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Gou M, Chen W, Li Y, Chen S, Feng W, Pan S, Luo X, Tan S, Tian B, Li W, Tong J, Zhou Y, Li H, Yu T, Wang Z, Zhang P, Huang J, Kochunov P, Tian L, Li CSR, Hong LE, Tan Y. Immune-Inflammatory Response And Compensatory Immune-Regulatory Reflex Systems And White Matter Integrity in Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2024; 50:199-209. [PMID: 37540273 PMCID: PMC10754202 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbad114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Low-grade neural and peripheral inflammation are among the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms of schizophrenia. White matter impairment is one of the more consistent findings in schizophrenia but the underlying mechanism remains obscure. Many cerebral white matter components are sensitive to neuroinflammatory conditions that can result in demyelination, altered oligodendrocyte differentiation, and other changes. We tested the hypothesis that altered immune-inflammatory response system (IRS) and compensatory immune-regulatory reflex system (IRS/CIRS) dynamics are associated with reduced white matter integrity in patients with schizophrenia. STUDY DESIGN Patients with schizophrenia (SCZ, 70M/50F, age = 40.76 ± 13.10) and healthy controls (HCs, 38M/27F, age = 37.48 ± 12.31) underwent neuroimaging and plasma collection. A panel of cytokines were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. White matter integrity was measured by fractional anisotropy (FA) from diffusion tensor imaging using a 3-T Prisma MRI scanner. The cytokines were used to generate 3 composite scores: IRS, CIRS, and IRS/CIRS ratio. STUDY RESULTS The IRS/CIRS ratio in SCZ was significantly higher than that in HCs (P = .009). SCZ had a significantly lower whole-brain white matter average FA (P < .001), and genu of corpus callosum (GCC) was the most affected white matter tract and its FA was significantly associated with IRS/CIRS (r = 0.29, P = .002). FA of GCC was negatively associated with negative symptom scores in SCZ (r = -0.23, P = .016). There was no mediation effect taking FA of GCC as mediator, for that IRS/CIRS was not associated with negative symptom score significantly (P = .217) in SCZ. CONCLUSIONS Elevated IRS/CIRS might partly account for the severity of negative symptoms through targeting the integrity of GCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengzhuang Gou
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjin Chen
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanli Li
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Song Chen
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Feng
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shujuan Pan
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xingguang Luo
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shuping Tan
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Baopeng Tian
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Li
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jinghui Tong
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanfang Zhou
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hongna Li
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Yu
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiren Wang
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Junchao Huang
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Peter Kochunov
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Li Tian
- Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - L Elliot Hong
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yunlong Tan
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
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Hameete BC, Fernández-Calleja JM, de Groot MW, Oppewal TR, Tiemessen MM, Hogenkamp A, de Vries RB, Groenink L. The poly(I:C)-induced maternal immune activation model; a systematic review and meta-analysis of cytokine levels in the offspring. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 11:100192. [PMID: 34589729 PMCID: PMC8474626 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2020.100192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The maternal polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) animal model is frequently used to study how maternal immune activation may impact neuro development in the offspring. Here, we present the first systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of maternal poly(I:C) injection on immune mediators in the offspring and provide an openly accessible systematic map of the data including methodological characteristics. Pubmed and EMBASE were searched for relevant publications, yielding 45 unique papers that met inclusion criteria. We extracted data on immune outcomes and methodological characteristics, and assessed the risk of bias. The descriptive summary showed that most studies reported an absence of effect, with an equal number of studies reporting an increase or decrease in the immune mediator being studied. Meta-analysis showed increased IL-6 concentrations in the offspring of poly(I:C) exposed mothers. This effect appeared larger prenatally than post-weaning. Furthermore, poly(I:C) administration during mid-gestation was associated with higher IL-6 concentrations in the offspring. Maternal poly(I:C) induced changes in IL-1β, Il-10 and TNF-α concentrations were small and could not be associated with age of offspring, gestational period or sampling location. Finally, quality of reporting of potential measures to minimize bias was low, which stresses the importance of adherence to publication guidelines. Since neurodevelopmental disorders in humans tend to be associated with lifelong changes in cytokine concentrations, the absence of these effects as identified in this systematic review may suggest that combining the model with other etiological factors in future studies may provide further insight in the mechanisms through which maternal immune activation affects neurodevelopment. Long-term effects of maternal poly(I:C) on immune mediators in the offspring appear limited. Prenatal measurements and mid gestation poly(I:C) injection are associated with increases in IL-6 concentrations. Variety in methodological conduct hampers identification of key elements that affect cytokine concentrations. The quality of reporting of potential measures to minimize bias is poor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart C. Hameete
- Department of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, Utrecht, 3584 CG, the Netherlands
| | - José M.S. Fernández-Calleja
- Department of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, Utrecht, 3584 CG, the Netherlands
| | - Martje W.G.D.M. de Groot
- Department of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, Utrecht, 3584 CG, the Netherlands
| | - Titia Rixt Oppewal
- University College Utrecht (UCU), Campusplein 1, Utrecht, 3584 ED, the Netherlands
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen, 9747 AG, the Netherlands
| | - Machteld M. Tiemessen
- Research & Innovation, GCoE Immunology, Danone Nutricia Research, Uppsalalaan 12, Utrecht, 3584 CT, the Netherlands
| | - Astrid Hogenkamp
- Department of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, Utrecht, 3584 CG, the Netherlands
| | - Rob B.M. de Vries
- SYstematic Review Center for Laboratory (Animal) Experimentation, Department for Health Evidence, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein zuid 10, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, the Netherlands
| | - Lucianne Groenink
- Department of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, Utrecht, 3584 CG, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author.
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Prieto-Villalobos J, Alvear TF, Liberona A, Lucero CM, Martínez-Araya CJ, Balmazabal J, Inostroza CA, Ramírez G, Gómez GI, Orellana JA. Astroglial Hemichannels and Pannexons: The Hidden Link between Maternal Inflammation and Neurological Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179503. [PMID: 34502412 PMCID: PMC8430734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal inflammation during pregnancy causes later-in-life alterations of the offspring’s brain structure and function. These abnormalities increase the risk of developing several psychiatric and neurological disorders, including schizophrenia, intellectual disability, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, microcephaly, and cerebral palsy. Here, we discuss how astrocytes might contribute to postnatal brain dysfunction following maternal inflammation, focusing on the signaling mediated by two families of plasma membrane channels: hemi-channels and pannexons. [Ca2+]i imbalance linked to the opening of astrocytic hemichannels and pannexons could disturb essential functions that sustain astrocytic survival and astrocyte-to-neuron support, including energy and redox homeostasis, uptake of K+ and glutamate, and the delivery of neurotrophic factors and energy-rich metabolites. Both phenomena could make neurons more susceptible to the harmful effect of prenatal inflammation and the experience of a second immune challenge during adulthood. On the other hand, maternal inflammation could cause excitotoxicity by producing the release of high amounts of gliotransmitters via astrocytic hemichannels/pannexons, eliciting further neuronal damage. Understanding how hemichannels and pannexons participate in maternal inflammation-induced brain abnormalities could be critical for developing pharmacological therapies against neurological disorders observed in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Prieto-Villalobos
- Departamento de Neurología, Escuela de Medicina and Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; (J.P.-V.); (T.F.A.); (A.L.); (C.J.M.-A.); (J.B.); (C.A.I.); (G.R.)
| | - Tanhia F. Alvear
- Departamento de Neurología, Escuela de Medicina and Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; (J.P.-V.); (T.F.A.); (A.L.); (C.J.M.-A.); (J.B.); (C.A.I.); (G.R.)
| | - Andrés Liberona
- Departamento de Neurología, Escuela de Medicina and Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; (J.P.-V.); (T.F.A.); (A.L.); (C.J.M.-A.); (J.B.); (C.A.I.); (G.R.)
| | - Claudia M. Lucero
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 8910060, Chile; (C.M.L.); (G.I.G.)
| | - Claudio J. Martínez-Araya
- Departamento de Neurología, Escuela de Medicina and Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; (J.P.-V.); (T.F.A.); (A.L.); (C.J.M.-A.); (J.B.); (C.A.I.); (G.R.)
| | - Javiera Balmazabal
- Departamento de Neurología, Escuela de Medicina and Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; (J.P.-V.); (T.F.A.); (A.L.); (C.J.M.-A.); (J.B.); (C.A.I.); (G.R.)
| | - Carla A. Inostroza
- Departamento de Neurología, Escuela de Medicina and Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; (J.P.-V.); (T.F.A.); (A.L.); (C.J.M.-A.); (J.B.); (C.A.I.); (G.R.)
| | - Gigliola Ramírez
- Departamento de Neurología, Escuela de Medicina and Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; (J.P.-V.); (T.F.A.); (A.L.); (C.J.M.-A.); (J.B.); (C.A.I.); (G.R.)
| | - Gonzalo I. Gómez
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 8910060, Chile; (C.M.L.); (G.I.G.)
| | - Juan A. Orellana
- Departamento de Neurología, Escuela de Medicina and Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile; (J.P.-V.); (T.F.A.); (A.L.); (C.J.M.-A.); (J.B.); (C.A.I.); (G.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +56-23548105
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Woods RM, Lorusso JM, Potter HG, Neill JC, Glazier JD, Hager R. Maternal immune activation in rodent models: A systematic review of neurodevelopmental changes in gene expression and epigenetic modulation in the offspring brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 129:389-421. [PMID: 34280428 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (mIA) during pregnancy is hypothesised to disrupt offspring neurodevelopment and predispose offspring to neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia. Rodent models of mIA have explored possible mechanisms underlying this paradigm and provide a vital tool for preclinical research. However, a comprehensive analysis of the molecular changes that occur in mIA-models is lacking, hindering identification of robust clinical targets. This systematic review assesses mIA-driven transcriptomic and epigenomic alterations in specific offspring brain regions. Across 118 studies, we focus on 88 candidate genes and show replicated changes in expression in critical functional areas, including elevated inflammatory markers, and reduced myelin and GABAergic signalling proteins. Further, disturbed epigenetic markers at nine of these genes support mIA-driven epigenetic modulation of transcription. Overall, our results demonstrate that current outcome measures have direct relevance for the hypothesised pathology of schizophrenia and emphasise the importance of mIA-models in contributing to the understanding of biological pathways impacted by mIA and the discovery of new drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Woods
- Division of Evolution & Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Center, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, United Kingdom.
| | - Jarred M Lorusso
- Division of Evolution & Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Center, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | - Harry G Potter
- Division of Evolution & Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Center, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | - Joanna C Neill
- Division of Pharmacy & Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Center, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Jocelyn D Glazier
- Division of Evolution & Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Center, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | - Reinmar Hager
- Division of Evolution & Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Center, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, United Kingdom
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Manjeese W, Mvubu NE, Steyn AJC, Mpofana T. Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes a leaky blood-brain barrier and neuroinflammation in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum regions of infected mice offspring. Int J Dev Neurosci 2021; 81:428-437. [PMID: 33932039 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The maternal system's exposure to pathogens influences foetal brain development through the influx of maternal cytokines and activation of the foetal immune status to a persistent inflammatory state characterised by glia cell activation. Neuroinflammation influences the blood-brain barrier's (BBB) permeability allowing peripheral immune cell trafficking into the brain. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a pathogen that causes Tuberculosis (TB), a global pandemic responsible for health and economic burdens. Although it is known that maternal infections increase the risk of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is not known whether gestational Mtb infections also contribute to impaired foetal neurodevelopment. Here we infect pregnant Balb/c mice with Mtb H37Rv and Valproic acid (VPA) individually and in combination. Neuroinflammation was measured by assessing microglia and astrocyte population in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and cerebellum (CER) of pups. Mtb infection increased the microglia population and caused morphological changes to a reactive phenotype in the PFC. Also, the astrocyte population was significantly increased in the PFC of Mtb pups. The BBB permeability was determined by measuring the Evans Blue (EB) dye concentration in the PFC and CER 1 hr post receiving intravenous EB-dye injection. We found that prenatal Mtb exposure significantly increased the BBB's permeability in the PFC and CER of pups versus saline. Overall, our data demonstrate that prenatal exposure to Mtb predisposes offspring to a higher risk of BBB damage while inducing persistent neuroinflammation, which could lead to impaired neuronal development and function. These findings implicate a potential role of gestational Mtb infections in the aetiology of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wadzanai Manjeese
- Department of Human Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Kwazulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Nontobeko E Mvubu
- Discipline of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of Kwazulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Adrie J C Steyn
- Discipline of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of Kwazulu Natal, Durban, South Africa.,Africa Health Research Institute, K-Rith Tower Building, Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, Durban, South Africa.,Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Thabisile Mpofana
- Department of Human Physiology, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Kwazulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Haddad FL, Patel SV, Schmid S. Maternal Immune Activation by Poly I:C as a preclinical Model for Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A focus on Autism and Schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:546-567. [PMID: 32320814 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) in response to a viral infection during early and mid-gestation has been linked through various epidemiological studies to a higher risk for the child to develop autism or schizophrenia-related symptoms.. This has led to the establishment of the pathogen-free poly I:C-induced MIA animal model for neurodevelopmental disorders, which shows relatively high construct and face validity. Depending on the experimental variables, particularly the timing of poly I:C administration, different behavioural and molecular phenotypes have been described that relate to specific symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and/or schizophrenia. We here review and summarize epidemiological evidence for the effects of maternal infection and immune activation, as well as major findings in different poly I:C MIA models with a focus on poly I:C exposure timing, behavioural and molecular changes in the offspring, and characteristics of the model that relate it to autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faraj L Haddad
- Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Salonee V Patel
- Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Susanne Schmid
- Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
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Di Biase MA, Katabi G, Piontkewitz Y, Cetin-Karayumak S, Weiner I, Pasternak O. Increased extracellular free-water in adult male rats following in utero exposure to maternal immune activation. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 83:283-287. [PMID: 31521731 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In previous work, we applied novel in vivo imaging methods to reveal that white matter pathology in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) is mainly characterized by excessive extracellular free-water, and to a lesser extent by cellular processes, such as demyelination. Here, we apply a back-translational approach to evaluate whether or not a rodent model of maternal immune activation (MIA) induces patterns of white matter pathology that we observed in patients with FEP. To this end, we examined free-water and tissue-specific white matter alterations in rats born to mothers exposed to the viral mimic polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (Poly-I:C) in pregnancy, which is widely used to produce alterations relevant to schizophrenia and is characterized by a robust neuroinflammatory response. METHOD Pregnant dams were injected on gestational day 15 with the viral mimic Poly-I:C (4 mg/kg) or saline. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images were acquired from 17 male offspring (9 Poly-I:C and 8 saline) on postnatal day 90, after the emergence of brain structural and behavioral abnormalities. The free-water fraction (FW) and tissue-specific fractional anisotropy (FAT), as well as conventional fractional anisotropy (FA) were computed across voxels traversing a white matter skeleton. Voxel-wise and whole-brain averaged white matter were tested for significant microstructural alterations in immune-challenged, relative to saline-exposed offspring. RESULTS Compared to saline-exposed offspring, those exposed to maternal Poly-I:C displayed increased extracellular FW averaged across voxels comprising a white matter skeleton (t(15) = 2.74; p = 0.01). Voxel-wise analysis ascribed these changes to white matter within the corpus callosum, external capsule and the striatum. In contrast, no significant between-group differences emerged for FAT or for conventional FA, measured across average and voxel-wise white matter. CONCLUSION We identified excess FW across frontal white matter fibers of rats exposed to prenatal immune activation, analogous to our "bedside" observation in FEP patients. Findings from this initial experiment promote use of the MIA model to examine pathological pathways underlying FW alterations observed in patients with schizophrenia. Establishing these mechanisms has important implications for clinical studies, as free-water imaging reflects a feasible biomarker that has so far yielded consistent findings in the early stages of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Di Biase
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Gili Katabi
- School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Yael Piontkewitz
- Straus Center for Computational Neuroimaging, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
| | - Suheyla Cetin-Karayumak
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ina Weiner
- School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Duchatel RJ, Harms LR, Meehan CL, Michie PT, Bigland MJ, Smith DW, Jobling P, Hodgson DM, Tooney PA. Reduced cortical somatostatin gene expression in a rat model of maternal immune activation. Psychiatry Res 2019; 282:112621. [PMID: 31648143 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in GABAergic interneurons and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) are observed in the brains of people with schizophrenia. Studies also show increased density of interstitial white matter neurons (IWMN), including those containing GAD and somatostatin (SST) in the brain in schizophrenia. Maternal immune activation can be modelled in rodents to investigate the relationship between prenatal exposure to infections and increased risk of developing schizophrenia. We reported that maternal immune activation induced an increase in density of somatostatin-positive IWMN in the adult rat offspring. Here we hypothesised that maternal immune activation induced in pregnant rats by polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid would alter SST and GAD gene expression as well as increase the density of GAD-positive IWMNs in the adult offspring. SST gene expression was significantly reduced in the cingulate cortex of adult offspring exposed to late gestation maternal immune activation. There was no change in cortical GAD gene expression nor GAD-positive IWMN density in adults rats exposed to maternal immune activation at either early or late gestation. This suggests that our model of maternal immune activation induced by prenatal exposure of rats to polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid during late gestation is able to recapitulate changes in SST but not other GABAergic neuropathologies observed in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Duchatel
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Lauren R Harms
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Crystal L Meehan
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Patricia T Michie
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Mark J Bigland
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Doug W Smith
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Phillip Jobling
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Deborah M Hodgson
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Paul A Tooney
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
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Duchatel RJ, Shannon Weickert C, Tooney PA. White matter neuron biology and neuropathology in schizophrenia. NPJ Schizophr 2019; 5:10. [PMID: 31285426 PMCID: PMC6614474 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-019-0078-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder as it often manifests before full brain maturation and is also a cerebral cortical disorder where deficits in GABAergic interneurons are prominent. Whilst most neurons are located in cortical and subcortical grey matter regions, a smaller population of neurons reside in white matter tracts of the primate and to a lesser extent, the rodent brain, subjacent to the cortex. These interstitial white matter neurons (IWMNs) have been identified with general markers for neurons [e.g., neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN)] and with specific markers for neuronal subtypes such as GABAergic neurons. Studies of IWMNs in schizophrenia have primarily focused on their density underneath cortical areas known to be affected in schizophrenia such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Most of these studies of postmortem brains have identified increased NeuN+ and GABAergic IWMN density in people with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. Whether IWMNs are involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia or if they are increased because of the cortical pathology in schizophrenia is unknown. We also do not understand how increased IWMN might contribute to brain dysfunction in the disorder. Here we review the literature on IWMN pathology in schizophrenia. We provide insight into the postulated functional significance of these neurons including how they may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Duchatel
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.,Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research and Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.,Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA
| | - Paul A Tooney
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. .,Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research and Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
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Bergdolt L, Dunaevsky A. Brain changes in a maternal immune activation model of neurodevelopmental brain disorders. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 175:1-19. [PMID: 30590095 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The developing brain is sensitive to a variety of insults. Epidemiological studies have identified prenatal exposure to infection as a risk factor for a range of neurological disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Animal models corroborate this association and have been used to probe the contribution of gene-environment interactions to the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we review the behavior and brain phenotypes that have been characterized in MIA offspring, including the studies that have looked at the interaction between maternal immune activation and genetic risk factors for autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia. These phenotypes include behaviors relevant to autism, schizophrenia, and other neurological disorders, alterations in brain anatomy, and structural and functional neuronal impairments. The link between maternal infection and these phenotypic changes is not fully understood, but there is increasing evidence that maternal immune activation induces prolonged immune alterations in the offspring's brain which could underlie epigenetic alterations which in turn may mediate the behavior and brain changes. These concepts will be discussed followed by a summary of the pharmacological interventions that have been tested in the maternal immune activation model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Bergdolt
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Neurological Sciences, 985960 Nebraska Medical Center, 68105, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Anna Dunaevsky
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Neurological Sciences, 985960 Nebraska Medical Center, 68105, Omaha, NE, United States.
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