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Salloum F, Farran M, Shaib H, Jurjus A, Sleiman R, Khalil MI. Establishing an OCD Model in BALB/c Mice Using RU24969: A Molecular and Behavioural Study of Optimal Dose Selection. Behav Neurol 2024; 2024:4504858. [PMID: 38566972 PMCID: PMC10985275 DOI: 10.1155/2024/4504858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling disease characterized by distressing obsessions and repetitive compulsions. The etiology of OCD is poorly known, and mouse modeling allows to clarify the genetic and neurochemical basis of this disorder and to investigate potential treatments. This study evaluates the impact of the 5-HT1B agonist RU24969 on the induction of OCD-like behaviours in female BALB/c mice (n = 30), distributed across five groups receiving varying doses of RU24969. Behavioural assessments, including marble test, tail suspension test, sucrose preference test, forced swim test, and nestlet shredding test, were conducted. Gene expression and protein quantitation of Gabra1 and serotonin transporter in mouse brain were also performed. Marble-burying behaviour increased significantly at high doses of RU24969 (15-20 mg/kg). The forced swimming test consistently showed elevated values at the same high concentrations, compared to the control. Altered reward-seeking behaviour was indicated by the sucrose preference test, notably at 15 and 20 mg/kg doses of RU24969. Nestlet shredding results did not show statistical significance among the tested animal groups. Gene expression analysis revealed reduced Gabra1 expression with increasing doses of RU, while serotonin transporter was not related to varying doses of RU24969. Western blotting corroborated these trends. The results underscore complex interactions between the serotonin system, GABAergic signaling, and OCD-relevant behaviours and suggest the use of intraperitoneal injection of 15 mg/kg of RU24969 to induce OCD-like behaviour in BALB/c mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Salloum
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mohamad Farran
- Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Houssam Shaib
- Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Abdo Jurjus
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Roni Sleiman
- Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mahmoud I. Khalil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
- Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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Wilson C, Hannan AJ, Renoir T. Serotonergic agonism and pharmacologically-induced adolescent stress cause operant-based learning deficits in mice. Neuropharmacology 2024; 244:109801. [PMID: 38040286 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The interplay between environmental stress and genetic factors is thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis and maintenance of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, the relative contribution of these causative antecedents in the manifestation of cognitive inflexibility-a phenotype often seen in obsessive-compulsive (OC)- spectrum disorders-is not fully understood. METHOD In this study, we treated mice with 50 mg/L corticosterone (CORT, a glucocorticoid stress hormone) in their drinking water during adolescence. In adulthood, we assessed anxiety-like behaviour and locomotor activity; along with operant-based discrimination and reversal learning. RU-24969, a selective serotonin receptor 5-HT1A/1B receptor agonist, was used as an acute pharmacological model of OC-like behaviour. RU-24969 (5 mg/kg) was administered prior to each reversal learning testing session. RESULTS We found that acute treatment with 5 mg/kg RU-24969 induced stereotyped hyperlocomotion in vehicle- and CORT-treated mice. Furthermore, pre-treatment with CORT in adolescence produced subtle anxiety-like behaviour in adult mice, and also resulted in an impairment to late-stage discrimination learning and alterations to reversal learning. Finally, acute treatment with 5 mg/kg RU-24969 caused an impairment to early-stage reversal learning. CONCLUSION Whilst we revealed dissociable detrimental effects of adolescent CORT treatment and acute 5-HT1A/1B receptor agonism on discrimination and reversal learning, respectively, we did not find evidence of additive deleterious effects of these two treatments. We therefore suggest that while disrupted serotonergic signalling is likely to be involved in the cognitive phenotype of OC-spectrum disorders, distinct neuropathological pathways may be at play in mediating the role of stress as an antecedent in OCD and related illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carey Wilson
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Thibault Renoir
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
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McDougall SA, Roe MJ, Robinson JAM, Cotter LL, Gonzalez DJ, Gleason DC, Crawford CA. Effects of the serotonin 5-HT 1B receptor agonist CP 94253 on the locomotor activity and body temperature of preweanling and adult male and female rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 926:175019. [PMID: 35561752 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin 5-HT1A receptor agonists increase locomotor activity of both preweanling and adult rodents. The part played by the 5-HT1B receptor in locomotion is less certain, with preliminary evidence suggesting that the actions of 5-HT1B receptor agonists are not uniform across ontogeny. To more fully examine the role of 5-HT1B receptors, locomotor activity and axillary temperatures of preweanling and adult male and female rats was assessed. In the first experiment, adult (PD 70) and preweanling (PD 10 and PD 15) male and female rats were injected with the 5-HT1B agonist CP 94253 (2.5-10 mg/kg) immediately before locomotor activity testing and 60 min before axillary temperatures were recorded. In the second experiment, specificity of drug action was determined in PD 10 rats by administering saline, WAY 100635 (a 5-HT1A antagonist), or GR 127935 (a 5-HT1B antagonist) 30 min before CP 94253 (10 mg/kg) treatment. CP 94253 significantly increased the locomotor activity of preweanling rats on PD 10, an effect that was fully attenuated by GR 127935. Conversely, CP 94253 significantly decreased the locomotor activity of male and female adult rats, while CP 94253 did not affect the locomotor activity of PD 15 rats. Regardless of age, CP 94253 (2.5-10 mg/kg) significantly reduced the axillary temperatures of preweanling and adult rats. When considered together, these results show that 5-HT1B receptor stimulation activates motor circuits in PD 10 rats; whereas, 5-HT1B receptor agonism reduces the overall locomotor activity of adult rats, perhaps by blunting exploratory tendencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanders A McDougall
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Matthew J Roe
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | | | - Laura L Cotter
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Diego J Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Devon C Gleason
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Cynthia A Crawford
- Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA.
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Acute serotonin 1B/1A receptor activation impairs behavioral flexibility in C57BL/6J mice. Behav Brain Res 2022; 427:113865. [PMID: 35367298 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Pharmacological activation of the serotonin (5-HT) 1B and 5-HT1A receptors has been shown to induce OCD-like perseverative circling and locomotor stereotypy in rodents. Although, several studies have examined how activation of these receptors facilitates these motor-associated OCD-like behaviors, it is not known how acute 5-HT1B and 5-HT1A activation impacts behavioral inflexibility, a common trait related to OCD. The current study examined how acute 5-HT1B/1A receptor agonist RU24969 treatment at 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/kg impacted behavioral flexibility in both female and male C57BL/6J mice. Behavioral flexibility was tested using a spatial reversal learning task, with probabilistic reward contingencies. In addition, locomotor activity and anxiety-like behaviors were also measured. RU24969 at 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg impaired behavioral flexibility in both female and male C57BL/6J mice. RU24969 treatment at 1.0 mg/kg reduced locomotor activity in male mice, although RU24969 treatment did not significantly reduce locomotor activity in female mice. In the open field, 1.0 mg/kg elevated anxiety-like behavior in male mice only. Overall, these results demonstrate that acute 5-HT1B and 5-HT1A receptor activation leads to impairments in behavioral flexibility, a common trait associated with OCD.
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Effects of repeated treatment with the 5-HT 1A and 5-HT 1B agonists (R)-( +)-8-hydroxy-DPAT and CP-94253 on the locomotor activity and axillary temperatures of preweanling rats: evidence of tolerance and behavioral sensitization. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:413-427. [PMID: 34816290 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-06012-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Drugs that stimulate 5-HT1A/1B receptors produce both tolerance and behavioral sensitization in adult rats and mice, yet it is unknown whether the same types of plasticity are evident during earlier ontogenetic periods. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated treatment with selective 5-HT1A and/or 5-HT1B agonists cause tolerance and/or sensitization in preweanling rats. METHODS In Experiments 1 and 2, male and female preweanling rats were given a single pretreatment injection of saline, the 5-HT1A agonist (R)-( +)-8-hydroxy-DPAT (8-OH-DPAT), or the 5-HT1B agonist CP-94253 on PD 20. After 48 h, rats received a challenge injection of 8-OH-DPAT or CP-94253, respectively. In Experiment 3, rats were pretreated with saline or DPAT + CP on PD 20 and challenged with the same drug cocktail on PD 22. In Experiment 4, the tolerance- or sensitization-inducing properties of 8-OH-DPAT, CP-94253, or DPAT + CP were tested after a 4-day pretreatment regimen on PD 17-20. RESULTS On the first pretreatment day, 8-OH-DPAT, CP-94253, and DPAT + CP increased locomotion and caused hypothermia. Repeated treatment with 8-OH-DPAT (2 or 8 mg/kg) or DPAT + CP caused locomotor sensitization in preweanling rats. In contrast, tolerance to the hypothermic effects of 8-OH-DPAT (8 mg/kg), CP-94253 (5-20 mg/kg), or DPAT + CP was evident after repeated drug treatment. CONCLUSIONS During the preweanling period, a single injection of a selective 5-HT1A or 5-HT1B agonist is capable of producing drug-induced plasticity. A pretreatment administration of 8-OH-DPAT causes both tolerance (hypothermia) and behavioral sensitization (locomotor activity) in preweanling rats, whereas repeated CP-94253 treatment results in tolerance.
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McDougall SA, Robinson JAM, Gleason DC, Cotter LL. Reciprocal cross-sensitization between cocaine and RU 24969 in male and female preweanling rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 209:173265. [PMID: 34437872 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal adaptations involving dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and serotonergic neurotransmitter systems are responsible for behavioral sensitization. Because of common underlying mechanisms, cross-sensitization between compounds of different drug classes can be observed. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a one- or four-day pretreatment regimen of RU 24969 (a 5-HT1A/1B receptor agonist) would reciprocally cross-sensitize with cocaine or methamphetamine in male and female preweanling rats. Rats were pretreated with RU 24969 (0 or 5 mg/kg) for 4 days (PD 17-20) and then challenged with cocaine (10 or 20 mg/kg) or methamphetamine (1 or 2 mg/kg) on PD 22. Reciprocal cross-sensitization was also assessed (i.e., rats were pretreated with psychostimulants and tested with RU 24969). In a follow-up experiment, the ability of RU 24969 and cocaine to reciprocally cross-sensitize was assessed using a one-day pretreatment regimen. Reciprocal cross-sensitization between cocaine and RU 24969 was evident in preweanling rats, whereas methamphetamine and RU 24969 did not cross-sensitize. When a one-trial pretreatment regimen was used, cross-sensitization was only detected when rats were pretreated with RU 24969 and tested with cocaine, but not the reverse. In sum, the present results show that the nonselective 5-HT1A/1B receptor agonist RU 24969 cross-sensitizes with cocaine, but not methamphetamine, in preweanling rats. This dichotomy may be a function of cocaine having a greater affinity for the serotonin transporter than methamphetamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanders A McDougall
- Department of Psychology, 5500 University Parkway, California State University, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA.
| | - Jasmine A M Robinson
- Department of Psychology, 5500 University Parkway, California State University, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA
| | - Devon C Gleason
- Department of Psychology, 5500 University Parkway, California State University, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA
| | - Laura L Cotter
- Department of Psychology, 5500 University Parkway, California State University, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA
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