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Sze Y, Brunton PJ. How is prenatal stress transmitted from the mother to the fetus? J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246073. [PMID: 38449331 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal stress programmes long-lasting neuroendocrine and behavioural changes in the offspring. Often this programming is maladaptive and sex specific. For example, using a rat model of maternal social stress in late pregnancy, we have demonstrated that adult prenatally stressed male, but not prenatally stressed female offspring display heightened anxiety-like behaviour, whereas both sexes show hyperactive hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to stress. Here, we review the current knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning dysregulated HPA axis responses, including evidence supporting a role for reduced neurosteroid-mediated GABAergic inhibitory signalling in the brains of prenatally stressed offspring. How maternal psychosocial stress is signalled from the mother to the fetuses is unclear. Direct transfer of maternal glucocorticoids to the fetuses is often considered to mediate the programming effects of maternal stress on the offspring. However, protective mechanisms including attenuated maternal stress responses and placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 (which inactivates glucocorticoids) should limit materno-fetal glucocorticoid transfer during pregnancy. Moreover, a lack of correlation between maternal stress, circulating maternal glucocorticoid levels and circulating fetal glucocorticoid levels is reported in several studies and across different species. Therefore, here we interrogate the evidence for a role for maternal glucocorticoids in mediating the effects of maternal stress on the offspring and consider the evidence for alternative mechanisms, including an indirect role for glucocorticoids and the contribution of changes in the placenta in signalling the stress status of the mother to the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sze
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Paula J Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Hugh Robson Building, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Institute, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, P.R. China
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2
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Mucci V, Demori I, Browne CJ, Deblieck C, Burlando B. Fibromyalgia in Pregnancy: Neuro-Endocrine Fluctuations Provide Insight into Pathophysiology and Neuromodulation Treatment. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020615. [PMID: 36831148 PMCID: PMC9953487 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020615] [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: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain disorder with unclear pathophysiological mechanisms, which leads to challenges in patient management. In addition to pain, the disorder presents with a broad range of symptoms, such as sleep disruption, chronic fatigue, brain fog, depression, muscle stiffness, and migraine. FM has a considerable female prevalence, and it has been shown that symptoms are influenced by the menstrual cycle and periods of significant hormonal and immunological changes. There is increasing evidence that females with FM experience an aggravation of symptoms in pregnancy, particularly during the third trimester and after childbirth. In this perspective paper, we focus on the neuro-endocrine interactions that occur between progesterone, allopregnanolone, and cortisol during pregnancy, and propose that they align with our previously proposed model of FM pathogenesis based on GABAergic "weakening" in a thalamocortical neural loop system. Based on our hypothesis, we introduce the possibility of utilizing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a non-invasive treatment potentially capable of exerting sex-specific effects on FM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Mucci
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Ilaria Demori
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa, 26, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Cherylea J. Browne
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
- Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
- Brain Stimulation and Rehabilitation (BrainStAR) Lab, School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
| | - Choi Deblieck
- Antwerp Management School, University of Antwerp, Boogkeers 5, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Bruno Burlando
- Department of Pharmacy, DIFAR, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
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3
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Moreira LKS, Moreira CVL, Custódio CHX, Dias MLP, Rosa DA, Ferreira-Neto ML, Colombari E, Costa EA, Fajemiroye JO, Pedrino GR. Post-partum depression: From clinical understanding to preclinical assessments. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1173635. [PMID: 37143780 PMCID: PMC10151489 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1173635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-partum depression (PPD) with varying clinical manifestations affecting new parents remains underdiagnosed and poorly treated. This minireview revisits the pharmacotherapy, and relevant etiological basis, capable of advancing preclinical research frameworks. Maternal tasks accompanied by numerous behavioral readouts demand modeling different paradigms that reflect the complex and heterogenous nature of PPD. Hence, effective PPD-like characterization in animals towards the discovery of pharmacological intervention demands research that deepens our understanding of the roles of hormonal and non-hormonal components and mediators of this psychiatric disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Matheus L. P. Dias
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Daniel A. Rosa
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Marcos L. Ferreira-Neto
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Colombari
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Elson A. Costa
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - James O. Fajemiroye
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Arthur Wesley Archibald, Evangelical University of Goiás, Anápolis, Brazil
- *Correspondence: James O. Fajemiroye,
| | - Gustavo R. Pedrino
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
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4
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Marciniak E, Młotkowska P, Roszkowicz-Ostrowska K, Ciska E, Misztal T. Involvement of neurosteroids in the control of prolactin secretion in sheep under basal, stressful and pregnancy conditions. Theriogenology 2022; 190:73-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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5
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Sze Y, Brunton PJ. Neurosteroids and early-life programming: An updated perspective. CURRENT OPINION IN ENDOCRINE AND METABOLIC RESEARCH 2022; 25:100367. [PMID: 36561280 PMCID: PMC7613978 DOI: 10.1016/j.coemr.2022.100367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Early-life stress can lead to detrimental offspring outcomes, including an increased risk for mood disorders and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation. Neurosteroids bind to ligand-gated neurotransmitter receptors, rapidly modulating neuronal excitability and promoting termination of stress responses. Reduced neurosteroidogenesis underlies some of the aberrant neuroendocrine and behavioural phenotypes observed in adult prenatally stressed rodents. During development, disruptions in neurosteroid generation and action also lead to long-term programming effects on the off-spring's brain and behaviour. Here, we review recent advances in the field, focusing on the interaction between neurosteroids and early-life stress outcomes in adulthood and in the perinatal period. We also discuss the direction of future research, with emphasis on quantification methods, sex differences, and neurosteroids as targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sze
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, Scotland, UK
| | - Paula J Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, Scotland, UK
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Contrepois K, Chen S, Ghaemi MS, Wong RJ, Jehan F, Sazawal S, Baqui AH, Nisar MI, Dhingra U, Khanam R, Ilyas M, Dutta A, Mehmood U, Deb S, Hotwani A, Ali SM, Rahman S, Nizar A, Ame SM, Muhammad S, Chauhan A, Khan W, Raqib R, Das S, Ahmed S, Hasan T, Khalid J, Juma MH, Chowdhury NH, Kabir F, Aftab F, Quaiyum MA, Manu A, Yoshida S, Bahl R, Rahman A, Pervin J, Price JT, Rahman M, Kasaro MP, Litch JA, Musonda P, Vwalika B, Stringer JSA, Shaw G, Stevenson DK, Aghaeepour N, Snyder MP. Prediction of gestational age using urinary metabolites in term and preterm pregnancies. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8033. [PMID: 35577875 PMCID: PMC9110694 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11866-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of gestational age (GA) is key to provide optimal care during pregnancy. However, its accurate determination remains challenging in low- and middle-income countries, where access to obstetric ultrasound is limited. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop clinical approaches that allow accurate and inexpensive estimations of GA. We investigated the ability of urinary metabolites to predict GA at time of collection in a diverse multi-site cohort of healthy and pathological pregnancies (n = 99) using a broad-spectrum liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC–MS) platform. Our approach detected a myriad of steroid hormones and their derivatives including estrogens, progesterones, corticosteroids, and androgens which were associated with pregnancy progression. We developed a restricted model that predicted GA with high accuracy using three metabolites (rho = 0.87, RMSE = 1.58 weeks) that was validated in an independent cohort (n = 20). The predictions were more robust in pregnancies that went to term in comparison to pregnancies that ended prematurely. Overall, we demonstrated the feasibility of implementing urine metabolomics analysis in large-scale multi-site studies and report a predictive model of GA with a potential clinical value.
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Association of levonorgestrel intrauterine devices with stress reactivity, mental health, quality of life and sexual functioning: A systematic review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 63:100943. [PMID: 34425187 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Levonorgestrel-intrauterine-devices (LNG-IUD) are one of the most used contraceptive methods worldwide. While several reviews exist on how LNG-IUDs impact physiology and gynaecological functions, this systematic review focuses on stress, mental health, quality of life, sexual functioning, and effects on brain architecture. While data on stress is scarce, results on mental health are ambiguous. More consistently, LNG-IUD use seems to improve quality of life and sexual functioning. No studies highlighting the consequences of LNG-IUD use on the brain were found. The reviewed studies are characterized by a substantial variation in approaches, participant groups, and study quality. More high-quality research assessing the effects of LNG-IUD on mental health, including response to stressors and brain function and structure, is needed to identify women vulnerable to adverse effects of LNG-IUD, also in comparison to oral contraceptives, and to empower women to make more informed choices concerning hormonal contraception.
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Kassotaki I, Valsamakis G, Mastorakos G, Grammatopoulos DK. Placental CRH as a Signal of Pregnancy Adversity and Impact on Fetal Neurodevelopment. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:714214. [PMID: 34408727 PMCID: PMC8366286 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.714214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life is a period of considerable plasticity and vulnerability and insults during that period can disrupt the homeostatic equilibrium of the developing organism, resulting in adverse developmental programming and enhanced susceptibility to disease. Fetal exposure to prenatal stress can impede optimum brain development and deranged mother's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) stress responses can alter the neurodevelopmental trajectories of the offspring. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and glucocorticoids, regulate fetal neurogenesis and while CRH exerts neuroprotective actions, increased levels of stress hormones have been associated with fetal brain structural alterations such as reduced cortical volume, impoverishment of neuronal density in the limbic brain areas and alterations in neuronal circuitry, synaptic plasticity, neurotransmission and G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling. Emerging evidence highlight the role of epigenetic changes in fetal brain programming, as stress-induced methylation of genes encoding molecules that are implicated in HPA axis and major neurodevelopmental processes. These serve as molecular memories and have been associated with long term modifications of the offspring's stress regulatory system and increased susceptibility to psychosomatic disorders later in life. This review summarises our current understanding on the roles of CRH and other mediators of stress responses on fetal neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifigeneia Kassotaki
- Department of Internal Medicine, 2nd Internal Medicine Clinic, Venizeleio Pananeio General Hospital, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Georgios Valsamakis
- Second University Department of Obs and Gynae, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - George Mastorakos
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitris K. Grammatopoulos
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Institute of Precision Diagnostics and Translational Medicine, Pathology, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, Coventry, United Kingdom
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Marinello WP, Patisaul HB. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and placental function: Impact on fetal brain development. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2021; 92:347-400. [PMID: 34452690 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy is a critical time of vulnerability for the development of the fetal brain. Exposure to environmental pollutants at any point in pregnancy can negatively impact many aspects of fetal development, especially the organization and differentiation of the brain. The placenta performs a variety of functions that can help protect the fetus and sustain brain development. However, disruption of any of these functions can have negative impacts on both the pregnancy outcome and fetal neurodevelopment. This review presents current understanding of how environmental exposures, specifically to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), interfere with placental function and, in turn, neurodevelopment. Some of the key differences in placental development between animal models are presented, as well as how placental functions such as serving as a xenobiotic barrier and exchange organ, immune interface, regulator of growth and fetal oxygenation, and a neuroendocrine organ, could be vulnerable to environmental exposure. This review illustrates the importance of the placenta as a modulator of fetal brain development and suggests critical unexplored areas and possible vulnerabilities to environmental exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P Marinello
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Heather B Patisaul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
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Sze Y, Brunton PJ. Effects of prenatal stress on neuroactive steroid responses to acute stress in adult male and female rats. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e12916. [PMID: 33270955 PMCID: PMC7900968 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Acute swim stress results in the robust production of several neuroactive steroids, which act as mediators of the stress response. These steroids include glucocorticoids, and positive GABAA receptor modulatory steroids such as allopregnanolone and tetrahydrocorticosterone (THDOC), which potentiate inhibitory GABA signalling, thereby playing a role in the negative control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Prenatally stressed (PNS) offspring exhibit increased vulnerability to stress-related disorders and frequently display exaggerated HPA axis responses to stressors during adulthood, which may be a result of reduced neuroactive steroid production and consequently inhibitory signalling. Here, we investigated whether exposure of rats to prenatal social stress from gestational day 16-20 altered neuroactive steroid production under non-stress conditions and in response to an acute stressor (swim stress) in adulthood. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, nine neuroactive steroids were quantified (corticosterone, deoxycorticosterone [DOC], dihydrodeoxycorticosterone, THDOC, progesterone, dihydroprogesterone, allopregnanolone, pregnenolone, testosterone) in plasma and in five brain regions (frontal cortex, hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, brainstem) of male and female control and PNS rats. There was no difference in the neuroactive steroid profile between control and PNS rats under basal conditions. The increase in circulating corticosterone induced by acute swim stress was similar in control and PNS offspring. However, greater stress-induced corticosterone and DOC concentrations were observed in the brainstem of male PNS offspring, whereas DOC concentrations were lower in the hippocampus of PNS females compared to controls, following acute stress. Although PNS rats did not show deficits in allopregnanolone responses to acute stress, there were modest deficits in the production of THDOC in the brainstem, amygdala, and frontal cortex of PNS males and in the frontal cortex of PNS females. The data suggest that neuroactive steroid modulation of GABAergic signalling following stress exposure may be affected in a sex- and region-specific manner in PNS offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sze
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- The Roslin InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Paula J. Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- The Roslin InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Zhejiang University‐University of Edinburgh Joint InstituteHainingChina
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11
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Deligiannidis KM, Kroll-Desrosiers AR, Tan Y, Dubuke ML, Shaffer SA. Longitudinal proneuroactive and neuroactive steroid profiles in medication-free women with, without and at-risk for perinatal depression: A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 121:104827. [PMID: 32828068 PMCID: PMC7572700 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroactive steroids (NAS) are derivatives of cholesterol or steroidal precursors made in the gonads, adrenal gland, placenta and brain. We characterized longitudinal plasma proneuroactive and NAS in healthy perinatal comparison women (HPCW), women at-risk for perinatal depression (AR-PND), and women with PND with/without comorbid anxiety. We hypothesized that AR-PND women who either did or did not go on to develop PND would have elevated NAS concentrations as compared to HPCW and that NAS would be correlated to depressive and anxiety symptoms. METHODS A prospective cohort study evaluated 75 medication-free perinatal women (HPCW, n = 30; AR-PND, n = 19; PND, n = 26). Standardized depression and anxiety assessments and blood samples were completed across 5 visits. Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM-IV TR Disorders were administered at study entry and exit. Plasma pregnenolone, progesterone, 5α- and 5β-dihydroprogesterone, pregnanolone, allopregnanolone, deoxycorticosterone and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone were quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Longitudinal relationships between risk-group, depression and anxiety symptoms, and NAS concentrations were analyzed using generalized estimating equations to control for repeated measures correlations. RESULTS Perinatal 5α-dihydroprogesterone, 5β-dihydroprogesterone, allopregnanolone, deoxycorticosterone, and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone concentrations were higher in AR-PND and PND women compared to HPCW (β = 3.57 ± 1.40 and β = 2.11 ± 1.12, p = 0.03; β = 0.18 ± 0.06 and β = 0.03 ± 0.05, p = 0.02; β = 1.06 ± 0.42 and β = 1.19 ± 0.47, p = 0.01; β = 0.17 ± 0.07 and β = 0.11 ± 0.06, p = 0.05; β = 0.03 ± 0.01 and β = 0.03 ± 0.01, p = 0.05, respectively). Perinatal allopregnanolone, 5α-dihydroprogesterone and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone were positively associated with HAM-D17 (all p < 0.02). HAM-A was positively associated with 5α- and 5β-dihydroprogesterone, pregnanolone, allopregnanolone, deoxycorticosterone and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (all p < 0.05). A history of depression was associated with increased 5α-dihydroprogesterone (2.20 ± 1.09, p = 0.05), deoxycorticosterone (0.13 ± 0.06, p = 0.03) and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (0.03 ± 0.01, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this study represents the largest prospective study of 5-α and 5-β reductase products of progesterone and deoxycorticosterone in HPCW and women AR-PND. Data suggest that PND is associated with both a reduction of progesterone to 5β-dihydroprogesterone, 5α-dihydroprogesterone, and allopregnanolone, and the 21-hydroxylation to deoxycorticosterone and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone. The shift towards 5α-dihydroprogesterone, deoxycorticosterone and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone was associated with a history of depression, a significant risk factor for PND.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina M Deligiannidis
- Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatry Research, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, Queens, NY, 11004, USA; Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, 11549, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
| | - Aimee R Kroll-Desrosiers
- VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System, Leeds, MA, 01053, USA; Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
| | - Yanglan Tan
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shrewsbury, MA, 01545, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
| | - Michelle L Dubuke
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shrewsbury, MA, 01545, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
| | - Scott A Shaffer
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Shrewsbury, MA, 01545, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
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Misztal T, Kowalczyk P, Młotkowska P, Marciniak E. The Effect of Allopregnanolone on Enzymatic Activity of the DNA Base Excision Repair Pathway in the Sheep Hippocampus and Amygdala under Natural and Stressful Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7762. [PMID: 33092287 PMCID: PMC7589085 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurosteroid allopregnanolone (AL) has many beneficial functions in the brain. This study tested the hypothesis that AL administered for three days into the third brain ventricle would affect the enzymatic activity of the DNA base excision repair (BER) pathway in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 fields and the central amygdala in luteal-phase sheep under both natural and stressful conditions. Acute stressful stimuli, including isolation and partial movement restriction, were used on the last day of infusion. The results showed that stressful stimuli increased N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase (MPG), thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG), 8-oxoguanine glycosylase (OGG1), and AP-endonuclease 1 (APE1) mRNA expression, as well as repair activities for 1,N6-ethenoadenine (εA), 3,N4-ethenocytosine (εC), and 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) compared to controls. The stimulated events were lower in stressed and AL-treated sheep compared to sheep that were only stressed (except MPG mRNA expression in the CA1 and amygdala, as well as TDG mRNA expression in the CA1). AL alone reduced mRNA expression of all DNA repair enzymes (except TDG in the amygdala) relative to controls and other groups. DNA repair activities varied depending on the tissue-AL alone stimulated the excision of εA in the amygdala, εC in the CA3 and amygdala, and 8-oxoG in all tissues studied compared to controls. However, the excision efficiency of lesioned bases in the AL group was lower than in the stressed and stressed and AL-treated groups, with the exception of εA in the amygdala. In conclusion, the presented modulating effect of AL on the synthesis of BER pathway enzymes and their repair capacity, both under natural and stressful conditions, indicates another functional role of this neurosteroid in brain structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Misztal
- The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland; (P.K.); (P.M.); (E.M.)
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13
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Zhai QY, Wang JJ, Tian Y, Liu X, Song Z. Review of psychological stress on oocyte and early embryonic development in female mice. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2020; 18:101. [PMID: 33050936 PMCID: PMC7552561 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-020-00657-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychological stress can cause adverse health effects in animals and humans. Accumulating evidence suggests that psychological stress in female mice is associated with ovarian developmental abnormalities accompanied by follicle and oocyte defects. Oocyte and early embryonic development are impaired in mice facing psychological stress, likely resulting from hormone signalling disorders, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and alterations in epigenetic modifications, which are primarily mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axes. The present evidence suggests that psychological stress is increasingly becoming the most common causative factor for female subfertility. Here, we review recent progress on the impact of psychological stress on female reproduction, particularly for oocyte and early embryonic development in female mice. This review highlights the connection between psychological stress and reproductive health and provides novel insight on human subfertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Yue Zhai
- grid.410645.20000 0001 0455 0905School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
- grid.410645.20000 0001 0455 0905Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
| | - Jun-Jie Wang
- grid.412608.90000 0000 9526 6338College of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 China
| | - Yu Tian
- grid.412608.90000 0000 9526 6338College of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 China
| | - Xiaofang Liu
- grid.43308.3c0000 0000 9413 3760Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071 China
| | - Zhenhua Song
- grid.410645.20000 0001 0455 0905School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
- grid.410645.20000 0001 0455 0905Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071 China
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14
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Ritz B, Yan Q, Uppal K, Liew Z, Cui X, Ling C, Inoue K, von Ehrenstein O, Walker DI, Jones DP. Untargeted Metabolomics Screen of Mid-pregnancy Maternal Serum and Autism in Offspring. Autism Res 2020; 13:1258-1269. [PMID: 32496662 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Discovering pathophysiologic networks in a blood-based approach may help to generate valuable tools for early treatment or preventive measures in autism. To date targeted or untargeted metabolomics approaches to identify metabolic features and pathways affecting fetal neurodevelopment have rarely been applied to pregnancy samples, that is, an early period potentially relevant for the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We conducted a population-based study relying on autism diagnoses retrieved from California Department of Developmental Services record. After linking cases to and sampling controls from birth certificates, we retrieved stored maternal mid-pregnancy serum samples collected as part of the California Prenatal Screening Program from the California Biobank for children born 2004 to 2010 in the central valley of California. We retrieved serum for 52 mothers whose children developed autism and 62 population controls originally selected from all eligible children matched by birth year and child's sex. Also, we required that these mothers were relatively low or unexposed to air pollution and select pesticides during early pregnancy. We identified differences in metabolite levels in several metabolic pathways, including glycosphingolipid biosynthesis and metabolism, N-glycan and pyrimidine metabolism, bile acid pathways and, importantly, C21-steroid hormone biosynthesis and metabolism. Disturbances in these pathways have been shown to be relevant for neurodevelopment in rare genetic syndromes or implicated in previous studies of autism. This study provides new insight into maternal mid-pregnancy metabolic features possibly related to the development of autism and an incentive to explore whether these pathways and metabolites are useful for early diagnosis, treatment, or prevention. LAY SUMMARY: This study found that in mid-pregnancy the blood of mothers who give birth to a child that develops autism has some characteristic features that are different from those of blood samples taken from control mothers. These features are related to biologic mechanisms that can affect fetal brain development. In the future, these insights may help identify biomarkers for early autism diagnosis and treatment or preventive measures. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1258-1269. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate Ritz
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Qi Yan
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Karan Uppal
- Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Xin Cui
- Perinatal Epidemiology and Health Outcomes Research Unit, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, California, USA.,California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Chenxiao Ling
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kosuke Inoue
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ondine von Ehrenstein
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Douglas I Walker
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dean P Jones
- Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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15
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Franks AL, Berry KJ, DeFranco DB. Prenatal drug exposure and neurodevelopmental programming of glucocorticoid signalling. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12786. [PMID: 31469457 PMCID: PMC6982551 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal neurodevelopment is dependent on precise functioning of multiple signalling pathways in the brain, including those mobilised by glucocorticoids (GC) and endocannabinoids (eCBs). Prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse, including opioids, alcohol, cocaine and cannabis, has been shown to not only impact GC signalling, but also alter functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Such exposures can have long-lasting neurobehavioural consequences, including alterations in the stress response in the offspring. Furthermore, cannabis contains cannabinoids that signal via the eCB pathway, which is linked to some components of GC signalling in the adult brain. Given that GCs are frequently used in pregnancy to prevent complications of prematurity, and also that rates of cannabis use in pregnancy are increasing, the likelihood of foetal co-exposure to these compounds is high and may have additional implications for long-term neurodevelopment. Here, we present a discussion of GC signalling and the HPA axis, as well as the effects of prenatal drug exposure on these pathways and the stress response, and we explore the interactions between GC and EC signalling in the developing brain and potential for neurodevelopmental consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis L Franks
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kimberly J Berry
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Donald B DeFranco
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology and Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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16
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Hamidovic A, Karapetyan K, Serdarevic F, Choi SH, Eisenlohr-Moul T, Pinna G. Higher Circulating Cortisol in the Follicular vs. Luteal Phase of the Menstrual Cycle: A Meta-Analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:311. [PMID: 32582024 PMCID: PMC7280552 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Although results of animal research show that interactions between stress and sex hormones are implicated in the development of affective disorders in women, translation of these findings to patients has been scarce. As a basic step toward advancing this field of research, we analyzed findings of studies which reported circulating cortisol levels in healthy women in the follicular vs. luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. We deemed this analysis critical not only to advance our understanding of basic physiology, but also as an important contrast to the findings of future studies evaluating stress and sex hormones in women with affective disorders. We hypothesized that cortisol levels would be lower in the follicular phase based on the proposition that changes in levels of potent GABAergic neurosteroids, including allopregnanolone, during the menstrual cycle dynamically change in the opposite direction relative to cortisol levels. Implementing strict inclusion criteria, we compiled results of high-quality studies involving 778 study participants to derive a standardized mean difference between circulating cortisol levels in the follicular vs. luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. In line with our hypothesis, our meta-analysis found that women in the follicular phase had higher cortisol levels than women in the luteal phase, with an overall Hedges' g of 0.13 (p < 0.01) for the random effects model. No significant between-study difference was detected, with the level of heterogeneity in the small range. Furthermore, there was no evidence of publication bias. As cortisol regulation is a delicate process, we review some of the basic mechanisms by which progesterone, its potent metabolites, and estradiol regulate cortisol output and circulation to contribute to the net effect of higher cortisol in the follicular phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajna Hamidovic
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- *Correspondence: Ajna Hamidovic
| | - Kristina Karapetyan
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Fadila Serdarevic
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - So Hee Choi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Tory Eisenlohr-Moul
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Graziano Pinna
- The Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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17
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Sze Y, Brunton PJ. Sex, stress and steroids. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 52:2487-2515. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sze
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - Paula J. Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
- Zhejiang University‐University of Edinburgh Joint Institute Haining Zhejiang China
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18
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Azevedo A, Bailey L, Bandeira V, Dehnhard M, Fonseca C, de Sousa L, Jewgenow K. Age, sex and storage time influence hair cortisol levels in a wild mammal population. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221124. [PMID: 31398221 PMCID: PMC6688795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The measurement of hair cortisol is increasingly used to understand the effect of natural and anthropogenic stressors on wild animals, but it is potentially confounded by individual, seasonal and sex-dependant variations in baseline cortisol secretion. This study validated an enzyme-linked immunoassay for hair cortisol measurement and characterized its baseline variation in a wild population of Egyptian mongoose. The analysis encompassed individuals of both sexes and all ages, across a range of geographic, environmental and seasonal conditions that the species experiences in Portugal allowing us to account for spatial, temporal and biological factors that contribute to hair cortisol variation. Our results showed that age, sex and storage time had an effect on hair cortisol, but season did not. Hair cortisol was higher in early stage juveniles compared to other age cohorts, in males when compared to females, and decreased with longer storage time. By identifying the factors that influence baseline hair cortisol in this wild population, we establish the basis for its application as an indicator of the effect of natural and anthropogenic stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Azevedo
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal
- * E-mail:
| | - Liam Bailey
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Victor Bandeira
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Martin Dehnhard
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carlos Fonseca
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | - Katarina Jewgenow
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
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19
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20
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Maguire J. Neuroactive Steroids and GABAergic Involvement in the Neuroendocrine Dysfunction Associated With Major Depressive Disorder and Postpartum Depression. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:83. [PMID: 30906252 PMCID: PMC6418819 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress and previous adverse life events are well-established risk factors for depression. Further, neuroendocrine disruptions are associated with both major depressive disorder (MDD) and postpartum depression (PPD). However, the mechanisms whereby stress contributes to the underlying neurobiology of depression remains poorly understood. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which mediates the body's neuroendocrine response to stress, is tightly controlled by GABAergic signaling and there is accumulating evidence that GABAergic dysfunction contributes to the impact of stress on depression. GABAergic signaling plays a critical role in the neurobiological effects of stress, not only by tightly controlling the activity of the HPA axis, but also mediating stress effects in stress-related brain regions. Deficits in neuroactive steroids and neurosteroids, some of which are positive allosteric modulators of GABAA receptors (GABAARs), such as allopregnanolone and THDOC, have also been implicated in MDD and PPD, further supporting a role for GABAergic signaling in depression. Alterations in neurosteroid levels and GABAergic signaling are implicated as potential contributing factors to neuroendocrine dysfunction and vulnerability to MDD and PPD. Further, potential novel treatment strategies targeting these proposed underlying neurobiological mechanisms are discussed. The evidence summarized in the current review supports the notion that MDD and PPD are stress-related psychiatric disorders involving neurosteroids and GABAergic dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Maguire
- Neuroscience Department, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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21
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Frieder A, Fersh M, Hainline R, Deligiannidis KM. Pharmacotherapy of Postpartum Depression: Current Approaches and Novel Drug Development. CNS Drugs 2019; 33:265-282. [PMID: 30790145 PMCID: PMC6424603 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-019-00605-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Postpartum depression is one of the most common complications of childbirth. Untreated postpartum depression can have substantial adverse effects on the well-being of the mother and child, negatively impacting child cognitive, behavioral, and emotional development with lasting consequences. There are a number of therapeutic interventions for postpartum depression including pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, neuromodulation, and hormonal therapy among others, most of which have been adapted from the treatment of major depressive disorder outside of the peripartum period. Current evidence of antidepressant treatment for postpartum depression is limited by the small number of randomized clinical trials, underpowered samples, and the lack of long-term follow-up. The peripartum period is characterized by rapid and significant physiological change in plasma levels of endocrine hormones, peptides, and neuroactive steroids. Evidence supporting the role of neuroactive steroids and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the pathophysiology of postpartum depression led to the investigation of synthetic neuroactive steroids and their analogs as potential treatment for postpartum depression. Brexanolone, a soluble proprietary intravenous preparation of synthetic allopregnanolone, has been developed. A recent series of open-label and placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials of brexanolone in postpartum depression demonstrated a rapid reduction in depressive symptoms, and has led to the submission for regulatory approval to the US Food and Drug Administration (decision due in March 2019). SAGE-217, an allopregnanolone analog, with oral bioavailability, was recently tested in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study in severe postpartum depression, with reportedly positive results. Finally, a 3β-methylated synthetic analog of allopregnanolone, ganaxolone, is being tested in both intravenous and oral forms, in randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II studies in severe postpartum depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariela Frieder
- Department of Psychiatry, Women's Behavioral Health, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, 75-59 263rd Street, New York, NY, 11004, USA
| | - Madeleine Fersh
- Department of Psychiatry, Women's Behavioral Health, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, 75-59 263rd Street, New York, NY, 11004, USA
| | - Rachel Hainline
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Kristina M Deligiannidis
- Department of Psychiatry, Women's Behavioral Health, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, 75-59 263rd Street, New York, NY, 11004, USA.
- Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA.
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA.
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22
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Pluchino N, Ansaldi Y, Genazzani AR. Brain intracrinology of allopregnanolone during pregnancy and hormonal contraception. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig 2019; 37:hmbci-2018-0032. [PMID: 30739099 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2018-0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Allopregnanolone (ALLO) has a crucial role in brain development and remodeling. Reproductive transitions associated with endocrine changes affect synthesis and activity of ALLO with behavioral/affective consequences. Pregnancy is characterized by an increased synthesis of progesterone/ALLO by the placenta, maternal and fetal brains. This suggests the critical role of these steroids in maternal brain adaptation during pregnancy and the development of the fetal brain. ALLO is brain protective during complications of pregnancy, such as preterm delivery or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), reducing the impact of hypoxia, and excitotoxic brain damage. Negative behavioral consequences of altered progesterone/ALLO maternal brain adaptation have been also hypothesized in the post-partum and targeting ALLO is a promising treatment. Hormonal contraception may alter ALLO action, although the effects are mostly related to a specific class of progestins. Understanding the interactions between ALLO and the endocrine environment is crucial for more effective and tailored hormonal treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pluchino
- University Hospital of Geneva, Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Genéve, Switzerland
| | - Yveline Ansaldi
- University Hospital of Geneva, Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Genéve, Switzerland
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23
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Progesterone, 5a-dihydropogesterone and allopregnanolone's effects on seizures: A review of animal and clinical studies. Seizure 2018; 63:26-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2018.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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Abstract
Importance of the neuroendocrine brain for health and happiness has become clear since the 1960s. Foundations laid 100 years ago culminated in Geoffrey W Harris’s model of control by the brain of secretion of anterior and posterior pituitary gland hormones through, respectively, releasing factors secreted into the hypothalamic-hypophysial portal system, and directly from axon terminals into the systemic circulation. Confirmation, expansion and deepening of knowledge and understanding have followed increasingly sophisticated technology. This allowed chemical characterisation of the posterior pituitary hormones, oxytocin and vasopressin, the releasing factors, their receptors and genes, location of the neurosecretory neurons in the hypothalamus, and how their activity is controlled, including by neural and hormonal feedback, and how hormone rhythms are generated. Wider roles of these neurons and their peptides in the brain are now recognised: in reproductive and social behaviours, emotions and appetite. Plasticity and epigenetic programming of neuroendocrine systems have emerged as important features.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Russell
- Professor Emeritus, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, UK
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25
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Niu Y, Chen R, Xia Y, Cai J, Ying Z, Lin Z, Liu C, Chen C, Peng L, Zhao Z, Zhou W, Chen J, Wang D, Huo J, Wang X, Fu Q, Kan H. Fine particulate matter constituents and stress hormones in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 119:186-192. [PMID: 29960262 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has recently been associated with the activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, increasing cardiometabolic risks. However, it is unknown which constituents of PM2.5 were mainly responsible for these associations. In a longitudinal panel study with 4 repeated measurements among 43 college students in Shanghai, China, we measured serum levels of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol, as indicators of HPA axis activation. Then, we evaluated the associations of 22 constituents of PM2.5 with these stress hormones using linear mixed-effect models. During the study period, the average daily concentration of PM2.5 was 41.1 μg/m3. We found that short-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with elevated levels of the 3 stress hormones. We observed that water-soluble inorganic ions, especially nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium, had stronger influences on 3 hormones. Six metallic elements, including Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Br, and Cr, had positive but generally instable associations with 3 hormones. The effects of organic carbon and elemental carbon on hormones were generally weak. When correcting for multiple comparisons using false discovery rate, NO3- was still significantly associated with CRH, but other important associations turned to be insignificant. An interquartile range increase in NO3- on the previous day were associated with 12.13% increase (95% confidence interval: 4.45%, 20.37%) in CRH. Our findings suggested that water-soluble inorganic constituents of PM2.5 (especially, NO3-) might have stronger influences on the activation of HPA axis than carbonaceous and elemental components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Niu
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Renjie Chen
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Yongjie Xia
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jing Cai
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhekang Ying
- Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Zhijing Lin
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Cong Liu
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chen Chen
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Li Peng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Zhuohui Zhao
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wenhao Zhou
- Department of Neonates, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Jianmin Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP(3)), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Dongfang Wang
- Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center, Shanghai 200235, China
| | - Juntao Huo
- Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center, Shanghai 200235, China
| | - Xinning Wang
- Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center, Shanghai 200235, China
| | - Qingyan Fu
- Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center, Shanghai 200235, China.
| | - Haidong Kan
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of National Population and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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26
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Portero-Tresserra M, Gracia-Rubio I, Cantacorps L, Pozo OJ, Gómez-Gómez A, Pastor A, López-Arnau R, de la Torre R, Valverde O. Maternal separation increases alcohol-drinking behaviour and reduces endocannabinoid levels in the mouse striatum and prefrontal cortex. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 28:499-512. [PMID: 29478745 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Childhood adversity is associated with an increased risk of mood, anxiety and substance use disorders. Maternal separation is a reliable rodent model of early life adversity that leads to depression-like symptoms, which may increase the vulnerability to alcohol consumption during adolescence. However, the specific alterations in the pattern of alcohol consumption induced by maternal separation and the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term effects of maternal separation with early weaning (MSEW) on emotional and social behaviour, alcohol rewarding properties, and alcohol consumption, abstinence and relapse in adolescent male C57BL/6 mice. In addition, endocannabinoid and monoamine levels were analysed in discrete brain areas. Results showed that MSEW mice presented emotional alterations related to depressive-like behaviour and modified endocannabinoid levels in the striatum and the prefrontal cortex. MSEW mice also showed impairments in alcohol-induced conditioned place preference and higher alcohol intake in a model of binge drinking. Moreover, MSEW animals displayed a higher propensity to relapse in the two-bottle choice paradigm following a period of alcohol abstinence associated with reduced monoamine levels in the striatum. Such results indicate that exposure to early life stress increased the vulnerability to alcohol binge-drinking during adolescence, which may be partially explained by decreased sensitivity to alcohol rewarding properties and the ability to potentiate alcohol intake following a period of abstinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Portero-Tresserra
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene Gracia-Rubio
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lídia Cantacorps
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oscar J Pozo
- IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute. Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neuroscience Research Group, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Gómez-Gómez
- IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute. Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neuroscience Research Group, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoni Pastor
- IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute. Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neuroscience Research Group, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raúl López-Arnau
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael de la Torre
- IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute. Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neuroscience Research Group, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
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27
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Kiilerich P, Servili A, Péron S, Valotaire C, Goardon L, Leguen I, Prunet P. Regulation of the corticosteroid signalling system in rainbow trout HPI axis during confinement stress. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 258:184-193. [PMID: 28837788 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to shed light on corticosteroid regulation of stress in teleost fish with focus on the corticosteroid signalling system. The role of the mineralocorticoid-like hormone 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) in fish is still enigmatic, as is the function of the mineralocorticoid receptor, MR. Low plasma DOC levels and ubiquitous tissue distribution of MR question the physiological relevance of the mineralocorticoid-axis. Furthermore, the particular purpose of each of the three corticosteroid receptors in fish, the glucocorticoid receptors, GR1 and GR2, and the MR, is still largely unknown. Therefore we investigate the regulation of cortisol and DOC in plasma and mRNA levels of MR, GR1 and GR2 in the HPI-axis tissues (hypothalamus, pituitary and interrenal gland) during a detailed confinement stress time-course. Here we show a sustained up-regulation of plasma DOC levels during a confinement stress time-course. However, the low DOC levels compared to cortisol measured in the plasma do not favour an activity of DOC through MR receptors. Furthermore, we show differential contribution of the CRs in regulation and control of HPI axis activity following confinement stress. Judged by the variation of mRNA levels negative feedback regulation of cortisol release occurs on the level of the pituitary via MR and on the level of the interrenal gland via GR2. Finally, asa significant effect of confinement stress on CR expressions was observed in the pituitary gland, we completed this experiment by demonstrating that corticosteroid receptors (GR1, GR2 and MR) are co-expressed in the ACTH cells located in the adenohypophysis. Overall, these data suggest the involvement of these receptors in the regulation of the HPI axis activity by cortisol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Kiilerich
- INRA, UR1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes, France.
| | - Arianna Servili
- Ifremer, Unité de Physiologie Fonctionnelle des Organismes Marins, LEMAR UMR 6539, BP 70, Plouzané 29280, France
| | - Sandrine Péron
- INRA, UR1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Claudiane Valotaire
- INRA, UR1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Lionel Goardon
- INRA, UE937 Pisciculture expérimentale des Monts d'Arrée, 29450 Sizun, France
| | - Isabelle Leguen
- INRA, UR1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Patrick Prunet
- INRA, UR1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes, France.
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de Mello Martins AGG, Allegretta G, Unteregger G, Haupenthal J, Eberhard J, Hoffmann M, van der Zee JA, Junker K, Stöckle M, Müller R, Hartmann RW, Ohlmann CH. CYP17A1-independent production of the neurosteroid-derived 5α-pregnan-3β,6α-diol-20-one in androgen-responsive prostate cancer cell lines under serum starvation and inhibition by Abiraterone. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2017; 174:183-191. [PMID: 28890368 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
CYP17A1-independent intratumoral steroid hormone synthesis is regarded as one possible explanation for resistance to treatment with the CYP17-inhibitor Abiraterone (Abi). The aim of our study was therefore to investigate the steroid metabolism of prostate cancer cells under serum starvation and the effects of Abi treatment. We assessed steroid metabolism in a panel of prostate cancer cells under serum starvation by radioactivity detector-coupled HPLC and HPLC-ESI-ToF-mass spectrometry after treatment with pregnenolone, progesterone and allopregnanolone. We further evaluated the effects of Abi on steroid metabolism of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) by enzyme immunoassays (EIAs). Androgen-responsive cell lines metabolized pregnenolone primarily to mitogenic steroid 5α-pregnan-3β,6α-diol-20-one under serum starvation. Co-administration of Abi lead to detectable concentrations of the Abi metabolite Δ4-Abi (D4A), known to inhibit enzymes other than CYP17A1 in steroid metabolism. In addition, co-administration of Abi abrogated pregnenolone metabolism and resulted in a CYP17A1-independent significant increase of DHEA (13- to >100-fold) and DHT (2.5-fold) in androgen-responsive cells. Our results demonstrate the CYP17A1-independent formation of 5α-pregnan-3β,6α-diol-20-one by androgen-responsive prostate cancer cells under serum starvation and its inhibition by Abi. Its metabolism from pregnenolone suggests a major steroidogenesis shift in these cells, hinting at a neuroendocrine transdifferentiation phenomenon. The marked increase of DHEA levels by Abi resembles the steroidogenic pathways in nervous tissue, in a manner that precludes CYP17A1 activity. To which extent these processes are responsible or involved in the development of resistance to Abi, needs to be further elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio G Gomes de Mello Martins
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Allegretta
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Gerhard Unteregger
- Saarland University, Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, 66424 Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Jörg Haupenthal
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jens Eberhard
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Michael Hoffmann
- Department of Microbial Natural Products (MINS), Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jill A van der Zee
- Saarland University, Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, 66424 Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Kerstin Junker
- Saarland University, Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, 66424 Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Michael Stöckle
- Saarland University, Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, 66424 Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Rolf Müller
- Department of Microbial Natural Products (MINS), Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Rolf W Hartmann
- Department of Drug Design and Optimization (DDOP), Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland, Campus E8.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
| | - Carsten-H Ohlmann
- Saarland University, Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, 66424 Homburg/Saar, Germany.
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Hellgren C, Comasco E, Skalkidou A, Sundström-Poromaa I. Allopregnanolone levels and depressive symptoms during pregnancy in relation to single nucleotide polymorphisms in the allopregnanolone synthesis pathway. Horm Behav 2017; 94:106-113. [PMID: 28666923 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Allopregnanolone, a neurosteroid whose levels rise throughout gestation, putatively stabilizes antenatal mood. The present study aimed to investigate associations of plasma allopregnanolone to antenatal depressive symptoms, as well as to genetic and obstetric factors. Allopregnanolone plasma levels from 284 pregnant women were measured around gestational week 18. Haplotype tag single nucleotide polymorphisms in the aldo-keto reductase family 1, members C2 and C4 (AKR1C2, AKR1C4), and steroid 5 alpha-reductase 1 and 2 (SRD5A1, and SRD5A2) genes were genotyped in a larger sample of pregnant women (n=1351). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was administered via web-questionnaires in gestational weeks 17 and 32. Demographic and obstetric data was retrieved from web-questionnaires and medical records. There was no association between allopregnanolone levels and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, no associations between allopregnanolone level and synthesis pathway genotypes were found after accounting for multiple comparisons. However, exploratory analyses suggested that the women who were homozygous for the minor allele of the AKR1C2 polymorphism rs1937863 had nominally lower allopregnanolone levels and lower depression scores in gestational week 17, but also the highest increase in depression scores between week 17 and 32. Additionally, higher body mass index was associated with lower allopregnanolone levels. The results do not support second trimester plasma allopregnanolone as a mood stabilizing factor. However, we speculate that AKR1C2 variation may alter the susceptibility to depressive symptoms through effects on central allopregnanolone synthesis. Another implication of this study is that the relationship between neuroactive steroids and obesity in pregnancy deserves to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Hellgren
- Dept. of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Erika Comasco
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alkistis Skalkidou
- Dept. of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Inger Sundström-Poromaa
- Dept. of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
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Morrison KE, Epperson CN, Sammel MD, Ewing G, Podcasy JS, Hantsoo L, Kim DR, Bale TL. Preadolescent Adversity Programs a Disrupted Maternal Stress Reactivity in Humans and Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 81:693-701. [PMID: 27776734 PMCID: PMC5326692 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Revised: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are one of the greatest predictors of affective disorders for women. Periods of dynamic hormonal flux, including pregnancy, exacerbate the risk for affective disturbance and promote hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation, a key feature of affective disorders. Little is understood as to how stress experienced in late childhood, defined as preadolescence, alters the programming unique to this period of brain maturation and its interaction with the hormonal changes of pregnancy and postpartum. METHODS Preadolescent female mice were exposed to chronic stress and examined for changes in their HPA axis during pregnancy and postpartum, including assessment of maternal-specific stress responsiveness and transcriptomics of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Translationally, pregnant women with low or high ACEs were examined for their maternal stress responsiveness. RESULTS As predicted, preadolescent stress in mice resulted in a significant blunting of the corticosterone response during pregnancy. Transcriptomic analysis of the paraventricular nucleus revealed widespread changes in expression of immediate early genes and their targets, supporting the likely involvement of an upstream epigenetic mechanism. Critically, in our human studies, the high ACE women showed a significant blunting of the HPA response. CONCLUSIONS This unique mouse model recapitulates a clinical outcome of a hyporesponsive HPA stress axis, an important feature of affective disorders, during a dynamic hormonal period, and suggests involvement of transcriptional regulation in the hypothalamus. These studies identify a novel mouse model of female ACEs that can be used to examine how additional life adversity may provoke disease risk or resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E. Morrison
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - C. Neill Epperson
- Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mary D. Sammel
- Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Grace Ewing
- Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessica S. Podcasy
- Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Liisa Hantsoo
- Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Deborah R. Kim
- Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tracy L. Bale
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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31
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Alcántara-Alonso V, Panetta P, de Gortari P, Grammatopoulos DK. Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone As the Homeostatic Rheostat of Feto-Maternal Symbiosis and Developmental Programming In Utero and Neonatal Life. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:161. [PMID: 28744256 PMCID: PMC5504167 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A balanced interaction between the homeostatic mechanisms of mother and the developing organism during pregnancy and in early neonatal life is essential in order to ensure optimal fetal development, ability to respond to various external and internal challenges, protection from adverse programming, and safeguard maternal care availability after parturition. In the majority of pregnancies, this relationship is highly effective resulting in successful outcomes. However, in a number of pathological settings, perturbations of the maternal homeostasis disrupt this symbiosis and initiate adaptive responses with unpredictable outcomes for the fetus or even the neonate. This may lead to development of pathological phenotypes arising from developmental reprogramming involving interaction of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental-driven pathways, sometimes with acute consequences (e.g., growth impairment) and sometimes delayed (e.g., enhanced susceptibility to disease) that last well into adulthood. Most of these adaptive mechanisms are activated and controlled by hormones of the hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis under the influence of placental steroid and peptide hormones. In particular, the hypothalamic peptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) plays a key role in feto-maternal communication by orchestrating and integrating a series of neuroendocrine, immune, metabolic, and behavioral responses. CRH also regulates neural networks involved in maternal behavior and this determines efficiency of maternal care and neonate interactions. This review will summarize our current understanding of CRH actions during the perinatal period, focusing on the physiological roles for both mother and offspring and also how external challenges can alter CRH actions and potentially impact on fetus/neonate health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viridiana Alcántara-Alonso
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurophysiology, Department of Neurosciences Research, National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Pamela Panetta
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Patricia de Gortari
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurophysiology, Department of Neurosciences Research, National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Dimitris K. Grammatopoulos
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Clinical Biochemistry, Coventry and Warwickshire Pathology Service, UHCW NHS Trust, Coventry, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Dimitris K. Grammatopoulos,
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Savoy C, Ferro MA, Schmidt LA, Saigal S, Van Lieshout RJ. Prenatal betamethasone exposure and psychopathology risk in extremely low birth weight survivors in the third and fourth decades of life. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 74:278-285. [PMID: 27693982 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mortality rates among extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants have declined since the advent of antenatal glucocorticoid use. However, the long term neuropsychiatric effects of exposure are not well understood. We utilized the world's oldest longitudinally followed cohort of ELBW survivors to compare psychopathology over two decades in adulthood in those exposed to prenatal betamethasone and those who were not. METHODS ELBW survivors (n=179) and matched normal birth weight (NBW) controls (n=145) completed the Young Adult Self-Report questionnaire at 22-26 and 29-36 years, and the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories at 29-36 years. Symptom levels and rates of clinically significant psychiatric problems were compared in ELBW survivors whose mothers were administered steroids during pregnancy (ELBW-S n=63), ELBW participants who were not (ELBW-NS, n=79), and NBW controls. RESULTS At 22-26, ELBW-S had higher levels of anxiety, depressive, and avoidant personality symptoms, and a 3 to 5-fold increase in the odds of clinically significant levels of these problems compared to NBW controls, whereas ELBW-NS did not. These associations were maintained at 29-36, when ELBW-S participants exhibited a 3 to 10-fold increase in the odds of clinically significant anxiety and avoidant personality problems compared to NBW controls. At both time points, the odds of clinically significant anxiety problems were more than 3 times higher among ELBW-S than in ELBW-NS. CONCLUSION ELBW adults exposed to prenatal betamethasone manifest higher levels of anxiety and depression than those who were not, and may represent a group of preterm survivors at particularly high psychiatric risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calan Savoy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z, Canada
| | - Mark A Ferro
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, 1200 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z, Canada.
| | - Louis A Schmidt
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1200 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z, Canada
| | - Saroj Saigal
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, 1200 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z, Canada
| | - Ryan J Van Lieshout
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z, Canada
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