Gene expression profiling in hypothalamus of immobilization-stressed mouse using cDNA microarray

Motor deficits are associated with increased glial cell activation in the hypothalamus and cerebellum of young rats subjected to cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a syndrome characterized by a wide range of sensory and motor damage, associated with behavioral and cognitive deficits. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of a model of CP using a combination of perinatal anoxia and sensorimotor restriction of hind paws to replicate motor, behavioral and neural deficits. A total of 30 of male Wistar rats were divided into Control (C, n = 15), and CP (CP, n = 15) groups. The potential of the CP model was assessed by evaluating food intake, the behavioral satiety sequence, performance on the CatWalk and parallel bars, muscle strength, and locomotor activity. The weight of the encephalon, soleus, and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles, and the activation of glial cells (microglia and astrocytes) were also measured. The CP animals showed delayed satiety, impaired locomotion on the CatWalk and open field test, reduced muscle strength, and reduced motor coordination. CP also reduced the weight of the soleus and muscles, brain weight, liver weight, and quantity of fat in various parts of the body. There was also found to be an increase in astrocyte and microglia activation in the cerebellum and hypothalamus (arcuate nucleus, ARC) of animals subjected to CP.

Comparative evaluation of natural neuroprotectives and their combinations on chronic immobilization stress-induced depression in experimental mice

The present study evaluates the potential of neuroprotective phytochemicals-rutin (R), resveratrol (Res), 17β-estradiol (17β-E2), and their different combinations against chronic immobilization stress (CIS)-induced depression-like behaviour in male albino mice. Here, the mice were exposed to stress via immobilization of their four limbs under a restrainer for 6 h daily until 7 days of the induction after 30 min of respective drug treatment in different mice groups. The result found the protective effect of these phytoconstituents and their combinations against CIS-induced depression due to their ability to suppress oxidative stress, restore mitochondria, HPA-axis modulation, neurotransmitter level, stress hormones, and inflammatory markers. Also, the combination drug regimens of these phytoconstituents showed synergistic results in managing the physiological and biochemical features of depression. Thus, these neuroprotective could be utilized well in combination to manage depression-like symptoms during episodic stress. Furthermore, such results could be well justified when administered in polyherbal formulation with these neuroprotective as major components. In addition, an advanced study can be designed at the molecular and epigenetics level using a formulation based on these neuroprotective.

Stress and the brain transcriptome: Identifying commonalities and clusters in standardized data from published experiments

Interpretation of transcriptomic experiments is hindered by many problems including false positives/negatives inherent to big-data methods and changes in gene nomenclature. To find the most consistent effect of stress on brain transcriptome, we retrieved data from 79 studies applying animal models and 3 human studies investigating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The analyzed data were obtained either with microarrays or RNA sequencing applied to samples collected from more than 1887 laboratory animals and from 121 human subjects. Based on the initial database containing a quarter million differential expression effect sizes representing transcripts in three species, we identified the most frequently reported genes in 223 stress-control comparisons. Additionally, the analysis considers sex, individual vulnerability and contribution of glucocorticoids. We also found an overlap between gene expression in PTSD patients and animals which indicates relevance of laboratory models for human stress response. Our analysis points to genes that, as far as we know, were not specifically tested for their role in stress response (Pllp, Arrdc2, Midn, Mfsd2a, Ccn1, Htra1, Csrnp1, Tenm4, Tnfrsf25, Sema3b, Fmo2, Adamts4, Gjb1, Errfi1, Fgf18, Galnt6, Slc25a42, Ifi30, Slc4a1, Cemip, Klf10, Tom1, Dcdc2c, Fancd2, Luzp2, Trpm1, Abcc12, Osbpl1a, Ptp4a2). Provided transcriptomic resource will be useful for guiding the new research.

Epigenome-wide associations between observed maternal sensitivity and offspring DNA methylation: a population-based prospective study in children

BACKGROUND

Experimental work in animals has shown that DNA methylation (DNAm), an epigenetic mechanism regulating gene expression, is influenced by typical variation in maternal care. While emerging research in humans supports a similar association, studies to date have been limited to candidate gene and cross-sectional approaches, with a focus on extreme deviations in the caregiving environment.

METHODS

Here, we explored the prospective association between typical variation in maternal sensitivity and offspring epigenome-wide DNAm, in a population-based cohort of children (N = 235). Maternal sensitivity was observed when children were 3- and 4-years-old. DNAm, quantified with the Infinium 450 K array, was extracted at age 6 (whole blood). The influence of methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTLs), DNAm at birth (cord blood), and confounders (socioeconomic status, maternal psychopathology) was considered in follow-up analyses.

RESULTS

Genome-wide significant associations between maternal sensitivity and offspring DNAm were observed at 13 regions (p < 1.06 × 10^-07), but not at single sites. Follow-up analyses indicated that associations at these regions were in part related to genetic factors, confounders, and baseline DNAm levels at birth, as evidenced by the presence of mQTLs at five regions and estimate attenuations. Robust associations with maternal sensitivity were found at four regions, annotated to ZBTB22, TAPBP, ZBTB12, and DOCK4.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide novel leads into the relationship between typical variation in maternal caregiving and offspring DNAm in humans, highlighting robust regions of associations, previously implicated in psychological and developmental problems, immune functioning, and stress responses.

Glucocorticoid Exposure of Preimplantation Embryos Increases Offspring Anxiety-Like Behavior by Upregulating miR-211-5p via Trpm1 Demethylation

Most studies on mechanisms by which prenatal stress affects offspring behavior were conducted during late pregnancy using in vivo models; studies on the effect of preimplantation stress are rare. In vivo models do not allow accurate specification of the roles of different hormones and cells within the complicated living organism, and cannot verify whether hormones act directly on embryos or indirectly to alter progeny behavior. Furthermore, the number of anxiety-related miRNAs identified are limited. This study showed that both mouse embryculture with corticosterone (ECC) and maternal preimplantation restraint stress (PIRS) increased anxiety-like behavior (ALB) while decreasing hippocampal expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in offspring. ECC/PIRS downregulated GR and BDNF expression by increasing miR-211-5p expression via promoter demethylation of its host gene Trpm1, and this epigenetic cell fate determination was exclusively perpetuated during development into mature hippocampus. Transfection with miR-211-5p mimic/inhibitor in cultured hippocampal cell lines confirmed that miR-211-5p downregulated Gr and Bdnf. Intrahippocampal injection of miR-211-5p agomir/antagomir validated that miR-211-5p dose-dependently increased ALB while decreasing hippocampal GR/BDNF expression. In conclusion, preimplantation exposure to glucocorticoids increased ALB by upregulating miR-211-5p via Trpm1 demethylation, and miR-211-5p may be used as therapeutic targets and biomarkers for anxiety-related diseases.

Transcriptomic Profiling Provides Insights into Inbreeding Depression in Yesso Scallop Patinopecten yessoensis

Inbreeding often causes a decline in biological fitness, known as inbreeding depression. In genetics study, inbreeding coefficient f gives the proportion by which the heterozygosity of an individual is reduced by inbreeding. With the development of high-throughput sequencing, researchers were able to perform deep approaches to investigate which genes are affected by inbreeding and reveal some molecular underpinnings of inbreeding depression. As one commercially important species, Yesso scallop Patinopecten yessoensis confront the same dilemma of inbreeding depression. To examine how inbreeding affects gene expression, we compared the transcriptome of two experimentally selfing families with inbreeding coefficient f reached 0.5 as well as one natural population (f ≈ 0) of P. yessoensis. A total of 24 RNA-Seq libraries were constructed using scallop adductor muscle, and eventually 676.56 M (96.85%) HQ reads were acquired. Based on differential gene analysis, we were able to identify nine common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across the top-ranked 30 DEGs in both selfing families in comparation with the natural population. Remarkable, through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), five common DEGs were found enriched in the most significant inbreeding related functional module M14 (FDR = 1.64E-156), including SREBP1, G3BP2, SBK1, KIAA1161, and AATs-Glupro. These five genes showed significantly higher expression in self-bred progeny. Suggested by the genetic functional analysis, up-regulated SREBP1, G3BP2, and KIAA1161 may suggest a perturbing lipid metabolism, a severe inframammary reaction or immune response, and a stress-responsive behavior. Besides, the significant higher SBK1 and AATs-Glupro may reflect the abnormal cellular physiological situation. Together, these genetic aberrant transcriptomic performances may contribute to inbreeding depression in P. yessoensis, deteriorating the stress tolerance and survival phenotype in self-bred progeny. Our results would lay a foundation for further comprehensive understanding of bivalve inbreeding depression, which may potentially benefit the genetic breeding for scallop aquaculture.

What do DNA methylation studies tell us about depression? A systematic review

There has been a limited number of systematic reviews conducted to summarize the overview of the relationship between DNA methylation and depression, and to critically appraise the roles of major study characteristics in the accuracy of study findings. This systematic review aims to critically appraise the impact of study characteristics on the association between DNA methylation and depression, and summarize the overview of this association. Electronic databases and gray literatures until December 2017 were searched for English-language studies with standard diagnostic criteria of depression. A total of 67 studies were included in this review along with a summary of their study characteristics. We grouped the findings into etiological and treatment studies. Majority of these selected studies were recently published and from developed countries. Whole blood samples were the most studied common tissues. Bisulfite conversion, along with pyrosequencing, was widely used to test the DNA methylation level across all the studies. High heterogeneity existed among the studies in terms of experimental and statistical methodologies and study designs. As recommended by the Cochrane guideline, a systematic review without meta-analysis should be undertaken. This review has, in general, found that DNA methylation modifications were associated with depression. Subgroup analyses showed that most studies found BDNF and SLC6A4 hypermethylations to be associated with MDD or depression in general. In contrast, studies on NR3C1, OXTR, and other genes, which were tested by only few studies, reported mixed findings. More longitudinal studies using standardized experimental and laboratory methodologies are needed in future studies to enable more systematical comparisons and quantitative synthesis.

Mapping Molecular Datasets Back to the Brain Regions They are Extracted from: Remembering the Native Countries of Hypothalamic Expatriates and Refugees

This article focuses on approaches to link transcriptomic, proteomic, and peptidomic datasets mined from brain tissue to the original locations within the brain that they are derived from using digital atlas mapping techniques. We use, as an example, the transcriptomic, proteomic and peptidomic analyses conducted in the mammalian hypothalamus. Following a brief historical overview, we highlight studies that have mined biochemical and molecular information from the hypothalamus and then lay out a strategy for how these data can be linked spatially to the mapped locations in a canonical brain atlas where the data come from, thereby allowing researchers to integrate these data with other datasets across multiple scales. A key methodology that enables atlas-based mapping of extracted datasets-laser-capture microdissection-is discussed in detail, with a view of how this technology is a bridge between systems biology and systems neuroscience.

Chicken domestication changes expression of stress-related genes in brain, pituitary and adrenals

Domesticated species have an attenuated behavioral and physiological stress response compared to their wild counterparts, but the genetic mechanisms underlying this change are not fully understood. We investigated gene expression of a panel of stress response-related genes in five tissues known for their involvement in the stress response: hippocampus, hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal glands and liver of domesticated White Leghorn chickens and compared it with the wild ancestor of all domesticated breeds, the Red Junglefowl. Gene expression was measured both at baseline and after 45 min of restraint stress. Most of the changes in gene expression related to stress were similar to mammals, with an upregulation of genes such as FKBP5, C-FOS and EGR1 in hippocampus and hypothalamus and StAR, MC2R and TH in adrenal glands. We also found a decrease in the expression of CRHR1 in the pituitary of chickens after stress, which could be involved in negative feedback regulation of the stress response. Furthermore, we observed a downregulation of EGR1 and C-FOS in the pituitary following stress, which could be a potential link between stress and its effects on reproduction and growth in chickens. We also found changes in the expression of important genes between breeds such as GR in the hypothalamus, POMC and PC1 in the pituitary and CYP11A1 and HSD3B2 in the adrenal glands. These results suggest that the domesticated White Leghorn may have a higher capacity for negative feedback of the HPA axis, a lower capacity for synthesis of ACTH in the pituitary and a reduced synthesis rate of corticosterone in the adrenal glands compared to Red Junglefowl. All of these findings could explain the attenuated stress response in the domesticated birds.

Analyses of reaction norms reveal new chromosome regions associated with tick resistance in cattle

Despite single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) availability and frequent cost reduction has allowed genome-wide association studies even in complex traits as tick resistance, the use of this information source in SNP by environment interaction context is unknown for many economically important traits in cattle. We aimed at identifying putative genomic regions explaining differences in tick resistance in Hereford and Braford cattle under SNP by environment point of view as well as to identify candidate genes derived from outliers/significant markers. The environment was defined as contemporary group means of tick counts, since they seemed to be the most appropriate entities to describe the environmental gradient in beef cattle. A total of 4363 animals having tick counts (n=10 673) originated from 197 sires and 3966 dams were used. Genotypes were acquired on 3591 of these cattle. From top 1% SNPs (410) having the greatest effects in each environment, 75 were consistently relevant in all environments, which indicated SNP by environment interaction. The outliers/significant SNPs were mapped on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 23, 24, 26 and 28, and potential candidate genes were detected across environments. The presence of SNP by environment interaction for tick resistance indicates that genetic expression of resistance depends upon tick burden. Markers with major portion of genetic variance explained across environments appeared to be close to genes with different direct or indirect functions related to immune system, inflammatory process and mechanisms of tissue destruction/repair, such as energy metabolism and cell differentiation.

Genome-wide methylation study on depression: differential methylation and variable methylation in monozygotic twins

Depressive disorders have been shown to be highly influenced by environmental pathogenic factors, some of which are believed to exert stress on human brain functioning via epigenetic modifications. Previous genome-wide methylomic studies on depression have suggested that, along with differential DNA methylation, affected co-twins of monozygotic (MZ) pairs have increased DNA methylation variability, probably in line with theories of epigenetic stochasticity. Nevertheless, the potential biological roots of this variability remain largely unexplored. The current study aimed to evaluate whether DNA methylation differences within MZ twin pairs were related to differences in their psychopathological status. Data from the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 Beadchip was used to evaluate peripheral blood DNA methylation of 34 twins (17 MZ pairs). Two analytical strategies were used to identify (a) differentially methylated probes (DMPs) and (b) variably methylated probes (VMPs). Most DMPs were located in genes previously related to neuropsychiatric phenotypes. Remarkably, one of these DMPs (cg01122889) was located in the WDR26 gene, the DNA sequence of which has been implicated in major depressive disorder from genome-wide association studies. Expression of WDR26 has also been proposed as a biomarker of depression in human blood. Complementarily, VMPs were located in genes such as CACNA1C, IGF2 and the p38 MAP kinase MAPK11, showing enrichment for biological processes such as glucocorticoid signaling. These results expand on previous research to indicate that both differential methylation and differential variability have a role in the etiology and clinical manifestation of depression, and provide clues on specific genomic loci of potential interest in the epigenetics of depression.

Age-dependent and gender-dependent regulation of hypothalamic-adrenocorticotropic-adrenal axis

Tightly regulated output of glucocorticoids is critical to maintaining immune competence, the structure of neurons, muscle, and bone, blood pressure, glucose homeostasis, work capacity, and vitality in the human and experimental animal. Age, sex steroids, gender, stress, body composition, and disease govern glucocorticoid availability through incompletely understood mechanisms. According to an ensemble concept of neuroendocrine regulation, successful stress adaptations require repeated incremental signaling adjustments among hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone and arginine vasopressin, pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone, and adrenal corticosteroids. Signals are transduced via (positive) feedforward and (negative) feedback effects. Age and gonadal steroids strongly modulate stress-adaptive glucocorticoid secretion by such interlinked pathways.

Systems approaches to genomic and epigenetic inter-regulation of peptide hormones in stress and reproduction

The evolution of the organismal stress response and fertility are two of the most important aspects that drive the fitness of a species. However, the integrated regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes has been traditionally thwarted by the complexity of these systems. Pepidergic signalling systems have emerged as critical integrating systems for stress and reproduction. Current high throughput systems approaches are now providing a detailed understanding of peptide signalling in stress and reproduction. These approaches were dependent upon a long history of discovery aimed at the structural characterization of the associated molecular components. The combination of comparative genomics, microarray and epigenetic studies has led not only to a much greater understanding of the integration of stress and reproduction but also to the discovery of novel physiological systems. Recent epigenomic approaches have similarly yielded a new level of complexity in the interaction of these physiological systems. Together, such studies have provided a greater understanding of the effects of stress and reproduction.

The characteristics of supramammillary cells projecting to the hippocampus in stress response in the rat

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortex (HPA) axis is the central mediator of the stress response. The supramammillary (SuM) region is relatively unique among the hypothalamic structures in that it sends a large, direct projection to the hippocampal formation. It has been shown that mild stress could activate the SuM cells that project to the hippocampus. However, the role of these cell populations in modulating the stress response is not known. The present study examined the effect of stress on different populations of SuM cells that project to the hippocampus by injecting the fluorescent retrograde tracer, fluorogold (FG), into the hippocampus and utilizing the immunohistochemistry of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), serotonin (5-HT), glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and NADPH-d reactivity. Immobilization (IMO) stress (2 hr) produced an increase in the expression of ChAT-immunoreactivity, and tended to increase in CRF, 5-HT, GAD, TH-immunoreactivity and nitric oxide (NO)-reactivity in the SuM cells. Fifty-three percent of 5-HT, 31% of ChAT and 56% of CRF cells were double stained with retrograde cells from the hippocampus. By contrast, a few retrogradely labeled cells projecting to the hippocampus were immunoreactive for dopamine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and NO. These results suggest that the SuM region contains distinct cell populations that differentially respond to stress. In addition, the findings suggest that serotonergic, cholinergic and corticotropin releasing cells projecting to the hippocampus within the SuM nucleus may play an important role in modulating stress-related behaviors.

Convergent functional genomics of anxiety disorders: translational identification of genes, biomarkers, pathways and mechanisms

Anxiety disorders are prevalent and disabling yet understudied from a genetic standpoint, compared with other major psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The fact that they are more common, diverse and perceived as embedded in normal life may explain this relative oversight. In addition, as for other psychiatric disorders, there are technical challenges related to the identification and validation of candidate genes and peripheral biomarkers. Human studies, particularly genetic ones, are susceptible to the issue of being underpowered, because of genetic heterogeneity, the effect of variable environmental exposure on gene expression, and difficulty of accrual of large, well phenotyped cohorts. Animal model gene expression studies, in a genetically homogeneous and experimentally tractable setting, can avoid artifacts and provide sensitivity of detection. Subsequent translational integration of the animal model datasets with human genetic and gene expression datasets can ensure cross-validatory power and specificity for illness. We have used a pharmacogenomic mouse model (involving treatments with an anxiogenic drug--yohimbine, and an anti-anxiety drug--diazepam) as a discovery engine for identification of anxiety candidate genes as well as potential blood biomarkers. Gene expression changes in key brain regions for anxiety (prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus) and blood were analyzed using a convergent functional genomics (CFG) approach, which integrates our new data with published human and animal model data, as a translational strategy of cross-matching and prioritizing findings. Our work identifies top candidate genes (such as FOS, GABBR1, NR4A2, DRD1, ADORA2A, QKI, RGS2, PTGDS, HSPA1B, DYNLL2, CCKBR and DBP), brain-blood biomarkers (such as FOS, QKI and HSPA1B), pathways (such as cAMP signaling) and mechanisms for anxiety disorders--notably signal transduction and reactivity to environment, with a prominent role for the hippocampus. Overall, this work complements our previous similar work (on bipolar mood disorders and schizophrenia) conducted over the last decade. It concludes our programmatic first pass mapping of the genomic landscape of the triad of major psychiatric disorder domains using CFG, and permitted us to uncover the significant genetic overlap between anxiety and these other major psychiatric disorders, notably the under-appreciated overlap with schizophrenia. PDE10A, TAC1 and other genes uncovered by our work provide a molecular basis for the frequently observed clinical co-morbidity and interdependence between anxiety and other major psychiatric disorders, and suggest schizo-anxiety as a possible new nosological domain.

Increased αB-crystallin in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of rats with myocardial infarction

The hypothalamus plays an important role in maintaining a homeostasis of the body against stress response. In particular, the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus is a critical region for disorders related to the autonomic nervous system, such as congestive heart failure and hypertension. αB-crystallin is a family of heat shock proteins that are widely expressed in the brain, including in glial cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons. Many studies have demonstrated that expression level of αB-crystallin is up-regulated and involved in protecting cells from pathological conditions. In the present study, we examined the expression and potential role of αB-crystallin in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) regions of rats with myocardial infarction (MI). Our results demonstrate that mRNA encoding αB-crystallin and protein for both native and phosphorylate forms (Ser-59) of αB-crystallin was significantly increased in the PVN during MI.

Gene expression profiling in the stress control brain region hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus reveals a novel gene network including amyloid beta precursor protein

Background

The pivotal role of stress in the precipitation of psychiatric diseases such as depression is generally accepted. This study aims at the identification of genes that are directly or indirectly responding to stress. Inbred mouse strains that had been evidenced to differ in their stress response as well as in their response to antidepressant treatment were chosen for RNA profiling after stress exposure. Gene expression and regulation was determined by microarray analyses and further evaluated by bioinformatics tools including pathway and cluster analyses.

Results

Forced swimming as acute stressor was applied to C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice and resulted in sets of regulated genes in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), 4 h or 8 h after stress. Although the expression changes between the mouse strains were quite different, they unfolded in phases over time in both strains. Our search for connections between the regulated genes resulted in potential novel signalling pathways in stress. In particular, Guanine nucleotide binding protein, alpha inhibiting 2 (GNAi2) and Amyloid β (A4) precursor protein (APP) were detected as stress-regulated genes, and together with other genes, seem to be integrated into stress-responsive pathways and gene networks in the PVN.

Conclusions

This search for stress-regulated genes in the PVN revealed its impact on interesting genes (GNAi2 and APP) and a novel gene network. In particular the expression of APP in the PVN that is governing stress hormone balance, is of great interest. The reported neuroprotective role of this molecule in the CNS supports the idea that a short acute stress can elicit positive adaptational effects in the brain.

Neuron differentiation-related genes are up-regulated in the hypothalamus of odorant-inhaling rats subjected to acute restraint stress

To elucidate some physiopsychological effects of a pleasant odor, we analyzed gene expression profiles in the hypothalamus of rats which, under a restraint-stressed condition, inhaled (R)-(-)-linalool. Consequently, 697 probe sets showed significant expression changes in the odorant-inhaling rats subjected to 2 h of restraint stress (false discovery rate < 0.05). We observed up-regulation of 594 among them, including genes related to neuron differentiation and transcriptional regulatory factors. Another important result was that inhalation of (R)-(-)-linalool returned the expression of 49 restraint-regulated genes to a normal condition. In contrast, the inhalation also further up-regulated the expression of 16 restraint-up-regulated genes that included those encoding heat shock proteins as factors to induce some biological responses against stresses. In the present study we thus found the substantial example that, in the hypothalamus involved in feeding behaviors, an inhaled pleasant odor acts to regulate the gene expression related to the functions of neuronal developments to cope with stresses.

Possible involvement of integrin signaling pathway in the process of recovery from restraint stress in rats

OBJECTIVE

To search novel genes or pathways involved in the recovery process after restraint stress in rats.

METHODS

We compared the hypothalamus transcriptional profiles of two different recovery patterns (fast recovery vs slow recovery) from restraint stress in rats using oligonucleotide microarray, the recovery pattern was determined by the decrement of plasma adrenocorticotropic-hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone levels during one hour recovery period after stress. A real-time quantitative RT-PCR was applied to validate the differential expressed genes.

RESULTS

Analysis of the microarray data showed that most of genes were not differentially expressed between fast recovery group and slow recovery group. Among the differentially expressed genes we found that talin, together with serine/threonine protein phosphatase PP1-beta catalytic subunit (PP-1B) and integrin alpha-6 precursor (VLA-6) genes, were at least 1.5 fold up-regulated in the fast recovery group, while junctional adhesion molecule 1 (F11r) was 1.5 fold down-regulated in the fast recovery group.

CONCLUSION

The results implied that integrin signaling pathway may be involved in the recovery from restraint stress in rats. The present study provided a global overview of hypothalamus transcriptional profiles during the process of recovery from the restraint stress in rats. The integrin signaling pathway seems to be involved in the recovery process, which deserves further study to clarify the integrin-mediated recovery mechanism after restraint stress.

Expression profiling of p53-target genes in copper-mediated neuronal apoptosis

Copper toxicity associated with Wilson's disease is known to cause neuronal damage and death in the basal ganglia and frontal cortex leading to Parkinson-like symptoms and cognitive deficits. Our previous work in cultured human NTERA-2-N neurons showed that copper-induced neuronal apoptosis is dependent on the induction and nuclear translocation of the tumor suppressor protein, p53. Because p53 acts as a DNA-binding transcription factor, this work used an oligonucleotide array to identify p53 target genes that are differentially regulated in copper-loaded neurons. Arrays representing 145 human genes expressed downstream of p53 were hybridized with labeled mRNA from control and copper-treated neurons. Differentially regulated mRNAs included those involved in the regulation of the cell cycle, cytoprotective mechanisms, and apoptotic mechanisms. Transfection of cells with a dominant-negative p53 construct enabled us to determine which molecular events were dependent on p53 expression. Copper treatment resulted in the upregulation of p21, reprimo, stathmin, and Tp53INP1, all known to participate in cell cycle arrest. Protective mechanisms included the upregulation of stat-3, and the heat-shock proteins, heat-shock protein (Hsp) 70 and Hsp 27. Both p53-dependent and -independent mechanisms leading to apoptosis were identified including insulin-like growth factor binding protein-6, glutathione peroxidase, bcl-2, RB-1, PUMA, and several members of the redox active PIG family of proteins. Thus it appears that following copper-mediated neuronal DNA damage, the regulation of a variety of pro- and antiapoptotic genes are responsible for determining neuronal fate.

Optimization of chronic stress paradigms using anxiety- and depression-like behavioral parameters

Chronic stress is a risk factor for psychiatric illnesses, such as anxiety and depression disorders. To understand the underlying mechanism regarding how chronic stress triggers such psychiatric dysfunctions, restraint-based chronic stress models have been attempted in the past. However, total durations of repeated restraint stress and the evaluation time points used after the last restraint application vary from experiment to experiment. One reason for these methodological heterogeneities is related to considerable ambiguity concerning the definition of chronic stress, particularly in animal models. In the present study, we used behavioral traits, anxiety and depression, as stress-assessment parameters that meet operationally useful requirements for the definition of the chronic stress state. We demonstrate that restraint treatment for 2 or 8 hr daily for 14 days is enough to produce anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, whereas a 2 hr-10 days restraint was marginally effective. cDNA microarray analysis identified 34 genes in the hippocampus and 72 genes in the amygdala with expression levels that were up- or down-regulated by >2.0-fold. Among the wide range of genes identified in this analysis, genes required for energy metabolism, signal transduction, transcription, synaptic plasticity, and remodeling of the brain architecture were notable. Our results suggest that the psychiatric criteria of anxiety and depression can be used as chronic stress-assessment parameters and that a restraint stress paradigm consisting of restraint treatment for 2 or 8 hr daily for 14 days could be used as a prototype paradigm for chronic stress studies.