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Yang Y, Guan W, Sheng XM, Gu HJ. Role of Semaphorin 3A in common psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 226:116358. [PMID: 38857830 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
With societal development and an ageing population, psychiatric disorders have become a common cause of severe and long-term disability and socioeconomic burdens worldwide. Semaphorin 3A (Sema-3A) is a secreted glycoprotein belonging to the semaphorin family. Sema-3A is well known as an axon guidance factor in the neuronal system and a potent immunoregulator at all stages of the immune response. It is reported to have various biological functions and is involved in many human diseases, including autoimmune diseases, angiocardiopathy, osteoporosis, and tumorigenesis. The signals of sema-3A involved in the pathogenesis of these conditions, are transduced through its cognate receptors and diverse downstream signalling pathways. An increasing number of studies show that sema-3A plays important roles in synaptic and dendritic development, which are closely associated with the pathophysiological mechanisms of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, and autism, suggesting the involvement of sema-3A in the pathogenesis of mental diseases. This indicates that mutations in sema-3A and alterations in its receptors and signalling may compromise neurodevelopment and predispose patients to these disorders. However, the role of sema-3A in psychiatric disorders, particularly in regulating neurodevelopment, remains elusive. In this review, we summarise the recent progress in understanding sema-3A in the pathogenesis of mental diseases and highlight sema-3A as a potential target for the prevention and treatment of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University/Nantong Tumor Hospital, China
| | - Wei Guan
- Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Nantong University, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Sheng
- Department of Trauma Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, China
| | - Hai-Juan Gu
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University/Nantong Tumor Hospital, China.
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Xunzhong Q, Miao G, Guangtao S, Huiying Z, Chenglong H, Xiaogang Z, Shunjie B, Xinyan H, Chengji W, Zuoyi H, Xiaofeng Z. Inhibition of the Rho/ROCK pathway promotes the expression of developmental and migration-related genes in astrocytes exposed to alcohol. Alcohol 2024; 115:5-12. [PMID: 37481044 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes are an important regulator of alcohol dependence. Furthermore, the downregulation of Rho-associated coiled coil-containing protein kinase 2 (ROCK2) attenuates alcohol-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in astrocytes. On the basis of these findings, we examined the effects of alcohol and a Rho/RACK kinases inhibitor on astrocyte function and investigated their effects on mRNA expression to further explore the protective mechanisms of a Rho/RACK kinases inhibitor in astrocytes after alcohol exposure. CTX TNA2 astrocytes were cultured with alcohol and Rho/RACK kinases inhibitor intervention before undergoing transcriptome sequencing, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and wound healing assays. Alcohol exposure modulated cell morphology and inhibited astrocyte migration, whereas Fasudil improved cell morphology and promoted astrocyte migration after alcohol exposure. Transcriptome sequencing results indicated that alcohol exposure modulates the expression of genes involved in astrocyte development. Fasudil reversed the effects of alcohol exposure on the astrocyte developmental process. Four genes related to the developmental process and migration - Ccl2, Postn, Itga8, and Serpine1 - with the highest protein-protein interaction correlations (node degree >7) were selected for verification by qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with those of the sequencing and wound healing assays. Our results suggest that the Rho/ROCK pathway is essential for alcohol to be able to interfere with astrocyte development and migration gene expression. The Rho/ROCK pathway inhibitor Fasudil reversed the adverse effects of alcohol exposure on astrocytes and may have clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xunzhong
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Guo Miao
- Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Sun Guangtao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao Huiying
- Department of Neurology, Yichun Forestry Administration Central Hospital, Yichun, People's Republic of China
| | - Huang Chenglong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, University-Town Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong Xiaogang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China; College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Bai Shunjie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Huang Xinyan
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Wu Chengji
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China
| | - Huang Zuoyi
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhu Xiaofeng
- Mudanjiang Medical College, Mudanjiang, People's Republic of China.
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Dubey H, Roychoudhury R, Alex A, Best C, Liu S, White A, Carlson A, Azcarate-Peril MA, Mansfield LS, Knickmeyer R. Effect of Human Infant Gut Microbiota on Mouse Behavior, Dendritic Complexity, and Myelination. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.24.563309. [PMID: 37961091 PMCID: PMC10634763 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.24.563309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian gut microbiome influences numerous developmental processes. In human infants it has been linked with cognition, social skills, hormonal responses to stress, and brain connectivity. Yet, these associations are not necessarily causal. The present study tested whether two microbial stool communities, common in human infants, affected behavior, myelination, dendritic morphology, and spine density when used to colonize mouse models. Humanized animals were more like specific-pathogen free mice than germ-free mice for most phenotypes, although in males, both humanized groups were less social. Both humanized groups had thinner myelin sheaths in the hippocampus, than did germ-free animals. Humanized animals were similar to each other except for dendritic morphology and spine density where one group had greater dendritic length in the prefrontal cortex, greater dendritic volume in the nucleus accumbens, and greater spine density in both regions, compared to the other. Results add to a body of literature suggesting the gut microbiome impacts brain development. Teaser Fecal transplants from human infants with highly abundant Bifidobacterium , an important inhabitant of the intestinal tract of breastfed newborns, may promote brain connectivity in mice.
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Qi X, Zhong X, Xu S, Zeng B, Chen J, Zang G, Zeng L, Bai S, Zhou C, Wei H, Xie P. Extracellular Matrix and Oxidative Phosphorylation: Important Role in the Regulation of Hypothalamic Function by Gut Microbiota. Front Genet 2020; 11:520. [PMID: 32670347 PMCID: PMC7330020 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In previous studies, our team examined the gut microbiota of healthy individuals and depressed patients using fecal microbiota transplantation of germ-free (GF) mice. Our results showed that depression-like and anxiety-like behavioral phenotypes of host mice were increased, but the molecular mechanism by which gut microbiota regulate host behavioral phenotypes is still unclear. Methods To investigate the molecular mechanism by which gut microbiota regulate host brain function, adult GF mice were colonized with fecal samples derived from healthy control (HC) individuals or patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Transcriptomic profiling of hypothalamus samples was performed to detect differentially expressed genes (DEGs). qRT-PCR was used for validation experiments. Results Colonization germ-free (CGF) mice had 243 DEGs compared with GF mice. The most enriched KEGG pathways associated with upregulated genes were "protein digestion and absorption," "extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction," and "focal adhesion." MDD mice had 642 DEGs compared with HC mice. The most enriched KEGG pathways associated with upregulated genes in MDD mice were also "protein digestion and absorption," "ECM-receptor interaction," and "focal adhesion." Meanwhile, the most enriched KEGG pathway associated with downregulated genes in these mice was "oxidative phosphorylation," and genes related to this pathway were found to be highly correlated in PPI network analysis. Conclusion In summary, our findings suggested that regulation of ECM is a key mechanism shared by different gut microbiota and that inhibition of energy metabolism in the hypothalamus by gut microbiota derived from MDD patients is a potential mechanism of behavioral regulation and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xunzhong Qi
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaogang Zhong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shaohua Xu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Department of Neurology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Benhua Zeng
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guangchao Zang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Pathogen Biology and Immunology Laboratory, and Laboratory of Tissue and Cell Biology, Experimental Teaching and Management Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Zeng
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shunjie Bai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chanjuan Zhou
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Wei
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Peng Xie
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Department of Neurology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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