1
|
Torres DB, Lopes A, Rodrigues AJ, Ventura-Silva AP, Sousa N, Gontijo JAR, Boer PA, Lopes MG. Early morphological and neurochemical changes of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) in gestational protein-restricted male offspring. Nutr Neurosci 2024:1-19. [PMID: 38576309 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2024.2320498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a structure with a peculiar neurochemical composition involved in modulating anxietylike behavior and fear. AIM The present study investigated the effects on the BNST neurochemical composition and neuronal structure in critical moments of the postnatal period in gestational protein-restricted male rats' offspring. METHODS Dams were maintained during the pregnancy on isocaloric rodent laboratory chow with standard protein content [NP, 17%] or low protein content [LP, 6%]. BNST from male NP and age-matched LP offspring was studied using the isotropic fractionator method, Neuronal 3D reconstruction, dendritic-tree analysis, blotting analysis, and high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS Serum corticosterone levels were higher in male LP offspring than NP rats in 14-day-old offspring, without any difference in 7-day-old progeny. The BNST total cell number and anterodorsal BNST division volume in LP progeny were significantly reduced on the 14th postnatal day compared with NP offspring. The BNST HPLC analysis from 7 days-old LP revealed increased norepinephrine levels compared to NP progeny. The BNST blot analysis from 7-day-old LP revealed reduced levels of GR and BDNF associated with enhanced CRF1 expression compared to NP offspring. 14-day-old LP offspring showed reduced expression of MR and 5HT1A associated with decreased DOPAC and DOPA turnover levels relative to NP rats. In Conclusion, the BNST cellular and neurochemical changes may represent adaptation during development in response to elevated fetal exposure to maternal corticosteroid levels. In this way, gestational malnutrition alters the BNST content and structure and contributes to already-known behavioral changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D B Torres
- Fetal Programming and Hydroelectrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - A Lopes
- Fetal Programming and Hydroelectrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - A J Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - A P Ventura-Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - N Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - J A R Gontijo
- Fetal Programming and Hydroelectrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - P A Boer
- Fetal Programming and Hydroelectrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Matsoukas MT, Panagiotopoulos V, Karageorgos V, Chrousos GP, Venihaki M, Liapakis G. Structural and Functional Insights into CRF Peptides and Their Receptors. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:120. [PMID: 38392338 PMCID: PMC10886364 DOI: 10.3390/biology13020120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor or hormone (CRF or CRH) and the urocortins regulate a plethora of physiological functions and are involved in many pathophysiological processes. CRF and urocortins belong to the family of CRF peptides (CRF family), which includes sauvagine, urotensin, and many synthetic peptide and non-peptide CRF analogs. Several of the CRF analogs have shown considerable therapeutic potential in the treatment of various diseases. The CRF peptide family act by interacting with two types of plasma membrane proteins, type 1 (CRF1R) and type 2 (CRF2R), which belong to subfamily B1 of the family B G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). This work describes the structure of CRF peptides and their receptors and the activation mechanism of the latter, which is compared with that of other GPCRs. It also discusses recent structural information that rationalizes the selective binding of various ligands to the two CRF receptor types and the activation of receptors by different agonists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Minos-Timotheos Matsoukas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
| | - Vasilis Panagiotopoulos
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece
| | - Vlasios Karageorgos
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - George P Chrousos
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine and UNESCO, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Livadias 8, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Venihaki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - George Liapakis
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Torres DB, Lopes A, Rodrigues AJ, Lopes MG, Ventura-Silva AP, Sousa N, Gontijo JAR, Boer PA. Gestational protein restriction alters early amygdala neurochemistry in male offspring. Nutr Neurosci 2023; 26:1103-1119. [PMID: 36331123 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2022.2131064] [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] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestational protein intake restriction-induced long-lasting harmful outcomes in the offspring's organs and systems. However, few studies have focused on this event's impact on the brain's structures and neurochemical compounds. AIM The present study investigated the effects on the amygdala neurochemical composition and neuronal structure in gestational protein-restricted male rats' offspring. METHODS Dams were maintained on isocaloric standard rodent laboratory chow with regular protein [NP, 17%] or low protein content [LP, 6%]. Total cells were quantified using the Isotropic fractionator method, Neuronal 3D reconstruction, and dendritic tree analysis using the Golgi-Cox technique. Western blot and high-performance liquid chromatography performed neurochemical studies. RESULTS The gestational low-protein feeding offspring showed a significant decrease in birth weight up to day 14, associated with unaltered brain weight in youth or adult progenies. The amygdala cell numbers were unchanged, and the dendrites length and dendritic ramifications 3D analysis in LP compared to age-matched NP progeny. However, the current study shows reduced amygdala content of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine in LP progeny. These offspring observed a significant reduction in the amygdala glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptor protein levels. Also corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) amygdala protein content was reduced in 7 and 14-day-old LP rats. CONCLUSION The observed amygdala neurochemical changes may represent adaptation during embryonic development in response to elevated fetal exposure to maternal corticosteroid levels. In this way, gestational malnutrition stress can alter the amygdala's neurochemical content and may contribute to known behavioral changes induced by gestational protein restriction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniele B Torres
- Fetal Programming and Hydro-electrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Agnes Lopes
- Fetal Programming and Hydro-electrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana J Rodrigues
- Fetal Programming and Hydro-electrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Marcelo G Lopes
- Fetal Programming and Hydro-electrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana P Ventura-Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - José A R Gontijo
- Fetal Programming and Hydro-electrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Patricia A Boer
- Fetal Programming and Hydro-electrolyte Metabolism Laboratory, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Raise-Abdullahi P, Meamar M, Vafaei AA, Alizadeh M, Dadkhah M, Shafia S, Ghalandari-Shamami M, Naderian R, Afshin Samaei S, Rashidy-Pour A. Hypothalamus and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Review. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1010. [PMID: 37508942 PMCID: PMC10377115 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13071010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans have lived in a dynamic environment fraught with potential dangers for thousands of years. While fear and stress were crucial for the survival of our ancestors, today, they are mostly considered harmful factors, threatening both our physical and mental health. Trauma is a highly stressful, often life-threatening event or a series of events, such as sexual assault, war, natural disasters, burns, and car accidents. Trauma can cause pathological metaplasticity, leading to long-lasting behavioral changes and impairing an individual's ability to cope with future challenges. If an individual is vulnerable, a tremendously traumatic event may result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The hypothalamus is critical in initiating hormonal responses to stressful stimuli via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Linked to the prefrontal cortex and limbic structures, especially the amygdala and hippocampus, the hypothalamus acts as a central hub, integrating physiological aspects of the stress response. Consequently, the hypothalamic functions have been attributed to the pathophysiology of PTSD. However, apart from the well-known role of the HPA axis, the hypothalamus may also play different roles in the development of PTSD through other pathways, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes, as well as by secreting growth hormone, prolactin, dopamine, and oxytocin. This review aims to summarize the current evidence regarding the neuroendocrine functions of the hypothalamus, which are correlated with the development of PTSD. A better understanding of the role of the hypothalamus in PTSD could help develop better treatments for this debilitating condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Morvarid Meamar
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Abbas Ali Vafaei
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Maryam Alizadeh
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Qom Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran
| | - Masoomeh Dadkhah
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Sakineh Shafia
- Immunogenetics Research Center, Department of Physiology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | | | - Ramtin Naderian
- Student Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Seyed Afshin Samaei
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Rashidy-Pour
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rasiah NP, Loewen SP, Bains JS. Windows into stress: a glimpse at emerging roles for CRH PVN neurons. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:1667-1691. [PMID: 36395349 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00056.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The corticotropin-releasing hormone cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (CRHPVN) control the slow endocrine response to stress. The synapses on these cells are exquisitely sensitive to acute stress, leveraging local signals to leave a lasting imprint on this system. Additionally, recent work indicates that these cells also play key roles in the control of distinct stress and survival behaviors. Here we review these observations and provide a perspective on the role of CRHPVN neurons as integrative and malleable hubs for behavioral, physiological, and endocrine responses to stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neilen P Rasiah
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Spencer P Loewen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jaideep S Bains
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Dos Santos Claro PA, Silbermins M, Inda C, Silberstein S. CRHR1 endocytosis: Spatiotemporal regulation of receptor signaling. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2023; 196:229-260. [PMID: 36813360 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2022.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) is crucial for basal and stress-initiated reactions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and extrahypothalamic brain circuits, where it acts as a neuromodulator to organize behavioral and humoral responses to stress. We review and describe cellular components and molecular mechanisms involved in CRH system signaling through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) CRHR1 and CRHR2, under the current view of GPCR signaling from the plasma membrane but also from intracellular compartments, which establish the bases of signal resolution in space and time. Focus is placed on latest studies of CRHR1 signaling in physiologically significant contexts of the neurohormone function that disclosed new mechanistic features of cAMP production and ERK1/2 activation. We also introduce in a brief overview the pathophysiological function of the CRH system, underlining the need for a complete characterization of CRHRs signaling to design new and specific therapies for stress-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula A Dos Santos Claro
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Micaela Silbermins
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Inda
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Octamer SRL, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Susana Silberstein
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ventral hippocampal NMDA receptors mediate the effects of nicotine on stress-induced anxiety/exploratory behaviors in rats. Neurosci Lett 2022; 780:136649. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
8
|
Stacy M, Schulkin J. Suicide: Allostatic regulation and resilience. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 139:105691. [PMID: 35218982 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Suicide is a complex public health problem that is the result of a number of intertwined biopsychosocial factors. The diathesis-stress model suggests that suicide is the result of an interaction between genetic vulnerability and environmental stressors. Chronic stress and trauma contribute to biologic adaptations, including hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation, that contribute to the degradation of regulatory mechanisms and promote wear and tear the body, represented by allostatic load (AL). AL has been associated with a number of negative outcomes, including mental health problems and suicide. Fortunately, there are pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that are effective at reducing AL and reversing its effects. Thus, AL may provide a construct for supporting early risk identification, prevention, and treatment of suicide. AL biomarkers that are amenable to measurable change, effective treatments to reduce AL and perhaps help prevent suicide, and how to best tailor them to the individual and societal levels are important avenues of therapeutic inquiry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan Stacy
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George St., Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
| | - Jay Schulkin
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 Pacific St NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Niu J, Wang Z, Liu L, Zhang X, Niu D, Liu T, Qiao H, Lu R, Nan F, Tian Z, Wang B. Human cytomegalovirus IE2 may impair the cognitive ability of the hippocampus through the GluNRs/CaMKIIα/CREB signaling pathway in the Rosa26-LSL-IE2/Cre mouse. Behav Brain Res 2022; 419:113683. [PMID: 34838933 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Nowadays, there are few studies in vivo to explore the effects of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) single gene such as immediate early protein 2 (IE2) on the nervous system, let alone the mechanism that IE2 causes cognitive impairment. In this study, the Rosa26-LSL-IE2/Cre mouse was used to show the effects of IE2 on the cognitive ability and the GluNRs/CaMKIIα/CREB signaling pathway in the hippocampus. We divided the mice into experimental and control groups based on the results of PCR firstly. After that, the cognitive abilities of the two groups were compared through new object recognition (NOR) and Morris water maze (MWM) tests. The results of the behavioral tests showed that the cognitive ability of the experimental mice was lower than that of the control group. It is known that changes in the expression levels of N-methyl D-aspartate receptor 1, 2A, and 2B (GluN1, GluN2A, GluN2B) affect synaptic plasticity and cause cognitive changes. Finally, we analyzed the expression levels of GluN1, GluN2A, GluN2B, and related signaling pathway molecules by qPCR and western blot. We found that the expression levels of the GluNRs/CaMKIIα/CREB signaling pathway were decreased in the experimental group. These results indicated that IE2 could affect the expression levels of GluNRs/CaMKIIα/CREB signaling pathway, which was closely related to the cognitive impairment of the experimental group. In summary, we used this novel mouse model to show that IE2 could cause cognitive impairment in the hippocampus, which might be related to the GluNRs/CaMKIIα/CREB signaling pathway. It is helpful to further understand the mechanism of the cognitive impairment induced by HCMV IE2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junyun Niu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Zhifei Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Lili Liu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xianjuan Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Delei Niu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Ting Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Hongye Qiao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Ran Lu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Fulong Nan
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China
| | - Zibin Tian
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sheng JA, Tan SML, Hale TM, Handa RJ. Androgens and Their Role in Regulating Sex Differences in the Hypothalamic/Pituitary/Adrenal Axis Stress Response and Stress-Related Behaviors. ANDROGENS: CLINICAL RESEARCH AND THERAPEUTICS 2022; 2:261-274. [PMID: 35024695 PMCID: PMC8744007 DOI: 10.1089/andro.2021.0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Androgens play a pivotal role during development. These gonadal hormones and their receptors exert organizational actions that shape brain morphology in regions controlling the stress regulatory systems in a male-specific manner. Specifically, androgens drive sex differences in the hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal (HPA) axis and corresponding hypothalamic neuropeptides. While studies have examined the role of estradiol and its receptors in sex differences in the HPA axis and associated behaviors, the role of androgens remains far less studied. Androgens are generally thought to modulate the HPA axis through the activation of androgen receptors (ARs). They can also impact the HPA axis through reduction to estrogenic metabolites that can bind estrogen receptors in the brain and periphery. Such regulation of the HPA axis stress response by androgens can often result in sex-biased risk factors for stress-related disorders, such as anxiety and depression. This review focuses on the biosynthesis pathways and molecular actions of androgens and their nuclear receptors. The impact of androgens on hypothalamic neuropeptide systems (corticotropin-releasing hormone, arginine vasopressin, oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin) that control the stress response and stress-related disorders is discussed. Finally, this review discusses potential therapeutics involving androgens (androgen replacement therapies, selective AR modulator therapies) and ongoing clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julietta A Sheng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Sarah M L Tan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Taben M Hale
- Department of Basic Medical Science, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Robert J Handa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhang L, Levenson CW, Salazar VC, Biederman J, Zafonte R, Bhide PG. Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in an Awake, Unanesthetized Mouse Model of Perinatal Nicotine Exposure Produces Transient Novelty-Seeking and Depression-Like Behaviors. J Neurotrauma 2022; 39:954-963. [PMID: 34913733 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2021.0268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be a risk factor for repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussions such as those that can occur in contact sports. Individuals with ADHD also appear to have a higher risk of poor neurocognitive outcomes after repetitive mTBI. Findings from clinical studies examining the interactions between ADHD and repetitive mTBI vary, likely because of variabilities in experimental design and outcome measures. We used a mouse model of perinatal nicotine exposure (PNE), which displays behavioral, neuroanatomical, and neurotransmitter features consistent with ADHD and subjected the mice to repetitive mTBI. We used a closed head model of mTBI in awake, unanesthetized mice to mimic concussions in humans. The mTBI was repeated three times daily for seven days. The mice in the PNE-mTBI group took longer to regain consciousness after the mTBI and showed transient novelty-seeking and depression-like behaviors. Before the repetitive mTBI, the mice in the PNE group showed attention deficit, which persisted after the mTBI. The mice in the control (non-PNE) group showed a transient attention deficit after the repetitive mTBI but not any of the other behavioral changes seen in the PNE-mTBI group. These findings from an unanesthetized mouse model with a pre-existing condition show that ADHD and repetitive mTBI together contribute to transient novelty-seeking and depression-like behavior supporting the notion that untreated ADHD may be a risk factor for poor neurocognitive outcomes after concussions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Cathy W Levenson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Valentina Cea Salazar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Joseph Biederman
- Pediatric Psychopharmacology, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ross Zafonte
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pradeep G Bhide
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sukhareva EV. The role of the corticotropin-releasing hormone and its receptors in the regulation of stress response. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2021; 25:216-223. [PMID: 34901719 PMCID: PMC8627883 DOI: 10.18699/vj21.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is an essential part of everyday life. The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH, also
called CRF and corticoliberin) plays a key role in the integration of neuroendocrine, autonomic and behavioral
responses to stress. The activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) by neurons of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN), the primary site of synthesis CRH, triggers stress reactions. In addition to the
hypothalamus, CRH is widespread in extrahypothalamic brain structures, where it functions as a neuromodulator
for coordination and interaction between the humoral and behavioral aspects of a stress response. The axons of
neurons expressing CRH are directed to various structures of the brain, where the neuropeptide interacts with
specific receptors (CRHR1, CRHR2) and can affect various mediator systems that work together to transmit signals
to different brain regions to cause many reactions to stress. Moreover, the effect of stress on brain functions varies
from behavioral adaptation to increased survival and increased risk of developing mental disorders. Disturbances
of the CRH system regulation are directly related to such disorders: mental pathologies (depression, anxiety, addictions), deviations of neuroendocrinological functions, inflammation, as well as the onset and development of
neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, the role of CRH as a regulator of the neurons
structure in the areas of the developing and mature brain has been established. To date, studies have been conducted in which CRHR1 is a target for antidepressants, which are, in fact, antagonists of this receptor. In this regard,
the study of the participation of the CRH system and its receptors in negative effects on hormone-dependent
systems, as well as the possibility of preventing them, is a promising task of modern physiological genetics. In this
review, attention will be paid to the role of CRH in the regulation of response to stress, as well as to the involvement
of extrahypothalamic CRH in pathophysiology and the correction of mental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E V Sukhareva
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ibarguen-Vargas Y, Leman S, Palme R, Belzung C, Surget A. CRF-R1 Antagonist Treatment Exacerbates Circadian Corticosterone Secretion under Chronic Stress, but Preserves HPA Feedback Sensitivity. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13122114. [PMID: 34959395 PMCID: PMC8707167 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13122114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite promising initial reports, corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type-1 (CRF-R1) antagonists have mostly failed to display efficacy in clinical trials for anxiety or depression. Rather than broad-spectrum antidepressant/anxiolytic-like drugs, they may represent an ‘antistress’ solution for single stressful situations or for patients with chronic stress conditions. However, the impact of prolonged CRF-R1 antagonist treatments on the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis under chronic stress conditions remained to be characterized. Hence, our study investigated whether a chronic CRF-R1 antagonist (crinecerfont, formerly known as SSR125543, 20 mg·kg−1·day−1 ip, 5 weeks) would alter HPA axis basal circadian activity and negative feedback sensitivity in mice exposed to either control or chronic stress conditions (unpredictable chronic mild stress, UCMS, 7 weeks), through measures of fecal corticosterone metabolites, plasma corticosterone, and dexamethasone suppression test. Despite preserving HPA axis parameters in control non-stressed mice, the 5-week crinercerfont treatment improved the negative feedback sensitivity in chronically stressed mice, but paradoxically exacerbated their basal corticosterone secretion nearly all along the circadian cycle. The capacity of chronic CRF-R1 antagonists to improve the HPA negative feedback in UCMS argues in favor of a potential therapeutic benefit against stress-related conditions. However, the treatment-related overactivation of HPA circadian activity in UCMS raise questions about possible physiological outcomes with long-standing treatments under ongoing chronic stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yadira Ibarguen-Vargas
- UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37200 Tours, France; (Y.I.-V.); (S.L.)
- EUK-CVL, Université d’Orléans, 45100 Orléans, France
| | - Samuel Leman
- UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37200 Tours, France; (Y.I.-V.); (S.L.)
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences/Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Catherine Belzung
- UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37200 Tours, France; (Y.I.-V.); (S.L.)
- Correspondence: (C.B.); (A.S.); Tel.: +33-2-47366994 (C.B.); +33-2-47367305 (A.S.)
| | - Alexandre Surget
- UMR1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37200 Tours, France; (Y.I.-V.); (S.L.)
- Correspondence: (C.B.); (A.S.); Tel.: +33-2-47366994 (C.B.); +33-2-47367305 (A.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ruat J, Hartmann A, Heinz DE, Nemcova P, Stoffel R, Deussing JM, Chen A, Wotjak CT. CB1 receptors in corticotropin-releasing factor neurons selectively control the acoustic startle response in male mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 20:e12775. [PMID: 34672092 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is an important regulator of the hormonal and behavioral stress responses, which critically involve corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and its receptors. While it has been shown that CRF and the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor are co-localized in several brain regions, the physiological relevance of this co-expression remains unclear. Using double in situ hybridization, we confirmed co-localization in the piriform cortex, the lateral hypothalamic area, the paraventricular nucleus, and the Barrington's nucleus, albeit at low levels. To study the behavioral and physiological implications of this co-expression, we generated a conditional knockout mouse line that selectively lacks the expression of CB1 receptors in CRF neurons. We found no effects on fear and anxiety-related behaviors under basal conditions nor after a traumatic experience. Additionally, plasma corticosterone levels were unaffected at baseline and after restraint stress. Only acoustic startle responses were significantly enhanced in male, but not female, knockout mice. Taken together, the consequences of depleting CB1 in CRF-positive neurons caused a confined hyperarousal phenotype in a sex-dependent manner. The current results suggest that the important interplay between the central endocannabinoid and CRF systems in regulating the organism's stress response is predominantly taking place at the level of CRF receptor-expressing neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ruat
- Department Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Alice Hartmann
- Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel E Heinz
- Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Max Planck School of Cognition, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paulina Nemcova
- Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Rainer Stoffel
- Department Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan M Deussing
- Research Group Molecular Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Scientific Core Unit Genetically Engineered Mouse Models, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Alon Chen
- Department Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Carsten T Wotjak
- Research Group Neuronal Plasticity, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.,Max Planck School of Cognition, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Central Nervous System Diseases Research (CNSDR), Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zhao X, Mohammed R, Tran H, Erickson M, Kentner AC. Poly (I:C)-induced maternal immune activation modifies ventral hippocampal regulation of stress reactivity: prevention by environmental enrichment. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 95:203-215. [PMID: 33766701 PMCID: PMC8187276 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE) has been successfully implemented in human rehabilitation settings. However, the mechanisms underlying its success are not understood. Incorporating components of EE protocols into our animal models allows for the exploration of these mechanisms and their role in mitigation. Using a mouse model of maternal immune activation (MIA), the present study explored disruptions in social behavior and associated hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis functioning, and whether a supportive environment could prevent these effects. We show that prenatal immune activation of toll-like receptor 3, by the viral mimetic polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), led to disrupted maternal care in that dams built poorer quality nests, an effect corrected by EE housing. Standard housed male and female MIA mice engaged in higher rates of repetitive rearing and had lower levels of social interaction, alongside sex-specific expression of several ventral hippocampal neural stress markers. Moreover, MIA males had delayed recovery of plasma corticosterone in response to a novel social encounter. Enrichment housing, likely mediated by improved maternal care, protected against these MIA-induced effects. We also evaluated c-Fos immunoreactivity associated with the novel social experience and found MIA to decrease neural activation in the dentate gyrus. Activation in the hypothalamus was blunted in EE housed animals, suggesting that the putative circuits modulating social behaviors may be different between standard and complex housing environments. These data demonstrate that augmentation of the environment supports parental care and offspring safety/security, which can offset effects of early health adversity by buffering HPA axis dysregulation. Our findings provide further evidence for the viability of EE interventions in maternal and pediatric settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Amanda C. Kentner
- Corresponding author: Amanda Kentner, , Office #617-274-3360, Fax # 617-732-2959
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Natividad LA, Steinman MQ, McGinn MA, Sureshchandra S, Kerr TM, Ciccocioppo R, Messaoudi I, Edwards S, Roberto M. Impaired hypothalamic feedback dysregulates brain glucocorticoid signaling in genetically-selected Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12978. [PMID: 33142367 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Genetically-selected Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats display comorbid symptoms of increased alcohol preference and elevated anxiety-like behavior. Heightened stress sensitivity in msPs is influenced by genetic polymorphisms of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), as well as reduced influence of anti-stress mechanisms that normally constrain the stress response. Given this propensity for stress dysregulation, in this study, we expand on the possibility that msPs may display differences in neuroendocrine processes that normally terminate the stress response. We utilized behavioral, biochemical, and molecular assays to compare basal and restraint stress-induced changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis of male and female msPs relative to their nonselected Wistar counterparts. The results showed that msPs display deficits in marble-burying behavior influenced by environmental factors and procedures that modulate arousal states in a sex-dependent manner. Whereas male msPs display evidence of dysregulated neuroendocrine function (higher adrenocorticotropic hormone levels and subthreshold reductions in corticosterone), females display restraint-induced elevations in corticosterone levels that were persistently higher in msPs. A dexamethasone challenge reduced the circulation of these stress hormones, although the reduction in corticosterone was generally attenuated in msP versus Wistar rats. Finally, we found evidence of diminished stress-induced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) phosphorylation in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of msPs, as well as innate increases in phosphorylated GR levels in the CeA of male msPs. Collectively, these findings suggest that negative feedback processes regulating HPA responsiveness are diminished in msP rats, possibly underlying differences in the expression of anxiety-like behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis A. Natividad
- College of Pharmacy The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla California USA
| | - Michael Q. Steinman
- Department of Molecular Medicine The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla California USA
| | - M. Adrienne McGinn
- Department of Physiology Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans Louisiana USA
| | - Suhas Sureshchandra
- School of Biological Sciences University of California at Irvine Irvine California USA
| | - Tony M. Kerr
- College of Pharmacy The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla California USA
| | | | - Ilhem Messaoudi
- School of Biological Sciences University of California at Irvine Irvine California USA
| | - Scott Edwards
- Department of Physiology Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans Louisiana USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla California USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Plank AC, Frey S, Basedow LA, Solati J, Canneva F, von Hörsten S, Kratz O, Moll GH, Golub Y. Prenatally traumatized mice reveal hippocampal methylation and expression changes of the stress-related genes Crhr1 and Fkbp5. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:183. [PMID: 33758173 PMCID: PMC7988147 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01293-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In our previous study, we found that prenatal trauma exposure leads to an anxiety phenotype in mouse pups, characterized by increased corticosterone levels and increased anxiety-like behavior. In order to understand the mechanisms by which aversive in utero experience leads to these long-lasting behavioral and neuroendocrine changes, we investigated stress reactivity of prenatally traumatized (PT) mice, as well as the expression and methylation levels of several key regulatory genes of the stress axis in the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) of the PT embryo and adult mice. We detected increased corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (Crhr1) and decreased FK506 binding protein 5 (Fkbp5) mRNA levels in the left dHPC of adult PT mice. These alterations were accompanied by a decreased methylation status of the Crhr1 promoter and an increased methylation status of the Fkbp5 promoter, respectively. Interestingly, the changes in Fkbp5 and Crhr1 mRNA levels were not detected in the embryonic dHPC of PT mice. Together, our findings provide evidence that prenatal trauma has a long-term impact on stress axis function and anxiety phenotype associated with altered Crhr1 and Fkbp5 transcripts and promoter methylation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Christine Plank
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6 and 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Frey
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6 and 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lukas Andreas Basedow
- grid.4488.00000 0001 2111 7257Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jalal Solati
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6 and 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Fabio Canneva
- grid.5330.50000 0001 2107 3311Department Experimental Therapy, University Hospital Erlangen and Preclinical Experimental Animal Center, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Palmsanlage 5, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stephan von Hörsten
- grid.5330.50000 0001 2107 3311Department Experimental Therapy, University Hospital Erlangen and Preclinical Experimental Animal Center, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Palmsanlage 5, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Oliver Kratz
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6 and 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gunther H. Moll
- grid.411668.c0000 0000 9935 6525Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6 and 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yulia Golub
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6 and 10, 91054, Erlangen, Germany. .,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Xu H, Li H, Liu D, Wen W, Xu M, Frank JA, Chen J, Zhu H, Grahame NJ, Luo J. Chronic Voluntary Alcohol Drinking Causes Anxiety-like Behavior, Thiamine Deficiency, and Brain Damage of Female Crossed High Alcohol Preferring Mice. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:614396. [PMID: 33767622 PMCID: PMC7985542 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.614396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system is vulnerable to chronic alcohol abuse, and alcohol dependence is a chronically relapsing disorder which causes a variety of physical and mental disorders. Appropriate animal models are important for investigating the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. The crossed High Alcohol Preferring mice prefer alcohol to water when given free access. In the present study, we used female cHAP mice as a model of chronic voluntary drinking to evaluate the effects of alcohol on neurobehavioral and neuropathological changes. The female cHAP mice had free-choice access to 10% ethanol and water, while control mice had access to water alone at the age of 60-day-old. The mice were exposed to alcohol for 7 months then subjected to neurobehavioral tests including open field (OF), elevated plus maze (EPM), and Morris water maze (MWM). Results from OF and EPM tests suggested that chronic voluntary drinking caused anxiety-like behaviors. After behavior tests, mice were sacrificed, and brain tissues were processed for biochemical analyses. Alcohol altered the levels of several neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors in the brain including gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), corticotropin-releasing factor, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Alcohol increased the expression of neuroinflammation markers including interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2). Alcohol also induced cleaved caspase-3 and glial fibrillary acidic protein, indicative of neurodegeneration and gliosis. In addition, alcohol inhibited the expression of thiamine transporters in the brain and reduced thiamine levels in the blood. Alcohol also caused oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and stimulated neurogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Dexiang Liu
- Department of Medical Psychology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Wen Wen
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Mei Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Jacqueline A Frank
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Haining Zhu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Nicholas J Grahame
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Jia Luo
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Iowa City VA Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
Alcohol dependence is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and drug-taking, loss of control in limiting intake, and the emergence of a withdrawal syndrome in the absence of the drug. Accumulating evidence suggests an important role for synaptic transmission in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) in mediating alcohol-related behaviors and neuroadaptive mechanisms associated with alcohol dependence. Acute alcohol facilitates γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic transmission in the CeA via both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms, and chronic alcohol increases baseline GABAergic transmission. Acute alcohol inhibits glutamatergic transmission via effects at N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in the CeA, whereas chronic alcohol up-regulates NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-mediated transmission. Pro- (e.g., corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF]) and antistress (e.g., nociceptin/orphanin FQ, oxytocin) neuropeptides affect alcohol- and anxiety-related behaviors, and also alter the alcohol-induced effects on CeA neurotransmission. Alcohol dependence produces plasticity in these neuropeptide systems, reflecting a recruitment of those systems during the transition to alcohol dependence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Roberto
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Dean Kirson
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Sophia Khom
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Silberstein S, Liberman AC, Dos Santos Claro PA, Ugo MB, Deussing JM, Arzt E. Stress-Related Brain Neuroinflammation Impact in Depression: Role of the Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone System and P2X7 Receptor. Neuroimmunomodulation 2021; 28:52-60. [PMID: 33845478 DOI: 10.1159/000515130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression and other psychiatric stress-related disorders are leading causes of disability worldwide. Up to date, treatments of mood disorders have limited success, most likely due to the multifactorial etiology of these conditions. Alterations in inflammatory processes have been identified as possible pathophysiological mechanisms in psychiatric conditions. Here, we review the main features of 2 systems involved in the control of these inflammatory pathways: the CRH system as a key regulator of the stress response and the ATP-gated ion-channel P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) involved in the control of immune functions. The pathophysiology of depression as a stress-related psychiatric disorder is depicted in terms of the impact of CRH and P2X7R function on inflammatory pathways in the brain. Understanding pathogenesis of affective disorders will lead to the development of therapies for treatment of depression and other stress-related diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susana Silberstein
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Clara Liberman
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula Ayelén Dos Santos Claro
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maria Belén Ugo
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Eduardo Arzt
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- DFBMC, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Inhaled corticosteroids as treatment for adolescent asthma: effects on adult anxiety-related outcomes in a murine model. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:165-179. [PMID: 33011818 PMCID: PMC8787845 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05666-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Allergic asthma, typically controlled with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), is the leading chronic health condition for youth under 18 years of age. During this peri-adolescent period, significant brain maturation occurs. Prior studies indicate that both chronic inflammation and corticosteroid medications increase risk for developing an internalizing disorder like anxiety. OBJECTIVES To determine if chronic ICS treatments exacerbate or alleviate anxiety symptoms associated with developmental allergic asthma, we used a mouse model to isolate the influence of ICS (fluticasone propionate, FLU) vs. airway inflammation (induced with house dust mite extract, HDM). METHODS During development, male and female BALB/cJ mice were repeatedly exposed to HDM or saline plus one of four FLU doses (none/vehicle, low, moderate, or high). In adulthood, we assessed lung inflammation, circulating and excreted corticosteroids, anxiety-like behavior, and gene expression in stress and emotion regulation brain regions. RESULTS FLU treatment decreased body weight and anxiety-like behavior and increased fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations and Crhr2 gene expression in ventral hippocampus. FLU effects were only observed in saline/non-HDM-exposed mice, and the FLU doses used did not significantly decrease HDM-induced airway inflammation. Females had greater serum and fecal corticosterone concentrations, less anxiety-like behavior, and lower Crhr1 gene expression in ventral hippocampus and prefrontal cortex than males. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that steroid medications for youth with allergic asthma may not exacerbate anxiety-related symptoms, and that they should be avoided in children/adolescents without a health condition. The results are informative to future work on the use of corticosteroid medications during childhood or adolescent development.
Collapse
|
22
|
Orso R, Creutzberg KC, Kestering-Ferreira E, Wearick-Silva LE, Tractenberg SG, Grassi-Oliveira R. Maternal Separation Combined With Limited Bedding Increases Anxiety-Like Behavior and Alters Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Function of Male BALB/cJ Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:600766. [PMID: 33304248 PMCID: PMC7693708 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.600766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is considered a risk factor for the development of psychiatric conditions, including depression and anxiety disorder. Individuals that live in adverse environments are usually exposed to multiple stressors simultaneously, such as maternal neglect, maltreatment, and limited resources. Nevertheless, most pre-clinical ELS models are designed to explore the impact of these events separately. For this reason, this study aims to investigate the effects of a combined model of ELS on anxiety-like behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis related targets. From PND 2 to PND 15 BALB/cJ mice were exposed simultaneously to maternal separation (MS; 3 h per day) and limited bedding (LB; ELS group) or left undisturbed (CT group). Maternal behavior was recorded in intercalated days, from PND 1 to PND 9. Male offspring were tested for anxiety-like behavior from PND 53 to PND 55 in the open field test (OF), elevated plus-maze (EPM), and light/dark test (LD). After behavioral testing, animals were euthanized, and glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1), corticotrophin-releasing hormone (Crh), and its receptor type 1 (Crhr1) gene expression in the hypothalamus were measured. Moreover, plasma corticosterone levels were analyzed. We observed that ELS dams presented altered quality of maternal care, characterized by a decrease in arched-back nursing, and an increase in passive nursing. Stressed dams also showed an increase in the number of exits from the nest when compared to CT dams. Furthermore, ELS animals showed increased anxiety-like behavior in the OF, EPM, and LD. Regarding gene expression, we identified an increase in hypothalamus Crh levels of ELS group when compared to CT animals, while no differences in Nr3c1 and Crhr1 expression were observed. Finally, stressed animals showed decreased levels of plasma corticosterone when compared to the CT group. In conclusion, we observed an alteration in maternal behavior in ELS dams. Later in life, animals exposed to the combined model of ELS showed increased levels of anxiety-like behavior. Moreover, the central and peripheral HPA measures observed could indicate a dysregulation in HPA function provoked by ELS exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Orso
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (DCNL), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Erika Kestering-Ferreira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (DCNL), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luis Eduardo Wearick-Silva
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (DCNL), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Saulo Gantes Tractenberg
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (DCNL), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (DCNL), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Caulfield JI, Schopf KJ, Cavigelli SA. Peri-adolescent asthma: Acute impacts on innate immune response, corticosterone, and microglia in mice. J Neuroimmunol 2020; 350:577450. [PMID: 33285450 PMCID: PMC7750285 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2020.577450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Asthma is highly comorbid with anxiety in youth. We investigated the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and microglia as mechanisms underlying asthma and anxiety comorbidity. We induced asthma symptoms in developing BALB/cJ mice with house dust mite (HDM) for airway inflammation and methacholine (MCH) for bronchoconstriction. On the last day of exposure, we analyzed samples at six timepoints. Lung IL-5 and IL-1β expression peaked 4 h after final HDM exposure. Circulating corticosterone was blunted in a sex- and treatment-specific temporal pattern. Hippocampal IL-1β expression and microglial area were marginally increased 24 h after MCH exposure. These results provide a foundation for further work investigating asthma-anxiety mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine I Caulfield
- Pennsylvania State University, Huck Institute for Life Sciences, 101 Life Sciences Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Pennsylvania State University, Department of Biobehavioral Health, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Pennsylvania State University, Center for Brain, Behavior, Cognition, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Kerri J Schopf
- Pennsylvania State University, Department of Biobehavioral Health, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sonia A Cavigelli
- Pennsylvania State University, Huck Institute for Life Sciences, 101 Life Sciences Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Pennsylvania State University, Department of Biobehavioral Health, 219 Biobehavioral Health Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Pennsylvania State University, Center for Brain, Behavior, Cognition, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Bertagna NB, Dos Santos PGC, Queiroz RM, Fernandes GJD, Cruz FC, Miguel TT. Involvement of the ventral, but not dorsal, hippocampus in anxiety-like behaviors in mice exposed to the elevated plus maze: participation of CRF1 receptor and PKA pathway. Pharmacol Rep 2020; 73:57-72. [PMID: 33175366 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-020-00182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hippocampus is a limbic structure involved in anxiety-like behaviors. We aimed to evaluate the role of the dorsal (DH) and ventral (VH) hippocampus in anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze (EPM). METHODS We inhibited these brain regions using cobalt chloride (CoCl2: 1.0 nmol) microinjections. We also investigated the involvement of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) action and protein kinase A (PKA) pathway using intra-DH and intra-VH microinjections of the CRF1 receptor antagonist CP376395 (0, 3.0, or 6.0 nmol) and the PKA inhibitor H-89 (0, 2.5, or 5.0 nmol). RESULTS The results indicated that intra-VH CoCl2 microinjection increased the percentage of time spent and entries in the open arms. The mice also exhibited fewer stretch attend postures in the protected area and increased percentage of open arm entries. Further, intra-VH injection of 3.0 nmol CP376395 increased time spent in the open arms. Intra-DH injection of 6.0 nmol CP376395 increased the frequency of unprotected head dipping, whereas intra-VH injection of 6 nmol CP376395 increased the frequency of protected head dipping. Intra-VH, but not intra-DH, microinjection of 2.5 nmol H-89 increased the percentages of open arm entries and time spent in the open arms. Microinjection of 2.5 and 5.0 nmol H-89 reduced the frequency of protected head dipping behavior. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that VH modulates anxiety-like behaviors in EPM. Moreover, CRF and the cAMP/PKA pathway seem to modulate these effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Bonetti Bertagna
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil
| | - Paulla Giovanna Cabral Dos Santos
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil
| | - Rafaella Misael Queiroz
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Juliate Damaceno Fernandes
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil
| | - Fabio Cardoso Cruz
- Psychopharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tarciso Tadeu Miguel
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Ramoz N, Hoertel N, Nobile B, Voegeli G, Nasr A, Le Strat Y, Courtet P, Gorwood P. Corticotropin releasing hormone receptor CRHR1 gene is associated with tianeptine antidepressant response in a large sample of outpatients from real-life settings. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:378. [PMID: 33154348 PMCID: PMC7644692 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01067-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Polymorphisms of genes involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis have been associated with response to several antidepressant treatments in patients suffering of depression. These pharmacogenetics findings have been reported from independent cohorts of patients mostly treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressant, and mirtazapine. Tianeptine, an atypical antidepressant, recently identified as a mu opioid receptor agonist, which prevents and reverses the stress induced by glucocorticoids, has been investigated in this present pharmacogenetics study. More than 3200 Caucasian outpatients with a major depressive episode (MDE) from real-life settings were herein analyzed for clinical response to tianeptine, a treatment initiated from 79.5% of the subjects, during 6-8 weeks follow-up, assessing polymorphisms targeting four genes involved in the HPA axis (NR3C1, FKPB5, CRHR1, and AVPR1B). We found a significant association (p < 0.001) between CRHR1 gene variants rs878886 and rs16940665, or haplotype rs878886*C-rs16940665*T, and tianeptine antidepressant response and remission according to the hospital anxiety and depression scale. Analyses, including a structural equation model with simple mediation, suggest a moderate effect of sociodemographic characteristics and depressive disorder features on treatment response in individuals carrying the antidepressant responder allele rs8788861 (allele C). These findings suggest direct pharmacological consequences of CRHR1 polymorphisms in the antidepressant tianeptine response and remission, in MDE patients. This study replicates the association of the CRHR1 gene, involved in the HPA axis, with (1) a specificity attributed to treatment response, (2) a lower risk of chance finding, and in (3) an ecological situation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Ramoz
- Université de Paris, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Team Vulnerability of Psychiatric and Addictive Disorders, 75014, Paris, France.
| | - Nicolas Hoertel
- Université de Paris, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Team Vulnerability of Psychiatric and Addictive Disorders, 75014 Paris, France ,grid.50550.350000 0001 2175 4109Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Corentin Celton Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France ,grid.10988.380000 0001 2173 743XUniversity of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Bénédicte Nobile
- grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, CHU Montpellier, INSERM U1061, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France
| | - Géraldine Voegeli
- Université de Paris, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Team Vulnerability of Psychiatric and Addictive Disorders, 75014 Paris, France ,grid.414435.30000 0001 2200 9055GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Clinique des Maladies Mentales et de l’Encéphale (CMME), Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris, France
| | - Ariane Nasr
- Université de Paris, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Team Vulnerability of Psychiatric and Addictive Disorders, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Yann Le Strat
- Université de Paris, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Team Vulnerability of Psychiatric and Addictive Disorders, 75014 Paris, France ,grid.50550.350000 0001 2175 4109Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Louis Mourier, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Colombes, France
| | - Philippe Courtet
- grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, CHU Montpellier, INSERM U1061, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France
| | - Philip Gorwood
- Université de Paris, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Team Vulnerability of Psychiatric and Addictive Disorders, 75014 Paris, France ,grid.414435.30000 0001 2200 9055GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Clinique des Maladies Mentales et de l’Encéphale (CMME), Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Discovery of a stable tripeptide targeting the N-domain of CRF1 receptor. Amino Acids 2020; 52:1337-1351. [PMID: 32996057 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-020-02895-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and its CRF1 receptor (CRF1R) play a central role in the maintenance of homeostasis. Malfunctioning of the CRF/CRF1R unit is associated with several disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Non-peptide CRF1R-selective antagonists have been shown to exert anxiolytic and antidepressant effects on experimental animals. However, none of them is in clinical use today because of several side effects, thus demonstrating the need for the development of other more suitable CRF1R antagonists. In an effort to develop novel CRF1R antagonists we designed, synthesized and chemically characterized two tripeptide analogues of CRF, namely (R)-LMI and (S)-LMI, having their Leu either in R (or D) or in S (or L) configuration, respectively. Their design was based on the crystal structure of the N-extracellular domain (N-domain) of CRF1R/CRF complex, using a relevant array of computational methods. Experimental evaluation of the stability of synthetic peptides in human plasma has revealed that (R)-LMI is proteolytically more stable than (S)-LMI. Based on this finding, (R)-LMI was selected for pharmacological characterization. We have found that (R)-LMI is a CRF antagonist, inhibiting (1) the CRF-stimulated accumulation of cAMP in HEK 293 cells expressing the CRF1R, (2) the production of interleukins by adipocytes and (3) the proliferation rate of RAW 264.7 cells. (R)-LMI likely blocked agonist actions by interacting with the N-domain of CRF1R as suggested by data using a constitutively active chimera of CRF1R. We propose that (R)-LMI can be used as an optimal lead compound in the rational design of novel CRF antagonists.
Collapse
|
27
|
Bryce CA, Floresco SB. Central CRF and acute stress differentially modulate probabilistic reversal learning in male and female rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 397:112929. [PMID: 32998044 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Acute stress can have variable and sometimes sex-dependent effects on different executive functions, including cognitive flexibility, some of which may be mediated by increased corticotropin releasing factor (CRF). Previous studies on the effects of stress and CRF on cognitive flexibility have used procedures entailing deterministic rewards, yet how they may alter behavior when outcomes are probabilistic is unclear. The present study examined how acute stress and increased CRF activity alters probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) in male and female rats. Rats learned to discriminate between a 'correct' lever rewarded on 80 % of trials, and an "incorrect" lever delivering reward on 20 % of trials, with reward contingencies reversed after 8 consecutive correct choices. Separate groups received either intracerebroventricular infusions of CRF (3 μg) or restraint stress prior to a PRL session. Experiments examined how these manipulations affected learning when given prior to a one-day acquisition test or during performance in well-trained rats. Exogenous CRF, and to a lesser extent acute stress, impaired motivation across sexes, slowing deliberation times and increasing the number of trials omitted, particularly following a switch in reward contingencies. Neither manipulation significantly altered errors or reversal performance. However, increased CRF activity reduced negative feedback sensitivity. Across manipulations, females showed increased omissions and choice latencies, and were less sensitive to feedback than males. These results reveal the complexity with which stress, CRF, sex, and experience interact to alter aspects of motivation and probabilistic reinforcement learning and provide insight into how CRF activity may contribute to symptoms of stress-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Courtney A Bryce
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Romero-Leguizamón CR, Kohlmeier KA. Stress-related endogenous neuropeptides induce neuronal excitation in the Laterodorsal Tegmentum. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 38:86-97. [PMID: 32768153 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Stress is a physiological response that promotes maintenance of balance against harmful stimuli. Unfortunately, chronic activation of stress systems facilitates the development of psychiatric disorders. A stress-mediated hypercholinergic state could underlie this facilitation, as cholinergic mechanisms have been suggested to play a role in anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder (SUD). Stimulation by stress hormones, urocortin (Ucn1) or corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), of the CRF receptor type 1 (CRFR1) of acetylcholine-containing neurons of the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) could be involved in modulation of cholinergic transmission during periods of stress hormone activation, which could play a role in psychiatric disorders as cholinergic LDT neurons project to, and control activity in, mood-, arousal- and SUD-controlling regions. The present study investigated for the first time the membrane effects and intracellular outcomes of CRFR1 activation by endogenous stress hormones on LDT neurons. Patch clamp recordings of immunohistochemically-identified cholinergic and non-cholinergic LDT neurons with concurrent calcium imaging were used to monitor cellular responses to CRFR1 stimulation with Ucn1 and CRF. Postsynaptically-mediated excitatory currents were elicited in LDT cholinergic neurons, accompanied by an enhancement in synaptic events. In addition, CRFR1 activation resulted in rises in intracellular calcium levels. CRFR1 stimulation recruited MAPK/ERK and SERCA-ATPase involved pathways. The data presented here provide the first evidence that Ucn1 and CRF exert pre and postsynaptic excitatory membrane actions on LDT cholinergic neurons that could underlie the hypercholinergic state associated with stress which could play a role in the heightened risk of psychiatric disorders associated with a chronic stress state.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cesar R Romero-Leguizamón
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Kristi A Kohlmeier
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Zuloaga DG, Heck AL, De Guzman RM, Handa RJ. Roles for androgens in mediating the sex differences of neuroendocrine and behavioral stress responses. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:44. [PMID: 32727567 PMCID: PMC7388454 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00319-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Estradiol and testosterone are powerful steroid hormones that impact brain function in numerous ways. During development, these hormones can act to program the adult brain in a male or female direction. During adulthood, gonadal steroid hormones can activate or inhibit brain regions to modulate adult functions. Sex differences in behavioral and neuroendocrine (i.e., hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis) responses to stress arise as a result of these organizational and activational actions. The sex differences that are present in the HPA and behavioral responses to stress are particularly important considering their role in maintaining homeostasis. Furthermore, dysregulation of these systems can underlie the sex biases in risk for complex, stress-related diseases that are found in humans. Although many studies have explored the role of estrogen and estrogen receptors in mediating sex differences in stress-related behaviors and HPA function, much less consideration has been given to the role of androgens. While circulating androgens can act by binding and activating androgen receptors, they can also act by metabolism to estrogenic molecules to impact estrogen signaling in the brain and periphery. This review focuses on androgens as an important hormone for modulating the HPA axis and behaviors throughout life and for setting up sex differences in key stress regulatory systems that could impact risk for disease in adulthood. In particular, impacts of androgens on neuropeptide systems known to play key roles in HPA and behavioral responses to stress (corticotropin-releasing factor, vasopressin, and oxytocin) are discussed. A greater knowledge of androgen action in the brain is key to understanding the neurobiology of stress in both sexes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashley L Heck
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - Robert J Handa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Repouskou A, Papadopoulou AK, Panagiotidou E, Trichas P, Lindh C, Bergman Å, Gennings C, Bornehag CG, Rüegg J, Kitraki E, Stamatakis A. Long term transcriptional and behavioral effects in mice developmentally exposed to a mixture of endocrine disruptors associated with delayed human neurodevelopment. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9367. [PMID: 32518293 PMCID: PMC7283331 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66379-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that gestational exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may interfere with normal brain development and predispose for later dysfunctions. The current study focuses on the exposure impact of mixtures of EDCs that better mimics the real-life situation. We herein describe a mixture of phthalates, pesticides and bisphenol A (mixture N1) detected in pregnant women of the SELMA cohort and associated with language delay in their children. To study the long-term impact of developmental exposure to N1 on brain physiology and behavior we administered this mixture to mice throughout gestation at doses 0×, 0.5×, 10×, 100× and 500× the geometric mean of SELMA mothers' concentrations, and examined their offspring in adulthood. Mixture N1 exposure increased active coping during swimming stress in both sexes, increased locomotion and reduced social interaction in male progeny. The expression of corticosterone receptors, their regulator Fkbp5, corticotropin releasing hormone and its receptor, oxytocin and its receptor, estrogen receptor beta, serotonin receptors (Htr1a, Htr2a) and glutamate receptor subunit Grin2b, were modified in the limbic system of adult animals, in a region-specific, sexually-dimorphic and experience-dependent manner. Principal component analysis revealed gene clusters associated with the observed behavioral responses, mostly related to the stress axis. This integration of epidemiology-based data with an experimental model increases the evidence that prenatal exposure to EDC mixtures impacts later life brain functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Repouskou
- Basic Sciences lab, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia-Konstantina Papadopoulou
- Basic Sciences lab, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece.,Biology-Biochemistry lab, Faculty of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, NKUA, Athens, Greece
| | - Emily Panagiotidou
- Basic Sciences lab, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece.,Biology-Biochemistry lab, Faculty of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, NKUA, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Trichas
- Biology-Biochemistry lab, Faculty of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, NKUA, Athens, Greece
| | - Christian Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Åke Bergman
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Chris Gennings
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carl-Gustaf Bornehag
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Uppsala University, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Department of Organismal Biology 18 A, Norbyvägen, 752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Efthymia Kitraki
- Basic Sciences lab, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece.
| | - Antonios Stamatakis
- Biology-Biochemistry lab, Faculty of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, NKUA, Athens, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Huang D, Liu H, Zhu A, Zhou Y, Li Y. Forebrain excitatory neuron-specific SENP2 knockout mouse displays hyperactivity, impaired learning and memory, and anxiolytic-like behavior. Mol Brain 2020; 13:59. [PMID: 32290845 PMCID: PMC7155287 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00591-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 2 (SENP2) is a member of SENPs family involved in maturation of SUMO precursors and deSUMOylation of specific target, and is highly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). Although SENP2 has been shown to modulate embryonic development, fatty acid metabolism, atherosclerosis and epilepsy, the function of SENP2 in the CNS remains poorly understood. To address the role of SENP2 in the CNS and its potential involvement in neuropathology, we generated SENP2 conditional knockout mice by crossing floxed SENP2 mice with CaMKIIα-Cre transgenic mice. Behavioral tests revealed that SENP2 ablation induced hyper-locomotor activity, anxiolytic-like behaviors, spatial working memory impairment and fear-associated learning defect. In line with these observations, our RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data identified a variety of differential expression genes that are particularly enriched in locomotion, learning and memory related biologic process. Taken together, our results indicated that SENP2 plays a critical role in emotional and cognitive regulation. This SENP2 conditional knockout mice model may help reveal novel mechanisms that underlie a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders associated with anxiety and cognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dehua Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Huiqing Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Aoxue Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, China.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Kinlein SA, Karatsoreos IN. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as a substrate for stress resilience: Interactions with the circadian clock. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 56:100819. [PMID: 31863788 PMCID: PMC7643247 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Stress, primarily processed via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, engages biological pathways throughout the brain and body which promote adaptation and survival to changing environmental demands. Adaptation to environmental challenges is compromised when these pathways are no longer functioning optimally. The physiological and behavioral mechanisms through which HPA axis function influences stress adaptation and resilience are not fully elucidated. Our understanding of stress biology and disease must take into account the complex interactions between the endocrine system, neural circuits, and behavioral coping strategies. In addition, further consideration must be taken concerning influences of other aspects of physiology, including the circadian clock which is critical for regulation of daily changes in HPA activity. While adding a layer of complexity, it also offers targets for intervention. Understanding the role of HPA function in mediating these diverse biological responses will lead to important insights about how to bolster successful stress adaptation and promote stress resilience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Kinlein
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States
| | - Ilia N Karatsoreos
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Stress peptides sensitize fear circuitry to promote passive coping. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:428-441. [PMID: 29904149 PMCID: PMC6169733 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0089-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Survival relies on optimizing behavioral responses through experience. Animals often react to acute stress by switching to passive behavioral responses when coping with environmental challenge. Despite recent advances in dissecting mammalian circuitry for Pavlovian fear, the neuronal basis underlying this form of non-Pavlovian anxiety-related behavioral plasticity remains poorly understood. Here, we report that aversive experience recruits the posterior paraventricular thalamus (PVT) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and sensitizes a Pavlovian fear circuit to promote passive responding. Site-specific lesions and optogenetic manipulations reveal that PVT-to-central amygdala (CE) projections activate anxiogenic neuronal populations in the CE that release local CRH in response to acute stress. CRH potentiates basolateral (BLA)-CE connectivity and antagonizes inhibitory gating of CE output, a mechanism linked to Pavlovian fear, to facilitate the switch from active to passive behavior. Thus, PVT-amygdala fear circuitry uses inhibitory gating in the CE as a shared dynamic motif, but relies on different cellular mechanisms (postsynaptic long-term potentiation vs. presynaptic facilitation), to multiplex active/passive response bias in Pavlovian and non-Pavlovian behavioral plasticity. These results establish a framework promoting stress-induced passive responding, which might contribute to passive emotional coping seen in human fear- and anxiety-related disorders.
Collapse
|
34
|
Amygdalar corticotropin-releasing factor mediates stress-induced anxiety. Brain Res 2019; 1729:146622. [PMID: 31881185 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The extended amygdala, including the Central nucleus of the Amygdala (CeA) and the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis (BNST), is a complex structure that plays a pivotal role in emotional behavior. The CeA and the BNST are highly interconnected, being the amygdala traditionally more associated with fear and the BNST with anxiety. Yet, studies using excitotoxic lesions also show the involvement of the CeA in the development of stress-induced anxiety. Likewise, others have also highlighted the role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), a neuropeptide highly expressed in CeA, as an anxiogenic factor and, consequently, important for in anxiety disorders. Here, we used an inducible RNAi lentiviral system to assess the effects of reducing CRF expression in CeA in the development of anxiety-like behavior in a model of Chronic Unpredictable Stress. In addition, we evaluated CRF RNAi-mediated alterations in the stress-triggered molecular signature in the BNST. Knockdown of CRF in the CeA decreased stress-induced anxiety levels. No differences were found in a fear-potentiated startle paradigm. Additionally, we observed that stress-induced alterations in the expression of CRF receptors within the BNST are attenuated by CRF knockdown in the CeA. These results emphasize the importance of the role that amygdalar CRF plays in the modulation of anxiety-like behavior and in the molecular signature of stress in the BNST.
Collapse
|
35
|
Zhu LJ, Xu C, Ren J, Chang L, Zhu XH, Sun N, Meng GL, Liu MY, Zhang J, Li YY, Tang YL, Zhou QG. Dentate nNOS accounts for stress-induced 5-HT 1A receptor deficiency: Implication in anxiety behaviors. CNS Neurosci Ther 2019; 26:453-464. [PMID: 31863649 PMCID: PMC7080430 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Anxiety is a common disorder with high social burden worldwide. Dysfunction of serotonin‐1A receptor (5‐HT1A receptor) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus has been predominantly implicated in the anxiety behavior. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the deficiency of postsynaptic 5‐HT1A receptor in regulating anxiety behavior remains unclear. Methods Using pharmacological and genetic methods, we investigated the role of detate nNOS in 5‐HT1A receptor decline and anxiety behavior induced by chronic mild stress (CMS) in mice. Results Here we showed that local elevation of glucocorticoids in the DG accounted for chronic stress‐induced anxiety behavior. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) mediated chronic stress‐induced downregulation of 5‐HT1A receptor in the DG through peroxynitrite anion (ONOO•) pathway but not cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway. By using pharmacological tool drugs and nNOS knockout mice, we found that nNOS in the DG played a key role in chronic stress‐induced anxiety behavior. Conclusions These findings uncovered an important role of nNOS‐5‐HT1A receptor pathway in the DG of the hippocampus in chronic stress‐induced anxiety. Accordingly, we developed a “dentate nNOS‐5‐HT1A receptor closed‐loop” theory (stress‐glucocorticoids‐nNOS‐Nitric oxide‐ONOO•‐5‐HT1A receptor ‐nNOS) of stress‐related anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Juan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chu Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Ren
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Chang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xian-Hui Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Clinical Pharmcay, Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guo-Liang Meng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Meng-Ying Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmcay, Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Lin Tang
- Department of Clinical Pharmcay, Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qi-Gang Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Clinical Pharmcay, Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Ferri SL, Pallathra AA, Kim H, Dow HC, Raje P, McMullen M, Bilker WB, Siegel SJ, Abel T, Brodkin ES. Sociability development in mice with cell-specific deletion of the NMDA receptor NR1 subunit gene. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2019; 19:e12624. [PMID: 31721416 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Social affiliative behavior is an important component of everyday life in many species and is likely to be disrupted in disabling ways in various neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Therefore, determining the mechanisms involved in these processes is crucial. A link between N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function and social behaviors has been clearly established. The cell types in which NMDA receptors are critical for social affiliative behavior, however, remain unclear. Here, we use mice carrying a conditional allele of the NMDA R1 subunit to address this question. Mice bearing a floxed NMDAR1 (NR1) allele were crossed with transgenic calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase IIα (CaMKIIα)-Cre mice or parvalbumin (PV)-Cre mice targeting postnatal excitatory forebrain or PV-expressing interneurons, respectively, and assessed using the three-chambered Social Approach Test. We found that deletion of NR1 in PV-positive interneurons had no effect on social sniffing, but deletion of NR1 in glutamatergic pyramidal cells resulted in a significant increase in social approach behavior, regardless of age or sex. Therefore, forebrain excitatory neurons expressing NR1 play an important role in regulating social affiliative behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Ferri
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Ashley A Pallathra
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Hyong Kim
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Holly C Dow
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Praachi Raje
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mary McMullen
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Warren B Bilker
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Steven J Siegel
- Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ted Abel
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Edward S Brodkin
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Pandey GN, Rizavi HS, Bhaumik R, Ren X. Increased protein and mRNA expression of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), decreased CRF receptors and CRF binding protein in specific postmortem brain areas of teenage suicide subjects. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 106:233-243. [PMID: 31005044 PMCID: PMC7061258 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Overactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function has been implicated in depression and suicidal behavior. This is based on the observation of an abnormal dexamethasone (DEX) and DEX-adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) test in patients with depression and suicidal behavior. Recently, some studies have also found abnormalities of glucocorticoid receptors (GR), mineralocorticoid receptors (MR), corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), CRF receptors (CRF-R) and CRF binding protein (CRF-BP) in depressed and suicidal patients. Some investigators have also observed increased levels of CRF in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and altered levels of MR, GR and CRF in the postmortem brain of depressed and suicidal subjects. We have earlier reported decreased protein and mRNA expression of GR and GILZ, a chaperone protein, in the postmortem brain of teenage suicide subjects. We have further studied CRF and its receptors in different areas of the postmortem brain of suicide subjects, i.e., the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HIPPO), subiculum and amygdala (AMY) from teenage suicide subjects. The CRF and its receptors were determined in the PFC (Brodmann area 9), HIPPO, subiculum and different amygdaloid nuclei from 24 normal control subjects and 24 teenage suicide subjects. Protein expression of CRF, its receptors and CRF-BP was determined by immunolabeling using the Western blot technique and mRNA expression was determined by real-time PCR (qPCR) technique. We found that the mRNA levels of CRF were significantly increased in the PFC, in the central amygdaloid nucleus (CeAMY) and in the subiculum. mRNA levels of CRF-R1 and CRF-BP were significantly decreased in the PFC. We did not find any changes in the HIPPO of any of the CRF components we studied. When we compared the protein expression of CRF components we found that CRF was significantly increased and CRF-R1, CRF-R2 and CRF-BP significantly decreased in the PFC. On the other hand, there were no changes in the protein expression of CRF components in the HIPPO. Our results in the postmortem brain suggest that, as found by clinical studies in the CSF, there are significant alterations of CRF and its receptors in the postmortem brain of teenage suicide subjects. These alterations of CRF and its components were region-specific, as changes were not generally observed in the HIPPO.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ghanshyam N. Pandey
- Corresponding Author: Ghanshyam N. Pandey, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA, Phone (312) 413-4540, Fax: (312) 413-4547,
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Pace-Schott EF, Amole MC, Aue T, Balconi M, Bylsma LM, Critchley H, Demaree HA, Friedman BH, Gooding AEK, Gosseries O, Jovanovic T, Kirby LA, Kozlowska K, Laureys S, Lowe L, Magee K, Marin MF, Merner AR, Robinson JL, Smith RC, Spangler DP, Van Overveld M, VanElzakker MB. Physiological feelings. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 103:267-304. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
39
|
Keller SM, Doherty TS, Roth TL. Pharmacological manipulation of DNA methylation normalizes maternal behavior, DNA methylation, and gene expression in dams with a history of maltreatment. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10253. [PMID: 31311968 PMCID: PMC6635500 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46539-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The quality of parental care received during development profoundly influences an individual's phenotype, including that of maternal behavior. We previously found that female rats with a history of maltreatment during infancy mistreat their own offspring. One proposed mechanism through which early-life experiences influence behavior is via epigenetic modifications. Indeed, our lab has identified a number of brain epigenetic alterations in female rats with a history of maltreatment. Here we sought to investigate the role of DNA methylation in aberrant maternal behavior. We administered zebularine, a drug known to alter DNA methylation, to dams exposed during infancy to the scarcity-adversity model of low nesting resources, and then characterized the quality of their care towards their offspring. First, we replicate that dams with a history of maltreatment mistreat their own offspring. Second, we show that maltreated-dams treated with zebularine exhibit lower levels of adverse care toward their offspring. Third, we show that administration of zebularine in control dams (history of nurturing care) enhances levels of adverse care. Lastly, we show altered methylation and gene expression in maltreated dams normalized by zebularine. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that epigenetic alterations resulting from maltreatment causally relate to behavioral outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Keller
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Tiffany S Doherty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Tania L Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Jiang Y, Peng T, Gaur U, Silva M, Little P, Chen Z, Qiu W, Zhang Y, Zheng W. Role of Corticotropin Releasing Factor in the Neuroimmune Mechanisms of Depression: Examination of Current Pharmaceutical and Herbal Therapies. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:290. [PMID: 31312123 PMCID: PMC6614517 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 3% of the world population suffers from depression, which is one of the most common form of mental disorder. Recent findings suggest that an interaction between the nervous system and immune system might be behind the pathophysiology of various neurological and psychiatric disorders, including depression. Neuropeptides have been shown to play a major role in mediating response to stress and inducing immune activation or suppression. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is a major regulator of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis response. CRF is a stress-related neuropeptide whose dysregulation has been associated with depression. In this review, we summarized the role of CRF in the neuroimmune mechanisms of depression, and the potential therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) as well as other agents. Studying the network of CRF and immune responses will help to enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of depression. Additionally, targeting this important network may aid in developing novel treatments for this debilitating psychiatric disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yizhou Jiang
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.,Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tangming Peng
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Neurosurgical Clinical Research Center of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Uma Gaur
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Marta Silva
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Peter Little
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Zhong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Qiu
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yandong Zhang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenhua Zheng
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in rat reduces mu-opioid receptor levels in brain regions associated with stress and energy regulation. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218680. [PMID: 31220174 PMCID: PMC6586324 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) is the most common and effective weight loss procedure for severe obesity. However, a significant increase in addictive behaviors and new-onset substance use disorder (SUD) are sometimes observed post-surgery. The endogenous opioid system is known to play a major role in motivated behavior and reward, as well as the abuse of substances, including alcohol, tobacco, opioids and highly palatable foods. Here, we examined the effects of RYGB on mu-opioid receptor levels in the brain. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of four groups: standard diet with sham surgery (control), ad libitum high-energy high-fat (HF) diet with sham surgery, calorie restricted HF diet with sham surgery (Sham-FR), or HF diet with RYGB surgery. Control and HF groups were fed their respective diets for 8 weeks, with surgery performed on the eighth week. After 9 weeks on their respective diets post-surgery, animals were sacrificed for mu-opioid receptor autoradiography using the [3H] [D-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4-Gly5-ol]- enkephalin (DAMGO) ligand. Rats with RYGB showed reduced DAMGO binding in the central amygdala compared to sham-operated HF diet controls, and in the hypothalamus compared to high-fat fed Sham-FR. Diet alone did not change [3H] DAMGO binding in any region. These findings show that RYGB surgery, independent of diet or caloric restriction, decreases mu opioid signaling in specific regions important for stress and energy regulation. Thus, RYGB surgery may lead to greater stress sensitivity via downregulated mu opioid signaling in the central amygdala, which may contribute to the observed increased risk in some subjects for addictive behavior.
Collapse
|
42
|
de Miguel E, Vekovischeva O, Elsilä LV, Panhelainen A, Kankuri E, Aitta-Aho T, Korpi ER. Conditioned Aversion and Neuroplasticity Induced by a Superagonist of Extrasynaptic GABA A Receptors: Correlation With Activation of the Oval BNST Neurons and CRF Mechanisms. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:130. [PMID: 31178693 PMCID: PMC6543524 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
THIP (gaboxadol), a superagonist of the δ subunit-containing extrasynaptic GABAA receptors, produces persistent neuroplasticity in dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), similarly to rewarding drugs of abuse. However, unlike them THIP lacks abuse potential and induces conditioned place aversion in mice. The mechanism underlying the aversive effects of THIP remains elusive. Here, we show that mild aversive effects of THIP were detected 2 h after administration likely reflecting an anxiety-like state with increased corticosterone release and with central recruitment of corticotropin-releasing factor corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRF1) receptors. A detailed immunohistochemical c-Fos expression mapping for THIP-activated brain areas revealed a correlation between the activation of CRF-expressing neurons in the oval nucleus of the bed nuclei of stria terminalis and THIP-induced aversive effects. In addition, the neuroplasticity of mesolimbic DA system (24 h after administration) and conditioned place aversion by THIP after four daily acute sessions were dependent on extrasynaptic GABAA receptors (abolished in δ-GABAA receptor knockout mice) and activation of the CRF1 receptors (abolished in wildtype mice by a CRF1 receptor antagonist). A selective THIP-induced activation of CRF-expressing neurons in the oval part of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis may constitute a novel mechanism for inducing plasticity in a population of VTA DA neurons and aversive behavioral states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena de Miguel
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olga Vekovischeva
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lauri V Elsilä
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anne Panhelainen
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Esko Kankuri
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teemu Aitta-Aho
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Esa R Korpi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Sakellaris S, Matsoukas MT, Karageorgos V, Poulaki S, Kuppast B, Margioris A, Venihaki M, Fahmy H, Liapakis G. Selective antagonism of CRF1 receptor by a substituted pyrimidine. Hormones (Athens) 2019; 18:215-221. [PMID: 30980254 DOI: 10.1007/s42000-019-00105-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and its type 1 receptor (CRF1R) regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as well as other systems, thus playing a crucial role in the maintenance of homeostasis. Non-peptide CRF1R-selective antagonists exert therapeutic effects on experimental animals with abnormal regulation of their homeostatic mechanisms. However, none of them is as yet in clinical use. In an effort to develop novel small non-peptide CRF1R-selective antagonists, we have synthesized a series of substituted pyrimidines described in a previous study. These small molecules bind to CRF1R, with analog 3 having the highest affinity. Characteristic structural features of analog 3 are a N,N-bis(methoxyethyl)amino group at position 6 and a methyl in the alkythiol group at position 5. Based on the binding profile of analog 3, we selected it in the present study for further pharmacological characterization. The results of this study suggest that analog 3 is a potent CRF1R-selective antagonist, blocking the ability of sauvagine, a CRF-related peptide, to stimulate cAMP accumulation in HEK 293 cells via activation of CRF1R, but not via CRF2R. Moreover, analog 3 blocked sauvagine to stimulate the proliferation of macrophages, further supporting its antagonistic properties. We have also constructed molecular models of CRF1R to examine the interactions of this receptor with analog 3 and antalarmin, a prototype CRF1R-selective non-peptide antagonist, which lacks the characteristic structural features of analog 3. Our data facilitate the design of novel non-peptide CRF1R antagonists for clinical use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stelios Sakellaris
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
| | | | - Vlasios Karageorgos
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
| | - Smaragda Poulaki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
| | - Bhimanna Kuppast
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA
| | - Andrew Margioris
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
| | - Maria Venihaki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
| | - Hesham Fahmy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007, USA
| | - George Liapakis
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Rosinger ZJ, Jacobskind JS, De Guzman RM, Justice NJ, Zuloaga DG. A sexually dimorphic distribution of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 in the paraventricular hypothalamus. Neuroscience 2019; 409:195-203. [PMID: 31055007 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.04.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in neural structures are generally believed to underlie sex differences reported in anxiety, depression, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, although the specific circuitry involved is largely unclear. Using a corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRFR1) reporter mouse line, we report a sexually dimorphic distribution of CRFR1 expressing cells within the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVN; males > females). Relative to adult levels, PVN CRFR1-expressing cells are sparse and not sexually dimorphic at postnatal days 0, 4, or 21. This suggests that PVN cells might recruit CRFR1 during puberty or early adulthood in a sex-specific manner. The adult sex difference in PVN CRFR1 persists in old mice (20-24 months). Adult gonadectomy (6 weeks) resulted in a significant decrease in CRFR1-immunoreactive cells in the male but not female PVN. CRFR1 cells show moderate co-expression with estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and high co-expression with androgen receptor, indicating potential mechanisms through which circulating gonadal hormones might regulate CRFR1 expression and function. Finally, we demonstrate that a psychological stressor, restraint stress, induces a sexually dimorphic pattern of neural activation in PVN CRFR1 cells (males >females) as assessed by co-localization with the transcription/neural activation marker phosphorylated CREB. Given the known role of CRFR1 in regulating stress-associated behaviors and hormonal responses, this CRFR1 PVN sex difference might contribute to sex differences in these functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary J Rosinger
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States of America
| | - Jason S Jacobskind
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States of America
| | - Rose M De Guzman
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J Justice
- Center for Metabolic and Degenerative Diseases, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Damian G Zuloaga
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Xie X, Yang H, An JJ, Houtz J, Tan JW, Xu H, Liao GY, Xu ZX, Xu B. Activation of Anxiogenic Circuits Instigates Resistance to Diet-Induced Obesity via Increased Energy Expenditure. Cell Metab 2019; 29:917-931.e4. [PMID: 30661931 PMCID: PMC6507421 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2018.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are associated with body weight changes in humans. However, the mechanisms underlying anxiety-induced weight changes remain poorly understood. Using Emx1Cre/+ mice, we deleted the gene for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cortex, hippocampus, and some amygdalar subregions. The resulting mutant mice displayed impaired GABAergic transmission and elevated anxiety. They were leaner when fed either a chow diet or a high-fat diet, owing to higher sympathetic activity, basal metabolic rate, brown adipocyte thermogenesis, and beige adipocyte formation, compared to control mice. BDNF re-expression in the amygdala rescued the anxiety and metabolic phenotypes in mutant mice. Conversely, anxiety induced by amygdala-specific Bdnf deletion or administration of an inverse GABAA receptor agonist increased energy expenditure. These results reveal that increased activities in anxiogenic circuits can reduce body weight by promoting adaptive thermogenesis and basal metabolism via the sympathetic nervous system and suggest that amygdalar GABAergic neurons are a link between anxiety and metabolic dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyang Xie
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Haili Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Juan Ji An
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Jessica Houtz
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Ji-Wei Tan
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Haifei Xu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Guey-Ying Liao
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Zhi-Xiang Xu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Baoji Xu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Effects of oxytocin on prosocial behavior and the associated profiles of oxytocinergic and corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors in a rodent model of posttraumatic stress disorder. J Biomed Sci 2019; 26:26. [PMID: 30898126 PMCID: PMC6427848 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-019-0514-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traumatic experience may lead to various psychological sequelae including the unforgettable trauma-associated memory as seen in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with a mechanism of impaired fear extinction due to biological imbalance among hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and fear circuit areas such as medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampus, and amygdala. Recently the impaired sociability seen in PTSD patients received great attention and the involvement of oxytocin (OXT) mediation is worth being investigated. This study examined whether the trauma-altered prosocial behavior can be modulated by OXT manipulation and its relationship with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) signaling. METHODS Male rats previously exposed to a single prolonged stress (SPS) were evaluated for their performance in social choice test (SCT) and novel object recognition test (NORT) following the introduction of intranasal oxytocin (OXT) and OXT receptor antagonist atosiban (ASB). OXT receptors (OXTR) and CRH receptors (CRHR1, CRHR2) were quantified in both protein and mRNA levels in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampus, and amygdala. RESULTS SPS reduced inclination of rats staying at the sociable place with performing less prosocial contacts. OXT can amend the deficit but this effect was blocked by ASB. Expression of OXTR became reduced following SPS in mPFC and amygdala, the latter exhibited higher therapeutic specificity to OXT. Expression of CRHR1 appeared more sensitive than CRHR2 to SPS, higher CRHR1 protein levels were found in mPFC and amygdala. CONCLUSION Psychological trauma-impaired sociability is highly associated with OXT signaling pathway. Intranasal OXT restored both the SPS-impaired prosocial contacts and the SPS-reduced OXTR expressions in mPFC and amygdala. OXT may have therapeutic potential to treat PTSD patients with impaired social behaviors.
Collapse
|
47
|
Dunlop BW, Wong A. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in PTSD: Pathophysiology and treatment interventions. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 89:361-379. [PMID: 30342071 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.10.010] [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: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Questions of how altered functioning of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis contribute to the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been the focus of extensive animal and human research. As a rule, results have been inconsistent across studies, likely due to a variety of confounding variables that have received inadequate attention. Important confounding factors include the effects of early life stress, biological sex, and the glucocorticoid used for interventions. In this manuscript we review: 1) the literature on identified abnormalities of HPA axis function in PTSD, both in terms of basal functioning and as part of challenge paradigms; 2) the role of HPA axis function pre- and immediately post-trauma as a risk factor for PTSD development; 3) the impact of HPA axis genes' allelic variants and epigenetic modifications on PTSD risk; 4) the contributions of HPA axis components to fear learning and extinction; and 5) therapeutic manipulations of the HPA axis to both prevent and treat PTSD, including the role of glucocorticoids as part of medication enhanced psychotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Boadie W Dunlop
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Andrea Wong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Harris BN, Hohman ZP, Campbell CM, King KS, Tucker CA. FAAH genotype, CRFR1 genotype, and cortisol interact to predict anxiety in an aging, rural Hispanic population: A Project FRONTIER study. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 10:100154. [PMID: 30949563 PMCID: PMC6430712 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurophysiological underpinnings involved in susceptibility to and maintenance of anxiety are not entirely known. However, two stress-responsive systems, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the endocannabinoid system, may interact in anxiety. Here, we examine the relationship between FAAH genotype, CRFR1 genotype, baseline cortisol, and state anxiety in a rural adult population using data from Project FRONTIER. We predicted that FAAH A (AA and AC vs CC; rs324420) and three CRFR1 SNP minor alleles (rs7209436 C→ T [minor allele]; rs110402, G → A [minor]; and rs242924 G→ T [minor]), would interact to predict low baseline cortisol and low state anxiety scores. We found partial support for our prediction. In CRFR1 minor carriers, the FAAH AA or AC (vs. CC) genotype was associated with higher cortisol and with lower anxiety. In CRFR1 non-minors, those with FAAH AA or AC (vs. CC) showed decreased cortisol and higher anxiety. These results suggest that FAAH CC genotype only conveys risk for anxiety in individuals who are also carriers of the CRFR1 minor combination. FAAH genotype was significantly associated with baseline cortisol but was not independently associated with anxiety. Contrary to our predictions, baseline cortisol was negatively associated with anxiety. Lastly, we did not find any independent relationships between any of our SNPs and baseline cortisol or anxiety. These data suggest FAAH and cortisol interact to predict state anxiety, but that the relationship depends on CRFR1 genotype. The Project FRONTIER dataset is supported by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Garrison Institute on Aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Breanna N Harris
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Zachary P Hohman
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Callie M Campbell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Kaleb S King
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Cody A Tucker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Sahoo S, S. B. Pharmacogenomic assessment of herbal drugs in affective disorders. Biomed Pharmacother 2019; 109:1148-1162. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.10.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
|
50
|
Dedic N, Chen A, Deussing JM. The CRF Family of Neuropeptides and their Receptors - Mediators of the Central Stress Response. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2018; 11:4-31. [PMID: 28260504 PMCID: PMC5930453 DOI: 10.2174/1874467210666170302104053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2015] [Revised: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background: Dysregulated stress neurocircuits, caused by genetic and/or environmental changes, underlie the development of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is the major physiological activator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and conse-quently a primary regulator of the mammalian stress response. Together with its three family members, urocortins (UCNs) 1, 2, and 3, CRF integrates the neuroendocrine, autonomic, metabolic and behavioral responses to stress by activating its cognate receptors CRFR1 and CRFR2. Objective: Here we review the past and current state of the CRF/CRFR field, ranging from pharmacologi-cal studies to genetic mouse models and virus-mediated manipulations. Results: Although it is well established that CRF/CRFR1 signaling mediates aversive responses, includ-ing anxiety and depression-like behaviors, a number of recent studies have challenged this viewpoint by revealing anxiolytic and appetitive properties of specific CRF/CRFR1 circuits. In contrast, the UCN/CRFR2 system is less well understood and may possibly also exert divergent functions on physiol-ogy and behavior depending on the brain region, underlying circuit, and/or experienced stress conditions. Conclusion: A plethora of available genetic tools, including conventional and conditional mouse mutants targeting CRF system components, has greatly advanced our understanding about the endogenous mecha-nisms underlying HPA system regulation and CRF/UCN-related neuronal circuits involved in stress-related behaviors. Yet, the detailed pathways and molecular mechanisms by which the CRF/UCN-system translates negative or positive stimuli into the final, integrated biological response are not completely un-derstood. The utilization of future complementary methodologies, such as cell-type specific Cre-driver lines, viral and optogenetic tools will help to further dissect the function of genetically defined CRF/UCN neurocircuits in the context of adaptive and maladaptive stress responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nina Dedic
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr, 2-10, 80804 Munich. Germany
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr, 2-10, 80804 Munich. Germany
| | - Jan M Deussing
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr, 2-10, 80804 Munich. Germany
| |
Collapse
|