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Nardi L, Chhabra S, Leukel P, Krueger-Burg D, Sommer CJ, Schmeisser MJ. Neuroanatomical changes of ionotropic glutamatergic and GABAergic receptor densities in male mice modeling idiopathic and syndromic autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1199097. [PMID: 37547211 PMCID: PMC10401048 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1199097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a wide range of neurodevelopment conditions primarily characterized by impaired social interaction and repetitive behavior, accompanied by a variable degree of neuropsychiatric characteristics. Synaptic dysfunction is undertaken as one of the key underlying mechanisms in understanding the pathophysiology of ASD. The excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) hypothesis is one of the most widely held theories for its pathogenesis. Shifts in E/I balance have been proven in several ASD models. In this study, we investigated three mouse lines recapitulating both idiopathic (the BTBR strain) and genetic (Fmr1 and Shank3 mutants) forms of ASD at late infancy and early adulthood. Using receptor autoradiography for ionotropic excitatory (AMPA and NMDA) and inhibitory (GABAA) receptors, we mapped the receptor binding densities in brain regions known to be associated with ASD such as prefrontal cortex, dorsal and ventral striatum, dorsal hippocampus, and cerebellum. The individual mouse lines investigated show specific alterations in excitatory ionotropic receptor density, which might be accounted as specific hallmark of each individual line. Across all the models investigated, we found an increased binding density to GABAA receptors at adulthood in the dorsal hippocampus. Interestingly, reduction in the GABAA receptor binding density was observed in the cerebellum. Altogether, our findings suggest that E/I disbalance individually affects several brain regions in ASD mouse models and that alterations in GABAergic transmission might be accounted as unifying factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Nardi
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stuti Chhabra
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Petra Leukel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dilja Krueger-Burg
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Clemens J. Sommer
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael J. Schmeisser
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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The Roles of GABA in Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in the Central Nervous System and Peripheral Organs. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2019; 2019:4028394. [PMID: 31814874 PMCID: PMC6878816 DOI: 10.1155/2019/4028394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common pathological process, which may lead to dysfunctions and failures of multiple organs. A flawless medical way of endogenous therapeutic target can illuminate accurate clinical applications. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been known as a marker in I/R injury of the central nervous system (mainly in the brain) for a long time, and it may play a vital role in the occurrence of I/R injury. It has been observed that throughout cerebral I/R, levels, syntheses, releases, metabolisms, receptors, and transmissions of GABA undergo complex pathological variations. Scientists have investigated the GABAergic enhancers for attenuating cerebral I/R injury; however, discussions on existing problems and mechanisms of available drugs were seldom carried out so far. Therefore, this review would summarize the process of pathological variations in the GABA system under cerebral I/R injury and will cover corresponding probable issues and mechanisms in using GABA-related drugs to illuminate the concern about clinical illness for accurately preventing cerebral I/R injury. In addition, the study will summarize the increasing GABA signals that can prevent I/R injuries occurring in peripheral organs, and the roles of GABA were also discussed correspondingly.
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Singh K, Loreth D, Pöttker B, Hefti K, Innos J, Schwald K, Hengstler H, Menzel L, Sommer CJ, Radyushkin K, Kretz O, Philips MA, Haas CA, Frauenknecht K, Lilleväli K, Heimrich B, Vasar E, Schäfer MKE. Neuronal Growth and Behavioral Alterations in Mice Deficient for the Psychiatric Disease-Associated Negr1 Gene. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:30. [PMID: 29479305 PMCID: PMC5811522 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal growth regulator 1 (NEGR1), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecule subgroup IgLON, has been implicated in neuronal growth and connectivity. In addition, genetic variants in or near the NEGR1 locus have been associated with obesity and more recently with learning difficulties, intellectual disability and psychiatric disorders. However, experimental evidence is lacking to support a possible link between NEGR1, neuronal growth and behavioral abnormalities. Initial expression analysis of NEGR1 mRNA in C57Bl/6 wildtype (WT) mice by in situ hybridization demonstrated marked expression in the entorhinal cortex (EC) and dentate granule cells. In co-cultures of cortical neurons and NSC-34 cells overexpressing NEGR1, neurite growth of cortical neurons was enhanced and distal axons occupied an increased area of cells overexpressing NEGR1. Conversely, in organotypic slice co-cultures, Negr1-knockout (KO) hippocampus was less permissive for axons grown from EC of β-actin-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) mice compared to WT hippocampus. Neuroanatomical analysis revealed abnormalities of EC axons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of Negr1-KO mice including increased numbers of axonal projections to the hilus. Neurotransmitter receptor ligand binding densities, a proxy of functional neurotransmitter receptor abundance, did not show differences in the DG of Negr1-KO mice but altered ligand binding densities to NMDA receptor and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors M1 and M2 were found in CA1 and CA3. Activity behavior, anxiety-like behavior and sensorimotor gating were not different between genotypes. However, Negr1-KO mice exhibited impaired social behavior compared to WT littermates. Moreover, Negr1-KO mice showed reversal learning deficits in the Morris water maze and increased susceptibility to pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures. Thus, our results from neuronal growth assays, neuroanatomical analyses and behavioral assessments provide first evidence that deficiency of the psychiatric disease-associated Negr1 gene may affect neuronal growth and behavior. These findings might be relevant to further evaluate the role of NEGR1 in cognitive and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katyayani Singh
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Desirée Loreth
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Pöttker
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Kyra Hefti
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jürgen Innos
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kathrin Schwald
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Heidi Hengstler
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lutz Menzel
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Clemens J Sommer
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Konstantin Radyushkin
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,Mouse Behavioral Unit, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Oliver Kretz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mari-Anne Philips
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Carola A Haas
- Experimental Epilepsy Research, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Frauenknecht
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kersti Lilleväli
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Bernd Heimrich
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Eero Vasar
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Michael K E Schäfer
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Frauenknecht K, Katzav A, Grimm C, Chapman J, Sommer CJ. Altered receptor binding densities in experimental antiphospholipid syndrome despite only moderately enhanced autoantibody levels and absence of behavioral features. Immunobiology 2013; 219:341-9. [PMID: 24332889 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2013.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2013] [Revised: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Experimental antiphospholipid syndrome (eAPS) in Balb/c mice causes neuropsychiatric abnormalities including hyperactivity, increased explorative behavior and cognitive deficits. Recently, we have demonstrated that these behavioral changes were linked to an upregulation of serotonergic 5-HT1A receptor binding densities in cortical and hippocampal regions while excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors remain largely unchanged. To examine whether the observed behavioral features depend on a critical antibody concentration, mice with only moderately enhanced antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), about 50-80% of high levels, were analyzed and compared to controls. The staircase test was used to test animals for hyperactivity and explorative behavior. The brains were analyzed for tissue integrity and inflammation. Ligand binding densities of NMDA, AMPA, GABAA, 5-HT1A, M1 and M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, respectively, were analyzed by in vitro receptor autoradiography and compared to brains of mice from our previous study with high levels of aPL. Mice with only moderately enhanced aPL did not develop significant behavioral changes. Brain parenchyma remained intact and neither inflammation nor glial activation was detectable. However, there was a significant decrease of NMDA receptor binding densities in the motor cortex as well as an increase in M1 binding densities in cortical and hippocampal regions, whereas the other receptors analyzed were not altered. Lack of neuropsychiatric symptoms may be due to modulations of receptors resulting in normal behavior. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that high levels of aPL are required for the manifestation of neuropsychiatric involvement while at lower antibody levels compensatory mechanisms may preserve normal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Frauenknecht
- Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Aviva Katzav
- Department of Neurology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 52621 Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Christina Grimm
- Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Joab Chapman
- Department of Neurology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 52621 Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Clemens J Sommer
- Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
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Frauenknecht K, Katzav A, Grimm C, Chapman J, Sommer CJ. Neurological impairment in experimental antiphospholipid syndrome is associated with increased ligand binding to hippocampal and cortical serotonergic 5-HT1A receptors. Immunobiology 2012; 218:517-26. [PMID: 22884359 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2012.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2012] [Accepted: 06/20/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease where the presence of high titers of circulating autoantibodies causes thrombosis with consecutive infarcts. In experimental APS (eAPS), a mouse model of APS, behavioral abnormalities develop in the absence of vessel occlusion or infarcts. Using brain hemispheres of control and eAPS mice with documented neurological and cognitive deficits, we checked for lymphocytic infiltration, activation of glia and macrophages, as well as alterations of ligand binding densities of various neurotransmitter receptors to unravel the molecular basis of this abnormal behavior. Lymphocytic infiltrates were immunohistochemically characterized using antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8 and forkhead box P3 (Foxp3), respectively. GFAP, Iba1 and CD68-immunohistochemistry was performed, to check for activation of astrocytes, microglia and macrophages. Ligand binding densities of NMDA, AMPA, GABAA and 5-HT1A receptors were analyzed by in vitro receptor autoradiography. No significant inflammatory reaction occurred in eAPS mice. There was neither activation of astrocytes or microglia nor accumulation of macrophages. Binding values of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors were largely unchanged. However, ligand binding densities of the modulatory serotonergic 5-HT1A receptors in the hippocampus and in the primary somatosensory cortex of eAPS mice were significantly upregulated which is suggested to induce the behavioral abnormalities observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Frauenknecht
- Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
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Müller HD, Berger C, Schwab S, Sommer C. Pravastatin treatment causes a shift in the balance of hippocampal neurotransmitter binding densities towards inhibition. Brain Res 2009; 1316:17-26. [PMID: 20026313 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2009] [Revised: 12/11/2009] [Accepted: 12/13/2009] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Since pravastatin, a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, has recently been shown to reduce infarct volumes and glutamate release in a rat model of ischemic stroke, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether this neuroprotective effect may be due to a modulation of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors. Therefore, Wistar rats were treated six times in 4 days with pravastatin or saline and allowed to survive for 6 hours or 5 days (n=10 per time point and group), respectively. Using quantitative receptor autoradiography, ligand binding densities of [(3)H]MK-801, [(3)H]AMPA, and [(3)H]muscimol for labeling of NMDA, AMPA, and GABA(A) receptors were analyzed in sensorimotor cortices Par1 and Par2, the striatum, and the hippocampus. Statin therapy induced complex alterations of ligand binding densities in different brain regions. Labeling of NMDA receptors was significantly increased in Par2, both after 6 hours and 5 days, respectively. Within the striatum, AMPA as well as GABA(A) receptor binding values were significantly increased on day 5. Furthermore, a marked and significant increase of [(3)H]muscimol ligand binding to GABA(A) receptors throughout all hippocampal subfields was seen after 6 hours. This complexity could easily be unraveled when focusing on the balance between excitatory glutamate and inhibitory GABA(A) receptors, in which case only the increase of hippocampal [(3)H]muscimol ligand binding 6 hours after the first application of pravastatin was accompanied by a net shift towards inhibition. Consequently, our data suggest an additional regulatory pathway induced by statins, namely modification of the abundance of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald D Müller
- Department of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, D-55131 Mainz, Germany.
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