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Gómez-Oliva R, Martínez-Ortega S, Atienza-Navarro I, Domínguez-García S, Bernal-Utrera C, Geribaldi-Doldán N, Verástegui C, Ezzanad A, Hernández-Galán R, Nunez-Abades P, Garcia-Alloza M, Castro C. Rescue of neurogenesis and age-associated cognitive decline in SAMP8 mouse: Role of transforming growth factor-alpha. Aging Cell 2023:e13829. [PMID: 37177826 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathological aging is associated with memory impairment and cognitive decline, affecting several brain areas including the neurogenic niche of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (DG). In the healthy brain, homeostatic mechanisms regulate neurogenesis within the DG to facilitate the continuous generation of neurons from neural stem cells (NSC). Nevertheless, aging reduces the number of activated neural stem cells and diminishes the number of newly generated neurons. Strategies that promote neurogenesis in the DG may improve cognitive performance in the elderly resulting in the development of treatments to prevent the progression of neurological disorders in the aged population. Our work is aimed at discovering targeting molecules to be used in the design of pharmacological agents that prevent the neurological effects of brain aging. We study the effect of age on hippocampal neurogenesis using the SAMP8 mouse as a model of neuropathological aging. We show that in 6-month-old SAMP8 mice, episodic and spatial memory are impaired; concomitantly, the generation of neuroblasts and neurons is reduced and the generation of astrocytes is increased in this model. The novelty of our work resides in the fact that treatment of SAMP8 mice with a transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFα) targeting molecule prevents the observed defects, positively regulating neurogenesis and improving cognitive performance. This compound facilitates the release of TGFα in vitro and in vivo and activates signaling pathways initiated by this growth factor. We conclude that compounds of this kind that stimulate neurogenesis may be useful to counteract the neurological effects of pathological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gómez-Oliva
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Sergio Martínez-Ortega
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Isabel Atienza-Navarro
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Samuel Domínguez-García
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Carlos Bernal-Utrera
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Noelia Geribaldi-Doldán
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humanas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Cristina Verástegui
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humanas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Abdellah Ezzanad
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Rosario Hernández-Galán
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Pedro Nunez-Abades
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
- Departamento de Fisiología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Monica Garcia-Alloza
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Carmen Castro
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
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2
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Jia C, Lovins C, Malone HM, Keasey MP, Hagg T. Female-specific neuroprotection after ischemic stroke by vitronectin-focal adhesion kinase inhibition. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2022; 42:1961-1974. [PMID: 35702047 PMCID: PMC9536130 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x221107871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We found that blood vitronectin (VTN) leaks into the brain and exacerbates tissue loss after stroke by increasing pro-inflammatory IL-6 expression in female, but not male, mice. VTN signals through integrins and downstream focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Here, a two day systemic treatment with a small molecule FAK inhibitor starting 6 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion reduced ipsilateral brain injury size by ∼40-45% at 7 and 14 d, as well as inflammation and motor dysfunction in wild-type female, but not male, mice. FAK inhibition also reduced IL-6 expression in the injured female striatum at 24 h by 62%. Inducible selective gene deletion of FAK in astrocytes also reduced acute IL-6 expression by 72% only in females, and mitigated infarct size by ∼80% and inflammation at 14 d after stroke. Lastly, VTN-/- females had better outcomes, but FAK inhibitor treatment had no additional protective or anti-inflammatory effects. Altogether, this suggests that VTN is detrimental in females primarily through FAK and that FAK inhibition provides neuroprotection (cerebroprotection) by reducing VTN-induced IL-6 expression in astrocytes. Thus, VTN signaling can be targeted to mitigate harmful inflammation with relevance to treatments for women with ischemic stroke, who often have worse outcomes than men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuihong Jia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Tennessee, USA
| | - Chiharu Lovins
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Tennessee, USA
| | - Hannah M Malone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Tennessee, USA
| | - Matthew P Keasey
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Tennessee, USA
| | - Theo Hagg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Tennessee, USA
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3
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Strawn M, Moraes JGN, Safranski TJ, Behura SK. Sexually Dimorphic Transcriptomic Changes of Developing Fetal Brain Reveal Signaling Pathways and Marker Genes of Brain Cells in Domestic Pigs. Cells 2021; 10:2439. [PMID: 34572090 PMCID: PMC8466205 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, transcriptomic changes of the developing brain of pig fetuses of both sexes were investigated on gestation days (GD) 45, 60 and 90. Pig fetal brain grows rapidly around GD60. Consequently, gene expression of the fetal brain was distinctly different on GD90 compared to that of GD45 and GD60. In addition, varying numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the male brain compared to the female brain during development. The sex of adjacent fetuses also influenced gene expression of the fetal brain. Extensive changes in gene expression at the exon-level were observed during brain development. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that the ionotropic glutamate receptor pathway and p53 pathway were enriched in the female brain, whereas specific receptor-mediated signaling pathways were enriched in the male brain. Marker genes of neurons and astrocytes were significantly differentially expressed between male and female brains during development. Furthermore, comparative analysis of gene expression patterns between fetal brain and placenta suggested that genes related to ion transportation may play a key role in the regulation of the brain-placental axis in pig. Collectively, the study suggests potential application of pig models to better understand influence of fetal sex on brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Strawn
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (M.S.); (T.J.S.); (J.G.N.M.)
| | - Joao G. N. Moraes
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (M.S.); (T.J.S.); (J.G.N.M.)
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075, USA
| | - Timothy J. Safranski
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (M.S.); (T.J.S.); (J.G.N.M.)
| | - Susanta K. Behura
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (M.S.); (T.J.S.); (J.G.N.M.)
- MU Institute for Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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4
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Mohammed Y, Michaud SA, Pětrošová H, Yang J, Ganguly M, Schibli D, Flenniken AM, Nutter LMJ, Adissu HA, Lloyd KCK, McKerlie C, Borchers CH. Proteotyping of knockout mouse strains reveals sex- and strain-specific signatures in blood plasma. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2021; 7:25. [PMID: 34050187 PMCID: PMC8163790 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-021-00184-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We proteotyped blood plasma from 30 mouse knockout strains and corresponding wild-type mice from the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium. We used targeted proteomics with internal standards to quantify 375 proteins in 218 samples. Our results provide insights into the manifested effects of each gene knockout at the plasma proteome level. We first investigated possible contamination by erythrocytes during sample preparation and labeled, in one case, up to 11 differential proteins as erythrocyte originated. Second, we showed that differences in baseline protein abundance between female and male mice were evident in all mice, emphasizing the necessity to include both sexes in basic research, target discovery, and preclinical effect and safety studies. Next, we identified the protein signature of each gene knockout and performed functional analyses for all knockout strains. Further, to demonstrate how proteome analysis identifies the effect of gene deficiency beyond traditional phenotyping tests, we provide in-depth analysis of two strains, C8a-/- and Npc2+/-. The proteins encoded by these genes are well-characterized providing good validation of our method in homozygous and heterozygous knockout mice. Ig alpha chain C region, a poorly characterized protein, was among the differentiating proteins in C8a-/-. In Npc2+/- mice, where histopathology and traditional tests failed to differentiate heterozygous from wild-type mice, our data showed significant difference in various lysosomal storage disease-related proteins. Our results demonstrate how to combine absolute quantitative proteomics with mouse gene knockout strategies to systematically study the effect of protein absence. The approach used here for blood plasma is applicable to all tissue protein extracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yassene Mohammed
- University of Victoria-Genome BC Proteomics Centre, Victoria, BC, Canada.
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
| | - Sarah A Michaud
- University of Victoria-Genome BC Proteomics Centre, Victoria, BC, Canada.
| | - Helena Pětrošová
- University of Victoria-Genome BC Proteomics Centre, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Juncong Yang
- University of Victoria-Genome BC Proteomics Centre, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Milan Ganguly
- The Center for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David Schibli
- University of Victoria-Genome BC Proteomics Centre, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Ann M Flenniken
- The Center for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Sinai Health Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lauryl M J Nutter
- The Center for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - K C Kent Lloyd
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, and Mouse Biology Program, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Christoph H Borchers
- Proteomics Centre, Segal Cancer Centre, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Data Intensive Science and Engineering, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo Innovation Center, Moscow, Russia.
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5
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The choroid plexus as a sex hormone target: Functional implications. Front Neuroendocrinol 2017; 44:103-121. [PMID: 27998697 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Revised: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The choroid plexuses (CPs) are highly vascularized branched structures that protrude into the ventricles of the brain, and form a unique interface between the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In recent years, novel functions have been attributed to this tissue such as in immune and chemical surveillance of the central nervous system, brain development, adult neurogenesis and circadian rhythm regulation. Sex hormones (SH) are widely recognized as modulators in several neurodegenerative diseases, and there is evidence that estrogens and androgens regulate several fundamental biological functions in the CPs. Therefore, SH are likely to affect the composition of the CSF impacting on brain homeostasis. This review will look at implications of the CPs' sex-related specificities.
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Ceresa BP, Peterson JL. Cell and molecular biology of epidermal growth factor receptor. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 313:145-78. [PMID: 25376492 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800177-6.00005-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been one of the most intensely studied cell surface receptors due to its well-established roles in developmental biology, tissue homeostasis, and cancer biology. The EGFR has been critical for creating paradigms for numerous aspects of cell biology, such as ligand binding, signal transduction, and membrane trafficking. Despite this history of discovery, there is a continual stream of evidence that only the surface has been scratched. New ways of receptor regulation continue to be identified, each of which is a potential molecular target for manipulating EGFR signaling and the resultant changes in cell and tissue biology. This chapter is an update on EGFR-mediated signaling, and describes some recent developments in the regulation of receptor biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian P Ceresa
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Joanne L Peterson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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7
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Lindley J, Deurveilher S, Rusak B, Semba K. Transforming growth factor-α and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the hamster circadian system: Daily profile and cellular localization. Brain Res 2008; 1197:94-105. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.12.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2007] [Revised: 12/09/2007] [Accepted: 12/17/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Antunes-Martins A, Mizuno K, Irvine EE, Lepicard EM, Giese KP. Sex-dependent up-regulation of two splicing factors, Psf and Srp20, during hippocampal memory formation. Learn Mem 2007; 14:693-702. [PMID: 17911373 PMCID: PMC2044560 DOI: 10.1101/lm.640307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Gene transcription is required for long-term memory (LTM) formation. LTM formation is impaired in a male-specific manner in mice lacking either of the two Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase (Camkk) genes. Since altered transcription was suggested to cause these impairments in LTM formation, we used microarrays to screen for CaMKKbeta-dependent gene expression changes. Here we show that the hippocampal mRNA expression of two splicing factors, splicing factor arginine/serine-rich 3 (Sfrs3/Srp20) and polypyrimidine tract-binding protein-associated splicing factor (Psf), is altered in CaMKKbeta-deficient males. In wild-type (WT) mice, the basal expression level in the hippocampus is higher in males than in females, and the sex difference in Srp20 expression is detectable before puberty. Training in two hippocampus-dependent learning tasks, the spatial version of the Morris water maze (MWM) and background contextual fear conditioning, increases the hippocampal mRNA expression of both splicing factors in WT males. However, the increase in Srp20 mRNA expression occurs only in males and not in females, whereas the up-regulation of Psf expression occurs in both sexes. Importantly, control experiments demonstrate that the up-regulation of both splicing factors is specific for the learned associations after contextual fear conditioning. In summary, we provide the first evidence for a regulation of splicing factors during LTM formation and we suggest that alternative splicing contributes to sex differences in LTM formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Antunes-Martins
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Keiko Mizuno
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Elaine E. Irvine
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Eve M. Lepicard
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - K. Peter Giese
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- Centre for the Cellular Basis of Behaviour, The James Black Centre, King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry, London SE5 9NU, United Kingdom
- Corresponding author.E-mail ; fax 44-207-916-5994
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9
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Chronic Mild Stressors and Diet Affect Gene Expression Differently in Male and Female Rats. J Mol Neurosci 2007; 33:189-200. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-007-0064-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2007] [Revised: 11/30/1999] [Accepted: 07/03/2007] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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10
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Stanwood GD, Levitt P. Waved-1 mutant mice are hypersensitive to the locomotor actions of cocaine. Synapse 2007; 61:259-62. [PMID: 17230552 DOI: 10.1002/syn.20364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFalpha) is a well-known regulator of many developmental processes, and is expressed heavily in basal forebrain and striatal regions. When TGFalpha is reduced in Waved-1 (Wa-1) mutant mice, brain anatomy, biogenic amines, stress response, and behavior are normal prior to, but altered following puberty. As an initial screen for possible alterations in nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine (DA) systems, we tested adult Wa-1 mutant mice in an open field, following acute injection with cocaine (15 mg/kg). Wa-1 mice exhibited significantly greater ambulatory distance, number of ambulatory episodes, and cocaine-induced motor stereotypies than do controls. These data indicate that adult Wa-1 mice are hypersensitive to the locomotor effects of cocaine and provide a new potential link between neurodevelopmental processes and adult psychostimulant responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregg D Stanwood
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.
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Koshibu K, Levitt P. Transforming growth factor-α induces sex-specific neurochemical imbalance in the stress- and memory-associated brain structures. Neuropharmacology 2006; 50:807-13. [PMID: 16442134 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2005.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2005] [Revised: 11/30/2005] [Accepted: 12/02/2005] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFalpha) is a well-known regulator of many developmental processes. However, its role in adult nervous system is yet unclear. Studies have shown that TGFalpha can regulate stress and memory behavior in adult mice. When TGFalpha is reduced in Waved-1 (Wa-1) mutant mice, the stress response and memory are impaired predominantly in males and only after puberty. To determine the neurochemical changes resulting from the reduced TGFalpha levels that could explain the reported behavioral outcomes, biogenic amine and amino acid levels were determined in the brain regions associated with stress and memory. Interestingly, sex-specific alterations in neurochemical levels were detected, including elevated noradrenaline and reduced glutamate levels in striatum of Wa-1 males, increased noradrenaline and reduced serotonin metabolite levels in hippocampus of Wa-1 females, reduced serotonin metabolite levels in cortex and amygdala of Wa-1 females, and reduced noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, glutamate and glycine levels in hypothalamus of Wa-1 females compared to their respective controls. Increased dopamine turnover in cortex and reduced dopamine and serotonin turnover in amygdala were observed in both male and female Wa-1 mice. The data indicate sex-specific alterations of specific neurochemicals as a result of reduced TGFalpha expression, which may underlie sex-dependent stress response and memory impairment in Wa-1 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoko Koshibu
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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12
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Koshibu K, Ahrens ET, Levitt P. Postpubertal sex differentiation of forebrain structures and functions depend on transforming growth factor-alpha. J Neurosci 2006; 25:3870-80. [PMID: 15829639 PMCID: PMC6724926 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0175-05.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex- and age-associated deficits in brain structure and behavior are reported in a number of neuropsychiatric disorders. Although genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis, there are only few examples in clinical or experimental systems that have identified specific causes. Here, we report that transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFalpha) may regulate sex- and age-dependent development of forebrain structures and associated neural functions after puberty. Waved-1 (Wa-1) mice inherit an autosomal recessive, spontaneous mutation that results in a postnatal reduction in TGFalpha gene expression. The assessment of forebrain structures using a three-dimensional magnetic resonance microscopy indicated ventricular enlargement and striatal reduction in both male and female Wa-1 adult mice, with Wa-1 males exhibiting a more severe phenotype. In contrast, the hippocampal volume was reduced only in adult Wa-1 males. Similarly, behavioral analyses showed impaired auditory and contextual fear learning in adult Wa-1 males only, whereas abnormal stress response was expressed by both male and female adult Wa-1 mice. Interestingly, all behavioral deficits were absent before full sexual maturation, despite some slight forebrain structural abnormalities. These results suggest that TGFalpha may regulate postpubertal, sex differentiation in ventricular and periventricular anatomy and associated behavior, affecting predominantly males. In particular, the adult male-specific reduction in hippocampal volume may reflect an age- and sex-specific regulation of stress homeostasis and fear learning. Furthermore, a lack of a behavioral phenotype, despite anatomical alterations in peripubertal Wa-1 mice, suggests that analysis of certain neuroanatomical features at puberty may predict neurobehavioral deficits in adulthood.
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MESH Headings
- Acoustic Stimulation/adverse effects
- Age Factors
- Aging/physiology
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Behavior, Animal
- Brain/anatomy & histology
- Brain/metabolism
- Catecholamines/blood
- Choice Behavior/physiology
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods
- Conditioning, Psychological/physiology
- Corticosterone/blood
- Exploratory Behavior/physiology
- Fear
- Female
- Fever/etiology
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/genetics
- Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Neurologic Mutants
- Prosencephalon/anatomy & histology
- Prosencephalon/metabolism
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Radioimmunoassay/methods
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods
- Sex Differentiation/physiology
- Stress, Physiological/complications
- Stress, Physiological/physiopathology
- Transforming Growth Factor alpha/genetics
- Transforming Growth Factor alpha/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoko Koshibu
- Department of Neurobiology and Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA.
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