anti-inflammatory aspirin (ASA; 15 mg/kg/d), while the co-administration of both dugs led to a 70% to 75% (P < .001) inhibition of chronic alcohol intake. Following chronic alcohol intake, a prolonged alcohol deprivation, and subsequent alcohol re-access, relapse drinking resulted in blood alcohol levels of 95 to 100 mg/dL in 60 minutes, which were reduced by 60% by either N-acetylcysteine or aspirin and by 85% by the co-administration of both drugs (blood alcohol: 10 to 15 mg/dL; P < .001). Alcohol intake either on the chronic phase or following deprivation and re-access led to a 50% reduction of cortical glutamate transporter GLT-1 levels, while aspirin administration fully returned GLT-1 to normal levels. N-acetylcysteine administration did not alter GLT-1 levels, while N-acetylcysteine may activate the cystine/glutamate transport xCT, presynaptically inhibiting relapse. Overall, the study suggests that a neuroinflammation/oxidative stress self-perpetuation cycle maintains chronic alcohol intake and relapse drinking. The co-administration of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents may have translational value in alcohol-use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yedy Israel
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
| | - María Elena Quintanilla
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Fernando Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Paola Morales
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Daniela Santapau
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Pablo Berríos‐Cárcamo
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Marcelo Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Belen Olivares
- Centro de Química Médica, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Mario Herrera‐Marschitz
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
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Wang X, Yu H, Wang C, Liu Y, You J, Wang P, Xu G, Shen H, Yao H, Lan X, Zhao R, Wu X, Zhang G. Chronic ethanol exposure induces neuroinflammation in H4 cells through TLR3 / NF-κB pathway and anxiety-like behavior in male C57BL/6 mice. Toxicology 2020; 446:152625. [PMID: 33161052 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2020.152625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Chronic alcoholism has become a major public health problem. Long-term and excessive drinking can lead to a variety of diseases. Chronic ethanol exposure can induce neuroinflammation and anxiety-like behavior, and this may be induced through the Toll-like receptor 3/nuclear factor-κB (TLR3/NF-κB) pathway. Animal experiments were performed using healthy adult male C57BL/6 N mice given 10 % (m/V) or 20 % ethanol solution as the only choice of drinkable fluid for 60, 90 or 180 d. In cell culture experiments, H4 human glioma cells were treated with 100 mM ethanol for 2 d, with the TLR3 gene silenced by RNAi and NF-κB inhibited by ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC, 10 μM). After treatment with ethanol solution for a specific time, the anxiety-like behavior of the mice was tested using the open field test and the elevated plus maze test. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of TLR3, TLR4, NF-κB, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the mouse hippocampus and H4 cells. The expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the supernatant of cell culture medium was detected by ELISA. The open field test showed a decrease in time spent in the central area, and the elevated plus maze test showed a decrease in activity time in the open arm region. These behavioral tests indicated that ethanol caused anxiety-like behavior in mice. The expression levels of TLR3, TLR4, NF-κB, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α increased after ethanol exposure in both the hippocampus of mice and H4 cells. Silencing of the TLR3 gene by RNAi or inhibition of NF-κB by PDTC attenuated the ethanol-induced increase in the expression of inflammatory factors in H4 cells. These findings indicated that chronic ethanol exposure increases the expression of TLR3 and NF-κB and produces neuroinflammation and anxiety-like behavior in male C57BL/6 mice and that ethanol-induced neuroinflammation can be caused through the TLR3/NF-κB pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Wang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China
| | - Hao Yu
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China
| | - Changliang Wang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China; The People's Procuratorate of Liaoning Province Judicial Authentication Center, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110032, PR China; Collaborative Laboratory of Intelligentized Forensic Science (CLIFS), Shenyang, Liaoning, 110032, PR China
| | - Yang Liu
- The People's Procuratorate of Liaoning Province Judicial Authentication Center, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110032, PR China; Collaborative Laboratory of Intelligentized Forensic Science (CLIFS), Shenyang, Liaoning, 110032, PR China
| | - Jiabin You
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China
| | - Pengfei Wang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China
| | - Guohui Xu
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China
| | - Hui Shen
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China
| | - Hui Yao
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China
| | - Xinze Lan
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China
| | - Rui Zhao
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China
| | - Xu Wu
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China.
| | - Guohua Zhang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, PR China.
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Grantham EK, Warden AS, McCarthy GS, DaCosta A, Mason S, Blednov Y, Mayfield RD, Harris RA. Role of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) in voluntary alcohol consumption. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:423-432. [PMID: 32726684 PMCID: PMC7572874 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Overactivation of neuroimmune signaling has been linked to excessive ethanol consumption. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a major component of innate immune signaling and initiate anti- and pro-inflammatory responses via intracellular signal transduction cascades. TLR7 is upregulated in post-mortem brain tissue from humans with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and animals with prior exposure to ethanol. Despite this evidence, the role of TLR7 in the regulation of voluntary ethanol consumption has not been studied. We test the hypothesis that TLR7 activation regulates voluntary ethanol drinking behavior by administering a TLR7 agonist (R848) during an intermittent access drinking procedure in mice. Acute activation of TLR7 reduced ethanol intake, preference, and total fluid intake due, at least in part, to an acute sickness response. However, chronic pre-treatment with R848 resulted in tolerance to the adverse effects of the drug and a subsequent increase in ethanol consumption. To determine the molecular machinery that mediates these behavioral changes, we evaluated gene expression after acute and chronic TLR7 activation. We found that acute TLR7 activation produces brain region specific changes in expression of immune pathway genes, whereas chronic TLR7 activation causes downregulation of TLRs and blunted cytokine induction, suggesting molecular tolerance. Our results demonstrate a novel role for TLR7 signaling in regulating voluntary ethanol consumption. Taken together, our findings suggest TLR7 may be a viable target for development of therapies to treat AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- E K Grantham
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - A S Warden
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - G S McCarthy
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - A DaCosta
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - S Mason
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Y Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - R D Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - R A Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Warden AS, DaCosta A, Mason S, Blednov YA, Mayfield RD, Harris RA. Inbred Substrain Differences Influence Neuroimmune Response and Drinking Behavior. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:1760-1768. [PMID: 32640038 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The inbred mouse strain C57BL/6 is widely used in both models of addiction and immunological disease. However, there are pronounced phenotypic differences in ethanol (EtOH) consumption and innate immune response between C57BL/6 substrains. The focus of this study was to examine the effects of substrain on innate immune response and neuroimmune-induced escalation of voluntary EtOH consumption. The main goal was to identify whether substrain differences in immune response can account for differences in EtOH behavior. METHODS We compared acute innate immune response with a viral dsRNA mimic, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), in brain using qRT-PCR in both C57BL/6N and C57BL/6J mice. Next, we used a neuroimmune model of escalation using poly(I:C) to compare drinking behavior between substrains. Finally, we compared brain neuroimmune response with both EtOH and repeated poly(I:C) in both substrains as a way to account for differences in EtOH behavior. RESULTS We found that C57BL/6 substrains have differing immune response and drinking behaviors. C57BL/6N mice have a shorter but more robust inflammatory response to acute poly(I:C). In contrast, C57BL/6J mice have a smaller but longer-lasting acute immune response to poly(I:C). In our neuroimmune-induced escalation model, C57BL/6J mice but not C57BL/6N mice escalate EtOH intake after poly(I:C). Finally, only C57BL/6J mice show enhanced proinflammatory transcript abundance after poly(I:C) and EtOH, suggesting that longer-lasting immune responses are critical to neuroimmune drinking phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, this work has elucidated additional influences that substrain has on both innate immune response and drinking phenotypes. Our observations highlight the importance of considering and reporting the source and background used for production of transgenic and knockout mice. These data provide further evidence that genetic background must be carefully considered when investigating the role of neuroimmune signaling in EtOH abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S Warden
- From the Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.,Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Adriana DaCosta
- From the Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Sonia Mason
- From the Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Yuri A Blednov
- From the Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Roy Dayne Mayfield
- From the Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.,Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Robert Adron Harris
- From the Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.,Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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Pascual M, Ureña-Peralta JR, Guerri C. The Regulatory Role of miRNAs in Ethanol-induced TLR4 Activation and Neuroinflammation. CURRENT PATHOBIOLOGY REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40139-020-00208-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Deep proteome profiling reveals novel pathways associated with pro-inflammatory and alcohol-induced microglial activation phenotypes. J Proteomics 2020; 220:103753. [PMID: 32200115 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2020.103753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, can exhibit a broad range of activation phenotypes, many of which have been implicated in several diseases and disorders of the central nervous system including those related to alcohol abuse. Given the complexity of global-scale molecular changes that define microglial activation, accurate phenotypic classification in the context of alcohol exposure is still lacking. We employed an optimized method for deep, quantitative proteome profiling of primary microglia in order to characterize their response to acute exposure to alcohol (ethanol) as well as the pro-inflammatory driver and TLR4 agonist, LPS. From this analysis, 5,062 total proteins were identified where 4,857 and 4,928 of those proteins were quantifiable by label-free quantitation in ethanol and LPS treatment groups, respectively. This study highlights the subtle, yet significant proteomic changes that occur in ethanol-treated microglia, which do not align with the robust pro-inflammatory phenotype induced by TLR4 activation. Specifically, our results indicate inhibition of several upstream regulators associated with inflammation, opposing effects on pathways such as phagocytosis upon comparison to TLR4-mediated pro-inflammatory phenotype, and a potential metabolic shift associated with increased expression of proteins related to OXPHOS and lipid homeostasis. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD14466. SIGNIFICANCE: Alcohol abuse has a significant impact on the central nervous system, which includes the pathophysiological mechanisms resulting from glial cell activation. Microglia, in particular, are the resident immune cells of the brain and exhibit a broad range of activation phenotypes. The molecular changes that drive microglial activation phenotype are complex and have yet to be fully characterized in the context of alcohol exposure. Our study highlights the first and most comprehensive characterization of alcohol-induced proteomic changes in primary microglia to date and has shed light on novel immune-related and metabolic pathways that are altered due to alcohol exposure. The results from this study provide an important foundation for future work aimed to understand the complexity of alcohol-induced microglial activation in vivo and other translational models of acute and chronic alcohol exposure.
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Morrow AL, Boero G, Porcu P. A Rationale for Allopregnanolone Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders: Basic and Clinical Studies. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:320-339. [PMID: 31782169 PMCID: PMC7018555 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
For many years, research from around the world has suggested that the neuroactive steroid (3α,5α)-3-hydroxypregnan-20-one (allopregnanolone or 3α,5α-THP) may have therapeutic potential for treatment of various symptoms of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). In this critical review, we systematically address all the evidence that supports such a suggestion, delineate the etiologies of AUDs that are addressed by treatment with allopregnanolone or its precursor pregnenolone, and the rationale for treatment of various components of the disease based on basic science and clinical evidence. This review presents a theoretical framework for understanding how endogenous steroids that regulate the effects of stress, alcohol, and the innate immune system could play a key role in both the prevention and the treatment of AUDs. We further discuss cautions and limitations of allopregnanolone or pregnenolone therapy with suggestions regarding the management of risk and the potential for helping millions who suffer from AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Leslie Morrow
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Giorgia Boero
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Patrizia Porcu
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cagliari, Italy
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Walter NAR, Zheng CL, Searles RP, McWeeney SK, Grant KA, Hitzemann R. Chronic Voluntary Ethanol Drinking in Cynomolgus Macaques Elicits Gene Expression Changes in Prefrontal Cortical Area 46. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:470-478. [PMID: 31840818 PMCID: PMC7018568 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide profiling to examine brain transcriptional features associated with excessive ethanol (EtOH) consumption has been applied to a variety of species including rodents, nonhuman primates (NHPs), and humans. However, these data were obtained from cross-sectional samples which are particularly vulnerable to individual variation when obtained from small outbred populations typical of human and NHP studies. In the current study, a novel within-subject design was used to examine the effects of voluntary EtOH consumption on prefrontal cortex (PFC) gene expression in a NHP model. METHODS Two cohorts of cynomolgus macaques (n = 23) underwent a schedule-induced polydipsia procedure to establish EtOH self-administration followed by 6 months of daily open access to EtOH (4% w/v) and water. Individual daily EtOH intakes ranged from an average of 0.7 to 3.7 g/kg/d. Dorsal lateral PFC area 46 (A46) brain biopsies were collected in EtOH-naïve and control monkeys; contralateral A46 biopsies were collected from the same monkeys following the 6 months of fluid consumption. Gene expression changes were assessed using RNA-Seq paired analysis, which allowed for correction of individual baseline differences in gene expression. RESULTS A total of 675 genes were significantly down-regulated following EtOH consumption; these were functionally enriched for immune response, cell adhesion, plasma membrane, and extracellular matrix. A total of 567 genes that were up-regulated following EtOH consumption were enriched in microRNA target sites and included target sites associated with Toll-like receptor pathways. The differentially expressed genes were also significantly enriched in transcription factor binding sites. CONCLUSIONS The data presented here are the first to use a longitudinal biopsy strategy to examine how chronic EtOH consumption affects gene expression in the primate PFC. Prominent effects were seen in both cell adhesion and neuroimmune pathways; the latter contained both pro- and antiinflammatory genes. The data also indicate that changes in miRNAs and transcription factors may be important epigenetic regulators of EtOH consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A R Walter
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon.,Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Christina L Zheng
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Robert P Searles
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Integrated Genomics Laboratory, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Shannon K McWeeney
- Division of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Kathleen A Grant
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon
| | - Robert Hitzemann
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
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Petralia MC, Mazzon E, Mangano K, Fagone P, Di Marco R, Falzone L, Basile MS, Nicoletti F, Cavalli E. Transcriptomic analysis reveals moderate modulation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor superfamily genes in alcohol use disorders. Exp Ther Med 2020; 19:1755-1762. [PMID: 32104230 PMCID: PMC7026954 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2020.8410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a primary, chronic and relapsing disease of brain reward, motivation and memory, which is associated with several comorbidities, including major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. It has been revealed that Ibudilast (IBUD), a dual inhibitor of phosphodiesterase-4 and −10 and of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), exerts beneficial effects on AUD in rodent models and human patients. Therefore, IBUD has attracted increasing interest, with research focusing on the elucidation of the pathogenic role of MIF and its homologue, D-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT), in the pathogenesis and maintenance of AUD. By using DNA microarray analysis, the current study performed a transcriptomic expression analysis of MIF, DDT and their co-receptors, including CD74, C-X-C chemokine receptor (CXCR)2, CXCR4 and CXCR7 in patients with AUD. The results revealed that the transcriptomic levels of MIF, DDT and their receptors were superimposable in the prefrontal cortex of rodents and patients with AUD and human patients. Furthermore, peripheral blood cells from heavy drinkers exhibited a moderate increase in MIF and DDT levels, both at the baseline and following exposure to alcohol-associated cues, based on individual situations that included alcohol-related stimuli resulting in subsequent alcohol use (buying alcohol and being at a bar, watching others drink alcohol). Considering the overlapping effects of MIF and DDT, the inverse Fisher's χ2 test was performed on unadjusted P-values to evaluate the combined effect of MIF and DDT. The results revealed a significant increase in these cytokines in heavy drinkers compared with controls (moderate drinkers). To the best of our knowledge, the present study demonstrated for the first time that MIF and DDT expression was upregulated in the blood of patients with AUD. These results therefore warrant further study to evaluate the role of MIF and DDT in the development and maintenance of AUD, to evaluate their use as biomarkers to predict the psychotherapeutic and pharmacological response of patients with AUD and for use as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuela Mazzon
- IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Katia Mangano
- IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Roberto Di Marco
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences 'Vincenzo Tiberio', University of Molise, I-86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - Luca Falzone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Sofia Basile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, I-95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Eugenio Cavalli
- IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare) Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo', I-98124 Messina, Italy
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Zhao R, Qiao J, Zhang X, Zhao Y, Meng X, Sun D, Peng X. Toll-Like Receptor-Mediated Activation of CD39 Internalization in BMDCs Leads to Extracellular ATP Accumulation and Facilitates P2X7 Receptor Activation. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2524. [PMID: 31736956 PMCID: PMC6834529 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) trigger innate immune responses through their recognition of conserved molecular ligands of either endogenous or microbial origin. Although activation, function, and signaling pathways of TLRs were already well-studied, their precise function in specific cell types, especially innate immune cells, needs to be further clarified. In this study, we showed that when significantly decreased amounts of membrane CD39, an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-degrading enzyme, were detected in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), Cd39 mRNA expression, and whole-cell CD39 expression were at the same levels as those in untreated BMDCs. Further experiments demonstrated that the downregulation of membrane CD39 expression in LPS-treated BMDCs was mediated by endocytosis, leading to membrane-exposed CD39 downregulation, which was positively associated with decreased enzymatic activity in ATP metabolism and increased extracellular ATP accumulation. The accumulated ATP promoted intracellular calcium accumulation and IL-1β production in BMDCs through P2X7 signaling activation. Further research revealed that not only LPS but also other TLR ligands, excluding polyI:C, induced CD39 internalization in BMDCs and that the MyD88 pathway was critical in this process. The results suggested that the activation of CD39 internalization in DCs induced by a TLR ligand caused increased ATP accumulation, leading to P2X7 receptor activation that mediated a proinflammatory effect. Considering the strong modulatory effect of extracellular ATP accumulation on the immune response and inflammation, the manipulation of membrane CD39 expression on DCs may have implications on the regulation and treatment of inflammatory responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronglan Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China.,Institutional Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, 12th 5-Year Project of Shandong Province, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Jinjuan Qiao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China.,Institutional Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, 12th 5-Year Project of Shandong Province, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Xumei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yansong Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Xiangying Meng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China.,Institutional Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, 12th 5-Year Project of Shandong Province, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Deming Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Xiaoxiang Peng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China.,Institutional Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, 12th 5-Year Project of Shandong Province, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
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Aurelian L, Balan I. GABA AR α2-activated neuroimmune signal controls binge drinking and impulsivity through regulation of the CCL2/CX3CL1 balance. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:3023-3043. [PMID: 31030249 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05220-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of innate immune system receptors that respond to pathogen-derived and tissue damage-related ligands and are increasingly recognized for their impact on homeostasis and its dysregulation in the nervous system. TLR signaling participates in brain injury and addiction, but its role in the alcohol-seeking behavior, which initiates alcohol drinking, is still poorly understood. In this review, we discuss our findings designed to elucidate the potential contribution of the activated TLR4 signal located in neurons, on impulsivity and the predisposition to initiate alcohol drinking (binge drinking). RESULTS Our findings indicate that the TLR4 signal is innately activated in neurons from alcohol-preferring subjects, identifying a genetic contribution to the regulation of impulsivity and the alcohol-seeking propensity. Signal activation is through the non-canonical, previously unknown, binding of TLR4 to the α2 subunit of the γ-aminobutyric 2 acid A receptor (GABAAR α2). Activation is sustained by the stress hormone corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and additional still poorly recognized ligand/scaffold proteins. Focus is on the effect of TLR4 signal activation on the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory chemokines [chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2)/chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1 (CX3CL1)] and its effect on binge drinking. CONCLUSION The results are discussed within the context of current findings on the distinct activation and functions of TLR signals located in neurons, as opposed to immune cells. They indicate that the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory TLR4 signaling plays a major role in binge drinking. These findings have major impact on future basic and translational research, including the development of potential therapeutic and preventative strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Aurelian
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA. .,Stanford University School of Medicine OFDD, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Irina Balan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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Erickson EK, Blednov YA, Harris RA, Mayfield RD. Glial gene networks associated with alcohol dependence. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10949. [PMID: 31358844 PMCID: PMC6662804 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47454-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic alcohol abuse alters the molecular structure and function of brain cells. Recent work suggests adaptations made by glial cells, such as astrocytes and microglia, regulate physiological and behavioral changes associated with addiction. Defining how alcohol dependence alters the transcriptome of different cell types is critical for developing the mechanistic hypotheses necessary for a nuanced understanding of cellular signaling in the alcohol-dependent brain. We performed RNA-sequencing on total homogenate and glial cell populations isolated from mouse prefrontal cortex (PFC) following chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure (CIE). Compared with total homogenate, we observed unique and robust gene expression changes in astrocytes and microglia in response to CIE. Gene co-expression network analysis revealed biological pathways and hub genes associated with CIE in astrocytes and microglia that may regulate alcohol-dependent phenotypes. Astrocyte identity and synaptic calcium signaling genes were enriched in alcohol-associated astrocyte networks, while TGF-β signaling and inflammatory response genes were disrupted by CIE treatment in microglia gene networks. Genes related to innate immune signaling, specifically interferon pathways, were consistently up-regulated across CIE-exposed astrocytes, microglia, and total homogenate PFC tissue. This study illuminates the cell-specific effects of chronic alcohol exposure and provides novel molecular targets for studying alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K Erickson
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-01095, USA.
| | - Yuri A Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-01095, USA
| | - R Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-01095, USA
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-01095, USA
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Warden AS, Azzam M, DaCosta A, Mason S, Blednov YA, Messing RO, Mayfield RD, Harris RA. Toll-like receptor 3 dynamics in female C57BL/6J mice: Regulation of alcohol intake. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 77:66-76. [PMID: 30550930 PMCID: PMC6399033 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there are sex differences in the effects of alcohol on immune responses, it is unclear if sex differences in immune response can influence drinking behavior. Activation of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) by polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) produced a rapid proinflammatory response in males that increased alcohol intake over time (Warden et al., 2019). Poly(I:C) produced a delayed and prolonged innate immune response in females. We hypothesized that the timecourse of innate immune activation could regulate drinking behavior in females. Therefore, we chose to test the effect of two time points in the innate immune activation timecourse on every-other-day two-bottle-choice drinking: (1) peak activation; (2) descending limb of activation. Poly(I:C) reduced ethanol consumption when alcohol access occurred during peak activation. Poly(I:C) did not change ethanol consumption when alcohol access occurred on the descending limb of activation. Decreased levels of MyD88-dependent pathway correlated with decreased alcohol intake and increased levels of TRIF-dependent pathway correlated with increased alcohol intake in females. To validate the effects of poly(I:C) were mediated through MyD88, we tested female mice lacking Myd88. Poly(I:C) did not change alcohol intake in Myd88 knockouts, indicating that poly(I:C)-induced changes in alcohol intake are dependent on MyD88 in females. We next determined if the innate immune timecourse also regulated drinking behavior in males. Poly(I:C) reduced ethanol consumption in males when alcohol was presented at peak activation. Therefore, the timecourse of innate immune activation regulates drinking behavior and sex-specific dynamics of innate immune response must be considered when designing therapeutics to treat excessive drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S Warden
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Moatasem Azzam
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Adriana DaCosta
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Sonia Mason
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Yuri A Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Robert O Messing
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - R Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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