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Peana AT, Sánchez-Catalán MJ, Hipólito L, Rosas M, Porru S, Bennardini F, Romualdi P, Caputi FF, Candeletti S, Polache A, Granero L, Acquas E. Mystic Acetaldehyde: The Never-Ending Story on Alcoholism. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:81. [PMID: 28553209 PMCID: PMC5425597 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
After decades of uncertainties and drawbacks, the study on the role and significance of acetaldehyde in the effects of ethanol seemed to have found its main paths. Accordingly, the effects of acetaldehyde, after its systemic or central administration and as obtained following ethanol metabolism, looked as they were extensively characterized. However, almost 5 years after this research appeared at its highest momentum, the investigations on this topic have been revitalized on at least three main directions: (1) the role and the behavioral significance of acetaldehyde in different phases of ethanol self-administration and in voluntary ethanol consumption; (2) the distinction, in the central effects of ethanol, between those arising from its non-metabolized fraction and those attributable to ethanol-derived acetaldehyde; and (3) the role of the acetaldehyde-dopamine condensation product, salsolinol. The present review article aims at presenting and discussing prospectively the most recent data accumulated following these three research pathways on this never-ending story in order to offer the most up-to-date synoptic critical view on such still unresolved and exciting topic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - María J. Sánchez-Catalán
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of ValenciaValència, Spain
| | - Lucia Hipólito
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of ValenciaValència, Spain
| | - Michela Rosas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of CagliariCagliari, Italy
| | - Simona Porru
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of CagliariCagliari, Italy
| | | | - Patrizia Romualdi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of BolognaBologna, Italy
| | - Francesca F. Caputi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of BolognaBologna, Italy
| | - Sanzio Candeletti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of BolognaBologna, Italy
| | - Ana Polache
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of ValenciaValència, Spain
| | - Luis Granero
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of ValenciaValència, Spain
| | - Elio Acquas
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of CagliariCagliari, Italy
- Centre of Excellence on Neurobiology of Addiction, University of CagliariCagliari, Italy
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Bhalla S, Andurkar SV, Gulati A. Neurobiology of opioid withdrawal: Role of the endothelin system. Life Sci 2016; 159:34-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2016.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Revised: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Gonzalez A, Moya-Alvarado G, Gonzalez-Billaut C, Bronfman FC. Cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating neuronal growth by brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2016; 73:612-628. [PMID: 27223597 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptors TrkB and p75 regulate dendritic and axonal growth during development and maintenance of the mature nervous system; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this process are not fully understood. In recent years, several advances have shed new light on the processes behind the regulation of BDNF-mediated structural plasticity including control of neuronal transcription, local translation of proteins, and regulation of cytoskeleton and membrane dynamics. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the field of BDNF signaling in neurons to induce neuronal growth. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Gonzalez
- MINREB and Center for Ageing and Regeneration (CARE UC), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Guillermo Moya-Alvarado
- MINREB and Center for Ageing and Regeneration (CARE UC), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian Gonzalez-Billaut
- Laboratory of Cell and Neuronal Dynamics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Chile and Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisca C Bronfman
- MINREB and Center for Ageing and Regeneration (CARE UC), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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Pereira PA, Rocha JP, Cardoso A, Vilela M, Sousa S, Madeira MD. Effects of chronic alcohol consumption, withdrawal and nerve growth factor on neuropeptide Y expression and cholinergic innervation of the rat dentate hilus. Neurotoxicology 2016; 54:153-160. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2016.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Popa-Wagner A, Furczyk K, Richter J, Irmisch G, Thome J. Neurotrophin levels at admission did not change significantly upon alcohol deprivation and were positively correlated with the BMI and LDL levels. J Mol Psychiatry 2013; 1:20. [PMID: 25408911 PMCID: PMC4223886 DOI: 10.1186/2049-9256-1-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neurotrophins brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophic factor 3 (NT3) could play a role in addictive behavior. Interactions between BDNF and dopamine transmission influence the alcohol intake. It has been hypothesized that extensive alcohol consumption leads to diminished circulating BDNF levels and impaired BDNF-mediated protective mechanisms. What is more, alcohol dependency causes changes in lipid metabolism which in turn may influence the neurotrophin system. METHODS In this study, we tested the hypothesis that alcohol withdrawal increases the serum levels of BDNF in alcoholic patients and investigated correlations between serum BDNF and NT3 and alcohol in breath as well as with the body-mass-index (BMI), lipoprotein profiles and lifestyle factors in 110 male in-patients diagnosed with alcohol addiction on the first day after admission and at discharge. RESULTS The intoxication level (alcohol in breath at admission) was significantly correlated with liver enzymes and BDNF concentrations (R = .28; p = .004). Patients with positive breath-alcohol test at admission had about 9 times higher NT3 levels and higher liver enzyme concentration levels than nonintoxicated subjects. Alcohol intoxicated patients with pathological aspartate aminase (ASAT) levels had even higher NT3 level (F = 5.41; p = .022). The concentration of NT3 was positively associated with the (BMI) (admission R = .36; p = .004; discharge R = .33; p = .001), and the obese patients had 3 to 5 times higher NT3 concentration than the others. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration levels were found to positively correlate with NT3 concentration levels (admission R = .025; p = .015 discharge R = .24; p = .23). CONCLUSION Other than expected, the levels of NT3 and to a lesser extent BDNF levels, were found to be significantly increased in acute alcohol abuse. Alcohol deprivation did not significantly change the serum neurotrophin levels at admission. NT3 levels were positively correlated with the BMI and LDL levels. Because of expected difference between genders, we recommend investigating these correlations further in patients of both genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurel Popa-Wagner
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotheraphy, University of Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Karolina Furczyk
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotheraphy, University of Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Joerg Richter
- Norway Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Eastern and Southern Norway, Oslo, 0405 Norway
| | - Gisela Irmisch
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotheraphy, University of Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Johannes Thome
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotheraphy, University of Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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Miki T, Kusaka T, Yokoyama T, Ohta KI, Suzuki S, Warita K, Jamal M, Wang ZY, Ueki M, Liu JQ, Yakura T, Tamai M, Sumitani K, Hosomi N, Takeuchi Y. Short-term ethanol exposure causes imbalanced neurotrophic factor allocation in the basal forebrain cholinergic system: a novel insight into understanding the initial processes of alcohol addiction. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2013; 121:201-10. [PMID: 24061482 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-013-1085-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 08/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol ingestion affects both motor and cognitive functions. One brain system that is influenced by ethanol is the basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic projection system, which projects to diverse neocortical and limbic areas. The BF is associated with memory and cognitive function. Our primary interest is the examination of how regions that receive BF cholinergic projections are influenced by short-term ethanol exposure through alterations in the mRNA levels of neurotrophic factors [nerve growth factor/TrkA, brain-derived neurotrophic factor/TrkB, and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)/GDNF family receptor α1]. Male BALB/C mice were fed a liquid diet containing 5 % (v/v) ethanol. Pair-fed control mice were maintained on an identical liquid diet, except that the ethanol was isocalorically substituted with sucrose. Mice exhibiting signs of ethanol intoxication (stages 1-2) were used for real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses. Among the BF cholinergic projection regions, decreased levels of GDNF mRNA and increased levels of TrkB mRNA were observed in the basal nucleus, and increased levels of TrkB mRNA were observed in the cerebral cortex. There were no significant alterations in the levels of expression of relevant neurotrophic factors in the septal nucleus and hippocampus. Given that neurotrophic factors function in retrograde/anterograde or autocrine/paracrine mechanisms and that BF cholinergic projection regions are neuroanatomically connected, these findings suggested that an imbalanced allocation of neurotrophic factor ligands and receptors is an initial phenomenon in alcohol addiction. The exact mechanisms underlying this phenomenon in the BF cholinergic system are unknown. However, our results provide a novel notion for the understanding of the initial processes in alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takanori Miki
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Japan,
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Knowles JK, Simmons DA, Nguyen TVV, Vander Griend L, Xie Y, Zhang H, Yang T, Pollak J, Chang T, Arancio O, Buckwalter MS, Wyss-Coray T, Massa SM, Longo FM. Small molecule p75NTR ligand prevents cognitive deficits and neurite degeneration in an Alzheimer's mouse model. Neurobiol Aging 2013; 34:2052-63. [PMID: 23545424 PMCID: PMC9035212 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2012] [Revised: 02/11/2013] [Accepted: 02/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) is associated with multiple mechanisms linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD); hence, modulating its function might confer therapeutic effects. In previous in vitro work, we developed small molecule p75(NTR) ligands that inhibited amyloid-β-induced degenerative signaling and prevented neurite degeneration. In the present study, a prototype p75(NTR) ligand, LM11A-31, was administered orally to the Thy-1 hAPP(Lond/Swe) (APP(L/S)) AD mouse model. LM11A-31 reached brain concentrations known to inhibit degenerative signaling without toxicity or induction of hyperalgesia. It prevented deficits in novel object recognition after 2.5 months and, in a separate cohort, deficits in Y-maze performance after 3 months of treatment. Stereology studies found that the number and size of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, which are normal in APP(L/S) mice, were unaffected. Neuritic dystrophy, however, was readily apparent in the basal forebrain, hippocampus and cortex, and was significantly reduced by LM11A-31, with no effect on amyloid levels. These studies reveal that p75(NTR) is an important and tractable in vivo drug target for AD, with LM11A-31 representing a novel class of therapeutic candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet K. Knowles
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Danielle A. Simmons
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thuy-Vi V. Nguyen
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lilith Vander Griend
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Youmei Xie
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Taub Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julia Pollak
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Timothy Chang
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ottavio Arancio
- Department of Pathology and Taub Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marion S. Buckwalter
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tony Wyss-Coray
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Stephen M. Massa
- Department of Neurology, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Laboratory for Computational Neurochemistry and Drug Discovery, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Frank M. Longo
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Short-term exposure to ethanol causes a differential response between nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor ligand/receptor systems in the mouse cerebellum. Neuroscience 2010; 165:485-91. [PMID: 19861148 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.10.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2009] [Revised: 10/21/2009] [Accepted: 10/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol ingestion affects both neuropsychological and motor functions. We hypothesized that one of the key factors involved in such functions are neurotrophins and their receptors. We have therefore examined the effects of short-term ethanol exposure on the mRNA expression and protein levels of neurotrophin ligands and receptors in the cerebellum using real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting techniques. Male BALB/C mice were fed a liquid diet containing 5% (v/v) ethanol. The pair-fed control mice were fed an identical liquid diet except that sucrose was substituted isocalorically for ethanol. The cerebellum of mice exhibiting intoxication signs of stage 1 or 2 were used in the present study. We found that exposure to ethanol resulted in elevated levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and TrkA mRNA expression but a decreased level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression. The expression of TrkB and p73 mRNA was unchanged. Changes in the level of these proteins were found to mirror these mRNA expression levels. We conclude that exposure to ethanol for a short period can cause a differential responsive in the various neurotrophin ligand/receptor systems. The functional consequences of these changes are unknown at present.
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Logrip ML, Janak PH, Ron D. Escalating ethanol intake is associated with altered corticostriatal BDNF expression. J Neurochem 2009; 109:1459-68. [PMID: 19453942 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06073.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Alcoholism is a chronically relapsing condition, indicative of long-term neuronal adaptations maintaining the disease even after prolonged abstinence. Previously, we identified brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the dorsal striatum as the central mediator of a homeostatic mechanism which is activated by acute alcohol (ethanol) exposure and functions to decrease the sensitivity of rodents to ethanol-related behaviors. We hypothesized that extensive exposure to ethanol would result in dysregulation of this BDNF-mediated protective mechanism, accompanied by heightened ethanol intake. In this study, we demonstrate that while a single bout of ethanol intake increases BDNF mRNA expression in the dorsal striatum, this effect is no longer observed after 6 weeks of daily ethanol access. Additionally, 6 weeks of ethanol consumption decreases BDNF in the cortex, a main source of BDNF for the striatum. Importantly, these ethanol-induced changes in BDNF levels are not ameliorated by 2 weeks' abstinence. Together, these data suggest that the BDNF pathway, which is activated following a single bout of ethanol drinking, breaks down by the end of 6 weeks of access and does not recover its protective function after a 2-week deprivation period. These results suggest that the persistence of altered BDNF signaling may contribute to the inflexibility of addictive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian L Logrip
- The Gallo Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, California 94608, USA
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Davis MI. Ethanol-BDNF interactions: still more questions than answers. Pharmacol Ther 2008; 118:36-57. [PMID: 18394710 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2008.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2008] [Accepted: 01/08/2008] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has emerged as a regulator of development, plasticity and, recently, addiction. Decreased neurotrophic activity may be involved in ethanol-induced neurodegeneration in the adult brain and in the etiology of alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders. This can occur through decreased expression of BDNF or through inability of the receptor to transduce signals in the presence of ethanol. In contrast, recent studies implicate region-specific up-regulation of BDNF and associated signaling pathways in anxiety, addiction and homeostasis after ethanol exposure. Anxiety and depression are precipitating factors for substance abuse and these disorders also involve region-specific changes in BDNF in both pathogenesis and response to pharmacotherapy. Polymorphisms in the genes coding for BDNF and its receptor TrkB are linked to affective, substance abuse and appetitive disorders and therefore may play a role in the development of alcoholism. This review summarizes historical and pre-clinical data on BDNF and TrkB as it relates to ethanol toxicity and addiction. Many unresolved questions about region-specific changes in BDNF expression and the precise role of BDNF in neuropsychiatric disorders and addiction remain to be elucidated. Resolution of these questions will require significant integration of the literature on addiction and comorbid psychiatric disorders that contribute to the development of alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret I Davis
- Section on Synaptic Pharmacology, Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Lovinger DM. Communication networks in the brain: neurons, receptors, neurotransmitters, and alcohol. ALCOHOL RESEARCH & HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM 2008; 31:196-214. [PMID: 23584863 PMCID: PMC3860493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Nerve cells (i.e., neurons) communicate via a combination of electrical and chemical signals. Within the neuron, electrical signals driven by charged particles allow rapid conduction from one end of the cell to the other. Communication between neurons occurs at tiny gaps called synapses, where specialized parts of the two cells (i.e., the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons) come within nanometers of one another to allow for chemical transmission. The presynaptic neuron releases a chemical (i.e., a neurotransmitter) that is received by the postsynaptic neuron's specialized proteins called neurotransmitter receptors. The neurotransmitter molecules bind to the receptor proteins and alter postsynaptic neuronal function. Two types of neurotransmitter receptors exist-ligand-gated ion channels, which permit rapid ion flow directly across the outer cell membrane, and G-protein-coupled receptors, which set into motion chemical signaling events within the cell. Hundreds of molecules are known to act as neurotransmitters in the brain. Neuronal development and function also are affected by peptides known as neurotrophins and by steroid hormones. This article reviews the chemical nature, neuronal actions, receptor subtypes, and therapeutic roles of several transmitters, neurotrophins, and hormones. It focuses on neurotransmitters with important roles in acute and chronic alcohol effects on the brain, such as those that contribute to intoxication, tolerance, dependence, and neurotoxicity, as well as maintained alcohol drinking and addiction.
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Lovekamp-Swan T, Glendenning ML, Schreihofer DA. A high soy diet enhances neurotropin receptor and Bcl-XL gene expression in the brains of ovariectomized female rats. Brain Res 2007; 1159:54-66. [PMID: 17582385 PMCID: PMC1995131 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2006] [Revised: 04/25/2007] [Accepted: 05/20/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen is a powerful neuroprotective agent with the ability to induce trophic and antiapoptotic genes. However, concerns about negative overall health consequences of estrogen replacement after menopause have led to the adoption of other strategies to obtain estrogen's benefits in the brain, including the use of selective estrogen receptor modulators, high soy diets, or isoflavone supplements. This study sought to determine the ability of a high soy diet to induce neuroprotective gene expression in the female rat brain and compare the actions of soy with estrogen. Adult ovariectomized female rats were treated with 3 days of high dose estrogen or 2 weeks of a soy-free diet, a high soy diet, or chronic low dose estrogen. Different brain regions were microdissected and subjected to real time RT-PCR for neuroprotective genes previously shown to be estrogen-regulated. The principle findings are that a high soy diet led to the widespread increase in the mRNA for neurotropin receptors TrkA and p75-NTR, and the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bcl-X(L). Immunohistochemistry confirmed increases in both TrkA and Bcl-X(L). Chronic low dose estrogen mimicked some of these effects, but acute high dose estrogen did not. The effects of a high soy diet were particularly evident in the parietal cortex and hippocampus, two regions protected by estrogen in animal models of neurological disease and injury. These results suggest that a high soy diet may provide beneficial effects to the brain similar to low dose chronic estrogen treatment such as that used for postmenopausal hormone replacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Lovekamp-Swan
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912-3000
| | - Michele L. Glendenning
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912-3000
| | - Derek A. Schreihofer
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912-3000
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