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Percelay S, Lahogue C, Billard JM, Freret T, Boulouard M, Bouet V. The 3-hit animal models of schizophrenia: Improving strategy to decipher and treat the disease? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105526. [PMID: 38176632 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105526] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex disease related to combination and interactions between genetic and environmental factors, with an epigenetic influence. After the development of the first mono-factorial animal models of schizophrenia (1-hit), that reproduced patterns of either positive, negative and/or cognitive symptoms, more complex models combining two factors (2-hit) have been developed to better fit with the multifactorial etiology of the disease. In the two past decades, a new way to design animal models of schizophrenia have emerged by adding a third hit (3-hit). This review aims to discuss the relevance of the risk factors chosen for the tuning of the 3-hit animal models, as well as the validities measurements and their contribution to schizophrenia understanding. We intended to establish a comprehensive overview to help in the choice of factors for the design of multiple-hit animal models of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solenn Percelay
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, CYCERON, CHU Caen, COMETE UMR 1075, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Caroline Lahogue
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, CYCERON, CHU Caen, COMETE UMR 1075, 14000 Caen, France.
| | - Jean-Marie Billard
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, CYCERON, CHU Caen, COMETE UMR 1075, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Thomas Freret
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, CYCERON, CHU Caen, COMETE UMR 1075, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Michel Boulouard
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, CYCERON, CHU Caen, COMETE UMR 1075, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Valentine Bouet
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, CYCERON, CHU Caen, COMETE UMR 1075, 14000 Caen, France.
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Oliveras I, Cañete T, Sampedro-Viana D, Río-Álamos C, Tobeña A, Corda MG, Giorgi O, Fernández-Teruel A. Neurobehavioral Profiles of Six Genetically-based Rat Models of Schizophrenia- related Symptoms. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:1934-1952. [PMID: 36809938 PMCID: PMC10514524 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230221093644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder with high heterogeneity in its symptoms clusters. The effectiveness of drug treatments for the disorder is far from satisfactory. It is widely accepted that research with valid animal models is essential if we aim at understanding its genetic/ neurobiological mechanisms and finding more effective treatments. The present article presents an overview of six genetically-based (selectively-bred) rat models/strains, which exhibit neurobehavioral schizophrenia-relevant features, i.e., the Apomorphine-susceptible (APO-SUS) rats, the Low-prepulse inhibition rats, the Brattleboro (BRAT) rats, the Spontaneously Hypertensive rats (SHR), the Wisket rats and the Roman High-Avoidance (RHA) rats. Strikingly, all the strains display impairments in prepulse inhibition of the startle response (PPI), which remarkably, in most cases are associated with novelty-induced hyperlocomotion, deficits of social behavior, impairment of latent inhibition and cognitive flexibility, or signs of impaired prefrontal cortex (PFC) function. However, only three of the strains share PPI deficits and dopaminergic (DAergic) psychostimulant-induced hyperlocomotion (together with prefrontal cortex dysfunction in two models, the APO-SUS and RHA), which points out that alterations of the mesolimbic DAergic circuit are a schizophrenia-linked trait that not all models reproduce, but it characterizes some strains that can be valid models of schizophrenia-relevant features and drug-addiction vulnerability (and thus, dual diagnosis). We conclude by putting the research based on these genetically-selected rat models in the context of the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework, suggesting that RDoC-oriented research programs using selectively-bred strains might help to accelerate progress in the various aspects of the schizophrenia-related research agenda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | | | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | - Maria Giuseppa Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
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Kumar S, Ahmad A, Kushwaha N, Shokeen N, Negi S, Gautam K, Singh A, Tiwari P, Garg R, Agarwal R, Mohan A, Trikha A, Thakar A, Saini V. Selection of Ideal Reference Genes for Gene Expression Analysis in COVID-19 and Mucormycosis. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0165622. [PMID: 36377893 PMCID: PMC9769637 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01656-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Selection of reference genes during real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) is critical to determine accurate and reliable mRNA expression. Nonetheless, not a single study has investigated the expression stability of candidate reference genes to determine their suitability as internal controls in SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). Using qRT-PCR, we determined expression stability of the nine most commonly used housekeeping genes, namely, TATA-box binding protein (TBP), cyclophilin (CypA), β-2-microglobulin (B2M), 18S rRNA (18S), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α), glucuronidase beta (GUSB), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT-1), β-ACTIN, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in patients with COVID-19 of various severities (asymptomatic, mild, moderate, and severe) and those with CAM. We used statistical algorithms (delta-CT [threshold cycle], NormFinder, BestKeeper, GeNorm, and RefFinder) to select the most appropriate reference gene and observed that clinical severity profoundly influences expression stability of reference genes. CypA demonstrated the most consistent expression irrespective of disease severity and emerged as the most suitable reference gene in COVID-19 and CAM. Incidentally, GAPDH, the most commonly used reference gene, showed the maximum variations in expression and emerged as the least suitable. Next, we determined expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-15 using CypA and GAPDH as internal controls and show that CypA-normalized expression matches well with the RNA sequencing-based expression of these genes. Further, IL-6 expression correlated well with the plasma levels of IL-6 and C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. In conclusion, GAPDH emerged as the least suitable and CypA as the most suitable reference gene in COVID-19 and CAM. The results highlight the expression variability of housekeeping genes due to disease severity and provide a strong rationale for identification of appropriate reference genes in other chronic conditions as well. IMPORTANCE Gene expression studies are critical to develop new diagnostics, therapeutics, and prognostic modalities. However, accurate determination of expression requires data normalization with a reference gene, whose expression does not vary across different disease stages. Misidentification of a reference gene can produce inaccurate results. Unfortunately, despite the global impact of COVID-19 and an urgent unmet need for better treatment, not a single study has investigated the expression stability of housekeeping genes across the disease spectrum to determine their suitability as internal controls. Our study identifies CypA and then TBP as the two most suitable reference genes for COVID-19 and CAM. Further, GAPDH, the most commonly used reference gene in COVID-19 studies, turned out to be the least suitable. This work fills an important gap in the field and promises to facilitate determination of an accurate expression of genes to catalyze development of novel molecular diagnostics and therapeutics for improved patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Kumar
- Laboratory of Infection Biology and Translational Research, Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ayaan Ahmad
- Laboratory of Infection Biology and Translational Research, Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Namrata Kushwaha
- Laboratory of Infection Biology and Translational Research, Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Niti Shokeen
- Laboratory of Infection Biology and Translational Research, Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sheetal Negi
- Laboratory of Infection Biology and Translational Research, Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Kamini Gautam
- Laboratory of Infection Biology and Translational Research, Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Anup Singh
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Pavan Tiwari
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Disorders, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Garg
- Department of Onco-Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Pain and Palliative Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Richa Agarwal
- Department of Onco-Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Pain and Palliative Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Anant Mohan
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Disorders, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Anjan Trikha
- Department of Onco-Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Pain and Palliative Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Alok Thakar
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Vikram Saini
- Laboratory of Infection Biology and Translational Research, Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
- Biosafety Laboratory-3, Centralized Core Research Facility (CCRF), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
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Caffeine-Induced Acute and Delayed Responses in Cerebral Metabolism of Control and Schizophrenia-Like Wisket Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158186. [PMID: 35897774 PMCID: PMC9331118 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, morphological impairments have been detected in the brain of a triple-hit rat schizophrenia model (Wisket), and delayed depressive effects of caffeine treatment in both control and Wisket animals have also been shown. The aims of this study were to determine the basal and caffeine-induced acute (30 min) and delayed (24 h) changes in the cerebral 18fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake by positron emission tomography (PET) in control and Wisket rats. No significant differences were identified in the basal whole-brain metabolism between the two groups, and the metabolism was not modified acutely by a single intraperitoneal caffeine (20 mg/kg) injection in either group. However, one day after caffeine administration, significantly enhanced 18F-FDG uptake was detected in the whole brain and the investigated areas (hippocampus, striatum, thalamus, and hypothalamus) in the control group. Although the Wisket animals showed only moderate enhancements in the 18F-FDG uptake, significantly lower brain metabolism was observed in this group than in the caffeine-treated control group. This study highlights that the basal brain metabolism of Wisket animals was similar to control rats, and that was not influenced acutely by single caffeine treatment at the whole-brain level. Nevertheless, the distinct delayed responsiveness to this psychostimulant in Wisket model rats suggests impaired control of the cerebral metabolism.
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Adlan LG, Csordás-Nagy M, Bodosi B, Kalmár G, Nyúl LG, Nagy A, Kekesi G, Büki A, Horvath G. Sleep-Wake Rhythm and Oscillatory Pattern Analysis in a Multiple Hit Schizophrenia Rat Model (Wisket). Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:799271. [PMID: 35153694 PMCID: PMC8831724 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.799271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Electroencephalography studies in schizophrenia reported impairments in circadian rhythm and oscillatory activity, which may reflect the deficits in cognitive and sensory processing. The current study evaluated the circadian rhythm and the state-dependent oscillatory pattern in control Wistar and a multiple hit schizophrenia rat model (Wisket) using custom-made software for identification of the artifacts and the classification of sleep-wake stages and the active and quiet awake substages. The Wisket animals have a clear light-dark cycle similar to controls, and their sleep-wake rhythm showed only a tendency to spend more time in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and less in rapid eye movement (REM) stages. In spite of the weak diurnal variation in oscillation in both groups, the Wisket rats had higher power in the low-frequency delta, alpha, and beta bands and lower power in the high-frequency theta and gamma bands in most stages. Furthermore, the significant differences between the two groups were pronounced in the active waking substage. These data suggest that the special changes in the oscillatory pattern of this schizophrenia rat model may have a significant role in the impaired cognitive functions observed in previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leatitia Gabriella Adlan
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Mátyás Csordás-Nagy
- Department of Technical Informatics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, Institute of Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Balázs Bodosi
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - György Kalmár
- Department of Technical Informatics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, Institute of Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - László G. Nyúl
- Department of Image Processing and Computer Graphics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, Institute of Informatics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Attila Nagy
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Kekesi
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Alexandra Büki
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gyongyi Horvath
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- *Correspondence: Gyongyi Horvath,
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Büki A, Bohár Z, Kekesi G, Vécsei L, Horvath G. Wisket rat model of schizophrenia: Impaired motivation and, altered brain structure, but no anhedonia. Physiol Behav 2021; 244:113651. [PMID: 34800492 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
It is well-known that the poor cognition in schizophrenia is strongly linked to negative symptoms, including motivational deficit, which due to, at least partially, anhedonia. The goal of this study was to explore whether the schizophrenia-like Wisket animals with impaired motivation (obtained in the reward-based hole-board test), also show decreased hedonic behavior (investigated with the sucrose preference test). While neurochemical alterations of different neurotransmitter systems have been detected in the Wisket rats, no research has been performed on structural changes. Therefore, our additional aim was to reveal potential neuroanatomical and structural alterations in different brain regions in these rats. The rats showed decreased general motor activity (locomotion, rearing and exploration) and impaired task performance in the hole-board test compared to the controls, whereas no significant difference was observed in the sucrose preference test between the groups. The Wisket rats exhibited a significant decrease in the frontal cortical thickness and the hippocampal area, and moderate increases in the lateral ventricles and cell disarray in the CA3 subfield of hippocampus. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the hedonic behavior and neuroanatomical alterations in a multi-hit animal model of schizophrenia. The results obtained in the sucrose preference test suggest that anhedonic behavior might not be involved in the impaired motivation obtained in the hole-board test. The neuropathological changes agree with findings obtained in patients with schizophrenia, which refine the high face validity of the Wisket model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Büki
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 10., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary.
| | - Zsuzsanna Bohár
- MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, H-6725, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Kekesi
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 10., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary
| | - László Vécsei
- MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, H-6725, Hungary; Department of Neurology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6., Szeged, H-6725, Hungary; Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Department of Neurology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6., Szeged, H-6725 Hungary
| | - Gyongyi Horvath
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 10., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary
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Friuli M, Eramo B, Valenza M, Scuderi C, Provensi G, Romano A. Targeting the Oxytocinergic System: A Possible Pharmacological Strategy for the Treatment of Inflammation Occurring in Different Chronic Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10250. [PMID: 34638587 PMCID: PMC8508899 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Unresolved inflammation represents a central feature of different human pathologies including neuropsychiatric, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases. The epidemiologic relevance of such disorders justifies the increasing interest in further understanding the mechanisms underpinning the inflammatory process occurring in such chronic diseases to provide potential novel pharmacological approaches. The most common and effective therapies for controlling inflammation are glucocorticoids; however, a variety of other molecules have been demonstrated to have an anti-inflammatory potential, including neuropeptides. In recent years, the oxytocinergic system has seen an explosion of scientific studies, demonstrating its potential to contribute to a variety of physiological processes including inflammation. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to understand the role of oxytocin in the modulation of inflammation occurring in different chronic diseases. The criterion we used to select the diseases was based on the emerging literature showing a putative involvement of the oxytocinergic system in inflammatory processes in a variety of pathologies including neurological, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders, diabetes and obesity. The evidence reviewed here supports a beneficial role of oxytocin in the control of both peripheral and central inflammatory response happening in the aforementioned pathologies. Although future studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanistic details underlying such regulation, this review supports the idea that the modulation of the endogenous oxytocinergic system might represent a new potential pharmacological approach for the treatment of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzia Friuli
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.F.); (B.E.); (M.V.); (C.S.)
| | - Barbara Eramo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.F.); (B.E.); (M.V.); (C.S.)
| | - Marta Valenza
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.F.); (B.E.); (M.V.); (C.S.)
| | - Caterina Scuderi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.F.); (B.E.); (M.V.); (C.S.)
| | - Gustavo Provensi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Section of Pharmacology of Toxicology, University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy;
| | - Adele Romano
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.F.); (B.E.); (M.V.); (C.S.)
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Tapias-Espinosa C, Cañete T, Sampedro-Viana D, Brudek T, Kaihøj A, Oliveras I, Tobeña A, Aznar S, Fernández-Teruel A. Oxytocin attenuates schizophrenia-like reduced sensorimotor gating in outbred and inbred rats in line with strain differences in CD38 gene expression. Physiol Behav 2021; 240:113547. [PMID: 34364851 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response is a measure of sensorimotor gating that is impaired in many clinical conditions, including schizophrenia. The inbred Roman high-avoidance (RHA) rats, compared to their low-avoidance (RLA) counterparts, show distinct schizophrenia-like phenotypes, such as spontaneous deficits in PPI accompanied by decreased medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activity and volume. Schizophrenia-like deficits are usually attenuated by antipsychotic drugs, but these drugs often produce severe side effects. In order to reduce these side effects, the neuropeptide oxytocin has been proposed as an alternative natural antipsychotic for schizophrenia. Here, we examined the effects of peripheral oxytocin administration (saline, 0.04, and 0.2 mg/kg) on PPI in the RHA vs. RLA rats, as well as in the outbred heterogeneous stock (HS) rats. Our results showed that oxytocin increased PPI in the HS rats and attenuated PPI deficits in the RHA rats, but it did not significantly affect PPI in the RLAs. To explore whether these divergent effects were associated with differences in oxytocinergic mechanisms, we analyzed gene expression of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and the regulator of oxytocin release (CD38) in the mPFC of the Roman rats. Consistent with the differential oxytocin effects on PPI (RHA > RLA), constitutive CD38 expression was reduced in the RHA rats compared to the RLAs, while oxytocin administration increased OXTR expression in both strains. Overall, the present work reveals that oxytocin administration shows antipsychotic-like effects on PPI in outbred and inbred rats, and it suggests that these effects may be related to basal differences in oxytocin-mediated mechanisms in the mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carles Tapias-Espinosa
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Toni Cañete
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tomasz Brudek
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Center for Translational Research, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anna Kaihøj
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Center for Translational Research, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susana Aznar
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Copenhagen Center for Translational Research, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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Caffeine - treat or trigger? Disparate behavioral and long-term dopaminergic changes in control and schizophrenia-like Wisket rats. Physiol Behav 2021; 236:113410. [PMID: 33819453 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The influence of caffeine on behavioral functions in both healthy and schizophrenic subjects is controversial. Here we aimed to reveal the effects of repeated caffeine pre- and post-training treatments on motor and exploratory activities and cognitive functions in a reward-based test (Ambitus) along with a brain region-specific dopamine D2 receptor profile in control and schizophrenia-like WISKET model rats. In the control animals, pre-treatment caused temporary enhancement in motor activity, while permanent improvement in learning function was detected in the WISKET animals. Post-treatment produced significant impairments in both groups. Caffeine caused short-lasting hyperactivity followed by a rebound in the inactive phase determined in undisturbed circumstance. Caffeine treatment substantially enhanced the dopamine D2 receptor mediated G-protein activation in the prefrontal cortex and olfactory bulb of both groups, while it increased in the dorsal striatum and cerebral cortex only in the WISKET animals. Caffeine enhanced the maximal binding capacity in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of WISKET animals, but it decreased in the prefrontal cortex of the control animals. Regarding the dopamine D2 receptor mRNA expression, caffeine treatment caused significant enhancement in the prefrontal cortex of WISKET animals, while it increased the hippocampal dopamine D2 receptor protein amount in both groups. This study highlights the disparate effects of caffeine pre- versus post-training treatments on behavioral parameters in both control and schizophrenia-like animals and the prolonged changes in the dopaminergic system. It is supposed that the delayed depressive effects of caffeine might be compensated by frequent coffee intake, as observed in schizophrenic patients.
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Amiri S, Dizaji R, Momeny M, Gauvin E, Hosseini MJ. Clozapine attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory gene expression, and behavioral abnormalities in an animal model of schizophrenia. Neuropharmacology 2021; 187:108503. [PMID: 33636190 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Beyond abnormalities in the neurotransmitter hypothesis, recent evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction and immune-inflammatory responses contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) undergoes maturation and development during adolescence, which is a critical time window in life that is vulnerable to environmental adversities and the development of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Applying eight weeks of post-weaning social isolation stress (PWSI) to rats, as an animal model of schizophrenia, we decided to investigate the effects of PWSI on the mitochondrial function and expression of immune-inflammatory genes in the PFC of normal and stressed rats. To do this, control and PWSI rats were divided into treatment (clozapine; CLZ, 2.5 mg/kg/day for 28 days) and non-treatment sub-groups. Our results showed PWSI caused schizophrenic-like behaviors in rats and induced mitochondrial dysfunction as well as upregulation of genes associated with innate immunity in the PFC. Chronic treatment with CLZ attenuated the effects of PWSI on behavioral abnormalities, mitochondrial dysfunction, and immune-inflammatory responses in the PFC of rats. These results may advance our understanding about the mechanism of action of CLZ that targets mitochondrial dysfunction and immune-inflammatory responses as factors involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shayan Amiri
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rana Dizaji
- Zanjan Applied Pharmacology Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Majid Momeny
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Shariati Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Evan Gauvin
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, St Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Mir-Jamal Hosseini
- Zanjan Applied Pharmacology Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran; Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
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Pain Sensitivity in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Narrative Review of Recent Work. PSYCHIATRY INTERNATIONAL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/psychiatryint2010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many patients with schizophrenia seem relatively immune to physical pain while others complain of constant pain. This may result from disturbances or alterations of the sensory threshold for pain in populations with psychosis, a possibility for which there is some preliminary evidence. The inconsistency in pain perception may, in part, be explained by the treatments patients receive, but treatment-naïve patients also exhibit differences in response to pain. This suggests that decreased pain sensitivity may represent a specific psychosis endophenotype. Thus far, few experimental studies have investigated sensory thresholds, pain modalities, or other factors contributing to the perception or expression of physical pain in psychosis. A digital search for information on this topic was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar. The result is a non-systematic, narrative review focusing on recent clinical and experimental findings of pain sensitivity in patients with psychosis. Importantly, physical and mental pain are closely connected constructs that may be difficult to differentiate. Our hope is that the review provides some clarity to the field in the specific context of schizophrenia.
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Péczely L, Kékesi G, Kállai V, Ollmann T, László K, Büki A, Lénárd L, Horváth G. Effects of D 2 dopamine receptor activation in the ventral pallidum on sensory gating and food-motivated learning in control and schizophrenia model (Wisket) rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 400:113047. [PMID: 33279633 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs) of the ventral pallidum (VP) play important role in motivational and learning processes, however, their potential role in triggering schizophrenic symptoms has not been investigated, yet. In the present experiments the effects of locally administered D2R agonist quinpirole were investigated on behavioral parameters related to sensorimotor gating, motor activity and food-motivated labyrinth learning. Two weeks after bilateral implantation of microcannulae into the VP, the acute (30 min) and delayed (3, 21 and 24 h) effects of quinpirole microinjection (1 μg/0.4 μL at both sides) were investigated in Wistar and schizophrenia model (Wisket substrain) rats in prepulse inhibition (PPI) and the reward-based Ambitus tests. Quinpirole administration did not modify the impaired sensorimotor gating in Wisket rats, but it led to significant deficit in Wistar animals. Regarding the locomotor activity in the Ambitus test, no effects of quinpirole were detected in either groups at the investigated time points. In contrast, quinpirole resulted in decreased exploratory and food-collecting activities in Wistar rats with 21 and 24 h delay. Though, impaired food-related motivation could be observed in Wisket rats, but quinpirole treatment did not result in further deterioration. In summary, our results showed that the VP D2R activation in Wistar rats induces symptoms similar to those observed in schizophrenia model Wisket rats. These data suggest that Wisket rats might have significant alterations in the functional activity of VP, which might be due to its enhanced dopaminergic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Péczely
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Centre for Neuroscience, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary.
| | - Gabriella Kékesi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Veronika Kállai
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Centre for Neuroscience, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Tamás Ollmann
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Centre for Neuroscience, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Kristóf László
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Centre for Neuroscience, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Alexandra Büki
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - László Lénárd
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Molecular Neuroendocrinology and Neurophysiology Research Group, Szentágothai Research Centre, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary; Centre for Neuroscience, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gyöngyi Horváth
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
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Szűcs E, Ducza E, Büki A, Kekesi G, Benyhe S, Horvath G. Characterization of dopamine D2 receptor binding, expression and signaling in different brain regions of control and schizophrenia-model Wisket rats. Brain Res 2020; 1748:147074. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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