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Sadighi M, Mai L, Xu Y, Boillot M, Targa G, Mottarlini F, Brambilla P, Gass P, Caffino L, Fumagalli F, Homberg JR. Chronic exposure to imipramine induces a switch from depression-like to mania-like behavior in female serotonin transporter knockout rats: Role of BDNF signaling in the infralimbic cortex. J Affect Disord 2024; 351:128-142. [PMID: 38280571 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bipolar disorder (BD) is a highly burdensome psychiatric disorder characterized by alternating states of mania and depression. A major challenge in the clinic is the switch from depression to mania, which is often observed in female BD patients during antidepressant treatment such as imipramine. However, the underlying neural basis is unclear. METHODS To investigate the potential neuronal pathways, serotonin transporter knockout (SERT KO) rats, an experimental model of female BD patients, were subjected to a battery of behavioral tests under chronic treatment of the antidepressant imipramine. In addition, the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its downstream signaling was examined in the prefrontal cortex. RESULTS Chronic exposure to imipramine reduced anxiety and sociability and problem-solving capacity, and increased thigmotaxis and day/night activity in all animals, but specifically in female SERT KO rats, compared to female wild-type (WT) rats. Further, we found an activation of BDNF-TrkB-Akt pathway signaling in the infralimbic, but not prelimbic, cortex after chronic imipramine treatment in SERT KO, but not WT, rats. LIMITATIONS Repeated testing behaviors could potentially affect the results. Additionally, the imipramine induced changes in behavior and in the BDNF system were measured in separate animals. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicates that female SERT KO rats, which mirror the female BD patients with the 5-HTTLPR s-allele, are at higher risk of a switch to mania-like behaviors under imipramine treatment. Activation of the BDNF-TrkB-Akt pathway in the infralimbic cortex might contribute to this phenotype, but causal evidence remains to be provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Sadighi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Lingling Mai
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Yifan Xu
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Morgane Boillot
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Giorgia Targa
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Mottarlini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Peter Gass
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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Targa G, Mottarlini F, Rizzi B, Leo D, Caffino L, Fumagalli F. Dysregulation of AMPA Receptor Trafficking and Intracellular Vesicular Sorting in the Prefrontal Cortex of Dopamine Transporter Knock-Out Rats. Biomolecules 2023; 13:516. [PMID: 36979451 PMCID: PMC10046215 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) and glutamate interact, influencing neural excitability and promoting synaptic plasticity. However, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying this crosstalk. Since perturbation of DA-AMPA receptor interaction might sustain pathological conditions, the major aim of our work was to evaluate the effect of the hyperactive DA system on the AMPA subunit composition, trafficking, and membrane localization in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Taking advantage of dopamine transporter knock-out (DAT−/−) rats, we found that DA overactivity reduced the translation of cortical AMPA receptors and their localization at both synaptic and extra-synaptic sites through, at least in part, altered intracellular vesicular sorting. Moreover, the reduced expression of AMPA receptor-specific anchoring proteins and structural markers, such as Neuroligin-1 and nCadherin, likely indicate a pattern of synaptic instability. Overall, these data reveal that a condition of hyperdopaminergia markedly alters the homeostatic plasticity of AMPA receptors, suggesting a general destabilization and depotentiation of the AMPA-mediated glutamatergic neurotransmission in the PFC. This effect might be functionally relevant for disorders characterized by elevated dopaminergic activity.
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Caffino L, Mottarlini F, Targa G, Verheij MMM, Fumagalli F, Homberg JR. Responsivity of serotonin transporter knockout rats to short and long access to cocaine: modulation of the glutamate signaling in the nucleus accumbens shell. Br J Pharmacol 2022; 179:3727-3739. [PMID: 35174489 PMCID: PMC9310702 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose It has been well established that glutamate in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays a critical role in the motivation to take drugs of abuse. We have previously demonstrated that rats with ablation of the serotonin transporter (SERT−/− rats) show increased cocaine intake reminiscent of compulsivity. Experimental Approach By comparing SERT−/− to SERT+/+ rats, we investigated whether SERT deletion influences glutamate homeostasis under control conditions as well as after short access (ShA: 1 h per session) or long access (LgA: 6 h per session) to cocaine self‐administration. Rats were killed at 24 h after the last self‐administration session for ex vivo molecular analyses of the main determinants of the glutamate system, including transporters (vesicular and glial), receptors (main post‐synaptic subunits of NMDA and AMPA receptors together with the metabotropic subunit mGLUR5), and scaffolding proteins (SAP102, SAP97, and GRIP) in the NAc shell (sNAc) Key Results In cocaine‐naive animals, SERT deletion was associated with changes indicative for a reduction in glutamate signalling. ShA and LgA exposure led to a further dysregulation of the glutamatergic synapse. Conclusion SERT deletion may render the glutamatergic synapses of the NAc shell more responsive to both ShA and LgA intake of cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - Francesca Mottarlini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - Giorgia Targa
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - Michel M M Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, the Netherlands
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Guarque-Chabrera J, Gil-Miravet I, Olucha-Bordonau F, Melchor-Eixea I, Miquel M. When the front fails, the rear wins. Cerebellar correlates of prefrontal dysfunction in cocaine-induced memory in male rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 112:110429. [PMID: 34416354 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [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: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Reciprocal pathways connecting the cerebellum to the prefrontal cortex provide a biological and functional substrate to modulate cognitive functions. Dysfunction of both medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and cerebellum underlie the phenotypes of several neuropsychiatric disorders that exhibit comorbidity with substance use disorder (SUD). In people with SUD, cue-action-reward associations appears to be particularly strong and salient, acting as powerful motivational triggers for craving and relapse. Studies of cue reactivity in human with SUD have shown cerebellar activations when drug-related cues are presented. Our preclinical research showed that cocaine-induced conditioned preference increases neural activity and upregulates perineuronal nets (PNNs) around Golgi interneurons in the posterior cerebellar cortex. In the present investigation, we aimed at evaluating cerebellar signatures of conditioned preference for cocaine when drug learning is established under mPFC impairment. We used lidocaine to temporarily inactivate in male rats either the Prelimbic (PL) or the Infralimbic (IL) cortices during cocaine-induced conditioning. The inactivation of the IL, but not the PL, encouraged the acquisition of preference for cocaine-related cues, increased posterior cerebellar cortex activity, and upregulated the expression of PNNs around Golgi interneurons. Moreover, IL impairment not only increased vGluT2- and vGAT-related activity around Golgi cells but also regulated PNNs differently on subpopulations of Golgi cells, increasing the number of neurogranin+ PNN-expressing Golgi cells. Our findings suggest that IL dysfunction may facilitate the acquisition of cocaine-induced memory and cerebellar drug-related learning hallmarks. Overall, IL perturbation during cocaine-induced Pavlovian learning increased cerebellar activity and drug effects. Importantly, cerebellum involvement requires a contingent experience with the drug, and it is not the effect of a mere inactivation of IL cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Guarque-Chabrera
- Área de Psicobiología, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Comunitat Valenciana 12071, Spain.
| | - Isis Gil-Miravet
- Área de Psicobiología, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Comunitat Valenciana 12071, Spain.
| | | | - Ignasi Melchor-Eixea
- Área de Psicobiología, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Comunitat Valenciana 12071, Spain.
| | - Marta Miquel
- Área de Psicobiología, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Comunitat Valenciana 12071, Spain.
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Caffino L, Mottarlini F, Targa G, Verheij MMM, Homberg J, Fumagalli F. Long access to cocaine self-administration dysregulates the glutamate synapse in the nucleus accumbens core of serotonin transporter knockout rats. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:4254-4264. [PMID: 33880773 PMCID: PMC9544393 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose It is well established that the nucleus accumbens and glutamate play a critical role in the motivation to take drugs of abuse. We have previously demonstrated that rats with ablation of the serotonin (5‐HT) transporter (SERT−/− rats) show increased cocaine intake reminiscent of compulsivity. Experimental Approach By comparing SERT−/− to SERT+/+ rats, we set out to explore whether SERT deletion influences glutamate neurotransmission under control conditions as well as after short access (1 h/session) or long access (6 h/session) to cocaine self‐administration. Key Results Rats were killed at 24 h after the final self‐administration session for ex vivo molecular analyses of the glutamate system (vesicular and glial transporters, post‐synaptic subunits of NMDA and AMPA receptors and their related scaffolding proteins). Such analyses were undertaken in the nucleus accumbens core. In cocaine‐naïve animals, SERT deletion evoked widespread abnormalities in markers of glutamatergic neurotransmission that, overall, indicate a reduction of glutamate signalling. These results suggest that 5‐HT is pivotal for the maintenance of accumbal glutamate homeostasis. We also found that SERT deletion altered glutamate homeostasis mainly after long access, but not short access, to cocaine. Conclusion and Implications Our findings reveal that SERT deletion may sensitize the glutamatergic synapses of the nucleus accumbens core to the long access but not short access, intake of cocaine. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed issue on New discoveries and perspectives in mental and pain disorders. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.17/issuetoc
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Mottarlini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Targa
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Michel M M Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Judith Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Caffino L, Mottarlini F, Van Reijmersdal B, Telese F, Verheij MM, Fumagalli F, Homberg JR. The role of the serotonin transporter in prefrontal cortex glutamatergic signaling following short- and long-access cocaine self-administration. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12896. [PMID: 32187792 PMCID: PMC7988536 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12896] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Vulnerability to drug addiction relies on substantial individual differences. We previously demonstrated that serotonin transporter knockout (SERT−/−) rats show increased cocaine intake and develop signs of compulsivity. However, the underlying neural mechanisms are not fully understood. Given the pivotal role of glutamate and prefrontal cortex in cocaine‐seeking behavior, we sought to investigate the expression of proteins implicated in glutamate neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex of naïve and cocaine‐exposed rats lacking SERT. We focused on the infralimbic (ILc) and prelimbic (PLc) cortices, which are theorized to exert opposing effects on the control over subcortical brain areas. SERT−/− rats, which compared to wild‐type (SERT+/+) rats show increased ShA and LgA intake short‐access (ShA) and long‐access (LgA) cocaine intake, were sacrificed 24 h into withdrawal for ex vivo molecular analyses. In the ILc homogenate of SERT−/− rats, we observed a sharp increase in glial glutamate transporter 1 (GLT‐1) after ShA, but not LgA, cocaine intake. This was paralleled by ShA‐induced increases in GluN1, GluN2A, and GluN2B NMDA receptor subunits and their scaffolding protein SAP102 in the ILc homogenate, but not postsynaptic density, of these knockout animals. In the PLc, we found no major changes in the homogenate; conversely, the expression of GluN1 and GluN2A NMDA receptor subunits was increased in the postsynaptic density under ShA conditions and reduced under LgA conditions. These results point to SERT as a critical regulator of glutamate homeostasis in a way that differs between the subregions investigated, the duration of cocaine exposure as well as the cellular compartment analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Francesca Mottarlini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Boyd Van Reijmersdal
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Francesca Telese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Michel M.M. Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre Nijmegen The Netherlands
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Caffino L, Verheij MMM, Roversi K, Targa G, Mottarlini F, Popik P, Nikiforuk A, Golebiowska J, Fumagalli F, Homberg JR. Hypersensitivity to amphetamine's psychomotor and reinforcing effects in serotonin transporter knockout rats: Glutamate in the nucleus accumbens. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 177:4532-4547. [PMID: 32721055 PMCID: PMC7484509 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose Amphetamine (AMPH) use disorder is a serious health concern, but, surprisingly, little is known about the vulnerability to the moderate and compulsive use of this psychostimulant and its underlying mechanisms. Previous research showed that inherited serotonin transporter (SERT) down‐regulation increases the motor response to cocaine, as well as moderate (as measured during daily 1‐h self‐administration sessions) and compulsive (as measured during daily 6‐h self‐administration sessions) intake of this psychostimulant. Here, we sought to investigate whether these findings generalize to AMPH and the underlying mechanisms in the nucleus accumbens. Experimental Approach In serotonin transporter knockout (SERT−/−) and wild‐type control (SERT+/+) rats, we assessed the locomotor response to acute AMPH and i.v. AMPH self‐administration under short access (ShA: 1‐h daily sessions) and long access (LgA: 6‐h daily sessions) conditions. Twenty‐four hours after AMPH self‐administration, we analysed the expression of glutamate system components in the nucleus accumbens shell and core. Key Results We found that SERT−/− animals displayed an increased AMPH‐induced locomotor response and increased AMPH self‐administration under LgA but not ShA conditions. Further, we observed changes in the vesicular and glial glutamate transporters, NMDA and AMPA receptor subunits, and their respective postsynaptic scaffolding proteins as function of SERT genotype and AMPH exposure (baseline, ShA, and LgA), specifically in the nucleus accumbens shell. Conclusion and Implications We demonstrate that SERT gene deletion increases the psychomotor and reinforcing effects of AMPH and that the latter is potentially mediated, at least in part, by homeostatic changes in the glutamatergic synapse of the nucleus accumbens shell and/or core.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Michel M M Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Karine Roversi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Giorgia Targa
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Mottarlini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Piotr Popik
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience and Drug Development, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agnieska Nikiforuk
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience and Drug Development, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Joanna Golebiowska
- Department of Behavioural Neuroscience and Drug Development, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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