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Domin H, Śmiałowska M. The diverse role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and its CRF1 and CRF2 receptors under pathophysiological conditions: Insights into stress/anxiety, depression, and brain injury processes. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105748. [PMID: 38857667 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, corticoliberin) is a neuromodulatory peptide activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, widely distributed in the central nervous system (CNS) in mammals. In addition to its neuroendocrine effects, CRF is essential in regulating many functions under physiological and pathophysiological conditions through CRF1 and CRF2 receptors (CRF1R, CRF2R). This review aims to present selected examples of the diverse and sometimes opposite effects of CRF and its receptor ligands in various pathophysiological states, including stress/anxiety, depression, and processes associated with brain injury. It seems interesting to draw particular attention to the fact that CRF and its receptor ligands exert different effects depending on the brain structures or subregions, likely stemming from the varied distribution of CRFRs in these regions and interactions with other neurotransmitters. CRFR-mediated region-specific effects might also be related to brain site-specific ligand binding and the associated activated signaling pathways. Intriguingly, different types of CRF molecules can also influence the diverse actions of CRF in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Domin
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Neurobiology, 12 Smętna Street, Kraków 31-343, Poland.
| | - Maria Śmiałowska
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Neurobiology, 12 Smętna Street, Kraków 31-343, Poland
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2
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Shinohara H, Meguro-Horike M, Inoue T, Shimazu M, Hattori M, Hibino H, Fukasawa K, Sasaki E, Horike SI. Early parental deprivation during primate infancy has a lifelong impact on gene expression in the male marmoset brain. Sci Rep 2024; 14:330. [PMID: 38172165 PMCID: PMC10764730 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-51025-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Adverse early life experiences are well-established risk factors for neurological disorders later in life. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of adverse experiences on neurophysiological systems throughout life remain incompletely understood. Previous studies suggest that social attachment to parents in early development are indispensable for infants to grow into healthy adults. In situations where multiple offspring are born in a single birth in common marmosets, human hand-rearing is employed to ensure the survival of the offspring in captivity. However, hand-reared marmosets often exhibit behavioral abnormalities, including abnormal vocalizations, excessive attachment to the caretaker, and aggressive behavior. In this study, comprehensive transcriptome analyses were conducted on hippocampus tissues, a neuroanatomical region sensitive to social attachment, obtained from human hand-reared (N = 6) and parent-reared male marmosets (N = 5) at distinct developmental stages. Our analyses revealed consistent alterations in a subset of genes, including those related to neurodevelopmental diseases, across different developmental stages, indicating their continuous susceptibility to the effects of early parental deprivation. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of gene expression in response to early life experiences and suggest that the impact of early parental deprivation on gene expression may vary across different stages of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Shinohara
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, 210-0821, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Makiko Meguro-Horike
- Division of Integrated Omics Research, Research Center for Experimental Modeling of Human Disease, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0934, Japan
| | - Takashi Inoue
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, 210-0821, Japan
| | - Miyuki Shimazu
- Division of Integrated Omics Research, Research Center for Experimental Modeling of Human Disease, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0934, Japan
| | - Machiko Hattori
- Yaotsu Breeding Center, CLEA Japan, Inc, Yaotsu-cho, Kamo-gun, Gifu, 505-0307, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Hibino
- Yaotsu Breeding Center, CLEA Japan, Inc, Yaotsu-cho, Kamo-gun, Gifu, 505-0307, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Fukasawa
- Yaotsu Breeding Center, CLEA Japan, Inc, Yaotsu-cho, Kamo-gun, Gifu, 505-0307, Japan
| | - Erika Sasaki
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, 210-0821, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Horike
- Division of Integrated Omics Research, Research Center for Experimental Modeling of Human Disease, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-0934, Japan.
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan.
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3
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Iqbal J, Mansour MNM, Saboor HA, Suyambu J, Lak MA, Zeeshan MH, Hafeez MH, Arain M, Mehmood M, Mehmood D, Ashraf M. Role of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in addiction disorders. Surg Neurol Int 2023; 14:434. [PMID: 38213452 PMCID: PMC10783698 DOI: 10.25259/sni_662_2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Addiction disorders pose significant challenges to public health, necessitating innovative treatments. This assesses deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a potential intervention for addiction disorders. Methods A literature review was carried out with a focus on the role of DBS in addiction disorders and its future implications in neurosurgical research. Results The online literature shows that DBS precisely modulates certain brain regions to restore addiction-related neural circuits and promote behavioral control. Conclusion Preclinical evidence demonstrates DBS's potential to rebalance neural circuits associated with addiction, and early clinical trials provide encouraging outcomes in enhancing addiction-related outcomes. Ethical considerations, long-term safety, and personalized patient selection require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javed Iqbal
- School of Medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Jenisha Suyambu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jonelta Foundation School of Medicine, University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, Las Pinas City, Philippines
| | - Muhammad Ali Lak
- School of Medicine, Combined Military Hospitals (CMH) Lahore Medical College and Institute of Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Mustafa Arain
- School of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Maria Mehmood
- School of Medicine, Shalamar Medical and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Dalia Mehmood
- School of Medicine, Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mohammad Ashraf
- Wolfson School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
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4
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Rieger NS, Ng AJ, Lee S, Brady BH, Christianson JP. Maternal immune activation alters social affective behavior and sensitivity to corticotropin releasing factor in male but not female rats. Horm Behav 2023; 149:105313. [PMID: 36706685 PMCID: PMC9974777 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal infection increases risk for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism in offspring. In rodents, prenatal administration of the viral mimic Polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (Poly I: C) allows for investigation of developmental consequences of gestational sickness on offspring social behavior and neural circuit function. Because maternal immune activation (MIA) disrupts cortical development and sociability, we examined approach and avoidance in a rat social affective preference (SAP) task. Following maternal Poly I:C (0.5 mg/kg) injection on gestational day 12.5, male adult offspring (PN 60-64) exhibited atypical social interactions with stressed conspecifics whereas female SAP behavior was unaffected by maternal Poly I:C. Social responses to stressed conspecifics depend upon the insular cortex where corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) modulates synaptic transmission and SAP behavior. We characterized insular field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) in adult offspring of Poly I:C or control treated dams. Male MIA offspring showed decreased sensitivity to CRF (300 nM) while female MIA offspring showed greater sensitivity to CRF compared to sham offspring. These sex specific effects appear to be behaviorally relevant as CRF injected into the insula of male and female rats prior to social exploration testing had no effect in MIA male offspring but increased social interaction in female MIA offspring. We examined the cellular distribution of CRF receptor mRNA but found no effect of maternal Poly I:C in the insula. Together, these experiments reveal sex specific effects of prenatal infection on offspring responses to social affective stimuli and identify insular CRF signaling as a novel neurobiological substrate for autism risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel S Rieger
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Alexandra J Ng
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Shanon Lee
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Bridget H Brady
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - John P Christianson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
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5
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Amado P, Zegers J, Yarur HE, Gysling K. Transcriptional Regulation, Signaling Pathways, and Subcellular Localization of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptors in the Central Nervous System. Mol Pharmacol 2022; 102:280-287. [PMID: 36167424 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.121.000476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors CRF-R1 and CRF-R2 are differentially distributed in body tissues, and although they respond differentially to stimuli due to their association with different signaling pathways, both receptors have a fundamental role in the response and adaptation to stressful stimuli. Here, we summarize the reported data on different forms of CRF-R1 and CRF-R2 regulation as well as on their subcellular localization. Although the presence of R1 has been described at pre- and postsynaptic sites, R2 is mainly associated with postsynaptic densities. Different studies have provided valuable information on how these receptors regulate responses at a central level, elucidating different and sometimes synergistic roles in response to stress, but despite their high sequence identity, both receptors have been described to be differentially regulated both by their ligands and by transcriptional factors. To date, and from the point of view of their promoter sequences, it has not yet been reported how the different consensus sites identified in silico could be modulating the transcriptional regulation and expression of the receptors under different conditions, which strongly limits the full understanding of their differential functions, providing a wide field to increase and expand the study of the regulation and role of CRF receptors in the CRF system. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: A large number of physiological functions related to the organization of the stress response in different body tissues are associated with the corticotropin-releasing factor system. This system also plays a relevant role in depression and anxiety disorders, as well as being a direct connection between stress and addiction. A better understanding of how the receptors of this system are regulated would help to expand the understanding of how these receptors respond differently to both drugs and stressful stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Amado
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Zegers
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Hector E Yarur
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Katia Gysling
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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6
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Berridge CW, Martin AJ, Hupalo S, Nicol SE. Estrus cycle-dependent working memory effects of prefrontal cortex corticotropin-releasing factor neurotransmission. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:2016-2023. [PMID: 35618840 PMCID: PMC9556710 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01349-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) supports a diversity of cognitive processes. Impairment in PFC-dependent cognition is associated with multiple psychiatric disorders, including those known to display sex differences. Our ability to treat this impairment is limited, in part due to an incomplete understanding of the neural mechanisms that support PFC-dependent cognition. In previous studies in male rats, we demonstrated that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors and neurons in caudal dorsomedial PFC (dmPFC) regulate PFC-dependent working memory. Subcortically, CRF can exert sex-specific actions, a subset of which are ovarian steroid dependent. To date, the cognitive actions of dmPFC CRF neurotransmission in females are unknown. To address this gap, the current studies examined the effects of chemogenetic and pharmacological manipulations of CRF receptors and neurons within the dmPFC of female rats tested in a spatial working memory task. Outside of proestrus, activation of both CRF receptors and neurons in the caudal, but not rostral, dmPFC impaired working memory. Meanwhile, blockade of CRF receptors in the caudal dmPFC or globally in the brain, improved working memory performance, similar to that seen in males. In contrast, these effects were not observed during proestrus. These observations demonstrate that while CRF neurotransmission in the PFC regulates working memory similarly in males and females, these actions are not observed in females when ovarian steroids are at peak levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig W Berridge
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Andrea J Martin
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Sofiya Hupalo
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Shannon E Nicol
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
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7
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Rieger NS, Varela JA, Ng AJ, Granata L, Djerdjaj A, Brenhouse HC, Christianson JP. Insular cortex corticotropin-releasing factor integrates stress signaling with social affective behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1156-1168. [PMID: 35220413 PMCID: PMC9018766 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01292-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Impairments in identifying and responding to the emotions of others manifest in a variety of psychopathologies. Therefore, elaborating the neurobiological mechanisms that underpin social responses to social emotions, or social affective behavior, is a translationally important goal. The insular cortex is consistently implicated in stress-related social and anxiety disorders, which are associated with diminished ability to make and use inferences about the emotions of others to guide behavior. We investigated how corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), a neuromodulator evoked upon exposure to stressed conspecifics, influenced the insula. We hypothesized that social affective behavior requires CRF signaling in the insular cortex in order to detect stress in social interactions. In acute slices from male and female rats, CRF depolarized insular pyramidal neurons. In males, but not females, CRF suppressed presynaptic GABAergic inhibition leading to greater excitatory synaptic efficacy in a CRF receptor 1 (CRF1)- and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1)-dependent fashion. In males only, insular CRF increased social investigation, and CRF1 and CB1 antagonists interfered with social interactions with stressed conspecifics. To investigate the molecular and cellular basis for the effect of CRF we examined insular CRF1 and CB1 mRNAs and found greater total insula CRF1 mRNA in females but greater CRF1 and CB1 mRNA colocalization in male insular cortex glutamatergic neurons that suggest complex, sex-specific organization of CRF and endocannabinoid systems. Together these results reveal a new mechanism by which stress and affect contribute to social affective behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel S Rieger
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Juan A Varela
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Alexandra J Ng
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Lauren Granata
- Psychology Department, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 115 Richards Hall, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Anthony Djerdjaj
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Heather C Brenhouse
- Psychology Department, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 115 Richards Hall, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - John P Christianson
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Ave, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
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8
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Freeman SM. Using Receptor Autoradiography to Visualize and Quantify Oxytocin and Vasopressin 1a Receptors in the Human and Nonhuman Primate Brain. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2384:105-125. [PMID: 34550571 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1759-5_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite its development almost 40 years ago, receptor autoradiography remains a regular and reliable practice for the localization of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in brain tissue sections. It is used across many laboratories, institutions, and animal species to characterize and quantify the distribution and density of these receptors at baseline and/or in response to experimental manipulations or lived experience. This powerful tool and the neuroanatomical receptor maps that it generates have allowed researchers to more accurately investigate and understand the neural substrates upon which oxytocin and vasopressin act to affect behavior. Researchers have used these maps to design site-specific pharmacological manipulations and electrophysiological recordings in animal studies to directly probe the underlying neural mechanisms in this system. This methods chapter describes the specific procedures by which a pharmacologically optimized, competitive binding modification to receptor autoradiography can be used to reliably localize oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in the human brain and in the brains of nonhuman primates. The ability to reliably perform receptor autoradiography for these targets in human brain tissue can finally inform our interpretation of past intranasal oxytocin neuroimaging studies and allows us to move past the reliance on transcriptomic studies using brain tissue homogenates so that we can directly investigate the involvement of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors in human behavior, physiology, and neuropsychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M Freeman
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA.
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9
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Tenorio-Lopes L, Kinkead R. Sex-Specific Effects of Stress on Respiratory Control: Plasticity, Adaptation, and Dysfunction. Compr Physiol 2021; 11:2097-2134. [PMID: 34107062 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c200022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As our understanding of respiratory control evolves, we appreciate how the basic neurobiological principles of plasticity discovered in other systems shape the development and function of the respiratory control system. While breathing is a robust homeostatic function, there is growing evidence that stress disrupts respiratory control in ways that predispose to disease. Neonatal stress (in the form of maternal separation) affects "classical" respiratory control structures such as the peripheral O2 sensors (carotid bodies) and the medulla (e.g., nucleus of the solitary tract). Furthermore, early life stress disrupts the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH), a structure that has emerged as a primary determinant of the intensity of the ventilatory response to hypoxia. Although underestimated, the PVH's influence on respiratory function is a logical extension of the hypothalamic control of metabolic demand and supply. In this article, we review the functional and anatomical links between the stress neuroendocrine axis and the medullary network regulating breathing. We then present the persistent and sex-specific effects of neonatal stress on respiratory control in adult rats. The similarities between the respiratory phenotype of stressed rats and clinical manifestations of respiratory control disorders such as sleep-disordered breathing and panic attacks are remarkable. These observations are in line with the scientific consensus that the origins of adult disease are often found among developmental and biological disruptions occurring during early life. These observations bring a different perspective on the structural hierarchy of respiratory homeostasis and point to new directions in our understanding of the etiology of respiratory control disorders. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:1-38, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana Tenorio-Lopes
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Richard Kinkead
- Département de Pédiatrie, Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
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10
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Coen CW, Bennett NC, Holmes MM, Faulkes CG. Neuropeptidergic and Neuroendocrine Systems Underlying Eusociality and the Concomitant Social Regulation of Reproduction in Naked Mole-Rats: A Comparative Approach. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:59-103. [PMID: 34424513 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The African mole-rat family (Bathyergidae) includes the first mammalian species identified as eusocial: naked mole-rats. Comparative studies of eusocial and solitary mole-rat species have identified differences in neuropeptidergic systems that may underlie the phenomenon of eusociality. These differences are found in the oxytocin, vasopressin and corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) systems within the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and lateral septal nucleus. As a corollary of their eusociality, most naked mole-rats remain pre-pubertal throughout life because of the presence of the colony's only reproductive female, the queen. To elucidate the neuroendocrine mechanisms that mediate this social regulation of reproduction, research on the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis in naked mole-rats has identified differences between the many individuals that are reproductively suppressed and the few that are reproductively mature: the queen and her male consorts. These differences involve gonadal steroids, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-1 (GnRH-1), kisspeptin, gonadotrophin-inhibitory hormone/RFamide-related peptide-3 (GnIH/RFRP-3) and prolactin. The comparative findings in eusocial and solitary mole-rat species are assessed with reference to a broad range of studies on other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clive W Coen
- Reproductive Neurobiology, Division of Women's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Melissa M Holmes
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.,Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christopher G Faulkes
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
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11
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Brockway DF, Crowley NA. Turning the 'Tides on Neuropsychiatric Diseases: The Role of Peptides in the Prefrontal Cortex. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:588400. [PMID: 33192369 PMCID: PMC7606924 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.588400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in technology have enabled researchers to probe the brain with the greater region, cell, and receptor specificity. These developments have allowed for a more thorough understanding of how regulation of the neurophysiology within a region is essential for maintaining healthy brain function. Stress has been shown to alter the prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning, and evidence links functional impairments in PFC brain activity with neuropsychiatric disorders. Moreover, a growing body of literature highlights the importance of neuropeptides in the PFC to modulate neural signaling and to influence behavior. The converging evidence outlined in this review indicates that neuropeptides in the PFC are specifically impacted by stress, and are found to be dysregulated in numerous stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders including substance use disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. This review explores how neuropeptides in the PFC function to regulate the neural activity, and how genetic and environmental factors, such as stress, lead to dysregulation in neuropeptide systems, which may ultimately contribute to the pathology of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota F Brockway
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.,The Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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12
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Chidambaram H, Chinnathambi S. G-Protein Coupled Receptors and Tau-different Roles in Alzheimer’s Disease. Neuroscience 2020; 438:198-214. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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13
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Potretzke S, Robins MT, Ryabinin AE. Differential sensitivity of alcohol drinking and partner preference to a CRFR1 antagonist in prairie voles and mice. Horm Behav 2020; 120:104676. [PMID: 31927017 PMCID: PMC7117978 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Available pharmacotherapies to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD) show limited efficacy. Preclinical studies in mice and rats suggested that antagonists of the corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1 (CRFR1) could be more efficacious for such treatment. However, clinical trials with CRFR1 antagonists were not successful. While a number of potential explanations for this translational failure have been suggested, we hypothesized that the lack of success in clinical trials could be in part due to different neuroanatomical organization of the CRFR1 system in mice and rats versus humans. The CRF system in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), a socially monogamous rodent species, also shows differences in organization from mice and rats. To test our hypothesis, we compared the efficacy of a potent CRFR1 antagonist, CP-376,395, to modulate alcohol drinking in male and female prairie voles versus male and female C57BL/6J mice using an almost identical 2-bottle choice drinking procedure. CP-376,375 (10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly decreased alcohol intake (but not alcohol preference) in mice, but not prairie voles. Furthermore, administration of this antagonist (20 mg/kg, i.p.) prior to the partner preference test (PPT) decreased partner preference (PP) in male prairie voles. These findings support our hypothesis that the greater efficacy of CRFR1 antagonists to suppress alcohol consumption in mice and rats versus other mammalian species could be due to the differences in organization of the CRFR1 system between species. They further indicate that activity of the CRFR1 system is necessary for the formation of pair-bonds, but not consumption of high doses of alcohol. Overall, we suggest that testing potential pharmacotherapies should not rely only on studies in mice and rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Potretzke
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Meridith T Robins
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Andrey E Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
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14
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Reding KM, Grayson DS, Miranda-Dominguez O, Ray S, Wilson ME, Toufexis D, Fair DA, Sanchez MM. Effects of social subordination and oestradiol on resting-state amygdala functional connectivity in adult female rhesus monkeys. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12822. [PMID: 31846515 PMCID: PMC7066536 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical studies demonstrate that chronic stress modulates the effects of oestradiol (E2) on behaviour through the modification of the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) neuronal structure. Clinical studies suggest that alterations in amygdala functional connectivity (FC) with the mPFC may be associated with stress-related phenotypes, including mood and anxiety disorders. Thus, identifying the effects of stress and E2 on amygdala-mPFC circuits is critical for understanding the neurobiology underpinning the vulnerability to stress-related disorders in women. In the present study, we used a well-validated rhesus monkey model of chronic psychosocial stress (subordinate social rank) to examine effects of E2 on subordinate (SUB) (i.e. high stress) and dominant (DOM) (i.e. low stress) female resting-state amygdala FC with the mPFC and with the whole-brain. In the non-E2 treatment control condition, SUB was associated with stronger left amygdala FC to subgenual cingulate (Brodmann area [BA] 25: BA25), a region implicated in several psychopathologies in people. In SUB females, E2 treatment strengthened right amygdala-BA25 FC, induced a net positive amygdala-visual cortex FC that was positively associated with frequency of submissive behaviours, and weakened positive amygdala-para/hippocampus FC. Our findings show that subordinate social rank alters amygdala FC and the impact of E2 on amygdala FC with BA25 and with regions involved in visual processing and memory encoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M. Reding
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience,
Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University
| | - David S. Grayson
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California –
Davis
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and
Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University
| | - Oscar Miranda-Dominguez
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and
Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University
| | - Siddarth Ray
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and
Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University
| | - Mark E. Wilson
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience,
Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory
University
| | - Donna Toufexis
- Department of Psychological Science, University of
Vermont
| | - Damien A. Fair
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and
Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University
| | - Mar M. Sanchez
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience,
Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory
University
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15
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Kim JS, Martin-Fardon R. Possible Role of CRF-Hcrt Interaction in the Infralimbic Cortex in the Emergence and Maintenance of Compulsive Alcohol-Seeking Behavior. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:354-367. [PMID: 31840823 PMCID: PMC7018591 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic, relapsing disorder that is characterized by the compulsive use of alcohol despite numerous health, social, and economic consequences. Initially, the use of alcohol is driven by positive reinforcement. Over time, however, alcohol use can take on a compulsive quality that is driven by the desire to avoid the negative consequences of abstinence, including negative affect and heightened stress/anxiety. This transition from positive reinforcement- to negative reinforcement-driven consumption involves the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system, although mounting evidence now suggests that the CRF system interacts with other neural systems to ultimately produce behaviors that are symptomatic of compulsive alcohol use, such as the hypocretin (Hcrt) system. Hypocretins are produced exclusively in the hypothalamus, but Hcrt neurons project widely throughout the brain and reach regions that perform regulatory functions for numerous behavioral and physiological responses-including the infralimbic cortex (IL) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Although the entire mPFC undergoes neuroadaptive changes following prolonged alcohol exposure, the IL appears to undergo more robust changes compared with other mPFC substructures. Evidence to date suggests that the IL is likely involved in EtOH-seeking behavior, but ambiguities with respect to the specific role of the IL in this regard make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. Furthermore, the manner in which CRF interacts with Hcrt in this region as it pertains to alcohol-seeking behavior is largely unknown, although immunohistochemical and electrophysiological experiments have shown that CRF and Hcrt directly interact in the mPFC, suggesting that the interaction between CRF and Hcrt in the IL may be critically important for the development and subsequent maintenance of compulsive alcohol seeking. This review aims to consolidate recent literature regarding the role of the IL in alcohol-seeking behavior and to discuss evidence that supports a functional interaction between Hcrt and CRF in the IL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung S. Kim
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, La Jolla, USA
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16
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Wang Q, Liu Y, Zhang J, Wang W. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptors in the Locus Coeruleus Modulate the Enhancement of Active Coping Behaviors Induced by Chronic Predator Odor Inoculation in Mice. Front Psychol 2020; 10:3028. [PMID: 31998206 PMCID: PMC6965494 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress inoculation has been proved to induce active coping behaviors to subsequent stress. However, the specific neural mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. In this study, a chronic and mild predator odor exposure model was established to investigate the effect of predator odor stress inoculation on behaviors in novel predator odor exposure, open field test and forced swimming test (FST), and on the expression of CRF receptors in locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsal raphe nuclei (DRN). The results showed that predator odor stress inoculation increased the active coping of mice under the severe stress environment without changing the stress response to a new predator odor. Meanwhile, in LC, the CRFR1 expression was increased by predator odor stress inoculation. These results suggested that predator odor stress inoculation can be used as an effective training method to improve active response to later severe stress and the function of CRFR1 in LC might be a potential underlying biological mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wang
- School of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yingjuan Liu
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, China
| | - Jianxu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weiwen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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17
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Human Self-Domestication and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis of Addiction: How Humans Evolved a Unique Vulnerability. Neuroscience 2019; 419:100-107. [PMID: 31654715 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Humans are more vulnerable to addiction in comparison to all other mammals, including nonhuman primates, yet there is a lack of research addressing this. This paper reviews the field of comparative addiction neuroscience, highlighting the significant inter-species variation in the mesocortical dopaminergic and other neuromodulatory systems involved in addiction. Artificial selection gives rise to significant changes in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and behaviour as shown in certain rodent strains and other domesticated animals. These changes occur over a few generations, relatively short periods of time in evolutionary terms, and demonstrate how dynamic these neuromodulatory systems are in response to the environment. During the course of human evolution, traits crucial to our survival, expansion and domination (traits such as the ability to innovate, adapt to different environments and thrive in a civilization) have been positively selected for, yet also predispose humans to addiction. This is evident in our unique neurochemistry and receptor-drug activation potencies. Examples of these are provided as possible targets for precision medicine.
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18
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Pandey GN, Rizavi HS, Bhaumik R, Ren X. Increased protein and mRNA expression of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), decreased CRF receptors and CRF binding protein in specific postmortem brain areas of teenage suicide subjects. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 106:233-243. [PMID: 31005044 PMCID: PMC7061258 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Overactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function has been implicated in depression and suicidal behavior. This is based on the observation of an abnormal dexamethasone (DEX) and DEX-adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) test in patients with depression and suicidal behavior. Recently, some studies have also found abnormalities of glucocorticoid receptors (GR), mineralocorticoid receptors (MR), corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), CRF receptors (CRF-R) and CRF binding protein (CRF-BP) in depressed and suicidal patients. Some investigators have also observed increased levels of CRF in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and altered levels of MR, GR and CRF in the postmortem brain of depressed and suicidal subjects. We have earlier reported decreased protein and mRNA expression of GR and GILZ, a chaperone protein, in the postmortem brain of teenage suicide subjects. We have further studied CRF and its receptors in different areas of the postmortem brain of suicide subjects, i.e., the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HIPPO), subiculum and amygdala (AMY) from teenage suicide subjects. The CRF and its receptors were determined in the PFC (Brodmann area 9), HIPPO, subiculum and different amygdaloid nuclei from 24 normal control subjects and 24 teenage suicide subjects. Protein expression of CRF, its receptors and CRF-BP was determined by immunolabeling using the Western blot technique and mRNA expression was determined by real-time PCR (qPCR) technique. We found that the mRNA levels of CRF were significantly increased in the PFC, in the central amygdaloid nucleus (CeAMY) and in the subiculum. mRNA levels of CRF-R1 and CRF-BP were significantly decreased in the PFC. We did not find any changes in the HIPPO of any of the CRF components we studied. When we compared the protein expression of CRF components we found that CRF was significantly increased and CRF-R1, CRF-R2 and CRF-BP significantly decreased in the PFC. On the other hand, there were no changes in the protein expression of CRF components in the HIPPO. Our results in the postmortem brain suggest that, as found by clinical studies in the CSF, there are significant alterations of CRF and its receptors in the postmortem brain of teenage suicide subjects. These alterations of CRF and its components were region-specific, as changes were not generally observed in the HIPPO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghanshyam N. Pandey
- Corresponding Author: Ghanshyam N. Pandey, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA, Phone (312) 413-4540, Fax: (312) 413-4547,
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19
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Cannella N, Ubaldi M, Masi A, Bramucci M, Roberto M, Bifone A, Ciccocioppo R. Building better strategies to develop new medications in Alcohol Use Disorder: Learning from past success and failure to shape a brighter future. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 103:384-398. [PMID: 31112713 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic disease that develops over the years. The complexity of the neurobiological processes contributing to the emergence of AUD and the neuroadaptive changes occurring during disease progression make it difficult to improve treatments. On the other hand, this complexity offers researchers the possibility to explore new targets. Over years of intense research several molecules were tested in AUD; in most cases, despite promising preclinical data, the clinical efficacy appeared insufficient to justify futher development. A prototypical example is that of corticotropin releasing factor type 1 receptor (CRF1R) antagonists that showed significant effectiveness in animal models of AUD but were largely ineffective in humans. The present article attempts to analyze the most recent venues in the development of new medications in AUD with a focus on the most promising drug targets under current exploration. Moreover, we delineate the importance of using a more integrated translational framework approach to correlate preclinical findings and early clinical data to enhance the probability to validate biological targets of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazzareno Cannella
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Massimo Ubaldi
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Alessio Masi
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Massimo Bramucci
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Marisa Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Neuroscience, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Angelo Bifone
- Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Science, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy.
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20
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Dunlop BW, Wong A. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in PTSD: Pathophysiology and treatment interventions. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 89:361-379. [PMID: 30342071 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Questions of how altered functioning of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis contribute to the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been the focus of extensive animal and human research. As a rule, results have been inconsistent across studies, likely due to a variety of confounding variables that have received inadequate attention. Important confounding factors include the effects of early life stress, biological sex, and the glucocorticoid used for interventions. In this manuscript we review: 1) the literature on identified abnormalities of HPA axis function in PTSD, both in terms of basal functioning and as part of challenge paradigms; 2) the role of HPA axis function pre- and immediately post-trauma as a risk factor for PTSD development; 3) the impact of HPA axis genes' allelic variants and epigenetic modifications on PTSD risk; 4) the contributions of HPA axis components to fear learning and extinction; and 5) therapeutic manipulations of the HPA axis to both prevent and treat PTSD, including the role of glucocorticoids as part of medication enhanced psychotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boadie W Dunlop
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Andrea Wong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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21
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Deussing JM, Chen A. The Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Family: Physiology of the Stress Response. Physiol Rev 2018; 98:2225-2286. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00042.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The physiological stress response is responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis in the presence of real or perceived challenges. In this function, the brain activates adaptive responses that involve numerous neural circuits and effector molecules to adapt to the current and future demands. A maladaptive stress response has been linked to the etiology of a variety of disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, eating disorders, and the metabolic syndrome. The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and its relatives, the urocortins 1–3, in concert with their receptors (CRFR1, CRFR2), have emerged as central components of the physiological stress response. This central peptidergic system impinges on a broad spectrum of physiological processes that are the basis for successful adaptation and concomitantly integrate autonomic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral stress responses. This review focuses on the physiology of CRF-related peptides and their cognate receptors with the aim of providing a comprehensive up-to-date overview of the field. We describe the major molecular features covering aspects of gene expression and regulation, structural properties, and molecular interactions, as well as mechanisms of signal transduction and their surveillance. In addition, we discuss the large body of published experimental studies focusing on state-of-the-art genetic approaches with high temporal and spatial precision, which collectively aimed to dissect the contribution of CRF-related ligands and receptors to different levels of the stress response. We discuss the controversies in the field and unravel knowledge gaps that might pave the way for future research directions and open up novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan M. Deussing
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; and Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; and Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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22
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Wakeford AG, Morin EL, Bramlett SN, Howell LL, Sanchez MM. A review of nonhuman primate models of early life stress and adolescent drug abuse. Neurobiol Stress 2018; 9:188-198. [PMID: 30450384 PMCID: PMC6236515 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescence represents a developmental stage in which initiation of drug use typically occurs and is marked by dynamic neurobiological changes. These changes present a sensitive window during which perturbations to normative development lead to alterations in brain circuits critical for stress and emotional regulation as well as reward processing, potentially resulting in an increased susceptibility to psychopathologies. The occurrence of early life stress (ELS) is related to a greater risk for the development of substance use disorders (SUD) during adolescence. Studies using nonhuman primates (NHP) are ideally suited to examine how ELS may alter the development of neurobiological systems modulating the reinforcing effects of drugs, given their remarkable neurobiological, behavioral, and developmental homologies to humans. This review examines NHP models of ELS that have been used to characterize its effects on sensitivity to drug reinforcement, and proposes future directions using NHP models of ELS and drug abuse in an effort to develop more targeted intervention and prevention strategies for at risk clinical populations. ELS has long-lasting neurobiological and behavioral consequences. ELS is a major risk factor for the initiation of adolescent drug use. Sex differences are apparent in the consequences of ELS, including drug use. Nonhuman primate models of ELS are critical for understanding ELS effects on neurobiology and risk for adolescent drug use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison G.P. Wakeford
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 12 Executive Park Dr NE #200, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
- Corresponding author. Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States.
| | - Elyse L. Morin
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 12 Executive Park Dr NE #200, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
| | - Sara N. Bramlett
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 12 Executive Park Dr NE #200, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
| | - Leonard L. Howell
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 12 Executive Park Dr NE #200, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
| | - Mar M. Sanchez
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, 12 Executive Park Dr NE #200, Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
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Abstract
Drug addiction or substance-use disorder is a chronically relapsing disorder that progresses through binge/intoxication, withdrawal/negative affect and preoccupation/anticipation stages. These stages represent diverse neurobiological mechanisms that are differentially involved in the transition from recreational to compulsive drug use and from positive to negative reinforcement. The progression from recreational to compulsive substance use is associated with downregulation of the brain reward systems and upregulation of the brain stress systems. Individual differences in the neurobiological systems that underlie the processing of reward, incentive salience, habits, stress, pain, and executive function may explain (i) the vulnerability to substance-use disorder; (ii) the diversity of emotional, motivational, and cognitive profiles of individuals with substance-use disorders; and (iii) heterogeneous responses to cognitive and pharmacological treatments. Characterization of the neuropsychological mechanisms that underlie individual differences in addiction-like behaviors is the key to understanding the mechanisms of addiction and development of personalized pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier George
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - George F Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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24
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Ezra-Nevo G, Volk N, Ramot A, Kuehne C, Tsoory M, Deussing J, Chen A. Inferior olive CRF plays a role in motor performance under challenging conditions. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:107. [PMID: 29802362 PMCID: PMC5970254 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0145-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A well-coordinated stress response is pivotal for an organisms' survival. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is an essential component of the emotional and neuroendocrine stress response, however its role in cerebellar functions is poorly understood. Here, we explore the role of CRF in the inferior olive (IO) nucleus, which is a major source of input to the cerebellum. Using a CRF reporter line, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we demonstrate very high levels of the CRF neuropeptide expression throughout the IO sub-regions. By generating and characterizing IO-specific CRF knockdown and partial IO-CRF knockout, we demonstrate that reduction in IO-CRF levels is sufficient to induce motor deficiency under challenging conditions, irrespective of basal locomotion or anxiety-like behavior. Furthermore, we show that chronic social defeat stress induces a persistent decrease in IO-CRF levels, and that IO-CRF mRNA is upregulated shortly following stressful situations that demand a complex motor response. Taken together our results indicate a role for IO-CRF in challenge-induced motor responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gili Ezra-Nevo
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Naama Volk
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Assaf Ramot
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Claudia Kuehne
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Tsoory
- Department of Veterinary Resources, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Jan Deussing
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Alon Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany.
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25
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Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) Neurocircuitry and Neuropharmacology in Alcohol Drinking. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 248:435-471. [PMID: 29374836 DOI: 10.1007/164_2017_86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use is pervasive in the United States. In the transition from nonhazardous drinking to hazardous drinking and alcohol use disorder, neuroadaptations occur within brain reward and brain stress systems. One brain signaling system that has received much attention in animal models of excessive alcohol drinking and alcohol dependence is corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). The CRF system is composed of CRF, the urocortins, CRF-binding protein, and two receptors - CRF type 1 and CRF type 2. This review summarizes how acute, binge, and chronic alcohol dysregulates CRF signaling in hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic brain regions and how this dysregulation may contribute to changes in alcohol reinforcement, excessive alcohol consumption, symptoms of negative affect during withdrawal, and alcohol relapse. In addition, it summarizes clinical work examining CRF type 1 receptor antagonists in humans and discusses why the brain CRF system is still relevant in alcohol research.
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26
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Spinieli RL, Leite-Panissi CRA. Similar effect of CRF 1 and CRF 2 receptor in the basolateral or central nuclei of the amygdala on tonic immobility behavior. Brain Res Bull 2017; 137:187-196. [PMID: 29246866 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Studies have used paradigms based on animal models to understand human emotional behavior because they appear to be correlated with fear- and anxiety-related defensive patterns in non-human mammals. In this context, tonic immobility (TI) behavior is an innate response associated with extreme threat situations, such as predator attack. Some reports have demonstrated the involvement of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in regulation of the endocrine system, defensive behaviors and behavioral responses to stress. Particularly, a previous study showed that the activation of CRF receptors in the basolateral (BLA) or central (CeA) nuclei of the amygdala increased TI responses, whereas treatment with a non-selective CRF antagonist, alpha-helical-CRF9-41, decreased this innate fear response. However, while CRF1 receptors have pronounced effects in stress-induced anxiety, CRF2 receptors appear be involved in the expression of both stress-induced anxiety and spontaneous anxiety behavior. In this study, we investigated the effects of specific CRF receptors, CRF1 and CRF2, in the BLA and CeA on the duration of TI in guinea pigs. The results show that blockade of CRF1 and CRF2 receptors in the BLA and CeA produces a decrease in fear and/or anxiety, as suggested by a decrease in TI duration in the guinea pigs. Additionally, the specific antagonists for CRF1 and CRF2 receptors were able to prevent the increase in TI duration induced by CRF administration at the same sites. These results suggest that the modulation of fear and anxiety by the CRF system in the BLA and CeA occurs through concomitant effects on CRF1 and CRF2 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Leandro Spinieli
- Psychobiology Graduation Program, School of Philosophy, Science and Literature of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Christie Ramos Andrade Leite-Panissi
- Psychobiology Graduation Program, School of Philosophy, Science and Literature of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Department of Morphology, Physiology and Basic Pathology, Ribeirão Preto Dentistry School of the University of São Paulo, 14040-904 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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27
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Pomrenze MB, Fetterly TL, Winder DG, Messing RO. The Corticotropin Releasing Factor Receptor 1 in Alcohol Use Disorder: Still a Valid Drug Target? Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1986-1999. [PMID: 28940382 PMCID: PMC5711524 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is a neuropeptide that plays a key role in behavioral and physiological responses to stress. A large body of animal literature implicates CRF acting at type 1 CRF receptors (CRFR1) in consumption by alcohol-dependent subjects, stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, and possibly binge alcohol consumption. These studies have encouraged recent pilot studies of CRFR1 antagonists in humans with alcohol use disorder (AUD). It was a great disappointment to many in the field that these studies failed to show an effect of these compounds on stress-induced alcohol craving. Here, we examine these studies to explore potential limitations and discuss preclinical and human literature to ask whether CRFR1 is still a valid drug target to pursue for the treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tracy L. Fetterly
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, TN
| | - Danny G. Winder
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt
University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, TN
| | - Robert O. Messing
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin,
TX
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Texas at
Austin, Austin, TX
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of
Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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28
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Early rearing history influences oxytocin receptor epigenetic regulation in rhesus macaques. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:11769-11774. [PMID: 29078292 PMCID: PMC5676889 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1706206114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetically programmed stress adaptation may be a conduit for informing offspring of environmental challenge. We employed ChIP-sequencing to examine effects of early environment on epigenetic regulation using hippocampal samples from macaques exposed to disruption in maternal care. We found decreased H3K4me3 binding at genes critical to behavioral stress response, the most robust being the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), for which we observed a corresponding decrease in RNA expression. Post hoc analysis showed that a gain-of-function OXTR SNP rescued behavioral differences in early stress-exposed subjects. Our data suggest that epigenetic down-modulation of OXTR in brain could contribute to behavioral differences observed in early stress-exposed subjects and that functional genetic variation plays a role. These could have translational implications for human psychiatric disease and personality disorders. Adaptations to stress can occur through epigenetic processes and may be a conduit for informing offspring of environmental challenge. We employed ChIP-sequencing for H3K4me3 to examine effects of early maternal deprivation (peer-rearing, PR) in archived rhesus macaque hippocampal samples (male, n = 13). Focusing on genes with roles in stress response and behavior, we assessed the effects of rearing on H3K4me3 binding by ANOVA. We found decreased H3K4me3 binding at genes critical to behavioral stress response, the most robust being the oxytocin receptor gene OXTR, for which we observed a corresponding decrease in RNA expression. Based on this finding, we performed behavioral analyses to determine whether a gain-of-function nonsynonymous OXTR SNP interacted with early stress to influence relevant behavioral stress reactivity phenotypes (n = 194), revealing that this SNP partially rescued the PR phenotype. PR infants exhibited higher levels of separation anxiety and arousal in response to social separation, but infants carrying the alternative OXTR allele did not exhibit as great a separation response. These data indicate that the oxytocin system is involved in social-separation response and suggest that epigenetic down-modulation of OXTR could contribute to behavioral differences observed in PR animals. Epigenetic changes at OXTR may represent predictive adaptive responses that could impart readiness to respond to environmental challenge or maintain proximity to a caregiver but also contribute to behavioral pathology. Our data also demonstrate that OXTR polymorphism can permit animals to partially overcome the detrimental effects of early maternal deprivation, which could have translational implications for human psychiatric disorders.
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29
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Tan LA, Vaughan JM, Perrin MH, Rivier JE, Sawchenko PE. Distribution of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor binding in the mouse brain using a new, high-affinity radioligand, [125I]-PD-Sauvagine. J Comp Neurol 2017; 525:3840-3864. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Tan
- Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function; The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; La Jolla CA
| | - Joan M. Vaughan
- Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function; The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; La Jolla CA
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; La Jolla CA
| | - Marilyn H. Perrin
- Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function; The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; La Jolla CA
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; La Jolla CA
| | - Jean E. Rivier
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; La Jolla CA
| | - Paul E. Sawchenko
- Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function; The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; La Jolla CA
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30
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Leonard MZ, DeBold JF, Miczek KA. Escalated cocaine "binges" in rats: enduring effects of social defeat stress or intra-VTA CRF. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:2823-2836. [PMID: 28725939 PMCID: PMC5709163 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4677-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Exposure to intermittent social defeat stress elicits corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) release into the VTA and induces long-term modulation of mesocorticolimbic dopamine activity in rats. These adaptations are associated with an intense cocaine-taking phenotype, which is prevented by CRF receptor antagonists. OBJECTIVE The present studies examine whether infusion of CRF into the VTA is sufficient to escalate cocaine-taking behavior, in the absence of social defeat experience. Additionally, we aimed to characterize changes in cocaine valuation that may promote binge-like cocaine intake. METHODS Male Long-Evans rats were microinjected into the VTA with CRF (50 or 500 ng/side), vehicle, or subjected to social defeat stress, intermittently over 10 days. Animals were then trained to self-administer IV cocaine (FR5). Economic demand for cocaine was evaluated using a within-session behavioral-economics threshold procedure, which was followed by a 24-h extended access "binge." RESULTS Rats that experienced social defeat or received intra-VTA CRF microinfusions (50 ng) both took significantly more cocaine than controls over the 24-h binge but showed distinct patterns of intake. Behavioral economic analysis revealed that individual demand for cocaine strongly predicts binge-like consumption, and demand elasticity (i.e. α) is augmented by intra-VTA CRF, but not by social defeat. The effects of CRF on cocaine-taking were also prevented by intra-VTA pretreatment with CP376395, but not Astressin-2B. CONCLUSIONS Repeated infusion of CRF into the VTA persistently alters cocaine valuation and intensifies binge-like drug intake in a CRF-R1-dependent manner. Conversely, the persistent pattern of cocaine bingeing induced by social defeat stress may suggest impaired inhibitory control, independent of reward valuation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph F DeBold
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Klaus A Miczek
- Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
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31
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Roberto M, Spierling SR, Kirson D, Zorrilla EP. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) and Addictive Behaviors. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2017; 136:5-51. [PMID: 29056155 PMCID: PMC6155477 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2017.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction is a complex disorder that is characterized by compulsivity to seek and take the drug, loss of control in limiting intake of the drug, and emergence of a withdrawal syndrome in the absence of the drug. The transition from casual drug use to dependence is mediated by changes in reward and brain stress functions and has been linked to a shift from positive reinforcement to negative reinforcement. The recruitment of brain stress systems mediates the negative emotional state produced by dependence that drives drug seeking through negative reinforcement mechanisms, defined as the "dark side" of addiction. In this chapter we focus on behavioral and cellular neuropharmacological studies that have implicated brain stress systems (i.e., corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF]) in the transition to addiction and the predominant brain regions involved. We also discuss the implication of CRF recruitment in compulsive eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States.
| | | | - Dean Kirson
- The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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32
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Battagello DS, Diniz GB, Candido PL, da Silva JM, de Oliveira AR, Torres da Silva KR, Lotfi CFP, de Oliveira JA, Sita LV, Casatti CA, Lovejoy DA, Bittencourt JC. Anatomical Organization of Urocortin 3-Synthesizing Neurons and Immunoreactive Terminals in the Central Nervous System of Non-Human Primates [ Sapajus spp.]. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:57. [PMID: 28790894 PMCID: PMC5522884 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Urocortin 3 (UCN3) is a neuropeptide member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) peptide family that acts as a selective endogenous ligand for the CRF, subtype 2 (CRF2) receptor. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization data from rodents revealed UCN3-containing neurons in discrete regions of the central nervous system (CNS), such as the medial preoptic nucleus, the rostral perifornical area (PFA), the medial nucleus of the amygdala and the superior paraolivary nucleus. UCN3-immunoreactive (UCN3-ir) terminals are distributed throughout regions that mostly overlap with regions of CRF2 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. Currently, no similar mapping exists for non-human primates. To better understand the role of this neuropeptide, we aimed to study the UCN3 distribution in the brains of New World monkeys of the Sapajus genus. To this end, we analyzed the gene and peptide sequences in these animals and performed immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization to identify UCN3 synthesis sites and to determine the distribution of UCN3-ir terminals. The sequencing of the Sapajus spp. UCN3-coding gene revealed 88% and 65% identity to the human and rat counterparts, respectively. Additionally, using a probe generated from monkey cDNA and an antiserum raised against human UCN3, we found that labeled cells are mainly located in the hypothalamic and limbic regions. UCN3-ir axons and terminals are primarily distributed in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) and the lateral septal nucleus (LS). Our results demonstrate that UCN3-producing neurons in the CNS of monkeys are phylogenetically conserved compared to those of the rodent brain, that the distribution of fibers agrees with the distribution of CRF2 in other primates and that there is anatomical evidence for the participation of UCN3 in neuroendocrine control in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella S Battagello
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil.,Center for Neuroscience and Behaviour, Institute of Psychology, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giovanne B Diniz
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo L Candido
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Anatomy, Santa Marcelina Medical SchoolSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Joelcimar M da Silva
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amanda R de Oliveira
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kelly R Torres da Silva
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Basic Sciences, São Paulo State University, UNESPAraçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudimara F P Lotfi
- Laboratory of Cellular Structure and Function, Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - José A de Oliveira
- Department of Basic Sciences, São Paulo State University, UNESPAraçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luciane V Sita
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cláudio A Casatti
- Department of Basic Sciences, São Paulo State University, UNESPAraçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute of Biosciences, UNESP-São Paulo State UniversityBotucatu, Brazil
| | - David A Lovejoy
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of TorontoToronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jackson C Bittencourt
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil.,Center for Neuroscience and Behaviour, Institute of Psychology, University of São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil
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33
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Kalin NH. Mechanisms underlying the early risk to develop anxiety and depression: A translational approach. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:543-553. [PMID: 28502529 PMCID: PMC5482756 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Anxious temperament (AT) is an early life disposition that markedly increases the risk to develop stress related psychopathology such as anxiety and depressive disorders. Since anxiety and depression are common, and frequently have their onset early in life, a better understanding of the factors related to their childhood onset will facilitate the development of new more effective neurally informed interventions. A nonhuman primate (NHP) developmental model of childhood AT has been established, which has provided an understanding of the neural systems and molecular mechanisms mediating the development of AT. Multimodal neuroimaging studies reveal altered brain metabolism across prefrontal, limbic (e.g. central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce) and anterior hippocampus), and brainstem regions, as well as altered functional connectivity involving the Ce. Heritability studies demonstrate that individual variation in AT is heritable, and genetic correlational analyses demonstrate that metabolism in the posterior orbital frontal cortex, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the periaqueductal gray share a genetic substrate with AT. On a molecular level, the finding of reduced expression of Ce neuroplasticity genes provides the basis for a neurodevelopmental hypothesis focused on the Ce. Viral vector methods for altering gene expression in the Ce of young NHPs are currently being used as a prelude to conceptualizing novel molecularly targeted early life interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ned H Kalin
- Department of Psychiatry, HealthEmotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States.
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34
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Spierling SR, Zorrilla EP. Don't stress about CRF: assessing the translational failures of CRF 1antagonists. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:1467-1481. [PMID: 28265716 PMCID: PMC5420464 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4556-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dr. Athina Markou sought treatments for a common neural substrate shared by depression and drug dependence. Antagonists of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors, a target of interest to her, have not reached the clinic despite strong preclinical rationale and sustained translational efforts. METHODS We explore potential causes for the failure of CRF1 antagonists and review recent findings concerning CRF-CRF1 systems in psychopathology. RESULTS Potential causes for negative outcomes include (1) poor safety and efficacy of initial drug candidates due to bad pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties, (2) specificity problems with preclinical screens, (3) the acute nature of screens vs. late-presenting patients, (4) positive preclinical results limited to certain models and conditions with dynamic CRF-CRF1 activation not homologous to tested patients, (5) repeated CRF1 activation-induced plasticity that reduces the importance of ongoing CRF1 agonist stimulation, and (6) therapeutic silencing which may need to address CRF2 receptor or CRF-binding protein molecules, constitutive CRF1 activity, or molecules that influence agonist-independent activity or to target structural regions other than the allosteric site bound by all drug candidates. We describe potential markers of activation towards individualized treatment, human genetic, and functional data that still implicate CRF1 systems in emotional disturbance, sex differences, and suggestive clinical findings for CRF1 antagonists in food craving and CRF-driven HPA-axis overactivation. CONCLUSION The therapeutic scope of selective CRF1 antagonists now appears narrower than had been hoped. Yet, much remains to be learned about CRF's role in the neurobiology of dysphoria and addiction and the potential for novel anti-CRF therapies therein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha R Spierling
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, SP30-2400, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
| | - Eric P Zorrilla
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, SP30-2400, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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35
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Syed SA, Nemeroff CB. Early Life Stress, Mood, and Anxiety Disorders. CHRONIC STRESS (THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.) 2017; 1:2470547017694461. [PMID: 28649671 PMCID: PMC5482282 DOI: 10.1177/2470547017694461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress has been shown to exert profound short- and long-term effects on human physiology both in the central nervous system and peripherally. Early life stress has demonstrated clear association with many psychiatric disorders including major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder. The Diagnostic and Statistics Manuel of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnostic categorical system has served as a necessary framework for clinical service, delivery, and research, however has not been completely matching the neurobiological research perspective. Early life stress presents a complex dynamic featuring a wide spectrum of physiologic alterations: from epigenetic alterations, inflammatory changes, to dysregulation of the hypothalamic pituitary axis and has further added to the challenge of identifying biomarkers associated with psychiatric disorders. The National Institute of Mental Health's proposed Research Domain Criteria initiative incorporates a dimensional approach to assess discrete domains and constructs of behavioral function that are subserved by identifiable neural circuits. The current neurobiology of early life stress is reviewed in accordance with dimensional organization of Research Domain Criteria matrix and how the findings as a whole fit within the Research Domain Criteria frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shariful A. Syed
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Charles B. Nemeroff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
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36
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Working Memory Impairing Actions of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) Neurotransmission in the Prefrontal Cortex. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2733-40. [PMID: 27272767 PMCID: PMC5026742 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulates cognitive processes critical for goal-directed behavior. PFC cognitive dysfunction is implicated in multiple psychopathologies, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although it has long been known that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and CRF receptors are prominent in the PFC, the cognitive effects of CRF action within the PFC are poorly understood. The current studies examined whether CRF receptor activation in the PFC modulates cognitive function in rats as measured in a delayed response task of spatial working memory. CRF dose-dependently impaired working memory performance when administered either intracerebroventricularly (ICV) or directly into the PFC. The working memory actions of CRF in the PFC were topographically organized, with impairment observed only following CRF infusions into the caudal dorsomedial PFC (dmPFC). Additional studies examined whether endogenous CRF modulates working memory. Both ICV and intra-dmPFC administration of the nonselective CRF antagonist, D-Phe-CRF, dose-dependently improved working memory performance. To better assess the translational potential of CRF antagonists, we examined the cognitive effects of systemic administration of the CRF1 receptor selective antagonist, NBI 35965. Similar procognitive actions were observed in these studies. These results are the first to demonstrate that CRF acts in the PFC to regulate PFC-dependent cognition. Importantly, the ability of CRF antagonists to improve working memory is identical to that seen with all approved treatments for ADHD. These observations suggest that CRF antagonists may represent a novel approach for the treatment of ADHD and other disorders associated with dysregulated prefrontal cognitive function.
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37
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Kalin NH, Fox AS, Kovner R, Riedel MK, Fekete EM, Roseboom PH, Tromp DPM, Grabow BP, Olsen ME, Brodsky EK, McFarlin DR, Alexander AL, Emborg ME, Block WF, Fudge JL, Oler JA. Overexpressing Corticotropin-Releasing Factor in the Primate Amygdala Increases Anxious Temperament and Alters Its Neural Circuit. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 80:345-55. [PMID: 27016385 PMCID: PMC4967405 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Revised: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonhuman primate models are critical for understanding mechanisms underlying human psychopathology. We established a nonhuman primate model of anxious temperament (AT) for studying the early-life risk to develop anxiety and depression. Studies have identified the central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce) as an essential component of AT's neural substrates. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is expressed in the Ce, has a role in stress, and is linked to psychopathology. Here, in young rhesus monkeys, we combined viral vector technology with assessments of anxiety and multimodal neuroimaging to understand the consequences of chronically increased CRF in the Ce region. METHODS Using real-time intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging-guided convection-enhanced delivery, five monkeys received bilateral dorsal amygdala Ce-region infusions of adeno-associated virus serotype 2 containing the CRF construct. Their cagemates served as unoperated control subjects. AT, regional brain metabolism, resting functional magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging were assessed before and 2 months after viral infusions. RESULTS Dorsal amygdala CRF overexpression significantly increased AT and metabolism within the dorsal amygdala. Additionally, we observed changes in metabolism in other AT-related regions, as well as in measures of functional and structural connectivity. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a translational roadmap that is important for understanding human psychopathology by combining molecular manipulations used in rodents with behavioral phenotyping and multimodal neuroimaging measures used in humans. The results indicate that chronic CRF overexpression in primates not only increases AT but also affects metabolism and connectivity within components of AT's neural circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ned H Kalin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, WI
| | - Andrew S Fox
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Rothem Kovner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | | | - Eva M Fekete
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Patrick H Roseboom
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Do P M Tromp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | | | - Miles E Olsen
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Ethan K Brodsky
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,inseRT MRI, Inc
| | | | - Andrew L Alexander
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,inseRT MRI, Inc
| | - Marina E Emborg
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, WI
| | - Walter F Block
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI,inseRT MRI, Inc
| | - Julie L Fudge
- Departments of Neurobiology and Anatomy, and Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center
| | - Jonathan A Oler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.
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38
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Koob GF, Volkow ND. Neurobiology of addiction: a neurocircuitry analysis. Lancet Psychiatry 2016; 3:760-773. [PMID: 27475769 PMCID: PMC6135092 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(16)00104-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1823] [Impact Index Per Article: 227.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Revised: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction represents a dramatic dysregulation of motivational circuits that is caused by a combination of exaggerated incentive salience and habit formation, reward deficits and stress surfeits, and compromised executive function in three stages. The rewarding effects of drugs of abuse, development of incentive salience, and development of drug-seeking habits in the binge/intoxication stage involve changes in dopamine and opioid peptides in the basal ganglia. The increases in negative emotional states and dysphoric and stress-like responses in the withdrawal/negative affect stage involve decreases in the function of the dopamine component of the reward system and recruitment of brain stress neurotransmitters, such as corticotropin-releasing factor and dynorphin, in the neurocircuitry of the extended amygdala. The craving and deficits in executive function in the so-called preoccupation/anticipation stage involve the dysregulation of key afferent projections from the prefrontal cortex and insula, including glutamate, to the basal ganglia and extended amygdala. Molecular genetic studies have identified transduction and transcription factors that act in neurocircuitry associated with the development and maintenance of addiction that might mediate initial vulnerability, maintenance, and relapse associated with addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- George F Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
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39
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Genetic moderation of interpersonal psychotherapy efficacy for low-income mothers with major depressive disorder: implications for differential susceptibility. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 27:19-35. [PMID: 25640828 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579414001278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Genetic moderation of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) efficacy for economically disadvantaged women with major depressive disorder was examined. Specifically, we investigated whether genotypic variation in corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) and the linked polymorphic region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) moderated effects of IPT on depressive symptoms over time. We also tested genotype moderation of IPT mechanisms on social adjustment and perceived stress. Non-treatment-seeking urban women at or below the poverty level with infants were recruited from the community (N = 126; M age = 25.33 years, SD = 4.99; 54.0% African American, 22.2% Caucasian, and 23.8% Hispanic/biracial) and randomized to individual IPT or Enhanced Community Standard groups. The results revealed that changes in depressive symptoms over time depended on both intervention group and genotypes (5-HTTLPR and CRHR1). Moreover, multiple-group path analysis indicated that IPT improved depressive symptoms, increased social adjustment, and decreased perceived stress at posttreatment among women with the 0 copies of the CRHR1 TAT haplotype only. Finally, improved social adjustment at postintervention significantly mediated the effect of IPT on reduced depressive symptoms at 8 months postintervention for women with 0 copies of the TAT haplotype only. Post hoc analyses of 5-HTTLPR were indicative of differential susceptibility, albeit among African American women only.
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Effects of Xiaoyaosan on Stress-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior in Rats: Involvement of CRF1 Receptor. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2016; 2016:1238426. [PMID: 27042185 PMCID: PMC4793091 DOI: 10.1155/2016/1238426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 12/24/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background. Compared with antidepressant activity of Xiaoyaosan, the role of Xiaoyaosan in anxiety has been poorly studied. Objective. To observe the effects of Xiaoyaosan on anxiety-like behavior induced by chronic immobilization stress (CIS) and further explore whether these effects were related to CRF1R signaling. Methods. Adult male SD rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 12): the nonstressed control group, vehicle-treated (saline, p.o.) group, Xiaoyaosan-treated (3.854 g/kg, p.o.) group, vehicle-treated (surgery) group, and antalarmin-treated (surgery) group. Artificial cerebrospinal fluid (0.5 μL/side) or CRF1R antagonist antalarmin (125 ng/0.5 μL, 0.5 μL/side) was bilaterally administered into the basolateral amygdala in the surgery groups. Except for the nonstressed control group, the other four groups were exposed to CIS (14 days, 3 h/day) 30 minutes after treatment. On days 15 and 16, all animals were subjected to the elevated plus-maze (EPM) and novelty suppressed feeding (NSF) test. We then examined the expression of CRF1R, pCREB, and BDNF in the amygdala. Results. Chronic pretreatment with Xiaoyaosan or antalarmin significantly reversed elevated anxiety-like behavior and the upregulated level of CRF1R and BDNF in the amygdala of stressed rats. pCREB did not differ significantly among the groups. Conclusions. These results suggest that Xiaoyaosan exerts anxiolytic-like effects in behavioral tests and the effects may be related to CRF1R signaling in the amygdala.
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Ubaldi M, Cannella N, Ciccocioppo R. Emerging targets for addiction neuropharmacology: From mechanisms to therapeutics. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2015; 224:251-84. [PMID: 26822362 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2015.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Drug abuse represents a considerable burden of disease and has enormous economic impacts on societies. Over the years, few medications have been developed for clinical use. Their utilization is endowed with several limitations, including partial efficacy or significant side effects. On the other hand, the successful advancement of these compounds provides an important proof of concept for the feasibility of drug development programs in addiction. In recent years, a wealth of information has been generated on the psychological mechanisms, genetic or epigenetic predisposing factors, and neurobiological adaptations induced by drug consumption that interact with each other to contribute to disease progression. It is now clear that addiction develops through phases, from initial recreational use to excessive consumption and compulsive drug seeking, with a shift from positive to negative reinforcement driving motivated behaviors. A greater understanding of these mechanisms has opened new vistas in drug development programs. Researchers' attention has been shifted from investigation of classical targets associated with reward to biological substrates responsible for negative reinforcement, impulse loss of control, and maladaptive mechanisms resulting from protracted drug use. From this research, several new biological targets for the development of innovative therapies have started to emerge. This chapter offers an overview of targets currently under scrutiny for the development of new medications for addiction. This work is not exhaustive but rather it provides a few examples of how this research has advanced in recent years by virtue of studies carried out in our laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Ubaldi
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Nazzareno Cannella
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy.
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The Dorsal Agranular Insular Cortex Regulates the Cued Reinstatement of Cocaine-Seeking, but not Food-Seeking, Behavior in Rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:2425-33. [PMID: 25837282 PMCID: PMC4538357 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Revised: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Prior studies suggest that the insular cortex (IC), and particularly its posterior region (the PIc), is involved in nicotine craving and relapse in humans and rodents. The present experiments were conducted to determine whether the IC and its different subregions regulate relapse to cocaine-seeking behavior in rats. To address this issue, male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent cocaine self-administration followed by extinction training and reinstatement tests. Before each reinstatement, the PIc or the more anterior dorsal agranular IC (AId) was inactivated to determine their roles in the reinstatement to cocaine seeking. In contrast to the nicotine findings, PIc inactivation had no effect on cue-induced reinstatement for cocaine seeking. However, AId inactivation reduced cued reinstatement while having no effect on cocaine-prime reinstatement. AId inactivation had no effect on reinstatement of food-seeking behavior induced by cues, a food-prime, or cues+food-prime. Based on previous work hypothesizing a role for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the IC during craving and relapse, a subsequent experiment found that CRF receptor-1 (CRF1) blockade in the AId similarly reduced cued reinstatement. Our results suggest that the AId, along with CRF1 receptors in this region, regulates reinstatement to cocaine seeking, but not food seeking, depending on the type of reinstatement, whereas PIc activity does not influence cue-induced reinstatement.
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Huang J, Tufan T, Deng M, Wright G, Zhu MY. Corticotropin releasing factor up-regulates the expression and function of norepinephrine transporter in SK-N-BE (2) M17 cells. J Neurochem 2015. [PMID: 26212818 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) has been implicated to act as a neurotransmitter or modulator in central nervous activation during stress. In this study, we examined the regulatory effect of CRF on the expression and function of the norepinephrine transporter (NET) in vitro. SK-N-BE (2) M17 cells were exposed to different concentrations of CRF for different periods. Results showed that exposure of cells to CRF significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of NET in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The CRF-induced increase in NET expression was mimicked by agonists of either CRF receptor 1 or 2. Furthermore, similar CRF treatments induced a parallel increase in the uptake of [(3) H] norepinephrine. Both increased expression and function of NET caused by CRF were abolished by simultaneous administration of CRF receptor antagonists, indicating a mediation by CRF receptors. However, there was no additive effect for the combination of both receptor antagonists. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirm an increased acetylation of histone H3 on the NET promoter following treatment with CRF. Taken together, this study demonstrates that CRF up-regulates the expression and function of NET in vitro. This regulation is mediated through CRF receptors and an epigenetic mechanism related to histone acetylation may be involved. This CRF-induced regulation on NET expression and function may play a role in development of stress-related depression and anxiety. This study demonstrated that corticotropin release factor (CRF) up-regulated the expression and function of norepinephrine transporter (NET) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, through activation of CRF receptors and possible histone acetylation in NET promoter. The results indicate that their interaction may play an important role in stress-related physiological and pathological status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Turan Tufan
- Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA
| | - Maoxian Deng
- Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA.,Jiangsu Polytechnic College of A&F, Jurong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Gary Wright
- Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA
| | - Meng-Yang Zhu
- Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA
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Driscoll CA, Barr CS. Studying longitudinal trajectories in animal models of psychiatric illness and their translation to the human condition. Neurosci Res 2015; 102:67-77. [PMID: 26276350 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Many forms of psychopathology and/or psychiatric illness can occur through the pathways of altered environmental sensitivity, impulsivity, social functioning, and anxious responding. While these traits are also heritable, environmental conditions are known to play a critical role. The genetic factors that contribute to these traits may be adaptive in certain contexts, but can - under the environmental conditions commonly faced among modern humans - also be key moderators of risk for psychopathological outcomes. This article will discuss how animal studies inform us of the various environmental mechanisms through which prenatal or early postnatal environmental challenge can produce long-term effects on behavior and will briefly address how pre-copulatory, pre-natal and early postnatal epigenetic effects can contribute to persistent alterations in offspring behavior. Its main focus will be how nonhuman primate studies have helped us to understand how genetic vulnerability factors can moderate responses to early environmental factors, suggesting pathways through which early stress might produce long-term effects, thus pointing to systems that might moderate risk for psychiatric illnesses in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Driscoll
- Section of Comparative Behavioral Genomics, NIH/NIAAA/LNG, 5625 Fishers Lane, 3S-32, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA
| | - Christina S Barr
- Section of Comparative Behavioral Genomics, NIH/NIAAA/LNG, 5625 Fishers Lane, 3S-32, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA.
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Lee M, Ryu YH, Cho WG, Kang YW, Lee SJ, Jeon TJ, Lyoo CH, Kim CH, Kim DG, Lee K, Choi TH, Choi JY. Relationship between dopamine deficit and the expression of depressive behavior resulted from alteration of serotonin system. Synapse 2015; 69:453-60. [DOI: 10.1002/syn.21834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Minkyung Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine; Yonsei University College of Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital; Seoul Korea
| | - Young Hoon Ryu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine; Yonsei University College of Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital; Seoul Korea
| | - Won Gil Cho
- Department of Anatomy; Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine; Wonju Korea
| | - Yeo Wool Kang
- Department of Anatomy; Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine; Wonju Korea
| | - Soo Jin Lee
- Department of Anatomy; Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine; Wonju Korea
| | - Tae Joo Jeon
- Department of Nuclear Medicine; Yonsei University College of Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital; Seoul Korea
| | - Chul Hyoung Lyoo
- Department of Neurology; Yonsei University College of Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital; Seoul Korea
| | - Chul Hoon Kim
- Department of Pharmacology; Yonsei University College of Medicine; Seoul, Korea
- Brain Korea 21 plus Project for Medical Science; Yonsei University College of Medicine; Seoul Korea
| | - Dong Goo Kim
- Department of Pharmacology; Yonsei University College of Medicine; Seoul, Korea
- Brain Korea 21 plus Project for Medical Science; Yonsei University College of Medicine; Seoul Korea
| | - Kyochul Lee
- Department of Molecular Imaging; Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences; Seoul 139-706 Korea
| | - Tae Hyun Choi
- Department of Molecular Imaging; Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences; Seoul 139-706 Korea
| | - Jae Yong Choi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine; Yonsei University College of Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital; Seoul Korea
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46
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Beery AK, Bicks L, Mooney SJ, Goodwin NL, Holmes MM. Sex, social status, and CRF receptor densities in naked mole-rats. J Comp Neurol 2015; 524:228-43. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.23834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Revised: 06/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Annaliese K. Beery
- Department of Psychology, Department of Biology, Program in Neuroscience; Smith College; Northampton Massachusetts 01063 USA
| | - Lucy Bicks
- Department of Psychology, Department of Biology, Program in Neuroscience; Smith College; Northampton Massachusetts 01063 USA
| | - Skyler J. Mooney
- Department of Psychology; University of Toronto Mississauga; Mississauga Ontario L5L 1C6 Canada
| | - Nastacia L. Goodwin
- Department of Psychology, Department of Biology, Program in Neuroscience; Smith College; Northampton Massachusetts 01063 USA
| | - Melissa M. Holmes
- Department of Psychology; University of Toronto Mississauga; Mississauga Ontario L5L 1C6 Canada
- Departments of Cell and Systems Biology & Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Toronto; Toronto Ontario M5S 3G5 Canada
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Stehouwer JS, Birnbaum MS, Voll RJ, Owens MJ, Plott SJ, Bourke CH, Wassef MA, Kilts CD, Goodman MM. Synthesis, F-18 radiolabeling, and microPET evaluation of 3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-alkyl-N-fluoroalkyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-amines as ligands of the corticotropin-releasing factor type-1 (CRF1) receptor. Bioorg Med Chem 2015; 23:4286-4302. [PMID: 26145817 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
A series of 3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-alkyl-N-fluoroalkyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-amines were synthesized and evaluated as potential positron emission tomography (PET) tracers for the corticotropin-releasing factor type-1 (CRF1) receptor. Compounds 27, 28, 29, and 30 all displayed high binding affinity (⩽1.2 nM) to the CRF1 receptor when assessed by in vitro competition binding assays at 23 °C, whereas a decrease in affinity (⩾10-fold) was observed with compound 26. The logP7.4 values of [(18)F]26-[(18)F]29 were in the range of ∼2.2-2.8 and microPET evaluation of [(18)F]26-[(18)F]29 in an anesthetized male cynomolgus monkey demonstrated brain penetrance, but specific binding was not sufficient enough to differentiate regions of high CRF1 receptor density from regions of low CRF1 receptor density. Radioactivity uptake in the skull, and sphenoid bone and/or sphenoid sinus during studies with [(18)F]28, [(18)F]28-d8, and [(18)F]29 was attributed to a combination of [(18)F]fluoride generated by metabolic defluorination of the radiotracer and binding of intact radiotracer to CRF1 receptors expressed on mast cells in the bone marrow. Uptake of [(18)F]26 and [(18)F]27 in the skull and sphenoid region was rapid but then steadily washed out which suggests that this behavior was the result of binding to CRF1 receptors expressed on mast cells in the bone marrow with no contribution from [(18)F]fluoride.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S Stehouwer
- Center for Systems Imaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University, WWHC 209, 1841 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
| | - Matthew S Birnbaum
- Center for Systems Imaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University, WWHC 209, 1841 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Ronald J Voll
- Center for Systems Imaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University, WWHC 209, 1841 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Michael J Owens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Susan J Plott
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chase H Bourke
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michael A Wassef
- Center for Systems Imaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University, WWHC 209, 1841 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Clinton D Kilts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Mark M Goodman
- Center for Systems Imaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University, WWHC 209, 1841 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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48
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Coen CW, Kalamatianos T, Oosthuizen MK, Poorun R, Faulkes CG, Bennett NC. Sociality and the telencephalic distribution of corticotrophin-releasing factor, urocortin 3, and binding sites for CRF type 1 and type 2 receptors: A comparative study of eusocial naked mole-rats and solitary Cape mole-rats. J Comp Neurol 2015; 523:2344-71. [PMID: 25921928 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Revised: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Various aspects of social behavior are influenced by the highly conserved corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) family of peptides and receptors in the mammalian telencephalon. This study has mapped and compared the telencephalic distribution of the CRF receptors, CRF1 and CRF2 , and two of their ligands, CRF and urocortin 3, respectively, in African mole-rat species with diametrically opposed social behavior. Naked mole-rats live in large eusocial colonies that are characterized by exceptional levels of social cohesion, tolerance, and cooperation in burrowing, foraging, defense, and alloparental care for the offspring of the single reproductive female. Cape mole-rats are solitary; they tolerate conspecifics only fleetingly during the breeding season. The telencephalic sites at which the level of CRF1 binding in naked mole-rats exceeds that in Cape mole-rats include the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, hippocampal CA3 subfield, and dentate gyrus; in contrast, the level is greater in Cape mole-rats in the shell of the nucleus accumbens and medial habenular nucleus. For CRF2 binding, the sites with a greater level in naked mole-rats include the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus and dentate gyrus, but the septohippocampal nucleus, lateral septal nuclei, amygdalostriatal transition area, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and medial habenular nucleus display a greater level in Cape mole-rats. The results are discussed with reference to neuroanatomical and behavioral studies of various species, including monogamous and promiscuous voles. By analogy with findings in those species, we speculate that the abundance of CRF1 binding in the nucleus accumbens of Cape mole-rats reflects their lack of affiliative behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clive W Coen
- Reproductive Neurobiology, Division of Women's Health, School of Medicine, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Theodosis Kalamatianos
- Reproductive Neurobiology, Division of Women's Health, School of Medicine, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Maria K Oosthuizen
- Reproductive Neurobiology, Division of Women's Health, School of Medicine, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom.,Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Ravi Poorun
- Reproductive Neurobiology, Division of Women's Health, School of Medicine, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher G Faulkes
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
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49
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Perrin MH, Tan LA, Vaughan JM, Lewis KA, Donaldson CJ, Miller C, Erchegyi J, Rivier JE, Sawchenko PE. Characterization of a Pachymedusa dacnicolor-Sauvagine analog as a new high-affinity radioligand for corticotropin-releasing factor receptor studies. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2015; 353:307-17. [PMID: 25736419 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.114.222307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) peptide family comprises the mammalian peptides CRF and the urocortins as well as frog skin sauvagine and fish urophyseal urotensin. Advances in understanding the roles of the CRF ligand family and associated receptors have often relied on radioreceptor assays using labeled CRF ligands. These assays depend on stable, high-affinity CRF analogs that can be labeled, purified, and chemically characterized. Analogs of several of the native peptides have been used in this context, most prominently including sauvagine from the frog Phyllomedusa sauvageii (PS-Svg). Because each of these affords both advantages and disadvantages, new analogs with superior properties would be welcome. We find that a sauvagine-like peptide recently isolated from a different frog species, Pachymedusa dacnicolor (PD-Svg), is a high-affinity agonist whose radioiodinated analog, [(125)ITyr(0)-Glu(1), Nle(17)]-PD-Svg, exhibits improved biochemical properties over those of earlier iodinated agonists. Specifically, the PD-Svg radioligand binds both CRF receptors with comparably high affinity as its PS-Svg counterpart, but detects a greater number of sites on both type 1 and type 2 receptors. PD-Svg is also ∼10 times more potent at stimulating cAMP accumulation in cells expressing the native receptors. Autoradiographic localization using the PD-Svg radioligand shows robust specific binding to rodent brain and peripheral tissues that identifies consensus CRF receptor-expressing sites in a greater number and/or with greater sensitivity than its PS-Svg counterpart. We suggest that labeled analogs of PD-Svg may be useful tools for biochemical, structural, pharmacological, and anatomic studies of CRF receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn H Perrin
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology (M.H.P., J.M.V., K.A.L., C.J.D., C.M., J.E., J.E.R., P.E.S.) and Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function (L.A.T., P.E.S.), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Laura A Tan
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology (M.H.P., J.M.V., K.A.L., C.J.D., C.M., J.E., J.E.R., P.E.S.) and Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function (L.A.T., P.E.S.), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Joan M Vaughan
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology (M.H.P., J.M.V., K.A.L., C.J.D., C.M., J.E., J.E.R., P.E.S.) and Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function (L.A.T., P.E.S.), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Kathy A Lewis
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology (M.H.P., J.M.V., K.A.L., C.J.D., C.M., J.E., J.E.R., P.E.S.) and Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function (L.A.T., P.E.S.), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Cynthia J Donaldson
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology (M.H.P., J.M.V., K.A.L., C.J.D., C.M., J.E., J.E.R., P.E.S.) and Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function (L.A.T., P.E.S.), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Charleen Miller
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology (M.H.P., J.M.V., K.A.L., C.J.D., C.M., J.E., J.E.R., P.E.S.) and Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function (L.A.T., P.E.S.), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Judit Erchegyi
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology (M.H.P., J.M.V., K.A.L., C.J.D., C.M., J.E., J.E.R., P.E.S.) and Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function (L.A.T., P.E.S.), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Jean E Rivier
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology (M.H.P., J.M.V., K.A.L., C.J.D., C.M., J.E., J.E.R., P.E.S.) and Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function (L.A.T., P.E.S.), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
| | - Paul E Sawchenko
- Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology (M.H.P., J.M.V., K.A.L., C.J.D., C.M., J.E., J.E.R., P.E.S.) and Laboratory of Neuronal Structure and Function (L.A.T., P.E.S.), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California
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50
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Abstract
A limbic brain area, the amygdala plays a key role in emotional responses and affective states and disorders such as learned fear, anxiety, and depression. The amygdala has also emerged as an important brain center for the emotional-affective dimension of pain and for pain modulation. Hyperactivity in the laterocapsular division of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeLC, also termed the "nociceptive amygdala") accounts for pain-related emotional responses and anxiety-like behavior. Abnormally enhanced output from the CeLC is the consequence of an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms. Impaired inhibitory control mediated by a cluster of GABAergic interneurons in the intercalated cell masses (ITC) allows the development of glutamate- and neuropeptide-driven synaptic plasticity of excitatory inputs from the brainstem (parabrachial area) and from the lateral-basolateral amygdala network (LA-BLA, site of integration of polymodal sensory information). BLA hyperactivity also generates abnormally enhanced feedforward inhibition of principal cells in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a limbic cortical area that is strongly interconnected with the amygdala. Pain-related mPFC deactivation results in cognitive deficits and failure to engage cortically driven ITC-mediated inhibitory control of amygdala processing. Impaired cortical control allows the uncontrolled persistence of amygdala pain mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Neugebauer
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Center for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX, 79430-6592, USA,
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