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Olivares-Costa M, Fabio MC, De la Fuente-Ortega E, Haeger PA, Pautassi R. New therapeutics for the prevention or amelioration of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: a narrative review of the preclinical literature. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2024:1-22. [PMID: 39023419 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2024.2361442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Background: Ethanol consumption during pregnancy induces enduring detrimental effects in the offspring, manifesting as a spectrum of symptoms collectively termed as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Presently, there is a scarcity of treatments for FASD.Objectives: To analyze current literature, emphasizing evidence derived from preclinical models, that could potentially inform therapeutic interventions for FASD.Methods: A narrative review was conducted focusing on four prospective treatments: nutritional supplements, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and environmental enrichment. The review also highlights innovative therapeutic strategies applied during early (e.g. folate administration, postnatal days 4-9) or late (e.g. NOX2 inhibitors given after weaning) postnatal stages that resulted in significant improvements in behavioral responses during adolescence (a critical period marked by the emergence of mental health issues in humans).Results: Our findings underscore the value of treatments centered around nutritional supplementation or environmental enrichment, aimed at mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation, implying shared mechanisms in FASD pathogenesis. Moreover, the review spotlights emerging evidence pertaining to the involvement of novel molecular components with potential pharmacological targets (such as NOX2, MCP1/CCR2, PPARJ, and PDE1).Conclusions: Preclinical studies have identified oxidative imbalance and neuroinflammation as relevant pathological mechanisms induced by prenatal ethanol exposure. The relevance of these mechanisms, which exhibit positive feedback loop mechanisms, appear to peak during early development and decreases in adulthood. These findings provide a framework for the future development of therapeutic avenues in the development of specific clinical treatments for FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Olivares-Costa
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - María Carolina Fabio
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Erwin De la Fuente-Ortega
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Paola A Haeger
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Neuroepigenetics and Plasticity (EpiNeuro), Santiago, Chile
| | - Ricardo Pautassi
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Coquimbo, Chile
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Vargas-Foitzick R, García-Ordenes B, Iratchet D, Acuña A, Alcayaga S, Fernández C, Toledo K, Rodríguez M, Naranjo C, Bustamante R, Haeger PA. Exercise reduces physical alterations in a rat model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Biol Res 2024; 57:41. [PMID: 38907274 PMCID: PMC11193177 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-024-00520-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has serious physical consequences for children such as behavioral disabilities, growth disorders, neuromuscular problems, impaired motor coordination, and decreased muscle tone. However, it is not known whether loss of muscle strength occurs, and which interventions will effectively mitigate physical PAE impairments. We aimed to investigate whether physical alteration persists during adolescence and whether exercise is an effective intervention. RESULTS Using paradigms to evaluate different physical qualities, we described that early adolescent PAE animals have significant alterations in agility and strength, without alterations in balance and coordination compared to CTRL animals. We evaluated the effectiveness of 3 different exercise protocols for 4 weeks: Enrichment environment (EE), Endurance exercise (EEX), and Resistance exercise (REX). The enriched environment significantly improved the strength in the PAE group but not in the CTRL group whose strength parameters were maintained even during exercise. Resistance exercise showed the greatest benefits in gaining strength, and endurance exercise did not. CONCLUSION PAE induced a significant decrease in strength compared to CTRL in PND21. Resistance exercise is the most effective to reverse the effects of PAE on muscular strength. Our data suggests that individualized, scheduled, and supervised training of resistance is more beneficial than endurance or enriched environment exercise for adolescents FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Vargas-Foitzick
- Carrera de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Bayron García-Ordenes
- Carrera de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Núcleo de Investigación en Prevención y Tratamiento de Enfermedades Crónicas no Transmisibles (NiPTEC), Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Donovan Iratchet
- Carrera de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Angie Acuña
- Carrera de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Spencer Alcayaga
- Carrera de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Cristian Fernández
- Carrera de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Karla Toledo
- Carrera de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Marianela Rodríguez
- Carrera de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Carolina Naranjo
- Departamento de Ciencias Clínicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - René Bustamante
- Carrera de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Núcleo de Investigación en Prevención y Tratamiento de Enfermedades Crónicas no Transmisibles (NiPTEC), Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Paola A Haeger
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile.
- Núcleo de Investigación en Prevención y Tratamiento de Enfermedades Crónicas no Transmisibles (NiPTEC), Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile.
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Bariselli S, Mateo Y, Reuveni N, Lovinger DM. Gestational ethanol exposure impairs motor skills in female mice through dysregulated striatal dopamine and acetylcholine function. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1808-1820. [PMID: 37188849 PMCID: PMC10579353 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01594-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol exposure has deleterious consequences on the motor skills of patients affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and in pre-clinical models of gestational ethanol exposure (GEE). Deficits in striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs) and dopamine function impair action learning and execution, yet the effects of GEE on acetylcholine (ACh) and striatal dopamine release remain unexplored. Here, we report that alcohol exposure during the first ten postnatal days (GEEP0-P10), which mimics ethanol consumption during the last gestational trimester in humans, induces sex-specific anatomical and motor skill deficits in female mice during adulthood. Consistent with these behavioral impairments, we observed increased stimulus evoked-dopamine levels in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) of GEEP0-P10 female, but not male, mice. Further experiments revealed sex-specific deficits in β2-containing nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR)-modulation of electrically evoked dopamine release. Moreover, we found a reduced decay of ACh transients and a decreased excitability of striatal CINs in DLS of GEEP0-P10 females, indicating striatal CIN dysfunctions. Finally, the administration of varenicline, a β2-containing nAChR partial agonist, and chemogenetic-mediated increase in CIN activity improved motor performance in adult GEEP0-P10 females. Altogether, these data shed new light on GEE-induced striatal deficits and establish potential pharmacological and circuit-specific interventions to ameliorate motor symptoms of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiano Bariselli
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience (LIN), NIH-NIAAA, 5625 Fishers Lane, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Yolanda Mateo
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience (LIN), NIH-NIAAA, 5625 Fishers Lane, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Noa Reuveni
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience (LIN), NIH-NIAAA, 5625 Fishers Lane, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - David M Lovinger
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience (LIN), NIH-NIAAA, 5625 Fishers Lane, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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De La Fuente-Ortega E, Plaza-Briceño W, Vargas-Robert S, Haeger P. Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Misregulates Genes Involved in Iron Homeostasis Promoting a Maladaptation of Iron Dependent Hippocampal Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1312. [PMID: 31787896 PMCID: PMC6855190 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PAE) induces behavioral maladptations in offspring, including a deficit in memory formation which is part of the umbrella sign of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Clinical and preclinical studies have shown that iron depletion exacerbates cognitive problems in offspring exposed to ethanol in utero and that PAE promotes dysregulation in brain iron homeostasis. However, the mechanisms underlying brain iron dysregulation and neuronal activity defects in adolescent offspring of PAE are unclear and poorly understand. Here, we used a PAE rat model to analyze messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of iron homeostasis genes such as transferrin receptor (TfR), divalent metal transporter (DMT1), ferroportin (FPN1), and ferritin (FT) in brain areas associated with memory formation such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC), ventral tegmental area, and hippocampus. Interestingly, we found that 21 day old PAE rats have higher mRNA expression of DMT1 in the PFC, and TfR in the hippocampus, compared to control animals. In contrast FPN has lower mRNA expression in the PFC, and FT and FPN1 have lower expression in the hippocampus. In agreement with these results, we found a 1.5–2 fold increase of TfR and DMT1 protein levels both in the hippocampus and the PFC. Additionally, using an electrophysiological approach, we found that in hippocampal slices from PAE rats, iron treatment decreased long-term potentiation (LTP), but not AMPAR basal transmission (AMPAR fEPSP). In contrast, in control slices Fe-NTA did not affect LTP but decreased significantly the AMPAR fEPSP. Meanwhile, iron chelation with deferiprone decreased AMPAR transmission in PAE and control slices and decreased LTP only in controls slices. These results suggest that PAE affects iron homeostasis of specific brain areas—PFC and hippocampus—which could be involved in maladaptive cognition observed in this animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwin De La Fuente-Ortega
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Wladimir Plaza-Briceño
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Sofía Vargas-Robert
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Paola Haeger
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
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