Perinatal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke induces adenylyl cyclase and alters receptor-mediated cell signaling in brain and heart of neonatal rats

Perinatal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has adverse effects on neurobehavioral development. In the current study, rats were exposed to ETS during gestation, during the early neonatal period, or both. Brains and hearts were examined for alterations in adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity and for changes in beta-adrenergic and m2-muscarinic cholinergic receptors and their linkage to AC. ETS exposure elicited induction of total AC activity as monitored with the direct enzymatic stimulant, forskolin. In the brain, the specific coupling of beta-adrenergic receptors to AC was inhibited in the ETS groups, despite a normal complement of beta-receptor binding sites. In the heart, ETS evoked a decrease in m2-receptor expression. In both tissues, the effects of postnatal ETS, mimicking passive smoking, were equivalent to (AC) or greater than (m2-receptors) those seen with prenatal ETS mimicking active smoking; the effects of combined prenatal and postnatal exposure were equivalent to those seen with postnatal exposure alone. These data indicate that ETS exposure evokes changes in cell signaling that recapitulate those caused by developmental nicotine treatment. Since alterations in AC signaling are known to affect cardiorespiratory function, the present results provide a mechanistic link reinforcing the participation of ETS exposure, including postnatal ETS, in disturbances culminating in events like Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Neonatal polyamine depletion by alpha-difluoromethylornithine: effects on adenylyl cyclase cell signaling are separable from effects on brain region growth

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and the polyamines play an essential role in brain cell replication and differentiation. We administered alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ODC, to neonatal rats on postnatal days 5-12, during the mitotic peak of the cerebellum, a treatment regimen that leads to selective growth inhibition and dysmorphology. In adulthood, cell signaling responses mediated through the adenylyl cyclase pathway were evaluated in order to determine if synaptic dysfunction extends to regions that appear to be otherwise unaffected by DFMO. Total adenylyl cyclase catalytic activity, evaluated with the direct enzymatic stimulant, Mn(2+), was significantly elevated in male rats both in the cerebellum and in brain regions showing no growth retardation (cerebral cortex, brainstem); there were no significant effects in females. In contrast, signaling mediated through the G proteins that couple neurotransmitter receptors to adenylyl cyclase showed a deficit in the DFMO group, as evaluated with the response to fluoride; in males, there was no corresponding increase in activity as would have been expected solely from the enhancement of adenylyl cyclase, and in females, there was actually a significant decrease in the response to fluoride. Again, the deficits were not restricted to the cerebellum. Stimulation of adenylyl cyclase by isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic receptor agonist that acts through G(s), likewise displayed deficits in both males and females, and without distinction by brain region. These results indicate that the ODC/polyamine pathway plays a role in the development of cell signaling, and hence in neurotransmission, above and beyond its role in cell replication and differentiation. Given the fact that numerous drugs and environmental contaminants have been shown to alter ODC and the polyamines in the developing brain, our findings suggest that changes in brain region growth or structure are inadequate to predict the targeting of specific neurotransmitter or signaling pathways, and that gender-selective functional defects may be present despite the absence of morphological differences.

Adolescent nicotine exposure alters cardiac autonomic responsiveness: beta-adrenergic and m2-muscarinic receptors and their linkage to adenylyl cyclase

Recent work indicates that adolescent smokers have an abnormally high incidence of heart rate irregularities. In the current study, adolescent rats received nicotine by continuous infusion from postnatal days (PN) 30-47.5, using a regimen designed to produce plasma levels found in smokers. We then assessed the levels of cardiac beta-adrenergic and m2-muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding, and receptor linkages to adenylyl cyclase activity, during nicotine exposure and for 1 month afterwards. In the nicotine-exposed group, m2-receptors showed a significant reduction that persisted through PN75, 1 month after the termination of treatment. beta-Receptors showed a tendency toward initial suppression and subsequent elevation. The receptor changes were accompanied by corresponding alterations in the response of adenylyl cyclase to carbachol and isoproterenol: the inhibitory muscarinic response was reduced, so that the net response to combined treatment with carbachol and isoproterenol was enhanced. There were additional changes in basal and forskolin-Mn(2+)-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity suggestive of shifts in enzymatic catalytic properties. The effects of adolescent nicotine exposure were distinct from those seen previously with fetal nicotine treatment. In light of the worldwide increase in tobacco use by teenagers, these studies raise concern that cardiovascular function may be especially vulnerable during this critical period.

Modeling adolescent nicotine exposure: effects on cholinergic systems in rat brain regions

Smoking among teenagers is increasing and the initiation of tobacco use during adolescence is associated with subsequently higher cigarette consumption and lower rates of quitting. Few animal studies have addressed whether adolescent nicotine exposure exerts unique or lasting effects on brain structure or function. Initial investigations with a rat model of adolescent nicotine exposure have demonstrated that the vulnerable developmental period for nicotine-induced brain cell damage extends into adolescence. In the current study, we examined the effect of nicotine on cholinergic systems in male and female adolescent rats with an infusion paradigm designed to match the plasma levels found in human smokers or in users of the transdermal nicotine patch. Choline acetyltransferase activity (ChAT) and [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding (HC-3) were monitored; ChAT is a static marker that closely reflects the density of cholinergic innervation, whereas HC-3 binding, which labels the presynaptic high-affinity choline transporter, is responsive additionally to nerve impulse activity. Measurements were carried out in the midbrain, the region most closely involved in reward and addiction pathways, as well as in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. During nicotine treatment and for 1 month after the termination of treatment, ChAT activity was reduced significantly in the midbrain but not in the other regions. HC-3 binding showed a substantial increase during the course of nicotine treatment and again, the effect was limited to the midbrain. Midbrain values returned to normal immediately after the cessation of nicotine exposure and then showed a subsequent, transient suppression of activity. Although the cerebral cortex showed little or no change in HC-3 binding during or after nicotine administration, activity was reduced persistently in the hippocampus. The regionally-selective effects of adolescent nicotine treatment on cholinergic systems support the concept that adolescence is a vulnerable developmental period for ultimate effects on behavior.

Adolescent nicotine exposure causes persistent upregulation of nicotinic cholinergic receptors in rat brain regions

Whereas numerous studies have explored the consequences of fetal or adult nicotine exposure, little or no basic research has been conducted for nicotine exposure during adolescence, the developmental period in which regular cigarette use typically begins. We administered nicotine to adolescent rats on postnatal days 30-47 via continuous infusion with implanted osmotic minipumps, using a dose rate (3-6 mg kg-1 day-1) set to achieve plasma nicotine levels found in smokers; results were compared to exposure of adult rats. During and after exposure, we assessed nicotinic cholinergic receptor binding in the midbrain, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus, using [3H]cytisine. Robust receptor upregulation was observed with both adolescent and adult nicotine exposure but there were major differences in the regional specificity and persistence of effect. In adolescents, upregulation was uniform across all regions during the infusion period, whereas in adults, there was a distinct regional hierarchy: midbrain < cerebral cortex < hippocampus; accordingly, receptors in the adolescent midbrain were upregulated far more than with adult exposure. In addition, adolescent nicotine treatment produced long-lasting effects on the receptors, with significant increases still apparent in male rats 1 month after the termination of drug exposure. We also obtained evidence for hippocampal cell damage in adolescent female rats exposed to nicotine, characterized by increases in total membrane protein concentration indicative of a decrease in overall cell size. Adolescent nicotine exposure thus elicits region- and gender-selective effects that differ substantially from those in adults, effects that may contribute to increased addictive properties and lasting deficits in behavioral performance.

Modeling geriatric depression in animals: biochemical and behavioral effects of olfactory bulbectomy in young versus aged rats

Geriatric depression exhibits biological and therapeutic differences relative to early-onset depression. We studied olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), a paradigm that shares major features of human depression, in young versus aged rats to determine mechanisms underlying these differences. Young OBX rats showed locomotor hyperactivity and a loss of passive avoidance and tactile startle. In contrast, aged OBX animals maintained avoidance and startle responses but showed greater locomotor stimulation; the aged group also exhibited decreased grooming and suppressed feeding with novel presentation of chocolate milk, effects which were not seen in young OBX. These behavioral contrasts were accompanied by greater atrophy of the frontal/parietal cortex and midbrain in aged OBX. Serotonin transporter sites were increased in the cortex and hippocampus of young OBX rats, but were decreased in the aged OBX group. Cell signaling cascades also showed age-dependent effects, with increased adenylyl cyclase responses to monoaminergic stimulation in young OBX but no change or a decrease in aged OBX. These data indicate that there are biological distinctions in effects of OBX in young and aged animals, which, if present in geriatric depression, provide a mechanistic basis for differences in biological markers and drug responses. OBX may provide a useful animal model with which to test therapeutic interventions for geriatric depression.

Persistent c-fos induction by nicotine in developing rat brain regions: interaction with hypoxia

Prenatal nicotine exposure evokes postnatal CNS cell loss. We administered nicotine to pregnant rats throughout gestation and neonatal brains were examined for expression of c-fos, a nuclear transcription factor involved in differentiation and cell death. The nicotine group showed persistent c-fos overexpression in the forebrain long after termination of exposure; in the brainstem, overexpression was apparent both after birth and at the end of the second postnatal week. In contrast to these effects, postnatal administration on d 1-4 caused persistent c-fos only at systemically toxic doses and treatment at subsequent ages did not cause induction at all. We also determined whether prenatal nicotine exposure would sensitize the brain to a subsequent postnatal episode of hypoxia comparable to that experienced during parturition. Hypoxia evoked acute stimulation of c-fos with a regional selectivity and ontogenetic profile differing from those of prenatal nicotine and this acute response was reduced by prenatal nicotine treatment. Persistent c-fos elevation is a harbinger of cell death, a relationship that provides an underlying mechanism for eventual cell deficits that appear after fetal nicotine exposure. Nicotine's interference with the acute c-fos stimulation caused by a subsequent episode of hypoxia may indicate a further compromise of cellular repair mechanisms.

Glucocorticoid administration alters nuclear transcription factors in fetal rat brain: implications for the use of antenatal steroids

A recent Consensus Conference endorsed antenatal steroid use in prematurity, but indicated the need for future work on molecular and cellular effects on the developing brain. In the current study, pregnant rats were given dexamethasone during late gestation, in doses spanning those recommended for use, and effects on nuclear transcription factors were evaluated. Within the first hour after a single dose of dexamethasone, and intensifying over 4 h, marked induction of brain c-fos was seen. With repeated administration, c-fos became suppressed in some brain regions, but remained elevated in others. Dexamethasone also elicited suppression of the AP-1 family of nuclear binding proteins, but with a slower time course than seen for c-fos induction. The magnitude of the effects of late gestational exposure to dexamethasone on these transcription factors was comparable to those seen when repeated doses were administered to midgestation embryos in the context of dysmorphogenesis. Similarly, the effects on brain c-fos expression were substantially greater than those in the liver, an archetypal glucocorticoid target tissue. These results indicate that even a single, low dose of glucocorticoids used in late gestation, can disrupt the transcription factors that regulate brain cell differentiation.

Glucocorticoid-targeting of the adenylyl cyclase signaling pathway in the cerebellum of young vs. aged rats

Glucocorticoids exacerbate aging-induced cell death, but relatively little is known about other CNS effects in senescence. We examined noradrenergic/adenylyl cyclase signaling in the cerebellum, which is a brain region that is susceptible to deterioration of synaptic function in aging. Aged control rats had increased total cyclase catalytic activity, but showed deficits in basal adenylyl cyclase. Deficits resolved when G-proteins were stimulated with GTP, GTP and fluoride, or GTP and isoproterenol, despite reductions in beta-receptors. In young rats, long-term dexamethasone infusions evoked the same types of changes that had been seen in aging, including induction of cyclase catalytic activity and enhanced G-protein responsiveness. The same dexamethasone regimens given to aged rats failed to cause stimulation of these processes in the cerebellum, but did so in a peripheral tissue (kidney). These data indicate homology between the cellular events involved in noradrenergic signaling during aging and after glucocorticoid administration to young animals; the absence of glucocorticoid effects in the elderly cohort supports a convergent mechanism with aging. Given the high incidence of HPA axis dysregulation in the elderly, and particularly in elderly depression, effects of glucocorticoids on cell signaling may contribute to disrupted function and to altered drug reactivity.

Cryptic brain cell injury caused by fetal nicotine exposure is associated with persistent elevations of c-fos protooncogene expression

Neurobehavioral teratogenesis caused by prenatal nicotine exposure is associated with deficiencies in brain cell numbers that reflect, in part, effects on cell replication but that also involve delayed cell loss. In the current study, pregnant rats were given nicotine by implanted minipump infusion either from gestational days 4-12 or 4-21 and fetal and neonatal brain regions were examined for expression of the mRNA encoding c-fos, a nuclear transcription factor that becomes chronically elevated when cell injury or apoptosis are occurring. Fetuses exposed to nicotine on gestational days 4-12 did not show elevations of c-fos mRNA on gestational day 18 whereas animals undergoing exposure through day 21 did. In the latter group, elevated c-fos expression was still present on postnatal day 2 despite the cessation of nicotine exposure on gestational day 21. In contrast to the elevation of c-fos seen with prenatal nicotine, postnatal nicotine injections given to 2-day-old rats did not cause acute stimulation of c-fos expression. The ability of injected nicotine to evoke acute rises in c-fos emerged by postnatal day 8 and initially displayed regional specificity paralleling the concentration of nicotinic cholinergic receptors. With increasing maturity, regional selectivity of the c-fos response to acute nicotine was lost, consistent with indirect actions that could be mediated through nicotine-induced hypoxia/ischemia. These results indicate that prenatal nicotine exposure causes chronic elevations of c-fos expression in fetal and neonatal brain that are distinguishable from the later onset of the ability of acute nicotine to cause short-term stimulation of c-fos. The critical period and dose threshold for these effects correspond to those of subsequent cell damage and cell loss identified in previous studies with fetal nicotine exposure. Given that chronic elevations of c-fos are known to be associated with cell injury and to evoke apoptosis in otherwise healthy cells, these results suggest that prenatal nicotine exposure evokes delayed neurotoxicity by altering the program of neural cell differentiation, and that elevated c-fos expression provides an early marker of the eventual deficits.

Neuronal control of cardiac and hepatic macromolecule synthesis in the neonatal rat: effects of sympathectomy

Neurotransmitters are thought to influence cell development in their target tissues. In the current study, neonatal rats were given 6-hydroxydopamine to produce permanent sympathetic denervation, and the effects on cardiac and hepatic DNA and protein synthesis were assessed. Lesioned animals showed deficits in cardiac DNA synthesis over the first 8 d postpartum, a period in which sympathetic innervation is sparse and synaptic norepinephrine concentrations are low; the effect of lesioning was also evident for protein synthesis. Subsequently, DNA synthesis in control animals declined precipitously during the second to third postnatal week, the phase associated with ingrowth of the majority of sympathetic terminals and sympathetic hyperactivity. Neonatal lesioning delayed the ontogenetic decline in DNA synthesis: this effect was not shared by protein synthesis. In the liver, a tissue whose cells, unlike the heart, maintain the ability to divide into adulthood, there was no effect of 6-hydroxydopamine on DNA synthesis and only minor changes in protein synthesis. These results suggest that neural input provides two distinct trophic signals to the developing heart: an early promotion of cell replication associated with low levels of stimulation, and a subsequent promotion of the switchover from cell replication, to cell differentiation and enlargement, associated with high levels of stimulation. In light of the precipitous rise in circulating catecholamines at parturition, and of the subsequent development of sympathetic innervation, catecholamines are likely to play a trophic role in the establishment of the proper pattern of cardiac cell development.

Impaired cardiac function during postnatal hypoxia in rats exposed to nicotine prenatally: implications for perinatal morbidity and mortality, and for sudden infant death syndrome

Maternal smoking correlates highly with parturitional/neonatal death including SIDS; nicotine exposure of fetal rats reproduces the increased mortality when animals are tested postnatally with hypoxia. In the current study, pregnant rats received nicotine infusions simulating smokers' plasma nicotine levels. At 1-2 days postpartum, the nicotine group displayed normal heart rates, EKG waveforms, and respiratory rates in normoxia. With hypoxia (5% O2, 10 min), controls showed initial tachycardia and a subsequent slight decline in heart rate; atrioventricular conduction was gradually impaired and repolarization abnormalities also appeared. The nicotine group showed no tachycardia and heart rate declined rapidly and precipitously within a few minutes after commencing hypoxia; otherwise, EKG alterations mimicked the controls'. Changes in respiration were identical in the two groups: initial tachypnea and subsequent decline. These results suggest that prenatal nicotine affects sinoatrial reactivity to hypoxia without impairing cardiac conduction per se. These mechanisms explain increased hypoxia-induced mortality in animals exposed to prenatal nicotine, and in man could account for increased morbidity/mortality and SIDS. Our results also indicate the need to test adverse effects of fetal drug exposure using conditions that challenge any given physiological system rather than relying solely on changes under basal conditions.

Serotonin transporter expression in rat brain regions and blood platelets: aging and glucocorticoid effects

Hyperactivity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis is more common in elderly depression than in younger cohorts and glucocorticoids are known to influence serotonergic systems. The current study explores the interaction of glucocorticoids with aging on serotonin transporter expression and function. Continuous infusions of dexamethasone (26 days) reduced transporter expression in the aged brain but the ability of imipramine to inhibit synaptosomal [3H]serotonin uptake was unimpaired. These effects were unique to aged animals, as prior work with young adults found no effects of dexamethasone on transporter expression. In contrast to the effects in the brain, there were no differences in platelet transporter expression between young and old rats nor did dexamethasone treatment affect the values in the aged group: thus, the platelet may not reliably model these aspects of CNS function. The results suggest that there are basic biologic differences in the effects of glucocorticoids in aged vs. young brain that could contribute to lowered effectiveness to antidepressants in elderly depression; if transport capacity is already reduced by the effects of increased glucocorticoids, further inhibition of transport by antidepressants would have proportionally less impact on synaptic serotonin concentrations.

Aging and glucocorticoids: effects on cell signaling mediated through adenylyl cyclase

Abnormalities of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation are common in the elderly and excess glucocorticoids have been implicated in the loss of neural function in aging. In the current study, we examined cell signaling mediated through adenylyl cyclase in brain regions, heart and liver of young and aged rats given continuous infusions of dexamethasone (10 or 50 micrograms/kg/day) for 26 days. Aged control animals showed significant deficits in total adenylyl cyclase activity (assessed with forskolin-Mn++) in the brain regions and the heart; superimposed on this change, the striatum and the heart displayed interference with the response mediated either at the level of G-protein coupling to cyclase (striatum) or neurotransmitter receptor coupling to G-proteins (heart). Administration of dexamethasone to young rats did not reproduce the effects of aging on any of the measures of adenylyl cyclase, despite the fact that the higher dose produced Cushingoid effects. The same dexamethasone regimens given to aged rats produced alterations in G-protein coupling mechanisms in the cortex and in serotonergic-mediated cyclase responses in the striatum, and also decreased basal enzyme activity in the heart. In contrast to the brain regions and the heart, the liver showed unique effects of aging and dexamethasone. Total adenylyl cyclase activity, the enzymatic response to beta adrenergic stimulation and the number of beta adrenergic receptors were all elevated in aged animals as compared to the younger cohort. Dexamethasone decreased both hepatic beta receptor numbers and isoproterenol responsiveness in young animals, but increased receptor binding in aged animals. These data indicate that the defects associated with aging in the central nervous system and the cardiac cell signaling mediated through adenylyl cyclase are not a result of glucocorticoid excess; however, central and peripheral tissues respond differently to glucocorticoids in aged vs. young animals. Given the high incidence of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation in the elderly, and particularly in elderly depression, effects of glucocorticoids on cell signaling may contribute to disruption of cell function and to hypo- or hyper-reactivity to drugs, such as antidepressants, that act by altering synaptic transmission.

Do glucocorticoids contribute to the abnormalities in serotonin transporter expression and function seen in depression? An animal model

Adrenocorticosteroids and serotonergic neurons exert reciprocal regulatory actions, and both are abnormal in depression. We evaluated whether glucocorticoids influence the serotonin transporter in rat platelets and brain by infusing dexamethasone for 26 days, sufficient for replacement of the entire platelet population. Effectiveness was verified by measurement of plasma dexamethasone levels, adrenal atrophy, and growth inhibition. At the end of the infusion, we examined [3H]paroxetine binding to platelet, hippocampal, and cerebrocortical membranes, and [3H]serotonin uptake into platelets and synaptosomes. Dexamethasone slightly reduced platelet [3H]paroxetine binding (12%) and had no effect on binding in brain. Platelet [3H]serotonin uptake was unaffected, but synaptosomal uptake was significantly reduced. In neither platelets nor synaptosomes did dexamethasone alter imipramine's ability to inhibit uptake. Thus, elevated glucocorticoids are not responsible for reduced platelet serotonin transporter expression in depression, nor for resistance to imipramine's effect in platelets in elderly depression; however, reduced synaptosomal [3H]serotonin uptake indicates that glucocorticoids can affect transport efficiency, even when the number of transporter molecules is unaltered.

Programming of brainstem serotonin transporter development by prenatal glucocorticoids

Prenatal stress or exposure to excess glucocorticoids are known to alter central nervous system function and to result in lasting changes in reactions to stress. The potential involvement of specific elements of brainstem serotonergic neurons was examined in the current study. Pregnant rats were given 0.05, 0.2 or 0.8 mg/kg of dexamethasone on gestational days 17, 18 and 19, and the effects on development of the serotonin presynaptic transporter were assessed from birth to young adulthood by measurement of [3H]paroxetine binding to membrane preparations. Dexamethasone produced a dose-dependent retardation of body and brainstem growth but evoked a significant elevation of [3H]paroxetine binding that persisted into adulthood. Effects on [3H]paroxetine binding were robust even at the lowest dose, which did not suppress growth, indicating that the programming of this transporter is more sensitive to glucocorticoids than is general development. At the highest dose, promotional effects on serotonin transporter expression were offset by impaired growth, so that the peak effect was seen at the intermediate dose of dexamethasone. There were no comparable effects on serotonin transmitter levels, indicating selectivity toward promotion of transporter expression as distinct from simply increasing the number of serotonergic nerve terminals or all nerve terminal components. As the effect of prenatal dexamethasone treatment on the serotonin transporter is more persistent than those on other monoamine transporters, and is not shared by postnatal treatment or by treatment in adulthood, it likely represents specific programming by glucocorticoids during the prenatal period. Aberrant serotonergic transporter expression may contribute to alterations of synaptic function that ultimately produce the physiological abnormalities seen after prenatal stress or glucocorticoid treatment.

Cardiac alpha-adrenergic receptor expression is regulated by thyroid hormone during a critical developmental period

Although thyroid hormone is obligatory for the development of cardiac beta-adrenergic receptors, it is difficult to assign a specific role for the hormone in receptor ontogeny because beta-receptor expression is affected similarly in the adult. We have determined whether thyroid hormone plays a role in receptor development by evaluating alpha 1-adrenergic receptors, which in the adult are downregulated by thyroid hormone. Propylthiouracil given from gestational day 17 through postnatal day 5 caused significant deficits in the number of alpha 1-receptors and values resolved to normal in parallel with hormone level recovery. When propylthiouracil was administered later (postnatal days 11 through 15) only a transient deficit in alpha 1-receptor binding was seen; hyperthyroidism (triiodothyronine) could still evoke stimulation of receptor expression at this stage. The effects on receptor expression were distinguished from general effects on cell differentiation by examining alpha 2-receptors, which disappear over the first three postnatal weeks; delayed differentiation caused by propylthiouracil would slow the decline in alpha 2-receptors, whereas accelerated differentiation caused by triiodothyronine would hasten the decline. Instead, the effects were similar to those on alpha 1-receptors: perinatal propylthiouracil administration reduced, and neonatal triiodothyronine administration enhanced, alpha 2-receptor binding sites. Thus, thyroid hormone plays a role in the control of cardiac adrenergic receptor expression during a critical development period, with conjoint regulation of the multiple receptor subtypes present within the tissue. As adrenergic stimulation is important in maintaining cardiac function in the perinatal period, alterations of thyroid status during this period can be expected to result in abnormal reactivity and increased perinatal risk.

Atypical regulation of hepatic adenylyl cyclase and adrenergic receptors during a critical developmental period: agonists evoke supersensitivity accompanied by failure of receptor down-regulation

Ordinarily, beta-adrenergic receptors and responses linked to the receptors increase with development but in the liver, beta-receptors are higher in the fetus and neonate than in adulthood. We examined how hepatic beta-receptor signaling mediated through adenylyl cyclase is regulated in rats of different ages. In each case, animals were pretreated with isoproterenol for 4 d, and on the 5th d, hepatic membrane preparations were examined for adenylyl cyclase activity and receptor binding capabilities. Uniquely in 6-d-old animals, the cyclase response to isoproterenol was enhanced by chronic pretreatment, caused by heterologous sensitization mediated through effects on total catalytic activity (increased response to forskolin-Mn2+) and on G-protein coupling (enhanced effect of fluoride and increased GTP dependence of basal activity). Isoproterenol pretreatment failed to cause beta-receptor down-regulation in 6-d-old animals, but by 15 d of age, down-regulation was detected along with slight desensitization of the cyclase response. However, at 25 d, neither effect was present. In adulthood, repeated isoproterenol administration failed to cause cyclase desensitization but did reduce beta-receptor numbers; the loss of receptors was still unusual in that beta-receptor down-regulation could be achieved with either isoproterenol or with methoxamine, an alpha-receptor agonist. The results indicate that, early in development, hepatic beta-receptor-mediated responses are enhanced, not desensitized, after chronic stimulation. These effects would foster responsiveness of hepatic gluconeogenesis in the face of the massive adrenergic stimulation associated with the transition from fetal to neonatal life. In adulthood, when receptor numbers are far lower than in the neonate, the inability to desensitize the signaling cascade despite receptor down-regulation would serve to maintain the response to catecholamines.

Does concurrent or prior nicotine exposure interact with neonatal hypoxia to produce cardiac cell damage?

Cigarette smoking during pregnancy exposes the fetus to both nicotine and hypoxia/ischemia; postnatal exposure to second-hand smoke also involves substances that cause hypoxia (CO, HCN). Although developing cardiac cells are more resistant to hypoxia-induced damage than are mature cells, we examined whether nicotine affects this resistance, either when exposure is concurrent with hypoxia, or when animals are exposed to nicotine prenatally and receive subsequent hypoxic exposure. One, 8-, or 15-day-old rats exposed to 7% O2 for 2 hr all showed inhibition of cardiac DNA synthesis. By contrast, administration of nicotine at either low (0.3 mg/kg) or high (3 mg/kg) doses failed to alter DNA synthesis. To examine effects on cells that were not undergoing mitosis, we examined ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), an enzymatic marker for cell damage. One day old rats showed inhibition of ODC by hypoxia, a response that represents preservation of cell integrity; by 8 days of age, ODC was increased by hypoxia, evidence of cell damage. The high dose of nicotine evoked an increase in ODC at all ages and the low dose exacerbated the effects of hypoxia at 8 days of age. Prenatal nicotine exposure caused a transient inhibition of cardiac DNA synthesis but did not produce evidence of cell damage (ODC, protein synthesis markers) by itself, nor did it alter the effect of a subsequent postnatal exposure to hypoxia. These results suggest that cardiac cell damage could emerge as a consequence of concurrent, repeated exposures to nicotine and hypoxia. Such effects could contribute to the elevated incidence of perinatal morbidity/mortality and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome associated with smoking.

Neural input and the development of adrenergic intracellular signaling: neonatal denervation evokes neither receptor upregulation nor persistent supersensitivity of adenylate cyclase

In the adult, denervation of adrenergic target tissues leads to compensatory upregulation of receptor sites and to supersensitive responses. When 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was given to neonatal rats, cardiac beta-receptors failed to show significant upregulation throughout the first five postnatal weeks and alpha 1-receptors were unchanged except at 35 days of age, despite 70-95% depletion of norepinephrine. The failure to upregulate could not be attributed to the high background level of receptor expression commensurate with ontogenetic increases in receptor numbers, since the same deficiency was seen in the liver, a tissue in which beta-receptors decline with development; liver alpha 1-receptors also failed to upregulate after neonatal denervation. Examination of the linkage of beta-receptors to adenylate cyclase indicated major differences from mature regulatory mechanisms, as denervation supersensitivity was completely absent (liver) or emerged only transiently several weeks after 6-OHDA treatment (heart). In the heart, there was evidence for a defect in the G-protein-dependent component of the receptor/cyclase linkage that could contribute to the delayed appearance of supersensitivity. Because the fundamental patterns of receptor ontogeny and of adenylate cyclase responsiveness are still present after neonatal denervation, it is unlikely that neural input provides the major impetus for basal development. However, adult-type regulation of receptors and responses did not emerge even after a prolonged period; thus, neural input during a critical developmental stage may be required for the cell to learn how to adjust receptor expression and the receptor/cyclase link in response to stimulation.

Role of presynaptic input in the ontogeny of adrenergic cell signaling in rat brain: beta receptors, adenylate cyclase and c-fos protooncogene expression

Neurotransmitters act as trophic factors during brain development, regulating expression of genes that control cellular differentiation. One example of this trophism is the beta adrenergic signaling cascade: activation of beta receptors leads sequentially to increased cyclic AMP (cAMP), augmented expression of the nuclear transcription factor, c-fos, and induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), an enzyme obligatory for neuronal development. After neonatal lesioning of noradrenergic nerves with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), beta receptors become uncoupled from ODC induction in the cerebellum, a region that undergoes its peak of cell replication/differentiation postnatally. The present study investigates the mechanism for uncoupling of beta receptors from response elements. In the cerebellum, 6-OHDA had minor effects on beta receptor binding capabilities and caused slight supersensitivity of the beta adrenergic response of adenylate cyclase; the latter reflected increased expression of cyclase catalytic subunits, rather than a specific effect on beta receptor coupling. In contrast, the linkage of cAMP to cerebellar c-fos expression showed marked deficiencies in lesioned animals and a corresponding loss of the ability of beta receptors to induce c-fos; accordingly, this is a likely point at which beta adrenergic control of ODC is programmed by neuronal input. A critical period exists for neurotrophic influence: the alterations persisted past the point at which cerebellar norepinephrine levels recovered, and comparable effects did not occur in earlier-developing regions. In the forebrain, for example, neonatal lesions produced receptor upregulation and supersensitivity of c-fos to cAMP stimulation. These results suggest that presynaptic input is vital in programming beta adrenergic responsiveness during a critical period of development, and that interruption of transsynaptic events occurring at this time can lead to lasting alterations in neuronal differentiation and responsiveness.

Cocaine inhibits central noradrenergic and dopaminergic activity during the critical developmental period in which catecholamines influence cell development

Cocaine produces neurobehavioral damage in the fetus and neonate both through its ischemic actions and through direct effects mediated by the drug within the developing brain. The replication and differentiation of catecholaminergic target cells are controlled in part by neurotransmitter input and the current study assess whether cocaine modifies the function of these neurons during the critical periods in which target cell programming occurs. Neonatal rats (1, 7, 14 and 21 days old) were given cocaine (30 mg/kg) acutely and the turnover of norepinephrine and dopamine, a measure of synaptic activity, was evaluated in vivo in three different brain regions known to be adversely affected by cocaine. For norepinephrine, cocaine suppressed transmitter turnover in the immediate postnatal period in all regions, reaching a maximal effect within the first 2 postnatal weeks; at subsequent ages, the inhibitory actions were no longer evident. For dopamine, an inhibitory effect also appeared during the first postnatal week, but by 14 to 21 days the effect was replaced by the excitatory response that is characteristic of mature brain; effects on dopamine turnover were restricted to the forebrain. The inhibitory effects of cocaine on immature brain could not be attributed to localized actions at the nerve terminal itself (blockade of reuptake, autoreceptor activation, local anesthesia), but instead are likely to represent reductions in nerve impulse activity. Brain development in the neonatal rat corresponds to fetal stages in man, and thus the transient ability of cocaine to interfere with noradrenergic and dopaminergic activity during the period in which differentiation is being patterned by neurotransmitter input, may be important in the neurobehavioral teratology of cocaine.

Loss of neonatal hypoxia tolerance after prenatal nicotine exposure: implications for sudden infant death syndrome

Maternal cigarette smoking has a high correlation with sudden Infant Death Syndrome, a condition in which cardiorespiratory failure occurs during an hypoxic episode, as in sleep apnea. Pregnant rats were given nicotine infusions of 2 or 6 mg/kg/day throughout gestation, regimens that produce plasma nicotine levels spanning the range in smokers. The day after birth, animals in the high dose group displayed excessive mortality during hypoxic challenge. These animals were found to be deficient in an essential response component, namely adrenomedullary catecholamine release that is required to maintain neonatal cardiac rhythm during hypoxia; the defect was in adrenal cell function rather than in altered innervation or nicotinic receptor desensitization. We also examined brainstem and forebrain noradrenergic mechanisms that are involved in neonatal respiratory control. The nicotine group showed suppressed spontaneous neuronal activity, but were hyperresponsive to hypoxia. As these projections are inhibitory for respiration, the nicotine-induced sensitization would be expected to contribute to respiratory arrest during hypoxia. Prenatal nicotine exposure may thus provide a useful animal model with which to study the physiological mechanisms that underlie Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, while at the same time providing a biological explanation for the association of the syndrome with smoking.

Role of thyroid status in the ontogeny of adrenergic cell signaling in rat brain: beta receptors, adenylate cyclase, ornithine decarboxylase and c-fos protooncogene expression

In adulthood, thyroid hormone regulates beta adrenergic responsiveness. We addressed whether similar processes operate in the developing brain, thus playing a role in neurotransmitter control of target cell differentiation. Rats were made hyperthyroid [triiodothyronine (T3)] or hypothyroid [propylthiouracil (PTU)] during the immediate perinatal period, and the development of beta adrenergic signal transduction was evaluated in three brain regions. PTU treatment resulted in an ubiquitous deficit in the number of beta receptor binding sites. Although beta adrenergic stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity was also obtunded by PTU, the effects were much less prominent and were restricted to one region (forebrain); comparison with basal adenylate cyclase and with total enzymatic activity (forskolin stimulation) indicated that the differences in isoproterenol response were at the level of adenylate cyclase expression, rather than in specific receptor coupling. PTU also reduced responsiveness of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a key enzyme that couples receptors to differentiation, again, changes in receptor-mediated responsiveness reflected alterations in total enzyme activity, rather than effects on receptor coupling. In contrast, measurements of c-fos, a protooncogene that couples cyclic AMP to induction of ODC, showed increased responses to beta adrenergic or cyclic AMP stimulation in PTU-treated animals. The effect of PTU on c-fos responsiveness occurred in the absence of alterations in basal c-fos expression, a situation different from that seen with adenylate cyclase or ODC. T3 administration had only small effects on any of these variables. The role of thyroid hormones thus involves targeting of beta receptors and receptor-mediated stimulation of nuclear transcription factors (c-fos), as well as basal expression of transduction components in the signalling cascade (adenylate cyclase, ODC). The effects of PTU, contrasted with the failure of T3 to enhance development of beta receptors or their transduction components, suggest that thyroid hormone is obligatory for normal development of this pathway, but that endogenous hormone levels are already optimally permissive.

Glucocorticoids enhance intracellular signaling via adenylate cyclase at three distinct loci in the fetus: a mechanism for heterologous teratogenic sensitization?

Although high doses of glucocorticoids are teratogenic, endogenous hormones are necessary for development. Because of the central role of cAMP to control cell differentiation, we examined the dose dependence, tissue selectivity, and critical periods involved in glucocorticoid regulation of fetal intracellular signaling mediated by adenylate cyclase. Pregnant rats were given dexamethasone at doses spanning the threshold for therapeutic effects (0.05, 0.2, and 0.8 mg/kg) on either Gestational Days 11, 12, and 13 or Days 17, 18, and 19. Development of adenylate cyclase was evaluated in cell membrane preparations using basal activity in the absence or presence of GTP, maximal G-protein activation by fluoride, and maximal catalytic subunit stimulation by forskolin-Mn2+. Even at the lowest dose, dexamethasone on gestational days 11 through 13 enhanced fetal adenylate cyclase activity by accelerating development of both the G-protein component and the catalytic subunit. As a result, supersensitivity of the response to beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation by isoproterenol was also produced, even though development of beta-adrenergic receptors was unaffected. Treatment with dexamethasone later in gestation similarly fostered development of both G-protein and catalytic subunit components, with selectivity for liver and heart as opposed to brain. Again, heterologous sensitization to isoproterenol stimulation was demonstrable; in addition, late gestational treatment elevated yet a third signal transduction locus, the beta-adrenergic receptor binding site. These effects are likely contributors to glucocorticoid teratogenesis (high doses) or to more subtle disruption of cell development (low doses); because adenylate cyclase is at the convergence of multiple neuronal, hormonal, and environmental inputs, glucocorticoids may sensitize the cell to heterologous stimuli, lowering the threshold for teratogenesis by other agents.

Glucocorticoids regulate the development of intracellular signaling: enhanced forebrain adenylate cyclase catalytic subunit activity after fetal dexamethasone exposure

Although glucocorticoids cause growth retardation and interfere with cell development, selective promotion of some aspects of cell function also has been reported. The current study examines whether glucocorticoids enhance intracellular transduction mechanisms mediated by adenylate cyclase in the developing forebrain, a region in which steroids have been shown to interfere with cell replication, maturation, and growth. Pregnant rats were given dexamethasone at doses spanning the threshold for growth impairment (0.05, 0.2, and 0.8 mg/kg) on gestational days 17, 18, and 19, and development of adenylate cyclase was evaluated in membrane preparations, using four different activity measures; basal adenylate cyclase in the absence or presence of GTP, maximal G-protein activation by fluoride in the presence of GTP, and stimulation mediated by forskolin-Mn2+, which bypasses the G-proteins. Prenatal exposure to dexamethasone produced a dose-dependent impairment of body growth, with smaller deficits in forebrain weights (brain sparing) indicative of systemic toxicity. Basal adenylate cyclase activity was unaffected by dexamethasone treatment, regardless of whether GTP was present in the assay. Similarly, fluoride stimulation developed normally in all dexamethasone groups. However, forskolin-Mn(2+)-stimulated activity was significantly enhanced in a dose-dependent fashion. These results suggest that glucocorticoids serve as positive factors for the development of adenylate cyclase catalytic subunit activity, independently of their adverse effects on general growth and development; thus, these hormones may be a primary regulator of cell signaling during early development.

Deficits in development of central cholinergic pathways caused by fetal nicotine exposure: differential effects on choline acetyltransferase activity and [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding

Nicotine has been hypothesized to induce neurobehavioral teratology by mimicking prematurely the natural developmental signals ordinarily communicated by the ontogeny of cholinergic synaptic transmission. In the current study, the effects of fetal nicotine exposure (2 mg/kg/day or 6 mg/kg/day) on development of central cholinergic pathways were examined in striatum and hippocampus of animals exposed from gestational days 4 through 20, using maternal infusions with osmotic minipumps. Brain region weights and choline acetyltransferase activity, an enzymatic marker for development of cholinergic nerve terminals, were within normal limits in the nicotine-exposed animals. However, development of [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding which labels the presynaptic high affinity cholinergic transporter, was deficient in both striatum and hippocampus. Abnormalities occurred during two distinct phases; in the early neonatal period, when [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding sites are transiently overexpressed, and during or after the period of rapid synaptogenesis, when binding in controls is rising consequent to the increase in nerve impulse activity. These data thus indicate that fetal nicotine exposure, even at doses that do not cause overt signs of maternal/fetal/neonatal toxicity or growth impairment, influences both specific gene expression of cholinergic nerve terminal markers, as well as indices of neuronal function. Comparison of regional selectivity at the two dose levels indicated greater sensitivity of the striatum, a region with a prenatal peak of neuronal mitosis, as compared to hippocampus, where mitosis peaks postnatally; the regional differences are consistent with vulnerability to nicotine during a critical phase of cell development.

Pituitary-thyroid axis reactivity to hyper- and hypothyroidism in the perinatal period: ontogeny of regulation of regulation and long-term programming of responses

To evaluate the role of perinatal thyroid status in the development of pituitary-thyroid axis regulation, we administered triiodothyronine to newborn rats for the first five days postpartum to achieve hyperthyroidism, or propylthiouracil perinatally to rat dams and pups from gestational day 17 through postnatal day 5 to achieve hypothyroidism. Plasma T4, T3, and TSH levels were determined from birth through 50 days postpartum. Administration of exogenous T3 produced the expected immediate suppression of plasma T4 and TSH, with recovery toward normal values beginning within days of discontinuing the T3 regimen. Plasma T3 values were markedly elevated during the period in which T3 was being given, but subsequently became subnormal, with deficits persisting into young adulthood. With the PTU regimen, plasma T4 and T3 levels were markedly suppressed through postnatal day 10, rose over the ensuing two weeks, but nevertheless showed significant deficits into adulthood. TSH levels in the immediate neonatal period were subnormal in the PTU group, despite the marked lowering of circulating thyroid hormones; TSH then rose dramatically to levels four times normal, subsiding to control values by the end of the first month. These results suggest that a critical period exists in which regulation of pituitary-thyroid axis function is programmed. During this phase, TSH secretion can be suppressed by excess thyroid hormones, but cannot be increased by hormone deficiencies. Perhaps more importantly, perinatal thyroid status "programs" its own future reactivity, so that early hypothyroidism results in reduced T4 and T3 levels in adulthood, despite normal levels of TSH.

Altered development of basal and forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in brain regions of rats exposed to nicotine prenatally

Exposure of the fetus to nicotine is known to affect cellular development, synaptogenesis and synaptic activity of a wide variety of neurotransmitter pathways in the central nervous system. In the current study, pregnant rats received nicotine infusions of 6 mg/kg/day throughout gestation, administered by osmotic minipumps. After birth, offspring of the nicotine infused dams displayed marked alterations in membrane-associated adenylate cyclase activity; the regional selectivity correlated both with nicotinic cholinergic receptor concentration and the maturational timetable of each region. In the midbrain and brainstem, which display relatively high receptor concentrations and earliest cell development, basal adenylate cyclase activity in the nicotine group was elevated in the immediate period postpartum, returned to normal by the end of the first month, but then became subnormal in young adulthood. The initial promotion of basal activity was mirrored by forskolin-stimulated activity, suggesting that in this phase, the alterations were occurring at the level of the adenylate cyclase catalytic unit itself. The lack of effect on forskolin stimulation in the later phase, where basal activity was subnormal in the nicotine group, suggests that some alterations in regulatory subunits are responsible for the maturational switch in nicotine's effects on adenylate cyclase. In the cerebellum, where cell replication occurs primarily after birth and receptor concentrations are low, basal adenylate cyclase showed only a deficit in the nicotine group; again, although forskolin stimulation was significantly affected, the actions on basal activity were much more prominent, suggesting defects at the level of G-proteins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Overexpression of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors in fetal rat heart: receptors in search of a function

alpha 2-Adrenergic receptors are transiently overexpressed by many types of developing cells. In the current study, the developmental profile and cellular function of these receptors were examined in the fetal and neonatal rat heart. alpha 2-Receptors, assessed with [3H]rauwolscine binding, were extremely high in fetal hearts on gestational day 19, 30-fold higher than values seen in adults. Receptor binding decreased by two-thirds by gestational day 21 and dropped by half again by postnatal day 3. To assess potential cellular functions controlled by the alpha 2-receptors, the capability of an alpha 2-agonist (clonidine) to inhibit membrane-associated adenylate cyclase activity was measured in three different settings: basal enzyme activity, the enzymatic response to isoproterenol (dependent upon beta-receptor linkages to the regulatory protein, Gs), and the response to forskolin (independent of receptor-Gs interactions). Despite the high number of alpha 2-receptors in fetal hearts, clonidine failed to alter any of the adenylate cyclase activity measures. In light of the postulated role of alpha 2-receptors in the maintenance of fetal/neonatal atrioventricular conduction, the excess alpha 2-receptors are probably linked to other cellular events, such as movement of calcium into the cell.

Glucocorticoids and the development of neuronal function: effects of prenatal dexamethasone exposure on central noradrenergic activity

Although glucocorticoids slow the development of most cell types, they have been hypothesized to promote the differentiation of catecholaminergic cells. In the current study, pregnant rats were given dexamethasone on gestational days 17, 18 and 19, and the functional state of noradrenergic synaptic activity was assessed throughout postnatal development by measurements of transmitter levels and turnover, and receptor binding capabilities. Despite growth inhibition caused by dexamethasone, the steroid treatment had little or no effect on transmitter levels or receptor binding and accelerated the maturation of norepinephrine turnover in a regionally selective manner. Effects were most notable in the midbrain and brainstem, where turnover rose to maximum levels 1-2 weeks in advance of controls. Turnover also leveled off prematurely in the dexamethasone group, leading to deficits in the postweaning period and into young adulthood. Although similar patterns were obtained in other, later-developing regions, the effects were less consistent and robust; the smaller effects also extended to dopamine turnover. These results suggest that glucocorticoids have a specific promotional effect on the development of central catecholaminergic activity and that administration of exogenous steroids during critical periods of development can lead to lasting functional abnormalities.

Species differences in alpha 2-adrenergic regulation of platelet adenylate cyclase

Species differences in the ability of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors to down-regulate platelet adenylate cyclase activity were compared in platelet membranes derived from man, rabbit and rat. In all three, prostaglandin E1 and forskolin caused massive stimulation of enzyme activity, without species selectivity. However, alpha 2-receptor actions revealed marked species dissimilarities: clonidine caused 20-30% inhibition of human and rabbit basal adenylate cyclase, prostaglandin E1-stimulated activity and forskolin-stimulated activity, but failed to inhibit activity in the rat preparation. [3H]Rauwolscine binding indicated that rat platelets are deficient in alpha 2-receptor sites. Because rat brain is not deficient in alpha 2-receptors, these results indicate that care should be exercised in the use of platelet systems in animal models of psychotropic drug administration. Furthermore, although clonidine was effective in both man and rabbit, differences in sensitivity to alpha 2-receptor stimulation were also apparent; clonidine was more effective in inhibiting the response to prostaglandin E1 in man, but inhibition of the forskolin response was more prominent in the rabbit. Accordingly, multiple modes of stimulation need to be examined in delineating the inhibitory control of adenylate cyclase by alpha 2-receptors.

Fetal nicotine exposure produces postnatal up-regulation of adenylate cyclase activity in peripheral tissues

Gestational exposure to nicotine has been shown to affect development of noradrenergic activity in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. In the current study, pregnant rats received nicotine infusions of 6 mg/kg/day throughout gestation, administered by osmotic minipump implants. After birth, offspring of the nicotine-infused dams exhibited marked increases in basal adenylate cyclase activity in membranes prepared from kidney and heart, as well as supersensitivity to stimulation by either a beta-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol, or by forskolin. The altered responses were not accompanied by up-regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors: in fact, [125I]pindolol binding was significantly decreased in the nicotine group. These results indicate that fetal nicotine exposure affects enzymes involved in membrane receptor signal transduction, leading to altered responsiveness independently of changes at the receptor level.