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Subedi L, Gaire BP, Koronyo Y, Koronyo-Hamaoui M, Crother TR. Chlamydia pneumoniae in Alzheimer's disease pathology. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1393293. [PMID: 38770241 PMCID: PMC11102982 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1393293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
While recent advances in diagnostics and therapeutics offer promising new approaches for Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis and treatment, there is still an unmet need for an effective remedy, suggesting new avenues of research are required. Besides many plausible etiologies for AD pathogenesis, mounting evidence supports a possible role for microbial infections. Various microbes have been identified in the postmortem brain tissues of human AD patients. Among bacterial pathogens in AD, Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp) has been well characterized in human AD brains and is a leading candidate for an infectious involvement. However, no definitive studies have been performed proving or disproving Cp's role as a causative or accelerating agent in AD pathology and cognitive decline. In this review, we discuss recent updates for the role of Cp in human AD brains as well as experimental models of AD. Furthermore, based on the current literature, we have compiled a list of potential mechanistic pathways which may connect Cp with AD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalita Subedi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Guerin Children's at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Infectious and Immunologic Diseases Research Center (IIDRC), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Bhakta Prasad Gaire
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Timothy R. Crother
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Guerin Children's at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Infectious and Immunologic Diseases Research Center (IIDRC), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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2
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Rodriguez-Zas SL, Nowak RA, Antonson AM, Rund L, Bhamidi S, Gomez AN, Southey BR, Johnson RW. Immune and metabolic challenges induce changes in pain sensation and related pathways in the hypothalamus. Physiol Genomics 2024; 56:343-359. [PMID: 38189117 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00134.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic molecular processes participate in the regulation of the neuro-immune-endocrine system, including hormone, metabolite, chemokine circulation, and corresponding physiological and behavioral responses. RNA-sequencing profiles were analyzed to understand the effect of juvenile immune and metabolic distress 100 days after virally elicited maternal immune activation during gestation in pigs. Over 1,300 genes exhibited significant additive or interacting effects of gestational immune activation, juvenile distress, and sex. One-third of these genes presented multiple effects, emphasizing the complex interplay of these factors. Key functional categories enriched among affected genes included sensory perception of pain, steroidogenesis, prolactin, neuropeptide, and inflammatory signaling. These categories underscore the intricate relationship between gestational immune activation during gestation, distress, and the response of hypothalamic pathways to insults. These effects were sex-dependent for many genes, such as Prdm12, Oprd1, Isg20, Prl, Oxt, and Vip. The prevalence of differentially expressed genes annotated to proinflammatory and cell cycle processes suggests potential implications for synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival. The gene profiles affected by immune activation, distress, and sex pointed to the action of transcription factors SHOX2, STAT1, and REST. These findings underscore the importance of considering sex and postnatal challenges when studying causes of neurodevelopmental disorders and highlight the complexity of the "two-hit" hypothesis in understanding their etiology. Our study furthers the understanding of the intricate molecular responses in the hypothalamus to gestational immune activation and subsequent distress, shedding light on the sex-specific effects and the potential long-lasting consequences on pain perception, neuroendocrine regulation, and inflammatory processes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The interaction of infection during gestation and insults later in life influences the molecular mechanisms in the hypothalamus that participate in pain sensation. The response of the hypothalamic transcriptome varies between sexes and can also affect synapses and immune signals. The findings from this study assist in the identification of agonists or antagonists that can guide pretranslational studies to ameliorate the effects of gestational insults interacting with postnatal challenges on physiological or behavioral disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L Rodriguez-Zas
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Department of Statistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Romana A Nowak
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Adrienne M Antonson
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Laurie Rund
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Sreelaya Bhamidi
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Andrea N Gomez
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Bruce R Southey
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Rodney W Johnson
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
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3
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Zhang F, Zhou J, Zhang S, Qin X, Li P, Tao F, Huang K. Impact of pregnancy-related anxiety on preschoolers' emotional and behavioral development: Gender specificity, critical time windows and cumulative effect. J Affect Disord 2023; 323:176-184. [PMID: 36471547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.11.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies on the gender-specific effect of PrA on children's emotional and behavioral development are limited. Lack of PrA data on the entire pregnancy had caused difficulties in identifying the key time window and cumulative effects. METHODS Based on Ma'anshan Birth Cohort in China, mothers at pregnancy and children followed up to 4 years of age were tested using the PrA questionnaire and the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) 1.5-5. Finally, 1699 mother-child pairs were included in the study and regression models were developed for analysis. RESULTS Children of mothers with PrA are at significantly elevated risk for abnormal mood/behavior at preschool age. Girls seemed to be more sensitive to maternal PrA than boys, mainly manifested in internalizing problems; The third trimester of pregnancy might be a critical time window when maternal PrA affected children's internalizing problems; Longer the duration women had PrA during pregnancy, more possibilities their children would have to develop internalizing and externalizing problems. LIMITATIONS The PrA questionnaire may be different from PrA questionnaires in other countries such as due to different cultural contexts. Findings need to be interpreted with more caution. Factors such as maternal postpartum depression and care practices of nursing staff were not considered. No data were collected on disease as well as caregiver emotional status, which also impacts the reporting and identification of emotional/behavioral problems in children. CONCLUSIONS Gender-specific and cumulative effect of PrA on preschoolers' emotional/behavioral development is observed. The third trimester of pregnancy might be the critical time window.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu Zhang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle(AHMU), MOE, Hefei 230032, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jixing Zhou
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle(AHMU), MOE, Hefei 230032, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle(AHMU), MOE, Hefei 230032, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xiaoyun Qin
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle(AHMU), MOE, Hefei 230032, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Peixuan Li
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle(AHMU), MOE, Hefei 230032, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Fangbiao Tao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle(AHMU), MOE, Hefei 230032, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Kun Huang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle(AHMU), MOE, Hefei 230032, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei 230032, China; Scientific Research Center in Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China..
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Wolf DC, Desgent S, Sanon NT, Chen JS, Elkaim LM, Bosoi CM, Awad PN, Simard A, Salam MT, Bilodeau GA, Duss S, Sawan M, Lewis EC, Weil AG. Sex differences in the developing brain impact stress-induced epileptogenicity following hyperthermia-induced seizures. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 161:105546. [PMID: 34742878 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Febrile seizures (FS) are common, affecting 2-5% of children between the ages of 3 months and 6 years. Complex FS occur in 10% of patients with FS and are strongly associated with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Current research suggests that predisposing factors, such as genetic and anatomic abnormalities, may be necessary for complex FS to translate to mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Sex hormones are known to influence seizure susceptibility and epileptogenesis, but whether sex-specific effects of early life stress play a role in epileptogenesis is unclear. Here, we investigate sex differences in the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis following chronic stress and the underlying contributions of gonadal hormones to the susceptibility of hyperthermia-induced seizures (HS) in rat pups. Chronic stress consisted of daily injections of 40 mg/kg of corticosterone (CORT) subcutaneously from postnatal day (P) 1 to P9 in male and female rat pups followed by HS at P10. Body mass, plasma CORT levels, temperature threshold to HS, seizure characteristics, and electroencephalographic in vivo recordings were compared between CORT- and vehicle (VEH)-injected littermates during and after HS at P10. In juvenile rats (P18-P22), in vitro CA1 pyramidal cell recordings were recorded in males to investigate excitatory and inhibitory neuronal circuits. Results show that daily CORT injections increased basal plasma CORT levels before HS and significantly reduced weight gain and body temperature threshold of HS in both males and females. CORT also significantly lowered the generalized convulsions (GC) latency while increasing recovery time and the number of electrographic seizures (>10s), which had longer duration. Furthermore, sex-specific differences were found in response to chronic CORT injections. Compared to females, male pups had increased basal plasma CORT levels after HS, longer recovery time and a higher number of electrographic seizures (>10s), which also had longer duration. Sex-specific differences were also found at baseline conditions with lower latency to generalized convulsions and longer duration of electrographic seizures in males but not in females. In juvenile male rats, the amplitude of evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials, as well as the amplitude of inhibitory postsynaptic currents, were significantly greater in CORT rats when compared to VEH littermates. These findings not only validate CORT injections as a stress model, but also show a sex difference in baseline conditions as well as a response to chronic CORT and an impact on seizure susceptibility, supporting a potential link between sustained early-life stress and complex FS. Overall, these effects also indicate a putatively less severe phenotype in female than male pups. Ultimately, studies investigating the biological underpinnings of sex differences as a determining factor in mental and neurologic problems are necessary to develop better diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic approaches for all patients regardless of their sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele C Wolf
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Sébastien Desgent
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Nathalie T Sanon
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jia-Shu Chen
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lior M Elkaim
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ciprian M Bosoi
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Patricia N Awad
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Alexe Simard
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Muhammad T Salam
- Laboratoire Polystim, Département de génie électrique, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Guillaume-Alexandre Bilodeau
- LITIV Lab., Département de génie informatique et génie logiciel, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sandra Duss
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Mohamad Sawan
- Laboratoire Polystim, Département de génie électrique, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Alexander G Weil
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Neurosurgery Service, Department of Surgery, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
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5
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Hofmann J, Huber C, Novak B, Schreckenbach M, Schubert CF, Touma C, Rutten BP, Schmidt U. Oxytocin receptor is a potential biomarker of the hyporesponsive HPA axis subtype of PTSD and might be modulated by HPA axis reactivity traits in humans and mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 129:105242. [PMID: 33975150 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify yet unavailable blood biomarkers for the responsive and the hyporesponsive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis subtypes of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As, I, we recently discovered the intranasal neuropeptide oxytocin to reduce experimentally provoked PTSD symptoms, II, expression of its receptor (OXTR) has hitherto not been assessed in PTSD patients, and III, oxytocin and OXTR have previously been related to the HPA axis, we considered both as suitable candidates. During a Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), we compared serum oxytocin and blood OXTR mRNA concentrations between female PTSD patients, their HPA axis reactivity subtypes and sex and age-matched healthy controls (HC). At baseline, both candidates differentiated the hyporesponsive HPA axis subtype from HC, however, only baseline OXTR mRNA discriminated also between subtypes. Furthermore, in the hyporesponsive HPA axis subgroup, OXTR mRNA levels correlated with PTSD symptoms and changed markedly during the TSST. To assess the influence of (traumatic) stress on the cerebral expression of oxytocin and its receptor and to test their suitability as biomarkers for the mouse PTSD-like syndrome, we then analyzed oxytocin, its mRNA (Oxt) and Oxtr mRNA in three relevant brain regions and Oxt in blood of a PTSD mouse model. To further explore the HPA axis reactivity subtype dependency of OXTR, we compared cerebral OXTR protein expression between mice exhibiting two different HPA axis reactivity traits, i.e., FK506 binding protein 51 knockout vs. wildtype mice. In summary, blood OXTR mRNA emerged as a potential biomarker of the hyporesponsive HPA axis PTSD subtype and prefrontal cortical Oxtr and Oxt of the mouse PTSD-like syndrome. Moreover, we found first translational evidence for a HPA axis responsivity trait-dependent regulation of OXTR expression. The lack of a cohort of the (relatively rare) hyporesponsive HPA axis subtype of HC is a limitation of our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hofmann
- kbo-Isar-Amper-Klinikum München Ost, Vockestraße 72, 85540 Haar, Germany
| | - Christine Huber
- Technical University of Munich, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Schneckenburgerstrasse 6, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Bozidar Novak
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 10, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Monika Schreckenbach
- Verein zur Förderung der Klinischen Verhaltenstherapie (VFKV)-Ausbildungsinstitut München gGmbH, Lindwurmstr. 117, 80337 München, Germany
| | - Christine F Schubert
- Verein zur Förderung der Klinischen Verhaltenstherapie (VFKV)-Ausbildungsinstitut München gGmbH, Lindwurmstr. 117, 80337 München, Germany; Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Ostenstraße 25, 85072 Eichstätt, Germany
| | - Chadi Touma
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Osnabrück, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Bart Pf Rutten
- Maastricht University Medical Centre, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, PO Box 616 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrike Schmidt
- Maastricht University Medical Centre, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, PO Box 616 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms University of Bonn, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Molecular and Clinical Psychotraumatology & Psychotrauma Outpatient Unit, Venusberg-Campus-1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Stress Modulation of Neurodegeneration & Psychotrauma Outpatient Unit, Von-Siebold-Strasse 5, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
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6
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Breach MR, Dye CN, Joshi A, Platko S, Gilfarb RA, Krug AR, Franceschelli DV, Galan A, Dodson CM, Lenz KM. Maternal allergic inflammation in rats impacts the offspring perinatal neuroimmune milieu and the development of social play, locomotor behavior, and cognitive flexibility. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 95:269-286. [PMID: 33798637 PMCID: PMC8187275 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal systemic inflammation increases risk for neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, ADHD, and schizophrenia in offspring. Notably, these disorders are male-biased. Studies have implicated immune system dysfunction in the etiology of these disorders, and rodent models of maternal immune activation provide useful tools to examine mechanisms of sex-dependent effects on brain development, immunity, and behavior. Here, we employed an allergen-induced model of maternal inflammation in rats to characterize levels of mast cells and microglia in the perinatal period in male and female offspring, as well as social, emotional, and cognitive behaviors throughout the lifespan. Adult female rats were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA), bred, and challenged intranasally on gestational day 15 of pregnancy with OVA or saline. Allergic inflammation upregulated microglia in the fetal brain, increased mast cell number in the hippocampus on the day of birth, and conferred region-, time- and sex- specific changes in microglia measures. Additionally, offspring of OVA-exposed mothers subsequently exhibited abnormal social behavior, hyperlocomotion, and reduced cognitive flexibility. These data demonstrate the long-term effects of maternal allergic challenge on offspring development and provide a basis for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders linked to maternal systemic inflammation in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela R. Breach
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA,Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Courtney N. Dye
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA,Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Aarohi Joshi
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Steven Platko
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rachel A. Gilfarb
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA,Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Annemarie R. Krug
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Anabel Galan
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Claire M. Dodson
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kathryn M. Lenz
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA,Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA,Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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7
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Woods JJ, Skelding KA, Martin KL, Aryal R, Sontag E, Johnstone DM, Horvat JC, Hansbro PM, Milward EA. Assessment of evidence for or against contributions of Chlamydia pneumoniae infections to Alzheimer's disease etiology. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 83:22-32. [PMID: 31626972 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, was first formally described in 1907 yet its etiology has remained elusive. Recent proposals that Aβ peptide may be part of the brain immune response have revived longstanding contention about the possibility of causal relationships between brain pathogens and Alzheimer's disease. Research has focused on infectious pathogens that may colonize the brain such as herpes simplex type I. Some researchers have proposed the respiratory bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae may also be implicated in Alzheimer's disease, however this remains controversial. This review aims to provide a balanced overview of the current evidence and its limitations and future approaches that may resolve controversies. We discuss the evidence from in vitro, animal and human studies proposed to implicate Chlamydia pneumoniae in Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions, the potential mechanisms by which the bacterium may contribute to pathogenesis and limitations of previous studies that may explain the inconsistencies in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Woods
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University Drive, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia.
| | - Kathryn A Skelding
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University Drive, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Kristy L Martin
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University Drive, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia; Discipline of Physiology and Bosch Institute, Anderson Stuart Building F13, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Ritambhara Aryal
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University Drive, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Estelle Sontag
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University Drive, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Daniel M Johnstone
- Discipline of Physiology and Bosch Institute, Anderson Stuart Building F13, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Jay C Horvat
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Lot 1 Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton Heights NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Philip M Hansbro
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University Drive, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Lot 1 Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton Heights NSW 2305, Australia; Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute, Camperdown NSW 2050, Australia; Centre for Inflammation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A Milward
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University Drive, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia
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8
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Turetsky BI, Moberg PJ, Quarmley M, Dress E, Calkins ME, Ruparel K, Prabhakaran K, Gur RE, Roalf DR. Structural anomalies of the peripheral olfactory system in psychosis high-risk subjects. Schizophr Res 2018; 195:197-205. [PMID: 28974405 PMCID: PMC5878118 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Olfactory impairments are prominent in both schizophrenia and the preceding at-risk state. Their presence prior to illness predicts poor functional outcome. In schizophrenia, these impairments reflect peripheral olfactory structural abnormalities, which are hypothesized to arise during early embryonic development. If this is correct, then similar structural anomalies should be apparent among clinical high-risk subjects. METHODS Thirty-nine clinical high-risk (CR) subjects (24M/15F) were compared to 36 low-risk (LR) subjects (19M/17F). Olfactory measures derived from 3T MRI scans included olfactory bulb volume, primary olfactory cortical gray matter volume, and the depth of the olfactory sulcus overlying the bulb. Additionally, nasal cavity volumes were assessed with acoustic rhinometry. RESULTS Male CR subjects exhibited bilateral reductions in olfactory bulb volume and abnormal asymmetries of the posterior nasal cavities and olfactory sulci (left reduced relative to right). Post-hoc contrasts also indicated reduced left, but not right, olfactory cortical gray matter volume. Female CRs had no significant abnormalities, although they exhibited similar trend effects. Left olfactory bulb volume correlated, across all CR subjects, with negative, but not positive, symptoms. In a classification analysis, with 80% target specificity, olfactory measurements distinguished male CR from male LR subjects with 93% sensitivity. Among females, the comparable sensitivity was 69%. CONCLUSION Psychosis-risk youths exhibit an array of sexually dimorphic and laterally asymmetric anomalies of the peripheral olfactory system. These are consistent with a developmental disruption primarily affecting male fetuses. These structural biomarkers may enhance the identification of at-risk subjects with poor prognosis, before their clinical trajectory is apparent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce I. Turetsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104,Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Paul J. Moberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104,Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Megan Quarmley
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Erich Dress
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Monica E. Calkins
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kosha Ruparel
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Karthik Prabhakaran
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - David R. Roalf
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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9
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Makinson R, Lloyd K, Rayasam A, McKee S, Brown A, Barila G, Grissom N, George R, Marini M, Fabry Z, Elovitz M, Reyes TM. Intrauterine inflammation induces sex-specific effects on neuroinflammation, white matter, and behavior. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 66:277-288. [PMID: 28739513 PMCID: PMC6916731 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2017.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to inflammation during pregnancy has been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental consequences for the offspring. One common route through which a developing fetus is exposed to inflammation is with intrauterine inflammation. To that end, we utilized an animal model of intrauterine inflammation (IUI; intrauterine lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration, 50µg, E15) to assess placental and fetal brain inflammatory responses, white matter integrity, anxiety-related behaviors (elevated zero maze, light dark box, open field), microglial counts, and the CNS cytokine response to an acute injection of LPS in both males and females. These studies revealed that for multiple endpoints (fetal brain cytokine levels, cytokine response to adult LPS challenge) male IUI offspring were uniquely affected by intrauterine inflammation, while for other endpoints (behavior, microglial number) both sexes were similarly affected. These data advance our understanding of sex-specific effects of early life exposure to inflammation in a translationally- relevant model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Makinson
- University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Kelsey Lloyd
- University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Aditya Rayasam
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - Sarah McKee
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Amy Brown
- Maternal and Child Health Research Center, Department of OBGYN, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Guillermo Barila
- Maternal and Child Health Research Center, Department of OBGYN, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Nicola Grissom
- University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Robert George
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Matt Marini
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Zsuzsanna Fabry
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - Michal Elovitz
- Maternal and Child Health Research Center, Department of OBGYN, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Teresa M. Reyes
- University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
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10
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Kight KE, McCarthy MM. Using sex differences in the developing brain to identify nodes of influence for seizure susceptibility and epileptogenesis. Neurobiol Dis 2014; 72 Pt B:136-43. [PMID: 24892888 PMCID: PMC5322568 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2014.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual differentiation of the developing brain organizes the neural architecture differently between males and females, and the main influence on this process is exposure to gonadal steroids during sensitive periods of prenatal and early postnatal development. Many molecular and cellular processes are influenced by steroid hormones in the developing brain, including gene expression, cell birth and death, neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis, and synaptic activity. Perturbations in these processes can alter neuronal excitability and circuit activity, leading to increased seizure susceptibility and the promotion of pathological processes that constitute epileptogenesis. In this review, we will provide a general overview of sex differences in the early developing brain that may be relevant for altered seizure susceptibility in early life, focusing on limbic areas of the brain. Sex differences that have the potential to alter the progress of epileptogenesis are evident at molecular and cellular levels in the developing brain, and include differences in neuronal excitability, response to environmental insult, and epigenetic control of gene expression. Knowing how these processes differ between the sexes can help us understand fundamental mechanisms underlying gender differences in seizure susceptibility and epileptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Kight
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
| | - Margaret M McCarthy
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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11
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Abstract
Many important human diseases, such as asthma, have their developmental origins in early life. Respiratory infections in particular may alter the course of asthma and may either protect against or promote the development of this disease. It is likely that the nature of the effects depends on the type and age of infection and is determined by the impact of infection on the immune and respiratory systems. Immunity in early life is plastic and can be moulded by antigen encounter, which may enhance or reinforce the asthmatic phenotype of early life, or induce protective responses. Chlamydial respiratory infections have specific effects and may increase asthma severity in early life by promoting systemic interleukin 13 responses and causing permanent changes in lung structure. Respiratory viral infections, such as those of respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus, promote pro-asthmatic responses in early life that contribute to the induction of asthma. By contrast, probiotics or infection or exposure to certain bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, may have protective effects in asthma by increasing the numbers and activity of regulatory T cells. Here, we review the impact of infections on the developmental origins of asthma. Understanding these effects may lead to new therapeutic approaches for asthma that either target deleterious infections or utilize beneficial ones.
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12
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Sanches E, Arteni N, Scherer E, Kolling J, Nicola F, Willborn S, Wyse A, Netto C. Are the consequences of neonatal hypoxia–ischemia dependent on animals' sex and brain lateralization? Brain Res 2013; 1507:105-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.02.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Revised: 02/06/2013] [Accepted: 02/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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Functional programming of the autonomic nervous system by early life immune exposure: implications for anxiety. PLoS One 2013; 8:e57700. [PMID: 23483921 PMCID: PMC3590226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Accepted: 01/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonatal exposure of rodents to an immune challenge alters a variety of behavioural and physiological parameters in adulthood. In particular, neonatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 0.05 mg/kg, i.p.) exposure produces robust increases in anxiety-like behaviour, accompanied by persistent changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning. Altered autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity is an important physiological contributor to the generation of anxiety. Here we examined the long term effects of neonatal LPS exposure on ANS function and the associated changes in neuroendocrine and behavioural indices. ANS function in Wistar rats, neonatally treated with LPS, was assessed via analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the adrenal glands on postnatal days (PNDs) 50 and 85, and via plethysmographic assessment of adult respiratory rate in response to mild stress (acoustic and light stimuli). Expression of genes implicated in regulation of autonomic and endocrine activity in the relevant brain areas was also examined. Neonatal LPS exposure produced an increase in TH phosphorylation and activity at both PNDs 50 and 85. In adulthood, LPS-treated rats responded with increased respiratory rates to the lower intensities of stimuli, indicative of increased autonomic arousal. These changes were associated with increases in anxiety-like behaviours and HPA axis activity, alongside altered expression of the GABA-A receptor α2 subunit, CRH receptor type 1, CRH binding protein, and glucocorticoid receptor mRNA levels in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus. The current findings suggest that in addition to the commonly reported alterations in HPA axis functioning, neonatal LPS challenge is associated with a persistent change in ANS activity, associated with, and potentially contributing to, the anxiety-like phenotype. The findings of this study reflect the importance of changes in the perinatal microbial environment on the ontogeny of physiological processes.
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14
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Severance EG, Kannan G, Gressitt KL, Xiao J, Alaedini A, Pletnikov MV, Yolken RH. Anti-gluten immune response following Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice. PLoS One 2012; 7:e50991. [PMID: 23209841 PMCID: PMC3510169 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Gluten sensitivity may affect disease pathogenesis in a subset of individuals who have schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or autism. Exposure to Toxoplasma gondii is a known risk factor for the development of schizophrenia, presumably through a direct pathological effect of the parasite on brain and behavior. A co-association of antibodies to wheat gluten and to T. gondii in individuals with schizophrenia was recently uncovered, suggesting a coordinated gastrointestinal means by which T. gondii and dietary gluten might generate an immune response. Here, we evaluated the connection between these infectious- and food-based antigens in mouse models. BALB/c mice receiving a standard wheat-based rodent chow were infected with T. gondii via intraperitoneal, peroral and prenatal exposure methods. Significant increases in the levels of anti-gluten IgG were documented in all infected mice and in offspring from chronically infected dams compared to uninfected controls (repetitive measures ANOVAs, two-tailed t-tests, all p≤0.00001). Activation of the complement system accompanied this immune response (p≤0.002–0.00001). Perorally-infected females showed higher levels of anti-gluten IgG than males (p≤0.009) indicating that T. gondii-generated gastrointestinal infection led to a significant anti-gluten immune response in a sex-dependent manner. These findings support a gastrointestinal basis by which two risk factors for schizophrenia, T. gondii infection and sensitivity to dietary gluten, might be connected to produce the immune activation that is becoming an increasingly recognized pathology of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Severance
- Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
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15
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Grindstaff JL, Hunsaker VR, Cox SN. Maternal and developmental immune challenges alter behavior and learning ability of offspring. Horm Behav 2012; 62:337-44. [PMID: 22522078 PMCID: PMC3407284 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2011] [Revised: 03/22/2012] [Accepted: 04/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Stimulation of the offspring immune response during development is known to influence growth and behavioral phenotype. However, the potential for maternal antibodies to block the behavioral effects of immune activation during the neonatal period has not been assessed. We challenged female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) prior to egg laying and then challenged offspring during the nestling and juvenile periods with one of two antigens (keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)). We then tested the effects of maternal and neonatal immune challenges on offspring growth rates and neophobia and learning ability of offspring during adulthood. Neonatal immune challenge depressed growth rates. Neophobia of adult offspring was influenced by a combination of maternal treatment, offspring treatment, and offspring sex. Males challenged with LPS during the nestling and juvenile periods had reduced learning performance in a novel foraging task; however, female learning was not impacted. Offspring challenged with the same antigen as mothers exhibited similar growth suppression and behavioral changes as offspring challenged with a novel antigen. Thus, developmental immune challenges have long-term effects on the growth and behavioral phenotype of offspring. We found limited evidence that matching of maternal and offspring challenges reduces the effects of immune challenge in the altricial zebra finch. This may be a result of rapid catabolism of maternal antibodies in altricial birds. Our results emphasize the need to address sex differences in the long-term effects of developmental immune challenge and suggest that neonatal immune activation may be one proximate mechanism underlying differences in adult behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Grindstaff
- Department of Zoology, 501 Life Sciences West, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
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16
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Schwarz JM, Sholar PW, Bilbo SD. Sex differences in microglial colonization of the developing rat brain. J Neurochem 2012; 120:948-63. [PMID: 22182318 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2011.07630.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 336] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Microglia are the resident immune cells within the brain and their production of immune molecules such as cytokines and chemokines is critical for the processes of normal brain development including neurogenesis, axonal migration, synapse formation, and programmed cell death. Notably, sex differences exist in many of these processes throughout brain development; however, it is unknown whether a sex difference concurrently exists in the colonization, number, or morphology of microglia within the developing brain. We demonstrate for the first time that the number and morphology of microglia throughout development is dependent upon the sex and age of the individual, as well as the brain region of interest. Males have overall more microglia early in postnatal development [postnatal day (P) 4], whereas females have more microglia with an activated/amoeboid morphology later in development, as juveniles and adults (P30-60). Finally, gene expression of a large number of cytokines, chemokines and their receptors shifts dramatically over development, and is highly dependent upon sex. Taken together, these data warrant further research into the role that sex-dependent mechanisms may play in microglial colonization, number, and function, and their potential contribution to neural development, function, or potential dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn M Schwarz
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
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17
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Buss C, Davis EP, Hobel CJ, Sandman CA. Maternal pregnancy-specific anxiety is associated with child executive function at 6-9 years age. Stress 2011; 14:665-76. [PMID: 21995526 PMCID: PMC3222921 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2011.623250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Because fetal brain development proceeds at an extremely rapid pace, early life experiences have the potential to alter the trajectory of neurodevelopment, which may increase susceptibility for developmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. There is evidence that prenatal maternal stress and anxiety, especially worries specifically related to being pregnant, influence neurodevelopmental outcomes. In the current prospective longitudinal study, we included 89 women for whom serial data were available for pregnancy-specific anxiety, state anxiety, and depression at 15, 19, 25, 31, and 37 weeks gestation. When the offspring from the target pregnancy were between 6 and 9 years of age, their executive function was assessed. High levels of mean maternal pregnancy-specific anxiety over the course of gestation were associated with lower inhibitory control in girls only and lower visuospatial working memory performance in boys and girls. Higher-state anxiety and depression also were associated with lower visuospatial working memory performance. However, neither state anxiety nor depression explained any additional variance after accounting for pregnancy-specific anxiety. The findings contribute to the literature supporting an association between pregnancy-specific anxiety and cognitive development and extend our knowledge about the persistence of this effect until middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Buss
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Orange 92868, USA.
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