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Garcia-Baos A, Pastor A, Gallego-Landin I, de la Torre R, Sanz F, Valverde O. The role of PPAR-γ in memory deficits induced by prenatal and lactation alcohol exposure in mice. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3373-3383. [PMID: 37491462 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02191-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Patients diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) show persistent cognitive disabilities, including memory deficits. However, the neurobiological substrates underlying these deficits remain unclear. Here, we show that prenatal and lactation alcohol exposure (PLAE) in mice induces FASD-like memory impairments. This is accompanied by a reduction of N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) in the hippocampus specifically in a childhood-like period (at post-natal day (PD) 25). To determine their role in memory deficits, two pharmacological approaches were performed during this specific period of early life. Thus, memory performance was tested after the repeated administration (from PD25 to PD34) of: i) URB597, to increase NAEs, with GW9662, a PPAR-γ antagonist; ii) pioglitazone, a PPAR-γ agonist. We observed that URB597 suppresses PLAE-induced memory deficits through a PPAR-γ dependent mechanism, since its effects are prevented by GW9662. Direct PPAR-γ activation, using pioglitazone, also ameliorates memory impairments. Lastly, to further investigate the region and cellular specificity, we demonstrate that an early overexpression of PPAR-γ, by means of a viral vector, in hippocampal astrocytes mitigates memory deficits induced by PLAE. Together, our data reveal that disruptions of PPAR-γ signaling during neurodevelopment contribute to PLAE-induced memory dysfunction. In turn, PPAR-γ activation during a childhood-like period is a promising therapeutic approach for memory deficits in the context of early alcohol exposure. Thus, these findings contribute to the gaining insight into the mechanisms that might underlie memory impairments in FASD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Garcia-Baos
- Neurobiology of Behavior Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoni Pastor
- Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ines Gallego-Landin
- Neurobiology of Behavior Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael de la Torre
- Neurobiology of Behavior Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ferran Sanz
- Research Program on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behavior Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
- Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
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Alcohol as an early life stressor: Epigenetics, metabolic, neuroendocrine and neurobehavioral implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:654-668. [PMID: 32976915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol exposure during gestation is an early life stressor that profoundly dysregulates structure and functions of the embryonal nervous system, altering the cognitive and behavioral development. Such dysregulation is also achieved by epigenetic mechanisms, which, altering the chromatin structure, redraw the entire pattern of gene expression. In parallel, an oxidative stress response at the cellular level and a global upregulation of neuroendocrine stress response, regulated by the HPA axis, exist and persist in adulthood. This neurobehavioral framework matches those observed in other psychiatric diseases such as mood diseases, depression, autism; those early life stressing events, although probably triggered by specific and different epigenetic mechanisms, give rise to largely overlapping neurobehavioral phenotypes. An early diagnosis of prenatal alcohol exposure, using reliable markers of ethanol intake, together with a deeper understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms, some of them reversible by their nature, can offer a temporal "window" of intervention. Supplementing a mother's diet with protective and antioxidant substances in addition to supportive psychological therapies can protect newborns from being affected.
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Impact of Sex and Age on the Mevalonate Pathway in the Brain: A Focus on Effects Induced by Maternal Exposure to Exogenous Compounds. Metabolites 2020; 10:metabo10080304. [PMID: 32722471 PMCID: PMC7463490 DOI: 10.3390/metabo10080304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mevalonate pathway produces cholesterol and other compounds crucial for numerous cellular processes. It is well known that age and sex modulate this pathway in the liver. Recently, similar effects were also noted in different brain areas, suggesting that alterations of the mevalonate pathway are at the root of marked sex-specific disparities in some neurodevelopmental disorders related to disturbed cholesterol homeostasis. Here, we show how the mevalonate pathway is modulated in a sex-, age- and region-specific manner, and how maternal exposure to exogenous compounds can disturb the regulation of this pathway in the brain, possibly inducing functional alterations.
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Concurrent nicotine exposure to prenatal alcohol consumption alters the hippocampal and cortical neurotoxicity. Heliyon 2020; 6:e03045. [PMID: 31938742 PMCID: PMC6953639 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims This study investigated the neurotoxic effects of prenatal alcohol and nicotine exposure in the cortex and hippocampus of rodents. Main methods Behavioral alterations, electrophysiological changes, and biochemical markers associated with cholinergic neurotransmission, neural oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis were evaluated. Key findings Prenatal alcohol exposure induced the generation of ROS, nitrite and lipid peroxide, decreased mitochondrial Complex-I and IV activities, increased Caspase-1 and 3 activities, had no effect on cholinergic neurotransmission, increased expression of PSD-95, decreased LTP and decreased performance on spatial memory tasks. However, nicotine exposure, in addition to alcohol exposure, was found to mitigate the negative effects of alcohol alone on ROS generation and spatial memory task performances. Furthermore, we also studied the role of ILK in prenatal alcohol and nicotine exposure. Significance Prenatal Smoking and/or drinking is a major health concern around the world. Thus, our current study may lead to better insights into the molecular mechanisms of fetal alcohol and nicotine exposure on the developing offspring.
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Dual activation of neuronal G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels by cholesterol and alcohol. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4592. [PMID: 28676630 PMCID: PMC5496853 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04681-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels leads to a hyperpolarization of the neuron’s membrane potential, providing an important component of inhibition in the brain. In addition to the canonical G protein-activation pathway, GIRK channels are activated by small molecules but less is known about the underlying gating mechanisms. One drawback to previous studies has been the inability to control intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Here we used a reconstitution strategy with highly purified mammalian GIRK2 channels incorporated into liposomes and demonstrate that cholesterol or intoxicating concentrations of ethanol, i.e., >20 mM, each activate GIRK2 channels directly, in the absence of G proteins. Notably, both activators require the membrane phospholipid PIP2 but appear to interact independently with different regions of the channel. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying G protein-independent pathways of activating GIRK channels provides a unique strategy for developing new types of neuronal excitability modulators.
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Roux A, Jackson SN, Muller L, Barbacci D, O’Rourke J, Thanos PK, Volkow ND, Balaban C, Schultz JA, Woods AS. Ethanol Induced Brain Lipid Changes in Mice Assessed by Mass Spectrometry. ACS Chem Neurosci 2016; 7:1148-56. [PMID: 27269520 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.6b00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol abuse is a chronic disease characterized by the consumption of alcohol at a level that interferes with physical and mental health and causes serious and persistent changes in the brain. Lipid metabolism is of particular interest due to its high concentration in the brain. Lipids are the main component of cell membranes, are involved in cell signaling, signal transduction, and energy storage. In this study, we analyzed lipid composition of chronically ethanol exposed mouse brains. Juvenile (JUV) and adult (ADU) mice were placed on a daily limited-access ethanol intake model for 52 days. After euthanasia, brains were harvested, and total lipids were extracted from brain homogenates. Samples were analyzed using high resolution mass spectrometry and processed by multivariate and univariate statistical analysis. Significant lipid changes were observed in different classes including sphingolipids, fatty acids, lysophosphatidylcholines, and other glycerophospholipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelie Roux
- Structural
Biology Unit, NIDA IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Shelley N. Jackson
- Structural
Biology Unit, NIDA IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Ludovic Muller
- Structural
Biology Unit, NIDA IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | | | - Joseph O’Rourke
- Behavioral
Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
| | - Panayotis K. Thanos
- Behavioral
Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- Structural
Biology Unit, NIDA IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Carey Balaban
- Departments of Otolaryngology, Neurobiology, Communication Sciences & Disorders, and Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | | | - Amina S. Woods
- Structural
Biology Unit, NIDA IRP, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
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Lipids and Oxidative Stress Associated with Ethanol-Induced Neurological Damage. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2016; 2016:1543809. [PMID: 26949445 PMCID: PMC4753689 DOI: 10.1155/2016/1543809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The excessive intake of alcohol is a serious public health problem, especially given the severe damage provoked by chronic or prenatal exposure to alcohol that affects many physiological processes, such as memory, motor function, and cognitive abilities. This damage is related to the ethanol oxidation in the brain. The metabolism of ethanol to acetaldehyde and then to acetate is associated with the production of reactive oxygen species that accentuate the oxidative state of cells. This metabolism of ethanol can induce the oxidation of the fatty acids in phospholipids, and the bioactive aldehydes produced are known to be associated with neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration. As such, here we will review the role of lipids in the neuronal damage induced by ethanol-related oxidative stress and the role that lipids play in the related compensatory or defense mechanisms.
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Zhou C, Chen J, Zhang X, Costa LG, Guizzetti M. Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Up-Regulates the Cholesterol Transporters ATP-Binding Cassette A1 and G1 and Reduces Cholesterol Levels in the Developing Rat Brain. Alcohol Alcohol 2014; 49:626-34. [PMID: 25081040 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agu049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Cholesterol plays a pivotal role in many aspects of brain development; reduced cholesterol levels during brain development, as a consequence of genetic defects in cholesterol biosynthesis, leads to severe brain damage, including microcephaly and mental retardation, both of which are also hallmarks of the fetal alcohol syndrome. We had previously shown that ethanol up-regulates the levels of two cholesterol transporters, ABCA1 (ATP binding cassette-A1) and ABCG1, leading to increased cholesterol efflux and decreased cholesterol content in astrocytes in vitro. In the present study we investigated whether similar effects could be seen in vivo. METHODS Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed liquid diets containing 36% of the calories from ethanol from gestational day (GD) 6 to GD 21. A pair-fed control groups and an ad libitum control group were included in the study. ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein expression and cholesterol and phospholipid levels were measured in the neocortex of female and male fetuses at GD 21. RESULTS Body weights were decreased in female fetuses as a consequence of ethanol treatments. ABCA1 and ABCG1 protein levels were increased, and cholesterol levels were decreased, in the neocortex of ethanol-exposed female, but not male, fetuses. Levels of phospholipids were unchanged. Control female fetuses fed ad libitum displayed an up-regulation of ABCA1 and a decrease in cholesterol content compared with pair-fed controls, suggesting that a compensatory up-regulation of cholesterol levels may occur during food restriction. CONCLUSION Maternal ethanol consumption may affect fetal brain development by increasing cholesterol transporters' expression and reducing brain cholesterol levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Zhou
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lucio G Costa
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
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