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Jahangir M, Zheng N, Shah SM, Huang Y, Lang B, Wang XP. Protocol guide for food foraging behavior test: Assessment of decision making in rodents. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21964. [PMID: 38027823 PMCID: PMC10658295 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21964] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Food foraging behavior requires higher cognitive function like investing efforts in decision making. Hoarding food for the future consumption in adverse climatic conditions or to avoid predatory threats needs precise perception and potential of decision making to overcome challenges in the time of need. The brain areas and neural circuitry responsible for such cognitive skills are poorly understood. Previously available animal models are trained prior to test, which makes it difficult to understand the true nature of animals, and hoard the food from external source into the cage. The new food foraging behavior test, recently developed and evidenced by Li et al., relies on untrained rats and test the competitive ability and hoarding from source within the test box. It can be used to study decision making potentials and underlying neural bases in laboratory settings. Multiple aspects like food quality/flavor preference, competitive nature can be assessed within the test box and the paradigm is conveniently customizable according the hypothesis. However, a detailed protocol guide, to be followed in the laboratory setting, for food foraging behavior test is not available. Therefore, it is urged to produce an elaborated guide for scientists to conduct food foraging behavior test in convenient and precise manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Jahangir
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
| | - NanXi Zheng
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
| | - S. Mudasser Shah
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, ZhongDa Hospital, Southeast University Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China
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Zhou SF, Li SJ, Zhao TS, Liu Y, Li CQ, Cui YH, Li F. Female rats prefer to forage food from males, an effect that is not influenced by stress. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114597. [PMID: 37487838 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
As social beings, animals and humans alike make real life decisions that are often influenced by other members. Most current research has focused on the influence of same-sex peers on individual decision-making, with potential opposite sex effect scarcely explored. Here, we developed a behavioral model to observe food foraging decision-making in female rats under various social situations. We found that female rats preferred to forage food from male over female rats or from the no-rat storage side. Female rats were more likely to forage food from familiar males than from unfamiliar. This opposite-sex preference was not altered by the lure of sweet food, or with estrous cycle, nor under stress conditions. These results suggest that the opposite sex influences food foraging decision-making in female rats. The behavioral model established could facilitate future investigation into the underlying neurobiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Fen Zhou
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Song-Ji Li
- The International-Joint Lab for Non-invasive Neural Modulation/Key Laboratory for the Brain Research of Henan Province, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China
| | - Tian-Shu Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Chang-Qi Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Yan-Hui Cui
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
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Filippenkov IB, Remizova JA, Denisova AE, Stavchansky VV, Golovina KD, Gubsky LV, Limborska SA, Dergunova LV. Differential gene expression in the contralateral hemisphere of the rat brain after focal ischemia. Sci Rep 2023; 13:573. [PMID: 36631528 PMCID: PMC9834327 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27663-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is one of the most severe polygenic brain diseases. Here, we performed further functional genetic analysis of the processes occurring in the contralateral hemisphere (CH) after ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat brain. Comparison of RNA sequencing data for subcortical samples from the ipsilateral hemisphere (IH) and CH after 90 min of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) and corresponding sham-operated (SO) controls showed four groups of genes that were associated with ischemic processes in rat brain at 24 h after tMCAO. Among them, 2672 genes were differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for IH but non-DEGs for CH, 34 genes were DEGs for CH but non-DEGs for IH, and 114 genes had codirected changes in expression in both hemispheres. The remaining 16 genes exhibited opposite changes at the mRNA level in the two brain hemispheres after tMCAO. These findings suggest that the ischemic process caused by a focal ischemia induces complex bilateral reactions at the transcriptome level in the rat brain. We believe that specific genome responses in the CH and IH may provide a useful model for the study of the potential for brain repair after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan B. Filippenkov
- grid.18919.380000000406204151Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Julia A. Remizova
- grid.18919.380000000406204151Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alina E. Denisova
- grid.78028.350000 0000 9559 0613Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianov Str. 1, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasily V. Stavchansky
- grid.18919.380000000406204151Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ksenia D. Golovina
- grid.18919.380000000406204151Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Leonid V. Gubsky
- grid.78028.350000 0000 9559 0613Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianov Str. 1, 117997 Moscow, Russia ,Federal Center for the Brain and Neurotechnologies, Federal Biomedical Agency, Ostrovitianov Str. 1, Building 10, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Svetlana A. Limborska
- grid.18919.380000000406204151Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Lyudmila V. Dergunova
- grid.18919.380000000406204151Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia
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Li N, Wang H, Xin S, Min R, Zhang Y, Deng Y. Confinement induces oxidative damage and synaptic dysfunction in mice. Front Physiol 2022; 13:999574. [PMID: 36505063 PMCID: PMC9729776 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.999574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A confined environment is an enclosed area where entry or exit is highly restricted, which is a risk factor for a work crew's mental health. Previous studies have shown that a crew is more susceptible to developing anxiety or depression in a confined environment. However, the underlying mechanism by which negative emotion is induced by confinement is not fully understood. Hence, in this study, mice were retained in a tube to simulate short-term confinement. The mice exhibited depressive-like behavior. Additionally, the levels of H2O2 and malondialdehyde in the prefrontal cortex were significantly increased in the confinement group. Furthermore, a label-free quantitative proteomic strategy was applied to analyze the abundance of proteins in the prefrontal cortex of mice. A total of 71 proteins were considered differentially abundant proteins among 3,023 identified proteins. Two differentially abundant proteins, superoxide dismutase [Mn] and syntaxin-1A, were also validated by a parallel reaction monitoring assay. Strikingly, the differentially abundant proteins were highly enriched in the respiratory chain, oxidative phosphorylation, and the synaptic vesicle cycle, which might lead to oxidative damage and synaptic dysfunction. The results of this study provide valuable information to better understand the mechanisms of depressive-like behavior induced by confined environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuomin Li
- Institute of Engineering Medicine, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Institute of Engineering Medicine, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Shuchen Xin
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Min
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yongqian Zhang
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Yongqian Zhang,
| | - Yulin Deng
- Institute of Engineering Medicine, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China,School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China,Beijing Key Laboratory for Separation and Analysis in Biomedicine and Pharmaceuticals, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
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Bagues A, Lopez-Tofiño Y, Galvez-Robleño C, Abalo R. Effects of two different acute and subchronic stressors on gastrointestinal transit in the rat: A radiographic analysis. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2021; 33:e14232. [PMID: 34378822 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reaction to stress is an adaptive response necessary for survival. When stressors are repeated, the organism adapts, although these adaptive responses can become dysregulated and result in disease, causing gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Radiographic methods allow the non-invasive study of how a given factor affects GI transit in the same animal at different time points. These methods have never been applied to study the consequences of stress on GI motor function and their dependency on time and stimulus. Therefore, our aim was to characterize, using radiographic techniques, the effect on GI transit of cold-restraint (CR) and forced swim (FS) stress applied acutely and subchronically in the rat. METHODS Male Wistar rats (260-330 g) were submitted to FS or CR stress, during 1 (acute) or 4 (subchronic) consecutive days. To study GI transit, radiographic methods were used. Radiographs were taken 0-24 h after barium intragastric administration on the 1st or 4th day of stress, which was applied 1 h after contrast. RESULTS Acute FS or CR slowed down gastric and small intestinal emptying but had opposite effects in the caecum: CR tended to accelerate barium transit and feces formation while FS tended to slow these parameters down. When the stimuli were applied subchronically, GI transit was not completely normalized in most of the studied parameters. CONCLUSION AND INFERENCES Mild stress alters GI transit differently depending on the nature of the stressor and its duration. Exposure to mild stressors should be considered as contributing factors to different functional GI disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Bagues
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC, Alcorcón, Spain
- High Performance Research Group in Experimental Pharmacology (PHARMAKOM-URJC, URJC, Alcorcón, Spain
- Unidad, Instituto de Química Médica (IQM, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC, Asociada I+D+i del, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yolanda Lopez-Tofiño
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC, Alcorcón, Spain
- High Performance Research Group in Physiopathology and Pharmacology of the Digestive System (NeuGut-URJC, URJC, Alcorcón, Spain
| | - Carlos Galvez-Robleño
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC, Alcorcón, Spain
- High Performance Research Group in Physiopathology and Pharmacology of the Digestive System (NeuGut-URJC, URJC, Alcorcón, Spain
| | - Raquel Abalo
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC, Alcorcón, Spain
- Unidad, Instituto de Química Médica (IQM, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC, Asociada I+D+i del, Madrid, Spain
- High Performance Research Group in Physiopathology and Pharmacology of the Digestive System (NeuGut-URJC, URJC, Alcorcón, Spain
- Grupo de Trabajo de Ciencias Básicas en Dolor y Analgesia de la Sociedad Española del Dolor, Madrid, Spain
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Antistress Action of Melanocortin Derivatives Associated with Correction of Gene Expression Patterns in the Hippocampus of Male Rats Following Acute Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221810054. [PMID: 34576218 PMCID: PMC8469576 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural melanocortins (MCs) have been used in the successful development of drugs with neuroprotective properties. Here, we studied the behavioral effects and molecular genetic mechanisms of two synthetic MC derivatives-ACTH(4-7)PGP (Semax) and ACTH(6-9)PGP under normal and acute restraint stress (ARS) conditions. Administration of Semax or ACTH(6-9)PGP (100 μg/kg) to rats 30 min before ARS attenuated ARS-induced behavioral alterations. Using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), we identified 1359 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the hippocampus of vehicle-treated rats subjected to ARS, using a cutoff of >1.5 fold change and adjusted p-value (Padj) < 0.05, in samples collected 4.5 h after the ARS. Semax administration produced > 1500 DEGs, whereas ACTH(6-9)PGP administration led to <400 DEGs at 4.5 h after ARS. Nevertheless, ~250 overlapping DEGs were identified, and expression of these DEGs was changed unidirectionally by both peptides under ARS conditions. Modulation of the expression of genes associated with biogenesis, translation of RNA, DNA replication, and immune and nervous system function was produced by both peptides. Furthermore, both peptides upregulated the expression levels of many genes that displayed decreased expression after ARS, and vice versa, the MC peptides downregulated the expression levels of genes that were upregulated by ARS. Consequently, the antistress action of MC peptides may be associated with a correction of gene expression patterns that are disrupted during ARS.
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Liu Y, Zou GJ, Tu BX, Hu ZL, Luo C, Cui YH, Xu Y, Li F, Dai RP, Bi FF, Li CQ. Corticosterone Induced the Increase of proBDNF in Primary Hippocampal Neurons Via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. Neurotox Res 2020; 38:370-384. [PMID: 32378057 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-020-00201-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Major depression disorder is one of the most common psychiatric disorders that greatly threaten the mental health of a large population worldwide. Previous studies have shown that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of depression, and current research suggests that brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) is involved in the development of depression. However, the relationship between ER and proBDNF in the pathophysiology of depression is not well elucidated. Here, we treated primary hippocampal neurons of mice with corticosterone (CORT) and evaluated the relationship between proBDNF and ERS. Our results showed that CORT induced ERS and upregulated the expression of proBDNF and its receptor, Follistatin-like protein 4 (FSTL4), which contributed to significantly decreased neuronal viability and expression of synaptic-related proteins including NR2A, PSD95, and SYN. Anti-proBDNF neutralization and ISRIB (an inhibitor of the ERS) treatment, respective ly, protected neuronal viabilities and increased the expression of synaptic-related proteins in corticosterone-exposed neurons. ISRIB treatment reduced the expression of proBDNF and FSTL4, whereas anti-proBDNF treatment did not affect ERS markers (Grp78, p-PERK, ATF4) expression. Our study presented evidence that CORT-induced ERS negatively regulated the neuronal viability and the level of synaptic-related protein of primary neurons via the proBDNF/FSTL4 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Tongzipo Road 172, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Guang-Jing Zou
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Tongzipo Road 172, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Bo-Xuan Tu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Tongzipo Road 172, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Zhao-Lan Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Cong Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Yan-Hui Cui
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Tongzipo Road 172, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Tongzipo Road 172, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Ru-Ping Dai
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Fang-Fang Bi
- Department of Neurology, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
| | - Chang-Qi Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Tongzipo Road 172, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
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