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Kaurani L, Islam MR, Heilbronner U, Krüger DM, Zhou J, Methi A, Strauss J, Pradhan R, Schröder S, Burkhardt S, Schuetz AL, Pena T, Erlebach L, Bühler A, Budde M, Senner F, Kohshour MO, Schulte EC, Schmauß M, Reininghaus EZ, Juckel G, Kronenberg-Versteeg D, Delalle I, Odoardi F, Flügel A, Schulze TG, Falkai P, Sananbenesi F, Fischer A. Regulation of Zbp1 by miR-99b-5p in microglia controls the development of schizophrenia-like symptoms in mice. EMBO J 2024; 43:1420-1444. [PMID: 38528182 PMCID: PMC11021462 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00067-8] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Current approaches to the treatment of schizophrenia have mainly focused on the protein-coding part of the genome; in this context, the roles of microRNAs have received less attention. In the present study, we analyze the microRNAome in the blood and postmortem brains of schizophrenia patients, showing that the expression of miR-99b-5p is downregulated in both the prefrontal cortex and blood of patients. Lowering the amount of miR-99b-5p in mice leads to both schizophrenia-like phenotypes and inflammatory processes that are linked to synaptic pruning in microglia. The microglial miR-99b-5p-supressed inflammatory response requires Z-DNA binding protein 1 (Zbp1), which we identify as a novel miR-99b-5p target. Antisense oligonucleotides against Zbp1 ameliorate the pathological effects of miR-99b-5p inhibition. Our findings indicate that a novel miR-99b-5p-Zbp1 pathway in microglia might contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalit Kaurani
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Md Rezaul Islam
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Urs Heilbronner
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dennis M Krüger
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jiayin Zhou
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Aditi Methi
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Judith Strauss
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ranjit Pradhan
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sophie Schröder
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Susanne Burkhardt
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Schuetz
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tonatiuh Pena
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lena Erlebach
- Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany; Germany and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anika Bühler
- Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany; Germany and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Monika Budde
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Fanny Senner
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Mojtaba Oraki Kohshour
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Eva C Schulte
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Bonn, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Max Schmauß
- Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Augsburg University, Medical Faculty, Bezirkskrankenhaus Augsburg, Augsburg, 86156, Germany
| | - Eva Z Reininghaus
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Research Unit for Bipolar Affective Disorder, Medical University of Graz, Graz, 8036, Austria
| | - Georg Juckel
- Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr University Bochum, LWL University Hospital, Bochum, 44791, Germany
| | - Deborah Kronenberg-Versteeg
- Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany; Germany and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ivana Delalle
- Department of Pathology, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Francesca Odoardi
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexander Flügel
- Institute for Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thomas G Schulze
- Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Farahnaz Sananbenesi
- Research Group for Genome Dynamics in Brain Diseases, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Andre Fischer
- Department for Epigenetics and Systems Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
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Ayilara GO, Owoyele BV. Neuroinflammation and microglial expression in brains of social-isolation rearing model of schizophrenia. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2023; 15:31-41. [PMID: 37359498 PMCID: PMC10285239 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder with a global prevalence of approximately 0.45%. It is considered a mental illness, with negative symptoms, positive symptoms, and cognitive dysfunction. The outcomes of studies on the role of microglia and neuroinflammation have been conflicting. In addition, there is a poor understanding of the sex differences in microglial expression and neuroinflammation markers in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and nucleus accumbens. Understanding the exact roles of neuroinflammation may guide the development of efficient therapeutic drugs that can address the negative, positive, and cognitive symptoms of the disease. We examined the effect of social isolation rearing on schizophrenia-related behaviours in male and female BALB/c mice. The social-isolation rearing protocol started on post-natal day (PND) 21, lasting for 35 days. Animals were assigned to four cohorts, consisting of five animals per group. On PND 56, animals were assessed for behavioural changes. We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to investigate the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, and prefrontal cortex. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of microglia in the three brain regions. Our study showed that isolation rearing led to increasing locomotion, heightened anxiety, depression, and a reduced percentage of prepulse inhibition. There was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in anxiety in the female isolation mice compared to male isolation mice. Furthermore, isolation rearing significantly increased microglia count (p < 0.05) in the hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, and prefrontal cortex, only in the male group. There was microglial hyper-activation as evident in the downregulation of CX3CR1 in both male and female social-isolation groups. Male social-isolation mice showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in neuroinflammation markers only in the nucleus accumbens while the female social-isolation mice showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in neuroinflammation markers in both the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus. The study showed that therapeutic interventions aimed at modulating CX3CR1 activity and reducing inflammation may be beneficial for patients with schizophrenia.
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Zhuo C, Tian H, Song X, Jiang D, Chen G, Cai Z, Ping J, Cheng L, Zhou C, Chen C. Microglia and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia: translating scientific progress into novel therapeutic interventions. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 9:42. [PMID: 37429882 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00370-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a core clinical feature of schizophrenia, exerting profound adverse effects on social functioning and quality of life in a large proportion of patients with schizophrenia. However, the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of schizophrenia-related cognitive impairment are not well understood. Microglia, the primary resident macrophages in the brain, have been shown to play important roles in psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Increasing evidence has revealed excessive microglial activation in cognitive deficits related to a broad range of diseases and medical conditions. Relative to that about age-related cognitive deficits, current knowledge about the roles of microglia in cognitive impairment in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, is limited, and such research is in its infancy. Thus, we conducted this review of the scientific literature with a focus on the role of microglia in schizophrenia-associated cognitive impairment, aiming to gain insight into the roles of microglial activation in the onset and progression of such impairment and to consider how scientific advances could be translated to preventive and therapeutic interventions. Research has demonstrated that microglia, especially those in the gray matter of the brain, are activated in schizophrenia. Upon activation, microglia release key proinflammatory cytokines and free radicals, which are well-recognized neurotoxic factors contributing to cognitive decline. Thus, we propose that the inhibition of microglial activation holds potential for the prevention and treatment of cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia. This review identifies potential targets for the development of new treatment strategies and eventually the improvement of care for these patients. It might also help psychologists and clinical investigators in planning future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanjun Zhuo
- Key Laboratory of Sensory Information Processing Abnormalities in Schizophrenia (SIPAS-Lab), Nankai University Affiliated Tianjin Fourth Center Hospital, Tianjin Medical University Affiliated Tianjin Fourth Center Hospital, Tianjin Fourth Center Hospital, Tianjin, China.
- Laboratory of Psychiatric-Neuroimaging-Genetic and Co-morbidity (PNGC-Lab), Nankai University Affiliated Tianjin Anding Hospital, Tianjin Mental Health Center of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Anding Hospital, 300222, Tianjin, China.
- Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
- Department of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Seventh peoples Hospital, Wenzhou, China.
| | - Hongjun Tian
- Key Laboratory of Sensory Information Processing Abnormalities in Schizophrenia (SIPAS-Lab), Nankai University Affiliated Tianjin Fourth Center Hospital, Tianjin Medical University Affiliated Tianjin Fourth Center Hospital, Tianjin Fourth Center Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xueqin Song
- Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan Psychiatric Transformation Research Key Laboratory, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Deguo Jiang
- Department of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Seventh peoples Hospital, Wenzhou, China
| | - Guangdong Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Seventh peoples Hospital, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ziyao Cai
- Department of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Seventh peoples Hospital, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jing Ping
- Department of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Seventh peoples Hospital, Wenzhou, China
| | - Langlang Cheng
- Department of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Seventh peoples Hospital, Wenzhou, China
| | - Chunhua Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
| | - Chunmian Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Wenzhou Seventh peoples Hospital, Wenzhou, China
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Rodrigues-Neves AC, Ambrósio AF, Gomes CA. Microglia sequelae: brain signature of innate immunity in schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:493. [PMID: 36443303 PMCID: PMC9705537 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02197-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder with significant impact on individuals and society. The current pharmacologic treatment, which principally alleviates psychosis, is focused on neurotransmitters modulation, relying on drugs with severe side effects and ineffectiveness in a significant percentage of cases. Therefore, and due to difficulties inherent to diagnosis and treatment, it is vital to reassess alternative cellular and molecular drug targets. Distinct risk factors - genetic, developmental, epigenetic, and environmental - have been associated with disease onset and progression, giving rise to the proposal of different pathophysiological mechanisms and putative pharmacological targets. Immunity is involved and, particularly microglia - innate immune cells of the central nervous system, critically involved in brain development - have captured attention as cellular players. Microglia undergo marked morphologic and functional alterations in the human disease, as well as in animal models of schizophrenia, as reported in several original papers. We cluster the main findings of clinical studies by groups of patients: (1) at ultra-high risk of psychosis, (2) with a first episode of psychosis or recent-onset schizophrenia, and (3) with chronic schizophrenia; in translational studies, we highlight the time window of appearance of particular microglia alterations in the most well studied animal model in the field (maternal immune activation). The organization of clinical and translational findings based on schizophrenia-associated microglia changes in different phases of the disease course may help defining a temporal pattern of microglia changes and may drive the design of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Catarina Rodrigues-Neves
- grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Univ Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra, Portugal ,grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Univ Coimbra, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Coimbra, Portugal ,grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal ,grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Univ Coimbra, Faculty of Pharmacy, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - António. F. Ambrósio
- grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Univ Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra, Portugal ,grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Univ Coimbra, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Coimbra, Portugal ,grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Catarina A. Gomes
- grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Univ Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra, Portugal ,grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Univ Coimbra, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Coimbra, Portugal ,grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal ,grid.8051.c0000 0000 9511 4342Univ Coimbra, Faculty of Pharmacy, Coimbra, Portugal
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Tartaglione AM, Villani A, Ajmone-Cat MA, Minghetti L, Ricceri L, Pazienza V, De Simone R, Calamandrei G. Maternal immune activation induces autism-like changes in behavior, neuroinflammatory profile and gut microbiota in mouse offspring of both sexes. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:384. [PMID: 36104346 PMCID: PMC9474453 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02149-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a sex-biased neurodevelopmental disorder with a male to female prevalence of 4:1, characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction and restricted-repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. Microbiota alterations as well as signs of neuroinflammation have been also reported in ASD. The involvement of immune dysregulation in ASD is further supported by evidence suggesting that maternal immune activation (MIA), especially during early pregnancy, may be a risk factor for ASD. The present study was aimed at characterizing the effects of MIA on behavior, gut microbiota and neuroinflammation in the mouse offspring also considering the impact of MIA in the two sexes. MIA offspring exhibited significant ASD-like behavioral alterations (i.e., deficits in sociability and sensorimotor gating, perseverative behaviors). The analysis of microbiota revealed changes in specific microbial taxa that recapitulated those seen in ASD children. In addition, molecular analyses indicated sex-related differences in the neuroinflammatory responses triggered by MIA, with a more prominent effect in the cerebellum. Our data suggest that both sexes should be included in the experimental designs of preclinical studies in order to identify those mechanisms that confer different vulnerability to ASD to males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Tartaglione
- Centre for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Rome, Italy.
| | - Annacandida Villani
- grid.413503.00000 0004 1757 9135Gastroenterology Unit IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, Hospital San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
| | - Maria Antonietta Ajmone-Cat
- grid.416651.10000 0000 9120 6856National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Luisa Minghetti
- grid.416651.10000 0000 9120 6856Research Coordination and Support Service, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Ricceri
- grid.416651.10000 0000 9120 6856Centre for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Pazienza
- grid.413503.00000 0004 1757 9135Gastroenterology Unit IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, Hospital San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
| | - Roberta De Simone
- grid.416651.10000 0000 9120 6856National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Rome, Italy
| | - Gemma Calamandrei
- grid.416651.10000 0000 9120 6856Centre for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), Rome, Italy
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Veselinović T, Neuner I. Progress and Pitfalls in Developing Agents to Treat Neurocognitive Deficits Associated with Schizophrenia. CNS Drugs 2022; 36:819-858. [PMID: 35831706 PMCID: PMC9345797 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-022-00935-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia (CIAS) represent a central element of the symptomatology of this severe mental disorder. CIAS substantially determine the disease prognosis and hardly, if at all, respond to treatment with currently available antipsychotics. Remarkably, all drugs presently approved for the treatment of schizophrenia are, to varying degrees, dopamine D2/D3 receptor blockers. In turn, rapidly growing evidence suggests the immense significance of systems other than the dopaminergic system in the genesis of CIAS. Accordingly, current efforts addressing the unmet needs of patients with schizophrenia are primarily based on interventions in other non-dopaminergic systems. In this review article, we provide a brief overview of the available evidence on the importance of specific systems in the development of CIAS. In addition, we describe the promising targets for the development of new drugs that have been used so far. In doing so, we present the most important candidates that have been investigated in the field of the specific systems in recent years and present a summary of the results available at the time of drafting this review (May 2022), as well as the currently ongoing studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Veselinović
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, INM-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Irene Neuner
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, INM-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN, Aachen, Germany
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Female-specific role of ciliary neurotrophic factor in the medial amygdala in promoting stress responses. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 17:100435. [PMID: 35146079 PMCID: PMC8819478 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is produced by astrocytes which have been implicated in regulating stress responses. We found that CNTF in the medial amygdala (MeA) promotes despair or passive coping, i.e., immobility in an acute forced swim stress, in female mice, while having no effect in males. Neutralizing CNTF antibody injected into the MeA of wildtype females reduced activation of downstream STAT3 (Y705) 24 and 48 h later. In concert, the antibody reduced immobility in the swim test in females and only after MeA injection, but not when injected in the central or basolateral amygdala. Antibody injected into the male MeA did not affect immobility. These data reveal a unique role of CNTF in female MeA in promoting despair or passive coping behavior. Moreover, 4 weeks of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) increased immobility in the swim test and reduced sucrose preference in wildtype CNTF+/+, but not CNTF−/− littermate, females. Following CUS, 10 min of restraint stress increased plasma corticosterone levels only in CNTF+/+ females. In males, the CUS effects were present in both genotypes. Further, CUS increased CNTF expression in the MeA of female, but not male, mice. CUS did not alter CNTF in the female hippocampus, hypothalamus and bed nucleus of stria terminalis. This suggests that MeA CNTF has a female-specific role in promoting CUS-induced despair or passive coping, behavioral anhedonia and neuroendocrine responses. Compared to CNTF+/+ mice, CNTF−/− mice did not show differences in CUS-induced anxiety-like behavior and sensorimotor gating function as measured by elevated T-Maze, open field and pre-pulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response. Together, this study reveals a novel CNTF-mediated female-specific mechanism in stress responses and points to opportunities for developing treatments for stress-related disorders in women. CNTF in the MeA promotes despair or passive coping behavior in female mice only. Chronic stress upregulates CNTF in female but not male MeA. CNTF contributes to chronic stress-induced despair or passive coping, anhedonia and neuroendocrine responses in females only. CNTF does not affect anxiety-like behavior and sensorimotor gating function. These data reveal a novel CNTF-mediated female-specific mechanism in stress responses.
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Lin C, Chen K, Yu J, Feng W, Fu W, Yang F, Zhang X, Chen D. Relationship between TNF-α levels and psychiatric symptoms in first-episode drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia before and after risperidone treatment and in chronic patients. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21:561. [PMID: 34763685 PMCID: PMC8588730 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03569-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The influence of antipsychotic drugs on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels is unclear, and there is no consensus on the association between TNF-α and psychotic symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the differences in TNF-α levels and clinical correlations in first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN) patients with schizophrenia before and after treatment and in chronic patients. METHODS A total of 103 (51 FEDN and 52 chronic) patients and 114 healthy controls were recruited. Demographic and clinical data, including TNF-α levels, were recorded. We used the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) to measure the psychopathology of all patients. RESULTS TNF-α levels before treatment were significantly higher in FEDN patients than in chronic patients and healthy controls. No significant sex differences were found in the TNF-α levels of patients with schizophrenia. The TNF-α levels before treatment were significantly positively related to changes in PANSS negative symptoms in FEDN patients. The TNF-α levels in chronic patients were significantly negatively correlated with the general psychopathology subscales and PANSS total scores. CONCLUSIONS Increased TNF-α levels in FEDN patients and their correlation with psychopathology indicate that inflammatory cytokines may play a crucial role in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia, and inflammation-directed therapy may, therefore, improve negative symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lin
- grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100096 People’s Republic of China
| | - Ke Chen
- grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100096 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianjin Yu
- grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100096 People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Feng
- grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100096 People’s Republic of China
| | - Weihong Fu
- grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100096 People’s Republic of China
| | - Fude Yang
- grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100096 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiangyang Zhang
- grid.267308.80000 0000 9206 2401Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX USA
| | - Dachun Chen
- Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, 100096, People's Republic of China.
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