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Kim RK, Truby NL, Silva GM, Picone JA, Miller CS, Baldwin AN, Neve RL, Cui X, Hamilton PJ. Histone H1x in mouse ventral hippocampus associates with, but does not cause behavioral adaptations to stress. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:239. [PMID: 38834575 PMCID: PMC11150540 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02931-x] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Prior research has identified differential protein expression levels of linker histone H1x within the ventral hippocampus (vHipp) of stress-susceptible versus stress-resilient mice. These mice are behaviorally classified based on their divergent responses to chronic social stress. Here, we sought to determine whether elevated vHipp H1x protein levels directly contribute to these diverging behavioral adaptations to stress. First, we demonstrated that stress-susceptible mice uniquely express elevated vHipp H1x protein levels following chronic stress. Given that linker histones coordinate heterochromatin compaction, we hypothesize that elevated levels of H1x in the vHipp may impede pro-resilience transcriptional adaptations and prevent development of the resilient phenotype following social stress. To test this, 8-10-week-old male C57BL/6 J mice were randomly assigned to groups undergoing 10 days of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) or single housing, respectively. Following CSDS, mice were classified as susceptible versus resilient based on their social interaction behaviors. We synthesized a viral overexpression (OE) vector for H1x and transduced all stressed and single housed mice with either H1x or control GFP within vHipp. Following viral delivery, we conducted social, anxiety-like, and memory-reliant behavior tests on distinct cohorts of mice. We found no behavioral adaptations following H1x OE compared to GFP controls in susceptible, resilient, or single housed mice. In sum, although we confirm elevated vHipp protein levels of H1x associate with susceptibility to social stress, we observe no significant behavioral consequence of H1x OE. Thus, we conclude elevated levels of H1x are associated with, but are not singularly sufficient to drive development of behavioral adaptations to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Kijoon Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Natalie L Truby
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Gabriella M Silva
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Joseph A Picone
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Cary S Miller
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Amber N Baldwin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xiaohong Cui
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Peter J Hamilton
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA.
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Yuan D, Meng Y, Ai Z, Zhou S. Research trend of epigenetics and depression: adolescents' research needs to strengthen. Front Neurosci 2024; 17:1289019. [PMID: 38249586 PMCID: PMC10799345 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1289019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective With its high prevalence, depression's pathogenesis remains unclear. Recent attention has turned to the interplay between depression and epigenetic modifications. However, quantitative bibliometric analyses are lacking. This study aims to visually analyze depression epigenetics trends, utilizing bibliometric tools, while comprehensively reviewing its epigenetic mechanisms. Methods Utilizing the Web of Science core dataset, we collected depression and epigenetics-related studies. Employing VOSViewer software, we visualized data on authors, countries, journals, and keywords. A ranking table highlighted field leaders. Results Analysis encompassed 3,469 depression epigenetics studies published from January 2002 to June 2023. Key findings include: (1) Gradual publication growth, peaking in 2021; (2) The United States and its research institutions leading contributions; (3) Need for enhanced collaborations, spanning international and interdisciplinary efforts; (4) Keyword clustering revealed five main themes-early-life stress, microRNA, genetics, DNA methylation, and histone acetylation-highlighting research hotspots; (5) Limited focus on adolescent depression epigenetics, warranting increased attention. Conclusion Taken together, this study revealed trends and hotspots in depression epigenetics research, underscoring global collaboration, interdisciplinary fusion, and multi-omics data's importance. It discussed in detail the potential of epigenetic mechanisms in depression diagnosis and treatment, advocating increased focus on adolescent research in this field. Insights aid researchers in shaping their investigative paths toward understanding depression's epigenetic mechanisms and antidepressant interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongfeng Yuan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Yitong Meng
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhongzhu Ai
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Shizhen Laboratory, Wuhan, China
- Modern Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ethnic Medicine of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Shiquan Zhou
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
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Kim RK, Truby NL, Silva GM, Picone JA, Miller CS, Neve RL, Cui X, Hamilton PJ. Histone H1x in mouse ventral hippocampus correlates with, but does not cause behavioral adaptations to stress. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.06.565881. [PMID: 37986938 PMCID: PMC10659322 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.06.565881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Prior research has identified differential protein expression levels of linker histone H1x within the ventral hippocampus (vHipp) of stress-susceptible versus stress-resilient mice. These mice are behaviorally classified based on their divergent responses to chronic social stress. Here, we sought to determine whether elevated vHipp H1x protein levels directly contribute to these diverging behavioral adaptations to stress. First, we demonstrate that stress-susceptible mice uniquely express elevated vHipp H1x protein levels following chronic stress. Given that linker histones coordinate heterochromatin compaction, we hypothesize that elevated levels of H1x in the vHipp may impede pro-resilience transcriptional adaptations and prevent development of the resilient phenotype following social stress. To test this, 8-10-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to stressed and unstressed groups undergoing 10 days of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) or single housing respectively. Following CSDS, mice were classified as susceptible versus resilient based on their social interaction behaviors. We synthesized a viral overexpression (OE) vector for H1x and transduced experimental mice with either H1x or control GFP within vHipp. Following viral delivery, we conducted social, anxiety-like, and memory-reliant behavior tests on distinct cohorts of mice. We found no behavioral adaptations following H1x OE compared to GFP controls in susceptible, resilient, or unstressed mice. In sum, although we confirm vHipp protein levels of H1x correlate with susceptibility to social stress, we observe no significant behavioral consequence of H1x OE. Thus, we conclude elevated levels of H1x are correlated with, but are not singularly sufficient to drive development of behavioral adaptations to stress.
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Iqbal J, Bibi M, Huang GD, Xue YX, Khatttak JZK, Yang M, Jia XJ. Differential regulation of hippocampal transcriptome by circulating estrogen. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:309. [PMID: 37735249 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01234-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen (E2) modulates the synaptic structure and plasticity in the hippocampus. Previous studies showed that E2 fluctuations during various phases of the menstrual cycle produce subtle neurosynaptic changes that impact women's behavior, emotion, and cognitive functions. In this study, we explored the transcriptome of the hippocampus via RNA-seq (RNA-sequencing) between proestrus (PE) and diestrus (DE) stages in young female rats to determine the effect of E2 of PE and DE stages on hippocampal gene expression. We identified 238 genes (at 1.5-fold-change selection criteria, FDR adjusted p-value < 0.05) as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that responded to E2 between PE and DE stages. Functional analysis based on Gene Ontology (GO) revealed that a higher E2 level corresponded to an increase in gene transcription among most of the DEGs, suggesting biological mechanisms operating differentially in the hippocampus of female rats between PE and DE stages in the estrus cycle; while analysis with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database (KEGG) found that the DEGs involving neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, antigen processing, cell adhesion molecules, and presentation were upregulated in PE stage, whereas DEGs in pathways relating to bile secretion, coagulation cascades, osteoclast differentiation, cysteine and methionine metabolism were upregulated in DE stage of the estrus cycle. The high-fold expression of DEGs was confirmed by a follow-up quantitative real-time PCR. Our findings in this current study have provided fundamental information for further dissection of neuro-molecular mechanisms in the hippocampus in response to E2 fluctuation and its relationship with disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javed Iqbal
- Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for Precision Psychiatric Technology, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No.77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China
| | - Maryam Bibi
- Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Geng-Di Huang
- Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for Precision Psychiatric Technology, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No.77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan-Xue Xue
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Mei Yang
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for Precision Psychiatric Technology, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No.77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China.
- Clinical College of Mental Health, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xiao-Jian Jia
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for Precision Psychiatric Technology, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No.77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China.
- Clinical College of Mental Health, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
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Gorman-Sandler E, Robertson B, Crawford J, Wood G, Ramesh A, Arishe OO, Webb RC, Hollis F. Gestational stress decreases postpartum mitochondrial respiration in the prefrontal cortex of female rats. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 26:100563. [PMID: 37654512 PMCID: PMC10466928 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major psychiatric complication of childbirth, affecting up to 20% of mothers, yet remains understudied. Mitochondria, dynamic organelles crucial for cell homeostasis and energy production, share links with many of the proposed mechanisms underlying PPD pathology. Brain mitochondrial function is affected by stress, a major risk factor for development of PPD, and is linked to anxiety-like and social behaviors. Considering the importance of mitochondria in regulating brain function and behavior, we hypothesized that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with behavioral alterations in a chronic stress-induced rat model of PPD. Using a validated and translationally relevant chronic mild unpredictable stress paradigm during late gestation, we induced PPD-relevant behaviors in adult postpartum Wistar rats. In the mid-postpartum, we measured mitochondrial function in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) using high-resolution respirometry. We then measured protein expression of mitochondrial complex proteins and 4-hydroxynonenal (a marker of oxidative stress), and Th1/Th2 cytokine levels in PFC and plasma. We report novel findings that gestational stress decreased mitochondrial function in the PFC, but not the NAc of postpartum dams. However, in groups controlling for the effects of either stress or parity alone, no differences in mitochondrial respiration measured in either brain regions were observed compared to nulliparous controls. This decrease in PFC mitochondrial function in stressed dams was accompanied by negative behavioral consequences in the postpartum, complex-I specific deficits in protein expression, and increased Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha cytokine levels in plasma and PFC. Overall, we report an association between PFC mitochondrial respiration, PPD-relevant behaviors, and inflammation following gestational stress, highlighting a potential role for mitochondrial function in postpartum health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Gorman-Sandler
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
- Columbia VA Health Care Systems, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Breanna Robertson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Jesseca Crawford
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
- Columbia VA Health Care Systems, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Gabrielle Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Archana Ramesh
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Olufunke O. Arishe
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
- Cardiovascular Translational Research Center, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - R. Clinton Webb
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
- Cardiovascular Translational Research Center, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
- USC Institute for Cardiovascular Disease Research, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Fiona Hollis
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
- Columbia VA Health Care Systems, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
- Cardiovascular Translational Research Center, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
- USC Institute for Cardiovascular Disease Research, Columbia, SC, USA
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Sucrose Preference Test as a Measure of Anhedonic Behavior in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Model of Depression: Outstanding Issues. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12101287. [PMID: 36291221 PMCID: PMC9599556 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12101287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite numerous studies on the neurobiology of depression, the etiological and pathophysiological mechanisms of this disorder remain poorly understood. A large number of animal models and tests to evaluate depressive-like behavior have been developed. Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) is the most common and frequently used model of depression, and the sucrose preference test (SPT) is one of the most common tests for assessing anhedonia. However, not all laboratories can reproduce the main effects of CUMS, especially when this refers to a decrease in sucrose preference. It is also unknown how the state of anhedonia, assessed by the SPT, relates to the state of anhedonia in patients with depression. We analyzed the literature available in the PubMed database using keywords relevant to the topic of this narrative review. We hypothesize that the poor reproducibility of the CUMS model may be due to differences in sucrose consumption, which may be influenced by such factors as differences in sucrose preference concentration threshold, water and food deprivation, and differences in animals’ susceptibility to stress. We also believe that comparisons between animal and human states of anhedonia should be made with caution because there are many inconsistencies between the two, including in assessment methods. We also tried to offer some recommendations that should improve the reproducibility of the CUMS model and provide a framework for future research.
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Yao C, Jiang X, Ye X, Xie T, Bai R. Antidepressant Drug Discovery and Development: Mechanism and Drug Design Based on Small Molecules. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/adtp.202200007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chuansheng Yao
- School of Pharmacy Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 PR China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti‐Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 PR China
| | - Xiaoying Jiang
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 P.R. China
| | - Xiang‐Yang Ye
- School of Pharmacy Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 PR China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti‐Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 PR China
| | - Tian Xie
- School of Pharmacy Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 PR China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti‐Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 PR China
| | - Renren Bai
- School of Pharmacy Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 PR China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti‐Cancer Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Zhejiang Province Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicines from Zhejiang Province Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121 PR China
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Duclot F, Kabbaj M. Epigenetics of Aggression. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2021; 54:283-310. [PMID: 34595741 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is a complex behavioral trait modulated by both genetic and environmental influences on gene expression. By controlling gene expression in a reversible yet potentially lasting manner in response to environmental stimulation, epigenetic mechanisms represent prime candidates in explaining both individual differences in aggression and the development of elevated aggressive behaviors following life adversity. In this manuscript, we review the evidence for an epigenetic basis in the development and expression of aggression in both humans and related preclinical animal models. In particular, we discuss reports linking DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, as well as non-coding RNA, to the regulation of a variety of genes implicated in the neurobiology of aggression including neuropeptides, the serotoninergic and dopaminergic systems, and stress response related systems. While clinical reports do reveal interesting patterns of DNA methylation underlying individual differences and experience-induced aggressive behaviors, they do, in general, face the challenge of linking peripheral observations to central nervous system regulations. Preclinical studies, on the other hand, provide detailed mechanistic insights into the epigenetic reprogramming of gene expression following life adversities. Although the functional link to aggression remains unclear in most, these studies together do highlight the involvement of epigenetic events driven by DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA in the neuroadaptations underlying the development and expression of aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
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Fan L, Yang L, Li X, Teng T, Xiang Y, Liu X, Jiang Y, Zhu Y, Zhou X, Xie P. Proteomic and metabolomic characterization of amygdala in chronic social defeat stress rats. Behav Brain Res 2021; 412:113407. [PMID: 34111472 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide. There is increasing evidence showing that depression is associated with the pathophysiology in amygdala; however, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. METHOD We established a rat model of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) and conducted a series of behavior tests to observe behavioral changes. Then liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based proteomics were employed to detect metabolomes and proteomes in the amygdala, respectively. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) and other bioinformatic analyses were used to analyze differentially expressed metabolites and proteins. RESULTS The significantly lower sucrose preference index in the sucrose preference test and longer immobile time in the forced swim test were observed in the CSDS rats compared with control rats. In the multi-omics analysis, thirty-seven significantly differentially expressed metabolites and 123 significant proteins were identified. Integrated analysis of differentially expressed metabolites and proteins by IPA revealed molecular changes mainly associated with synaptic plasticity, phospholipase c signaling, and glutamine degradation I. We compared the metabolites in the amygdala with those in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex from our previous studies and found two common metabolites: arachidonic acid and N-acetyl-l-aspartic acid among these three brain regions. CONCLUSION Our study revealed the presence of depressive-like behaviors and molecular changes of amygdala in the CSDS rat model, which may provide further insights into the pathogenesis of depression, and help to identify potential targets for antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Fan
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Lining Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xuemei Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Teng Teng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yajie Xiang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xueer Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yuanliang Jiang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yinglin Zhu
- School of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Joplin, MO, 64801, United States
| | - Xinyu Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
| | - Peng Xie
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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Misztak P, Sowa-Kućma M, Szewczyk B, Nowak G. Vorinostat (SAHA) May Exert Its Antidepressant-Like Effects Through the Modulation of Oxidative Stress Pathways. Neurotox Res 2021; 39:170-181. [PMID: 33400178 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-020-00317-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA/Vorinostat), a potent inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDACs), is known to possess antidepressant properties. However, the exact mechanisms underlying this activity are unknown. In this study, we evaluated the effect of SAHA on the expression of GluN2A, GluN2B (NMDA receptor subunits), (p-)AMPK, and ΔFos proteins which are an integral part of the signal transduction pathways in the brain and also involved in the pathophysiology of depression as well as the mechanism of antidepressant action. We also measured the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA - a product of lipid peroxidation). The study was carried out in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (Hp), brain regions implicated in depression. Although SAHA induced changes in the expression of all the proteins and MDA concentration, the effects differed depending on the drug dose, time, and brain structure involved. SAHA reduced MDA concentration and significantly increased p-AMPK protein expression, indicating it may prevent oxidative stress. SAHA also increased the levels of HDAC3 and NMDA subunits (GluN2A and GluN2B), implying it is neuroprotective and may play a crucial role in synaptic plasticity. Moreover, ΔFosB and FosB levels were significantly elevated, suggesting that SAHA may modulate learning and memory processes. Overall, the data indicate that the Hp might play a pivotal role in the mechanism of action of SAHA, hinting at novel mechanisms it play in the antidepressant and neuroprotective effects of SAHA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Misztak
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Trace Elements Neurobiology, Smetna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Sowa-Kućma
- Department of Human Physiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, Kopisto 2a, 35-959, Rzeszow, Poland
| | - Bernadeta Szewczyk
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Trace Elements Neurobiology, Smetna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland
| | - Gabriel Nowak
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Trace Elements Neurobiology, Smetna 12, 31-343, Krakow, Poland.
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11
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Kaul D, Schwab SG, Mechawar N, Matosin N. How stress physically re-shapes the brain: Impact on brain cell shapes, numbers and connections in psychiatric disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 124:193-215. [PMID: 33556389 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Severe stress is among the most robust risk factors for the development of psychiatric disorders. Imaging studies indicate that life stress is integral to shaping the human brain, especially regions involved in processing the stress response. Although this is likely underpinned by changes to the cytoarchitecture of cellular networks in the brain, we are yet to clearly understand how these define a role for stress in human psychopathology. In this review, we consolidate evidence of macro-structural morphometric changes and the cellular mechanisms that likely underlie them. Focusing on stress-sensitive regions of the brain, we illustrate how stress throughout life may lead to persistent remodelling of the both neurons and glia in cellular networks and how these may lead to psychopathology. We support that greater translation of cellular alterations to human cohorts will support parsing the psychological sequalae of severe stress and improve our understanding of how stress shapes the human brain. This will remain a critical step for improving treatment interventions and prevention outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Kaul
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia
| | - Sibylle G Schwab
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle blvd, Verdun, Qc, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Natalie Matosin
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany.
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12
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Misztak P, Pańczyszyn-Trzewik P, Nowak G, Sowa-Kućma M. Epigenetic marks and their relationship with BDNF in the brain of suicide victims. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239335. [PMID: 32970734 PMCID: PMC7513998 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Suicide is a common phenomenon affecting people of all ages. There is a strong relationship between suicidal ideation and depressive disorders. Increasing number of studies suggest that epigenetic modifications in certain brain areas are the main mechanism through which environmental and genetic factors interact with each other contributing to the development of mental disorders. To verify this hypothesis, some epigenetic marks: H3K9/14ac, HDAC2/3, H3K27me2 and Sin3a, as well as p-S421-MeCP2/MeCP2 were examined. On the other hand, BDNF protein level were studied. Materials and methods Western blot analysis were performed in the frontal cortex (FCx) and hippocampus (HP) of suicide victims (n = 14) and non-suicidal controls (n = 8). The differences between groups and correlations between selected proteins were evaluated using Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman’s rank correlation. Results Statistically significant decrease in H3K9/14ac (FCx:↓~23%;HP:↓~33%) combined with increase in HDAC3 (FCx:↑~103%;HP:↑~85% in HP) protein levels in suicides compared to the controls was shown. These alterations were accompanied by an increase in H3K27me2 (FCx:↑45%;HP:↑~59%) and Sin3a (HP:↑50%) levels and decrease in p-S421-MeCP2/MeCP2 protein ratio (HP:↓~55%;FCx:↓~27%). Moreover, reduced BDNF protein level (FCx:↓~43%;HP:↓~28%) in suicides was observed. On the other hand, some significant correlations (e.g. between H3K9/14ac and HDAC2 or between BDNF and p-S421-MeCP2/MeCP2) were demonstrated. Conclusions Our findings confirm the role of epigenetic component and BDNF protein in suicidal behavior. Lowered BDNF protein level in suicides is probably due to decrease in histone acetylation and increased level of factors related with deacetylation and methylation processes, including MeCP2 factor, which may operate bidirectionally (an activator or inhibitor of transcription).
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Misztak
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
- Chair of Pharmacobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Patrycja Pańczyszyn-Trzewik
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Human Physiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, Rzeszow, Poland
| | - Gabriel Nowak
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
- Chair of Pharmacobiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Sowa-Kućma
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Human Physiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, Rzeszow, Poland
- * E-mail: ,
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13
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Warren BL, Mazei-Robison MS, Robison AJ, Iñiguez SD. Can I Get a Witness? Using Vicarious Defeat Stress to Study Mood-Related Illnesses in Traditionally Understudied Populations. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:381-391. [PMID: 32228871 PMCID: PMC7725411 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The chronic social defeat stress model has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of neurobiology relevant to affect-related illnesses, including major depressive disorder. However, the classic chronic social defeat stress procedure is limited by its exclusive application to adult male rodents. We have recently developed a novel vicarious social defeat stress procedure wherein one mouse witnesses the physical defeat bout of a conspecific from the safety of an adjacent compartment. This witness mouse develops a similar behavioral phenotype to that of the mouse that physically experiences social defeat stress, modeling multiple aspects of major depressive disorder. Importantly, this new procedure allows researchers to perform vicarious social defeat stress in males or females and in juvenile mice, which typically are excluded from classic social defeat experiments. Here we discuss several recent advances made using this procedure and how its application provides a new preclinical approach to study the neurobiology of psychological stress-induced phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L Warren
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | | | - Alfred J Robison
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Sergio D Iñiguez
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas.
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14
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Reguilón MD, Ferrer-Pérez C, Ballestín R, Miñarro J, Rodríguez-Arias M. Voluntary wheel running protects against the increase in ethanol consumption induced by social stress in mice. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 212:108004. [PMID: 32408137 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that exposure to social defeat (SD), a model of social stress, produces a long-term increase in the consumption of ethanol, most likely through an increase in the neuroinflammation response. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether exposure to physical activity in the form of voluntary wheel running (VWR) could block the increase in ethanol consumption and the neuroinflammatory response induced by social stress. Mice were exposed to either 4 sessions of repeated social defeat (RSD) or a non-stressful experience. During the whole procedure, half of the mice were exposed to controlled physical activity, being allowed 1 h access to a low-profile running wheel three times a week. Three weeks after the last RSD, animals started the oral self-administration (SA) of ethanol (6% EtOH) procedure. Biological samples were taken 4 h after the first and the fourth RSD, 3 weeks after the last RSD, and after the SA procedure. Brain tissue (striatum) was used to determine protein levels of the chemokines fractalkine (CX3CL1) and SDF-1 (CXCL12). RSD induced an increase in ethanol consumption and caused greater motivation to obtain ethanol. The striatal levels of CX3CL1 and CXCL12 were also increased after the last RSD. VWR was able to reverse the increase in ethanol intake induced by social stress and the neuroinflammatory response. In conclusion, our results suggest that VWR could be a promising tool to prevent and reduce the detrimental effects induced by social stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Reguilón
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad De Psicología, Universitat De Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - C Ferrer-Pérez
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad De Psicología, Universitat De Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - R Ballestín
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad De Psicología, Universitat De Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - J Miñarro
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad De Psicología, Universitat De Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - M Rodríguez-Arias
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad De Psicología, Universitat De Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
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15
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Hakim JD, Chami J, Keay KA. μ-Opioid and dopamine-D2 receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens of male Sprague-Dawley rats whose sucrose consumption, but not preference, decreases after nerve injury. Behav Brain Res 2020; 381:112416. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Abstract
Estrogen (E2) modulates a wide range of neural functions such as spine formation, synaptic plasticity, and neurotransmission in the hippocampus. Dendritic spines and synapse numbers in hippocampal neurons of female rats cyclically fluctuate across the estrous cycle, but the key genes responsible for these fluctuations are still unknown. In order to address this question, we explore the hippocampal transcriptome via RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) at the proestrus (PE) and estrus (ES) stages in female rats. At standard fold-change selection criteria, 37 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found in PE vs. ES groups (FDR adjusted p-value (q)<0.05). The transcriptional changes identified by RNA-seq were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. To gain insight into the function of the DEGs, the E2-regulated genes were annotated by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database (KEGG). Based on GO and KEGG pathways, the identified DEGs of PE vs. ES stages are involved in extracellular matrix formation, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, oxidative stress, neuroprotection, immune system, oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination, signal transduction pathways, growth factor signaling, retinoid signaling, aging, cellular process, metabolism and transport. The profiles of the gene expression in the hippocampus identified at the PE vs. ES stages were compared with the gene expression profiles in ovariectomized (OVX) rats receiving E2 replacement via RNA-seq and qPCR. The profiles of gene expression between the OVX+E2 and the estrous cycle were different and the possible causes were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javed Iqbal
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhi-Nei Tan
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Min-Xing Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui-Bin Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Boyu Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Xin-Ming Ma
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
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17
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Luo SC, Duan KM, Fang C, Li DY, Zheng SS, Yang SQ, Yang ST, Yang M, Zhang LB, Wang SY. Correlations Between SIRT Genetic Polymorphisms and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Parturients Who Had Undergone Cesarean Section. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2020; 16:3225-3238. [PMID: 33380799 PMCID: PMC7769146 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s278248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of genetic polymorphisms of SIRT with postpartum depressive symptoms and analyze the risk factors for postpartum depressive symptoms in women following cesarean section. METHODS A total of 368 Chinese woman undergoing cesarean section were enrolled in this study. A cutoff of ≥10 for the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale identified postpartum depressive symptoms. Genotypes of SIRT1, SIRT 2, and SIRT 6 were determined using Sequenom MassArray single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. We analyzed the contribution of genetic factors (SNPs, linkage disequilibrium, and haplotype) to postpartum depressive symptoms and performed logistic regression analysis to identify all potential risk factors for postpartum depressive symptoms and define interactions between genetic and environmental factors. RESULTS The incidence of postpartum depressive symptoms was 18.7% in this cohort. Univariate analysis suggested that SIRT2 polymorphism at rs2873703 (TT genotype) and rs4801933 ((TT genotype) and SIRT6 polymorphism at rs350846 (CC genotype) and rs107251 (TT genotype) were significantly correlated with the occurrence of postpartum depressive symptoms (p<0.05). Linkage disequilibrium was identified between SIRT6 polymorphisms rs350846 and rs107251. Incidence of postpartum depressive symptoms in cesarean-section parturients with SIRT2 haplotype CCC was decreased (OR 0.407, 95% CI 0.191-0.867; p=0.016). SIRT2 polymorphisms rs2873703 and rs4801933 were multiply collinear. Logistic regression analysis showed that SIRT2 polymorphism at rs2873703 (TT genotype) and rs4801933 (TT genotype), domestic violence, stress during pregnancy, and depressive prenatal mood were risk factors for postpartum depressive symptoms (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Pregnant women with SIRT2 genotypes rs2873703 TT and rs4801933 TT and experiencing domestic violence, stress during pregnancy, and prenatal depression are more likely to suffer from postpartum depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Chao Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai-Ming Duan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Fang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China.,Postdoctoral Research Workstation of Clinical Medicine, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan-Yang Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan-Shan Zheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Si-Qi Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Shu-Ting Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Mi Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang-Bin Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Sai-Ying Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, People's Republic of China
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18
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Depression is associated with various environmental risk factors such as stress, childhood maltreatment experiences, and stressful life events. Current approaches to assess the pathophysiology of depression, such as epigenetics and gene-environment (GxE) interactions, have been widely leveraged to determine plausible markers, genes, and variants for the risk of developing depression. METHODS We focus on the most recent developments for genomic research in epigenetics and GxE interactions. RESULTS In this review, we first survey a variety of association studies regarding depression with consideration of GxE interactions. We then illustrate evidence of epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, microRNAs, and histone modifications to influence depression in terms of animal models and human studies. Finally, we highlight their limitations and future directions. CONCLUSION In light of emerging technologies in artificial intelligence and machine learning, future research in epigenetics and GxE interactions promises to achieve novel innovations that may lead to disease prevention and future potential therapeutic treatments for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Lin
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA , USA.,Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Jen Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Division of Psychiatry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
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19
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Sase AS, Lombroso SI, Santhumayor BA, Wood RR, Lim CJ, Neve RL, Heller EA. Sex-Specific Regulation of Fear Memory by Targeted Epigenetic Editing of Cdk5. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 85:623-634. [PMID: 30661667 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in the expression and prevalence of trauma- and stress-related disorders have led to a growing interest in the sex-specific molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying these diseases. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is known to underlie both fear memory and stress behavior in male mice. Given our recent finding that targeted histone acetylation of Cdk5 regulates stress responsivity in male mice, we hypothesized that such a mechanism may be functionally relevant in female mice as well. METHODS We applied epigenetic editing of Cdk5 in the hippocampus and examined the regulation of fear memory retrieval in male and female mice. Viral expression of zinc finger proteins targeting histone acetylation to the Cdk5 promoter was paired with a quantification of learning and memory of contextual fear conditioning, expression of CDK5, and enrichment of histone modifications of the Cdk5 gene. RESULTS We found that male mice exhibit stronger long-term memory retrieval than do female mice, and this finding was associated with male-specific epigenetic activation of hippocampal Cdk5 expression. Sex differences in behavior and epigenetic regulation of Cdk5 occurred after long-term, but not short-term, fear memory retrieval. Finally, targeted histone acetylation of hippocampal Cdk5 promoter attenuated fear memory retrieval and increased tau phosphorylation in female but not male mice. CONCLUSIONS Epigenetic editing uncovered a female-specific role of Cdk5 activation in attenuating fear memory retrieval. This finding may be attributed to CDK5 mediated hyperphosphorylation of tau only in the female hippocampus. Sex-specific epigenetic regulation of Cdk5 may reflect differences in the effect of CDK5 on downstream target proteins that regulate memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajinkya S Sase
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sonia I Lombroso
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Brandon A Santhumayor
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rozalyn R Wood
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Carissa J Lim
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth A Heller
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Penn Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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20
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Brown A, Fiori LM, Turecki G. Bridging Basic and Clinical Research in Early Life Adversity, DNA Methylation, and Major Depressive Disorder. Front Genet 2019; 10:229. [PMID: 30984237 PMCID: PMC6448008 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA)- including childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as childhood neglect- is an important predictive factor for negative psychopathology, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). ELA can epigenetically regulate key emotional and behavioral systems in ways that can stably persist into adulthood and contribute to the development of MDD and other psychopathology. DNA methylation has been one of the most investigated forms of epigenetic regulation in ELA to MDD pathway. From these studies, genes and sites associated with ELA/MDD have been identified and should be further investigated in order to identify potential avenues for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Brown
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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21
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LeGates TA, Kvarta MD, Thompson SM. Sex differences in antidepressant efficacy. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:140-154. [PMID: 30082889 PMCID: PMC6235879 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0156-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences have been observed across many psychiatric diseases, especially mood disorders. For major depression, the most prevalent psychiatric disorder, females show a roughly two-fold greater risk as compared to males. Depression is sexually dimorphic with males and females exhibiting differences in clinical presentation, course, and response to antidepressant treatment. In this review, we first discuss sex differences observed in depressed patients, as well as animal models that reveal potential underlying mechanisms. We then discuss antidepressant treatments including their proposed mechanism of action and sex differences observed in treatment response. We include possible mechanisms underlying these sex differences with particular focus on synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara A. LeGates
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Mark D. Kvarta
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Scott M. Thompson
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA ,0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
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22
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Montagud-Romero S, Blanco-Gandía MC, Reguilón MD, Ferrer-Pérez C, Ballestín R, Miñarro J, Rodríguez-Arias M. Social defeat stress: Mechanisms underlying the increase in rewarding effects of drugs of abuse. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 48:2948-2970. [PMID: 30144331 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Social interaction is known to be the main source of stress in human beings, which explains the translational importance of this research in animals. Evidence reported over the last decade has revealed that, when exposed to social defeat experiences (brief episodes of social confrontations during adolescence and adulthood), the rodent brain undergoes remodeling and functional modifications, which in turn lead to an increase in the rewarding and reinstating effects of different drugs of abuse. The mechanisms by which social stress cause changes in the brain and behavior are unknown, and so the objective of this review is to contemplate how social defeat stress induces long-lasting consequences that modify the reward system. First of all, we will describe the most characteristic results of the short- and long-term consequences of social defeat stress on the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse such as psychostimulants and alcohol. Secondly, and throughout the review, we will carefully assess the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these effects, including changes in the dopaminergic system, corticotrophin releasing factor signaling, epigenetic modifications and the neuroinflammatory response. To conclude, we will consider the advantages and disadvantages and the translational value of the social defeat stress model, and will discuss challenges and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Montagud-Romero
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Marina D Reguilón
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carmen Ferrer-Pérez
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Raul Ballestín
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jose Miñarro
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Rodríguez-Arias
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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23
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Saland SK, Kabbaj M. Sex Differences in the Pharmacokinetics of Low-dose Ketamine in Plasma and Brain of Male and Female Rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2018; 367:393-404. [PMID: 30213876 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.118.251652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent work from our group and others has revealed a higher sensitivity of female rodents to the antidepressant-like effects of the N-methyl d-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine strongly influenced by circulating estrogen and progesterone levels. However, in the absence of any preclinical studies of pharmacokinetic sex differences using low-dose ketamine in rats, it is unclear whether the effects of sex and hormonal milieu on ketamine's behavioral actions are influenced by differences in ketamine metabolism between male and female rats. Therefore, this work examined whether sex and hormonal status affect ketamine metabolism and distribution in male and female rats using a low antidepressant-like dose selectively effective in females. Intact male rats and female rats in either diestrus (low estrogen, progesterone) or proestrus (high estrogen, progesterone) were administered low-dose ketamine, and their plasma and brains were collected to analyze levels of ketamine and its metabolites norketamine (NK) and dehydronorketamine. Females exhibited greater concentrations of ketamine and NK over the first 30 min following treatment in both brain and plasma, largely accounted for by slower clearance rates and longer half-lives. Interestingly, despite the impact of ovarian hormones on behavioral sensitivity to ketamine, no appreciable differences in pharmacokinetic parameters existed between proestrus and diestrus female rats. This work is the first to demonstrate sex differences in ketamine pharmacokinetics in rats, and suggests that while sex differences in metabolism may influence the amount of ketamine and NK reaching target areas in the brain, the impact of circulating hormone levels here is negligible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha K Saland
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
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24
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Finnell JE, Muniz BL, Padi AR, Lombard CM, Moffitt CM, Wood CS, Wilson LB, Reagan LP, Wilson MA, Wood SK. Essential Role of Ovarian Hormones in Susceptibility to the Consequences of Witnessing Social Defeat in Female Rats. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:372-382. [PMID: 29544773 PMCID: PMC6067999 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women are at greater risk than men of developing depression and comorbid disorders such as cardiovascular disease. This enhanced risk begins at puberty and ends following menopause, suggesting a role for ovarian hormones in this sensitivity. Here we used a model of psychosocial witness stress in female rats to determine the stress-induced neurobiological adaptations that underlie stress susceptibility in an ovarian hormone-dependent manner. METHODS Intact or ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were exposed to five daily 15-minute witness-stress exposures. Witness-stress-evoked burying, behavioral despair, and anhedonia were measured. Cardiovascular telemetry was combined with plasma measurements of inflammation, epinephrine, and corticosterone as indices of cardiovascular dysfunction. Finally, levels of interleukin-1β and corticotropin-releasing factor were assessed in the central amygdala. RESULTS Witness stress produced anxiety-like burying, depressive-like anhedonia, and behavioral despair selectively in intact female rats, which was associated with enhanced sympathetic responses during stress, including increased blood pressure, heart rate, and arrhythmias. Moreover, intact female rats exhibited increases in 12-hour resting systolic pressure and heart rate and reductions in heart rate variability. Notably, OVX female rats remained resilient. Moreover, intact, but not OVX, female rats exposed to witness stress exhibited a sensitized cytokine and epinephrine response to stress and distinct increases in levels of corticotropin-releasing factor and interleukin-1β in the central amygdala. CONCLUSIONS Together these data suggest that ovarian hormones play a critical role in the behavioral, inflammatory, and cardiovascular susceptibility to social stress in female rats and reveal putative systems that are sensitized to stress in an ovarian hormone-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E. Finnell
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Brandon L. Muniz
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Akhila R. Padi
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Calliandra M. Lombard
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Casey M. Moffitt
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Christopher S. Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - L. Britt Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Lawrence P. Reagan
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Marlene A. Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Susan K. Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209
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Shimamoto A. Social Defeat Stress, Sex, and Addiction-Like Behaviors. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2018; 140:271-313. [PMID: 30193707 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2018.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Social confrontation is a form of social interaction in animals where two conspecific individuals confront each other in dispute over territory, during the formation of hierarchies, and during breeding seasons. Typically, a social confrontation involves a prevailing individual and a yielding individual. The prevailing individual often exhibits aggressive postures and launches attacks, whereas the yielding individual often adopts postures of defeat. The yielding or defeated animals experience a phenomenon known as social defeat stress, in which they show exaggerated stress as well as autonomic and endocrine responses that cause impairment of both the brain and body. In laboratory settings, one can reliably generate social defeat stress by allowing a naïve (or already defeated) animal to intrude into a home cage in which its resident has already established a territory or is nursing. This resident-intruder paradigm has been widely used in both males and females to study mechanisms in the brain that underlie the stress responses. Stress has profound effects on drug reward for cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, and opioids. Particularly, previous experiences with social defeat can exaggerate subsequent addiction-like behaviors. The extent of these addiction-like behaviors depends on the intensity, duration, frequency, and intermittency of the confrontation episodes. This chapter describes four types of social defeat stress: acute, repeated, intermittent, and chronic. Specifically, it focuses on social defeat stress models used in laboratories to study individual, sex, and animal strain differences in addiction-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Shimamoto
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience, and Pharmacology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, United States.
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Peña CJ, Nestler EJ. Progress in Epigenetics of Depression. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2018; 157:41-66. [PMID: 29933956 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2017.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Depression is a prevalent and complex psychiatric syndrome. Epigenetic mechanisms bridge the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the pathophysiology of depression. A surge of research over the last decade has identified changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, histone organization, and noncoding RNAs associated with depression and stress-induced depression-like behavior in animal models. We focus here on associations of epigenetic factors concurrent with depression and depression-like behavior, although risk for depression and some of the associated epigenetic changes are known to have developmental origins. Finally, emerging technology may enable breakthroughs in the ability to rescue depression-associated epigenetic modifications at specific genes, greatly enhancing specificity of future potential therapeutic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine J Peña
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.
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Règue-Guyon M, Lanfumey L, Mongeau R. Neuroepigenetics of Neurotrophin Signaling: Neurobiology of Anxiety and Affective Disorders. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2018; 158:159-193. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Zaletel I, Filipović D, Puškaš N. Hippocampal BDNF in physiological conditions and social isolation. Rev Neurosci 2017; 28:675-692. [DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2016-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractExposure of an organism to chronic psychosocial stress may affect brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression that has been implicated in the etiology of psychiatric disorders, such as depression. Given that depression in humans has been linked with social stress, the chronic social stress paradigms for modeling psychiatric disorders in animals have thus been developed. Chronic social isolation in animal models generally causes changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning, associated with anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. Also, this chronic stress causes downregulation of BDNF protein and mRNA in the hippocampus, a stress-sensitive brain region closely related to the pathophysiology of depression. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge regarding the structure, function, intracellular signaling, inter-individual differences and epigenetic regulation of BDNF in both physiological conditions and depression and changes in corticosterone levels, as a marker of stress response. Since BDNF levels are age dependent in humans and rodents, this review will also highlight the effects of adolescent and adult chronic social isolation models of both genders on the BDNF expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Zaletel
- Institute of Histology and Embryology “Aleksandar Ð. Kostić”, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dragana Filipović
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, Institute of Nuclear Sciences “Vinča”, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nela Puškaš
- Institute of Histology and Embryology “Aleksandar Ð. Kostić”, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Višegradska 26, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Lehner M, Gryz M, Wisłowska-Stanek A, Turzyńska D, Sobolewska A, Skórzewska A, Płaźnik A. The amphetamine-associated context exerts a stronger motivational effect in low-anxiety rats than in high-anxiety rats. Behav Brain Res 2017; 330:97-107. [PMID: 28479265 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study used the conditioned place preference test to explore the effects of subchronic amphetamine administration on drug-associated cues in rats with different emotional reactivity. We also examined the changes in markers of dopaminergic activity in brain regions in response to the amphetamine-paired context, after a withdrawal period preceded by subchronic amphetamine treatment. We used low-anxiety (LR) and high-anxiety (HR) rats, which are known to exhibit distinct levels of susceptibility to amphetamine. Compared to HR rats, LR rats spent significantly more time in the amphetamine-paired compartment after the withdrawal period preceded by subchronic amphetamine treatment. Compared to HR control rats, LR control rats showed higher expression of the D1 receptor in the nucleus accumbens core (NAC core) and basolateral amygdala and higher expression of the D2 receptor in the NAC core. After the amphetamine treatment and withdrawal period, the LR rats showed higher D1 receptor expression in the NAC core, an increased level of homovanilic acid (HVA) in the prefrontal cortex, the NAC and the central amygdala than HR rats, as well as lower D2 receptor expression in the NAC core and the amygdala than LR control rats. These results indicate that the differences in the activity of the dopaminergic mesolimbic system in the HR and LR rats are maintained and even enhanced after a multi-day break in the use of the drug, indicating the occurrence of sensitisation. These findings show that the innate reactivity of the limbic dopaminergic innervations, dependent on the level of emotional reactivity, may significantly and chronically modify the development and maintenance of sensitisation to amphetamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Lehner
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Marek Gryz
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Wisłowska-Stanek
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology CEPT, 1B Banacha Streeet, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Danuta Turzyńska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alicja Sobolewska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Skórzewska
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adam Płaźnik
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Centre for Preclinical Research and Technology CEPT, 1B Banacha Streeet, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
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Modeling hypohedonia following repeated social defeat: Individual vulnerability and dopaminergic involvement. Physiol Behav 2017; 177:99-106. [PMID: 28433467 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Social defeat in rodents putatively can model hypohedonia. The present studies examined models for assessing hypohedonia-like behavior and tested the hypotheses that 1) individual differences in baseline reward sensitivity predict vulnerability, and 2) defeat elicits changes in pharmacological measures of striatal dopaminergic function. Male Wistar rats (n=142) received repeated defeat (3 "triad" blocks of 3 defeats) or control handling. To determine whether defeat influenced consumption of SuperSac (glucose-saccharin) over an isocaloric, less preferred, glucose solution, a 2-choice paradigm was used. To determine repeated defeat effects on the reinforcing efficacy of SuperSac, a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement was used. Amphetamine-induced locomotor activity (0.08mg/kg, s.c.) was determined as a measure sensitive to striatal dopaminergic function. Defeat reduced SuperSac consumption during the first two triads-an effect seen in the third triad only in defeated rats with High vs. Low baseline SuperSac intake. The characteristic escalation in PR breakpoint for SuperSac normally seen in controls was absent in defeated rats, leading to a significant difference by the third triad. Defeat-induced blunting of the escalation in PR performance was greater in rats with High antecedent PR breakpoints and persisted 2.5weeks post-defeat. Repeated defeat also blunted amphetamine-induced locomotion 13days post-defeat. Thus, hypohedonic-like effects of social defeat were detected and accompanied by persistently attenuated striatal dopamine function. Early effects were seen for consumption of differentially-palatable solutions, and persistent effects were seen for the "breakpoint" motivational measure. The results implicate initial reward sensitivity as a risk factor for stress-induced hypohedonia.
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Bonnaud EM, Suberbielle E, Malnou CE. Histone acetylation in neuronal (dys)function. Biomol Concepts 2017; 7:103-16. [PMID: 27101554 DOI: 10.1515/bmc-2016-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive functions require the expression of an appropriate pattern of genes in response to environmental stimuli. Over the last years, many studies have accumulated knowledge towards the understanding of molecular mechanisms that regulate neuronal gene expression. Epigenetic modifications have been shown to play an important role in numerous neuronal functions, from synaptic plasticity to learning and memory. In particular, histone acetylation is a central player in these processes. In this review, we present the molecular mechanisms of histone acetylation and summarize the data underlying the relevance of histone acetylation in cognitive functions in normal and pathological conditions. In the last part, we discuss the different mechanisms underlying the dysregulation of histone acetylation associated with neurological disorders, with a particular focus on environmental causes (stress, drugs, or infectious agents) that are linked to impaired histone acetylation.
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McCann KE, Rosenhauer AM, Jones GM, Norvelle A, Choi DC, Huhman KL. Histone deacetylase and acetyltransferase inhibitors modulate behavioral responses to social stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 75:100-109. [PMID: 27810703 PMCID: PMC5135625 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Histone acetylation has emerged as a critical factor regulating learning and memory both during and after exposure to stressful stimuli. There are drugs that we now know affect histone acetylation that are already in use in clinical populations. The current study uses these drugs to examine the consequences of acutely increasing or decreasing histone acetylation during exposure to social stress. Using an acute model of social defeat in Syrian hamsters, we systemically and site-specifically administered drugs that alter histone acetylation and measured subsequent behavior and immediate-early gene activity. We found that systemic administration of a histone deacetylase inhibitor enhances social stress-induced behavioral responses in males and females. We also found that systemic administration completely blocks defeat-induced neuronal activation, as measured by Fos-immunoreactivity, in the infralimbic cortex, but not in the amygdala, after a mild social defeat stressor. Lastly, we demonstrated that site-specific administration of histone deacetylase inhibitors in the infralimbic region of the prefrontal cortex, but not in the basolateral amygdala, mimics the systemic effect. Conversely, decreasing acetylation by inhibiting histone acetyltransferases in the infralimbic cortex reduces behavioral responses to defeat. This is the first demonstration that acute pharmacological manipulation of histone acetylation during social defeat alters subsequent behavioral responses in both males and females. These results reveal that even systemic administration of drugs that alter histone acetylation can significantly alter behavioral responses to social stress and highlight the importance of the infralimbic cortex in mediating this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alisa Norvelle
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, 161 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
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Vasconcelos M, Stein DJ, de Almeida RMM. Social defeat protocol and relevant biomarkers, implications for stress response physiology, drug abuse, mood disorders and individual stress vulnerability: a systematic review of the last decade. TRENDS IN PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY 2016. [PMID: 26222297 DOI: 10.1590/2237-6089-2014-0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Social defeat (SD) in rats, which results from male intraspecific confrontations, is ethologically relevant and useful to understand stress effects on physiology and behavior. METHODS A systematic review of studies about biomarkers induced by the SD protocol and published from 2002 to 2013 was carried out in the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Knowledge and ScienceDirect. The search terms were: social defeat, rat, neurotrophins, neuroinflammatory markers, and transcriptional factors. RESULTS Classical and recently discovered biomarkers were found to be relevant in stress-induced states. Findings were summarized in accordance to the length of exposure to stress: single, repeated, intermittent and continuous SD. This review found that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a distinct marker of stress adaptation. Along with glucocorticoids and catecholamines, BDNF seems to be important in understanding stress physiology. CONCLUSION The SD model provides a relevant tool to study stress response features, development of addictive behaviors, clinic depression and anxiety, as well as individual differences in vulnerability and resilience to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mailton Vasconcelos
- Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Dirson João Stein
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rosa Maria M de Almeida
- Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Montagud-Romero S, Montesinos J, Pascual M, Aguilar MA, Roger-Sanchez C, Guerri C, Miñarro J, Rodríguez-Arias M. `Up-regulation of histone acetylation induced by social defeat mediates the conditioned rewarding effects of cocaine. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2016; 70:39-48. [PMID: 27180319 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2016.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 04/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Social defeat (SD) induces a long-lasting increase in the rewarding effects of psychostimulants measured using the self-administration and conditioned place procedures (CPP). However, little is known about the epigenetic changes induced by social stress and about their role in the increased response to the rewarding effects of psychostimulants. Considering that histone acetylation regulates transcriptional activity and contributes to drug-induced behavioral changes, we addressed the hypothesis that SD induces transcriptional changes by histone modifications associated with the acquisition of place conditioning. After a fourth defeat, H3(K9) acetylation was decreased in the hippocampus, while there was an increase of HAT and a decrease of HDAC levels in the cortex. Three weeks after the last defeat, mice displayed an increase in histone H4(K12) acetylation and an upregulation of histone acetyl transferase (HAT) activity in the hippocampus. In addition, H3(K4)me3, which is closely associated with transcriptional initiation, was also augmented in the hippocampus three weeks after the last defeat. Inhibition of HAT by curcumin (100mg/kg) before each SD blocked the increase in the conditioned reinforcing effects of 1mg/kg of cocaine, while inhibition of HDAC by valproic acid (500mg/kg) before social stress potentiated cocaine-induced CPP. Preference was reinstated when animals received a priming dose of 0.5mg/kg of cocaine, an effect that was absent in untreated defeated mice. These results suggest that the experience of SD induces chromatin remodeling, alters histone acetylation and methylation, and modifies the effects of cocaine on place conditioning. They also point to epigenetic mechanisms as potential avenues leading to new treatments for the long-term effects of social stress on drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Montagud-Romero
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - J Montesinos
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology of Alcohol, Príncipe Felipe Research Center, C/Eduardo Primo Yúfera, 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - M Pascual
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology of Alcohol, Príncipe Felipe Research Center, C/Eduardo Primo Yúfera, 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - M A Aguilar
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - C Roger-Sanchez
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - C Guerri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology of Alcohol, Príncipe Felipe Research Center, C/Eduardo Primo Yúfera, 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - J Miñarro
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - M Rodríguez-Arias
- Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
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BAZ1B in Nucleus Accumbens Regulates Reward-Related Behaviors in Response to Distinct Emotional Stimuli. J Neurosci 2016; 36:3954-61. [PMID: 27053203 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3254-15.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling proteins are being implicated increasingly in the regulation of complex behaviors, including models of several psychiatric disorders. Here, we demonstrate that Baz1b, an accessory subunit of the ISWI family of chromatin remodeling complexes, is upregulated in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key brain reward region, in both chronic cocaine-treated mice and mice that are resilient to chronic social defeat stress. In contrast, no regulation is seen in mice that are susceptible to this chronic stress. Viral-mediated overexpression of Baz1b, along with its associated subunit Smarca5, in mouse NAc is sufficient to potentiate both rewarding responses to cocaine, including cocaine self-administration, and resilience to chronic social defeat stress. However, despite these similar, proreward behavioral effects, genome-wide mapping of BAZ1B in NAc revealed mostly distinct subsets of genes regulated by these chromatin remodeling proteins after chronic exposure to either cocaine or social stress. Together, these findings suggest important roles for BAZ1B and its associated chromatin remodeling complexes in NAc in the regulation of reward behaviors to distinct emotional stimuli and highlight the stimulus-specific nature of the actions of these regulatory proteins. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We show that BAZ1B, a component of chromatin remodeling complexes, in the nucleus accumbens regulates reward-related behaviors in response to chronic exposure to both rewarding and aversive stimuli by regulating largely distinct subsets of genes.
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Duclot F, Perez-Taboada I, Wright KN, Kabbaj M. Prediction of individual differences in fear response by novelty seeking, and disruption of contextual fear memory reconsolidation by ketamine. Neuropharmacology 2016; 109:293-305. [PMID: 27343386 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Only a portion of the population exposed to trauma will develop persistent emotional alterations characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which illustrates the necessity for identifying vulnerability factors and novel pharmacotherapeutic alternatives. Interestingly, clinical evidence suggests that novelty seeking is a good predictor for vulnerability to the development of excessive and persistent fear. Here, we first tested this hypothesis by analyzing contextual and cued fear responses of rats selected for their high (high responders, HR) or low (low responders, LR) exploration of a novel environment, indicator of novelty seeking. While HR and LR rats exhibited similar sensitivity to the shock and cued fear memory retention, fewer extinction sessions were required in HR than LR animals to reach extinction, indicating faster contextual and cued memory extinction. In a second part, we found an effective disruption of contextual fear reconsolidation by the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine, associated with a down-regulation of early growth response 1 (Egr1) in the hippocampal CA1 area, and up-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) mRNA levels in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortices. Altogether, these data demonstrate a link between novelty seeking and conditioned fear extinction, and highlight a promising novel role of ketamine in affecting established fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Iara Perez-Taboada
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Katherine N Wright
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
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Finnell JE, Wood SK. Neuroinflammation at the interface of depression and cardiovascular disease: Evidence from rodent models of social stress. Neurobiol Stress 2016; 4:1-14. [PMID: 27981185 PMCID: PMC5146276 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2016.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A large body of evidence has emerged linking stressful experiences, particularly from one's social environment, with psychiatric disorders. However, vast individual differences emerge in susceptibility to developing stress-related pathology which may be due to distinct differences in the inflammatory response to social stress. Furthermore, depression is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, another inflammatory-related disease, and results in increased mortality in depressed patients. This review is focused on discussing evidence for stress exposure resulting in persistent or sensitized inflammation in one individual while this response is lacking in others. Particular focus will be directed towards reviewing the literature underlying the impact that neuroinflammation has on neurotransmitters and neuropeptides that could be involved in the pathogenesis of comorbid depression and cardiovascular disease. Finally, the theme throughout the review will be to explore the notion that stress-induced inflammation is a key player in the high rate of comorbidity between psychosocial disorders and cardiovascular disease.
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Key Words
- 5-HT, Serotonin
- BDNF, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
- CRF, Corticotrophin-releasing factor
- CRP, C reactive protein
- CVD, Cardiovascular disease
- DA, Dopamine
- DR, Dorsal raphe
- IL, Interleukin
- IL-1Ra, Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist
- IL-1r2, Interleukin 1 receptor type 2
- INF, Interferon
- KYN, Kynurenine
- LC, Locus coeruleus
- LPS, Lipopolysaccharide
- MCP, Monocyte chemoattractant protein
- NE, Norepinephrine
- NPY, Neuropeptide Y
- PTSD, Post traumatic stress disorder
- SSRI, Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor
- TNF, Tumor necrosis factor
- Trk, Tyrosine receptor kinase
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E Finnell
- Department of Pharmacology Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, USA
| | - Susan K Wood
- Department of Pharmacology Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, USA
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Sex differences in sleep, anhedonia, and HPA axis activity in a rat model of chronic social defeat. Neurobiol Stress 2016; 3:105-113. [PMID: 27981183 PMCID: PMC5146204 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2015] [Revised: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Repeated bouts of a major stressor such as social defeat are well known to induce a depression phenotype in male rats. Despite strong evidence and acknowledgement that women have a two-fold lifetime greater risk of developing major depression compared to men, the inclusion of female rats in studies employing social defeat are very rare; their absence is attributed to less aggressive interactions. This study sought to compare in male and female rats the impact of repeated social defeat, three times per week for four weeks, on the development of changes in sleep architecture and continuity, sucrose preference as a measure of anhedonia, changes in body weight, and basal plasma corticosterone levels. We found significant reductions in rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) during the light phase in both females and males, and significant increases in numbers of vigilance state transitions during the early dark phase in females but not in males. Additionally, females exhibited significantly greater reductions in sucrose intake than males. On the other hand, no sex differences in significantly elevated basal corticosterone levels were evident, and only the males exhibited changes in body weight. Taken together these findings suggest that the inclusion of female rats in studies of social defeat may offer greater insights in studies of stress and depression.
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Stress Response and Perinatal Reprogramming: Unraveling (Mal)adaptive Strategies. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:6752193. [PMID: 27057367 PMCID: PMC4812483 DOI: 10.1155/2016/6752193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental stressors induce coping strategies in the majority of individuals. The stress response, involving the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and the consequent release of corticosteroid hormones, is indeed aimed at promoting metabolic, functional, and behavioral adaptations. However, behavioral stress is also associated with fast and long-lasting neurochemical, structural, and behavioral changes, leading to long-term remodeling of glutamate transmission, and increased susceptibility to neuropsychiatric disorders. Of note, early-life events, both in utero and during the early postnatal life, trigger reprogramming of the stress response, which is often associated with loss of stress resilience and ensuing neurobehavioral (mal)adaptations. Indeed, adverse experiences in early life are known to induce long-term stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders in vulnerable individuals. Here, we discuss recent findings about stress remodeling of excitatory neurotransmission and brain morphology in animal models of behavioral stress. These changes are likely driven by epigenetic factors that lie at the core of the stress-response reprogramming in individuals with a history of perinatal stress. We propose that reprogramming mechanisms may underlie the reorganization of excitatory neurotransmission in the short- and long-term response to stressful stimuli.
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Hedonic sensitivity to low-dose ketamine is modulated by gonadal hormones in a sex-dependent manner. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21322. [PMID: 26888470 PMCID: PMC4766854 DOI: 10.1038/srep21322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently reported a greater sensitivity of female rats to rapid antidepressant-like effects of ketamine compared to male rats, and that ovarian-derived estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) are essential for this response. However, to what extent testosterone may also contribute, and whether duration of response to ketamine is modulated in a sex- and hormone-dependent manner remains unclear. To explore this, we systematically investigated the influence of testosterone, estradiol and progesterone on initiation and maintenance of hedonic response to low-dose ketamine (2.5 mg/kg) in intact and gonadectomized male and female rats. Ketamine induced a sustained increase in sucrose preference of female, but not male, rats in an E2P4-dependent manner. Whereas testosterone failed to alter male treatment response, concurrent administration of P4 alone in intact males enhanced hedonic response low-dose ketamine. Treatment responsiveness in female rats only was associated with greater hippocampal BDNF levels, but not activation of key downstream signaling effectors. We provide novel evidence supporting activational roles for ovarian-, but not testicular-, derived hormones in mediating hedonic sensitivity to low-dose ketamine in female and male rats, respectively. Organizational differences may, in part, account for the persistence of sex differences following gonadectomy and selective involvement of BDNF in treatment response.
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Cadet JL. Epigenetics of Stress, Addiction, and Resilience: Therapeutic Implications. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 53:545-560. [PMID: 25502297 PMCID: PMC4703633 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-014-9040-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are highly prevalent. SUDs involve vicious cycles of binges followed by occasional periods of abstinence with recurrent relapses despite treatment and adverse medical and psychosocial consequences. There is convincing evidence that early and adult stressful life events are risks factors for the development of addiction and serve as cues that trigger relapses. Nevertheless, the fact that not all individuals who face traumatic events develop addiction to licit or illicit drugs suggests the existence of individual and/or familial resilient factors that protect these mentally healthy individuals. Here, I give a brief overview of the epigenetic bases of responses to stressful events and of epigenetic changes associated with the administration of drugs of abuse. I also discuss the psychobiology of resilience and alterations in epigenetic markers that have been observed in models of resilience. Finally, I suggest the possibility that treatment of addiction should involve cognitive and pharmacological approaches that enhance resilience in at risk individuals. Similar approaches should also be used with patients who have already succumbed to the nefarious effects of addictive substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Lud Cadet
- Molecular Neuropsychiatry Research Branch, DHHS/NIH/NIDA Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
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Gomazkov OA. [Signaling molecules in the brain and epigenetic factors in neurodegenerative and mental disorders]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2015; 115:102-110. [PMID: 26649375 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro2015115101102-110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The literature on a role of signaling molecules in the organization of memory and cognitive functions is analyzed basing on mechanisms of memory physiology determined by a complex of biochemical processes initiated by the transmission of the signal to the synapse and completed by the synthesis of functionally significant molecules in the neuronal genetic apparatus. The center of these processes is a coordinated system of signal transduction, transcription, epigenetic and neurotrophic molecules. The dissonance of signal mechanisms is a prime cause of memory impairment and cognitive dysfunction as social maladaptation factors. The results of experimental and clinical studies of a role of the multilevel signaling system in age-related, neurodegenerative (Alzheimer’s disease) and mental (depression) disorders are discussed. At the same time, signaling molecules may be considered as particular targets for new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- O A Gomazkov
- Orekhovich Research Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow
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Duclot F, Kabbaj M. The estrous cycle surpasses sex differences in regulating the transcriptome in the rat medial prefrontal cortex and reveals an underlying role of early growth response 1. Genome Biol 2015; 16:256. [PMID: 26628058 PMCID: PMC4667491 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-015-0815-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Males and females differ in cognitive functions and emotional processing, which in part have been associated with baseline sex differences in gene expression in the medial prefrontal cortex. Nevertheless, a growing body of evidence suggests that sex differences in medial prefrontal cortex-dependent cognitive functions are attenuated by hormonal fluctuations within the menstrual cycle. Despite known genomic effects of ovarian hormones, the interaction of the estrous cycle with sex differences in gene expression in the medial prefrontal cortex remains unclear and warrants further investigations. Results We undertake a large-scale characterization of sex differences and their interaction with the estrous cycle in the adult medial prefrontal cortex transcriptome and report that females with high and low ovarian hormone levels exhibited a partly opposed sexually biased transcriptome. The extent of regulation within females vastly exceeds sex differences, and supports a multi-level reorganization of synaptic function across the estrous cycle. Genome-wide analysis of the transcription factor early growth response 1 binding highlights its role in controlling the synapse-related genes varying within females. Conclusions We uncover a critical influence of the estrous cycle on the adult rat medial prefrontal cortex transcriptome resulting in partly opposite sex differences in proestrus when compared to diestrus females, and we discovered a direct role for Early Growth Response 1 in this opposite regulation. In addition to illustrating the importance of accounting for the estrous cycle in females, our data set the ground for a better understanding of the female specificities in cognition and emotional processing. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-015-0815-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, 1115 W Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA. .,Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Florida State University, 1115 W Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, 1115 W Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA. .,Program in Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Florida State University, 1115 W Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
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ACF chromatin-remodeling complex mediates stress-induced depressive-like behavior. Nat Med 2015; 21:1146-53. [PMID: 26390241 PMCID: PMC4598281 DOI: 10.1038/nm.3939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Improved treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) remains elusive because of the limited understanding of its underlying biological mechanisms. It is likely that stress-induced maladaptive transcriptional regulation in limbic neural circuits contributes to the development of MDD, possibly through epigenetic factors that regulate chromatin structure. We establish that persistent upregulation of the ACF (ATP-utilizing chromatin assembly and remodeling factor) ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complex, occurring in the nucleus accumbens of stress-susceptible mice and depressed humans, is necessary for stress-induced depressive-like behaviors. We found that altered ACF binding after chronic stress was correlated with altered nucleosome positioning, particularly around the transcription start sites of affected genes. These alterations in ACF binding and nucleosome positioning were associated with repressed expression of genes implicated in susceptibility to stress. Together, our findings identify the ACF chromatin-remodeling complex as a critical component in the development of susceptibility to depression and in regulating stress-related behaviors.
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Duclot F, Kabbaj M. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in depression and response to antidepressants. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 218:21-31. [PMID: 25568448 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.107086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a devastating neuropsychiatric disorder encompassing a wide range of cognitive and emotional dysfunctions. The prevalence of MDD is expected to continue its growth to become the second leading cause of disease burden (after HIV) by 2030. Despite an extensive research effort, the exact etiology of MDD remains elusive and the diagnostics uncertain. Moreover, a marked inter-individual variability is observed in the vulnerability to develop depression, as well as in response to antidepressant treatment, for nearly 50% of patients. Although a genetic component accounts for some cases of MDD, it is now clearly established that MDD results from strong gene and environment interactions. Such interactions could be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, defined as chromatin and DNA modifications that alter gene expression without changing the DNA structure itself. Some epigenetic mechanisms have recently emerged as particularly relevant molecular substrates, promoting vulnerability or resilience to the development of depressive-like symptoms. Although the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathophysiology of MDD remains unclear, its modulation of the efficacy of antidepressants is clearly established. Therefore, in this review, we focus on the epigenetic mechanisms regulating the expression of BDNF in humans and in animal models of depression, and discuss their role in individual differences in vulnerability to depression and response to antidepressant drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Program, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Program, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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46
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Gomazkov OA. Signaling molecules and disturbances of cognitive functions in brain diseases. NEUROCHEM J+ 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712415020063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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47
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Carrier N, Saland SK, Duclot F, He H, Mercer R, Kabbaj M. The Anxiolytic and Antidepressant-like Effects of Testosterone and Estrogen in Gonadectomized Male Rats. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:259-69. [PMID: 25683735 PMCID: PMC4501899 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While the influence of testosterone levels on vulnerability to affective disorders is not straightforward, research suggests this hormone may confer some degree of resiliency in men. We recently demonstrated a role for the dentate gyrus in mediating testosterone's protective effects on depressive-like behavior in gonadectomized male rats. Here, testosterone may exert its effects through androgen receptor-mediated mechanisms or via local aromatization to estradiol. METHODS Gonadectomized male rats were implanted with a placebo, testosterone, or estradiol pellet, and subsequent protective anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects of testosterone and its aromatized metabolite, estradiol, were then investigated in the open field and sucrose preference tests, respectively. Moreover, their influence on gene expression in the hippocampus was analyzed by genome-wide complementary DNA microarray analysis. Finally, the contribution of testosterone's aromatization within the dentate gyrus was assessed by local infusion of the aromatase inhibitor fadrozole, whose efficacy was confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS Both hormones had antidepressant-like effects associated with a substantial overlap in transcriptional regulation, particularly in synaptic plasticity- and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway-related genes. Further, chronic aromatase inhibition within the dentate gyrus blocked the protective effects of testosterone. CONCLUSIONS Both testosterone and estradiol exhibit anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects in gonadectomized male rats, while similarly regulating critical mediators of these behaviors, suggesting common underlying mechanisms. Accordingly, we demonstrated that testosterone's protective effects are mediated, in part, by its aromatization in the dentate gyrus. These findings thus provide further insight into a role for estradiol in mediating the protective anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects of testosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Program in Neurosciences.
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48
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Riga D, Theijs JT, De Vries TJ, Smit AB, Spijker S. Social defeat-induced anhedonia: effects on operant sucrose-seeking behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:195. [PMID: 26300748 PMCID: PMC4528167 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduced capacity to experience pleasure, also known as anhedonia, is a key feature of the depressive state and is associated with poor disease prognosis and treatment outcome. Various behavioral readouts (e.g., reduced sucrose intake) have been employed in animal models of depression as a measure of anhedonia. However, several aspects of anhedonia are poorly represented within the repertoire of current preclinical assessments. We recently adopted the social defeat-induced persistent stress (SDPS) paradigm that models a maintained depressive-like state in the rat, including social withdrawal and deficits in short-term spatial memory. Here we investigated whether SDPS elicited persistent deficits in natural reward evaluation, as part of anhedonia. We examined cue-paired operant sucrose self-administration, enabling us to study acquisition, motivation, extinction, and relapse to sucrose seeking following SDPS. Furthermore, we addressed whether guanfacine, an α2-adrenergic agonist that reduces stress-triggered maladaptive behavioral responses to drugs of abuse, could relief from SDPS-induced anhedonia. SDPS, consisting of five social defeat episodes followed by prolonged (≥8 weeks) social isolation, did not affect sucrose consumption during acquisition of self-administration. However, it strongly enhanced the motivational drive to acquire a sucrose reward in progressive ratio training. Moreover, SDPS induced initial resilience to extinction and rendered animals more sensitive to cue-induced reinstatement of sucrose-seeking. Guanfacine treatment attenuated SDPS-induced motivational overdrive and limited reinstatement of sucrose seeking, normalizing behavior to control levels. Together, our data indicate that long after the termination of stress exposure, SDPS induces guanfacine-reversible deficits in evaluation of a natural reward. Importantly, the SDPS-triggered anhedonia reflects many aspects of the human phenotype, including impaired motivation and goal-directed conduct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danai Riga
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - J Trisna Theijs
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Taco J De Vries
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sabine Spijker
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Bagot RC, Labonté B, Peña CJ, Nestler EJ. Epigenetic signaling in psychiatric disorders: stress and depression. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2015. [PMID: 25364280 PMCID: PMC4214172 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2014.16.3/rbagot] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders are complex multifactorial disorders involving chronic alterations in neural circuit structure and function. While genetic factors play a role in the etiology of disorders such as depression, addiction, and schizophrenia, relatively high rates of discordance among identical twins clearly point to the importance of additional factors. Environmental factors, such as stress, play a major role in the psychiatric disorders by inducing stable changes in gene expression, neural circuit function, and ultimately behavior. Insults at the developmental stage and in adulthood appear to induce distinct maladaptations. Increasing evidence indicates that these sustained abnormalities are maintained by epigenetic modifications in specific brain regions. Indeed, transcriptional dysregulation and associated aberrant epigenetic regulation is a unifying theme in psychiatric disorders. Aspects of depression can be modeled in animals by inducing disease-like states through environmental manipulations, and these studies can provide a more general understanding of epigenetic mechanisms in psychiatric disorders. Understanding how environmental factors recruit the epigenetic machinery in animal models is providing new insights into disease mechanisms in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary C Bagot
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Benoit Labonté
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Catherine J Peña
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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50
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Wright KN, Hollis F, Duclot F, Dossat AM, Strong CE, Francis TC, Mercer R, Feng J, Dietz DM, Lobo MK, Nestler EJ, Kabbaj M. Methyl supplementation attenuates cocaine-seeking behaviors and cocaine-induced c-Fos activation in a DNA methylation-dependent manner. J Neurosci 2015; 35:8948-58. [PMID: 26063926 PMCID: PMC4461693 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5227-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone modifications, regulate responsiveness to drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, but relatively little is known about the regulation of addictive-like behaviors by DNA methylation. To investigate the influence of DNA methylation on the locomotor-activating effects of cocaine and on drug-seeking behavior, rats receiving methyl supplementation via chronic l-methionine (MET) underwent either a sensitization regimen of intermittent cocaine injections or intravenous self-administration of cocaine, followed by cue-induced and drug-primed reinstatement. MET blocked sensitization to the locomotor-activating effects of cocaine and attenuated drug-primed reinstatement, with no effect on cue-induced reinstatement or sucrose self-administration and reinstatement. Furthermore, upregulation of DNA methyltransferase 3a and 3b and global DNA hypomethylation were observed in the nucleus accumbens core (NAc), but not in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), of cocaine-pretreated rats. Glutamatergic projections from the mPFC to the NAc are critically involved in the regulation of cocaine-primed reinstatement, and activation of both brain regions is seen in human addicts when reexposed to the drug. When compared with vehicle-pretreated rats, the immediate early gene c-Fos (a marker of neuronal activation) was upregulated in the NAc and mPFC of cocaine-pretreated rats after cocaine-primed reinstatement, and chronic MET treatment blocked its induction in both regions. Cocaine-induced c-Fos expression in the NAc was associated with reduced methylation at CpG dinucleotides in the c-Fos gene promoter, effects reversed by MET treatment. Overall, these data suggest that drug-seeking behaviors are, in part, attributable to a DNA methylation-dependent process, likely occurring at specific gene loci (e.g., c-Fos) in the reward pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine N Wright
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306
| | - Fiona Hollis
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Florian Duclot
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306
| | - Amanda M Dossat
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306
| | - Caroline E Strong
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306
| | - T Chase Francis
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Roger Mercer
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306
| | - Jian Feng
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, and
| | - David M Dietz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, and
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306,
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