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A Role of BDNF in the Depression Pathogenesis and a Potential Target as Antidepressant: The Modulator of Stress Sensitivity "Shati/Nat8l-BDNF System" in the Dorsal Striatum. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14090889. [PMID: 34577589 PMCID: PMC8469819 DOI: 10.3390/ph14090889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is one of the most common mental diseases, with increasing numbers of patients globally each year. In addition, approximately 30% of patients with depression are resistant to any treatment and do not show an expected response to first-line antidepressant drugs. Therefore, novel antidepressant agents and strategies are required. Although depression is triggered by post-birth stress, while some individuals show the pathology of depression, others remain resilient. The molecular mechanisms underlying stress sensitivity remain unknown. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has both pro- and anti-depressant effects, dependent on brain region. Considering the strong region-specific contribution of BDNF to depression pathogenesis, the regulation of BDNF in the whole brain is not a beneficial strategy for the treatment of depression. We reviewed a novel finding of BDNF function in the dorsal striatum, which induces vulnerability to social stress, in addition to recent research progress regarding the brain regional functions of BDNF, including the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and nucleus accumbens. Striatal BDNF is regulated by Shati/Nat8l, an N-acetyltransferase through epigenetic regulation. Targeting of Shati/Nat8l would allow BDNF to be striatum-specifically regulated, and the striatal Shati/Nat8l-BDNF pathway could be a promising novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of depression by modulating sensitivity to stress.
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Kowalski R, Pikul P, Lewandowski K, Sakowicz-Burkiewicz M, Pawełczyk T, Zyśk M. The cAMP Inducers Modify N-Acetylaspartate Metabolism in Wistar Rat Brain. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:1404. [PMID: 34573036 PMCID: PMC8466109 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10091404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal N-acetylaspartate production appears in the presence of aspartate N-acetyltransferase (NAT8L) and binds acetyl groups from acetyl-CoA with aspartic acid. Further N-acetylaspartate pathways are still being elucidated, although they seem to involve neuron-glia crosstalk. Together with N-acetylaspartate, NAT8L takes part in oligoglia and astroglia cell maturation, myelin production, and dopamine-dependent brain signaling. Therefore, understanding N-acetylaspartate metabolism is an emergent task in neurobiology. This project used in in vitro and in vivo approaches in order to establish the impact of maturation factors and glial cells on N-acetylaspartate metabolism. Embryonic rat neural stem cells and primary neurons were maturated with either nerve growth factor, trans-retinoic acid or activators of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (dibutyryl-cAMP, forskolin, theophylline). For in vivo, adult male Wistar rats were injected with theophylline (20 mg/kg b.w.) daily for two or eight weeks. Our studies showed that the N-acetylaspartate metabolism differs between primary neurons and neural stem cell cultures. The presence of glia cells protected N-acetylaspartate metabolism from dramatic changes within the maturation processes, which was impossible in the case of pure primary neuron cultures. In the case of differentiation processes, our data points to dibutyryl-cAMP as the most prominent regulator of N-acetylaspartate metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Kowalski
- University Clinical Center in Gdansk, 80-952 Gdansk, Poland; (R.K.); (K.L.)
| | - Piotr Pikul
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Nephrology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland;
| | - Krzysztof Lewandowski
- University Clinical Center in Gdansk, 80-952 Gdansk, Poland; (R.K.); (K.L.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Monika Sakowicz-Burkiewicz
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland; (M.S.-B.); (T.P.)
| | - Tadeusz Pawełczyk
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland; (M.S.-B.); (T.P.)
| | - Marlena Zyśk
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland; (M.S.-B.); (T.P.)
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Miyanishi H, Muramatsu SI, Nitta A. Striatal Shati/Nat8l-BDNF pathways determine the sensitivity to social defeat stress in mice through epigenetic regulation. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1594-1605. [PMID: 34099867 PMCID: PMC8280178 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01033-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The global number of patients with depression increases in correlation to exposure to social stress. Chronic stress does not trigger depression in all individuals, as some remain resilient. The underlying molecular mechanisms that contribute to stress sensitivity have been poorly understood, although revealing the regulation of stress sensitivity could help develop treatments for depression. We previously found that striatal Shati/Nat8l, an N-acetyltransferase, was increased in a depression mouse model. We investigated the roles of Shati/Nat8l in stress sensitivity in mice and found that Shati/Nat8l and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the dorsal striatum were increased in stress-susceptible mice but not in resilient mice exposed to repeated social defeat stress (RSDS). Knockdown of Shati/Nat8l in the dorsal striatum induced resilience to RSDS. In addition, blockade of BDNF signaling in the dorsal striatum by ANA-12, a BDNF-specific receptor tropomyosin-receptor-kinase B (TrkB) inhibitor, also induced resilience to stress. Shati/Nat8l is correlated with BDNF expression after RSDS, and BDNF is downstream of Shati/Nat8l pathways in the dorsal striatum; Shati/Nat8l is epigenetically regulated by BDNF via histone acetylation. Our results demonstrate that striatal Shati/Nat8l-BDNF pathways determine stress sensitivity through epigenetic regulation. The striatal Shati/Nat8l-BDNF pathway could be a novel target for treatments of depression and could establish a novel therapeutic strategy for depression patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Miyanishi
- grid.267346.20000 0001 2171 836XDepartment of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Shin-ichi Muramatsu
- grid.410804.90000000123090000Division of Neurological Gene Therapy, Open Innovation Center, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan ,grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XCenter for Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsumi Nitta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
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Cumming P, Abi-Dargham A, Gründer G. Molecular imaging of schizophrenia: Neurochemical findings in a heterogeneous and evolving disorder. Behav Brain Res 2020; 398:113004. [PMID: 33197459 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The past four decades have seen enormous efforts placed on a search for molecular markers of schizophrenia using positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). In this narrative review, we cast a broad net to define and summarize what researchers have learned about schizophrenia from molecular imaging studies. Some PET studies of brain energy metabolism with the glucose analogue FDGhave have shown a hypofrontality defect in patients with schizophrenia, but more generally indicate a loss of metabolic coherence between different brain regions. An early finding of significantly increased striatal trapping of the dopamine synthesis tracer FDOPA has survived a meta-analysis of many replications, but the increase is not pathognomonic of the disorder, since one half of patients have entirely normal dopamine synthesis capacity. Similarly, competition SPECT studies show greater basal and amphetamine-evoked dopamine occupancy at post-synaptic dopamine D2/3 receptors in patients with schizophrenia, but the difference is likewise not pathognomonic. We thus propose that molecular imaging studies of brain dopamine indicate neurochemical heterogeneity within the diagnostic entity of schizophrenia. Occupancy studies have established the relevant target engagement by antipsychotic medications at dopamine D2/3 receptors in living brain. There is evidence for elevated frontal cortical dopamine D1 receptors, especially in relation to cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. There is a general lack of consistent findings of abnormalities in serotonin markers, but some evidence for decreased levels of nicotinic receptors in patients. There are sparse and somewhat inconsistent findings of reduced binding of muscarinic, glutamate, and opioid receptors ligands, inconsistent findings of microglial activation, and very recently, evidence of globally reduced levels of synaptic proteins in brain of patients. One study reports a decline in histone acetylase binding that is confined to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In most contexts, the phase of the disease and effects of past or present medication can obscure or confound PET and SPECT findings in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Cumming
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University, Bern, Switzerland; School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Stony Brook University, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Gerhard Gründer
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Molecular Neuroimaging, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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Haddar M, Azuma K, Izuo N, Kyosuke U, Asano T, Muramatsu SI, Nitta A. Impairment of cognitive function induced by Shati/Nat8l overexpression in the prefrontal cortex of mice. Behav Brain Res 2020; 397:112938. [PMID: 32998043 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
A novel N-acetyltransferase, Shati/Nat8l, was identified in the brains of mice exposed to methamphetamine. Shati/Nat8l overexpression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was found to attenuate methamphetamine-induced dependence. The mPFC is a brain region that plays an important role in cognitive function. However, the effect of Shati/Nat8l on cognition and memory has not yet been clarified. To understand the role of Shati/Nat8l in memory, we generated C57BL/6J mice with overexpressed Shati/Nat8l in the mPFC and performed memory-related experiments, including novel object-location and object-in-context tests. Furthermore, we used quantitative immunohistochemistry to assess the presynaptic and postsynaptic proteins, synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein (PSD)-95, respectively. Shati/Nat8l overexpression in the mPFC impaired both novel object-location and object-in-context memory. Moreover, Shati/Nat8l overexpression in the mPFC reduced PSD-95 levels, but not synaptophysin levels in the mPFC. These results demonstrated that Shati/Nat8l overexpression in the mPFC is involved in location and contextual memory, and can affect the excitatory postsynaptic protein, PSD-95.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meriem Haddar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Katsunori Azuma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Naotaka Izuo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Uno Kyosuke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata-shi, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takashi Asano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Muramatsu
- Division of Neurological Gene Therapy, Open Innovation Center, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan; Center for Gene & Cell Therapy, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsumi Nitta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
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Nitta A. [Novel molecules-related drug dependence in mice]. Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi 2020; 155:140-144. [PMID: 32378630 DOI: 10.1254/fpj.19127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Shati/Nat8l and TMEM168 were identified from nucleus accumbens (NAcc), which received continuous methamphetamine treatments. Shati/Nat8l is a synthetic enzyme that produces N-acetylaspartate (NAA) from L-aspartate and acetyl-coenzyme NAA is converted into N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) by NAAG synthetase (NAAGS). NAAG works as a highly selective endogenous agonist for the metabotropic glutamate type 3 receptor (mGluR3). We attempted to microinjection of adeno associated virus (AAV) including Shati/Nat8l into mice NAcc. These NAcc-Shati/Nat8l mice showed attenuation of the pharmacological effects of methamphetamine. NAcc-Shati or TMEM168 mice were also produced by AAV strategy and these mice also attenuated the methamphetamine-induced hyper locomotion and place preference test. TMEM168 interacts with osteopontin in NAcc of mice and cultured cells. Further, osteopontin it self has suppressive effects of methamphetamine. TMEM168 enhances anxiety in the elevated-plus maze and light-dark box test. The anxiety is recovered by the treatment of antianxiety drug diazepam. There our serial studies demonstrate that investigation of drug dependence-related molecule could lead to new pathway for new target for psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsumi Nitta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy & Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama
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Haddar M, Uno K, Hamatani K, Muramatsu SI, Nitta A. Regulatory system of mGluR group II in the nucleus accumbens for methamphetamine-induced dopamine increase by the medial prefrontal cortex. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2019; 39:209-216. [PMID: 31283871 PMCID: PMC7292294 DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM We previously reported that methamphetamine (METH)-induced conditioned place preference was attenuated by Shati/Nat8l overexpression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Shati/Nat8l overexpression in the mPFC expressed lower levels of both glutamate and dopamine (DA) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and attenuated METH-induced DA elevation. We suggested a mechanism in which a decline of glutamate levels in the NAc decreases extracellular DA levels. However, the hypothesis has not confirmed. METHODS We conducted a recovery experiments by pre-microinjection of an mGluR group II antagonist, LY341495, into the NAc shell of mPFC-Shati/Nat8l-overexpressed mice followed by METH injection and DA levels measurement by in vivo microdialysis. RESULTS Pretreatment with LY341495 was able to restore METH-induced DA increase. Furthermore, mice injected with an adeno-associated virus vector containing GFP (AAV-GFP vector) in the mPFC expressed a colocalization of GFP with DARPP-32 a medium spiny neuron (MSN) marker. Next, co-immunostaining of DARPP-32 and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS: expressed in a subtype of gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA interneurons) in ventral tegmental area (VTA) showed a colocalization of nNOS and DARPP-32. CONCLUSION These results provided a proof that Shati/Nat8l attenuation of METH-induced DA increase is mediated by mGluR group II in the NAc. Moreover, immunohistochemical study showed a direct connection of mPFC projection neurons with NAc MSN and a connection of MSN projection neurons with a subtype of GABA interneurons in VTA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meriem Haddar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Kyosuke Uno
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.,Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Japan
| | - Kohei Hamatani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Muramatsu
- Division of Neurological Gene Therapy, Open Inovation Center, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan.,Center for Gene & Cell Therapy, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsumi Nitta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Therapy and Neuropharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
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