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Stratilov V, Vetrovoy O, Potapova S, Tyulkova E. The Prenatal Hypoxic Pathology Associated with Maternal Stress Predisposes to Dysregulated Expression of the chrna7 Gene and the Subsequent Development of Nicotine Addiction in Adult Offspring. Neuroendocrinology 2024; 114:423-438. [PMID: 38198758 DOI: 10.1159/000536214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous studies have shown that fetal hypoxia predisposes individuals to develop addictive disorders in adulthood. However, the specific impact of maternal stress, mediated through glucocorticoids and often coexisting with fetal hypoxia, is not yet fully comprehended. METHODS To delineate the potential effects of these pathological factors, we designed models of prenatal severe hypoxia (PSH) in conjunction with maternal stress and prenatal intrauterine ischemia (PII). We assessed the suitability of these models for our research objectives by measuring HIF1α levels and evaluating the glucocorticoid neuroendocrine system. To ascertain nicotine dependence, we employed the conditioned place aversion test and the startle response test. To identify the key factor implicated in nicotine addiction associated with PSH, we employed techniques such as Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and correlational analysis between chrna7 and nr3c1 genes across different brain structures. RESULTS In adult rats exposed to PSH and PII, we observed increased levels of HIF1α in the hippocampus (HPC). However, the PSH group alone exhibited reduced glucocorticoid receptor levels and disturbed circadian glucocorticoid rhythms. Additionally, they displayed signs of nicotine addiction in the conditioned place aversion and startle response tests. We also observed elevated levels of phosphorylated DARPP-32 protein in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) indicated compromised glutamatergic efferent signaling. Furthermore, there was reduced expression of α7 nAChR, which modulates glutamate release, in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) and HPC. Correlation analysis revealed strong associations between chrna7 and nr3c1 expression in both brain structures. CONCLUSION Perturbations in the glucocorticoid neuroendocrine system and glucocorticoid-dependent gene expression of chrna7 associated with maternal stress response to hypoxia in prenatal period favor the development of nicotine addiction in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Stratilov
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Oleg Vetrovoy
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Sophia Potapova
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Ekaterina Tyulkova
- Laboratory of Regulation of Brain Neuronal Functions, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
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Yonoichi S, Hirano T, Hara Y, Ishida Y, Shoda A, Kimura M, Murata M, Mantani Y, Yokoyama T, Ikenaka Y, Hoshi N. Effects of exposure to the neonicotinoid pesticide clothianidin on mouse intestinal microbiota under unpredictable environmental stress. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2024; 482:116795. [PMID: 38160895 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116795] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Recent research has demonstrated the toxicity of neonicotinoid pesticides (NNs) in mammals through their interaction with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). These effects are reported to extend to the intestinal microbiota as well. In addition, environmental stress affects the expression of nAChRs, which may alter sensitivity to NNs. In this study, we analyzed the intestinal microbiota of mice exposed to clothianidin (CLO), a type of NN, under environmental stress, and aimed to clarify the effects of such combined exposure on the intestinal microbiota. C57BL/6N male mice (9 weeks old) were subchronically administered a no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) CLO-mixed rehydration gel for 29 days and simultaneously subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). After the administration period, cecum contents were collected and analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing for intestinal microbiota. CLO exposure alone resulted in alterations in the relative abundance of Alistipes and ASF356, which produce short-chain fatty acids. The addition of CUMS amplified these changes. On the other hand, CLO alone did not affect the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, but the abundance decreased when CUMS was added. This study revealed that the combined exposure to CLO and stress not only amplifies their individual effects on intestinal microbiota but also demonstrates combined and multifaceted toxicities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakura Yonoichi
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Tetsushi Hirano
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
| | - Yukako Hara
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Yuya Ishida
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Asuka Shoda
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Mako Kimura
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Midori Murata
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Youhei Mantani
- Laboratory of Histophysiology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Yokoyama
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Ikenaka
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Environmental Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan; Translational Research Unit, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan; One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan; Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Nobuhiko Hoshi
- Laboratory of Animal Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan.
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Mundorf A, Ocklenburg S. Hemispheric asymmetries in mental disorders: evidence from rodent studies. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2023; 130:1153-1165. [PMID: 36842091 PMCID: PMC10460727 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02610-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
The brain is built with hemispheric asymmetries in structure and function to enable fast neuronal processing. In neuroimaging studies, several mental disorders have been associated with altered or attenuated hemispheric asymmetries. However, the exact mechanism linking asymmetries and disorders is not known. Here, studies in animal models of mental disorders render important insights into the etiology and neuronal alterations associated with both disorders and atypical asymmetry. In this review, the current literature of animal studies in rats and mice focusing on anxiety and fear, anhedonia and despair, addiction or substance misuse, neurodegenerative disorders as well as stress exposure, and atypical hemispheric asymmetries is summarized. Results indicate overall increased right-hemispheric neuronal activity and a left-sided behavioral bias associated with symptoms of anxiety, fear, anhedonia, behavioral despair as well as stress exposure. Addiction behavior is associated with right-sided bias and transgenic models of Alzheimer's disease indicate an asymmetrical accumulation of fibrillar plaques. Most studies focused on changes in the bilateral amygdala and frontal cortex. Across studies, two crucial factors influencing atypical asymmetries arose independently of the disorder modeled: sex and developmental age. In conclusion, animal models of mental disorders demonstrate atypical hemispheric asymmetries similar to findings in patients. Particularly, increased left-sided behavior and greater right-hemispheric activity were found across models applying stress-based paradigms. However, sex- and age-dependent effects on atypical hemispheric asymmetries are present that require further investigation. Animal models enable the analysis of hemispheric changes on the molecular level which may be most effective to detect early alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annakarina Mundorf
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Psychology, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- ICAN Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Amgalan A, Andescavage N, Limperopoulos C. Prenatal origins of neuropsychiatric diseases. Acta Paediatr 2021; 110:1741-1749. [PMID: 33475192 DOI: 10.1111/apa.15766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
AIM The main objective is to review the available evidence in the literature for developmental origins of neuropsychiatric diseases and their underlying mechanisms. We also probe emerging cutting-edge prenatal MR imaging tools and their future role in advancing our understanding the prenatal footprints of neuropsychiatric disorders. OBSERVATIONS Both human and animal studies support early intrauterine origins of neuropsychiatric disease, particularly autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention and hyperactivity disorders, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and mood disorders. Specific mechanisms of intrauterine injury include infection, inflammation, hypoxia, hypoperfusion, ischaemia polysubstance use/abuse, maternal mental health and placental dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE There is ample evidence to suggest developmental vulnerability of the foetal brain to intrauterine exposures that increases and individual's risk for neuropsychiatric disease, especially the risk of ASD, depression and anxiety. Elucidating the exact timing and mechanisms of injury can be difficult and require novel, non-invasive approaches to the study emerging structural and functional brain development of the foetus. Clinical care should both emphasise maternal health during pregnancy, as well as close, continued monitoring for at risk offspring throughout young adulthood for the early identification and treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nickie Andescavage
- Division of Neonatology Children’s National Health System Washington DC USA
- Department of Pediatrics George Washington University School of Medicine Washington DC USA
| | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Department of Pediatrics George Washington University School of Medicine Washington DC USA
- Division of Diagnostic Imaging & Radiology Children’s National Health System Washington DC USA
- Department of Radiology George Washington University School of Medicine Washington DC USA
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Abstract
Differences in the prevalence and presentation of psychiatric illnesses in men and women suggest that neurobiological sex differences confer vulnerability or resilience in these disorders. Rodent behavioral models are critical for understanding the mechanisms of these differences. Reward processing and punishment avoidance are fundamental dimensions of the symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Here we explored sex differences along these dimensions using multiple and distinct behavioral paradigms. We found no sex difference in reward-guided associative learning but a faster punishment-avoidance learning in females. After learning, females were more sensitive than males to probabilistic punishment but less sensitive when punishment could be avoided with certainty. No sex differences were found in reward-guided cognitive flexibility. Thus, sex differences in goal-directed behaviors emerged selectively when there was an aversive context. These differences were critically sensitive to whether the punishment was certain or unpredictable. Our findings with these new paradigms provide conceptual and practical tools for investigating brain mechanisms that account for sex differences in susceptibility to anxiety and impulsivity. They may also provide insight for understanding the evolution of sex-specific optimal behavioral strategies in dynamic environments.
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Holgate JY, Tarren JR, Bartlett SE. Sex Specific Alterations in α4*Nicotinic Receptor Expression in the Nucleus Accumbens. Brain Sci 2018; 8:brainsci8040070. [PMID: 29671814 PMCID: PMC5924406 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci8040070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The mechanisms leading from traumatic stress to social, emotional and cognitive impairment and the development of mental illnesses are still undetermined and consequently there remains a critical need to develop therapies for preventing the adverse consequences of traumatic stress. Research indicates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors containing α4 subunits (α4*nAChRs) are both impacted by stress and capable of modulating the stress response. In this study, we investigated whether varenicline, a partial α4β2*nAChR agonist which reduces nicotine, alcohol and sucrose consumption, can reduce stress, a driving factor in substance use disorders. We also examined the effect of stress on nucleus accumbens (NAc) α4*nAChR expression. Methods: Transgenic mice with fluorescent tags attached to α4*nAChRs were administered varenicline and/or yohimbine (a pharmacological stressor) and plasma corticosterone and NAc α4*nAChR expression were measured. A separated group of mice were exposed to maternal separation (MS) during post-natal day (P) 2–14, then restraint stressed (30 min) at six weeks of age. Body weight, anxiety-like behaviours (elevated plus maze), plasma corticosterone and NAc α4*nAChR levels were measured. Results: Varenicline attenuated yohimbine-induced plasma corticosterone increases with no effect on NAc α4*nAChR expression. MS reduced unrestrained plasma corticosterone levels in both sexes. In females, MS increased body weight and NAc α4*nAChR expression, whereas, in males, MS and restraint caused a greater change in anxiety-like behaviours and plasma corticosterone levels. Restraint altered NAc α4*nAChR expression in both male and female MS mice. Conclusions: The effects of stress on NAc α4*nAChR are sex-dependent. While varenicline attenuated acute stress-induced rises in corticosterone levels, future studies are required to determine whether varenicline is effective for relieving the effects of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Y Holgate
- Institute of Health and Medical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Josephine R Tarren
- Institute of Health and Medical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Selena E Bartlett
- Institute of Health and Medical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent St, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
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Huguet G, Kadar E, Temel Y, Lim LW. Electrical Stimulation Normalizes c-Fos Expression in the Deep Cerebellar Nuclei of Depressive-like Rats: Implication of Antidepressant Activity. THE CEREBELLUM 2017; 16:398-410. [PMID: 27435250 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-016-0812-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The electrical stimulation of specific brain targets has been shown to induce striking antidepressant effects. Despite that recent data have indicated that cerebellum is involved in emotional regulation, the mechanisms by which stimulation improved mood-related behaviors in the cerebellum remained largely obscure. Here, we investigated the stimulation effects of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and lateral habenular nucleus on the c-Fos neuronal activity in various deep cerebellar and vestibular nuclei using the unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS) animal model of depression. Our results showed that stressed animals had increased number of c-Fos cells in the cerebellar dentate and fastigial nuclei, as well as in the spinal vestibular nucleus. To examine the stimulation effects, we found that vmPFC stimulation significantly decreased the c-Fos activity within the cerebellar fastigial nucleus as compared to the CMS sham. Similarly, there was also a reduction of c-Fos expression in the magnocellular part of the medial vestibular nucleus in vmPFC- and NAc core-stimulated animals when compared to the CMS sham. Correlational analyses showed that the anxiety measure of home-cage emergence escape latency was positively correlated with the c-Fos neuronal activity of the cerebellar fastigial and magnocellular and parvicellular parts of the interposed nuclei in CMS vmPFC-stimulated animals. Interestingly, there was a strong correlation among activation in these cerebellar nuclei, indicating that the antidepressant-like behaviors were possibly mediated by the vmPFC stimulation-induced remodeling within the forebrain-cerebellar neurocircuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Huguet
- Department of Biology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Kadar
- Department of Biology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain.
| | - Yasin Temel
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lee Wei Lim
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia.
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Linden R. The Biological Function of the Prion Protein: A Cell Surface Scaffold of Signaling Modules. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:77. [PMID: 28373833 PMCID: PMC5357658 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The prion glycoprotein (PrPC) is mostly located at the cell surface, tethered to the plasma membrane through a glycosyl-phosphatydil inositol (GPI) anchor. Misfolding of PrPC is associated with the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), whereas its normal conformer serves as a receptor for oligomers of the β-amyloid peptide, which play a major role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). PrPC is highly expressed in both the nervous and immune systems, as well as in other organs, but its functions are controversial. Extensive experimental work disclosed multiple physiological roles of PrPC at the molecular, cellular and systemic levels, affecting the homeostasis of copper, neuroprotection, stem cell renewal and memory mechanisms, among others. Often each such process has been heralded as the bona fide function of PrPC, despite restricted attention paid to a selected phenotypic trait, associated with either modulation of gene expression or to the engagement of PrPC with a single ligand. In contrast, the GPI-anchored prion protein was shown to bind several extracellular and transmembrane ligands, which are required to endow that protein with the ability to play various roles in transmembrane signal transduction. In addition, differing sets of those ligands are available in cell type- and context-dependent scenarios. To account for such properties, we proposed that PrPC serves as a dynamic platform for the assembly of signaling modules at the cell surface, with widespread consequences for both physiology and behavior. The current review advances the hypothesis that the biological function of the prion protein is that of a cell surface scaffold protein, based on the striking similarities of its functional properties with those of scaffold proteins involved in the organization of intracellular signal transduction pathways. Those properties are: the ability to recruit spatially restricted sets of binding molecules involved in specific signaling; mediation of the crosstalk of signaling pathways; reciprocal allosteric regulation with binding partners; compartmentalized responses; dependence of signaling properties upon posttranslational modification; and stoichiometric requirements and/or oligomerization-dependent impact on signaling. The scaffold concept may contribute to novel approaches to the development of effective treatments to hitherto incurable neurodegenerative diseases, through informed modulation of prion protein-ligand interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Linden
- Laboratory of Neurogenesis, Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Notarangelo FM, Schwarcz R. Restraint Stress during Pregnancy Rapidly Raises Kynurenic Acid Levels in Mouse Placenta and Fetal Brain. Dev Neurosci 2017; 38:458-468. [PMID: 28214871 DOI: 10.1159/000455228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stressful events during pregnancy adversely affect brain development and may increase the risk of psychiatric disorders later in life. Early changes in the kynurenine (KYN) pathway (KP) of tryptophan (TRP) degradation, which contains several neuroactive metabolites, including kynurenic acid (KYNA), 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), and quinolinic acid (QUIN), may constitute a molecular link between prenatal stress and delayed pathological consequences. To begin testing this hypothesis experimentally, we examined the effects of a 2-h restraint stress on KP metabolism in pregnant FVB/N mice on gestational day 17. TRP, KYN, KYNA, 3-HK, and QUIN levels were measured in maternal and fetal plasma and brain, as well as in the placenta, immediately after stress termination and 2 h later. In the same animals, we determined the activity of TRP 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) in the maternal liver and in the placenta. Compared to unstressed controls, mostly transient changes in KP metabolism were observed in all of the tissues examined. Specifically, stress caused significant elevations of KYNA levels in the maternal plasma, placenta, and fetal brain, and also resulted in increased levels of TRP and KYN in the placenta, fetal plasma, and fetal brain. In contrast, 3-HK and QUIN levels remained unchanged from control values in all tissues at any time point. In the maternal liver, TDO activity was increased 2 h after stress cessation. Taken together, these findings indicate that an acute stress during the late gestational period preferentially affects the KYNA branch of KP metabolism in the fetal brain. Possible long-term consequences for postnatal brain development and pathology remain to be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca M Notarangelo
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Kutlu MG, Oliver C, Huang P, Liu-Chen LY, Gould TJ. Impairment of contextual fear extinction by chronic nicotine and withdrawal from chronic nicotine is associated with hippocampal nAChR upregulation. Neuropharmacology 2016; 109:341-348. [PMID: 27378334 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Chronic nicotine and withdrawal from chronic nicotine have been shown to be major modulators of fear learning behavior. Moreover, recent studies from our laboratory have shown that acute nicotine impaired fear extinction and safety learning in mice. However, the effects of chronic nicotine and withdrawal on fear extinction are unknown. Therefore, the current experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of chronic nicotine as well as withdrawal from chronic nicotine on contextual fear extinction in mice. C57BL6/J mice were given contextual fear conditioning training and retention testing during chronic nicotine administration. Mice then received contextual fear extinction either during chronic nicotine or during withdrawal from chronic nicotine. Our results showed that contextual fear extinction was impaired both during chronic nicotine administration and subsequent withdrawal. However, it was also observed that the effects of prior chronic nicotine disappeared after 72 h in withdrawal, a timeline that closely matches with the timing of the chronic nicotine-induced upregulation of hippocampal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) density. Additional experiments found that 4 days, but not 1 day, of continuous nicotine administration upregulated hippocampal nAChRs and impaired contextual fear extinction. These effects disappeared following 72 h withdrawal. Overall, these experiments provide a potential link between nicotine-induced upregulation of hippocampal nAChRs and fear extinction deficits observed in patients with anxiety disorders, which may lead to advancements in the pharmacological treatment methods for this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munir Gunes Kutlu
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Weiss Hall, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Chicora Oliver
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Weiss Hall, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, Temple University Medical School, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lee-Yuan Liu-Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Temple University Medical School, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Thomas J Gould
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Weiss Hall, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Early Life Stress, Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors and Alcohol Use Disorders. Brain Sci 2015; 5:258-74. [PMID: 26136145 PMCID: PMC4588139 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci5030258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is a major driving force in alcohol use disorders (AUDs). It influences how much one consumes, craving intensity and whether an abstinent individual will return to harmful alcohol consumption. We are most vulnerable to the effects of stress during early development, and exposure to multiple traumatic early life events dramatically increases the risk for AUDs. However, not everyone exposed to early life stress will develop an AUD. The mechanisms determining whether an individual’s brain adapts and becomes resilient to the effects of stress or succumbs and is unable to cope with stress remain elusive. Emerging evidence suggests that neuroplastic changes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) following early life stress underlie the development of AUDs. This review discusses the impact of early life stress on NAc structure and function, how these changes affect cholinergic signaling within the mesolimbic reward pathway and the role nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play in this process. Understanding the neural pathways and mechanism determining stress resilience or susceptibility will improve our ability to identify individuals susceptible to developing AUDs, formulate cognitive interventions to prevent AUDs in susceptible individuals and to elucidate and enhance potential therapeutic targets, such as the nAChRs, for those struggling to overcome an AUD.
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12
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Hirano T, Yanai S, Omotehara T, Hashimoto R, Umemura Y, Kubota N, Minami K, Nagahara D, Matsuo E, Aihara Y, Shinohara R, Furuyashiki T, Mantani Y, Yokoyama T, Kitagawa H, Hoshi N. The combined effect of clothianidin and environmental stress on the behavioral and reproductive function in male mice. J Vet Med Sci 2015; 77:1207-15. [PMID: 25960033 PMCID: PMC4638285 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.15-0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonicotinoids, some of the most widely used pesticides in the world, act as agonists to
the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) of insects, resulting in death from
abnormal excitability. Neonicotinoids unexpectedly became a major topic as a compelling
cause of honeybee colony collapse disorder, which is damaging crop production that
requires pollination worldwide. Mammal nAChRs appear to have a certain affinity for
neonicotinoids with lower levels than those of insects; there is thus rising concern about
unpredictable adverse effects of neonicotinoids on vertebrates. We hypothesized that the
effects of neonicotinoids would be enhanced under a chronic stressed condition, which is
known to alter the expression of targets of neonicotinoids, i.e.,
neuronal nAChRs. We performed immunohistochemical and behavioral analyses in male mice
actively administered a neonicotinoid, clothianidin (CTD; 0, 10, 50 and 250 mg/kg/day),
for 4 weeks under an unpredictable chronic stress procedure. Vacuolated seminiferous
epithelia and a decrease in the immunoreactivity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione
peroxidase 4 were observed in the testes of the CTD+stress mice. In an open field test,
although the locomotor activities were not affected, the anxiety-like behaviors of the
mice were elevated by both CTD and stress. The present study demonstrates that the
behavioral and reproductive effects of CTD become more serious in combination with
environmental stress, which may reflect our actual situation of multiple exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsushi Hirano
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
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Debnath M, Venkatasubramanian G, Berk M. Fetal programming of schizophrenia: select mechanisms. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 49:90-104. [PMID: 25496904 PMCID: PMC7112550 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2014] [Revised: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates that schizophrenia is associated with adverse intrauterine experiences. An adverse or suboptimal fetal environment can cause irreversible changes in brain that can subsequently exert long-lasting effects through resetting a diverse array of biological systems including endocrine, immune and nervous. It is evident from animal and imaging studies that subtle variations in the intrauterine environment can cause recognizable differences in brain structure and cognitive functions in the offspring. A wide variety of environmental factors may play a role in precipitating the emergent developmental dysregulation and the consequent evolution of psychiatric traits in early adulthood by inducing inflammatory, oxidative and nitrosative stress (IO&NS) pathways, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and epigenetic dysregulation. However, the precise mechanisms behind such relationships and the specificity of the risk factors for schizophrenia remain exploratory. Considering the paucity of knowledge on fetal programming of schizophrenia, it is timely to consolidate the recent advances in the field and put forward an integrated overview of the mechanisms associated with fetal origin of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monojit Debnath
- Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bangalore 560029, India.
| | - Ganesan Venkatasubramanian
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560029, India
| | - Michael Berk
- IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, and Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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Yetnikoff L, Reichard RA, Schwartz ZM, Parsely KP, Zahm DS. Protracted maturation of forebrain afferent connections of the ventral tegmental area in the rat. J Comp Neurol 2014; 522:1031-47. [PMID: 23983069 PMCID: PMC4217282 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Revised: 07/30/2013] [Accepted: 08/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The mesocorticolimbic dopamine system has long attracted the interest of researchers concerned with the unique gamut of behavioral and mental health vulnerabilities associated with adolescence. Accordingly, the development of the mesocorticolimbic system has been studied extensively, but almost exclusively with regard to dopaminergic output, particularly in the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex. To the contrary, the ontogeny of inputs to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the source of mesocorticolimbic dopamine, has been neglected. This is not a trivial oversight, as the activity of VTA neurons, which reflects their capacity to transmit information about salient events, is sensitively modulated by inputs. Here, we assessed the development of VTA afferent connections using the β subunit of cholera toxin (Ctβ) as a retrograde axonal tracer in adolescent (postnatal day 39) and early adult (8-9-week-old) rats. After intra-VTA injections of Ctβ, adolescent and early adult animals exhibited qualitatively similar distributions of retrogradely labeled neurons in the sense that VTA-projecting neurons were present at all of the same rostrocaudal levels in all of the same structures in both age groups. However, quantitation of retrogradely labeled neurons revealed that adolescent brains, compared with early adult brains, had significantly fewer VTA-projecting neurons preferentially within an interconnected network of cortical and striatopallidal forebrain structures. These findings provide a novel perspective on the development of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system and may have important implications for age-dependent specificity in the function of this system, particularly with regard to adolescent impulsivity and mental health vulnerabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leora Yetnikoff
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63104
| | - Rhett A. Reichard
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63104
| | - Zachary M. Schwartz
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63104
| | - Kenneth P. Parsely
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63104
| | - Daniel S. Zahm
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63104
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Dietary choline supplementation to dams during pregnancy and lactation mitigates the effects of in utero stress exposure on adult anxiety-related behaviors. Behav Brain Res 2014; 268:104-10. [PMID: 24675162 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2013] [Revised: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Brain cholinergic dysfunction is associated with neuropsychiatric illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Maternal stress exposure is associated with these same illnesses in adult offspring, yet the relationship between prenatal stress and brain cholinergic function is largely unexplored. Thus, using a rodent model, the current study implemented an intervention aimed at buffering the potential effects of prenatal stress on the developing brain cholinergic system. Specifically, control and stressed dams were fed choline-supplemented or control chow during pregnancy and lactation, and the anxiety-related behaviors of adult offspring were assessed in the open field, elevated zero maze and social interaction tests. In the open field test, choline supplementation significantly increased center investigation in both stressed and nonstressed female offspring, suggesting that choline-supplementation decreases female anxiety-related behavior irrespective of prenatal stress exposure. In the elevated zero maze, prenatal stress increased anxiety-related behaviors of female offspring fed a control diet (normal choline levels). However, prenatal stress failed to increase anxiety-related behaviors in female offspring receiving supplemental choline during gestation and lactation, suggesting that dietary choline supplementation ameliorated the effects of prenatal stress on anxiety-related behaviors. For male rats, neither prenatal stress nor diet impacted anxiety-related behaviors in the open field or elevated zero maze. In contrast, perinatal choline supplementation mitigated prenatal stress-induced social behavioral deficits in males, whereas neither prenatal stress nor choline supplementation influenced female social behaviors. Taken together, these data suggest that perinatal choline supplementation ameliorates the sex-specific effects of prenatal stress.
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