1
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Kundakovic M, Tickerhoof M. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in the brain and behavior. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:18-35. [PMID: 37968206 PMCID: PMC10841872 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.09.007] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences are found across brain regions, behaviors, and brain diseases. Sexual differentiation of the brain is initiated prenatally but it continues throughout life, as a result of the interaction of three major factors: gonadal hormones, sex chromosomes, and the environment. These factors are thought to act, in part, via epigenetic mechanisms which control chromatin and transcriptional states in brain cells. In this review, we discuss evidence that epigenetic mechanisms underlie sex-specific neurobehavioral changes during critical organizational periods, across the estrous cycle, and in response to diverse environments throughout life. We further identify future directions for the field that will provide novel mechanistic insights into brain sex differences, inform brain disease treatments and women's brain health in particular, and apply to people across genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA.
| | - Maria Tickerhoof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA
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2
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Teague CD, Picone JA, Wright WJ, Browne CJ, Silva GM, Futamura R, Minier-Toribio A, Estill ME, Ramakrishnan A, Martinez-Rivera FJ, Godino A, Parise EM, Schmidt KH, Pulido NV, Lorsch ZS, Kim JH, Shen L, Neve RL, Dong Y, Nestler EJ, Hamilton PJ. CREB Binding at the Zfp189 Promoter Within Medium Spiny Neuron Subtypes Differentially Regulates Behavioral and Physiological Adaptations Over the Course of Cocaine Use. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:502-511. [PMID: 36253194 PMCID: PMC9899288 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over the course of chronic drug use, brain transcriptional neuroadaptation is thought to contribute to a change in drug use behavior over time. The function of the transcription factor CREB (cAMP response element binding protein) within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) has been well documented in opposing the rewarding properties of many classes of drugs, yet the gene targets through which CREB causally manifests these lasting neuroadaptations remain unknown. Here, we identify zinc finger protein 189 (Zfp189) as a CREB target gene that is transcriptionally responsive to acute and chronic cocaine use within the NAc of mice. METHODS To investigate the role of the CREB-Zfp189 interaction in cocaine use, we virally delivered modified clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/dCas9 constructs capable of selectively localizing CREB to the Zfp189 gene promoter in the NAc of mice. RESULTS We observed that CREB binding to the Zfp189 promoter increased Zfp189 expression and diminished the reinforcing responses to cocaine. Furthermore, we showed that NAc Zfp189 expression increased within D1 medium spiny neurons in response to acute cocaine but increased in both D1- and D2-expressing medium spiny neurons in response to chronic cocaine. CREB-mediated induction of Zfp189 potentiated electrophysiological activity of D1- and D2-expressing medium spiny neurons, recapitulating the known effect of CREB on these neurons. Finally, targeting CREB to the Zfp189 promoter within NAc Drd2-expressing neurons, but not Drd1-expressing neurons, was sufficient to diminish cocaine-conditioned behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings point to the CREB-Zfp189 interaction within the NAc Drd2+ neurons as a molecular signature of chronic cocaine use that is causal in counteracting the reinforcing effects of cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin D Teague
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Joseph A Picone
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia
| | - William J Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Caleb J Browne
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Gabriella M Silva
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Rita Futamura
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Angélica Minier-Toribio
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Molly E Estill
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Aarthi Ramakrishnan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Freddyson J Martinez-Rivera
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Arthur Godino
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Eric M Parise
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Kyra H Schmidt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Nathalia V Pulido
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Zachary S Lorsch
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Jee Hyun Kim
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Li Shen
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Yan Dong
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Peter J Hamilton
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia.
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3
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Cell-type-specific epigenetic effects of early life stress on the brain. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:326. [PMID: 35948532 PMCID: PMC9365848 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02076-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) induces long-term phenotypic adaptations that contribute to increased vulnerability to a host of neuropsychiatric disorders. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNA, are a proposed link between environmental stressors, alterations in gene expression, and phenotypes. Epigenetic modifications play a primary role in shaping functional differences between cell types and can be modified by environmental perturbations, especially in early development. Together with contributions from genetic variation, epigenetic mechanisms orchestrate patterns of gene expression within specific cell types that contribute to phenotypic variation between individuals. To date, many studies have provided insights into epigenetic changes resulting from ELS. However, most of these studies have examined heterogenous brain tissue, despite evidence of cell-type-specific epigenetic modifications in phenotypes associated with ELS. In this review, we focus on rodent and human studies that have examined epigenetic modifications induced by ELS in select cell types isolated from the brain or associated with genes that have cell-type-restricted expression in neurons, microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Although significant challenges remain, future studies using these approaches can enable important mechanistic insight into the role of epigenetic variation in the effects of ELS on brain function.
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4
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Sonti S, Tyagi K, Pande A, Daniel R, Sharma AL, Tyagi M. Crossroads of Drug Abuse and HIV Infection: Neurotoxicity and CNS Reservoir. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10020202. [PMID: 35214661 PMCID: PMC8875185 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug abuse is a common comorbidity in people infected with HIV. HIV-infected individuals who abuse drugs are a key population who frequently experience suboptimal outcomes along the HIV continuum of care. A modest proportion of HIV-infected individuals develop HIV-associated neurocognitive issues, the severity of which further increases with drug abuse. Moreover, the tendency of the virus to go into latency in certain cellular reservoirs again complicates the elimination of HIV and HIV-associated illnesses. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) successfully decreased the overall viral load in infected people, yet it does not effectively eliminate the virus from all latent reservoirs. Although ART increased the life expectancy of infected individuals, it showed inconsistent improvement in CNS functioning, thus decreasing the quality of life. Research efforts have been dedicated to identifying common mechanisms through which HIV and drug abuse lead to neurotoxicity and CNS dysfunction. Therefore, in order to develop an effective treatment regimen to treat neurocognitive and related symptoms in HIV-infected patients, it is crucial to understand the involved mechanisms of neurotoxicity. Eventually, those mechanisms could lead the way to design and develop novel therapeutic strategies addressing both CNS HIV reservoir and illicit drug use by HIV patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Sonti
- Center for Translational Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (S.S.); (A.L.S.)
| | - Kratika Tyagi
- Department of Biotechnology, Banasthali Vidyapith, Vanasthali, Jaipur 304022, Rajasthan, India;
| | - Amit Pande
- Cell Culture Laboratory, ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal, Nainital 263136, Uttarakhand, India;
| | - Rene Daniel
- Farber Hospitalist Service, Department of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA;
| | - Adhikarimayum Lakhikumar Sharma
- Center for Translational Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (S.S.); (A.L.S.)
| | - Mudit Tyagi
- Center for Translational Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; (S.S.); (A.L.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-215-503-5157 or +1-703-909-9420
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5
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Teague CD, Nestler EJ. Key transcription factors mediating cocaine-induced plasticity in the nucleus accumbens. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:687-709. [PMID: 34079067 PMCID: PMC8636523 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01163-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Repeated cocaine use induces coordinated changes in gene expression that drive plasticity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), an important component of the brain's reward circuitry, and promote the development of maladaptive, addiction-like behaviors. Studies on the molecular basis of cocaine action identify transcription factors, a class of proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences and regulate transcription, as critical mediators of this cocaine-induced plasticity. Early methods to identify and study transcription factors involved in addiction pathophysiology primarily relied on quantifying the expression of candidate genes in bulk brain tissue after chronic cocaine treatment, as well as conventional overexpression and knockdown techniques. More recently, advances in next generation sequencing, bioinformatics, cell-type-specific targeting, and locus-specific neuroepigenomic editing offer a more powerful, unbiased toolbox to identify the most important transcription factors that drive drug-induced plasticity and to causally define their downstream molecular mechanisms. Here, we synthesize the literature on transcription factors mediating cocaine action in the NAc, discuss the advancements and remaining limitations of current experimental approaches, and emphasize recent work leveraging bioinformatic tools and neuroepigenomic editing to study transcription factors involved in cocaine addiction.
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6
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Shepard RD, Nugent FS. Early Life Stress- and Drug-Induced Histone Modifications Within the Ventral Tegmental Area. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:588476. [PMID: 33102491 PMCID: PMC7554626 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.588476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychiatric illnesses are a major public health concern due to their prevalence and heterogeneity of symptom presentation resulting from a lack of efficacious treatments. Although dysregulated dopamine (DA) signaling has been observed in a myriad of psychiatric conditions, different pathophysiological mechanisms have been implicated which impede the development of adequate treatments that work across all patient populations. The ventral tegmental area (VTA), a major source of DA neurons in the brain reward pathway, has been shown to have altered activity that contributes to reward dysregulation in mental illnesses and drug addiction. It has now become better appreciated that epigenetic mechanisms contribute to VTA DA dysfunction, such as through histone modifications, which dynamically regulate transcription rates of critical genes important in synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory. Here, we provide a focused review on differential histone modifications within the VTA observed in both humans and animal models, as well as their relevance to disease-based phenotypes, specifically focusing on epigenetic dysregulation of histones in the VTA associated with early life stress (ELS) and drugs of abuse. Locus- and cell-type-specific targeting of individual histone modifications at specific genes within the VTA presents novel therapeutic targets which can result in greater efficacy and better long-term health outcomes in susceptible individuals that are at increased risk for substance use and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan D Shepard
- Department of Pharmacology, Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Fereshteh S Nugent
- Department of Pharmacology, Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
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7
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Yim YY, Teague CD, Nestler EJ. In vivo locus-specific editing of the neuroepigenome. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:471-484. [PMID: 32704051 PMCID: PMC7439525 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0334-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Studies over the past several decades have identified numerous epigenetic mechanisms associated with pathological states in psychiatric and neurological disease. Until recently, studies investigating chromatin-regulatory proteins, using overexpression or knockdown approaches, did not establish causal roles for epigenetic modifications at specific genes because these techniques typically affect hundreds or thousands of genomic loci. In this Review, we describe recent efforts in using locus-specific neuroepigenome editing in vivo to, for the first time, define causal relationships between a single chromatin modification at a specific gene in a defined cell population and downstream measures at the molecular, cellular, circuit and behavioural levels. We briefly introduce three epigenome-editing platforms: zinc-finger proteins, transcriptional activator-like effectors and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR). We then explore the development of in vivo neuroepigenome-editing tools and their applications to resolve epigenetic contributions to the pathophysiology of brain diseases. We also discuss technical considerations for in vivo neuroepigenome-editing experiments and ongoing innovations in the field, including new tools to investigate chromatin marks, manipulate chromatin topology and induce epigenetic modifications at multiple genes in the same cell. Lastly, we explore the potential clinical applications of in vivo neuroepigenome editing for treating brain pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Young Yim
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Collin D Teague
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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8
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Browne CJ, Godino A, Salery M, Nestler EJ. Epigenetic Mechanisms of Opioid Addiction. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:22-33. [PMID: 31477236 PMCID: PMC6898774 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Opioid use kills tens of thousands of Americans each year, devastates families and entire communities, and cripples the health care system. Exposure to opioids causes long-term changes to brain regions involved in reward processing and motivation, leading vulnerable individuals to engage in pathological drug seeking and drug taking that can remain a lifelong struggle. The persistence of these neuroadaptations is mediated in part by epigenetic remodeling of gene expression programs in discrete brain regions. Although the majority of work examining how epigenetic modifications contribute to addiction has focused on psychostimulants such as cocaine, research into opioid-induced changes to the epigenetic landscape is emerging. This review summarizes our knowledge of opioid-induced epigenetic modifications and their consequential changes to gene expression. Current evidence points toward opioids promoting higher levels of permissive histone acetylation and lower levels of repressive histone methylation as well as alterations to DNA methylation patterns and noncoding RNA expression throughout the brain's reward circuitry. Additionally, studies manipulating epigenetic enzymes in specific brain regions are beginning to build causal links between these epigenetic modifications and changes in addiction-related behavior. Moving forward, studies must leverage advanced chromatin analysis and next-generation sequencing approaches combined with bioinformatics pipelines to identify novel gene networks regulated by particular epigenetic modifications. Improved translational relevance also requires increased focus on volitional drug-intake models and standardization of opioid exposure paradigms. Such work will significantly advance our understanding of how opioids cause persistent changes to brain function and will provide a platform on which to develop interventions for treating opioid addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb J Browne
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
| | - Arthur Godino
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Marine Salery
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
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9
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Keiser AA, Wood MA. Examining the contribution of histone modification to sex differences in learning and memory. Learn Mem 2019; 26:318-331. [PMID: 31416905 PMCID: PMC6699407 DOI: 10.1101/lm.048850.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The epigenome serves as a signal integration platform that encodes information from experience and environment that adds tremendous complexity to the regulation of transcription required for memory, beyond the directions encoded in the genome. To date, our understanding of how epigenetic mechanisms integrate information to regulate gene expression required for memory is primarily obtained from male derived data despite sex-specific life experiences and sex differences in consolidation and retrieval of memory, and in the molecular mechanisms that mediate these processes. In this review, we examine the contribution of chromatin modification to learning and memory in both sexes. We provide examples of how exposure to a number of internal and external factors influence the epigenome in sex-similar and sex-specific ways that may ultimately impact transcription required for memory processes. We also pose a number of key open questions and identify areas requiring further investigation as we seek to understand how histone modifying mechanisms shape memory in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley A Keiser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Marcelo A Wood
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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10
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Farrelly LA, Maze I. An emerging perspective on 'histone code' mediated regulation of neural plasticity and disease. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 59:157-163. [PMID: 31382083 PMCID: PMC6889037 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The last two decades have witnessed explosive advances in our understanding as to how the organization of chromatin, the association of DNA with histones and vast numbers of non-histone regulatory proteins, controls the expression of specific genes in brain. Prominent among such regulatory mechanisms are modifications of histones, along with the 'writers,' 'erasers,' and 'readers' of these modifications. Much of the work delineating these mechanisms has contributed to the idea that a 'histone code' may be a central determinant of a gene's activity and its potential to be activated or repressed in response to environmental perturbations (both beneficial and aberrant). Indeed, increasing evidence has demonstrated the significance of histone regulation in neurological plasticity and disease, although we are still at the earliest stages of examining all of the many potential chromatin changes involved. In this short review, we provide an emerging perspective on putative roles for histones, and their combinatorial readouts, in the context of neural plasticity, and we provide a conceptual framework for future mechanistic studies aimed at uncovering causal links between the neural 'histone code' and brain function/disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna A Farrelly
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Ian Maze
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States; Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States.
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11
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Hamilton AR, Traniello IM, Ray AM, Caldwell AS, Wickline SA, Robinson GE. Division of labor in honey bees is associated with transcriptional regulatory plasticity in the brain. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb200196. [PMID: 31138635 PMCID: PMC6679348 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.200196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Studies in evolutionary and developmental biology show that relationships between transcription factors (TFs) and their target genes can be altered to result in novel regulatory relationships that generate phenotypic plasticity. We hypothesized that context-dependent shifts in the nervous system associated with behavior may also be linked to changes in TF-target relationships over physiological time scales. We tested this hypothesis using honey bee (Apis mellifera) division of labor as a model system by performing bioinformatic analyses of previously published brain transcriptomic profiles together with new RNAi and behavioral experiments. The bioinformatic analyses identified five TFs that exhibited strong signatures of regulatory plasticity as a function of division of labor. RNAi targeting of one of these TFs (broad complex) and a related TF that did not exhibit plasticity (fushi tarazu transcription factor 1) was administered in conjunction with automated analyses of foraging behavior in the field, laboratory assays of aggression and brood care behavior, and endocrine treatments. The results showed that changes in the regulatory relationships of these TFs were associated with behavioral state, social context and endocrine state. These findings provide the first empirical evidence that TF-target relationships in the brain are altered in conjunction with behavior and social context. They also suggest that one mechanism for this plasticity involves pleiotropic TFs high up in regulatory hierarchies producing behavior-specific transcriptional responses by activating different downstream TFs to induce discrete context-dependent transcriptional cascades. These findings provide new insights into the dynamic nature of the transcriptional regulatory architecture underlying behavior in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam R Hamilton
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Ian M Traniello
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Allyson M Ray
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Arminius S Caldwell
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Samuel A Wickline
- Department of Computation and Molecular Biophysics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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12
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Bussone S, Iacono LL. The “systems approach” to treating the brain: opportunities in developmental psychopharmacology. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2019. [PMID: 31636495 PMCID: PMC6787541 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2019.21.2/lloiacono] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The significance of early life for the long-term programming of mental health is
increasingly being recognized. However, most psychotropic medications are
currently intended for adult patients, and early psychopharmacological
approaches aimed at reverting aberrant neurodevelopmental trajectories are
missing. Psychopharmacologic intervention at an early age faces the challenge of
operating in a highly plastic system and requires a comprehensive knowledge of
neurodevelopmental mechanisms. Recently the systems biology approach has
contributed to the understanding of neuroplasticity mechanisms from a new
perspective that interprets them as the result of complex and dynamic networks
of signals from different systems. This approach is creating opportunities for
developmental psychopharmacology, suggesting novel targets that can modulate the
course of development by interfering with neuroplasticity at an early age. We
will discuss two interconnected systems—the immune and gut microbiota—that
regulate neurodevelopment and that have been implicated in preclinical research
as new targets in the prevention of aberrant brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Bussone
- Author affiliations: PhD student, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via degli Apuli, 1, 00185, Rome, Italy (Silvia Bussone); Senior researcher, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy (Luisa Lo Iacono). Address for correspondence: IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy. (e-mail: )
| | - Luisa Lo Iacono
- Author affiliations: PhD student, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via degli Apuli, 1, 00185, Rome, Italy (Silvia Bussone); Senior researcher, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy; Department of Psychology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via dei Marsi, 78, 00185, Rome, Italy (Luisa Lo Iacono). Address for correspondence: IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, Italy. (e-mail: )
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13
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Hamilton PJ, Nestler EJ. Epigenetics and addiction. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 59:128-136. [PMID: 31255844 PMCID: PMC6889055 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
As an individual becomes addicted to a drug of abuse, nerve cells within the brain's reward circuitry adapt at the epigenetic level during the course of repeated drug exposure. These drug-induced epigenetic adaptations mediate enduring changes in brain function which contribute to life-long, drug-related behavioral abnormalities that define addiction. Targeting these epigenetic alterations will enhance our understanding of the biological basis of addiction and might even yield more effective anti-addiction therapies. However, the complexity of the neuroepigenetic landscape makes it difficult to determine which drug-induced epigenetic changes causally contribute to the pathogenic mechanisms of drug addiction. In this review, we highlight the evidence that epigenetic modifications, specifically histone modifications, within key brain reward regions are correlated with addiction. We then discuss the emerging field of locus-specific neuroepigenetic editing, which is a promising method for determining the causal epigenetic molecular mechanisms that drive an addicted state. Such approaches will substantially increase the field's ability to establish the precise epigenetic mechanisms underlying drug addiction, and could lead to novel treatments for addictive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Hamilton
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, The Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, The Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States.
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Geel TM, Ruiters MHJ, Cool RH, Halby L, Voshart DC, Andrade Ruiz L, Niezen-Koning KE, Arimondo PB, Rots MG. The past and presence of gene targeting: from chemicals and DNA via proteins to RNA. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20170077. [PMID: 29685979 PMCID: PMC5915719 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to target DNA specifically at any given position within the genome allows many intriguing possibilities and has inspired scientists for decades. Early gene-targeting efforts exploited chemicals or DNA oligonucleotides to interfere with the DNA at a given location in order to inactivate a gene or to correct mutations. We here describe an example towards correcting a genetic mutation underlying Pompe's disease using a nucleotide-fused nuclease (TFO-MunI). In addition to the promise of gene correction, scientists soon realized that genes could be inactivated or even re-activated without inducing potentially harmful DNA damage by targeting transcriptional modulators to a particular gene. However, it proved difficult to fuse protein effector domains to the first generation of programmable DNA-binding agents. The engineering of gene-targeting proteins (zinc finger proteins (ZFPs), transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs)) circumvented this problem. The disadvantage of protein-based gene targeting is that a fusion protein needs to be engineered for every locus. The recent introduction of CRISPR/Cas offers a flexible approach to target a (fusion) protein to the locus of interest using cheap designer RNA molecules. Many research groups now exploit this platform and the first human clinical trials have been initiated: CRISPR/Cas has kicked off a new era of gene targeting and is revolutionizing biomedical sciences.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Frontiers in epigenetic chemical biology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Geel
- Epigenetic Editing, Dept Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - M H J Ruiters
- Epigenetic Editing, Dept Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - R H Cool
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - L Halby
- CNRS FRE3600 ETaC, bât IBCG, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - D C Voshart
- Epigenetic Editing, Dept Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - L Andrade Ruiz
- Epigenetic Editing, Dept Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - K E Niezen-Koning
- Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Dept Laboratory Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - P B Arimondo
- CNRS FRE3600 ETaC, bât IBCG, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - M G Rots
- Epigenetic Editing, Dept Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
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Mews P, Walker DM, Nestler EJ. Epigenetic Priming in Drug Addiction. COLD SPRING HARBOR SYMPOSIA ON QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2018; 83:131-139. [PMID: 30936392 PMCID: PMC6764605 DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2018.83.037663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disorder that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and continued use despite negative outcomes. Current pharmacological therapies target neuronal receptors or transporters upon which drugs of abuse act initially, yet these treatments remain ineffective for most individuals and do not prevent disease relapse after abstinence. Drugs of abuse, in addition to their acute effects, cause persistent plasticity after repeated use, involving dysregulated gene expression in the brain's reward regions, which are thought to mediate the persistent behavioral abnormalities that characterize addiction. Emerging evidence implicates epigenetic priming as a key mechanism that underlies the long-lasting alterations in neuronal gene regulation, which can remain latent until triggered by re-exposure to drug-associated stimuli or the drug itself. Thus, to effectively treat drug addiction, we must identify the precise epigenetic mechanisms that establish and preserve the drug-induced pathology of the brain reward circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Mews
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Deena M Walker
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
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