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Hen-Shoval D, Indig-Naimer T, Moshe L, Kogan NM, Zaidan H, Gaisler-Salomon I, Okun E, Mechoulam R, Shoval G, Zalsman G, Weller A. Unraveling the molecular basis of cannabidiolic acid methyl Ester's anti-depressive effects in a rat model of treatment-resistant depression. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 175:50-59. [PMID: 38704981 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.033] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) stands as a significant cause of disability globally. Cannabidiolic Acid-Methyl Ester (CBDA-ME) (EPM-301, HU-580), a derivative of Cannabidiol, demonstrates immediate antidepressant-like effects, yet it has undergone only minimal evaluation in psychopharmacology. Our goal was to investigate the behavioral and potential molecular mechanisms associated with the chronic oral administration of this compound in the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) genetic model of treatment-resistant depression. Male WKY rats were subjected to behavioral assessments before and after receiving chronic (14-day) oral doses of CBDA-ME (0.5 mg/kg), 15 mg/kg of imipramine or vehicle. At the end of the study, plasma corticosterone levels and mRNA expression of various genes in the medial Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus were measured. Behavioral outcomes from CBDA-ME treatment indicated an antidepressant-like effect similar to imipramine, as oral ingestion reduced immobility and increased swimming duration in the Forced Swim Test. Neither treatment influenced locomotion in the Open Field Test nor preference in the Saccharin Preference Test. The behavioral impact in WKY rats coincided with reduced corticosterone serum levels, upregulated mRNA expression of Cannabinoid receptor 1, Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase, and Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor 1, alongside downregulation of the Serotonin Transporter in the hippocampus. Additionally, there was an upregulation of CB1 mRNA expression and downregulation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in the mPFC. These findings contribute to our limited understanding of the antidepressant effects of CBDA-ME and shed light on its potential psychopharmacological mechanisms. This discovery opens up possibilities for utilizing cannabinoids in the treatment of major depressive disorder and related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Hen-Shoval
- Psychology Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
| | - T Indig-Naimer
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - L Moshe
- Psychology Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - N M Kogan
- Institute of Personalized and Translational Medicine, Molecular Biology, Ariel University, Ariel, 4070000, Israel
| | - H Zaidan
- School of Psychological Sciences and the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - I Gaisler-Salomon
- School of Psychological Sciences and the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - E Okun
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Israel; The Paul Feder laboratory for Alzheimer disease research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - R Mechoulam
- Institute for Drug Research, Medical Faculty, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - G Shoval
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - G Zalsman
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - A Weller
- Psychology Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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2
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Bijani S, Kashfi FS, Zahedi-Vanjani S, Nedaei K, Sharafi A, Kalantari-Hesari A, Hosseini MJ. The role of gender differences in the outcome of juvenile social isolation: Emphasis on changes in behavioral, biochemical and expression of nitric oxide synthase genes alteration. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28964. [PMID: 38617928 PMCID: PMC11015403 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Social isolation can cause serious problem in performance of individuals in community. As gender differences may cause variation results in the severity of depressive behavior and response of patients to therapy, the impact of gender and the interaction of the level of endocrine secretion in depression were investigated in this study. Wistar rats of both sexes were subjected to post-weaning social isolation (PWSI) conditions and, together with the control group, experienced several behavioral tests including open-field Test (OFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), force swimming test (FST), splash test and novel object recognition test (NOR). Hippocampal tissue was isolated to measure biochemical factors such as nitric oxide level, FRAP amount, MDA level. In addition, real-time-PCR test was used to quantify the genes expression level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). On the other hand, sexual hormone levels in blood were measured. Both cognitive and behavioral f unctions were declined as the result of PWSI induction in male and diestrus female rats. The consequent surge of estradiol during estrous phase seems to suppress the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and modulate iNOS and nNOS expression. In conclusion, while the pattern of PWSI in surge cellular antioxidants, raising cellular ROS level is gender-specific, this alleviation was in relation with the drop of estradiol and unrelated with testosterone level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soroush Bijani
- Zanjan Applied Pharmacology Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Sadat Kashfi
- Zanjan Applied Pharmacology Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Sadaf Zahedi-Vanjani
- Zanjan Applied Pharmacology Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Keivan Nedaei
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Ali Sharafi
- Zanjan Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | | | - Mir-Jamal Hosseini
- Zanjan Applied Pharmacology Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical sciences, Zanjan, Iran
- Department of Pathobiology, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
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Yoshii T, Oishi N, Sotozono Y, Watanabe A, Sakai Y, Yamada S, Matsuda KI, Kido M, Ikoma K, Tanaka M, Narumoto J. Validation of Wistar-Kyoto rats kept in solitary housing as an animal model for depression using voxel-based morphometry. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3601. [PMID: 38351316 PMCID: PMC10864298 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53103-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is a common psychiatric condition often resistant to medication. The Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat has been suggested as an animal model of depression; however, it is still challenging to translate results from animal models into humans. Solitary housing is a mild stress paradigm that can simulate the environment of depressive patients with limited social activity due to symptoms. We used voxel-based morphometry to associate the solitary-housed WKY (sWKY) rat model with data from previous human studies and validated our results with behavioural studies. As a result, atrophy in sWKY rats was detected in the ventral hippocampus, caudate putamen, lateral septum, cerebellar vermis, and cerebellar nuclei (p < 0.05, corrected for family-wise error rate). Locomotor behaviour was negatively correlated with habenula volume and positively correlated with atrophy of the cerebellar vermis. In addition, sWKY rats showed depletion of sucrose consumption not after reward habituation but without reward habituation. Although the application of sWKY rats in a study of anhedonia might be limited, we observed some similarities between the regions of brain atrophy in sWKY rats and humans with depression, supporting the translation of sWKY rat studies to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takanobu Yoshii
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
- Kyoto Prefectural Rehabilitation Hospital for Mentally and Physically Disabled, Naka Ashihara, Johyo, Kyoto, 610-0113, Japan.
| | - Naoya Oishi
- Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
| | - Yasutaka Sotozono
- Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Anri Watanabe
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yuki Sakai
- Department of Neural Computation for Decision-Making, ATR Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shunji Yamada
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Matsuda
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Kido
- Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kazuya Ikoma
- Department of Orthopaedics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masaki Tanaka
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Jin Narumoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
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Wang Z, van Bruggen R, Sandini T, Hagen EV, Li XM, Zhang Y. Wistar-Kyoto rats and chronically stressed Wistar rats present similar depression- and anxiety-like behaviors but different corticosterone and endocannabinoid system modulation. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 127:110825. [PMID: 37437836 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The interplay of social, psychological, and biological stresses can trigger mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder (MDD), adjustment disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The endocannabinoid system (ECS), comprising endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors, is the critical pathway that mediates responses to stress stimuli. This study aimed to investigate the ECS's impact on responding to chronic social instability stress (SIS). Wistar (WIS) rats and an endogenously depressed rat model, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), were used to evaluate depression- and anxiety-like behavioral responses, cognitive function, hormone levels, and ECS function. The animals in the stress group (WIS-STS and WKY-STS) were exposed to TMT (predator odor) for 10 mins (two exposures in total: one in light cycle and one in dark cycle) and daily roommate changes (30 days in total), while the control group (CTL) rats were exposed to a sham odor stimulus (distilled water) and did not undergo roommate changes. The results in the open field test suggest that WKY rats had significantly lower locomotor activity than WIS rats. In contrast, WKY rats and chronically stressed WIS rats presented similar depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and impaired cognitive function in the elevated plus maze, forced swimming test, and novel objective recognition test. However, chronic SIS did not exacerbate these behavioral changes in WKY rats. ELISA and Western blot analysis indicated that chronic SIS did not induce further upregulation of endocannabinoids and CB1R downregulation in WKY rats compared to WIS rats. In addition, the Luminex assay revealed that WKY rats showed a higher resilience on the HPA-axis modulation towards chronic SIS, distinguished by the hyperactivity of the HPA-axis modulation in WIS rats. Overall, the study revealed that the chronic SIS animal model (stressed WIS rats) and an animal model of endogenous depression (WKY rats) can generate similar behavioral changes in anxious behavior, behavioral despair, and cognitive impairment. Both animal models present hyperactivity of the ACTH modulation and ECS activity, while WKY rats are more resilient on CORT modulation towards chronic SIS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zitong Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Rebekah van Bruggen
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Thaisa Sandini
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Ethan V Hagen
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Xin-Min Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Yanbo Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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Hen-Shoval D, Moshe L, Indig-Naimer T, Mechoulam R, Shoval G, Zalsman G, Kogan NM, Weller A. Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Blockade Prevents Anti-Depressive-like Effect of Cannabidiol Acid Methyl Ester in Female WKY Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043828. [PMID: 36835237 PMCID: PMC9958868 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) is diverse and multi-factorial, yet treatment strategies remain limited. While women are twice as likely to develop the disorder as men, many animal model studies of antidepressant response rely solely on male subjects. The endocannabinoid system has been linked to depression in clinical and pre-clinical studies. Cannabidiolic Acid-Methyl Ester (CBDA-ME, EPM-301) demonstrated anti-depressive-like effects in male rats. Here, we explored acute effects of CBDA-ME and some possible mediating mechanisms, using a depressive-like genetic animal model, the Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat. In Experiment 1, Female WKY rats underwent the Forced swim test (FST) following acute CBDA-ME oral ingestion (1/5/10 mg/kg). In Experiment 2, Male and female WKY rats underwent the FST after injection of CB1 (AM-251) and CB2 (AM-630) receptor antagonists 30 min before acute CBDA-ME ingestion (1 mg/kg, males; 5 mg/kg, females). Serum levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), numerous endocannabinoids and hippocampal Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) levels were assessed. Results indicate that females required higher doses of CBDA-ME (5 and 10 mg/kg) to induce an anti-depressive-like effect in the FST. AM-630 blocked the antidepressant-like effect in females, but not in males. The effect of CBDA-ME in females was accompanied by elevated serum BDNF and some endocannabinoids and low hippocampal expression of FAAH. This study shows a sexually diverse behavioral anti-depressive response to CBDA-ME and possible underlying mechanisms in females, supporting its potential use for treating MDD and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Hen-Shoval
- Psychology Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
- Correspondence: (D.H.-S.); (N.M.K.)
| | - Lital Moshe
- Psychology Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Talia Indig-Naimer
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Raphael Mechoulam
- Institute for Drug Research, Medical Faculty, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9112002, Israel
| | - Gal Shoval
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tiqva 4910002, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Gil Zalsman
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Natalya M. Kogan
- Institute of Personalized and Translational Medicine, Molecular Biology, Ariel University, Ariel 4070000, Israel
- Correspondence: (D.H.-S.); (N.M.K.)
| | - Aron Weller
- Psychology Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
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6
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Acero-Castillo MC, Ardila-Figueroa MC, Botelho de Oliveira S. Anhedonic Type Behavior and Anxiety Profile of Wistar-UIS Rats Subjected to Chronic Social Isolation. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:663761. [PMID: 34122025 PMCID: PMC8192826 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.663761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic Social Isolation (CSI) is a model of prolonged stress employed in a variety of studies to induce depression and anxious behavior in rats. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of CSI on male Wistar rats in terms of "anhedonic-type" behavior in the Sucrose Preference Test (SPT) and anxiogenic profile in the elevated-plus-maze (EPM) test, as well as evaluating the effect of resocialization upon sucrose consumption. A total of 24 adolescent male Wistar rats were evaluated. The animals were housed either together (communally) or socially isolated for 21 days, and then exposed for four consecutive days to the SPT test [water vs. a 32% sucrose solution (SS)]. Four days later, they were again subjected to the SPT test (32% vs. 0.7% SS), and then tested on the EPM apparatus 3 days later. Following the completion of the anxiogenic profile of the model, the animals were resocialized for 72 h and then re-tested once again using the SPT (32% vs. 0.7% SS). Twenty-four hours after this final consumption, the animals were euthanized to record the weight of their adrenal glands (AG). It was found that exposure to CSI produces anhedonic-type behavior and an anxiogenic profile in adolescent male rats, as evidenced in both the SPT and EPM tests, as well as in the animals' physiological stress response. It was also demonstrated that resocialization does not reverse the anhedonic-type behavior, nor the physiological response to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Camila Acero-Castillo
- Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Sectional Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia.,Neurosciences and Behavior, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Sectional Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia.,Health Sciences, Universidade de Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - María Camila Ardila-Figueroa
- Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Sectional Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia.,Neurosciences and Behavior, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Sectional Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia
| | - Silvia Botelho de Oliveira
- Neurosciences and Behavior, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Sectional Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia.,Psychology, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil.,Psychobiology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Sectional Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia.,Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behavior, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Sectional Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia
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7
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Fontana BD, Müller TE, Cleal M, de Abreu MS, Norton WHJ, Demin KA, Amstislavskaya TG, Petersen EV, Kalueff AV, Parker MO, Rosemberg DB. Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) models to understand the critical role of social interactions in mental health and wellbeing. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 208:101993. [PMID: 33440208 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.101993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Social behavior represents a beneficial interaction between conspecifics that is critical for maintaining health and wellbeing. Dysfunctional or poor social interaction are associated with increased risk of physical (e.g., vascular) and psychiatric disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, and substance abuse). Although the impact of negative and positive social interactions is well-studied, their underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Zebrafish have well-characterized social behavior phenotypes, high genetic homology with humans, relative experimental simplicity and the potential for high-throughput screens. Here, we discuss the use of zebrafish as a candidate model organism for studying the fundamental mechanisms underlying social interactions, as well as potential impacts of social isolation on human health and wellbeing. Overall, the growing utility of zebrafish models may improve our understanding of how the presence and absence of social interactions can differentially modulate various molecular and physiological biomarkers, as well as a wide range of other behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara D Fontana
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK.
| | - Talise E Müller
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Laboratory of Experimental Neuropscychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Madeleine Cleal
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK
| | - Murilo S de Abreu
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Brazil
| | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Konstantin A Demin
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Center, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Scientific Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Elena V Petersen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Neuroscience and Bioscreening, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China; Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Matthew O Parker
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Denis B Rosemberg
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Laboratory of Experimental Neuropscychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA.
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8
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Millard SJ, Weston-Green K, Newell KA. The Wistar-Kyoto rat model of endogenous depression: A tool for exploring treatment resistance with an urgent need to focus on sex differences. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 101:109908. [PMID: 32145362 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the leading causes of years lived with disability and contributor to the burden of disease worldwide. The incidence of MDD has increased by ~20% in the last decade. Currently antidepressant drugs such as the popular selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the leading form of pharmaceutical intervention for the treatment of MDD. SSRIs however, are inefficient in ameliorating depressive symptoms in ~50% of patients and exhibit a prolonged latency of efficacy. Due to the burden of disease, there is an increasing need to understand the neurobiology underpinning MDD and to discover effective treatment strategies. Endogenous models of MDD, such as the Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat provide a valuable tool for investigating the pathophysiology of MDD. The WKY rat displays behavioural and neurobiological phenotypes similar to that observed in clinical cases of MDD, as well as resistance to common antidepressants. Specifically, the WKY strain exhibits increased anxiety- and depressive-like behaviours, as well as alterations in Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis, serotonergic, dopaminergic and neurotrophic systems with emerging studies suggesting an involvement of neuroinflammation. More recent investigations have shown evidence for reduced cortical and hippocampal volumes and altered glutamatergic signalling in the WKY strain. Given the growing interest in therapeutics targeting the glutamatergic system, the WKY strain presents itself as a potentially useful tool for screening novel antidepressant drugs and their efficacy against treatment resistant depression. However, despite the sexual dimorphism present in the pathophysiology and aetiology of MDD, sex differences in the WKY model are rarely investigated, with most studies focusing on males. Accordingly, this review highlights what is known regarding sex differences and where further research is needed. Whilst acknowledging that investigation into a range of depression models is required to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms of MDD, here we review the WKY strain, and its relevance to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Millard
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
| | - Katrina Weston-Green
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
| | - Kelly A Newell
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
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9
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Aleksandrova LR, Wang YT, Phillips AG. Evaluation of the Wistar-Kyoto rat model of depression and the role of synaptic plasticity in depression and antidepressant response. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 105:1-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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10
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Microglia along sex lines: From brain colonization, maturation and function, to implication in neurodevelopmental disorders. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 94:152-163. [PMID: 31201858 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In addition to their traditional role as immune sentinels, recent discoveries over the last decade have shown that microglial functions now include regulation of neuronal/glial cell migration, differentiation and maturation, as well as neuronal network formation. It was thus proposed that disruption of these microglial roles, during critical periods of brain development, could lead to the pathological onset of several neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder. The prevalence of these disorders exhibits a clear distinction along sex lines with very little known about the mechanisms underlying this difference. One of the fundamental discoveries that arose from recent research into the physiological roles of microglia in neurodevelopment is their sexual dimorphism, raising the intriguing possibility that sex differences in microglial colonization, maturation and/or function in the developing brain could underlie the emergence of various neurodevelopmental disorders. This review discusses the physiological roles of microglia across neurodevelopment, these roles in the two sexes, and the recent evidence that microglial sexually dimorphic nature may contribute, at least partially, to neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Simola N, Granon S. Ultrasonic vocalizations as a tool in studying emotional states in rodent models of social behavior and brain disease. Neuropharmacology 2018; 159:107420. [PMID: 30445100 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Rodents emit ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) to communicate the presence of positive or negative emotional states and to coordinate social interactions. On this basis, USVs are increasingly being used as a behavioral readout in rodent studies of affect, motivation and social behavior. Notably, several investigations have demonstrated that rodents emit USVs when tested in experimental paradigms that are used in preclinical studies of psychiatric and neurological diseases. Moreover, it has been shown that calling behavior may be influenced by genetic and/or environmental factors (i.e., stress), early rearing conditions that have been implicated in brain disease, as well as psychoactive drugs. Hence, measuring USV emissions has emerged as a useful tool in studying the mechanisms that underlie the emotional disturbances featuring certain brain diseases, as well as in the development of suited pharmacological therapies. This review provides an overview of the behavioral significance of USV emissions and describes the contexts that promote calling behavior in rats and mice. Moreover, the review summarizes the current evidence concerning the use of USVs as a marker of affect in rat and mouse models of sociability, psychiatric diseases and neurological diseases, and discusses the strengths and current limitations of using USVs as a behavioral readout in rodent studies of emotional behavior. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The neuropharmacology of social behavior: from bench to bedside'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Simola
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Sylvie Granon
- Neurobiology of Decision Making, Institute of Neuroscience Paris-Saclay, UMR9197, Université Paris-Sud, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Orsay, France
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Brymer KJ, Fenton EY, Kalynchuk LE, Caruncho HJ. Peripheral Etanercept Administration Normalizes Behavior, Hippocampal Neurogenesis, and Hippocampal Reelin and GABA A Receptor Expression in a Preclinical Model of Depression. Front Pharmacol 2018. [PMID: 29515447 PMCID: PMC5826281 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a serious psychiatric disorder frequently comorbid with autoimmune disorders. Previous work in our lab has demonstrated that repeated corticosterone (CORT) injections in rats reliably increase depressive-like behavior, impair hippocampal-dependent memory, reduce the number and complexity of adult-generated neurons in the dentate gyrus, decrease hippocampal reelin expression, and alter markers of GABAergic function. We hypothesized that peripheral injections of the TNF-α inhibitor etanercept could exert antidepressant effects through a restoration of many of these neurobiological changes. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effect of repeated CORT injections and concurrent injections of etanercept on measures of object-location and object-in-place memory, forced-swim test behavior, hippocampal neurogenesis, and reelin and GABA β2/3 immunohistochemistry. CORT increased immobility behavior in the forced swim test and impaired both object-location and object-in-place memory, and these effects were reversed by etanercept. CORT also decreased both the number and complexity of adult-generated neurons, but etanercept restored these measures back to control levels. Finally, CORT decreased the number of reelin and GABA β2/3-ir cells within the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus, and etanercept restored these to control levels. These novel results demonstrate that peripheral etanercept has antidepressant effects that are accompanied by a restoration of cognitive function, hippocampal neurogenesis, and GABAergic plasticity, and suggest that a normalization of reelin expression in the dentate gyrus could be a key component underlying these novel antidepressant effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Brymer
- Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Erin Y Fenton
- Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Lisa E Kalynchuk
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Hector J Caruncho
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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D'Souza D, Sadananda M. Estrous Cycle Phase-Dependent Changes in Anxiety- and Depression-Like Profiles in the Late Adolescent Wistar-Kyoto Rat. Ann Neurosci 2017; 24:136-145. [PMID: 28867895 DOI: 10.1159/000477151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression often manifests during adolescence when the development and networking of social and emotional brain areas is being influenced by hormones. The Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat has been proposed as an animal model of adolescent depression with various face, construct, and predictive validities for clinical depression having been established. PURPOSE The influence of the estrous cycle on anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in female adolescents may be tested out further using this model. METHODS Female adolescent WKY rats were tested for anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze and forced swim test (FST) during different phases of the estrous cycle with inbred, age-, and phase-matched Wistar rats as controls. RESULTS Wistars in proestrus-estrus demonstrated reduced anxiety levels. WKY also demonstrated increased open arm time and entries and closed arm time, but less than Wistars, and as closed arm entries remained unaffected, it did not translate into a lowering of the anxiety levels. Risk taking and risk assessment behaviors were not affected by estrous phases in WKY, though exploratory behavior was reduced in proestrus-estrus. In Wistars, increased risk taking and decreased risk assessment behaviors were observed during proestrus-estrus. Increased immobility in the FST, indicative of learned helplessness was not influenced by phase in the WKY, which was at variance with Wistars that demonstrated phase-specific differences. CONCLUSION Results indicate a masking effect of indicative hormones in this putative model of adolescent depression, with implications for an unravelling of the steroid milieu in predisposed adolescent depression and for taking phase-specific time windows into account for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepthi D'Souza
- Brain Research Laboratory, Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biosciences, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, India
| | - Monika Sadananda
- Brain Research Laboratory, Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biosciences, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, India
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Brief Social Isolation in the Adolescent Wistar-Kyoto Rat Model of Endogenous Depression Alters Corticosterone and Regional Monoamine Concentrations. Neurochem Res 2017; 42:1470-1477. [PMID: 28233145 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-017-2203-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Revised: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY) model has been suggested as a model of adult and adolescent depression though face, predictive and construct validities of the model to depression remain equivocal. The suitability of the WKY as a diathesis model that tests the double-hit hypothesis, particularly during critical periods of brain and behavioural development remains to be established. Here, effects of post-weaning social isolation were assessed during early adolescence (~30pnd) on behavioural despair and learned helplessness in the forced swim test (FST), plasma corticosterone levels and tissue monoamine concentrations in brain areas critically involved in depression, such as prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, striatum and hippocampus. Significantly increased immobility in the FST was observed in socially-isolated, adolescent WKY with a concomitant increase in corticosterone levels over and above the FST-induced stress. WKY also demonstrated a significantly increased release and utilization of dopamine, as manifested by levels of metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid in nucleus accumbens, indicating that the large dopamine storage pool evident during adolescence induces greater dopamine release when stimulated. The serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid was also significantly increased in nucleus accumbens, indicating increased utilization of serotonin, along with norepinephrine levels which were also signficantly elevated in socially-isolated adolescent WKY. Differences in neurochemistry suggest that social or environmental stimuli during critical periods of brain and behavioural development can determine the developmental trajectories of implicated pathways.
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