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Kropp DR, Rainville JR, Glover ME, Tsyglakova M, Samanta R, Hage TR, Carlson AE, Clinton SM, Hodes GE. Chronic variable stress leads to sex specific gut microbiome alterations in mice. Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 37:100755. [PMID: 38618010 PMCID: PMC11010943 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Stress has been implicated in the incidence and severity of psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders. The immune system is capable of modulating the activity and composition of the gut following stress and vice versa. In this study we sought to examine the sequential relationship between immune signaling and microbiome composition occurring in male and female mice over time using a variable stress paradigm. Tissue was collected prior to, during, and after the stress paradigm from the same mice. Cytokines from plasma and brain were quantified using a multiplexed cytokine assay. Fecal samples were collected at the same timepoints and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was performed to determine the relative abundance of microbiota residing in the guts of stressed and control mice. We found sex differences in the response of the gut microbiota to stress following 28 days of chronic variable stress but not 6 days of sub-chronic variable stress. Immune activation was quantified in the nucleus accumbens immediately following Sub-chronic variable when alterations of gut composition had not yet occurred. In both sexes, 28 days of stress induced significant changes in the proportion of Erysipelotrichaceae and Lactobacillaceae, but in opposite directions for male and female mice. Alterations to the gut microbiome in both sexes were associated with changes in cytokines related to eosinophilic immune activity. Our use of an animal stress model reveals the immune mechanisms that may underly changes in gut microbiome composition during and after stress. This study reveals potential drug targets and microbiota of interest for the intervention of stress related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawson R. Kropp
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jennifer R. Rainville
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Matthew E. Glover
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Mariya Tsyglakova
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Rupabali Samanta
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Tamer R. Hage
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Audrey E. Carlson
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Sarah M. Clinton
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Georgia E. Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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Li H, Kawatake-Kuno A, Inaba H, Miyake Y, Itoh Y, Ueki T, Oishi N, Murai T, Suzuki T, Uchida S. Discrete prefrontal neuronal circuits determine repeated stress-induced behavioral phenotypes in male mice. Neuron 2024; 112:786-804.e8. [PMID: 38228137 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.12.004] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Chronic stress is a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders, including depression. Although depression is a highly heterogeneous syndrome, it remains unclear how chronic stress drives individual differences in behavioral responses. In this study, we developed a subtyping-based approach wherein stressed male mice were divided into four subtypes based on their behavioral patterns of social interaction deficits and anhedonia, the core symptoms of psychiatric disorders. We identified three prefrontal cortical neuronal projections that regulate repeated stress-induced behavioral phenotypes. Among them, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)→anterior paraventricular thalamus (aPVT) pathway determines the specific behavioral subtype that exhibits both social deficits and anhedonia. Additionally, we identified the circuit-level molecular mechanism underlying this subtype: KDM5C-mediated epigenetic repression of Shisa2 transcription in aPVT projectors in the mPFC led to social deficits and anhedonia. Thus, we provide a set of biological aspects at the cellular, molecular, and epigenetic levels that determine distinctive stress-induced behavioral phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Li
- SK Project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Ayako Kawatake-Kuno
- SK Project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hiromichi Inaba
- SK Project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Department of Psychiatry, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yuka Miyake
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki-shi, Osaka 567-0047, Japan; Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Itoh
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki-shi, Osaka 567-0047, Japan; Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Takatoshi Ueki
- Department of Integrative Anatomy, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Naoya Oishi
- SK Project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Department of Psychiatry, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Toshiya Murai
- Department of Psychiatry, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Suzuki
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki-shi, Osaka 567-0047, Japan; Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Shusaku Uchida
- SK Project, Medical Innovation Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Hon-cho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan; Kyoto University Medical Science and Business Liaison Organization, Medical Innovation Center, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan; Department of Integrative Anatomy, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan.
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McCallum RT, Thériault RK, Manduca JD, Russell ISB, Culmer AM, Doost JS, Martino TA, Perreault ML. Nrf2 activation rescues stress-induced depression-like behaviour and inflammatory responses in male but not female rats. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:16. [PMID: 38350966 PMCID: PMC10863247 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00589-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurring affective disorder that is two times more prevalent in females than males. Evidence supports immune system dysfunction as a major contributing factor to MDD, notably in a sexually dimorphic manner. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a regulator of antioxidant signalling during inflammation, is dysregulated in many chronic inflammatory disorders; however, its role in depression and the associated sex differences have yet to be explored. Here, we investigated the sex-specific antidepressant and immunomodulatory effects of the potent Nrf2 activator dimethyl fumarate (DMF), as well as the associated gene expression profiles. METHODS Male and female rats were treated with vehicle or DMF (25 mg/kg) whilst subjected to 8 weeks of chronic unpredictable stress. The effect of DMF treatment on stress-induced depression- and anxiety-like behaviours, as well as deficits in recognition and spatial learning and memory were then assessed. Sex differences in hippocampal (HIP) microglial activation and gene expression response were also evaluated. RESULTS DMF treatment during stress exposure had antidepressant effects in male but not female rats, with no anxiolytic effects in either sex. Recognition learning and memory and spatial learning and memory were impaired in chronically stressed males and females, respectively, and DMF treatment rescued these deficits. DMF treatment also prevented stress-induced HIP microglial activation in males. Conversely, females displayed no HIP microglial activation associated with stress exposure. Last, chronic stress elicited sex-specific alterations in HIP gene expression, many of which were normalized in animals treated with DMF. Of note, most of the differentially expressed genes in males normalized by DMF were related to antioxidant, inflammatory or immune responses. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these findings support a greater role of immune processes in males than females in a rodent model of depression. This suggests that pharmacotherapies that target Nrf2 have the potential to be an effective sex-specific treatment for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T McCallum
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Rachel-Karson Thériault
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Joshua D Manduca
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Isaac S B Russell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Angel M Culmer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Janan Shoja Doost
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Tami A Martino
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Melissa L Perreault
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Doney E, Dion-Albert L, Coulombe-Rozon F, Osborne N, Bernatchez R, Paton SE, Kaufmann FN, Agomma RO, Solano JL, Gaumond R, Dudek KA, Szyszkowicz JK, Lebel M, Doyen A, Durand A, Lavoie-Cardinal F, Audet MC, Menard C. Chronic Stress Exposure Alters the Gut Barrier: Sex-Specific Effects on Microbiota and Jejunum Tight Junctions. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:213-228. [PMID: 38306213 PMCID: PMC10829561 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Of individuals with MDD, 30% to 50% are unresponsive to common antidepressants, highlighting untapped causal biological mechanisms. Dysfunction in the microbiota-gut-brain axis has been implicated in MDD pathogenesis. Exposure to chronic stress disrupts blood-brain barrier integrity; still, little is known about intestinal barrier function in these conditions, particularly for the small intestine, where absorption of most foods and drugs takes place. Methods We investigated how chronic social or variable stress, two mouse models of depression, impact the jejunum intestinal barrier in males and females. Mice were subjected to stress paradigms followed by analysis of gene expression profiles of intestinal barrier-related targets, fecal microbial composition, and blood-based markers. Results Altered microbial populations and changes in gene expression of jejunum tight junctions were observed depending on the type and duration of stress, with sex-specific effects. We used machine learning to characterize in detail morphological tight junction properties, identifying a cluster of ruffled junctions in stressed animals. Junctional ruffling is associated with inflammation, so we evaluated whether lipopolysaccharide injection recapitulates stress-induced changes in the jejunum and observed profound sex differences. Finally, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, a marker of gut barrier leakiness, was associated with stress vulnerability in mice, and translational value was confirmed on blood samples from women with MDD. Conclusions Our results provide evidence that chronic stress disrupts intestinal barrier homeostasis in conjunction with the manifestation of depressive-like behaviors in a sex-specific manner in mice and, possibly, in human depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Doney
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Laurence Dion-Albert
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Francois Coulombe-Rozon
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Natasha Osborne
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Renaud Bernatchez
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Sam E.J. Paton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Fernanda Neutzling Kaufmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Roseline Olory Agomma
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - José L. Solano
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Raphael Gaumond
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Katarzyna A. Dudek
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Joanna Kasia Szyszkowicz
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute and Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Manon Lebel
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Alain Doyen
- Department of Food Science, Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Audrey Durand
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Flavie Lavoie-Cardinal
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie-Claude Audet
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- School of Nutrition Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Caroline Menard
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
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5
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Kim M, Kim W, Chung C. The neural basis underlying female vulnerability to depressive disorders. Anim Cells Syst (Seoul) 2023; 27:297-308. [PMID: 38023591 PMCID: PMC10653660 DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2023.2276815] [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: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Depressive disorders are more prevalent and severe in women; however, our knowledge of the underlying factors contributing to female vulnerability to depression remains limited. Additionally, females are notably underrepresented in studies seeking to understand the mechanisms of depression. Various animal models of depression have been devised, but only recently have females been included in research. In this comprehensive review, we aim to describe the sex differences in the prevalence, pathophysiology, and responses to drug treatment in patients with depression. Subsequently, we highlight animal models of depression in which both sexes have been studied, in the pursuit of identifying models that accurately reflect female vulnerability to depression. We also introduce explanations for the neural basis of sex differences in depression. Notably, the medial prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens have exhibited sex differences in previous studies. Furthermore, other brain circuits involving the dopaminergic center (ventral tegmental area) and the serotonergic center (dorsal raphe nucleus), along with their respective projections, have shown sex differences in relation to depression. In conclusion, our review covers the critical aspects of sex differences in depression, with a specific focus on female vulnerability in humans and its representation in animal models, including the potential underlying mechanisms. Employing suitable animal models that effectively represent female vulnerability would benefit our understanding of the sex-dependent pathophysiology of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minsoo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Woonhee Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - ChiHye Chung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea
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Wang X, Xia Y, Yan R, Sun H, Huang Y, Zou H, Du Y, Hua L, Tang H, Zhou H, Yao Z, Lu Q. The sex differences in anhedonia in major depressive disorder: A resting-state fMRI study. J Affect Disord 2023; 340:555-566. [PMID: 37591350 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.08.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The external behavioural manifestations and internal neural mechanisms of anhedonia are sexually dimorphic. This study aimed to explore the sex differences in the regional brain neuroimaging features of anhedonia in the context of major depressive disorder (MDD). METHOD The resting-fMRI by applying amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method was estimated in 414 patients with MDD (281 high anhedonia [HA], 133 low anhedonia [LA]) and 213 healthy controls (HC). The effects of two factors in patients with MDD were analysed using a 2 (sex: male, female) × 2 (group: HA, LA) ANOVA concerning the brain regions in which statistical differences were identified between patients with MDD and HC. We followed up with patients with HA at baseline, and 43 patients completed a second fMRI scan in remission. Paired t-test was performed to compare the ALFF values of anhedonia-related brain regions between the baseline and remission periods. RESULTS For the sex-by-group interaction, the bilateral insula, right hippocampus, right post cingulum cortex, and left putamen showed significant differences. Furthermore, the abnormally elevated ALFF values in anhedonia-related brain regions at baseline decreased in remission. CONCLUSION Our findings point to the fact that the females showed unique patterns of anhedonia-related brain activity compared to males, which may have clinical implications for interfering with the anhedonia symptoms in MDD. Using task fMRI, we can further examine the distinct characteristics between consumption anhedonia and anticipation anhedonia in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqin Wang
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yi Xia
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Rui Yan
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Hao Sun
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China; Nanjing Brain Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Yinghong Huang
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China; Nanjing Brain Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Haowen Zou
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China; Nanjing Brain Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Yishan Du
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Lingling Hua
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Hao Tang
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Hongliang Zhou
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Zhijian Yao
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 264 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China; Nanjing Brain Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093, China; School of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China.
| | - Qing Lu
- School of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, 2 sipailou, Nanjing 210096, China; Child Development and Learning Science, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210096, China.
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Boyle CC, Bower JE, Eisenberger NI, Irwin MR. Stress to inflammation and anhedonia: Mechanistic insights from preclinical and clinical models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105307. [PMID: 37419230 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Anhedonia, as evidenced by impaired pleasurable response to reward, reduced reward motivation, and/or deficits in reward-related learning, is a common feature of depression. Such deficits in reward processing are also an important clinical target as a risk factor for depression onset. Unfortunately, reward-related deficits remain difficult to treat. To address this gap and inform the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies, it is critical to understand the mechanisms that drive impairments in reward function. Stress-induced inflammation is a plausible mechanism of reward deficits. The purpose of this paper is to review evidence for two components of this psychobiological pathway: 1) the effects of stress on reward function; and 2) the effects of inflammation on reward function. Within these two areas, we draw upon preclinical and clinical models, distinguish between acute and chronic effects of stress and inflammation, and address specific domains of reward dysregulation. By addressing these contextual factors, the review reveals a nuanced literature which might be targeted for additional scientific inquiry to inform the development of precise interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe C Boyle
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA.
| | - Julienne E Bower
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA; Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael R Irwin
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA
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8
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Bouarab C, Wynalda M, Thompson BV, Khurana A, Cody CR, Kisner A, Polter AM. Sex-specific adaptations to VTA circuits following subchronic stress. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.02.551665. [PMID: 37577542 PMCID: PMC10418168 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.02.551665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the mesolimbic reward circuitry is implicated in the pathophysiology of stress-related illnesses such as depression and anxiety. These disorders are more frequently diagnosed in females, and sex differences in the response to stress are likely to be one factor that leads to enhanced vulnerability of females. In this study, we use subchronic variable stress (SCVS), a model in which females are uniquely vulnerable to behavioral disturbances, to investigate sexually divergent mechanisms of regulation of the ventral tegmental area by stress. Using slice electrophysiology, we find that female, but not male mice have a reduction in the ex vivo firing rate of VTA dopaminergic neurons following SCVS. Surprisingly, both male and female animals show an increase in inhibitory tone onto VTA dopaminergic neurons and an increase in the firing rate of VTA GABAergic neurons. In males, however, this is accompanied by a robust increase in excitatory synaptic tone onto VTA dopamine neurons. This supports a model by which SCVS recruits VTA GABA neurons to inhibit dopaminergic neurons in both male and female mice, but males are protected from diminished functioning of the dopaminergic system by a compensatory upregulation of excitatory synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Bouarab
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037
- Current address: Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75015 Paris
| | - Megan Wynalda
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037
| | - Brittney V. Thompson
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037
- Current address: Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahasse, FL, 32306
| | - Ambika Khurana
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037
| | - Caitlyn R. Cody
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037
- Current address: Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115
| | - Alexandre Kisner
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037
- Current address: Department of Neuroscience, American University, Washington DC 20016
| | - Abigail M. Polter
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC 20037
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9
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Ashby DM, McGirr A. Selective effects of acute and chronic stress on slow and alpha-theta cortical functional connectivity and reversal with subanesthetic ketamine. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:642-652. [PMID: 36402835 PMCID: PMC9938145 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01506-y] [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: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Anxious, depressive, traumatic, and other stress-related disorders are associated with large scale brain network functional connectivity changes, yet the relationship between acute stress effects and the emergence of persistent large scale network reorganization is unclear. Using male Thy 1-jRGECO1a transgenic mice, we repeatedly sampled mesoscale cortical calcium activity across dorsal neocortex. First, mice were imaged in a homecage control condition, followed by an acute foot-shock stress, a chronic variable stress protocol, an acute on chronic foot-shock stress, and finally treatment with the prototype rapid acting antidepressant ketamine or vehicle. We derived functional connectivity metrics and network efficiency in two activity bands, namely slow cortical activity (0.3-4 Hz) and theta-alpha cortical activity (4-15 Hz). Compared to homecage control, an acute foot-shock stress induced widespread increases in cortical functional connectivity and network efficiency in the 4-15 Hz temporal band before normalizing after 24 h. Conversely, chronic stress produced a selective increase in between-module functional connectivity and network efficiency in the 0.3-4 Hz band, which was reversed after treatment with the rapid acting antidepressant ketamine. The functional connectivity changes induced by acute stress in the 4-15 Hz band were strongly related to those in the slow band after chronic stress, as well as the selective effects of subanesthetic ketamine. Together, this data indicates that stress induces functional connectivity changes with spatiotemporal features that link acute stress, persistent network reorganization after chronic stress, and treatment effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donovan M Ashby
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Alexander McGirr
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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10
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Kropp DR, Hodes GE. Sex differences in depression: An immunological perspective. Brain Res Bull 2023; 196:34-45. [PMID: 36863664 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a heterogenous disorder with symptoms that present differently across individuals. In a subset of people depression is associated with alterations of the immune system that may contribute to disorder onset and symptomology. Women are twice as likely to develop depression and on average have a more sensitive adaptive and innate immune system when compared to men. Sex differences in pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), cell populations, and circulating cytokines play a critical role in inflammation onset. Sex differences in innate and adaptive immunity change the response of and repair to damage caused by dangerous pathogens or molecules in the body. This article reviews the evidence for sex specific immune responses that contribute to the sex differences in symptoms of depression that may account for the higher rate of depression in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawson R Kropp
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Georgia E Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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11
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Stankiewicz AM, Jaszczyk A, Goscik J, Juszczak GR. Stress and the brain transcriptome: Identifying commonalities and clusters in standardized data from published experiments. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 119:110558. [PMID: 35405299 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Interpretation of transcriptomic experiments is hindered by many problems including false positives/negatives inherent to big-data methods and changes in gene nomenclature. To find the most consistent effect of stress on brain transcriptome, we retrieved data from 79 studies applying animal models and 3 human studies investigating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The analyzed data were obtained either with microarrays or RNA sequencing applied to samples collected from more than 1887 laboratory animals and from 121 human subjects. Based on the initial database containing a quarter million differential expression effect sizes representing transcripts in three species, we identified the most frequently reported genes in 223 stress-control comparisons. Additionally, the analysis considers sex, individual vulnerability and contribution of glucocorticoids. We also found an overlap between gene expression in PTSD patients and animals which indicates relevance of laboratory models for human stress response. Our analysis points to genes that, as far as we know, were not specifically tested for their role in stress response (Pllp, Arrdc2, Midn, Mfsd2a, Ccn1, Htra1, Csrnp1, Tenm4, Tnfrsf25, Sema3b, Fmo2, Adamts4, Gjb1, Errfi1, Fgf18, Galnt6, Slc25a42, Ifi30, Slc4a1, Cemip, Klf10, Tom1, Dcdc2c, Fancd2, Luzp2, Trpm1, Abcc12, Osbpl1a, Ptp4a2). Provided transcriptomic resource will be useful for guiding the new research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian M Stankiewicz
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Aneta Jaszczyk
- Department of Animal Behavior and Welfare, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Joanna Goscik
- Faculty of Computer Science, Bialystok University of Technology, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Grzegorz R Juszczak
- Department of Animal Behavior and Welfare, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland.
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12
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Markov DD, Novosadova EV. Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Model of Depression: Possible Sources of Poor Reproducibility and Latent Variables. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1621. [PMID: 36358321 PMCID: PMC9687170 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mood disorders worldwide. A lack of understanding of the exact neurobiological mechanisms of depression complicates the search for new effective drugs. Animal models are an important tool in the search for new approaches to the treatment of this disorder. All animal models of depression have certain advantages and disadvantages. We often hear that the main drawback of the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model of depression is its poor reproducibility, but rarely does anyone try to find the real causes and sources of such poor reproducibility. Analyzing the articles available in the PubMed database, we tried to identify the factors that may be the sources of the poor reproducibility of CUMS. Among such factors, there may be chronic sleep deprivation, painful stressors, social stress, the difference in sex and age of animals, different stress susceptibility of different animal strains, handling quality, habituation to stressful factors, various combinations of physical and psychological stressors in the CUMS protocol, the influence of olfactory and auditory stimuli on animals, as well as the possible influence of various other factors that are rarely taken into account by researchers. We assume that careful inspection of these factors will increase the reproducibility of the CUMS model between laboratories and allow to make the interpretation of the obtained results and their comparison between laboratories to be more adequate.
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13
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Baugher BJ, Sachs BD. Early life maternal separation induces sex-specific antidepressant-like responses but has minimal effects on adult stress susceptibility in mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:941884. [PMID: 36172469 PMCID: PMC9510594 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.941884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress is known to increase the risk of depression and anxiety disorders, which are highly prevalent conditions that disproportionately affect women. However, the results of preclinical studies have been mixed, with some work suggesting that early life stress promotes anxiety-like behavior and/or increases susceptibility to subsequent stressors, and other research suggesting that early life stress reduces anxiety-like behavior and/or confers resilience to subsequent stress exposure. It is likely that factors such as sex and the timing and severity of early life and adult stress exposure dictate whether a particular early life experience promotes adaptive vs. maladaptive behavior later in life. Most work in this area has focused exclusively on males, but several sex differences in the effects of early life stress on subsequent stress susceptibility have been reported. The current study examined the impact of early life maternal separation on susceptibility to behavioral alterations induced by 3 days of variable stress in adulthood in male and female c57BL6 mice. Our results indicate that 3 days of adult stress is sufficient to increase anxiety-like behavior in several paradigms and to increase immobility in the forced swim test. In contrast, a history of maternal separation reduces anxiety-like behavior in several tests, particularly in males. These findings could contribute to our understanding of sex differences in mental illness by demonstrating that males are more likely than females to display adaptive responses to mild early life stressors.
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14
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Petković A, Chaudhury D. Encore: Behavioural animal models of stress, depression and mood disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:931964. [PMID: 36004305 PMCID: PMC9395206 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.931964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal studies over the past two decades have led to extensive advances in our understanding of pathogenesis of depressive and mood disorders. Among these, rodent behavioural models proved to be of highest informative value. Here, we present a comprehensive overview of the most popular behavioural models with respect to physiological, circuit, and molecular biological correlates. Behavioural stress paradigms and behavioural tests are assessed in terms of outcomes, strengths, weaknesses, and translational value, especially in the domain of pharmacological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dipesh Chaudhury
- Laboratory of Neural Systems and Behaviour, Department of Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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15
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Helman TJ, Headrick JP, Peart JN, Stapelberg NJC. Central and cardiac stress resiliences consistently linked to integrated immuno-neuroendocrine responses across stress models in male mice. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:4333-4362. [PMID: 35763309 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15747] [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: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Stress resilience, and behavioural and cardiovascular impacts of chronic stress, are theorised to involve integrated neuro-endocrine/inflammatory/transmitter/trophin signalling. We tested for this integration, and whether behaviour/emotionality, together with myocardial ischaemic tolerance, are consistently linked to these pathways across diverse conditions in male C57Bl/6 mice. This included: Restraint Stress (RS), 1 hr restraint/day for 14 days; Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS), 7 stressors randomised over 21 days; Social Stress (SS), 35 days social isolation with brief social encounters in final 13 days; and Control conditions (CTRL; un-stressed mice). Behaviour was assessed via open field (OFT) and sucrose preference (SPT) tests, and neurobiology from frontal cortex (FC) and hippocampal transcripts. Endocrine factors, and function and ischaemic tolerance in isolated hearts, were also measured. Model characteristics ranged from no behavioural or myocardial changes with homotypic RS, to increased emotionality and cardiac ischaemic injury (with apparently distinct endocrine/neurobiological profiles) in CUMS and SS models. Highly integrated expression of HPA axis, neuro-inflammatory, BDNF, monoamine, GABA, cannabinoid and opioid signalling genes was confirmed across conditions, and consistent/potentially causal correlations identified for: i) Locomotor activity (noradrenaline, ghrelin; FC Crhr1, Tnfrsf1b, Il33, Nfkb1, Maoa, Gabra1; hippocampal Il33); ii) Thigmotaxis (adrenaline, leptin); iii) Anxiety-like behaviour (adrenaline, leptin; FC Tnfrsf1a; hippocampal Il33); iv) Depressive-like behaviour (ghrelin; FC/hippocampal s100a8); and v) Cardiac stress-resistance (noradrenaline, leptin; FC Il33, Tnfrsf1b, Htr1a, Gabra1, Gabrg2; hippocampal Il33, Tnfrsf1a, Maoa, Drd2). Data support highly integrated pathway responses to stress, and consistent adipokine, sympatho-adrenergic, inflammatory and monoamine involvement in mood and myocardial disturbances across diverse conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa J Helman
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Science, Griffith University, Southport, Australia
| | - John P Headrick
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Science, Griffith University, Southport, Australia
| | - Jason N Peart
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Science, Griffith University, Southport, Australia
| | - Nicolas J C Stapelberg
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Robina, Australia.,Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Southport, Australia
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16
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Touchant M, Labonté B. Sex-Specific Brain Transcriptional Signatures in Human MDD and Their Correlates in Mouse Models of Depression. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:845491. [PMID: 35592639 PMCID: PMC9110970 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.845491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is amongst the most devastating psychiatric conditions affecting several millions of people worldwide every year. Despite the importance of this disease and its impact on modern societies, still very little is known about the etiological mechanisms. Treatment strategies have stagnated over the last decades and very little progress has been made to improve the efficiency of current therapeutic approaches. In order to better understand the disease, it is necessary for researchers to use appropriate animal models that reproduce specific aspects of the complex clinical manifestations at the behavioral and molecular levels. Here, we review the current literature describing the use of mouse models to reproduce specific aspects of MDD and anxiety in males and females. We first describe some of the most commonly used mouse models and their capacity to display unique but also shared features relevant to MDD. We then transition toward an integral description, combined with genome-wide transcriptional strategies. The use of these models reveals crucial insights into the molecular programs underlying the expression of stress susceptibility and resilience in a sex-specific fashion. These studies performed on human and mouse tissues establish correlates into the mechanisms mediating the impact of stress and the extent to which different mouse models of chronic stress recapitulate the molecular changes observed in depressed humans. The focus of this review is specifically to highlight the sex differences revealed from different stress paradigms and transcriptional analyses both in human and animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen Touchant
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Labonté
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Benoit Labonté
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17
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Ogawa S, Parhar IS. Role of Habenula in Social and Reproductive Behaviors in Fish: Comparison With Mammals. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:818782. [PMID: 35221943 PMCID: PMC8867168 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.818782] [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: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Social behaviors such as mating, parenting, fighting, and avoiding are essential functions as a communication tool in social animals, and are critical for the survival of individuals and species. Social behaviors are controlled by a complex circuitry that comprises several key social brain regions, which is called the social behavior network (SBN). The SBN further integrates social information with external and internal factors to select appropriate behavioral responses to social circumstances, called social decision-making. The social decision-making network (SDMN) and SBN are structurally, neurochemically and functionally conserved in vertebrates. The social decision-making process is also closely influenced by emotional assessment. The habenula has recently been recognized as a crucial center for emotion-associated adaptation behaviors. Here we review the potential role of the habenula in social function with a special emphasis on fish studies. Further, based on evolutional, molecular, morphological, and behavioral perspectives, we discuss the crucial role of the habenula in the vertebrate SDMN.
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18
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Baugher BJ, Buckhaults K, Case J, Sullivan A, Huq SN, Sachs BD. Sub-chronic stress induces similar behavioral effects in male and female mice despite sex-specific molecular adaptations in the nucleus accumbens. Behav Brain Res 2022; 425:113811. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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19
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Vascular and blood-brain barrier-related changes underlie stress responses and resilience in female mice and depression in human tissue. Nat Commun 2022; 13:164. [PMID: 35013188 PMCID: PMC8748803 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27604-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prevalence, symptoms, and treatment of depression suggest that major depressive disorders (MDD) present sex differences. Social stress-induced neurovascular pathology is associated with depressive symptoms in male mice; however, this association is unclear in females. Here, we report that chronic social and subchronic variable stress promotes blood-brain barrier (BBB) alterations in mood-related brain regions of female mice. Targeted disruption of the BBB in the female prefrontal cortex (PFC) induces anxiety- and depression-like behaviours. By comparing the endothelium cell-specific transcriptomic profiling of the mouse male and female PFC, we identify several pathways and genes involved in maladaptive stress responses and resilience to stress. Furthermore, we confirm that the BBB in the PFC of stressed female mice is leaky. Then, we identify circulating vascular biomarkers of chronic stress, such as soluble E-selectin. Similar changes in circulating soluble E-selectin, BBB gene expression and morphology can be found in blood serum and postmortem brain samples from women diagnosed with MDD. Altogether, we propose that BBB dysfunction plays an important role in modulating stress responses in female mice and possibly MDD.
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20
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Ogawa S, Parhar IS. Functions of habenula in reproduction and socio-reproductive behaviours. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 64:100964. [PMID: 34793817 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Habenula is an evolutionarily conserved structure in the brain of vertebrates. Recent reports have drawn attention to the habenula as a processing centre for emotional decision-making and its role in psychiatric disorders. Emotional decision-making process is also known to be closely associated with reproductive conditions. The habenula receives innervations from reproductive centres within the brain and signals from key reproductive neuroendocrine regulators such as gonadal sex steroids, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and kisspeptin. In this review, based on morphological, biochemical, physiological, and pharmacological evidence we discuss an emerging role of the habenula in reproduction. Further, we discuss the modulatory role of reproductive endocrine factors in the habenula and their association with socio-reproductive behaviours such as mating, anxiety and aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Ogawa
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ishwar S Parhar
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
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21
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Tsyglakova M, Huskey AM, Hurst EH, Telep NM, Wilding MC, Babington ME, Rainville JR, Hodes GE. Sex and region-specific effects of variable stress on microglia morphology. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 18:100378. [PMID: 34820640 PMCID: PMC8600001 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a common and debilitating mood disorder that is more prevalent in women than men. In humans, PET imaging of microglia activation is currently being explored as a potential biomarker of MDD and suicidal ideation. Stress is a trigger for many mood disorders, including MDD. Microglial changes in morphology and activation state in response to stress has been reported in various brain regions, but most studies only examined male subjects. Here we report changes in microglia morphology in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and subregions of the hippocampus (HPC) in both male and female mice following variable stress of 6 or 28 days in duration. Our data demonstrate that after 6 days of stress, microglia in the female NAc and dentate gyrus have a reduction in homeostatic associated morphology and an increase in primed microglia. After 28 days some of these sex specific stress effects were still present in microglia within the NAc but not the dentate gyrus. There were no effects of stress in either sex at either timepoint in CA1. In female mice, anti-inflammatory activation of microglia using rosiglitazone promoted sociability behavior after 6 days of stress. Furthermore, both drug and stress have impact on microglia morphology and activation state in the NAc. These data suggest that microglia morphology and activation state are altered by 6 days of variable stress in a region-specific manner and may contribute to, or potentially compensate for, the onset of stress susceptibility rather than impacting long term exposure to stress. There are region and sex specific effects of stress on microglia. Female microglia respond more strongly to shorter periods of stress. Rosiglitazone increases social interaction in stressed female mice. Rosiglitazone does not block stress induced microglia activation in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya Tsyglakova
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.,Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Alisa M Huskey
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Emily H Hurst
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Natalie M Telep
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Mary C Wilding
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Meghan E Babington
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jennifer R Rainville
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Georgia E Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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22
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Cahill B, Poelker-Wells S, Prather JF, Li Y. A Glimpse Into the Sexual Dimorphisms in Major Depressive Disorder Through Epigenetic Studies. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:768571. [PMID: 34744641 PMCID: PMC8564393 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.768571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is an umbrella term used to describe a mood disorder with a broad spectrum of symptoms including a persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest, and deficits in social behavior. Epigenetic research bridges the environmental and genetic landscape and has the potential to exponentially improve our understanding of such a complex disorder. Depression is also a sexually dimorphic disorder and variations exist within epigenetic modification sites between sexes. These sex-specific mediators may impact behavioral symptomology and could serve as therapeutic targets for treatments to improve behavioral deficits. This mini review will focus on the social behavior perspective of depression and specifically explore the sexually different epigenetic modifications on depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branden Cahill
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Samuel Poelker-Wells
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Jonathan F Prather
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
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23
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Sikes-Keilp C, Rubinow DR. In search of sex-related mediators of affective illness. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:55. [PMID: 34663459 PMCID: PMC8524875 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00400-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the rates of affective disorders have been recognized for decades. Studies of physiologic sex-related differences in animals and humans, however, have generally yielded little in terms of explaining these differences. Furthermore, the significance of these findings is difficult to interpret given the dynamic, integrative, and highly context-dependent nature of human physiology. In this article, we provide an overview of the current literature on sex differences as they relate to mood disorders, organizing existing findings into five levels at which sex differences conceivably influence physiology relevant to affective states. These levels include the following: brain structure, network connectivity, signal transduction, transcription/translation, and epigenesis. We then evaluate the importance and limitations of this body of work, as well as offer perspectives on the future of research into sex differences. In creating this overview, we attempt to bring perspective to a body of research that is complex, poorly synthesized, and far from complete, as well as provide a theoretical framework for thinking about the role that sex differences ultimately play in affective regulation. Despite the overall gaps regarding both the underlying pathogenesis of affective illness and the role of sex-related factors in the development of affective disorders, it is evident that sex should be considered as an important contributor to alterations in neural function giving rise to susceptibility to and expression of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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24
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Rosdy MS, Rofiee MS, Samsulrizal N, Salleh MZ, Teh LK. Understanding the effects of Moringa oleifera in chronic unpredictable stressed zebrafish using metabolomics analysis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 278:114290. [PMID: 34090909 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Moringa leaves have been used for thousands of years to maintain skin health and mental fitness. People also use it to relieves pain and stress. AIM OF THE STUDY To determine the effects of Moringa oleifera leaves ethanol-aqueous (ratio 7:3) extract (MOLE) on the chronically stressed zebrafish. METHOD The changes in the stress-related behaviour and the metabolic pathways in response to MOLE treatment in zebrafish were studied. A chronic unpredictable stress model was adopted in which zebrafish were induced with different stressors for 14 days. Stress-related behaviour was assessed using a depth-preference test and a light and dark test. Three doses of MOLE (500, 1000, and 2000 mg/L) were administered to the zebrafish. Upon sacrifice, the brains were harvested and processed for LC-MS QTOF based, global metabolomics analysis. RESULTS We observed significant changes in the behavioural parameters, where the swimming time at the light phase and upper phase of the tank were increased in the chronically stressed zebrafish treated with MOLE compared to those zebrafish which were not treated. Further, distinctive metabolite profiles were observed in zebrafish with different treatments. Several pathways that shed light on effects of MOLE were identified. MOLE is believed to relieve stress by regulating pathways that are involved in the metabolism of purine, glutathione, arginine and proline, D-glutamine, and D-glutamate. CONCLUSION MOLE is potentially an effective stress reliever. However, its effects in human needs to be confirmed with a systematic randomised control trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Shazly Rosdy
- Integrative Pharmacogenomics Institute, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam, Malaysia; Faculty of Applied Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Salleh Rofiee
- Integrative Pharmacogenomics Institute, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam, Malaysia; Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam, Malaysia
| | | | - Mohd Zaki Salleh
- Integrative Pharmacogenomics Institute, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam, Malaysia
| | - Lay Kek Teh
- Integrative Pharmacogenomics Institute, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam, Malaysia; Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam, Malaysia.
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25
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Décarie-Spain L, Hryhorczuk C, Lau D, Jacob-Brassard É, Fisette A, Fulton S. Prolonged saturated, but not monounsaturated, high-fat feeding provokes anxiodepressive-like behaviors in female mice despite similar metabolic consequences. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 16:100324. [PMID: 34589811 PMCID: PMC8474568 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100324] [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: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity significantly increases the risk for anxiety and depression. Our group has recently demonstrated a role for nucleus accumbens (NAc) pro-inflammatory nuclear factor kappa-B (NFkB) signaling in the development of anxiodepressive-like behaviors by diet-induced obesity in male mice. The NAc is a brain region involved in goal-oriented behavior and mood regulation whose functions are critical to hedonic feeding and motivation. While the incidence of depression and anxiety disorders is significantly higher in women than in men, the use of female animal models in psychiatric research remains limited. We set out to investigate the impact of chronic intake of saturated and monounsaturated high-fat diets (HFD) on energy metabolism and on anxiety- and despair-like behaviors in female mice and to ascertain the contribution of NAc NFkB-mediated inflammation herein. Adult C57Bl6N female mice were fed either a saturated HFD, an isocaloric monounsaturated HFD or a control low-fat diet for 24 weeks, after which metabolic profiling and behavioral testing for anxiodepressive-like behaviors were conducted. Plasma was collected at time of sacrifice for quantification of leptin, inflammatory markers as well as 17 β-estradiol levels and brains were harvested to analyze NAc expression of pro-inflammatory genes and estrogen-signaling molecules. In another group of female mice placed on the saturated HFD or the control diet for 24 weeks, we performed adenoviral-mediated invalidation of the NFkB signaling pathway in the NAc prior to behavioral testing. While both HFDs provoked obesity and metabolic impairments, only the saturated HFD triggered anxiodepressive-like behaviors and caused marked elevations in plasma estrogen. This saturated HFD-specific behavioral phenotype could not be explained by NAc inflammation alone and was unaffected by NAc invalidation of the NFkB signaling pathway. Instead, we found changes in the expression of estrogen signaling markers. Such results diverge from the inflammatory mechanisms underlying diet- and obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction and anxiodepressive-like behavior onset in male mice and call attention to the role of estrogen signaling in diet-related anxiodepressive-like phenotypes in female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Décarie-Spain
- Centre de recherche du CHUM & Montreal Diabetes Research Centre, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Canada
| | - Cécile Hryhorczuk
- Centre de recherche du CHUM & Montreal Diabetes Research Centre, Canada
| | - David Lau
- Centre de recherche du CHUM & Montreal Diabetes Research Centre, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Alexandre Fisette
- Centre de recherche du CHUM & Montreal Diabetes Research Centre, Canada.,Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Canada
| | - Stephanie Fulton
- Centre de recherche du CHUM & Montreal Diabetes Research Centre, Canada.,Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Canada
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Lopez J, Bagot RC. Defining Valid Chronic Stress Models for Depression With Female Rodents. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:226-235. [PMID: 33965195 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Women are twice as likely to experience depression than men, yet until recently, preclinical studies in rodents have focused almost exclusively on males. As interest in sex differences and sex-specific mechanisms of stress susceptibility increases, chronic stress models for inducing depression-relevant behavioral and physiological changes in male rodents are being applied to females, and several new models have emerged to include both males and females, yet not all models have been systematically validated in females. An increasing number of researchers seek to include female rodents in their experimental designs, asking the question "what is the ideal chronic stress model for depression in females?" We review criteria for assessing female model validity in light of key research questions and the fundamental distinction between studying sex differences and studying both sexes. In overviewing current models, we explore challenges inherent to establishing an ideal female chronic stress model, with particular emphasis on the need for standardization and adoption of validated behavioral tests sensitive to stress effects in females. Taken together, these considerations will empower female chronic stress models to provide a better understanding of stress susceptibility and allow the development of efficient sex-specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joëlle Lopez
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rosemary C Bagot
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
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Cunningham AM, Walker DM, Ramakrishnan A, Doyle MA, Bagot RC, Cates HM, Peña CJ, Issler O, Lardner CK, Browne C, Russo SJ, Shen L, Nestler EJ. Sperm Transcriptional State Associated with Paternal Transmission of Stress Phenotypes. J Neurosci 2021; 41:6202-6216. [PMID: 34099514 PMCID: PMC8287983 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3192-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Paternal stress can induce long-lasting changes in germ cells potentially propagating heritable changes across generations. To date, no studies have investigated differences in transmission patterns between stress-resilient and stress-susceptible mice. We tested the hypothesis that transcriptional alterations in sperm during chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) transmit increased susceptibility to stress phenotypes to the next generation. We demonstrate differences in offspring from stressed fathers that depend on paternal category (resilient vs susceptible) and offspring sex. Importantly, artificial insemination (AI) reveals that sperm mediates some of the behavioral phenotypes seen in offspring. Using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), we report substantial and distinct changes in the transcriptomic profiles of sperm following CSDS in susceptible versus resilient fathers, with alterations in long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) predominating especially in susceptibility. Correlation analysis revealed that these alterations were accompanied by a loss of regulation of protein-coding genes by lncRNAs in sperm of susceptible males. We also identify several co-expression gene modules that are enriched in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in sperm from either resilient or susceptible fathers. Taken together, these studies advance our understanding of intergenerational epigenetic transmission of behavioral experience.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This manuscript contributes to the complex factors that influence the paternal transmission of stress phenotypes. By leveraging the segregation of males exposed to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) into either resilient or susceptible categories we were able to identify the phenotypic differences in the paternal transmission of stress phenotypes across generations between the two lineages. Importantly, this work also alludes to the significance of both long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and protein coding genes (PCGs) mediating the paternal transmission of stress. The knowledge gained from these data are of particular interest in understanding the risk for the development of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Cunningham
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Deena M Walker
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Aarthi Ramakrishnan
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Marie A Doyle
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Rosemary C Bagot
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Hannah M Cates
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Catherine J Peña
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Orna Issler
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Casey K Lardner
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Caleb Browne
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Scott J Russo
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Li Shen
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, New York, New York 10029
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Adu-Nti F, Gao X, Wu JM, Li J, Iqbal J, Ahmad R, Ma XM. Osthole Ameliorates Estrogen Deficiency-Induced Cognitive Impairment in Female Mice. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:641909. [PMID: 34025413 PMCID: PMC8134730 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.641909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of endogenous estrogen and dysregulation of the estrogen receptor signaling pathways are associated with an increase in risk for cognitive deficit and depression in women after menopause. Estrogen therapy for menopause increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and stroke. Therefore, it is critical to find an alternate treatment for menopausal women. Osthole (OST), a coumarin, has been reported to have neuroprotective effects. This study examined whether OST improves ovariectomy (OVX)-induced cognitive impairment, and alleviates anxiety- and depression-like behaviors induced by OVX in mice. Adult female C57BL/6J mice were ovariectomized and then treated with OST at a dose of 30 mg/kg for 14 days. At the end of the treatment period, behavioral tests were used to evaluate spatial learning and memory, recognition memory, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. A cohort of the mice were sacrificed after 14 days of OST treatment and their hippocampi were collected for measurement of the proteins of interest using western blot. OVX-induced alteration in the levels of proteins was accompanied by cognitive deficit, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. OST treatment improved cognitive deficit, alleviated anxiety- and depression-like behaviors induced by OVX, and reversed OVX-induced alterations in the levels of synaptic proteins and ERα, BDNF, TrKB, p-CREB, p-Akt and Rac1 in the hippocampus. Therefore, reversal of OVX-induced decrease in the levels of hippocampal proteins by OST might contribute to the effects of OST on improving cognitive deficit and alleviating anxiety- and depression-like behaviors induced by OVX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Adu-Nti
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xu Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jia-Min Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Javed Iqbal
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Riaz Ahmad
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xin-Ming Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT, United States
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Doney E, Cadoret A, Dion-Albert L, Lebel M, Menard C. Inflammation-driven brain and gut barrier dysfunction in stress and mood disorders. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 55:2851-2894. [PMID: 33876886 PMCID: PMC9290537 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of emotions is generally associated exclusively with the brain. However, there is evidence that peripheral systems are also involved in mood, stress vulnerability vs. resilience, and emotion‐related memory encoding. Prevalence of stress and mood disorders such as major depression, bipolar disorder, and post‐traumatic stress disorder is increasing in our modern societies. Unfortunately, 30%–50% of individuals respond poorly to currently available treatments highlighting the need to further investigate emotion‐related biology to gain mechanistic insights that could lead to innovative therapies. Here, we provide an overview of inflammation‐related mechanisms involved in mood regulation and stress responses discovered using animal models. If clinical studies are available, we discuss translational value of these findings including limitations. Neuroimmune mechanisms of depression and maladaptive stress responses have been receiving increasing attention, and thus, the first part is centered on inflammation and dysregulation of brain and circulating cytokines in stress and mood disorders. Next, recent studies supporting a role for inflammation‐driven leakiness of the blood–brain and gut barriers in emotion regulation and mood are highlighted. Stress‐induced exacerbated inflammation fragilizes these barriers which become hyperpermeable through loss of integrity and altered biology. At the gut level, this could be associated with dysbiosis, an imbalance in microbial communities, and alteration of the gut–brain axis which is central to production of mood‐related neurotransmitter serotonin. Novel therapeutic approaches such as anti‐inflammatory drugs, the fast‐acting antidepressant ketamine, and probiotics could directly act on the mechanisms described here improving mood disorder‐associated symptomatology. Discovery of biomarkers has been a challenging quest in psychiatry, and we end by listing promising targets worth further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Doney
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Alice Cadoret
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Laurence Dion-Albert
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Manon Lebel
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Caroline Menard
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and CERVO Brain Research Center, Université Laval, QC, Canada
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Bekhbat M, Mukhara D, Dozmorov MG, Stansfield JC, Benusa SD, Hyer MM, Rowson SA, Kelly SD, Qin Z, Dupree JL, Tharp GK, Tansey MG, Neigh GN. Adolescent stress sensitizes the adult neuroimmune transcriptome and leads to sex-specific microglial and behavioral phenotypes. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:949-958. [PMID: 33558677 PMCID: PMC8115118 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-00970-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Adolescent exposure to chronic stress, a risk factor for mood disorders in adulthood, sensitizes the neuroinflammatory response to a subsequent immune challenge. We previously showed that chronic adolescent stress (CAS) in rats led to distinct patterns of neuroimmune priming in adult male and female rats. However, sex differences in the neuroimmune consequences of CAS and their underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here we hypothesized that biological sex would dictate differential induction of inflammation-related transcriptomic pathways and immune cell involvement (microglia activation and leukocyte presence) in the hippocampus of male and female rats with a history of CAS. Adolescent rats underwent CAS (six restraint and six social defeat episodes during postnatal days 38-49), and behavioral assessments were conducted in adolescence and adulthood. Neuroimmune measures were obtained following vehicle or a systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in adulthood. CAS led to increased time in the corners of the open field in adolescence. In males, CAS also increased social avoidance. As adults, CAS rats displayed an exaggerated enrichment of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB) pathway and chemokine induction following LPS challenge, and increased number of perivascular CD45+ cells in the hippocampus. However, CAS females, but not males, showed exaggerated glucocorticoid receptor (GR) pathway enrichment and increased microglial complexity. These results provide further insight to the mechanisms by which peripheral immune events may influence neuroimmune responses differentially among males and females and further demonstrate the importance of adolescent stress in shaping adult responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandakh Bekhbat
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Physiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Deepika Mukhara
- grid.224260.00000 0004 0458 8737Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
| | - Mikhail G. Dozmorov
- grid.417264.20000 0001 2194 2791Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
| | - John C. Stansfield
- grid.417264.20000 0001 2194 2791Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
| | - Savannah D. Benusa
- grid.224260.00000 0004 0458 8737Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
| | - Molly M. Hyer
- grid.224260.00000 0004 0458 8737Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
| | - Sydney A. Rowson
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Physiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Sean D. Kelly
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Physiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Zhaohui Qin
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Jeffrey L. Dupree
- grid.224260.00000 0004 0458 8737Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
| | - Gregory K. Tharp
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Division of Developmental & Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Malú G. Tansey
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Physiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Gretchen N. Neigh
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Physiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA ,grid.224260.00000 0004 0458 8737Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 USA ,grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
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31
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Alshammari TK. Sexual dimorphism in pre-clinical studies of depression. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 105:110120. [PMID: 33002519 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Although there is a sex bias in the pathological mechanisms exhibited by brain disorders, investigation of the female brain in biomedical science has long been neglected. Use of the male model has generally been the preferred option as the female animal model exhibits both biological variability and hormonal fluctuations. Existing studies that compare behavioral and/or molecular alterations in animal models of brain diseases are generally underrepresented, and most utilize the male model. Nevertheless, in recent years there has been a trend toward the increased inclusion of females in brain studies. However, current knowledge regarding sex-based differences in depression and stress-related disorders is limited. This can be improved by reviewing preclinical studies that highlight sex differences in depression. This paper therefore presents a review of sex-based preclinical studies of depression. These shed light on the discrepancies between males and females regarding the biological mechanisms that underpin mechanistic alterations in the diseased brain. This review also highlights the conclusions drawn by preclinical studies to advance our understanding of mood disorders, encouraging researchers to promote ways of investigating and managing sexually dimorphic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahani K Alshammari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Pharmacy College, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia; Prince Naïf Bin Abdul-Aziz Health Research Center, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
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Thériault RK, Manduca JD, Perreault ML. Sex differences in innate and adaptive neural oscillatory patterns link resilience and susceptibility to chronic stress in rats. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2021; 46:E258-E270. [PMID: 33769022 PMCID: PMC8061734 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.200117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder is a chronic illness with a higher incidence in women. Dysregulated neural oscillatory activity is an emerging mechanism thought to underlie major depressive disorder, but whether sex differences in these rhythms contribute to the development of symptoms is unknown. METHODS We exposed male and female rats to chronic unpredictable stress and characterized them as stress-resilient or stress-susceptible based on behavioural output in the forced swim test and the sucrose preference test. To identify sex-specific neural oscillatory patterns associated with stress response, we recorded local field potentials from the prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, nucleus accumbens and dorsal hippocampus throughout stress exposure. RESULTS At baseline, female stress-resilient rats innately exhibited higher theta coherence in hippocampal connections compared with stress-susceptible female rats. Following stress exposure, additional oscillatory changes manifested: stress-resilient females were characterized by increased dorsal hippocampal theta power and cortical gamma power, and stress-resilient males were characterized by a widespread increase in high gamma coherence. In stress-susceptible animals, we observed a pattern of increased delta and reduced theta power; the changes were restricted to the cingulate cortex and dorsal hippocampus in males but occurred globally in females. Finally, stress exposure was accompanied by the time-dependent recruitment of specific neural pathways, which culminated in system-wide changes that temporally coincided with the onset of depression-like behaviour. LIMITATIONS We could not establish causality between the electrophysiological changes and behaviours with the methodology we employed. CONCLUSION Sex-specific neurophysiological patterns can function as early markers for stress vulnerability and the onset of depression-like behaviours in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel-Karson Thériault
- From the department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Thériault, Manduca, Perreault) and the Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Thériault, Perreault)
| | - Joshua D Manduca
- From the department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Thériault, Manduca, Perreault) and the Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Thériault, Perreault)
| | - Melissa L Perreault
- From the department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Thériault, Manduca, Perreault) and the Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada (Thériault, Perreault)
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Effects of chronic stress on depressive-like behaviors and JMJD3 expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of C57BL/6 and ob/ob mice. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 133:142-155. [PMID: 33340793 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is a psychiatric disorder which is accompanied by neuroinflammatory responses. Obesity is considered as a low-grade inflammatory state. Studies have found that obese individuals are more likely to suffer from depression, but its possible mechanism has not been specifically illuminated. The Jumonji domain protein 3 (JMJD3) is a specific histone demethylase of trimethylation at lysine 27 of histone-H3 (H3K27me3). Over-expressions of JMJD3 induces the demethylation of H3K27me3 and results in the expression of pro-inflammatory genes, while its upregulation may be limited by adiponectin (APN). However, the role of JMJD3 in susceptibility to neuroinflammation and depression in obesity has not been clarified. METHODS Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was selected to build depression model in C57BL/6 and ob/ob mice. Sucrose preference test, tail suspension test, open field test and Morris water maze test were used to detect depressive-like behaviors and memory impairment. Microglial activation, pro-inflammatory cytokines, APN, NF-ĸB, JMJD3 and H3K27me3 expressions in the serum, prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIP) were examined in C57BL/6 and ob/ob mice. Meanwhile, GSK-J4 was used to inhibit JMJD3 expression. RESULTS CUMS led to depressive-like behaviors and memory impairment, microglial activation, increased expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines, NF-κB and JMJD3, decreased expression of H3K27me3 in the PFC and HIP in C57BL/6 and ob/ob mice. Meanwhile, ob/ob mice showed worse behavioral injury and memory impairment, microglial excessively activation, over-expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and NF-ĸB and decreased H3K27me3 levels than C57BL/6 mice. CUMS also decreased the APN levels in the serum and brain tissues in ob/ob mice compared to C57BL/6 mice. But GSK-J4 could relieve these alterations. CONCLUSIONS JMJD3 might be involved in the susceptibility to depressive-like behaviors and neuroinflammation of obese mice by the demethylation of H3K27me3, and decreased levels of APN could reduce Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) binding with H3K27me3. The role of JMJD3 in severer inflammatory state in the comorbidity of obesity and depression was considered.
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Markouli M, Strepkos D, Chlamydas S, Piperi C. Histone lysine methyltransferase SETDB1 as a novel target for central nervous system diseases. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 200:101968. [PMID: 33279625 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic changes that regulate chromatin structure have a major impact in genome stabilization and maintenance of cellular homeostasis, been recently implicated in the pathophysiology of central nervous system (CNS). Aberrant expression and dysregulation of histone modification enzymes has been associated with the development of several CNS disorders, revealing these enzymes as putative targets for drug development and novel therapeutic approaches. SETDB1 is a histone lysine methyltransferase responsible for the di- and tri-methylation of histone 3 (H3) at lysine (K) 9 in euchromatic regions further promoting gene silencing through heterochromatin formation. By this way, SETDB1 has been shown to regulate gene expression and influence normal cellular homeostasis required for nervous system function while it is also implicated in the pathogenesis of CNS disorders. Among them, brain tumors, schizophrenia, Huntington's disease, autism spectrum disorders along with alcohol-induced fetal neurobehavioral deficits and Prader-Willi syndrome are representative examples, indicating the aberrant expression and function of SETDB1 as a common pathogenic factor. In this review, we focus on SETDB1-associated molecular mechanisms implicated in CNS physiology and disease while we further discuss current pharmacological approaches targeting SETDB1 enzymatic activity with beneficial effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Markouli
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Strepkos
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Sarantis Chlamydas
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Piperi
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece.
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Muir J, Tse YC, Iyer ES, Biris J, Cvetkovska V, Lopez J, Bagot RC. Ventral Hippocampal Afferents to Nucleus Accumbens Encode Both Latent Vulnerability and Stress-Induced Susceptibility. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:843-854. [PMID: 32682566 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress is a major risk factor for depression, but not everyone responds to stress in the same way. Identifying why certain individuals are more susceptible is essential for targeted treatment and prevention. In rodents, nucleus accumbens (NAc) afferents from the ventral hippocampus (vHIP) are implicated in stress-induced susceptibility, but little is known about how this pathway might encode future vulnerability or specific behavioral phenotypes. METHODS We used fiber photometry to record in vivo activity in vHIP-NAc afferents during tests of depressive- and anxiety-like behavior in male and female mice, both before and after a sex-specific chronic variable stress protocol, to probe relationships between prestress neural activity and behavior and potential predictors of poststress behavioral adaptation. Furthermore, we examined chronic variable stress-induced alterations in vHIP-NAc activity in vivo and used ex vivo slice electrophysiology to identify the mechanism of this change. RESULTS We identified behavioral specificity of the vHIP-NAc pathway to anxiety-like and social interaction behavior. We also showed that this activity is broadly predictive of stress-induced susceptibility in both sexes, while prestress behavior is predictive only of anxiety-like behavior. We observed a stress-induced increase in in vivo vHIP-NAc activity coincident with an increase in spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current frequency. CONCLUSIONS We implicate vHIP-NAc in social interaction and anxiety-like behavior and identify markers of vulnerability in this neural signal, with elevated prestress vHIP-NAc activity predicting increased susceptibility across behavioral domains. Our findings indicate that individual differences in neural activity and behavior play a role in predetermining susceptibility to later stress, providing insight into mechanisms of vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Muir
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yiu Chung Tse
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Eshaan S Iyer
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Julia Biris
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Joëlle Lopez
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rosemary C Bagot
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
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Wankhar W, Syiem D, Pakyntein CL, Thabah D, Sunn SE. Effect of 5-HT 2C receptor agonist and antagonist on chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) - Mediated anxiety and depression in adolescent Wistar albino rat: Implicating serotonin and mitochondrial ETC-I function in serotonergic neurotransmission. Behav Brain Res 2020; 393:112780. [PMID: 32579979 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety and depression are among the major neuropsychiatric disorders worldwide, and yet the etiologies of these disorders remain unclear to date. Chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) procedure mimics several behavioral characteristics such as anxiety and depression in rodents. Using this animal model, we have attempted to understand the serotonergic system in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, while using the 5-HT2CR agonist and antagonist in evaluating 5-HT2C receptor neurotransmission. A decrease in serotonin (5-HT) level, tryptophan hydroxylase-2 activity and, 5-HT2CR receptor protein down-regulation in the CUS exposed group, explains the involvement of 5-HT and 5-HT2CR neurotransmission in the genesis of anxiety and depression. Besides, the oxidative stress - attenuated electrolyte imbalance via decrease ATPase pump activity, and compromised oxidative phosphorylation via decrease ETC-I activity are some of the underlying factors affecting neuronal cell survival and serotonergic neurotransmission. To complement our finding, altered behavioral performance scored in the open field test, elevated plus maze test, and the forced swim test, when exposed to CUS is indicative or consistent with anxiety, depression, emotional and locomotor status of the animals. Keeping these findings in mind, treatment with 5-HT2CR agonist (1-Methylpsilocin at 0.7 mg/kg), and 5-HT2CR antagonist (RS-102221 hydrochloride at 1 mg/kg) displayed varying results. One prominent finding was the anxiolytic ability of the 5-HT2CR agonist and the anti-depressive ability of the 5-HT2CR antagonist on the 7th-day treatment. Though the exact mechanism of action is not clear, their ability to equilibrate brain redox status, restoring Ca2+ level via Ca2+ATPase pump activity, and sustaining the mitochondrial bioenergetics can all be accounted for facilitating neurogenesis and the serotonergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wankupar Wankhar
- Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 793 022, Meghalaya, India.
| | - Donkupar Syiem
- Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 793 022, Meghalaya, India
| | - Careen Liza Pakyntein
- Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 793 022, Meghalaya, India
| | - Daiahun Thabah
- Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 793 022, Meghalaya, India
| | - Shelareen Ediemi Sunn
- Department of Biochemistry, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, 793 022, Meghalaya, India
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37
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Martinez-Muniz GA, Wood SK. Sex Differences in the Inflammatory Consequences of Stress: Implications for Pharmacotherapy. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2020; 375:161-174. [PMID: 32759370 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.120.266205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Women are at significantly greater risk of developing stress-related disorders such as depression. The increased risk begins during puberty and continues throughout life until menopause, suggesting a role for ovarian hormones in this increased susceptibility. Importantly, inflammation has been gaining momentum in its role in the pathogenesis of depression. Herein, clinical and preclinical studies have been reviewed to better understand how sex differences within the immune system may contribute to exaggerated risk of depression in females. First, studies that investigate the ability of psychologic stress episodes to engage the inflammatory systems both in the brain and periphery are reviewed with a special focus on sex-specific effects. Moreover, studies are discussed that identify whether imbalanced inflammatory milieu contributes to the development of depression in males versus females and whether these effects are regulated by estradiol. Importantly, we propose a locus coeruleus-norepinephrine-cytokine circuit as a conduit through which stress could increase stress susceptibly in females. Finally, the anti-inflammatory capacity of traditional and nontraditional antidepressants is investigated, with the goal of providing a better understanding of pharmacotherapeutics to enhance strategies to personalize antidepressant treatments between the sexes. The studies reviewed herein strongly support the need for further studies to elucidate whether females are especially sensitive to anti-inflammatory compounds as adjuvants to traditional therapies. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Women have hve an increased risk of developing stress-related disorders such as depression. In this review, literature from clinical and preclinical studies are integrated to define sex differences in stress-induced inflammatory responses as a potential source for the etiology of sex differences in depressive disorders. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory capacity of traditional and nontraditional antidepressants is reviewed to inform on potential pharmacotherapeutic strategies to personalize antidepressant therapy in a sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo A Martinez-Muniz
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina and Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Susan K Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina and Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, South Carolina
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38
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Scarpa JR, Fatma M, Loh YHE, Traore SR, Stefan T, Chen TH, Nestler EJ, Labonté B. Shared Transcriptional Signatures in Major Depressive Disorder and Mouse Chronic Stress Models. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:159-168. [PMID: 32169281 PMCID: PMC7740570 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most of our knowledge of the biological basis of major depressive disorder (MDD) is derived from studies of chronic stress models in rodents. While these models capture certain aspects of the behavioral and neuroendocrine features of MDD, the extent to which they reproduce the molecular pathology of the human syndrome remains unknown. METHODS We systematically compared transcriptional signatures in two brain regions implicated in depression-medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens-of humans with MDD and of 3 chronic stress models in mice: chronic variable stress, adult social isolation, and chronic social defeat stress. We used differential expression analysis combined with weighted gene coexpression network analysis to create interspecies gene networks and assess the capacity of each stress paradigm to recapitulate the transcriptional organization of gene networks in human MDD. RESULTS Our results show significant overlap between transcriptional alterations in medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens in human MDD and the 3 mouse chronic stress models, with each of the chronic stress paradigms capturing distinct aspects of MDD abnormalities. Chronic variable stress and adult social isolation better reproduce differentially expressed genes, while chronic social defeat stress and adult social isolation better reproduce gene networks characteristic of human MDD. We also identified several gene networks and their constituent genes that are most significantly associated with human MDD and mouse stress models. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the ability of 3 chronic stress models in mice to recapitulate distinct aspects of the broad molecular pathology of human MDD, with no one mouse model apparently better than another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Scarpa
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Mena Fatma
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Laval University, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Yong-Hwee E Loh
- Norris Medical Library, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Said Romaric Traore
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Laval University, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Theo Stefan
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Laval University, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Ting Huei Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Laval University, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Benoit Labonté
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Laval University, Québec, Québec, Canada.
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Williams ES, Manning CE, Eagle AL, Swift-Gallant A, Duque-Wilckens N, Chinnusamy S, Moeser A, Jordan C, Leinninger G, Robison A. Androgen-Dependent Excitability of Mouse Ventral Hippocampal Afferents to Nucleus Accumbens Underlies Sex-Specific Susceptibility to Stress. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:492-501. [PMID: 31601425 PMCID: PMC7035179 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression affects women nearly twice as often as men, but the neurobiological underpinnings of this discrepancy are unclear. Preclinical studies in male mice suggest that activity of ventral hippocampus (vHPC) neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) regulates mood-related behavioral responses to stress. We sought to characterize this circuit in both sexes and to investigate its role in potential sex differences in models of depression. METHODS We used male and female adult C57BL/6J mice in the subchronic variable stress model to precipitate female-specific reduction in sucrose preference and performed gonadectomies to test the contributions of gonadal hormones to this stress response. In addition, ex vivo slice electrophysiology of transgenic Cre-inducible Rosa-eGFP-L10a mice in combination with retrograde viral tracing to identify circuits was used to test contributions of gonadal hormones to sex differences in vHPC afferents. Finally, we used an intersecting viral DREADD (designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs) strategy to manipulate vHPC-NAc excitability directly in awake behaving mice. RESULTS We show a testosterone-dependent lower excitability in male versus female vHPC-NAc neurons and corresponding testosterone-dependent male resilience to reduced sucrose preference after subchronic variable stress. Importantly, we show that long-term DREADD stimulation of vHPC-NAc neurons causes decreased sucrose preference in male mice after subchronic variable stress, whereas DREADD inhibition of this circuit prevents this effect in female mice. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate a circuit-specific sex difference in vHPC-NAc neurons that is dependent on testosterone and causes susceptibility to stress in female mice. These data provide a substantive mechanism linking gonadal hormones to cellular excitability and anhedonia-a key feature in depressive states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claire E. Manning
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Andrew L. Eagle
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Ashlyn Swift-Gallant
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
| | - Natalia Duque-Wilckens
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Sadhana Chinnusamy
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Adam Moeser
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Cynthia Jordan
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Gina Leinninger
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - A.J. Robison
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA,Corresponding author: A.J. Robison, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, 567 Wilson Road East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; phone 517-884-5003;
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40
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Johnson A, Rainville JR, Rivero-Ballon GN, Dhimitri K, Hodes GE. Testing the Limits of Sex Differences Using Variable Stress. Neuroscience 2020; 454:72-84. [PMID: 31917340 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.12.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a chronic disease that affects nearly twice as many women as men, and symptoms can differ by sex. Preclinical models disproportionately use male subjects and test a single behavioral endpoint immediately at the cessation of stress. We conducted variable stress in male and female mice for 6, 28, and 56 days, and measured behavior with a battery chosen to match research domain criteria. To examine individual differences, we generated a composite z score to measure stress susceptibility across behavioral tests. We also tested behavior following a 30-day recovery period to evaluate the duration of the stress effects. Females, but not males, were susceptible to 6 days of variable stress when behavioral testing started 24 h later. If behavioral testing was conducted 30 days later both males and females expressed stress related behaviors. Males and females were stress susceptible to 28 days of variable stress and effects were long lasting. Both sexes habituated to 56 days of variable stress, but anxiety associated measures still showed persistence. Performance on specific behavioral tests was often different between individuals and between sexes, and not all stressed animals were susceptible to all tested behaviors. These studies confirm that behavioral sex differences are detected in response to variable stress, and reveal information about individual differences. Use of a test battery that measures varying endophenotypes can be combined into a single stress susceptibility score as a tool similar to the scales/inventories used for the study of depression in humans. We present these data with the goal of furthering the field's understanding sex differences and how they shape the biology of mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Johnson
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jennifer R Rainville
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - G Nicole Rivero-Ballon
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Katerina Dhimitri
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Georgia E Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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41
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Eid RS, Lieblich SE, Wong SJ, Galea LAM. Ovarian status dictates the neuroinflammatory and behavioral consequences of sub-chronic stress exposure in middle-aged female mice. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 12:100199. [PMID: 31871960 PMCID: PMC6909340 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian hormones influence the outcomes of stress exposure and are implicated in stress-related disorders including depression, yet their roles are often complex and seemingly contradictory. Importantly, depression and stress exposure are associated with immune dysregulation, and ovarian hormones have immunomodulatory properties. However, how ovarian hormones can influence the inflammatory outcomes of stress exposure is poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of long-term ovariectomy on the behavioral and neuroinflammatory outcomes of sub-chronic stress exposure in middle-aged mice. Briefly, sham-operated and ovariectomized mice were assigned to non-stress groups or exposed to 6 days of variable stress. Mice were assessed on a battery of behavioral tests, and cytokine concentrations were quantified in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. In the frontal cortex, postsynaptic density protein-95 expression was examined as an index of excitatory synapse number and/or stability, and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were measured to explore potential cell signaling pathways elicited by stress exposure and/or ovarian hormones. Long-term ovariectomy modified the central cytokine profile by robustly reducing cytokine concentrations in the frontal cortex and modestly increasing concentrations in the hippocampus. Under non-stress conditions, long-term ovariectomy also reduced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphoprotein expression in the frontal cortex and increased some measures of depressive-like behavior. The effects of sub-chronic stress exposure were however more pronounced in sham-operated mice. Notably, in sham-operated mice only, sub-chronic stress exposure increased IL-1β and IL-6:IL-10 ratio in the frontal cortex and hippocampus and reduced pERK1/2 expression in the frontal cortex. Further, although sub-chronic stress exposure increased anhedonia-like behavior regardless of ovarian status, it increased passive-coping behavior in sham-operated mice only. These data indicate that long-term ovariectomy has potent effects on the central cytokine milieu and dictates the neuroinflammatory and behavioral effects of sub-chronic stress exposure in middle-aged mice. These findings therefore suggest that the immunomodulatory properties of ovarian hormones are of relevance in the context of stress and possibly depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rand S Eid
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Stephanie E Lieblich
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sarah J Wong
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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42
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Hodes GE, Epperson CN. Sex Differences in Vulnerability and Resilience to Stress Across the Life Span. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 86:421-432. [PMID: 31221426 PMCID: PMC8630768 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Susceptibility and resilience to stress depend on 1) the timing of the exposure with respect to development, 2) the time across the life span at which effects are measured, and 3) the behavioral or biological phenotype under consideration. This translational review examines preclinical stress models that provide clues to causal mechanisms and their relationship to the more complex phenomenon of stress-related psychiatric and cognitive disorders in humans. We examine how genetic sex and epigenetic regulation of hormones contribute to the proximal and distal effects of stress at different epochs of life. Stress during the prenatal period and early postnatal life puts male offspring at risk of developing diseases involving socialization, such as autism spectrum disorder, and attention and cognition, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. While female offspring show resilience to some of the proximal effects of prenatal and early postnatal stress, there is evidence that risk associated with developmental insults is unmasked in female offspring following periods of hormonal activation and flux, including puberty, pregnancy, and perimenopause. Likewise, stress exposures during puberty have stronger proximal effects on girls, including an increased risk of developing mood-related and stress-related illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Hormonal changes during menopause and andropause impact the processes of memory and emotion in women and men, though women are preferentially at risk for dementia, and childhood adversity further impacts estradiol effects on neural function. We propose that studies to determine mechanisms for stress risk and resilience across the life span must consider the nature and timing of stress exposures as well as the sex of the organism under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia E. Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - C. Neill Epperson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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Lorsch ZS, Hamilton PJ, Ramakrishnan A, Parise EM, Salery M, Wright WJ, Lepack AE, Mews P, Issler O, McKenzie A, Zhou X, Parise LF, Pirpinias ST, Ortiz Torres I, Kronman HG, Montgomery SE, Loh YHE, Labonté B, Conkey A, Symonds AE, Neve RL, Turecki G, Maze I, Dong Y, Zhang B, Shen L, Bagot RC, Nestler EJ. Stress resilience is promoted by a Zfp189-driven transcriptional network in prefrontal cortex. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:1413-1423. [PMID: 31427770 PMCID: PMC6713580 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0462-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the transcriptional changes that are engaged in stress resilience may reveal novel antidepressant targets. Here we use gene co-expression analysis of RNA-sequencing data from brains of resilient mice to identify a gene network that is unique to resilience. Zfp189, which encodes a previously unstudied zinc finger protein, is the highest-ranked key driver gene in the network, and overexpression of Zfp189 in prefrontal cortical neurons preferentially activates this network and promotes behavioral resilience. The transcription factor CREB is a predicted upstream regulator of this network and binds to the Zfp189 promoter. To probe CREB-Zfp189 interactions, we employ CRISPR-mediated locus-specific transcriptional reprogramming to direct CREB or G9a (a repressive histone methyltransferase) to the Zfp189 promoter in prefrontal cortex neurons. Induction of Zfp189 with site-specific CREB is pro-resilient, whereas suppressing Zfp189 expression with G9a increases susceptibility. These findings reveal an essential role for Zfp189 and CREB-Zfp189 interactions in mediating a central transcriptional network of resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary S Lorsch
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter J Hamilton
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aarthi Ramakrishnan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric M Parise
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marine Salery
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - William J Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ashley E Lepack
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Philipp Mews
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Orna Issler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew McKenzie
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xianxiao Zhou
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lyonna F Parise
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen T Pirpinias
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Idelisse Ortiz Torres
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hope G Kronman
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah E Montgomery
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yong-Hwee Eddie Loh
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benoit Labonté
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Laval University, Québec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Andrew Conkey
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ann E Symonds
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ian Maze
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yan Dong
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Li Shen
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rosemary C Bagot
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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44
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Molecular programs underlying differences in the expression of mood disorders in males and females. Brain Res 2019; 1719:89-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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45
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Tsyglakova M, McDaniel D, Hodes GE. Immune mechanisms of stress susceptibility and resilience: Lessons from animal models. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 54:100771. [PMID: 31325456 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Stress has an impact on the brain and the body. A growing literature demonstrates that feedback between the peripheral immune system and the brain contributes to individual differences in the behavioral response to stress. Here we examine preclinical literature to demonstrate a holistic vision of risk and resilience to stress. We identify a variety of cellular, cytokine and molecular mechanisms in adult animals that act in concert to produce a stress susceptible individual response. We discuss how cross talk between immune cells in the brain and in the periphery act together to increase permeability across the blood brain barrier or block it, resulting in susceptible or stress resilient phenotype. These preclinical studies have importance for understanding how individual differences in the immune response to stress may be contributing to mood related disorders such as depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya Tsyglakova
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA; Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Dylan McDaniel
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Georgia E Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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Finnell JE, Wood SK. Putative Inflammatory Sensitive Mechanisms Underlying Risk or Resilience to Social Stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:240. [PMID: 30416436 PMCID: PMC6212591 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been well recognized that exposure to stress can lead to the onset of psychosocial disorders such as depression. While there are a number of antidepressant therapies currently available and despite producing immediate neurochemical alterations, they require weeks of continuous use in order to exhibit antidepressant efficacy. Moreover, up to 30% of patients do not respond to typical antidepressants, suggesting that our understanding of the pathophysiology underlying stress-induced depression is still limited. In recent years inflammation has become a major focus in the study of depression as several clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated that peripheral and central inflammatory mediators, including interleukin (IL)-1β, are elevated in depressed patients. Moreover, it has been suggested that inflammation and particularly neuroinflammation may be a direct and immediate link in the emergence of stress-induced depression due to the broad neural and glial effects that are elicited by proinflammatory cytokines. Importantly, individual differences in inflammatory reactivity may further explain why certain individuals exhibit differing susceptibility to the consequences of stress. In this review article, we discuss sources of individual differences such as age, sex and coping mechanisms that are likely sources of distinct changes in stress-induced neuroimmune factors and highlight putative sources of exaggerated neuroinflammation in susceptible individuals. Furthermore, we review the current literature of specific neural and glial mechanisms that are regulated by stress and inflammation including mitochondrial function, oxidative stress and mechanisms of glutamate excitotoxicity. Taken together, the impetus for this review is to move towards a better understanding of mechanisms regulated by inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that are capable of contributing to the emergence of depressive-like behaviors in susceptible individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E Finnell
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Susan K Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States.,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC, United States
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Targeting the NF-κB/IκBα complex via fragment-based E-Pharmacophore virtual screening and binary QSAR models. J Mol Graph Model 2018; 86:264-277. [PMID: 30415122 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2018.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription factors represent a conserved family of proteins that regulate not only immune cells, but also heart cells, glial cells and neurons, playing a fundamental role in various cellular processes. Due to its dysregulation in certain cancer types as well as in chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases, it has recently been appreciated as an important therapeutic target. The aim of this study was to investigate the binding pocket of NF-κB (p50/p65) heterodimer complex in association with NF-κB inhibitor IκBα to identify potent ligands via fragment-based e-pharmacophore screening. The ZINC Clean Fragments (∼2 million) and the Schrodinger's medically relevant Glide fragments library (∼670) were used to create the e-pharmacophore models at the potential binding site which was validated by site mapping. Glide/HTVS docking was conducted followed by re-docking of the top 20% fragments by Glide/SP and Glide/XP protocols. The top-85000 Glide XP-docked fragments were used to generate the e-pharmacophore hypotheses. The Otava small molecule library (∼260000 drug-like molecules) and 85 known NF-κB inhibitors were additionally screened against the derived e-pharmacophore models. The top-1000 high-scored molecules, which were well aligned to the e-pharmacophore models, from the Otava small molecule library, were then docked into the binding pocket. Finally, the selected 88 hit molecules and the 85 known inhibitors were analyzed by the MetaCore/MetaDrug™ platform, which uses developed binary QSAR models for therapeutic activity prediction as well as pharmacokinetic and toxicity profile predictions of screening molecules. Ligand selection criteria led to the refinement of 3 potent hit molecules using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to better investigate their structural and dynamical profiles. The selected hit molecules had a low toxicity and a significant therapeutic potential for heart failure, antiviral activity, asthma and depression, all conditions in which NF-κB plays a critical role. These hit ligands were also structurally stable at the NF-κB/IκBα complex as per the MD simulations and MM/GBSA analysis. Two of these ligands (Otava IDs: 1426436 and 6248112) showed stronger binding and therefore are hypothesized to be more potent. The identification of new potent NF-κB/IκBα inhibitors may thus present a novel therapy for inflammation-mediated conditions as well as cancer, facilitating more efficient research, and leading the way to future drug development efforts.
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Dey SK, Kamle A, Dereddi RR, Thomas SM, Thummala SR, Kumar A, Chakravarty S, Jesudasan RA. Mice With Partial Deletion of Y-Heterochromatin Exhibits Stress Vulnerability. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:215. [PMID: 30297990 PMCID: PMC6160548 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of Y chromosome in sex determination and male fertility is well established. It is also known that infertile men are prone to psychological disturbances. Earlier studies in the laboratory identified genes expressed in testes that are putatively regulated by Y chromosome in man and mouse. With the availability of a Y-deleted mouse model, that is subfertile, we studied the effect of a partial deletion of Y-chromosomal heterochromatin on mouse behavior when compared to its wild type. The partial Y-deleted mice exhibited anxiety like phenotype under stress when different anxiety (open field test and elevated plus maze, EPM test) and depression related tests (tail suspension and force swim) were performed. The mutant mice also showed reduction in hippocampal neurogenesis and altered expression of neurogenesis markers such as Nestin, Sox2, Gfap, NeuroD1 and Dcx using quantitative real time PCR (qPCR) analysis. The genes with altered expression contained short stretches of homology to Y-derived transcripts only in their Untranslated Regions (UTRs). Our study suggests putative regulation of these genes by the Y chromosome in mouse brain altering stress related behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Kumar Dey
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Avijeet Kamle
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | | | - Shiju M. Thomas
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
| | | | - Arvind Kumar
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
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Finnell JE, Muniz BL, Padi AR, Lombard CM, Moffitt CM, Wood CS, Wilson LB, Reagan LP, Wilson MA, Wood SK. Essential Role of Ovarian Hormones in Susceptibility to the Consequences of Witnessing Social Defeat in Female Rats. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:372-382. [PMID: 29544773 PMCID: PMC6067999 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women are at greater risk than men of developing depression and comorbid disorders such as cardiovascular disease. This enhanced risk begins at puberty and ends following menopause, suggesting a role for ovarian hormones in this sensitivity. Here we used a model of psychosocial witness stress in female rats to determine the stress-induced neurobiological adaptations that underlie stress susceptibility in an ovarian hormone-dependent manner. METHODS Intact or ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were exposed to five daily 15-minute witness-stress exposures. Witness-stress-evoked burying, behavioral despair, and anhedonia were measured. Cardiovascular telemetry was combined with plasma measurements of inflammation, epinephrine, and corticosterone as indices of cardiovascular dysfunction. Finally, levels of interleukin-1β and corticotropin-releasing factor were assessed in the central amygdala. RESULTS Witness stress produced anxiety-like burying, depressive-like anhedonia, and behavioral despair selectively in intact female rats, which was associated with enhanced sympathetic responses during stress, including increased blood pressure, heart rate, and arrhythmias. Moreover, intact female rats exhibited increases in 12-hour resting systolic pressure and heart rate and reductions in heart rate variability. Notably, OVX female rats remained resilient. Moreover, intact, but not OVX, female rats exposed to witness stress exhibited a sensitized cytokine and epinephrine response to stress and distinct increases in levels of corticotropin-releasing factor and interleukin-1β in the central amygdala. CONCLUSIONS Together these data suggest that ovarian hormones play a critical role in the behavioral, inflammatory, and cardiovascular susceptibility to social stress in female rats and reveal putative systems that are sensitized to stress in an ovarian hormone-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E. Finnell
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Brandon L. Muniz
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Akhila R. Padi
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Calliandra M. Lombard
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Casey M. Moffitt
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Christopher S. Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - L. Britt Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Lawrence P. Reagan
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Marlene A. Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209
| | - Susan K. Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209,WJB Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, Columbia, SC 29209
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