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Füzesi T, Rasiah NP, Rosenegger DG, Rojas-Carvajal M, Chomiak T, Daviu N, Molina LA, Simone K, Sterley TL, Nicola W, Bains JS. Hypothalamic CRH neurons represent physiological memory of positive and negative experience. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8522. [PMID: 38129411 PMCID: PMC10739955 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44163-5] [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: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Recalling a salient experience provokes specific behaviors and changes in the physiology or internal state. Relatively little is known about how physiological memories are encoded. We examined the neural substrates of physiological memory by probing CRHPVN neurons of mice, which control the endocrine response to stress. Here we show these cells exhibit contextual memory following exposure to a stimulus with negative or positive valence. Specifically, a negative stimulus invokes a two-factor learning rule that favors an increase in the activity of weak cells during recall. In contrast, the contextual memory of positive valence relies on a one-factor rule to decrease activity of CRHPVN neurons. Finally, the aversive memory in CRHPVN neurons outlasts the behavioral response. These observations provide information about how specific physiological memories of aversive and appetitive experience are represented and demonstrate that behavioral readouts may not accurately reflect physiological changes invoked by the memory of salient experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Füzesi
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- CSM Optogenetics Core Facility, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Neilen P Rasiah
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - David G Rosenegger
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Mijail Rojas-Carvajal
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Taylor Chomiak
- CSM Optogenetics Core Facility, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Núria Daviu
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Leonardo A Molina
- CSM Optogenetics Core Facility, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Kathryn Simone
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Toni-Lee Sterley
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Wilten Nicola
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Jaideep S Bains
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.
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2
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Halladay LR, Herron SM. Lasting impact of postnatal maternal separation on the developing BNST: Lifelong socioemotional consequences. Neuropharmacology 2023; 225:109404. [PMID: 36572178 PMCID: PMC9926961 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nearly one percent of children in the US experience childhood neglect or abuse, which can incite lifelong emotional and behavioral disorders. Many studies investigating the neural underpinnings of maleffects inflicted by early life stress have largely focused on dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Newer veins of evidence suggest that exposure to early life stressors can interrupt neural development in extrahypothalamic areas as well, including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). One widely used approach in this area is rodent maternal separation (MS), which typically consists of separating pups from the dam for extended periods of time, over several days during the first weeks of postnatal life - a time when pups are highly dependent on maternal care for survival. MS has been shown to incite myriad lasting effects not limited to increased anxiety-like behavior, hyper-responsiveness to stressors, and social behavior deficits. The behavioral effects of MS are widespread and thus unlikely to be limited to hypothalamic mechanisms. Recent work has highlighted the BNST as a critical arbiter of some of the consequences of MS, especially socioemotional behavioral deficits. The BNST is a well-documented modulator of anxiety, reward, and social behavior by way of its connections with hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic systems. Moreover, during the postnatal period when MS is typically administered, the BNST undergoes critical neural developmental events. This review highlights evidence that MS interferes with neural development to permanently alter BNST circuitry, which may account for a variety of behavioral deficits seen following early life stress. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'Fear, Anxiety and PTSD'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay R Halladay
- Department of Psychology, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA, 95053, USA.
| | - Steven M Herron
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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3
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Vaccaro LA, Porter TE, Ellestad LE. Effects of genetic selection on activity of corticotropic and thyrotropic axes in modern broiler chickens. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2022; 78:106649. [PMID: 34418578 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2021.106649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Commercial selection for meat-type (broiler) chickens has produced economically valuable birds with fast growth rates, enhanced muscle mass, and highly efficient feed utilization. The physiological changes that account for this improvement and unintended consequences associated with them remain largely unexplored, despite their potential to guide further advancements in broiler production efficiency. To identify effects of genetic selection on hormonal signaling in the adrenocorticotropic and thyrotropic axes, gene expression in muscle and liver and post-hatch circulating hormone concentrations were measured in legacy [Athens Canadian Random Bred (ACRB)] and modern (Ross 308) male broilers between embryonic days (e) 10 and e18 and post-hatch days (d) 10 and d40. No interactive effects or main effects of line were observed for adrenocorticotropic gene expression during either developmental period, although age effects appeared for corticosteroid-binding globulin in liver during embryogenesis and post-hatch and glucocorticoid receptor in both tissues post-hatch. There was a main line effect for circulating corticosterone, with levels in ACRB greater than those in Ross. Several thyrotropic genes exhibited line-by-age interactions during embryonic or post-hatch development. In liver, embryonic expression of thyroid hormone receptor beta was greater in ACRB on e12, and deiodinase 3 (DIO3) levels were greater in Ross on e14 and e16. In juvenile liver, deiodinase 2 (DIO2) expression was greater in ACRB on d10 but greater in Ross on d20, while DIO3 was higher in ACRB on d30 and d40. Levels of thyroid hormone receptor alpha mRNA exhibited a main line effect, with levels greater in ACRB juvenile breast muscle. Several thyrotropic genes exhibited main age effects, including DIO2 and DIO3 in embryonic breast muscle, thyroid hormone receptor alpha and thyroid hormone receptor beta in post-hatch liver, and DIO2 in post-hatch breast muscle. Circulating triiodothyronine displayed a main line effect, with levels in Ross significantly reduced as compared to ACRB. These findings suggest that in modern broilers, a decrease in levels of hormones that control basal metabolism triiodothyronine and the stress response circulating corticosterone, as well as altered expression of genes regulating thyroid hormone activity, could contribute to lower heat production, reduced stress response, and altered nutrient partitioning, leading to more efficient feed utilization and faster, more productive growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Vaccaro
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - T E Porter
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
| | - L E Ellestad
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.
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Jacobs B, Rally H, Doyle C, O'Brien L, Tennison M, Marino L. Putative neural consequences of captivity for elephants and cetaceans. Rev Neurosci 2021; 33:439-465. [PMID: 34534428 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2021-0100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The present review assesses the potential neural impact of impoverished, captive environments on large-brained mammals, with a focus on elephants and cetaceans. These species share several characteristics, including being large, wide-ranging, long-lived, cognitively sophisticated, highly social, and large-brained mammals. Although the impact of the captive environment on physical and behavioral health has been well-documented, relatively little attention has been paid to the brain itself. Here, we explore the potential neural consequences of living in captive environments, with a focus on three levels: (1) The effects of environmental impoverishment/enrichment on the brain, emphasizing the negative neural consequences of the captive/impoverished environment; (2) the neural consequences of stress on the brain, with an emphasis on corticolimbic structures; and (3) the neural underpinnings of stereotypies, often observed in captive animals, underscoring dysregulation of the basal ganglia and associated circuitry. To this end, we provide a substantive hypothesis about the negative impact of captivity on the brains of large mammals (e.g., cetaceans and elephants) and how these neural consequences are related to documented evidence for compromised physical and psychological well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bob Jacobs
- Laboratory of Quantitative Neuromorphology, Neuroscience Program, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, USA
| | - Heather Rally
- Foundation to Support Animal Protection, Norfolk, VA, 23510, USA
| | - Catherine Doyle
- Performing Animal Welfare Society, P.O. Box 849, Galt, CA, 95632, USA
| | - Lester O'Brien
- Palladium Elephant Consulting Inc., 2408 Pinewood Dr. SE, Calgary, AB, T2B1S4, Canada
| | - Mackenzie Tennison
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lori Marino
- Whale Sanctuary Project, Kanab, UT, 84741, USA
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Ancient fishes and the functional evolution of the corticosteroid stress response in vertebrates. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 260:111024. [PMID: 34237466 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.111024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The neuroendocrine mechanism underlying stress responses in vertebrates is hypothesized to be highly conserved and evolutionarily ancient. Indeed, elements of this mechanism, from the brain to steroidogenic tissue, are present in all vertebrate groups; yet, evidence of the function and even identity of some elements of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal (HPA/I) axis is equivocal among the most basal vertebrates. The purpose of this review is to discuss the functional evolution of the HPA/I axis in vertebrates with a focus on our understanding of this neuroendocrine mechanism in the most ancient vertebrates: the agnathan (i.e., hagfish and lamprey) and chondrichthyan fishes (i.e., sharks, rays, and chimeras). A review of the current literature presents evidence of a conserved HPA/I axis in jawed vertebrates (i.e., gnathostomes); yet, available data in jawless (i.e., agnathan) and chondrichthyan fishes are limited. Neuroendocrine regulation of corticosteroidogenesis in agnathans and chondrichthyans appears to function through similar pathways as in bony fishes and tetrapods; however, key elements have yet to be identified and the involvement of melanotropins and gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the stress axis in these ancient fishes warrants further investigation. Further, the identities of physiological glucocorticoids are uncertain in hagfishes, chondrichthyans, and even coelacanths. Resolving these and other knowledge gaps in the stress response of ancient fishes will be significant for advancing knowledge of the evolutionary origins of the vertebrate stress response.
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Gallea JI, Medrano LA, Morera LP. Work-Related Mental Health Issues in Graduate Student Population. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:593562. [PMID: 33867910 PMCID: PMC8049290 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.593562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The scientific and educational community is becoming increasingly aware of the impact of current academic working conditions on graduate students' mental health and how this is affecting scientific progress and ultimately society as a whole. Our study aimed to shed light on the work-related mental health issues affecting graduate students, providing a comprehensive research work including psychological and biological assessment. Our findings showed that a sizeable number of graduate student present anxiety, depression, or high burnout and that the time spent in academia plays an important role. The graduate student population displayed a specific work-related mental health issues profile with an altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and low levels of work engagement. Finally, graduate students were equally stressed, with less work engagement, and more anxious and depressed than general workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ignacio Gallea
- Instituto de Organizaciones Saludables, Universidad Siglo 21, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Leonardo Adrián Medrano
- Instituto de Organizaciones Saludables, Universidad Siglo 21, Córdoba, Argentina
- Vicerrectoria de Investigación, Pontifica Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
| | - Luis Pedro Morera
- Instituto de Organizaciones Saludables, Universidad Siglo 21, Córdoba, Argentina
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Seeliger C, Lippold JV, Reuter M. Variation on the CRH Gene Determines the Different Performance of Opioid Addicts and Healthy Controls in the IOWA Gambling Task. Neuropsychobiology 2020; 79:150-160. [PMID: 31805553 DOI: 10.1159/000504227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the biological substrate of stress reactivity, and related genetic variations play a crucial role in the initiation and maintenance of drug addiction. On the behavioral level, substance abusers are characterized by impulsivity and the inability to pursue long-term goals. The neural substrate of these behaviors is assumed to be related to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC). One of the most established paradigms to assess VMPFC deficiency is the IOWA gambling task (IGT). AIMS The aim of this study was to investigate the interplay between the HPA axis-related genetic variation on corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH; secreted from the hypothalamus and constituting the starting point of the HPA axis) gene and opioid addiction, with respect to IGT performance. There is some evidence that stress and pathological HPA axis hyperactivity, in the same way as drug addiction, is related to a poorer IGT performance. METHODS In total, 138 long-term opioid addicts (mean age 38.63 years [SD 9.15]) and 160 healthy controls (mean age 22.57 years [SD 5.86]) performed the IGT and were genotyped for 6 SNPs covering the CRH gene and adjacent regions (rs3176921, rs6999780, rs7816410, rs1870393, rs1814583, and rs11996294). The first 5 of these 6 SNPs build a haplotype block spanning 15 kb on the CRH gene. RESULTS We found a significant group difference in the total IGT score, with higher scores in controls than in opioids. Most interestingly, there was a 3-way interaction, group × haplotype × block. Carriers homozygous for the TGTAA-haplotype differed in IGT performance dependent on group. In the control group, carriers homozygous for the TGTAA-haplotype showed a linear learning curve across blocks of trials, which was not observed in participants without this homozygosity. There were diametric effects in opioid addicts. Controlling for age and gender did not change the findings. CONCLUSION This study provides genetic evidence for the interplay between stress, decision-making, and opioid addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Seeliger
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Julia V Lippold
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Martin Reuter
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany,
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8
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Silva ON, Franco OL, Neves BJ, Morais ÁCB, De Oliveira Neto JR, da Cunha LC, Naves LM, Pedrino GR, Costa EA, Fajemiroye JO. Involvement of the gabaergic, serotonergic and glucocorticoid mechanism in the anxiolytic-like effect of mastoparan-L. Neuropeptides 2020; 81:102027. [PMID: 32059939 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2020.102027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Mastoparan-L (mast-L) is a cell-penetrating tetradecapeptide and stimulator of monoamine exocytosis. In the present study, we evaluated the anxiolytic-like effect of mast-L. Preliminary pharmacological tests were conducted to determine the most appropriate route of administration, extrapolate dose and detect potential toxic effects of this peptide. Oral and intracerebroventricular administration of mast-L (0.1, 0.3 or 0.9 mg.kg-1), diazepam (1 or 5 mg.kg-1), buspirone (10 mg.kg-1) or vehicle 10 mL.kg-1 was carried out prior to the exposure of mice to the anxiety models: open field, light-dark box and elevated plus-maze. To characterize the mechanism underlying the antianxiety-like effect of mast-L, pharmacological antagonism, blood plasma analysis, molecular docking, and receptor binding assays were performed. The absence of a neurotoxic sign, animal's death as well as lack of significant changes in the relative organ weight, hematological and biochemical parameters suggest that mast-L is relatively safe. The anxiolytic-like effect of mast-L was attenuated by flumazenil (antagonist of benzodiazepine binding site) and WAY100635 (selective antagonist of 5-HT1A receptors) pretreatments. Mast-L reduced plasma corticosterone and lowered the scoring function at GABAA -18.48 kcal/mol (Ki = 155 nM), 5-HT1A -22.39 kcal/mol (Ki = 130 nM), corticotropin-releasing factor receptor subtype 1 (CRF1) -11.95 kcal/mol (Ki = 299 nM) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) -14.69 kcal/mol (Ki = 3552 nM). These data fit the binding affinity (Ki) and demonstrate the involvement of gabaergic, serotonergic and glucocorticoid mechanisms in the anxiolytic-like property of mast-L.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osmar N Silva
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Octavio L Franco
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Bruno J Neves
- Centro Universitário de Anápolis, UniEvangélica, Av. Universitária Km 3,5 Cidade Universitária Anápolis/GO 75083-515, Brazil
| | - Álice Cristina B Morais
- Centro Universitário de Anápolis, UniEvangélica, Av. Universitária Km 3,5 Cidade Universitária Anápolis/GO 75083-515, Brazil
| | - Jeronimo R De Oliveira Neto
- Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Tóxico-Farmacológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, PMB 131, CEP 74001-970, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Luiz Carlos da Cunha
- Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Tóxico-Farmacológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, PMB 131, CEP 74001-970, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Lara M Naves
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74001-970, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Gustavo R Pedrino
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74001-970, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Elson A Costa
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74001-970, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - James O Fajemiroye
- Centro Universitário de Anápolis, UniEvangélica, Av. Universitária Km 3,5 Cidade Universitária Anápolis/GO 75083-515, Brazil; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 74001-970, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
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9
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Gutleb DR, Ostner J, Schülke O, Wajjwalku W, Sukmak M, Roos C, Noll A. Non-invasive genotyping with a massively parallel sequencing panel for the detection of SNPs in HPA-axis genes. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15944. [PMID: 30374157 PMCID: PMC6206064 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34223-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We designed a genotyping panel for the investigation of the genetic underpinnings of inter-individual differences in aggression and the physiological stress response. The panel builds on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in the three subsystems of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis: the catecholamine, serotonin and corticoid metabolism. To promote the pipeline for use with wild animal populations, we used non-invasively collected faecal samples from a wild population of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis). We targeted loci of 46 previously reported SNPs in 21 candidate genes coding for elements of the HPA-axis and amplified and sequenced them using next-generation Illumina sequencing technology. We compared multiple bioinformatics pipelines for variant calling and variant effect prediction. Based on this strategy and the application of different quality thresholds, we identified up to 159 SNPs with different types of predicted functional effects among our natural study population. This study provides a massively parallel sequencing panel that will facilitate integrating large-scale SNP data into behavioural and physiological studies. Such a multi-faceted approach will promote understanding of flexibility and constraints of animal behaviour and hormone physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Gutleb
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany. .,Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany. .,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - J Ostner
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - O Schülke
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - W Wajjwalku
- Department of Farm Resources and Production Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - M Sukmak
- Department of Farm Resources and Production Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - C Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - A Noll
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
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10
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Dunn-Fletcher CE, Muglia LM, Pavlicev M, Wolf G, Sun MA, Hu YC, Huffman E, Tumukuntala S, Thiele K, Mukherjee A, Zoubovsky S, Zhang X, Swaggart KA, Lamm KYB, Jones H, Macfarlan TS, Muglia LJ. Anthropoid primate-specific retroviral element THE1B controls expression of CRH in placenta and alters gestation length. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2006337. [PMID: 30231016 PMCID: PMC6166974 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy and parturition are intricately regulated to ensure successful reproductive outcomes. However, the factors that control gestational length in humans and other anthropoid primates remain poorly defined. Here, we show the endogenous retroviral long terminal repeat transposon-like human element 1B (THE1B) selectively controls placental expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) that, in turn, influences gestational length and birth timing. Placental expression of CRH and subsequently prolonged gestational length were found in two independent strains of transgenic mice carrying a 180-kb human bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) DNA that contained the full length of CRH and extended flanking regions, including THE1B. Restricted deletion of THE1B silenced placental CRH expression and normalized birth timing in these transgenic lines. Furthermore, we revealed an interaction at the 5′ insertion site of THE1B with distal-less homeobox 3 (DLX3), a transcription factor expressed in placenta. Together, these findings suggest that retroviral insertion of THE1B into the anthropoid primate genome may have initiated expression of CRH in placental syncytiotrophoblasts via DLX3 and that this placental CRH is sufficient to alter the timing of birth. The proper timing of delivery is critical during pregnancy; if too early or too late, the baby will be at risk of serious health problems and even death. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a protein that can be detected in maternal blood, and its concentration correlates with the timing of birth. In humans and other anthropoid primates, CRH is made by the placenta, whereas in other mammals, it is produced in a specialized region of the brain. To understand the regulation and evolution of this key protein, we inserted the human CRH gene and nearby regions into the mouse genome, which resulted in human CRH expression in the mouse placenta. Mouse litters that make CRH in their placentas are born later than control mice, showing that CRH can directly affect birth timing. Using our mouse model, we then selectively deleted a remnant of an ancient retrovirus that is normally found in the DNA of anthropoid primates and demonstrated that this specific region controls expression of CRH in the placenta. Deletion of this region also restored normal birth timing in the mice by eliminating CRH production from the placenta. We propose that retroviral regulation of CRH in the placenta may be a mechanism of controlling birth timing in humans and other anthropoid primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E. Dunn-Fletcher
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CED); (LJM)
| | - Lisa M. Muglia
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Mihaela Pavlicev
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Gernot Wolf
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ming-An Sun
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yueh-Chiang Hu
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Huffman
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Shivani Tumukuntala
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Katri Thiele
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Amrita Mukherjee
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Sandra Zoubovsky
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Xuzhe Zhang
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Kayleigh A. Swaggart
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Katherine Y. Bezold Lamm
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Helen Jones
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Todd S. Macfarlan
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Louis J. Muglia
- Division of Human Genetics, Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CED); (LJM)
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11
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Kano M, Muratsubaki T, Van Oudenhove L, Morishita J, Yoshizawa M, Kohno K, Yagihashi M, Tanaka Y, Mugikura S, Dupont P, Ly HG, Takase K, Kanazawa M, Fukudo S. Altered brain and gut responses to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12425. [PMID: 28963545 PMCID: PMC5622133 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09635-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is a known trigger of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and exacerbates its gastrointestinal symptoms. However, underlying the physiological mechanism remains unknown. Here, we investigated hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, colonic motility, and autonomic responses to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) administration as well as brain activity alterations in IBS. The study included 28 IBS patients and 34 age and sex-matched healthy control subjects. IBS patients demonstrated greater adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) responses to CRH than control subjects. Male IBS patients had greater increases in colonic motility than male HCs after CRH. Female IBS patients showed altered sympathovagal balance and lower basal parasympathetic tone relative to female control subjects. Brain responses to rectal distention were measured in the same subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging, and their associations with individual ACTH responses to CRH were tested. A negative association between ACTH response to CRH and activity in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) during rectal distention was identified in controls but not in IBS patients. Impaired top-down inhibitory input from the pregenual ACC to the HPA axis may lead to altered neuroendocrine and gastrointestinal responses to CRH. Centrally acting treatments may dampen the stress induced physical symptoms in IBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiko Kano
- Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences (FRIS), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. .,Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Tomohiko Muratsubaki
- Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Lukas Van Oudenhove
- Laboratory for Brain-Gut Axis Studies (LaBGAS), Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joe Morishita
- Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Makoto Yoshizawa
- Research Division on Advanced Information Technology, Cyberscience Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Keiji Kohno
- Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Mao Yagihashi
- Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yukari Tanaka
- Department of Integrative Genomics, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Shunji Mugikura
- Diagnostic Radiology, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Patrick Dupont
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neurology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Huynh Giao Ly
- Laboratory for Brain-Gut Axis Studies (LaBGAS), Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kei Takase
- Diagnostic Radiology, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Motoyori Kanazawa
- Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Shin Fukudo
- Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
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12
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Linking child temperament, physiology, and adult personality: Relations among retrospective behavioral inhibition, salivary cortisol, and shyness. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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13
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Raglan GB, Schmidt LA, Schulkin J. The role of glucocorticoids and corticotropin-releasing hormone regulation on anxiety symptoms and response to treatment. Endocr Connect 2017; 6:R1-R7. [PMID: 28119322 PMCID: PMC5424777 DOI: 10.1530/ec-16-0100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The stress response has been linked to the expression of anxiety and depression, but the mechanisms for these connections are under continued consideration. The activation and expression of glucocorticoids and CRH are variable and may hold important clues to individual experiences of mood disorders. This paper explores the interactions of glucocorticoids and CRH in the presentation of anxiety and depressive disorders in an effort to better describe their differing roles in each of these clinical presentations. In addition, it focuses on ways in which extra-hypothalamic glucocorticoids and CRH, often overlooked, may play important roles in the presentation of clinical disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta B Raglan
- Department of PsychologyAmerican University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Louis A Schmidt
- Department of PsychologyNeuroscience & Behavior, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jay Schulkin
- Department of ResearchAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of NeuroscienceGeorgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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14
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Hofmeister NR, Rubenstein DR. Environmental variability and the evolution of the glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1) in African starlings. Ecol Lett 2016; 19:1219-27. [PMID: 27500971 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
One of the primary ways that organisms cope with environmental change is through regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the neuroendocrine system that controls reactions to stress. Variation in genes regulating the HPA axis - particularly the glucocorticoid receptor - may facilitate adaptation to changing climatic conditions by altering expression. Here we examine signatures of selection on the glucocorticoid receptor gene (Nr3c1) in African starlings that inhabit a range of environments, including those with variable climatic conditions. To investigate potential adaptive mechanisms underlying the vertebrate stress response, we sequence the Nr3c1 gene in 27 species of African starlings. Although we find some evidence of positive selection, substitution rate is negatively correlated with variance in precipitation. This suggests climatic cycling in sub-Saharan Africa may have resulted in lower substitution rates to maintain a successful coping strategy. When environmental conditions fluctuate rapidly, variation in the strength of purifying selection can explain evolutionary rate variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie R Hofmeister
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
| | - Dustin R Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA.,Center for Integrative Animal Behavior, Columbia University, 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, 10027, USA
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15
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Partridge JG, Forcelli PA, Luo R, Cashdan JM, Schulkin J, Valentino RJ, Vicini S. Stress increases GABAergic neurotransmission in CRF neurons of the central amygdala and bed nucleus stria terminalis. Neuropharmacology 2016; 107:239-250. [PMID: 27016019 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Corticotrophin Releasing Factor (CRF) is a critical stress-related neuropeptide in major output pathways of the amygdala, including the central nucleus (CeA), and in a key projection target of the CeA, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BnST). While progress has been made in understanding the contributions and characteristics of CRF as a neuropeptide in rodent behavior, little attention has been committed to determine the properties and synaptic physiology of specific populations of CRF-expressing (CRF(+)) and non-expressing (CRF(-)) neurons in the CeA and BnST. Here, we fill this gap by electrophysiologically characterizing distinct neuronal subtypes in CeA and BnST. Crossing tdTomato or channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2-YFP) reporter mice to those expressing Cre-recombinase under the CRF promoter allowed us to identify and manipulate CRF(+) and CRF(-) neurons in CeA and BnST, the two largest areas with fluorescently labeled neurons in these mice. We optogenetically activated CRF(+) neurons to elicit action potentials or synaptic responses in CRF(+) and CRF(-) neurons. We found that GABA is the predominant co-transmitter in CRF(+) neurons within the CeA and BnST. CRF(+) neurons are highly interconnected with CRF(-) neurons and to a lesser extent with CRF(+) neurons. CRF(+) and CRF(-) neurons differentially express tonic GABA currents. Chronic, unpredictable stress increase the amplitude of evoked IPSCs and connectivity between CRF(+) neurons, but not between CRF(+) and CRF(-) neurons in both regions. We propose that reciprocal inhibition of interconnected neurons controls CRF(+) output in these nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G Partridge
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA; Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
| | - Patrick A Forcelli
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA; Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Ruixi Luo
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Jonah M Cashdan
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Jay Schulkin
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Rita J Valentino
- Abramson Pediatric Research Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Stefano Vicini
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA; Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA
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16
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Lodjak J, Mägi M, Rooni U, Tilgar V. Context-dependent effects of feather corticosterone on growth rate and fledging success of wild passerine nestlings in heterogeneous habitat. Oecologia 2015; 179:937-46. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3357-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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17
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Cramer T, Kisliouk T, Yeshurun S, Meiri N. The balance between stress resilience and vulnerability is regulated by corticotropin-releasing hormone during the critical postnatal period for sensory development. Dev Neurobiol 2014; 75:842-53. [PMID: 25447645 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Revised: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Determining whether a stressful event will lead to stress-resilience or vulnerability depends probably on an adjustable stress response set point, which is most likely effective during postnatal sensory development and involves the regulation of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) expression. During the critical period of thermal-control establishment in 3-day-old chicks, heat stress was found to render resilient or sensitized response, depending on the ambient temperature. These two different responses were correlated with the amount of activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The expression of CRH mRNA in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus was augmented during heat challenge a week after heat conditioning in chicks which were trained to be vulnerable to heat, while it declined in chicks that were trained to be resilient. To study the role of CRH in HPA-axis plasticity, CRH or Crh-antisense were intracranially injected into the third ventricle. CRH caused an elevation of both body temperature and plasma corticosterone level, while Crh-antisense caused an opposite response. Moreover, these effects had long term implications by reversing a week later, heat resilience into vulnerability and vice versa. Chicks that had been injected with CRH followed by exposure to mild heat stress, normally inducing resilience, demonstrated, a week later, an elevation in body temperature, and Crh mRNA level similar to heat vulnerability, while Crh-antisense injected chicks, which were exposed to harsh temperature, responded in heat resilience. These results demonstrate a potential role for CRH in determining the stress resilience/vulnerability balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomer Cramer
- Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Institute of Animal Science, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel.,The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Department of Animal Science, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Tatiana Kisliouk
- Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Institute of Animal Science, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel
| | - Shlomo Yeshurun
- Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Institute of Animal Science, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel.,The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Department of Animal Science, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Noam Meiri
- Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Institute of Animal Science, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel
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18
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ZHU LITING, YU JUN, ZHANG WENYI, XIE BIN, ZHU YI. Research progress on the central mechanism underlying regulation of visceral biological rhythm by per2 (Review). Mol Med Rep 2014; 10:2241-8. [DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2014.2559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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19
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Schell CJ, Young JK, Lonsdorf EV, Santymire RM. Anthropogenic and physiologically induced stress responses in captive coyotes. J Mammal 2013. [DOI: 10.1644/13-mamm-a-001.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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20
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Vandenberg LN, Colborn T, Hayes TB, Heindel JJ, Jacobs DR, Lee DH, Myers JP, Shioda T, Soto AM, vom Saal FS, Welshons WV, Zoeller RT. Regulatory decisions on endocrine disrupting chemicals should be based on the principles of endocrinology. Reprod Toxicol 2013; 38:1-15. [PMID: 23411111 PMCID: PMC3902067 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2013.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2012] [Revised: 01/18/2013] [Accepted: 02/01/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
For years, scientists from various disciplines have studied the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on the health and wellbeing of humans and wildlife. Some studies have specifically focused on the effects of low doses, i.e. those in the range that are thought to be safe for humans and/or animals. Others have focused on the existence of non-monotonic dose-response curves. These concepts challenge the way that chemical risk assessment is performed for EDCs. Continued discussions have clarified exactly what controversies and challenges remain. We address several of these issues, including why the study and regulation of EDCs should incorporate endocrine principles; what level of consensus there is for low dose effects; challenges to our understanding of non-monotonicity; and whether EDCs have been demonstrated to produce adverse effects. This discussion should result in a better understanding of these issues, and allow for additional dialog on their impact on risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Center for Regenerative & Developmental Biology, and Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States.
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21
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Cortisol plays a multifaceted role in major depression disorder (MDD). Diurnal rhythms are disturbed, there is increased resistance to the feedback action of glucocorticoids, excess cortisol may induce MDD, basal levels may be higher and the post-awakening cortisol surge accentuated in those at risk for MDD. Does this suggest new avenues for studying MDD or its clinical management? METHOD The relevant literature was reviewed. RESULTS Cortisol contributes to genetic variants for the risk for MDD and the way that environmental events amplify risk. The corticoids' influence begins prenatally, but continues into adulthood. The impact of cortisol at each phase depends not only on its interaction with other factors, such as psychological traits and genetic variants, but also on events that have, or have not, occurred previously. CONCLUSIONS This review suggests that the time is now right for serious consideration of the role of cortisol in a clinical context. Estimates of cortisol levels and the shape of the diurnal rhythm might well guide the understanding of subtypes of MDD and yield additional indicators for optimal treatment. Patients with disturbed cortisol rhythms might benefit from restitution of those rhythms; they may be distinct from those with more generally elevated levels, who might benefit from cortisol blockade. Higher levels of cortisol are a risk for subsequent depression. Should manipulation of cortisol or its receptors be considered as a preventive measure for some of those at very high risk of future MDD, or to reduce other cortisol-related consequences such as long-term cognitive decline?
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Affiliation(s)
- J Herbert
- Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, UK.
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22
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Hawkley LC, Cole SW, Capitanio JP, Norman GJ, Cacioppo JT. Effects of social isolation on glucocorticoid regulation in social mammals. Horm Behav 2012; 62:314-23. [PMID: 22663934 PMCID: PMC3449017 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2011] [Revised: 05/23/2012] [Accepted: 05/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The regulation and function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and glucocorticoids have been well conserved across vertebrate species. Glucocorticoids influence a wide range of physiological functions that include glucose regulation, metabolism, inflammatory control, as well as cardiovascular, reproductive, and neuronal effects. Some of these are relatively quick-acting non-genomic effects, but most are slower-acting genomic effects. Thus, any stimulus that affects HPA function has the potential to exert wide-ranging short-term and long-term effects on much of vertebrate physiology. Here, we review the effects of social isolation on the functioning of the HPA axis in social species, and on glucocorticoid physiology in social mammals in particular. Evidence indicates that objective and perceived social isolation alter HPA regulation, although the nature and direction of the HPA response differs among species and across age. The inconsistencies in the direction and nature of HPA effects have implications for drawing cross-species conclusions about the effects of social isolation, and are particularly problematic for understanding HPA-related physiological processes in humans. The animal and human data are incommensurate because, for example, animal studies of objective isolation have typically not been modeled on, or for comparability with, the subjective experience of isolation in humans. An animal model of human isolation must be taken more seriously if we want to advance our understanding of the mechanisms for the effects of objective and perceived isolation in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise C Hawkley
- Department of Psychology and Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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23
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Vandenberg LN, Colborn T, Hayes TB, Heindel JJ, Jacobs DR, Lee DH, Shioda T, Soto AM, vom Saal FS, Welshons WV, Zoeller RT, Myers JP. Hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals: low-dose effects and nonmonotonic dose responses. Endocr Rev 2012; 33:378-455. [PMID: 22419778 PMCID: PMC3365860 DOI: 10.1210/er.2011-1050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1978] [Impact Index Per Article: 164.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2011] [Accepted: 02/07/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
For decades, studies of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have challenged traditional concepts in toxicology, in particular the dogma of "the dose makes the poison," because EDCs can have effects at low doses that are not predicted by effects at higher doses. Here, we review two major concepts in EDC studies: low dose and nonmonotonicity. Low-dose effects were defined by the National Toxicology Program as those that occur in the range of human exposures or effects observed at doses below those used for traditional toxicological studies. We review the mechanistic data for low-dose effects and use a weight-of-evidence approach to analyze five examples from the EDC literature. Additionally, we explore nonmonotonic dose-response curves, defined as a nonlinear relationship between dose and effect where the slope of the curve changes sign somewhere within the range of doses examined. We provide a detailed discussion of the mechanisms responsible for generating these phenomena, plus hundreds of examples from the cell culture, animal, and epidemiology literature. We illustrate that nonmonotonic responses and low-dose effects are remarkably common in studies of natural hormones and EDCs. Whether low doses of EDCs influence certain human disorders is no longer conjecture, because epidemiological studies show that environmental exposures to EDCs are associated with human diseases and disabilities. We conclude that when nonmonotonic dose-response curves occur, the effects of low doses cannot be predicted by the effects observed at high doses. Thus, fundamental changes in chemical testing and safety determination are needed to protect human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Tufts University, Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA.
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24
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Seidel K, Poeggel G, Holetschka R, Helmeke C, Braun K. Paternal deprivation affects the development of corticotrophin-releasing factor-expressing neurones in prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus of the biparental Octodon degus. J Neuroendocrinol 2011; 23:1166-76. [PMID: 21848809 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02208.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Although the critical role of maternal care on the development of brain and behaviour of the offspring has been extensively studied, knowledge about the importance of paternal care is comparatively scarce. In biparental species, paternal care significantly contributes to a stimulating socio-emotional family environment, which most likely also includes protection from stressful events. In the biparental caviomorph rodent Octodon degus, we analysed the impact of paternal care on the development of neurones in prefrontal-limbic brain regions, which express corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF). CRF is a polypeptidergic hormone that is expressed and released by a neuronal subpopulation in the brain, and which not only is essential for regulating stress and emotionality, but also is critically involved in cognitive functions. At weaning age [postnatal day (P)21], paternal deprivation resulted in an elevated density of CRF-containing neurones in the orbitofrontal cortex and in the basolateral amygdala of male degus, whereas a reduced density of CRF-expressing neurones was measured in the dentate gyrus and stratum pyramidale of the hippocampal CA1 region at this age. With the exception of the CA1 region, the deprivation-induced changes were no longer evident in adulthood (P90), which suggests a transient change that, in later life, might be normalised by other socio-emotional experience. The central amygdala, characterised by dense clusters of CRF-immunopositive neuropil, and the precentral medial, anterior cingulate, infralimbic and prelimbic cortices, were not affected by paternal deprivation. Taken together, this is the first evidence that paternal care interferes with the developmental expression pattern of CRF-expressing interneurones in an age- and region-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Seidel
- Institute of Biology, Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
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