1
|
Huang ST, Wu K, Guo MM, Shao S, Hua R, Zhang YM. Glutamatergic and GABAergic anteroventral BNST projections to PVN CRH neurons regulate maternal separation-induced visceral pain. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1778-1788. [PMID: 37516802 PMCID: PMC10579407 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01678-1] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Early-life stress (ELS) is thought to cause the development of visceral pain disorders. While some individuals are vulnerable to visceral pain, others are resilient, but the intrinsic circuit and molecular mechanisms involved remain largely unclear. Herein, we demonstrate that inbred mice subjected to maternal separation (MS) could be separated into susceptible and resilient subpopulations by visceral hypersensitivity evaluation. Through a combination of chemogenetics, optogenetics, fiber photometry, molecular and electrophysiological approaches, we discovered that susceptible mice presented activation of glutamatergic projections or inhibition of GABAergic projections from the anteroventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (avBNST) to paraventricular nucleus (PVN) corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons. However, resilience develops as a behavioral adaptation partially due to restoration of PVN SK2 channel expression and function. Our findings suggest that PVN CRH neurons are dually regulated by functionally opposing avBNST neurons and that this circuit may be the basis for neurobiological vulnerability to visceral pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Si-Ting Huang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ke Wu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
| | - Miao-Miao Guo
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shuai Shao
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rong Hua
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China
- Emergency Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yong-Mei Zhang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kang M, Chung JM, Noh J, Kim J. The mineralocorticoid receptor and extra-synaptic NMDA receptor in the lateral habenula involve in the vulnerability to early life stress in the maternal separation model. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 27:100570. [PMID: 37771409 PMCID: PMC10522873 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The lateral habenula (LHb) plays a pivotal role in regulating emotional responses during stress reactions, and its hyperactivity has been associated with depression. Recently it has been demonstrated that chronic early-life stress results in individual differences in stress vulnerability among rodents. However, how synaptic function in the LHb varies between susceptibility and resilience to early life stress remains elusive. In this study, we used a maternal separation model to assign animals with different stress vulnerabilities into groups and investigated the synaptic responses in the LHb. Our findings indicate that synaptic long-term depression (LTD) was impaired and extra-synaptic LTD was enhanced in the LHb of the susceptible group. To mimic the synaptic alteration in stress situations, when administered corticosterone, a stress hormone, the intervention appeared to impair synaptic LTD in the LHb of the control group, through the activation of mineralocorticoid receptors (MR). Indeed, there was an up-regulation of MR mRNA observed in the susceptible group. Following there was an up-regulation of both NR2A and NR2B subunits in the LHb. These results indicated that MR and extra-synaptic NMDA receptors in LHb are critically engaged in the susceptibilities to stress. Furthermore, our findings propose potential therapeutic targets for alleviating stress-related symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miseon Kang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Brain Disease Research Institute, Ewha Woman's University, Seoul, South Korea
- Emotion, Cognition & Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jun-mo Chung
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Brain Disease Research Institute, Ewha Woman's University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jihyun Noh
- Department of Science Education, College of Education, Dankook University, Yongin, South Korea
| | - Jeongyeon Kim
- Emotion, Cognition & Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
A Novel Early Life Stress Model Affects Brain Development and Behavior in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054688. [PMID: 36902120 PMCID: PMC10002977 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) in developing children has been linked to physical and psychological sequelae in adulthood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ELS on brain and behavioral development by establishing a novel ELS model that combined the maternal separation paradigm and mesh platform condition. We found that the novel ELS model caused anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and induced social deficits and memory impairment in the offspring of mice. In particular, the novel ELS model induced more enhanced depression-like behavior and memory impairment than the maternal separation model, which is the established ELS model. Furthermore, the novel ELS caused upregulation of arginine vasopressin expression and downregulation of GABAergic interneuron markers, such as parvalbumin (PV), vasoactive intestinal peptide, and calbindin-D28k (CaBP-28k), in the brains of the mice. Finally, the offspring in the novel ELS model showed a decreased number of cortical PV-, CaBP-28k-positive cells and an increased number of cortical ionized calcium-binding adaptors-positive cells in their brains compared to mice in the established ELS model. Collectively, these results indicated that the novel ELS model induced more negative effects on brain and behavioral development than the established ELS model.
Collapse
|
4
|
Rosa DS, Frias AT, Vilela-Costa HH, Junior AS, Sant’Ana AB, Fusse EJ, Suchecki D, Campos AC, Lovick TA, Zangrossi H. Neonatal maternal deprivation facilitates the expression of a panic-like escape behavior in adult rats. Behav Brain Res 2022; 434:114031. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
|
5
|
Tryptophan Metabolism and Gut-Brain Homeostasis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22062973. [PMID: 33804088 PMCID: PMC8000752 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid critical for protein synthesis in humans that has emerged as a key player in the microbiota-gut-brain axis. It is the only precursor for the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is vital for the processing of emotional regulation, hunger, sleep, and pain, as well as colonic motility and secretory activity in the gut. Tryptophan catabolites from the kynurenine degradation pathway also modulate neural activity and are active in the systemic inflammatory cascade. Additionally, tryptophan and its metabolites support the development of the central and enteric nervous systems. Accordingly, dysregulation of tryptophan metabolites plays a central role in the pathogenesis of many neurologic and psychiatric disorders. Gut microbes influence tryptophan metabolism directly and indirectly, with corresponding changes in behavior and cognition. The gut microbiome has thus garnered much attention as a therapeutic target for both neurologic and psychiatric disorders where tryptophan and its metabolites play a prominent role. In this review, we will touch upon some of these features and their involvement in health and disease.
Collapse
|
6
|
Serotonin deficiency induced after brain maturation rescues consequences of early life adversity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5368. [PMID: 33686115 PMCID: PMC7940624 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83592-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain serotonin (5-HT) system dysfunction is implicated in depressive disorders and acute depletion of 5-HT precursor tryptophan has frequently been used to model the influence of 5-HT deficiency on emotion regulation. Tamoxifen (TAM)-induced Cre/loxP-mediated inactivation of the tryptophan hydroxylase-2 gene (Tph2) was used to investigate the effects of provoked 5-HT deficiency in adult mice (Tph2 icKO) previously subjected to maternal separation (MS). The efficiency of Tph2 inactivation was validated by immunohistochemistry and HPLC. The impact of Tph2 icKO in interaction with MS stress (Tph2 icKO × MS) on physiological parameters, emotional behavior and expression of 5-HT system-related marker genes were assessed. Tph2 icKO mice displayed a significant reduction in 5-HT immunoreactive cells and 5-HT concentrations in the rostral raphe region within four weeks following TAM treatment. Tph2 icKO and MS differentially affected food and water intake, locomotor activity as well as panic-like escape behavior. Tph2 icKO prevented the adverse effects of MS stress and altered the expression of the genes previously linked to stress and emotionality. In conclusion, an experimental model was established to study the behavioral and neurobiological consequences of 5-HT deficiency in adulthood in interaction with early-life adversity potentially affecting brain development and the pathogenesis of depressive disorders.
Collapse
|
7
|
Babicola L, Ventura R, D'Addario SL, Ielpo D, Andolina D, Di Segni M. Long term effects of early life stress on HPA circuit in rodent models. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 521:111125. [PMID: 33333214 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.111125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Adaptation to environmental challenges represents a critical process for survival, requiring the complex integration of information derived from both external cues and internal signals regarding current conditions and previous experiences. The Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis plays a central role in this process inducing the activation of a neuroendocrine signaling cascade that affects the delicate balance of activity and cross-talk between areas that are involved in sensorial, emotional, and cognitive processing such as the hippocampus, amygdala, Prefrontal Cortex, Ventral Tegmental Area, and dorsal raphe. Early life stress, especially early critical experiences with caregivers, influences the functional and structural organization of these areas, affects these processes in a long-lasting manner and may result in long-term maladaptive and psychopathological outcomes, depending on the complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. This review summarizes the results of studies that have modeled this early postnatal stress in rodents during the first 2 postnatal weeks, focusing on the long-term effects on molecular and structural alteration in brain areas involved in Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function. Moreover, a brief investigation of epigenetic mechanisms and specific genetic targets mediating the long-term effects of these early environmental manipulations and at the basis of differential neurobiological and behavioral effects during adulthood is provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Babicola
- Dept. of Psychology and Center "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University, 00184, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Ventura
- Dept. of Psychology and Center "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University, 00184, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.
| | - Sebastian Luca D'Addario
- Dept. of Psychology and Center "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University, 00184, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143, Rome, Italy; Behavioral Neuroscience PhD Programme, Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00184, Rome, Italy
| | - Donald Ielpo
- Dept. of Psychology and Center "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University, 00184, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143, Rome, Italy; Behavioral Neuroscience PhD Programme, Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00184, Rome, Italy
| | - Diego Andolina
- Dept. of Psychology and Center "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University, 00184, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Di Segni
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Via Del Fosso di Fiorano, 64, 00143, Rome, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Alves RL, Portugal CC, Summavielle T, Barbosa F, Magalhães A. Maternal separation effects on mother rodents’ behaviour: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 117:98-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
|
9
|
Maternal Separation Early in Life Alters the Expression of Genes Npas4 and Nr1d1 in Adult Female Mice: Correlation with Social Behavior. Behav Neurol 2020; 2020:7830469. [PMID: 32190129 PMCID: PMC7072106 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7830469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress affects neuronal plasticity of the brain regions participating in the implementation of social behavior. Our previous studies have shown that brief and prolonged separation of pups from their mothers leads to enhanced social behavior in adult female mice. The goal of the present study was to characterize the expression of genes (which are engaged in synaptic plasticity) Egr1, Npas4, Arc, and Homer1 in the prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus of adult female mice with a history of early-life stress. In addition, we evaluated the expression of stress-related genes: glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (Nr3c1 and Nr3c2) and Nr1d1, which encodes a transcription factor (also known as REVERBα) modulating sociability and anxiety-related behavior. C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to either maternal separation (MS, 3 h once a day) or handling (HD, 15 min once a day) on postnatal days 2 through 14. In adulthood, the behavior of female mice was analyzed by some behavioral tests, and on the day after the testing of social behavior, we measured the gene expression. We found increased Npas4 expression only in the prefrontal cortex and higher Nr1d1 expression in both the prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus of adult female mice with a history of MS. The expression of the studied genes did not change in HD female mice. The expression of stress-related genes Nr3c1 and Nr3c2 was unaltered in both groups. We propose that the upregulation of Npas4 and Nr1d1 in females with a history of early-life stress and the corresponding enhancement of social behavior may be regarded as an adaptation mechanism reversing possible aberrations caused by early-life stress.
Collapse
|
10
|
Lieb MW, Weidner M, Arnold MR, Loupy KM, Nguyen KT, Hassell JE, Schnabel KS, Kern R, Day HEW, Lesch KP, Waider J, Lowry CA. Effects of maternal separation on serotonergic systems in the dorsal and median raphe nuclei of adult male Tph2-deficient mice. Behav Brain Res 2019; 373:112086. [PMID: 31319134 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have highlighted interactions between serotonergic systems and adverse early life experience as important gene x environment determinants of risk of stress-related psychiatric disorders. Evidence suggests that mice deficient in Tph2, the rate-limiting enzyme for brain serotonin synthesis, display disruptions in behavioral phenotypes relevant to stress-related psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to determine how maternal separation in wild-type, heterozygous, and Tph2 knockout mice affects mRNA expression of serotonin-related genes. Serotonergic genes studied included Tph2, the high-affinity, low-capacity, sodium-dependent serotonin transporter (Slc6a4), the serotonin type 1a receptor (Htr1a), and the corticosterone-sensitive, low-affinity, high-capacity sodium-independent serotonin transporter, organic cation transporter 3 (Slc22a3). Furthermore, we studied corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors 1 (Crhr1) and 2 (Crhr2), which play important roles in controlling serotonergic neuronal activity. For this study, offspring of Tph2 heterozygous dams were exposed to daily maternal separation for the first two weeks of life. Adult, male wild-type, heterozygous, and homozygous offspring were subsequently used for molecular analysis. Maternal separation differentially altered serotonergic gene expression in a genotype- and topographically-specific manner. For example, maternal separation increased Slc6a4 mRNA expression in the dorsal part of the dorsal raphe nucleus in Tph2 heterozygous mice, but not in wild-type or knockout mice. Overall, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that gene x environment interactions, including serotonergic genes and adverse early life experience, play an important role in vulnerability to stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret W Lieb
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Magdalena Weidner
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Mathew R Arnold
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Kelsey M Loupy
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Kadi T Nguyen
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - James E Hassell
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - K'Loni S Schnabel
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Raphael Kern
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.
| | - Heidi E W Day
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Jonas Waider
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Weidner MT, Lardenoije R, Eijssen L, Mogavero F, De Groodt LPMT, Popp S, Palme R, Förstner KU, Strekalova T, Steinbusch HWM, Schmitt-Böhrer AG, Glennon JC, Waider J, van den Hove DLA, Lesch KP. Identification of Cholecystokinin by Genome-Wide Profiling as Potential Mediator of Serotonin-Dependent Behavioral Effects of Maternal Separation in the Amygdala. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:460. [PMID: 31133792 PMCID: PMC6524554 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Converging evidence suggests a role of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), the rate-limiting enzyme of 5-HT synthesis in the brain, in modulating long-term, neurobiological effects of early-life adversity. Here, we aimed at further elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction, and its consequences for socio-emotional behaviors, with a focus on anxiety and social interaction. In this study, adult, male Tph2 null mutant (Tph2 -/-) and heterozygous (Tph2 +/-) mice, and their wildtype littermates (Tph2 +/+) were exposed to neonatal, maternal separation (MS) and screened for behavioral changes, followed by genome-wide RNA expression and DNA methylation profiling. In Tph2 -/- mice, brain 5-HT deficiency profoundly affected socio-emotional behaviors, i.e., decreased avoidance of the aversive open arms in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) as well as decreased prosocial and increased rule breaking behavior in the resident-intruder test when compared to their wildtype littermates. Tph2 +/- mice showed an ambiguous profile with context-dependent, behavioral responses. In the EPM they showed similar avoidance of the open arm but decreased prosocial and increased rule breaking behavior in the resident-intruder test when compared to their wildtype littermates. Notably, MS effects on behavior were subtle and depended on the Tph2 genotype, in particular increasing the observed avoidance of EPM open arms in wildtype and Tph2 +/- mice when compared to their Tph2 -/- littermates. On the genomic level, the interaction of Tph2 genotype with MS differentially affected the expression of numerous genes, of which a subset showed an overlap with DNA methylation profiles at corresponding loci. Remarkably, changes in methylation nearby and expression of the gene encoding cholecystokinin, which were inversely correlated to each other, were associated with variations in anxiety-related phenotypes. In conclusion, next to various behavioral alterations, we identified gene expression and DNA methylation profiles to be associated with TPH2 inactivation and its interaction with MS, suggesting a gene-by-environment interaction-dependent, modulatory function of brain 5-HT availability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena T. Weidner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Roy Lardenoije
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Lars Eijssen
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Departments of Bioinformatics, Psychiatry & Neuro Psychology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Floriana Mogavero
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Sandy Popp
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Konrad U. Förstner
- Core Unit Systems Medicine, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences, Cologne, Germany
- TH Köln, Faculty of Information Science and Communication Studies, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tatyana Strekalova
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Harry W. M. Steinbusch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Angelika G. Schmitt-Böhrer
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jeffrey C. Glennon
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jonas Waider
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Daniel L. A. van den Hove
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Maternal stress during pregnancy induces depressive-like behavior only in female offspring and correlates to their hippocampal Avp and Oxt receptor expression. Behav Brain Res 2018; 353:1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
13
|
Pollano A, Trujillo V, Suárez MM. How does early maternal separation and chronic stress in adult rats affect the immunoreactivity of serotonergic neurons within the dorsal raphe nucleus? Stress 2018; 21:59-68. [PMID: 29157077 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2017.1401062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Vulnerability to emotional disorders like depression derives from interactions between early and late environments, including stressful conditions. The serotonin (5HT) system is strongly affected by stress and chronic unpredictable stress can alter the 5HT system. We evaluated the distribution of active serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) through immunohistochemistry in maternally separated and chronically stressed rats treated with an antidepressant, tianeptine, whose mechanism of action is still under review. Male Wistar rats were subjected to daily maternal separation (MS) for 4.5 h between postnatal days (PND) 1-21, or to animal facility rearing (AFR). Between (PND) days 50-74, rats were exposed to chronic unpredictable stress and were treated daily with tianeptine (10 mg/kg) or vehicle. We found an interaction between the effects of MS and chronic unpredictable stress on Fos-5HT immunoreactive cells at mid-caudal level of the DR. MS-chronically stressed rats showed an increase of Fos-5HT immunoreactive cells compared with AFR-chronically stressed rats. The ventrolateral (DRL/VLPAG) and dorsal (DRD) subdivisions of the DR were significantly more active than the ventral part (DRV). At the rostral level of the DR, tianeptine decreased the number of Fos-5HT cells in DR in the AFR groups, both unstressed and stressed. Overall, our results support the idea of a match in phenotype exhibited when the early and the adult environment correspond.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Pollano
- a Laboratorio de Fisiología Animal , Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina
| | - Verónica Trujillo
- a Laboratorio de Fisiología Animal , Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina
| | - Marta M Suárez
- a Laboratorio de Fisiología Animal , Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba , Córdoba , Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
de Almeida Magalhães T, Correia D, de Carvalho LM, Damasceno S, Brunialti Godard AL. Maternal separation affects expression of stress response genes and increases vulnerability to ethanol consumption. Brain Behav 2018; 8:e00841. [PMID: 29568676 PMCID: PMC5853632 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Maternal separation is an early life stress event associated with behavioral alterations and ethanol consumption. We aimed to expand the current understanding on the molecular mechanisms mediating the impact of postnatal stress on ethanol consumption. METHODS In the first experiment (T1), some of the pups were separated from their mothers for 6 hr daily (Maternal Separation group - MS), whereas the other pups remained in the cage with their respective mothers (Control group - C). In the second experiment (T2), mice from both groups were subjected to the model of free-choice between water and sucrose solution or between water and ethanol solution. Maternal behavior was assessed at the end of T1. At the end of both T1 and T2, pups were subjected to the light/dark box behavioral test and blood corticosterone concentrations were analyzed. RESULTS Our maternal separation protocol led to intense maternal care and affected weight gain of the animals. The expression of stress response genes was altered with higher levels of Crh and Pomc being observed in the hypothalamus, and higher levels of Crhr1, Crhr2, Htr2a and lower levels of Nr3c1 and Htr1a being observed in the hippocampus after T1. At the end of T2, we observed higher levels of Avp and Pomc in the hypothalamus, and higher levels of Crhr1, Crhr2, Nr3c1, Slc6a4, Bdnf and lower levels of Htr1a in the hippocampus. Additionally, maternal separation increased vulnerability to ethanol consumption during adolescence and induced changes in anxiety/stress-related behavior after T2. Furthermore, voluntary ethanol consumption attenuated stress response and modified expression of reward system genes: enhancing Drd1 and Drd2, and reducing Gabbr2 in the striatum. CONCLUSION Maternal separation induced behavioral changes and alterations in the expression of key genes involved in HPA axis and in the serotonergic and reward systems that are likely to increase vulnerability to ethanol consumption in adolescence. We demonstrated, for the first time, that ethanol consumption masked stress response by reducing the activity of the HPA axis and the serotonergic system, therefore, suggesting that adolescent mice from the MS group probably consumed ethanol for stress relieving purposes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taciani de Almeida Magalhães
- Laboratório de Genética Animal e Humana Departamento de Biologia Geral Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte MG Brazil
| | - Diego Correia
- Laboratório de Genética Animal e Humana Departamento de Biologia Geral Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte MG Brazil
| | - Luana Martins de Carvalho
- Laboratório de Genética Animal e Humana Departamento de Biologia Geral Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte MG Brazil
| | - Samara Damasceno
- Laboratório de Genética Animal e Humana Departamento de Biologia Geral Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte MG Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia Brunialti Godard
- Laboratório de Genética Animal e Humana Departamento de Biologia Geral Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte MG Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Reshetnikov V, Studenikina A, Ryabushkina J, Merkulova T, Bondar N. The impact of early-life stress on the expression of HPA-associated genes in the adult murine brain. BEHAVIOUR 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Early life is an important period for the development of the nervous system and for the programming of behavioural phenotypes in adulthood. In our study, two types of early-life stress were used: prolonged separation of pups from their mothers (for 3 h/day, maternal separation (MS)) and brief separation (for 15 min/day, handling (HD)). We analysed the effects of early-life stress on behaviour and the expression of HPA-associated genes in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and frontal cortex of male mice. Adult mice in the MS group demonstrated reduced locomotor activity and deficiencies in spatial long-term memory, while the HD showed no significant changes. Additionally, early-life MS resulted in reduced hippocampal Crhr1 mRNA, increased MR/GR mRNA in the hippocampus and hypothalamus. Both groups, HD and MS, showed increased Avp mRNA in the hypothalamus. Thus, prolonged maternal separation but not brief leads to adverse behavioural changes and influences the expression of HPA-associated genes in a brain region-specific manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V.V. Reshetnikov
- aLaboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - A.A. Studenikina
- aLaboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
- bNovosibirsk State Medical University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - J.A. Ryabushkina
- aLaboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
- cNovosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - T.I. Merkulova
- aLaboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
- cNovosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - N.P. Bondar
- aLaboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
- cNovosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Banqueri M, Méndez M, Arias JL. Spatial memory-related brain activity in normally reared and different maternal separation models in rats. Physiol Behav 2017; 181:80-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
|
17
|
Provenzi L, Guida E, Montirosso R. Preterm behavioral epigenetics: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 84:262-271. [PMID: 28867654 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral epigenetics is revealing new pathways that lead individuals from early adversity exposures to later-in-life detrimental outcomes. Preterm birth constitutes one of the major adverse events in human development. Preterm infants are hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where they are exposed to life-saving yet pain-inducing procedures and to protective care. The application of behavioral epigenetics to the field of preterm studies (i.e., Preterm Behavioral Epigenetics, PBE) is rapidly growing and holds promises to provide valid insights for research and clinical activity. Here, the evidence of the epigenetic correlates of prenatal adversities, NICU-related environment and development of preterm infants is systematically reviewed. The findings suggest that a number of prenatal adverse (e.g., maternal depression and stress) and post-natal (e.g., NICU-related pain-related stress) events affect the developmental trajectories of preterm infants and children via epigenetic alterations of imprinted and stress-related genes. Nonetheless, the potential epigenetic vestiges of early care and protective interventions in NICU have not been investigated yet and this represents a fascinating challenge for future PBE research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Livio Provenzi
- 0-3 Centre for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy.
| | - Elena Guida
- 0-3 Centre for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy
| | - Rosario Montirosso
- 0-3 Centre for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, LC, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Adolescent mice show anxiety- and aggressive-like behavior and the reduction of long-term potentiation in mossy fiber-CA3 synapses after neonatal maternal separation. Neuroscience 2016; 316:221-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.12.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 12/05/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
19
|
Ho DH, Burch ML, Musall B, Musall JB, Hyndman KA, Pollock JS. Early life stress in male mice induces superoxide production and endothelial dysfunction in adulthood. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2016; 310:H1267-74. [PMID: 26921433 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00016.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is a risk for cardiovascular disease in adulthood although very little mechanistic insight is available. Because oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction are major contributors to cardiovascular risk, we hypothesized that ELS induces endothelial dysfunction in adult male mice via increased superoxide production. Studies employed a mouse model of ELS, maternal separation with early weaning (MSEW), in which litters were separated from the dam for 4 h/day [postnatal days (PD) 2-5] and 8 h/day (PD6-16), and weaned at PD17. Control litters remained undisturbed until weaning at PD21. When compared with control mice, thoracic aortic rings from adult male MSEW mice displayed significant endothelial dysfunction that was reversed by the superoxide scavenger, polyethylene glycol-superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD). PEG-SOD-inhibitable superoxide production by aortae from MSEW mice was significantly greater than observed in control aortae, although unaffected by nitric oxide synthase inhibition, suggesting that uncoupled nitric oxide synthase was not responsible for the accelerated superoxide production. Aortic SOD expression, plasma SOD activity, and total antioxidant activity were similar in MSEW and control mice, indicating unaltered antioxidant capacity in MSEW mice. Increased expression of the NADPH oxidase subunits, NOX2 and NOX4, was evident in the aortae of MSEW mice. Moreover, endothelial dysfunction and superoxide production in MSEW mice was reversed with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor, apocynin, indicating increased NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production and endothelial dysfunction. The finding that MSEW induces superoxide production and endothelial dysfunction in adult mice may provide a mechanistic link between ELS and adult cardiovascular disease risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dao H Ho
- Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; and
| | - Mariah L Burch
- Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; and Department of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Benjamin Musall
- Department of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| | | | - Kelly A Hyndman
- Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; and
| | - Jennifer S Pollock
- Cardio-Renal Physiology and Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; and Department of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Maniam J, Antoniadis CP, Youngson NA, Sinha JK, Morris MJ. Sugar Consumption Produces Effects Similar to Early Life Stress Exposure on Hippocampal Markers of Neurogenesis and Stress Response. Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 8:86. [PMID: 26834554 PMCID: PMC4717325 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2015.00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse early life experience is a known risk factor for psychiatric disorders. It is also known that stress influences food preference. We were interested in exploring whether the choice of diet following early life stress exerts long-lasting molecular changes in the brain, particularly the hippocampus, a region critically involved in stress regulation and behavioral outcomes. Here, we examined the impact of early life stress induced by limited nesting material (LN) and chronic sucrose availability post-weaning on an array of hippocampal genes related to plasticity, neurogenesis, stress and inflammatory responses and mitochondrial biogenesis. To examine mechanisms underlying the impact of LN and sugar intake on hippocampal gene expression, we investigated the role of DNA methylation. As females are more likely to experience adverse life events, we studied female Sprague-Dawley rats. After mating LN was imposed from days 2 to 9 postpartum. From 3 to 15 weeks of age, female Control and LN siblings had unlimited to access to either chow and water, or chow, water and 25% sucrose solution. LN markedly reduced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and neurogenic differentiation 1 (Neurod1) mRNA, markers involved in stress and hippocampal plasticity respectively, by more than 40%, with a similar effect of sugar intake in control rats. However, no further impact was observed in LN rats consuming sugar. Hippocampal Akt3 mRNA expression was similarly affected by LN and sucrose consumption. Interestingly, DNA methylation across 4 CpG sites of the GR and Neurod1 promoters was similar in LN and control rats. In summary, early life stress and post-weaning sugar intake produced long-term effects on hippocampal GR and Neurod1 expression. Moreover we found no evidence of altered promoter DNA methylation. We demonstrate for the first time that chronic sucrose consumption alone produces similar detrimental effects on the expression of hippocampal genes as LN exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jayanthi Maniam
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales Australia Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Christopher P Antoniadis
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales Australia Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Neil A Youngson
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales Australia Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jitendra K Sinha
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Division, National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research Hyderabad, India
| | - Margaret J Morris
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales Australia Sydney, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Environmental enrichment does not reverse the effects of maternal deprivation on NMDAR and Balb/c mice behaviors. Brain Res 2015; 1624:479-488. [PMID: 26300221 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Early adverse life experiences have been associated with anxiety-like behavior and memory impairment. N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) play an important role in brain development. Enriched environments are known to positively influence emotional and cognitive functions in the brain. We examined the effects of maternal deprivation (MD) on NMDAR subunits in the hippocampus, locomotor activity, anxiety behaviors, and learning-memory performance of Balb/c mice. We also examined whether these effects could be reversed by raising the offspring in an enriched environment. The mice were separated from their mothers for a single 24h episode on postnatal day (PND) 9. The mice were weaned on day 21 and were housed under either standard (SE) or enriched (EE) environmental conditions. Emotional behaviors and cognitive processes of mice were evaluated using an open field (OF) test, an elevated plus maze (EPM) test, and a Morris water-maze (MWM). NMDAR subunits (GluN1, GluN2A, and GluN2B) mRNA expression levels in the hippocampus were examined by real-time PCR. In OF, MD had no effect on horizontal locomotor activity. MD increased anxiety-like behaviors in the EPM and decreased spatial learning performance in MWM; however, these effects were not reversed by EE. MD (in SE and EE conditions) increased GluN1, GluN2A, and GluN2B mRNA expressions in the hippocampus. In conclusion, MD led to the deterioration of the emotional and cognitive processes during adulthood. Moreover, environmental enrichment did not reverse the deleterious effects of the MD on emotional and cognitive functions and increased the NMDAR levels.
Collapse
|
22
|
Duman EA, Canli T. Influence of life stress, 5-HTTLPR genotype, and SLC6A4 methylation on gene expression and stress response in healthy Caucasian males. BIOLOGY OF MOOD & ANXIETY DISORDERS 2015; 5:2. [PMID: 25995833 PMCID: PMC4438516 DOI: 10.1186/s13587-015-0017-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background Previous research reported that individual differences in the stress response were moderated by an interaction between individuals’ life stress experience and the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), a common polymorphism located in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4). Furthermore, this work suggested that individual differences in SLC6A4 DNA methylation could be one underlying mechanism by which stressful life events might regulate gene expression. The aim of this study was to understand the relation between early and recent life stress experiences, 5-HTTLPR genotype, and SLC6A4 methylation. In addition, we aimed to address how these factors influence gene expression and cortisol response to an acute psychosocial stressor, operationalized as the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). In a sample of 105 Caucasian males, we collected early and recent life stress measures and blood samples to determine 5-HTTLPR genotype and SLC6A4 methylation. Furthermore, 71 of these participants provided blood and saliva samples before and after the TSST to measure changes in SLC6A4 and NR3C1 gene expression and cortisol response. Results Compared to S-group individuals, LL individuals responded with increased SLC6A4 mRNA levels to the TSST (t(66) = 3.71, P < .001) and also showed increased global methylation as a function of ELS (r (32) = .45, P = .008) and chronic stress (r (32) = .44, P = .010). Compared to LL individuals, S-group individuals showed reduced SLC6A4 mRNA levels (r (41) = −.31, P = .042) and increased F3 methylation (r (67) = .30, P = .015) as a function of ELS; as well as increased F1 methylation as a function of chronic stress and recent depressive symptoms (r = .41, P < .01), which correlated positively with NR3C1 expression (r (42) = .31, P = .040). Conclusions Both early and recent life stress alter DNA methylation as a function of 5-HTTLPR genotype. Some of these changes are also reflected in gene expression and cortisol response, differentially affecting individuals’ stress response in a manner that may confer susceptibility or resilience for psychopathology upon experiencing stressful life events. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13587-015-0017-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elif A Duman
- Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500 USA ; Department of Psychology, Bogazici University, Bebek, 34342 Istanbul, Turkey ; Center for Life Sciences and Technologies, Bogazici University, Bebek, 34342 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Turhan Canli
- Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500 USA ; Department of Radiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA ; Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA ; Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Early deprivation induces competitive subordinance in C57BL/6 male mice. Physiol Behav 2014; 137:42-52. [PMID: 25089814 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2014] [Accepted: 06/13/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Rodent models have been widely used to investigate the impact of early life stress on adult health and behavior. However, the social dimension has rarely been incorporated into the analysis due to methodological limitations. This study characterized the effects of neonatal social isolation (early deprivation, ED) on adult C57BL/6 mouse behavior in a social context using our recently developed behavioral test protocols for group-housed mice. During the first two postnatal weeks, half of the pups per dam were separated from their dam and littermates for 3h per day (ED group). Post weaning, ED and control pups were electronically tagged and co-housed. At 12weeks, the mixed cohorts were transferred to IntelliCages, equipped with computer-controlled operant chambers. Access to the chambers was used as an index to analyze novel object response, behavioral flexibility, and competitive dominance with minimal experimenter intervention. In general, ED had greater effects on males; ED males exhibited reduced body weight, increased novelty response, and were subordinate to control littermates when competing for reward access. Male ED mice also demonstrated mildly impaired reversal learning. Analyzing gene expression changes in brain regions controlling emotion, stress, spatial memory, and executive function revealed reduced BDNF and c-Fos in hippocampal CA1, enhanced c-Fos in the basolateral amygdala, reduced Map2 while enhanced HSD11β2 in prefrontal cortex of ED males. In male mice, it was suggested that neonatal social isolation results in sustained changes in social behavior with altered function of limbic and frontal cortices.
Collapse
|
24
|
Effects of genetic and early environmental risk factors for depression on serotonin transporter expression and methylation profiles. Transl Psychiatry 2014; 4:e402. [PMID: 24937096 PMCID: PMC4080318 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The serotonin transporter (SERT) gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has been implicated in moderating the link between life stress and depression. However, respective molecular pathways of gene-environment (GxE) interaction are largely unknown. Sustained alterations in SERT gene expression profiles, possibly mediated by epigenetic modifications, are a frequent correlate of depression and may thus constitute a putative mediator of GxE interaction. Here, we aimed to investigate joint effects of 5-HTTLPR and self-reported environmental adversity throughout the lifespan (prenatal, early and recent stress/trauma) on in vivo SERT mRNA expression in peripheral blood cells. To further evaluate whether environmentally induced changes in SERT expression are mediated by epigenetic modifications, we analyzed 83 CpG sites within a 799-bp promoter-associated CpG island of the SERT gene using the highly sensitive method of bisulfite pyrosequencing. Participants were 133 healthy young adults. Our findings show that both the 5-HTTLPR S allele and maternal prenatal stress/child maltreatment are associated with reduced in vivo SERT mRNA expression in an additive manner. Remarkably, individuals carrying both the genetic and the environmental risk factors exhibited 32.8% (prenatal stress) and 56.3% (child maltreatment) lower SERT mRNA levels compared with those without any risk factor. Our data further indicated that changes in SERT mRNA levels were unlikely to be mediated by DNA methylation profiles within the SERT CpG island. It is thus conceivable that the persistent changes in SERT expression may in turn relate to altered serotonergic functioning and possibly convey differential disease vulnerability associated with 5-HTTLPR and early adversity.
Collapse
|
25
|
Harrison EL, Baune BT. Modulation of early stress-induced neurobiological changes: a review of behavioural and pharmacological interventions in animal models. Transl Psychiatry 2014; 4:e390. [PMID: 24825729 PMCID: PMC4035722 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2013] [Revised: 02/08/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood adversity alters the predisposition to psychiatric disorders later in life. Those with psychiatric conditions and a history of early adversity exhibit a higher incidence of treatment resistance compared with individuals with no such history. Modulation of the influence early stress exerts over neurobiology may help to prevent the development of psychiatric disorders in some cases, while attenuating the extent of treatment resistance in those with established psychiatric disorders. This review aims to critically evaluate the ability of behavioural, environmental and pharmacologic interventions to modulate neurobiological changes induced by early stress in animal models. Databases were systematically searched to locate literature relevant to this review. Early adversity was defined as stress that resulted from manipulation of the mother-infant relationship. Analysis was restricted to animal models to enable characterisation of how a given intervention altered specific neurobiological changes induced by early stress. A wide variety of changes in neurobiology due to early stress are amenable to intervention. Behavioural interventions in childhood, exercise in adolescence and administration of epigenetic-modifying drugs throughout life appear to best modulate cellar and behavioural alterations induced by childhood adversity. Other pharmacotherapies, such as endocannabinoid system modulators, anti-inflammatories and antidepressants can also influence these neurobiological and behavioural changes that result from early stress, although findings are less consistent at present and require further investigation. Further work is required to examine the influence that behavioural interventions, exercise and epigenetic-modifying drugs exert over alterations that occur following childhood stress in human studies, before possible translational into clinical practice is possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E L Harrison
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia,School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - B T Baune
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia,Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Wang L, Zhang W, Wu R, Kong L, Feng W, Cao Y, Tai F, Zhang X. Neuroendocrine responses to social isolation and paternal deprivation at different postnatal ages in Mandarin voles. Dev Psychobiol 2014; 56:1214-28. [PMID: 24464494 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal isolation and paternal deprivation have long lasting effects on the behavior and neuroendocrine system at adulthood. Whether these effects at adulthood are induced by neonatal changes in relevant neuroendocrine parameters lead by these early-life social experiences is not well understood. Whether monogamous rodents exhibit a stress hypo-responsive period (SHRP) also remains unclear. Using the monogamous mandarin vole, we found that 30 min of isolation did not affect levels of corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) at postnatal days 8, 10, and 12 displaying a SHRP, but increased these at postnatal days 4, 14, 16, and 18. Isolation increased vasopressin (AVP)-ir neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) from postnatal days 4 to 12, and up-regulated oxytocin (OT)-ir neurons in the PVN at postnatal days 4 and 8 and SON at postnatal day 4. Paternally deprived pups showed increase in ACTH and CORT after 30 min of social isolation from postnatal days 8 to 14, increase in AVP-ir neurons in the PVN from postnatal days 10 to 14, reduction in OT-ir neurons in the PVN from postnatal days 10 to 14 and in the SON at postnatal days 12 and 14. These results indicate that monogamous mandarin voles display a short SHRP which can be disrupted by paternal deprivation. Central AVP and OT levels may also be altered by paternal deprivation and social isolation. We propose that changes in these neuroendocrine parameters induced by early-life social experiences such as those tested here persist and result.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, China; Key laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, 710062, Shaanxi, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|