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Spann MN, Bansal R, Aydin E, Pollatou A, Alleyne K, Bennett M, Sawardekar S, Delapenha K, Cheng B, Lee S, Monk C, Peterson BS. Maternal prenatal immune activation associated with brain tissue microstructure and metabolite concentrations in newborn infants. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 122:279-286. [PMID: 39163912 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.08.025] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Few human studies have assessed the association of prenatal maternal immune activation (MIA) with measures of brain development and psychiatric risk in newborn offspring. Our goal was to identify the effects of MIA during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy on newborn measures of brain metabolite concentrations, tissue microstructure, and motor development. This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study conducted with nulliparous pregnant women who were aged 14 to 19 years and recruited in their 2nd trimester, as well as their children who were followed through 14 months of age. MIA was indexed by maternal interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in both trimesters of pregnancy. Primary outcomes included: (1) newborn brain metabolite concentrations as ratios to creatine (N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho)/Cr) measured using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; (2) newborn fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity, measured using Diffusion Tensor Imaging; and (3) indices of motor development, assessed prenatally and postnatally at ages 4- and 14-months. Maternal IL-6 and CRP levels associated significantly with both metabolites in the putamen, thalamus, insula, and the internal capsule. Maternal IL-6 associated significantly with fractional anisotropy in the putamen, caudate, thalamus, insula, and precuneus, and with mean diffusivity in the inferior parietal and middle temporal gyrus. CRP associated significantly with fractional anisotropy in the thalamus, insula, and putamen. Significant associations were found in common regions across imaging modalities, though the direction of associations differed by immune marker. In addition, both maternal IL-6 and CRP (in both trimesters) prenatally associated significantly with offspring motor development at 4- and 14-months of age. The left thalamus mediated effects of IL-6 on postnatal motor development. These findings demonstrate that levels of MIA in mid- to late pregnancy in a generally healthy sample associate with tissue characteristics in newborn brain regions that primarily support motor integration and coordination, as well as behavioral regulation. Those brain effects may contribute to differences in motor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa N Spann
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Ravi Bansal
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ezra Aydin
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Angeliki Pollatou
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kiarra Alleyne
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Margaret Bennett
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Kayla Delapenha
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bin Cheng
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Catherine Monk
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bradley S Peterson
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Santana-Coelho D. Does the kynurenine pathway play a pathogenic role in autism spectrum disorder? Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 40:100839. [PMID: 39263315 PMCID: PMC11387593 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100839] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in communication, sociability, and repetitive/stereotyped behavior. The etiology of autism is diverse, with genetic susceptibility playing an important role alongside environmental insults and conditions. Human and preclinical studies have shown that ASD is commonly accompanied by inflammation, and inhibition of the inflammatory response can ameliorate, or prevent the phenotype in preclinical studies. The kynurenine pathway, responsible for tryptophan metabolism, is upregulated by inflammation. Hence, this metabolic route has drawn the attention of investigators across different disciplines such as cancer, immunology, and neuroscience. Over the past decade, studies have identified evidence that the kynurenine pathway is also altered in autism spectrum disorders. In this mini review, we will explore the current status quo of the link between the kynurenine pathway and ASD, shedding light on the compelling but still preliminary evidence of this relationship.
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Yotova AY, Li LL, O'Leary A, Tegeder I, Reif A, Courtney MJ, Slattery DA, Freudenberg F. Synaptic proteome perturbations after maternal immune activation: Identification of embryonic and adult hippocampal changes. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 121:351-364. [PMID: 39089536 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.07.040] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal immune activation (MIA) triggers neurobiological changes in offspring, potentially reshaping the molecular synaptic landscape, with the hippocampus being particularly vulnerable. However, critical details regarding developmental timing of these changes and whether they differ between males and females remain unclear. METHODS We induced MIA in C57BL/6J mice on gestational day nine using the viral mimetic poly(I:C) and performed mass spectrometry-based proteomic analyses on hippocampal synaptoneurosomes of embryonic (E18) and adult (20 ± 1 weeks) MIA offspring. RESULTS In the embryonic synaptoneurosomes, MIA led to lipid, polysaccharide, and glycoprotein metabolism pathway disruptions. In the adult synaptic proteome, we observed a dynamic shift toward transmembrane trafficking, intracellular signalling cascades, including cell death and growth, and cytoskeletal organisation. In adults, many associated pathways overlapped between males and females. However, we found distinct sex-specific enrichment of dopaminergic and glutamatergic pathways. We identified 50 proteins altered by MIA in both embryonic and adult samples (28 with the same directionality), mainly involved in presynaptic structure and synaptic vesicle function. We probed human phenome-wide association study data in the cognitive and psychiatric domains, and 49 of the 50 genes encoding these proteins were significantly associated with the investigated phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS Our data emphasise the dynamic effects of viral-like MIA on developing and mature hippocampi and provide novel targets for study following prenatal immune challenges. The 22 proteins that changed directionality from the embryonic to adult hippocampus, suggestive of compensatory over-adaptions, are particularly attractive for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Y Yotova
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Li-Li Li
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Aet O'Leary
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany; Department of Neuropsychopharmacology, Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Irmgard Tegeder
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Reif
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Michael J Courtney
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - David A Slattery
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Florian Freudenberg
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Frankfurt, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Frankfurt, Germany.
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Tullo S, Miranda AS, Del Cid-Pellitero E, Lim MP, Gallino D, Attaran A, Patel R, Novikov V, Park M, Beraldo FH, Luo W, Shlaifer I, Durcan TM, Bussey TJ, Saksida LM, Fon EA, Prado VF, Prado MAM, Chakravarty MM. Neuroanatomical and cognitive biomarkers of alpha-synuclein propagation in a mouse model of synucleinopathy prior to onset of motor symptoms. J Neurochem 2024; 168:1546-1564. [PMID: 37804203 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Significant evidence suggests that misfolded alpha-synuclein (aSyn), a major component of Lewy bodies, propagates in a prion-like manner contributing to disease progression in Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies. In fact, timed inoculation of M83 hemizygous mice with recombinant human aSyn preformed fibrils (PFF) has shown symptomatic deficits after substantial spreading of pathogenic alpha-synuclein, as detected by markers for the phosphorylation of S129 of aSyn. However, whether accumulated toxicity impact human-relevant cognitive and structural neuroanatomical measures is not fully understood. Here we performed a single unilateral striatal PFF injection in M83 hemizygous mice, and using two assays with translational potential, ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and touchscreen testing, we examined the combined neuroanatomical and behavioral impact of aSyn propagation. In PFF-injected mice, we observed widespread atrophy in bilateral regions that project to or receive input from the injection site using MRI. We also identified early deficits in reversal learning prior to the emergence of motor symptoms. Our findings highlight a network of regions with related cellular correlates of pathology that follow the progression of aSyn spreading, and that affect brain areas relevant for reversal learning. Our experiments suggest that M83 hemizygous mice injected with human PFF provides a model to understand how misfolded aSyn affects human-relevant pre-clinical measures and suggest that these pre-clinical biomarkers could be used to detect early toxicity of aSyn and provide better translational measures between mice and human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Tullo
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Computational Brain Anatomy (CoBrA) Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Aline S Miranda
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Esther Del Cid-Pellitero
- McGill Parkinson Program, Neurodegenerative Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mei Peng Lim
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel Gallino
- Computational Brain Anatomy (CoBrA) Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anoosha Attaran
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Raihaan Patel
- Computational Brain Anatomy (CoBrA) Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Vladislav Novikov
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Megan Park
- Computational Brain Anatomy (CoBrA) Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Flavio H Beraldo
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wen Luo
- Early Drug Discovery Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Irina Shlaifer
- Early Drug Discovery Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Thomas M Durcan
- Early Drug Discovery Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Edward A Fon
- McGill Parkinson Program, Neurodegenerative Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Vania F Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Computational Brain Anatomy (CoBrA) Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Suleri A, Gaiser C, Cecil CAM, Dijkzeul A, Neumann A, Labrecque JA, White T, Bergink V, Muetzel RL. Examining longitudinal associations between prenatal exposure to infections and child brain morphology. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:965-977. [PMID: 38750701 PMCID: PMC7616133 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.014] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal infection during pregnancy has been identified as a prenatal risk factor for the later development of psychopathology in exposed offspring. Neuroimaging data collected during childhood has suggested a link between prenatal exposure to maternal infection and child brain structure and function, potentially offering a neurobiological explanation for the emergence of psychopathology. Additionally, preclinical studies utilizing repeated measures of neuroimaging data suggest that effects of prenatal maternal infection on the offspring's brain may normalize over time (i.e., catch-up growth). However, it remains unclear whether exposure to prenatal maternal infection in humans is related to long-term differential neurodevelopmental trajectories. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the association between prenatal exposure to infections on child brain development over time using repeated measures MRI data. METHODS We leveraged data from a population-based cohort, Generation R, in which we examined prospectively assessed self-reported infections at each trimester of pregnancy (N = 2,155). We further used three neuroimaging assessments (at mean ages 8, 10 and 14) to obtain cortical and subcortical measures of the offspring's brain morphology with MRI. Hereafter, we applied linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for several confounding factors, to estimate the association of prenatal maternal infection with child brain development over time. RESULTS We found that prenatal exposure to infection in the third trimester was associated with a slower decrease in volumes of the pars orbitalis, rostral anterior cingulate and superior frontal gyrus, and a faster increase in the middle temporal gyrus. In the temporal pole we observed a divergent pattern, specifically showing an increase in volume in offspring exposed to more infections compared to a decrease in volume in offspring exposed to fewer infections. We further observed associations in other frontal and temporal lobe structures after exposure to infections in any trimester, though these did not survive multiple testing correction. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that prenatal exposure to infections in the third trimester may be associated with slower age-related growth in the regions: pars orbitalis, rostral anterior cingulate and superior frontal gyrus, and faster age-related growth in the middle temporal gyrus across childhood, suggesting a potential sensitive period. Our results might be interpreted as an extension of longitudinal findings from preclinical studies, indicating that children exposed to prenatal infections could exhibit catch-up growth. However, given the lack of differences in brain volume between various infection groups at baseline, there may instead be either a longitudinal deviation or a subtle temporal deviation. Subsequent well-powered studies that extend into the period of full brain development (∼25 years) are needed to confirm whether the observed phenomenon is indeed catch-up growth, a longitudinal deviation, or a subtle temporal deviation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Suleri
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Carolin Gaiser
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Annet Dijkzeul
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Alexander Neumann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jeremy A Labrecque
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tonya White
- Section on Social and Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Veerle Bergink
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Yan S, Wang L, Samsom JN, Ujic D, Liu F. PolyI:C Maternal Immune Activation on E9.5 Causes the Deregulation of Microglia and the Complement System in Mice, Leading to Decreased Synaptic Spine Density. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5480. [PMID: 38791517 PMCID: PMC11121703 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105480] [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: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a risk factor for multiple neurodevelopmental disorders; however, animal models developed to explore MIA mechanisms are sensitive to experimental factors, which has led to complexity in previous reports of the MIA phenotype. We sought to characterize an MIA protocol throughout development to understand how prenatal immune insult alters the trajectory of important neurodevelopmental processes, including the microglial regulation of synaptic spines and complement signaling. We used polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) to induce MIA on gestational day 9.5 in CD-1 mice, and measured their synaptic spine density, microglial synaptic pruning, and complement protein expression. We found reduced dendritic spine density in the somatosensory cortex starting at 3-weeks-of-age with requisite increases in microglial synaptic pruning and phagocytosis, suggesting spine density loss was caused by increased microglial synaptic pruning. Additionally, we showed dysregulation in complement protein expression persisting into adulthood. Our findings highlight disruptions in the prenatal environment leading to alterations in multiple dynamic processes through to postnatal development. This could potentially suggest developmental time points during which synaptic processes could be measured as risk factors or targeted with therapeutics for neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxin Yan
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; (S.Y.); (L.W.); (J.N.S.); (D.U.)
| | - Le Wang
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; (S.Y.); (L.W.); (J.N.S.); (D.U.)
- Institute of Mental Health and Drug Discovery, Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision, and Brain Health), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Ouhai District, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - James Nicholas Samsom
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; (S.Y.); (L.W.); (J.N.S.); (D.U.)
| | - Daniel Ujic
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; (S.Y.); (L.W.); (J.N.S.); (D.U.)
- Institutes of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Cir., Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Fang Liu
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; (S.Y.); (L.W.); (J.N.S.); (D.U.)
- Institutes of Medical Science, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Cir., Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College St., Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Cir., Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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Debs SR, Conn I, Navaneethan B, Penklis AG, Meyer U, Killcross S, Weickert CS, Purves-Tyson TD. Maternal immune activation and estrogen receptor modulation induce sex-specific dopamine-related behavioural and molecular alterations in adult rat offspring. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:236-251. [PMID: 38431238 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.02.034] [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: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Dopamine dysregulation contributes to psychosis and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia that can be modelled in rodents by inducing maternal immune activation (MIA). The selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator, raloxifene, can improve psychosis and cognition in men and women with schizophrenia. However, few studies have examined how raloxifene may exert its therapeutic effects in mammalian brain in both sexes during young adulthood (age relevant to most prevalent age at diagnosis). Here, we tested the extent to which raloxifene alters dopamine-related behaviours and brain transcripts in young adult rats, both control and MIA-exposed females and males. We found that raloxifene increased amphetamine (AMPH)-induced locomotor activity in female controls, and in contrast, raloxifene reduced AMPH-induced locomotor activity in male MIA offspring. We did not detect overt prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits in female or male MIA offspring, yet raloxifene enhanced PPI in male MIA offspring. Whereas, raloxifene ameliorated increased startle responsivity in female MIA offspring. In the substantia nigra (SN), we found reduced Drd2s mRNA in raloxifene-treated female offspring with or without MIA, and increased Comt mRNA in placebo-treated male MIA offspring relative to placebo-treated controls. These data demonstrate an underlying dopamine dysregulation in MIA animals that can become more apparent with raloxifene treatment, and may involve selective alterations in dopamine receptor levels and dopamine breakdown processes in the SN. Our findings support sex-specific, differential behavioural responses to ER modulation in MIA compared to control offspring, with beneficial effects of raloxifene treatment on dopamine-related behaviours relevant to schizophrenia found in male MIA offspring only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie R Debs
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Illya Conn
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Brendan Navaneethan
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andriane G Penklis
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland; Switzerland Neuroscience Centre Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Simon Killcross
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, USA
| | - Tertia D Purves-Tyson
- Preclinical Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
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Guma E, Chakravarty MM. Immune Alterations in the Intrauterine Environment Shape Offspring Brain Development in a Sex-Specific Manner. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01260-5. [PMID: 38679357 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to immune dysregulation in utero or in early life has been shown to increase risk for neuropsychiatric illness. The sources of inflammation can be varied, including acute exposures due to maternal infection or acute stress, or persistent exposures due to chronic stress, obesity, malnutrition, or autoimmune diseases. These exposures may cause subtle alteration in brain development, structure, and function that can become progressively magnified across the life span, potentially increasing the likelihood of developing a neuropsychiatric conditions. There is some evidence that males are more susceptible to early-life inflammatory challenges than females. In this review, we discuss the various sources of in utero or early-life immune alteration and the known effects on fetal development with a sex-specific lens. To do so, we leveraged neuroimaging, behavioral, cellular, and neurochemical findings. Gaining clarity about how the intrauterine environment affects offspring development is critically important for informing preventive and early intervention measures that may buffer against the effects of these early-life risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts.
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Du J, Nakachi Y, Murata Y, Kiyota E, Kato T, Bundo M, Iwamoto K. Exploration of cell type-specific somatic mutations in schizophrenia and the impact of maternal immune activation on the somatic mutation profile in the brain. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024; 78:237-247. [PMID: 38334156 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13640] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
AIM Schizophrenia (SZ) is a severe psychiatric disorder caused by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Although somatic mutations that occur in the brain after fertilization may play an important role in the cause of SZ, their frequencies and patterns in the brains of patients and related animal models have not been well studied. This study aimed to find somatic mutations related to the pathophysiology of SZ. METHODS We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) of neuronal and nonneuronal nuclei isolated from the postmortem prefrontal cortex of patients with SZ (n = 10) and controls (n = 10). After detecting somatic mutations, we explored the similarities and differences in shared common mutations between two cell types and cell type-specific mutations. We also performed WES of prefrontal cortex samples from an animal model of SZ based on maternal immune activation (MIA) and explored the possible impact of MIA on the patterns of somatic mutations. RESULTS We did not find quantitative differences in somatic mutations but found higher variant allele fractions of neuron-specific mutations in patients with SZ. In the mouse model, we found a larger variation in the number of somatic mutations in the offspring of MIA mice, with the occurrence of somatic mutations in neurodevelopment-related genes. CONCLUSION Somatic mutations occurring at an earlier stage of brain cell differentiation toward neurons may be important for the cause of SZ. MIA may affect somatic mutation profiles in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbin Du
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yutaka Nakachi
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yui Murata
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan
| | - Emi Kiyota
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Tadafumi Kato
- Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miki Bundo
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan
| | - Kazuya Iwamoto
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan
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10
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Rodriguez-Zas SL, Nowak RA, Antonson AM, Rund L, Bhamidi S, Gomez AN, Southey BR, Johnson RW. Immune and metabolic challenges induce changes in pain sensation and related pathways in the hypothalamus. Physiol Genomics 2024; 56:343-359. [PMID: 38189117 PMCID: PMC11283907 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00134.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic molecular processes participate in the regulation of the neuro-immune-endocrine system, including hormone, metabolite, chemokine circulation, and corresponding physiological and behavioral responses. RNA-sequencing profiles were analyzed to understand the effect of juvenile immune and metabolic distress 100 days after virally elicited maternal immune activation during gestation in pigs. Over 1,300 genes exhibited significant additive or interacting effects of gestational immune activation, juvenile distress, and sex. One-third of these genes presented multiple effects, emphasizing the complex interplay of these factors. Key functional categories enriched among affected genes included sensory perception of pain, steroidogenesis, prolactin, neuropeptide, and inflammatory signaling. These categories underscore the intricate relationship between gestational immune activation during gestation, distress, and the response of hypothalamic pathways to insults. These effects were sex-dependent for many genes, such as Prdm12, Oprd1, Isg20, Prl, Oxt, and Vip. The prevalence of differentially expressed genes annotated to proinflammatory and cell cycle processes suggests potential implications for synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival. The gene profiles affected by immune activation, distress, and sex pointed to the action of transcription factors SHOX2, STAT1, and REST. These findings underscore the importance of considering sex and postnatal challenges when studying causes of neurodevelopmental disorders and highlight the complexity of the "two-hit" hypothesis in understanding their etiology. Our study furthers the understanding of the intricate molecular responses in the hypothalamus to gestational immune activation and subsequent distress, shedding light on the sex-specific effects and the potential long-lasting consequences on pain perception, neuroendocrine regulation, and inflammatory processes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The interaction of infection during gestation and insults later in life influences the molecular mechanisms in the hypothalamus that participate in pain sensation. The response of the hypothalamic transcriptome varies between sexes and can also affect synapses and immune signals. The findings from this study assist in the identification of agonists or antagonists that can guide pretranslational studies to ameliorate the effects of gestational insults interacting with postnatal challenges on physiological or behavioral disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L Rodriguez-Zas
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Department of Statistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Romana A Nowak
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Adrienne M Antonson
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Laurie Rund
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Sreelaya Bhamidi
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Andrea N Gomez
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Bruce R Southey
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
| | - Rodney W Johnson
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States
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11
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Li H, Wang X, Hu C, Cui J, Li H, Luo X, Hao Y. IL-6 Enhances the Activation of PI3K-AKT/mTOR-GSK-3β by Upregulating GRPR in Hippocampal Neurons of Autistic Mice. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2024; 19:12. [PMID: 38536552 PMCID: PMC10972920 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-024-10111-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder associated with brain inflammation. The underlying mechanisms could be attributed to the activation of PI3K signaling in the inflamed brain of ASD. Multiple studies highlight the role of GRPR in regulating ASD like abnormal behavior and enhancing the PI3K signaling. However, the molecular mechanism by which GRPR regulates PI3K signaling in neurons of individuals with ASD is still unclear. In this study, we utilized a maternal immune activation model to investigate the effects of GRPR on PI3K signaling in the inflamed brain of ASD mice. We used HT22 cells with and without GRPR to examine the impact of GRP-GRPR on the PI3K-AKT pathway with IL-6 treatment. We analyzed a dataset of hippocampus samples from ASD mice to identify hub genes. Our results demonstrated increased expression of IL-6, GRPR, and PI3K-AKT signaling in the hippocampus of ASD mice. Additionally, we observed increased GRPR expression and PI3K-AKT/mTOR activation in HT22 cells after IL-6 treatment, but decreased expression in HT22 cells with GRPR knockdown. NetworkAnalyst identified GSK-3β as the most crucial gene in the PI3K-AKT/mTOR pathway in the hippocampus of ASD. Furthermore, we found that IL-6 upregulated the expression of GSK-3β in HT22 cells by upregulating GRP-GRPR. Our findings suggest that IL-6 can enhance the activation of PI3K-AKT/mTOR-GSK-3β in hippocampal neurons of ASD mice by upregulating GRPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Li
- Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xinyuan Wang
- Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Cong Hu
- Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jinru Cui
- Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Hao Li
- Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiaoping Luo
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yan Hao
- Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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12
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Vacharasin JM, Ward JA, McCord MM, Cox K, Imitola J, Lizarraga SB. Neuroimmune mechanisms in autism etiology - untangling a complex problem using human cellular models. OXFORD OPEN NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 3:kvae003. [PMID: 38665176 PMCID: PMC11044813 DOI: 10.1093/oons/kvae003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1 in 36 people and is more often diagnosed in males than in females. Core features of ASD are impaired social interactions, repetitive behaviors and deficits in verbal communication. ASD is a highly heterogeneous and heritable disorder, yet its underlying genetic causes account only for up to 80% of the cases. Hence, a subset of ASD cases could be influenced by environmental risk factors. Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a response to inflammation during pregnancy, which can lead to increased inflammatory signals to the fetus. Inflammatory signals can cross the placenta and blood brain barriers affecting fetal brain development. Epidemiological and animal studies suggest that MIA could contribute to ASD etiology. However, human mechanistic studies have been hindered by a lack of experimental systems that could replicate the impact of MIA during fetal development. Therefore, mechanisms altered by inflammation during human pre-natal brain development, and that could underlie ASD pathogenesis have been largely understudied. The advent of human cellular models with induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) and organoid technology is closing this gap in knowledge by providing both access to molecular manipulations and culturing capability of tissue that would be otherwise inaccessible. We present an overview of multiple levels of evidence from clinical, epidemiological, and cellular studies that provide a potential link between higher ASD risk and inflammation. More importantly, we discuss how stem cell-derived models may constitute an ideal experimental system to mechanistically interrogate the effect of inflammation during the early stages of brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janay M Vacharasin
- Department of Biological Sciences, and Center for Childhood Neurotherapeutics, Univ. of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Francis Marion University, 4822 East Palmetto Street, Florence, S.C. 29506, USA
| | - Joseph A Ward
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, & Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute of Brain Science, Brown University, 70 Ship Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Mikayla M McCord
- Department of Biological Sciences, and Center for Childhood Neurotherapeutics, Univ. of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Kaitlin Cox
- Department of Biological Sciences, and Center for Childhood Neurotherapeutics, Univ. of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Jaime Imitola
- Laboratory of Neural Stem Cells and Functional Neurogenetics, UConn Health, Departments of Neuroscience, Neurology, Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-5357, USA
| | - Sofia B Lizarraga
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, & Biochemistry, Brown University, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, Carney Institute of Brain Science, Brown University, 70 Ship Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA
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13
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Carrier M, Hui CW, Watters V, Šimončičová E, Picard K, González Ibáñez F, Vernoux N, Droit A, Desjardins M, Tremblay MÈ. Behavioral as well as hippocampal transcriptomic and microglial responses differ across sexes in adult mouse offspring exposed to a dual genetic and environmental challenge. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 116:126-139. [PMID: 38016491 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.11.025] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A wide range of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms compose the clinical presentation of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a multifactorial disorder in which genetic and environmental risk factors interact for a full emergence of the disorder. Infectious challenges during pregnancy are a well-known environmental risk factor for schizophrenia. Also, genetic variants affecting the function of fractalkine signaling between neurons and microglia were linked to schizophrenia. Translational animal models recapitulating these complex gene-environment associations have a great potential to untangle schizophrenia neurobiology and propose new therapeutic strategies. METHODS Given that genetic variants affecting the function of fractalkine signaling between neurons and microglia were linked to schizophrenia, we compared the outcomes of a well-characterized model of maternal immune activation induced using the viral mimetic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) in wild-type versus fractalkine receptor knockout mice. Possible behavioral and immune alterations were assessed in male and female offspring during adulthood. Considering the role of the hippocampus in schizophrenia, microglial analyses and bulk RNA sequencing were performed within this region to assess the neuroimmune dynamics at play. Males and females were examined separately. RESULTS Offspring exposed to the dual challenge paradigm exhibited symptoms relevant to schizophrenia and unpredictably to mood disorders. Males displayed social and cognitive deficits related to schizophrenia, while females mainly presented anxiety-like behaviors related to mood disorders. Hippocampal microglia in females exposed to the dual challenge were hypertrophic, indicative of an increased surveillance, whereas those in males showed on the other end of the spectrum blunted morphologies with a reduced phagocytosis. Hippocampal bulk-RNA sequencing further revealed a downregulation in females of genes related to GABAergic transmission, which represents one of the main proposed causes of mood disorders. CONCLUSIONS Building on previous results, we identified in the current study distinctive behavioral phenotypes in female mice exposed to a dual genetic and environmental challenge, thus proposing a new model of neurodevelopmentally-associated mood and affective symptoms. This paves the way to future sex-specific investigations into the susceptibility to developmental challenges using animal models based on genetic and immune vulnerability as presented here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micaël Carrier
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Chin W Hui
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Valérie Watters
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Eva Šimončičová
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Katherine Picard
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Fernando González Ibáñez
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Nathalie Vernoux
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Arnaud Droit
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada; Département de médecine moléculaire, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Michèle Desjardins
- Department of Physics, Physical Engineering and Optics, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada; Oncology Axis, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada; Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
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14
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Egorova M, Egorov V, Zabrodskaya Y. Maternal Influenza and Offspring Neurodevelopment. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:355-366. [PMID: 38248325 PMCID: PMC10814929 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46010023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
This review examines the complex interactions between maternal influenza infection, the immune system, and the neurodevelopment of the offspring. It highlights the importance of high-quality studies to clarify the association between maternal exposure to the virus and neuropsychiatric disorders in the offspring. Additionally, it emphasizes that the development of accurate animal models is vital for studying the impact of infectious diseases during pregnancy and identifying potential therapeutic targets. By drawing attention to the complex nature of these interactions, this review underscores the need for ongoing research to improve the understanding and outcomes for pregnant women and their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marya Egorova
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, Russian Ministry of Health, 15/17 Ulitsa Prof. Popova, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia; (M.E.); (V.E.)
| | - Vladimir Egorov
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, Russian Ministry of Health, 15/17 Ulitsa Prof. Popova, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia; (M.E.); (V.E.)
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, 12 Ulitsa Akademika Pavlova, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia
| | - Yana Zabrodskaya
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, Russian Ministry of Health, 15/17 Ulitsa Prof. Popova, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia; (M.E.); (V.E.)
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology, Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Ulitsa Polytechnicheskaya, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia
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15
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Suleri A, Cecil C, Rommel AS, Hillegers M, White T, de Witte LD, Muetzel RL, Bergink V. Long-term effects of prenatal infection on the human brain: a prospective multimodal neuroimaging study. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:306. [PMID: 37789021 PMCID: PMC10547711 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02597-x] [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: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
There is convincing evidence from rodent studies suggesting that prenatal infections affect the offspring's brain, but evidence in humans is limited. Here, we assessed the occurrence of common infections during each trimester of pregnancy and examined associations with brain outcomes in adolescent offspring. Our study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a large-scale sociodemographically diverse prospective birth cohort. We included 1094 mother-child dyads and investigated brain morphology (structural MRI), white matter microstructure (DTI), and functional connectivity (functional MRI), as outcomes at the age of 14. We focused on both global and focal regions. To define prenatal infections, we composed a score based on the number and type of infections during each trimester of pregnancy. Models were adjusted for several confounders. We found that prenatal infection was negatively associated with cerebral white matter volume (B = -0.069, 95% CI -0.123 to -0.015, p = 0.011), and we found an association between higher prenatal infection scores and smaller volumes of several frontotemporal regions of the brain. After multiple testing correction, we only observed an association between prenatal infections and the caudal anterior cingulate volume (B = -0.104, 95% CI -0.164 to -0.045, p < 0.001). We did not observe effects of prenatal infection on other measures of adolescent brain morphology, white matter microstructure, or functional connectivity, which is reassuring. Our results show potential regions of interest in the brain for future studies; data on the effect of severe prenatal infections on the offspring's brain in humans are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Suleri
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anna-Sophie Rommel
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Manon Hillegers
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tonya White
- Section on Social and Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lot D de Witte
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Veerle Bergink
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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16
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Lesh TA, Iosif AM, Tanase C, Vlasova RM, Ryan AM, Bennett J, Hogrefe CE, Maddock RJ, Geschwind DH, Van de Water J, McAllister AK, Styner MA, Bauman MD, Carter CS. Extracellular free water elevations are associated with brain volume and maternal cytokine response in a longitudinal nonhuman primate maternal immune activation model. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4185-4194. [PMID: 37582858 PMCID: PMC10867284 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02213-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Maternal infection has emerged as an important environmental risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders. Animal model systems of maternal immune activation (MIA) suggest that the maternal immune response plays a significant role in the offspring's neurodevelopment and behavioral outcomes. Extracellular free water is a measure of freely diffusing water in the brain that may be associated with neuroinflammation and impacted by MIA. The present study evaluates the brain diffusion characteristics of male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) born to MIA-exposed dams (n = 14) treated with a modified form of the viral mimic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid at the end of the first trimester. Control dams received saline injections at the end of the first trimester (n = 10) or were untreated (n = 4). Offspring underwent diffusion MRI scans at 6, 12, 24, 36, and 45 months. Offspring born to MIA-exposed dams showed significantly increased extracellular free water in cingulate cortex gray matter starting as early as 6 months of age and persisting through 45 months. In addition, offspring gray matter free water in this region was significantly correlated with the magnitude of the maternal IL-6 response in the MIA-exposed dams. Significant correlations between brain volume and extracellular free water in the MIA-exposed offspring also indicate converging, multimodal evidence of the impact of MIA on brain development. These findings provide strong evidence for the construct validity of the nonhuman primate MIA model as a system of relevance for investigating the pathophysiology of human neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders. Elevated free water in individuals exposed to immune activation in utero could represent an early marker of a perturbed or vulnerable neurodevelopmental trajectory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler A Lesh
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ana-Maria Iosif
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Costin Tanase
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Roza M Vlasova
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Amy M Ryan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Bennett
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Richard J Maddock
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Neurogenetics Program, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Judy Van de Water
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Rheumatology/Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - A Kimberley McAllister
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Martin A Styner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Melissa D Bauman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Cameron S Carter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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17
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Fujii S, Murata Y, Imamura Y, Nakachi Y, Bundo M, Kubota-Sakashita M, Kato T, Iwamoto K. Sex-dependent behavioral alterations in a poly(I:C)-induced maternal immune activation mouse model without segment filamentous bacteria. Neurosci Lett 2023; 814:137467. [PMID: 37652351 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation is one of the environmental risk factors for offspring to develop psychiatric disorders. A synthetic viral mimetic immunogen, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), is used to induce maternal immune activation in animal models of psychiatric disorders. In the mouse poly(I:C) model, the existence of segment filamentous bacteria (SFB) in the maternal intestine has been reported to be important for the induction of ASD-related behavioral alterations as well as atypical cortical development called cortical patches. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of a single poly(I:C) injection during embryonic day (E) 9 to E16 on offspring's behavior in the ensured absence of maternal SFB by vancomycin drinking in C57BL/6N mice. The cortical patches were not found at either injection timings with poly(I:C) or PBS vehicle, tested in male or female offspring at postnatal day 0 or 1. Prepulse inhibition was decreased in male adult offspring most strongly at poly(I:C) injection timings later than E11, whereas a modest but significant decrease was observed in female offspring with an injection during E12 to E15. The decrease in social interaction was observed in female offspring most conspicuously at injection timings later than E11, whereas a significant decrease was observed in male offspring with an injection during E12 to E15. In conclusion, this study indicated that behavioral alterations could be induced without maternal SFB. The effect on behavior was substantially different between males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Fujii
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yui Murata
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yuko Imamura
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yutaka Nakachi
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Miki Bundo
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Mie Kubota-Sakashita
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan; Department of Molecular Pathology of Mood Disorders, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Tadafumi Kato
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan; Department of Molecular Pathology of Mood Disorders, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Kazuya Iwamoto
- Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
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Gundacker A, Cuenca Rico L, Stoehrmann P, Tillmann KE, Weber-Stadlbauer U, Pollak DD. Interaction of the pre- and postnatal environment in the maternal immune activation model. DISCOVER MENTAL HEALTH 2023; 3:15. [PMID: 37622027 PMCID: PMC10444676 DOI: 10.1007/s44192-023-00042-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Adverse influences during pregnancy are associated with a range of unfavorable outcomes for the developing offspring. Maternal psychosocial stress, exposure to infections and nutritional imbalances are known risk factors for neurodevelopmental derangements and according psychiatric and neurological manifestations later in offspring life. In this context, the maternal immune activation (MIA) model has been extensively used in preclinical research to study how stimulation of the maternal immune system during gestation derails the tightly coordinated sequence of fetal neurodevelopment. The ensuing consequence of MIA for offspring brain structure and function are majorly manifested in behavioral and cognitive abnormalities, phenotypically presenting during the periods of adolescence and adulthood. These observations have been interpreted within the framework of the "double-hit-hypothesis" suggesting that an elevated risk for neurodevelopmental disorders results from an individual being subjected to two adverse environmental influences at distinct periods of life, jointly leading to the emergence of pathology. The early postnatal period, during which the caregiving parent is the major determinant of the newborn´s environment, constitutes a window of vulnerability to external stimuli. Considering that MIA not only affects the developing fetus, but also impinges on the mother´s brain, which is in a state of heightened malleability during pregnancy, the impact of MIA on maternal brain function and behavior postpartum may importantly contribute to the detrimental consequences for her progeny. Here we review current information on the interaction between the prenatal and postnatal maternal environments in the modulation of offspring development and their relevance for the pathophysiology of the MIA model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gundacker
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura Cuenca Rico
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Stoehrmann
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina E. Tillmann
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniela D. Pollak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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19
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Spann MN, Bansal R, Aydin E, Pollatou A, Alleyne K, Bennett M, Sawardekar S, Cheng B, Lee S, Monk C, Peterson BS. Maternal prenatal immune activation associated with brain tissue microstructure and metabolite concentrations in newborn infants. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.01.23292113. [PMID: 37461481 PMCID: PMC10350159 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.01.23292113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Importance Few translational human studies have assessed the association of prenatal maternal immune activation with altered brain development and psychiatric risk in newborn offspring. Objective To identify the effects of maternal immune activation during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy on newborn brain metabolite concentrations, tissue microstructure, and longitudinal motor development. Design Prospective longitudinal cohort study conducted from 2012 - 2017. Setting Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical College. Participants 76 nulliparous pregnant women, aged 14 to 19 years, were recruited in their 2nd trimester, and their children were followed through 14 months of age. Exposure Maternal immune activation indexed by maternal interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcomes included (1) newborn metabolite concentrations, measured as N-acetylaspartate, creatine, and choline using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; (2) newborn fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity measured using Diffusion Tensor Imaging; and (3) indices of motor development assessed prenatally and postnatally at ages 4- and 14-months. Results Maternal interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein levels in the 2nd or 3rd trimester were significantly positively associated with the N-acetylaspartate, creatine, and choline concentrations in the putamen, thalamus, insula, and anterior limb of the internal capsule. Maternal interleukin-6 was associated with fractional anisotropy in the putamen, insula, thalamus, precuneus, and caudate, and with mean diffusivity in the inferior parietal and middle temporal gyrus. C-reactive protein was associated with fractional anisotropy in the thalamus, insula, and putamen. Regional commonalities were found across imaging modalities, though the direction of the associations differed by immune marker. In addition, a significant positive association was observed between offspring motor development and both maternal interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein (in both trimesters) prenatally and 4- and 14-months of age. Conclusions and Relevance Using a healthy sample, these findings demonstrate that levels of maternal immune activation in mid- to late pregnancy associate with tissue characteristics in newborn brain regions primarily supporting motor integration/coordination and behavioral regulation and may lead to alterations in motor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa N Spann
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Ravi Bansal
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Ezra Aydin
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Angeliki Pollatou
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Kiarra Alleyne
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Margaret Bennett
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | | | - Bin Cheng
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Catherine Monk
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Bradley S Peterson
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
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20
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Mann B, Crawford JC, Reddy K, Lott J, Youn YH, Gao G, Guy C, Chou CH, Darnell D, Trivedi S, Bomme P, Loughran AJ, Thomas PG, Han YG, Tuomanen EI. Bacterial TLR2/6 Ligands Block Ciliogenesis, Derepress Hedgehog Signaling, and Expand the Neocortex. mBio 2023; 14:e0051023. [PMID: 37052506 PMCID: PMC10294647 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00510-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial components have a range of direct effects on the fetal brain. However, little is known about the cellular targets and molecular mechanisms that mediate these effects. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) control the size and architecture of the brain and understanding the mechanisms regulating NPCs is crucial to understanding brain developmental disorders. We identify ventricular radial glia (vRG), the primary NPC, as the target of bacterial cell wall (BCW) generated during the antibiotic treatment of maternal pneumonia. BCW enhanced proliferative potential of vRGs by shortening the cell cycle and increasing self-renewal. Expanded vRGs propagated to increase neuronal output in all cortical layers. Remarkably, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), which recognizes BCW, localized at the base of primary cilia in vRGs and the BCW-TLR2 interaction suppressed ciliogenesis leading to derepression of Hedgehog (HH) signaling and expansion of vRGs. We also show that TLR6 is an essential partner of TLR2 in this process. Surprisingly, TLR6 alone was required to set the number of cortical neurons under healthy conditions. These findings suggest that an endogenous signal from TLRs suppresses cortical expansion during normal development of the neocortex and that BCW antagonizes that signal through the TLR2/cilia/HH signaling axis changing brain structure and function. IMPORTANCE Fetal brain development in early gestation can be impacted by transplacental infection, altered metabolites from the maternal microbiome, or maternal immune activation. It is less well understood how maternal microbial subcomponents that cross the placenta, such as bacterial cell wall (BCW), directly interact with fetal neural progenitors and neurons and affect development. This scenario plays out in the clinic when BCW debris released during antibiotic therapy of maternal infection traffics to the fetal brain. This study identifies the direct interaction of BCW with TLR2/6 present on the primary cilium, the signaling hub on fetal neural progenitor cells (NPCs). NPCs control the size and architecture of the brain and understanding the mechanisms regulating NPCs is crucial to understanding brain developmental disorders. Within a window of vulnerability before the appearance of fetal immune cells, the BCW-TLR2/6 interaction results in the inhibition of ciliogenesis, derepression of Sonic Hedgehog signaling, excess proliferation of neural progenitors, and abnormal cortical architecture. In the first example of TLR signaling linked to Sonic Hedgehog, BCW/TLR2/6 appears to act during fetal brain morphogenesis to play a role in setting the total cell number in the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth Mann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jeremy Chase Crawford
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Kavya Reddy
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Josi Lott
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Yong Ha Youn
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Geli Gao
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Cliff Guy
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ching-Heng Chou
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Daniel Darnell
- Hartwell Center for Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sanchit Trivedi
- Hartwell Center for Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Perrine Bomme
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Allister J. Loughran
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Paul G. Thomas
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Young-Goo Han
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Elaine I. Tuomanen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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21
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Yin H, Wang Z, Liu J, Li Y, Liu L, Huang P, Wang W, Shan Z, Sun R, Shen J, Duan L. Dysregulation of immune and metabolism pathways in maternal immune activation induces an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders. Life Sci 2023; 324:121734. [PMID: 37105442 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121734] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Maternal immune activation (MIA) via infection during pregnancy is known to be an environmental risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders and the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the offspring, but it still remains elusive that the molecular relevance between infection-induced abnormal neurodevelopmental events and an increased risk for ASD development. MAIN METHODS Fully considering the extremely high genetic heterogeneity of ASD and the universality of risk-gene with minimal effect-sizes, the gene and pathway-based association analysis was performed with the transcriptomic and DNA methylation landscapes of temporal human embryonic brain development and ASD, and the time-course transcriptional profiling of MIA. We conducted the transcriptional profiling of mouse abnormal neurodevelopment two days following induced MIA via LPS injection at E10.5. KEY FINDINGS A novel evidence was proved that illustrated altering four immune and metabolism-related risk pathways, including starch and sucrose metabolism, ribosome, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and retrograde endocannabinoid signaling pathway, which were prominent involvement in the process of MIA regulating abnormal fetal brain development to induce an increased risk of ASD. Here, we have observed that almost all key genes within these risk pathways are significantly differentially expressed at embryonic days (E) 10.5-12.5, which is considered to be the optimal coincidence window of mouse embryonic brain development to study the intimate association between MIA and ASD using mouse animal models. SIGNIFICANCE There search establishes that MIA causes dysregulation of immune and metabolic pathways, which leads to abnormal embryonic neurodevelopment, thus promoting development of ASD symptoms in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huamin Yin
- Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China; Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhendong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Interventional Pulmonology of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Li Liu
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Peijun Huang
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325015, China
| | - Wenhang Wang
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhiyan Shan
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Ruizhen Sun
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Jingling Shen
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Lian Duan
- Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China; Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
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22
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Examining litter specific variability in mice and its impact on neurodevelopmental studies. Neuroimage 2023; 269:119888. [PMID: 36681136 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Our current understanding of litter variability in neurodevelopmental studies using mice may limit translation of neuroscientific findings. Higher variance of measures across litters than within, often termed intra-litter likeness, may be attributable to both pre- and postnatal environment. This study aimed to assess the litter-effect within behavioral assessments (2 timepoints) and anatomy using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images across 72 brain region volumes (4 timepoints) (36 C57bl/6J inbred mice; 7 litters: 19F/17M). Between-litter comparisons of brain and behavioral measures and their associations were evaluated using univariate and multivariate techniques. A power analysis using simulation methods was then performed on modeled neurodevelopment and to evaluate trade-offs between number-of-litters, number-of-mice-per-litter, and sample size. Our results show litter-specific developmental effects, from the adolescent period to adulthood for brain structure volumes and behaviors, and for their associations in adulthood. Our power simulation analysis suggests increasing the number-of-litters in experimental designs to achieve the smallest total sample size necessary for detecting different rates of change in specific brain regions. Our results demonstrate how litter-specific effects may influence development and that increasing the litters to the total sample size ratio should be strongly considered when designing neurodevelopmental studies.
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23
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Usui N, Kobayashi H, Shimada S. Neuroinflammation and Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065487. [PMID: 36982559 PMCID: PMC10049423 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) characterized by impairments in social communication, repetitive behaviors, restricted interests, and hyperesthesia/hypesthesia caused by genetic and/or environmental factors. In recent years, inflammation and oxidative stress have been implicated in the pathogenesis of ASD. In this review, we discuss the inflammation and oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of ASD, particularly focusing on maternal immune activation (MIA). MIA is a one of the common environmental risk factors for the onset of ASD during pregnancy. It induces an immune reaction in the pregnant mother’s body, resulting in further inflammation and oxidative stress in the placenta and fetal brain. These negative factors cause neurodevelopmental impairments in the developing fetal brain and subsequently cause behavioral symptoms in the offspring. In addition, we also discuss the effects of anti-inflammatory drugs and antioxidants in basic studies on animals and clinical studies of ASD. Our review provides the latest findings and new insights into the involvements of inflammation and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyoshi Usui
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
- Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka 541-8567, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-668-79-3124
| | - Hikaru Kobayashi
- SANKEN (Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), Osaka University, Suita 567-0047, Japan
| | - Shoichi Shimada
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
- Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka 541-8567, Japan
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24
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Guma E, Cupo L, Ma W, Gallino D, Moquin L, Gratton A, Devenyi GA, Chakravarty MM. Investigating the "two-hit hypothesis": Effects of prenatal maternal immune activation and adolescent cannabis use on neurodevelopment in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 120:110642. [PMID: 36150422 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) and chronic adolescent cannabis use are both risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders. However, exposure to a single risk factor may not result in major mental illness, indicating that multiple exposures may be required for illness onset. Here, we examine whether combined exposure to prenatal MIA and adolescent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis, lead to enduring neuroanatomical and behavioural changes in adulthood. Mice were prenatally exposed to viral mimetic, poly I:C (5 mg/kg), or vehicle at gestational day (GD) 9, and postnatally exposed to chronic THC (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) or vehicle during adolescence (postnatal day [PND]28-45). Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed pre-treatment, PND 25, post-treatment, PND 50, and in adulthood, PND85, followed by behavioural tests for anxiety-like, social, and sensorimotor gating. Post-mortem assessment of cannabinoid (CB)1 and 2 receptor expressing cells was performed in altered regions identified by MRI (anterior cingulate and somatosensory cortices, striatum, and hippocampus). Subtle deviations in neurodevelopmental trajectory and subthreshold anxiety-like behaviours were observed in mice exposed to both risk factors. Sex-dependent effects were observed in patterns of shared brain-behaviour covariation, indicative of potential sex differences in response to MIA and THC. Density of CB1 and CB2 receptor positive cells was significantly decreased in all mice exposed to MIA, THC, or both. These findings suggest that there may be a cumulative effect of risk factor exposure on gross neuroanatomical development, and that the endocannabinoid system may be sensitive to both prenatal MIA, adolescent THC, or the combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Lani Cupo
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Weiya Ma
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Daniel Gallino
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Luc Moquin
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Alain Gratton
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Gabriel A Devenyi
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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25
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Petty A, Howes O, Eyles D. Animal Models of Relevance to the Schizophrenia Prodrome. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:22-32. [PMID: 36712558 PMCID: PMC9874082 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with schizophrenia often undergo a prodromal phase prior to diagnosis. Given the absence of significant therapeutic improvements, attention has recently shifted to the possibility of intervention during this early stage to delay or diminish symptom severity or even prevent onset. Unfortunately, the 20 or so trials of intervention to date have not been successful in either preventing onset or improving long-term outcomes in subjects who are at risk of developing schizophrenia. One reason may be that the biological pathways an effective intervention must target are not static. The prodromal phase typically occurs during late adolescence, a period during which a number of brain circuits and structures are still maturing. We propose that developing a deeper understanding of which circuits/processes and brain structures are still maturing at this time and which processes drive the transition to schizophrenia will take us a step closer to developing better prophylactic interventions. Fortunately, such knowledge is now emerging from clinical studies, complemented by work in animal models. Our task here is to describe what would constitute an appropriate animal model to study and to potentially intervene in such processes. Such a model would allow invasive analysis of the cellular and molecular substrates of the progressive neurobiology that defines the schizophrenia prodrome and hopefully offer valuable insights into potential prophylactic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Petty
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Darryl Eyles
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Wacol, Queensland, Australia
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Dubey H, Sharma RK, Krishnan S, Knickmeyer R. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) as a possible risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1021721. [PMID: 36590303 PMCID: PMC9800937 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1021721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnant women constitute one of the most vulnerable populations to be affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019. SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy could negatively impact fetal brain development via multiple mechanisms. Accumulating evidence indicates that mother to fetus transmission of SARS-CoV-2 does occur, albeit rarely. When it does occur, there is a potential for neuroinvasion via immune cells, retrograde axonal transport, and olfactory bulb and lymphatic pathways. In the absence of maternal to fetal transmission, there is still the potential for negative neurodevelopmental outcomes as a consequence of disrupted placental development and function leading to preeclampsia, preterm birth, and intrauterine growth restriction. In addition, maternal immune activation may lead to hypomyelination, microglial activation, white matter damage, and reduced neurogenesis in the developing fetus. Moreover, maternal immune activation can disrupt the maternal or fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis leading to altered neurodevelopment. Finally, pro-inflammatory cytokines can potentially alter epigenetic processes within the developing brain. In this review, we address each of these potential mechanisms. We propose that SARS-CoV-2 could lead to neurodevelopmental disorders in a subset of pregnant women and that long-term studies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harikesh Dubey
- Division of Neuroengineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Ravindra K. Sharma
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Suraj Krishnan
- Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Rebecca Knickmeyer
- Division of Neuroengineering, Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States,Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States,*Correspondence: Rebecca Knickmeyer,
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27
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Duan L, Liu J, Yin H, Wang W, Liu L, Shen J, Wang Z. Dynamic changes in spatiotemporal transcriptome reveal maternal immune dysregulation of autism spectrum disorder. Comput Biol Med 2022; 151:106334. [PMID: 36442276 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy is known to be an environmental risk factor for neurodevelopment and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it is unclear at which fetal brain developmental windows and regions MIA induces ASD-related neurodevelopmental transcriptional abnormalities. The non-chasm differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in MIA inducing ASD during fetal brain developmental windows were identified by performing the differential expression analysis and comparing the common DEGs among MIA at four different gestational development windows, ASD with multiple brain regions from human patients and mouse models, and human and mouse embryonic brain developmental trajectory. The gene set and functional enrichment analyses were performing to identify MIA dysregulated ASD-related the fetal neurodevelopmental windows and brain regions and function annotations. Additionally, the networks were constructed using Cytoscape for visualization. MIA at E12.5 and E14.5 increased the risk of distinct brain regions for ASD. MIA-driven transcriptional alterations of non-chasm DEGs, during the coincidence brain developmental windows between human and mice, involving ASD-relevant synaptic components, as well as immune- and metabolism-related functions and pathways. Furthermore, a great number of non-chasm brain development-, immune-, and metabolism-related DEGs were overlapped in at least two existing ASD-associated databases, suggesting that the others could be considered as the candidate targets to construct the model mice for explaining the pathological changes of ASD when environmental factors (MIA) and gene mutation effects co-occur. Overall, our search supported that transcriptome-based MIA dysregulated the brain development-, immune-, and metabolism-related non-chasm DEGs at specific embryonic brain developmental window and region, leading to abnormal embryonic neurodevelopment, to induce the increasing risk of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lian Duan
- Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China; Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Chashan University Town, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Chashan University Town, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Huamin Yin
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Chashan University Town, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Wenhang Wang
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Chashan University Town, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Li Liu
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Chashan University Town, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Jingling Shen
- Institute of Life Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Chashan University Town, Wenzhou, 325035, China.
| | - Zhendong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Interventional Pulmonology of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
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28
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Fung SG, Fakhraei R, Condran G, Regan AK, Dimanlig-Cruz S, Ricci C, Foo D, Sarna M, Török E, Fell DB. Neuropsychiatric outcomes in offspring after fetal exposure to maternal influenza infection during pregnancy: A systematic review. Reprod Toxicol 2022; 113:155-169. [PMID: 36100136 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that influenza infection in pregnancy may disrupt fetal neurodevelopment. The impact of maternal influenza infection on offspring neuropsychiatric health has not been comprehensively reviewed. We systematically reviewed comparative studies evaluating associations between maternal influenza infection and neuropsychiatric health outcomes in offspring. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science for articles published until January 7, 2022. Included were English studies evaluating neuropsychiatric outcomes in offspring aged > 6 months born to women with and without influenza during pregnancy, defined as clinical or laboratory-confirmed influenza illness, or being pregnant during pandemics/epidemics. Of 12,010 records screened, 42 studies were included. Heterogeneity in study design, exposures, and outcome definitions precluded meta-analyses. Four of 14 studies assessing schizophrenia reported adjusted ratio estimates from 0.5 to 8.2; most 95% CIs contained the null value; study quality was high in three of four. Two studies reported an increased risk of schizophrenia with influenza exposure any time during pregnancy (adjusted incidence rate ratio 8.2, 95% CI: 1.4-48.8; adjusted odds ratio 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2-1.5); another reported a reduced risk with first-trimester exposure (adjusted risk ratio 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.9). Seven studies of autism spectrum disorder reported adjusted ratio estimates from 0.9 to 4.0; all 95% CIs included the null value; study quality was high in four. No conclusions could be drawn about the association between exposure to maternal influenza and neuropsychiatric outcomes due to the limited quantity and quality of available research. Large observational studies with long-term follow-up are required to investigate these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen G Fung
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Romina Fakhraei
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Annette K Regan
- School of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | | | | | - Damien Foo
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Mohinder Sarna
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | | | - Deshayne B Fell
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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29
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Wilkin-Krug LCM, Macaskill AC, Ellenbroek BA. Preweaning environmental enrichment alters neonatal ultrasonic vocalisations in a rat model for prenatal infections. Behav Pharmacol 2022; 33:402-417. [PMID: 35947067 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Maternal infections are a well-known risk factor for neurodevelopmental defects. Such defects are associated with a range of symptoms, and environmental enrichment (EE) could be a promising approach to rehabilitate these. We used the well-established prenatal poly I:C (polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid) model in rats to examine the effects of preweaning EE on rat pups' ultrasonic vocalisations (USVs) when separated from their mothers. USVs are one of the earliest indicators of a pup's functional level and, thus, well-suited as a marker of neurodevelopmental abnormalities. METHODS We used a two-by-two factorial design in which pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received either saline or the viral mimic poly I:C, and one group of pups was exposed to preweaning enrichment. We measured maternal separation-induced USVs both before postnatal day (PND) 7 and after preweaning enrichment on PND 14. RESULTS Poly I:C significantly reduced the number of USVs on PND 7. EE interacted with the poly I:C treatment in that poly I:C pups in the enrichment group called more, whereas saline pups in the enriched environment called less on PND 14 than the respective controls. CONCLUSION We showed that the effects of maternal poly I:C on the offspring's USVs could be reduced by early EE. If replicated, it could open novel and safe avenues for treating children of mothers who were exposed to infections during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda C M Wilkin-Krug
- School of Psychology, Victoria University Wellington.,Behavioural Neurogenetics Group, Victoria University Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | - Bart A Ellenbroek
- School of Psychology, Victoria University Wellington.,Behavioural Neurogenetics Group, Victoria University Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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30
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Fetal neurodevelopmental spatio-temporal dynamic transcriptional landscape of maternal insult-induce autism spectrum disorder risk. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 614:183-190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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31
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Dash S, Syed YA, Khan MR. Understanding the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Brain Development and Its Association With Neurodevelopmental Psychiatric Disorders. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:880544. [PMID: 35493075 PMCID: PMC9048050 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.880544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome has a tremendous influence on human physiology, including the nervous system. During fetal development, the initial colonization of the microbiome coincides with the development of the nervous system in a timely, coordinated manner. Emerging studies suggest an active involvement of the microbiome and its metabolic by-products in regulating early brain development. However, any disruption during this early developmental process can negatively impact brain functionality, leading to a range of neurodevelopment and neuropsychiatric disorders (NPD). In this review, we summarize recent evidence as to how the gut microbiome can influence the process of early human brain development and its association with major neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. Further, we discuss how gut microbiome alterations can also play a role in inducing drug resistance in the affected individuals. We propose a model that establishes a direct link of microbiome dysbiosis with the exacerbated inflammatory state, leading to functional brain deficits associated with NPD. Based on the existing research, we discuss a framework whereby early diet intervention can boost mental wellness in the affected subjects and call for further research for a better understanding of mechanisms that govern the gut-brain axis may lead to novel approaches to the study of the pathophysiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somarani Dash
- Life Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Yasir Ahmed Syed
- School of Biosciences and Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Mojibur R. Khan
- Life Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, India
- *Correspondence: Mojibur R. Khan,
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32
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Guma E, Bordeleau M, González Ibáñez F, Picard K, Snook E, Desrosiers-Grégoire G, Spring S, Lerch JP, Nieman BJ, Devenyi GA, Tremblay ME, Chakravarty MM. Differential effects of early or late exposure to prenatal maternal immune activation on mouse embryonic neurodevelopment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2114545119. [PMID: 35286203 PMCID: PMC8944668 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2114545119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) in utero is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. MIA-induced deficits in adolescent and adult offspring have been well characterized; however, less is known about the effects of MIA exposure on embryo development. To address this gap, we performed high-resolution ex vivo MRI to investigate the effects of early (gestational day [GD]9) and late (GD17) MIA exposure on embryo (GD18) brain structure. We identify striking neuroanatomical changes in the embryo brain, particularly in the late-exposed offspring. We further examined the putative neuroanatomical underpinnings of MIA timing in the hippocampus using electron microscopy and identified differential effects due to MIA timing. An increase in apoptotic cell density was observed in the GD9-exposed offspring, while an increase in the density of neurons and glia with ultrastructural features reflective of increased neuroinflammation and oxidative stress was observed in GD17-exposed offspring, particularly in females. Overall, our findings integrate imaging techniques across different scales to identify differential impact of MIA timing on the earliest stages of neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Maude Bordeleau
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec–Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Fernando González Ibáñez
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec–Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
- Département de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Katherine Picard
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec–Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
- Département de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Emily Snook
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Gabriel Desrosiers-Grégoire
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Shoshana Spring
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, United Kingdom
| | - Brian J. Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Imaging Program, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Gabriel A. Devenyi
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Marie-Eve Tremblay
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec–Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 4G2, Canada
- Département de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - M. Mallar Chakravarty
- Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
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33
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Mouse models of immune dysfunction: their neuroanatomical differences reflect their anxiety-behavioural phenotype. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3047-3055. [PMID: 35422470 PMCID: PMC9205773 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01535-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Extensive evidence supports the role of the immune system in modulating brain function and behaviour. However, past studies have revealed striking heterogeneity in behavioural phenotypes produced from immune system dysfunction. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we studied the neuroanatomical differences among 11 distinct genetically modified mouse lines (n = 371), each deficient in a different element of the immune system. We found a significant and heterogeneous effect of immune dysfunction on the brains of both male and female mice. However, by imaging the whole brain and using Bayesian hierarchical modelling, we were able to identify patterns within the heterogeneous phenotype. Certain structures-such as the corpus callosum, midbrain, and thalamus-were more likely to be affected by immune dysfunction. A notable brain-behaviour relationship was identified with neuroanatomy endophenotypes across mouse models clustering according to anxiety-like behaviour phenotypes reported in literature, such as altered volume in brains regions associated with promoting fear response (e.g., the lateral septum and cerebellum). Interestingly, genes with preferential spatial expression in the most commonly affected regions are also associated with multiple sclerosis and other immune-mediated diseases. In total, our data suggest that the immune system modulates anxiety behaviour through well-established brain networks.
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34
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Usui N, Matsumoto-Miyai K, Koyama Y, Kobayashi Y, Nakamura Y, Kobayashi H, Shimada S. Social Communication of Maternal Immune Activation-Affected Offspring Is Improved by Si-Based Hydrogen-Producing Agent. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:872302. [PMID: 35492705 PMCID: PMC9043691 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.872302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) is triggered by infection or autoimmune predisposition during pregnancy, and cytokines produced by MIA are transmitted through the placenta to the fetal brain, implicating at the onset risks and vulnerability for developmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia. To address these kinds of problem in child health, we have developed a silicon (Si)-based hydrogen-producing antioxidant (Si-based agent) that continuously and effectively produces hydrogen in the body. Medical hydrogen is known to have antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects, therefore we applied our Si-based agent as a potential therapeutic agent to MIA. Using a MIA mouse model, we found that the Si-based agent improved the social communication of MIA offspring mice. We also found that the Si-based agent suppressed the expressions of inflammation-associated genes Ifna1 and Il-6 in the mouse brain. These results demonstrate that the Si-based agent is an effective prophylactic agent against MIA during pregnancy, suggesting that our Si-based agent may be a preventative or therapeutic agent for ASD and other disease risks in child health suppressing MIA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyoshi Usui
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.,United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.,Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.,Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Yoshihisa Koyama
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.,Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuki Kobayashi
- Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Yukiko Nakamura
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.,Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hikaru Kobayashi
- Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Shoichi Shimada
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.,United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.,Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.,Addiction Research Unit, Osaka Psychiatric Research Center, Osaka Psychiatric Medical Center, Osaka, Japan
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35
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Chakravarty MM, Guma E. Small animal imaging presents an opportunity for improving translational research in biological psychiatry. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2021; 46:E579-E582. [PMID: 34670841 PMCID: PMC8532952 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.210172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisa Guma
- From the Computational Brain Anatomy (CoBrA) Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Research Institute, Montreal, Que., Canada (Chakravarty, Guma); the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Que., Canada (Chakravarty); the Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Que., Canada (Chakravarty); and the Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Program, USA (Guma)
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36
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Buss C. Maternal Immune Activation During Pregnancy and Offspring Brain Development. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:283-285. [PMID: 34384528 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Buss
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Medical Psychology, Berlin, Germany; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California; Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California.
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