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Dalton GD, Siecinski SK, Nikolova VD, Cofer GP, Hornburg KJ, Qi Y, Johnson GA, Jiang YH, Moy SS, Gregory SG. Transcriptome analysis identifies an ASD-Like phenotype in oligodendrocytes and microglia from C58/J amygdala that is dependent on sex and sociability. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2024; 20:14. [PMID: 38898502 PMCID: PMC11188533 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-024-00240-3] [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] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with higher incidence in males and is characterized by atypical verbal/nonverbal communication, restricted interests that can be accompanied by repetitive behavior, and disturbances in social behavior. This study investigated brain mechanisms that contribute to sociability deficits and sex differences in an ASD animal model. METHODS Sociability was measured in C58/J and C57BL/6J mice using the 3-chamber social choice test. Bulk RNA-Seq and snRNA-Seq identified transcriptional changes in C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala within which DMRseq was used to measure differentially methylated regions in amygdala. RESULTS C58/J mice displayed divergent social strata in the 3-chamber test. Transcriptional and pathway signatures revealed immune-related biological processes differ between C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala. Hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes were identified in C58/J versus C57BL/6J amygdala. snRNA-Seq data in C58/J amygdala identified differential transcriptional signatures within oligodendrocytes and microglia characterized by increased ASD risk gene expression and predicted impaired myelination that was dependent on sex and sociability. RNA velocity, gene regulatory network, and cell communication analysis showed diminished oligodendrocyte/microglia differentiation. Findings were verified using Bulk RNA-Seq and demonstrated oxytocin's beneficial effects on myelin gene expression. LIMITATIONS Our findings are significant. However, limitations can be noted. The cellular mechanisms linking reduced oligodendrocyte differentiation and reduced myelination to an ASD phenotype in C58/J mice need further investigation. Additional snRNA-Seq and spatial studies would determine if effects in oligodendrocytes/microglia are unique to amygdala or if this occurs in other brain regions. Oxytocin's effects need further examination to understand its' potential as an ASD therapeutic. CONCLUSIONS Our work demonstrates the C58/J mouse model's utility in evaluating the influence of sex and sociability on the transcriptome in concomitant brain regions involved in ASD. Our single-nucleus transcriptome analysis elucidates potential pathological roles of oligodendrocytes and microglia in ASD. This investigation provides details regarding regulatory features disrupted in these cell types, including transcriptional gene dysregulation, aberrant cell differentiation, altered gene regulatory networks, and changes to key pathways that promote microglia/oligodendrocyte differentiation. Our studies provide insight into interactions between genetic risk and epigenetic processes associated with divergent affiliative behavior and lack of positive sociability.
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Affiliation(s)
- George D Dalton
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - Stephen K Siecinski
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - Viktoriya D Nikolova
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | - Gary P Cofer
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | | | - Yi Qi
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - G Allan Johnson
- Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Yong-Hui Jiang
- Department of Genetics, Neuroscience, and Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Sheryl S Moy
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | - Simon G Gregory
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27701, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, 300 N. Duke Street, DUMC 104775, Durham, NC, 27701, USA.
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Szabó J, Mlynár M, Feješ A, Renczés E, Borbélyová V, Ostatníková D, Celec P. Intranasal oxytocin in a genetic animal model of autism. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:342-347. [PMID: 38102481 PMCID: PMC11116098 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02330-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders mainly characterized by deficient sociability and repetitive behaviors. Effective treatment for the core symptoms of ASD is still lacking. Behavioral interventions show limited effectiveness, while pharmacotherapy focuses on the amelioration of secondary symptomatology. Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide known for its prosocial impact, making it a candidate drug for ASD treatment. Its alleviating effect has been and still is widely researched, but outcomes reported by clinical studies are ambiguous. We examined the effect of daily intranasal OXT (0.8 IU/kg) administration for 4 weeks on the ASD-like phenotype in Shank3-/- adult mice. Animals treated with OXT spent twice as much time interacting with the social partner as early as after 2 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, OXT-treated mice exhibited reduced explorative behavior by 50%, after 4 weeks of treatment, and a 30% reduction in repetitive behavior, 4 weeks after treatment termination. One-fold higher sociability and 30% reduced exploration due to OXT lasted up to 4 weeks following the treatment termination. However, social disinterest was elevated by roughly 10% as well, indicating a form of social ambivalence. Obtained results support the therapeutic potential of intranasally administered OXT in alleviating social shortfalls in a genetic model of ASD. Subsequent research is necessary to elucidate the benefits and risks of the long-term OXT administration, as well as its applicability in other ASD models and the potential treatment effect on social communication, which was not measured in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Szabó
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Matúš Mlynár
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andrej Feješ
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Emese Renczés
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Veronika Borbélyová
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Daniela Ostatníková
- Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Peter Celec
- Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
- Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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3
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Rodnyy AY, Kondaurova EM, Tsybko AS, Popova NK, Kudlay DA, Naumenko VS. The brain serotonin system in autism. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:1-20. [PMID: 37415576 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0055] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are among the most common neurodevelopmental diseases. These disorders are characterized by lack of social interaction, by repetitive behavior, and often anxiety and learning disabilities. The brain serotonin (5-HT) system is known to be crucially implicated in a wide range of physiological functions and in the control of different kinds of normal and pathological behavior. A growing number of studies indicate the involvement of the brain 5-HT system in the mechanisms underlying both ASD development and ASD-related behavioral disorders. There are some review papers describing the role of separate key players of the 5-HT system in an ASD and/or autistic-like behavior. In this review, we summarize existing data on the participation of all members of the brain 5-HT system, namely, 5-HT transporter, tryptophan hydroxylase 2, MAOA, and 5-HT receptors, in autism in human and various animal models. Additionally, we describe the most recent studies involving modern techniques for in vivo regulation of gene expression that are aimed at identifying exact roles of 5-HT receptors, MAOA, and 5-HT transporter in the mechanisms underlying autistic-like behavior. Altogether, results of multiple research articles show that the brain 5-HT system intimately partakes in the control of some types of ASD-related behavior, and that specific changes in a function of a certain 5-HT receptor, transporter, and/or enzyme may normalize this aberrant behavior. These data give hope that some of clinically used 5-HT-related drugs have potential for ASD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Ya Rodnyy
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Elena M Kondaurova
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Anton S Tsybko
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Nina K Popova
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Dmitry A Kudlay
- NRC Institute of Immunology FMBA of Russia, Kashirskoe Highway 24, Moscow 115522, Russia
- Sechenov's University, 8-2 Trubetskaya Str., Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Vladimir S Naumenko
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akad. Lavrentyeva Ave. 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
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4
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Dalton GD, Siecinski SK, Nikolova VD, Cofer GP, Hornburg K, Qi Y, Johnson GA, Jiang YH, Moy SS, Gregory SG. Transcriptome Analysis Identifies An ASD-Like Phenotype In Oligodendrocytes And Microglia From C58/J Amygdala That Is Dependent On Sex and Sociability. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.15.575733. [PMID: 38293238 PMCID: PMC10827122 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.15.575733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Background Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with higher incidence in males and is characterized by atypical verbal/nonverbal communication, restricted interests that can be accompanied by repetitive behavior, and disturbances in social behavior. This study investigated brain mechanisms that contribute to sociability deficits and sex differences in an ASD animal model. Methods Sociability was measured in C58/J and C57BL/6J mice using the 3-chamber social choice test. Bulk RNA-Seq and snRNA-Seq identified transcriptional changes in C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala within which DMRseq was used to measure differentially methylated regions in amygdala. Results C58/J mice displayed divergent social strata in the 3-chamber test. Transcriptional and pathway signatures revealed immune-related biological processes differ between C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala. Hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes were identified in C58/J versus C57BL/6J amygdala. snRNA-Seq data in C58/J amygdala identified differential transcriptional signatures within oligodendrocytes and microglia characterized by increased ASD risk gene expression and predicted impaired myelination that was dependent on sex and sociability. RNA velocity, gene regulatory network, and cell communication analysis showed diminished oligodendrocyte/microglia differentiation. Findings were verified using bulk RNA-Seq and demonstrated oxytocin's beneficial effects on myelin gene expression. Limitations Our findings are significant. However, limitations can be noted. The cellular mechanisms linking reduced oligodendrocyte differentiation and reduced myelination to an ASD phenotype in C58/J mice need further investigation. Additional snRNA-Seq and spatial studies would determine if effects in oligodendrocytes/microglia are unique to amygdala or if this occurs in other brain regions. Oxytocin's effects need further examination to understand its potential as an ASD therapeutic. Conclusions Our work demonstrates the C58/J mouse model's utility in evaluating the influence of sex and sociability on the transcriptome in concomitant brain regions involved in ASD. Our single-nucleus transcriptome analysis elucidates potential pathological roles of oligodendrocytes and microglia in ASD. This investigation provides details regarding regulatory features disrupted in these cell types, including transcriptional gene dysregulation, aberrant cell differentiation, altered gene regulatory networks, and changes to key pathways that promote microglia/oligodendrocyte differentiation. Our studies provide insight into interactions between genetic risk and epigenetic processes associated with divergent affiliative behavior and lack of positive sociability.
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5
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Tsingotjidou AS. Oxytocin: A Multi-Functional Biomolecule with Potential Actions in Dysfunctional Conditions; From Animal Studies and Beyond. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1603. [PMID: 36358953 PMCID: PMC9687803 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a hormone secreted from definite neuroendocrine neurons located in specific nuclei in the hypothalamus (mainly from paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei), and its main known function is the contraction of uterine and/or mammary gland cells responsible for parturition and breastfeeding. Among the actions of the peripherally secreted oxytocin is the prevention of different degenerative disorders. These actions have been proven in cell culture and in animal models or have been tested in humans based on hypotheses from previous studies. This review presents the knowledge gained from the previous studies, displays the results from oxytocin intervention and/or treatment and proposes that the well described actions of oxytocin might be connected to other numerous, diverse actions of the biomolecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia S Tsingotjidou
- Laboratory of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54 124 Thessaloniki, Greece
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6
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Oxytocin-based therapies for treatment of Prader-Willi and Schaaf-Yang syndromes: evidence, disappointments, and future research strategies. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:318. [PMID: 35941105 PMCID: PMC9360032 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02054-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The prosocial neuropeptide oxytocin is being developed as a potential treatment for various neuropsychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Early studies using intranasal oxytocin in patients with ASD yielded encouraging results and for some time, scientists and affected families placed high hopes on the use of intranasal oxytocin for behavioral therapy in ASD. However, a recent Phase III trial obtained negative results using intranasal oxytocin for the treatment of behavioral symptoms in children with ASD. Given the frequently observed autism-like behavioral phenotypes in Prader-Willi and Schaaf-Yang syndromes, it is unclear whether oxytocin treatment represents a viable option to treat behavioral symptoms in these diseases. Here we review the latest findings on intranasal OT treatment, Prader-Willi and Schaaf-Yang syndromes, and propose novel research strategies for tailored oxytocin-based therapies for affected individuals. Finally, we propose the critical period theory, which could explain why oxytocin-based treatment seems to be most efficient in infants, but not adolescents.
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7
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Takayama K, Tobori S, Andoh C, Kakae M, Hagiwara M, Nagayasu K, Shirakawa H, Ago Y, Kaneko S. Autism Spectrum Disorder Model Mice Induced by Prenatal Exposure to Valproic Acid Exhibit Enhanced Empathy-Like Behavior <i>via</i> Oxytocinergic Signaling. Biol Pharm Bull 2022; 45:1124-1132. [DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b22-00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaito Takayama
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
| | - Shota Tobori
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
| | - Chihiro Andoh
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
| | - Masashi Kakae
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
| | - Masako Hagiwara
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
| | - Kazuki Nagayasu
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
| | - Hisashi Shirakawa
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
| | - Yukio Ago
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University
| | - Shuji Kaneko
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University
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8
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Lindenmaier Z, Ellegood J, Stuive M, Easson K, Yee Y, Fernandes D, Foster J, Anagnostou E, Lerch JP. Examining the effect of chronic intranasal oxytocin administration on the neuroanatomy and behavior of three autism-related mouse models. Neuroimage 2022; 257:119243. [PMID: 35508216 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Although initially showing great potential, oxytocin treatment has encountered a translational hurdle in its promise of treating the social deficits of autism. Some debate surrounds the ability of oxytocin to successfully enter the brain, and therefore modify neuroanatomy. Moreover, given the heterogeneous nature of autism, treatment will only amerliorate symptoms in a subset of patients. Therefore, to determine whether oxytocin changes brain circuitry, and whether it does so variably, depending on genotype, we implemented a large randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, preclinical study on chronic intranasal oxytocin treatment in three different mouse models related to autism with a focus on using neuroanatomical phenotypes to assess and subset treatment response. Intranasal oxytocin (0.6IU) was administered daily, for 28 days, starting at 5 weeks of age to the 16p11.2 deletion, Shank3 (exon 4-9) knockout, and Fmr1 knockout mouse models. Given the sensitivity of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the neurological effects of interventions like drugs, along with many other advantages, the mice underwent in vivo longitudinal and high-resolution ex vivo imaging with MRI. The scans included three in vivo T1weighted, 90um isotropic resolution scans and a T2-weighted, 3D fast spin echo with 40um isotropic resolution ex vivo scan to assess the changes in neuroanatomy using established automated image registration and deformation based morphometry approaches in response to oxytocin treatment. The behavior of the mice was assessed in multiple domains, including social behaviours and repetitive behaviours, among others. Treatment effect on the neuroanatomy did not reach significance, although the pattern of trending effects was promising. No significant effect of treatment was found on social behavior in any of the strains, although a significant effect of treatment was found in the Fmr1 mouse, with treatment normalizing a grooming deficit. No other treatment effect on behavior was observed that survived multiple comparisons correction. Overall, chronic treatment with oxytocin had limited effects on the three mouse models related to autism, and no promising pattern of response susceptibility emerged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsuzsa Lindenmaier
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Monique Stuive
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kaitlyn Easson
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yohan Yee
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Darren Fernandes
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jane Foster
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, St.Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Autism Research Center, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative NeuroImaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Current knowledge, challenges, new perspectives of the study, and treatments of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 106:82-93. [PMID: 34695561 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 70 years, the understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) improved greatly and is characterized as a heterogeneous neuropsychiatric syndrome. ASD is characterized by difficulties in social communication, restricted and repetitive behavior, interests, or activities. And it is often described as a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. There are many treatments and approaches to ASD, including pharmacological therapies with antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood regulators, stimulants, and behavioral ones. However, no treatment is capable of reverting ASD. This review provides an overview of animal models of autism. We summarized genetic and environmental models and then valproic acid treatment as a useful model for ASD. As well as the main therapies and approaches used in the treatment, relating them to the neurochemical pathways altered in ASD, emphasizing the pharmacological potential of peptides and bioinspired compounds found in animal venoms as a possible future treatment for ASD.
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Zhu W, Ding Z, Zhang Z, Wu X, Liu X, Zhang Y, Li S, Zhou L, Tian G, Qin J. Enhancement of Oxytocin in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Reverses Behavioral Deficits Induced by Repeated Ketamine Administration in Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:723064. [PMID: 34566567 PMCID: PMC8462509 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.723064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ketamine is a popular recreational substance of abuse that induces persistent behavioral deficits. Although disrupted oxytocinergic systems have been considered to modulate vulnerability to developing drugs of abuse, the involvement of central oxytocin in behavioral abnormalities caused by chronic ketamine has remained largely unknown. Herein, we aimed to investigate the potential role of oxytocin in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in social avoidance and cognitive impairment resulting from repeated ketamine administration in mice. We found that ketamine injection (5 mg/kg, i.p.) for 10 days followed by a 6-day withdrawal period induced behavioral disturbances in social interaction and cognitive performance, as well as reduced oxytocin levels both at the periphery and in the mPFC. Repeated ketamine exposure also inhibited mPFC neuronal activity as measured by a decrease in c-fos-positive cells. Furthermore, direct microinjection of oxytocin into the mPFC reversed the social avoidance and cognitive impairment following chronic ketamine exposure. In addition, oxytocin administration normalized ketamine-induced inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels. Moreover, the activation of immune markers such as neutrophils and monocytes, by ketamine was restored in oxytocin-treated mice. Finally, the reversal effects of oxytocin on behavioral performance were blocked by pre-infusion of the oxytocin receptor antagonist atosiban into the mPFC. These results demonstrate that enhancing oxytocin signaling in the mPFC is a potential pathway to reverse social avoidance and cognitive impairment caused by ketamine, partly through inhibition of inflammatory stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weili Zhu
- National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University & Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zengbo Ding
- National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University & Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihui Zhang
- Department of Stomatology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Wu
- National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University & Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoya Liu
- Precision Medicine Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- Precision Medicine Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Suxia Li
- National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University & Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Liping Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University & Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Geng Tian
- Precision Medicine Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Jing Qin
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University & Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
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11
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Pan S, Yin K, Tang Z, Wang S, Chen Z, Wang Y, Zhu H, Han Y, Liu M, Jiang M, Xu N, Zhang G. Stimulation of hypothalamic oxytocin neurons suppresses colorectal cancer progression in mice. eLife 2021; 10:e67535. [PMID: 34528509 PMCID: PMC8536257 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that the nervous system is involved in tumor development in the periphery, however, the role of the central nervous system remains largely unknown. Here, by combining genetic, chemogenetic, pharmacological, and electrophysiological approaches, we show that hypothalamic oxytocin (Oxt)-producing neurons modulate colitis-associated cancer (CAC) progression in mice. Depletion or activation of Oxt neurons could augment or suppress CAC progression. Importantly, brain treatment with celastrol, a pentacyclic triterpenoid, excites Oxt neurons and inhibits CAC progression, and this anti-tumor effect was significantly attenuated in Oxt neuron-lesioned mice. Furthermore, brain treatment with celastrol suppresses sympathetic neuronal activity in the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion (CG-SMG), and activation of β2 adrenergic receptor abolishes the anti-tumor effect of Oxt neuron activation or centrally administered celastrol. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that hypothalamic Oxt neurons regulate CAC progression by modulating the neuronal activity in the CG-SMG. Stimulation of Oxt neurons using chemicals, for example, celastrol, might be a novel strategy for colorectal cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susu Pan
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical CollegeWuhanChina
- Institute for Brain Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Kaili Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical CollegeWuhanChina
- Institute for Brain Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Zhiwei Tang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Shuren Wang
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical CollegeWuhanChina
- Institute for Brain Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Yirong Wang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Hongxia Zhu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Yunyun Han
- Institute for Brain Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Mei Liu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Man Jiang
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Guo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Health, Ministry of Education, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical CollegeWuhanChina
- Institute for Brain Research, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
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12
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Semple BD, Raghupathi R. A Pro-social Pill? The Potential of Pharmacological Treatments to Improve Social Outcomes After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury. Front Neurol 2021; 12:714253. [PMID: 34489853 PMCID: PMC8417315 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.714253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of injury-induced disability in young children worldwide, and social behavior impairments in this population are a significant challenge for affected patients and their families. The protracted trajectory of secondary injury processes triggered by a TBI during early life-alongside ongoing developmental maturation-offers an extended time window when therapeutic interventions may yield functional benefits. This mini-review explores the scarce but promising pre-clinical literature to date demonstrating that social behavior impairments after early life brain injuries can be modified by drug therapies. Compounds that provide broad neuroprotection, such as those targeting neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, axonal injury and/or myelination, may prevent social behavior impairments by reducing secondary neuropathology. Alternatively, targeted treatments that promote affiliative behaviors, exemplified by the neuropeptide oxytocin, may reduce the impact of social dysfunction after pediatric TBI. Complementary literature from other early life neurodevelopmental conditions such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy also provides avenues for future research in neurotrauma. Knowledge gaps in this emerging field are highlighted throughout, toward the goal of accelerating translational research to support optimal social functioning after a TBI during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridgette D Semple
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Prahran, VIC, Australia.,Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Prahran, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ramesh Raghupathi
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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13
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Nass SR, Lark ARS, Hahn YK, McLane VD, Ihrig TM, Contois L, Napier TC, Knapp PE, Hauser KF. HIV-1 Tat and morphine decrease murine inter-male social interactions and associated oxytocin levels in the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Horm Behav 2021; 133:105008. [PMID: 34171549 PMCID: PMC8277758 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Many persons infected with HIV-1 (PWH) and opioid-dependent individuals experience deficits in sociability that interfere with daily living. Sociability is regulated by the prefrontal cortico-hippocampal-amygdalar circuit. Within this circuit HIV-1 trans-activator of transcription (HIV-1 Tat) and opioids can increase dendritic pathology and alter neuronal firing. Changes in sociability are also associated with dysregulation of hypothalamic neuropeptides such as oxytocin or corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in the prefrontal cortico-hippocampal-amygdalar circuit. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the interaction of HIV-1 Tat and morphine would impair inter-male social interactions and disrupt oxytocin and CRF within the PFC and associated circuitry. Male mice were exposed to HIV-1 Tat for 8 weeks and administered saline or escalating doses of morphine twice daily (s.c.) during the last 2 weeks of HIV-1 Tat exposure. Tat attenuated aggressive interactions with an unknown intruder, whereas morphine decreased both non-aggressive and aggressive social interactions in the resident-intruder test. However, there was no effect of Tat or morphine on non-reciprocal interactions in the social interaction and novelty tests. Tat, but not morphine, decreased oxytocin levels in the PFC and amygdala, whereas both Tat and morphine decreased the percentage of oxytocin-immunoreactive neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). In Tat(+) or morphine-exposed mice, regional levels of CRF and oxytocin correlated with alterations in behavior in the social interaction and novelty tests. Overall, decreased expression of oxytocin in the prefrontal cortico-hippocampal-amygdalar circuit is associated with morphine- and HIV-Tat-induced deficits in social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara R Nass
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0613, USA
| | - Arianna R S Lark
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0613, USA
| | - Yun K Hahn
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0709, USA
| | - Virginia D McLane
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0613, USA
| | - Therese M Ihrig
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0613, USA
| | - Liangru Contois
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0613, USA
| | - T Celeste Napier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612-2847, USA; Center for Compulsive Behavior and Addiction, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612-3818, USA
| | - Pamela E Knapp
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0613, USA; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0709, USA; Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0059, USA
| | - Kurt F Hauser
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0613, USA; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0709, USA; Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia (MCV) Campus, Richmond, VA 23298-0059, USA.
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14
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Lyons-Warren AM, Herman I, Hunt PJ, Arenkiel BR. A systematic-review of olfactory deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders: From mouse to human. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:110-121. [PMID: 33610612 PMCID: PMC8142839 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory impairment is a common clinical motif across neurodevelopmental disorders, suggesting olfactory circuits are particularly vulnerable to disease processes and can provide insight into underlying disease mechanisms. The mouse olfactory bulb is an ideal model system to study mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disease due to its anatomical accessibility, behavioral relevance, ease of measuring circuit input and output, and the feature of adult neurogenesis. Despite the clinical relevance and experimental benefits, olfactory testing across animal models of neurodevelopmental disease has been inconsistent and non-standardized. Here we performed a systematic literature review of olfactory function testing in mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders, and identified intriguing inconsistencies that include evidence for both increased and decreased acuity in odor detection in various mouse models of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Based on our identified gaps in the literature, we recommend direct comparison of different mouse models of ASD using standardized tests for odor detection and discrimination. This review provides a framework to guide future olfactory function testing in mouse models of neurodevelopmental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel M Lyons-Warren
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience; Clinical Care Center, Suite 1250, 6621 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America;,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Isabella Herman
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience; Clinical Care Center, Suite 1250, 6621 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030, United States of America;,Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular & Human Genetics; 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1170.12, Houston TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Patrick J Hunt
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular & Human Genetics; 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1170.12, Houston TX 77030, United States of America
| | - Benjamin R Arenkiel
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular & Human Genetics; 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1170.12, Houston TX 77030, United States of America;,Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience; 1250 Moursund Street, Suite 1170.12, Houston TX 77030, United States of America;,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030 USA.,McNair Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
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15
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Oxytocin in Schizophrenia: Pathophysiology and Implications for Future Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22042146. [PMID: 33670047 PMCID: PMC7926349 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a form of mental disorder that is behaviorally characterized by abnormal behavior, such as social function deficits or other behaviors that are disconnected from reality. Dysregulation of oxytocin may play a role in regulating the expression of schizophrenia. Given oxytocin’s role in social cognition and behavior, a variety of studies have examined the potential clinical benefits of oxytocin in improving the psychopathology of patients with schizophrenia. In this review, we highlight the evidence for the role of endogenous oxytocin in schizophrenia, from animal models to human studies. We further discuss the potential of oxytocin as a therapeutic agent for schizophrenia and its implication in future treatment.
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16
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Benner S, Aoki Y, Watanabe T, Endo N, Abe O, Kuroda M, Kuwabara H, Kawakubo Y, Takao H, Kunimatsu A, Kasai K, Bito H, Kakeyama M, Yamasue H. Neurochemical evidence for differential effects of acute and repeated oxytocin administration. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:710-720. [PMID: 30262887 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0249-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 07/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A discrepancy in oxytocin's behavioral effects between acute and repeated administrations indicates distinct underlying neurobiological mechanisms. The current study employed a combination of human clinical trial and animal study to compare neurochemical changes induced by acute and repeated oxytocin administrations. Human study analyzed medial prefrontal metabolite levels by using 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a secondary outcome in our randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of 6 weeks intranasal administrations of oxytocin (48 IU/day) and placebo within-subject design in 17 psychotropic-free high-functioning men with autism spectrum disorder. Medial prefrontal transcript expression levels were analyzed in adult male C57BL/6J mice after intraperitoneal injection of oxytocin or saline either once (200 ng/100 μL/mouse, n = 12) or for 14 consecutive days (200 ng/100 μL/mouse/day, n = 16). As the results, repeated administration of oxytocin significantly decreased the medial prefrontal N-acetylaspartate (NAA; p = 0.043) and glutamate-glutamine levels (Glx; p = 0.001), unlike the acute oxytocin. The decreases were inversely and specifically associated (r = 0.680, p = 0.004 for NAA; r = 0.491, p = 0.053 for Glx) with oxytocin-induced improvements of medial prefrontal functional MRI activity during a social judgment task not with changes during placebo administrations. In wild-type mice, we found that repeated oxytocin administration reduced medial frontal transcript expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor type 2B (p = 0.018), unlike the acute oxytocin, which instead changed the transcript expression associated with oxytocin (p = 0.0004) and neural activity (p = 0.0002). The present findings suggest that the unique sensitivity of the glutamatergic system to repeated oxytocin administration may explain the differential behavioral effects of oxytocin between acute and repeated administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seico Benner
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yuta Aoki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Takamitsu Watanabe
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.,Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, 17 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Nozomi Endo
- Laboratory for Environmental Brain Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, 359-1192, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8521, Japan
| | - Osamu Abe
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Miho Kuroda
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Kuwabara
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, 431-3192, Japan
| | - Yuki Kawakubo
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hidemasa Takao
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Akira Kunimatsu
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Bito
- Department of Neurochemistry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Masaki Kakeyama
- Laboratory for Environmental Brain Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, 359-1192, Japan
| | - Hidenori Yamasue
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, 431-3192, Japan.
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17
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Amodeo DA, Oliver B, Pahua A, Hitchcock K, Bykowski A, Tice D, Musleh A, Ryan BC. Serotonin 6 receptor blockade reduces repetitive behavior in the BTBR mouse model of autism spectrum disorder. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2021; 200:173076. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.173076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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18
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Su T, Pei L. Acupuncture and oxytocinergic system: The promising treatment for autism. Transl Neurosci 2021; 12:96-102. [PMID: 33633868 PMCID: PMC7896431 DOI: 10.1515/tnsci-2021-0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impairments activities without efficient pharmacological therapies in social interaction, speech and stereotypic patterns. Clinical studies have shown the efficacy of acupuncture as an alternative therapy for autism. The effectiveness of acupuncture as an alternative treatment for autism has been demonstrated through clinical trials. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie these effects remain unclear. Due to its profound pro-social, anxiolytic, stress management effects, and its potential use for the treatment of psychiatric disorders associated with altered socioemotional competence, oxytocin (OT) released from the hypothalamus has attracted considerable interest. In the past decade, a number of clinical and animal studies have shown that OT administration effectively reduces core symptoms of ASD, especially social behavior deficits. Recently, the endocannabinoid system has emerged as a promising target for the treatment of autism. OT was found to facilitate the endocannabinoid-mediated social reward processes in the nucleus accumbens of the mouse brain. Furthermore, serotonin and dopamine are involved in the reward response mediated by OT. In view of these findings, we conclude that acupuncture may produce therapeutic effects on autism by triggering the hypothalamic oxytocin system, which in turn activates the release of neurotransmitters such as endocannabinoids, dopamine and serotonin. This would be a valuable guide for further research on the mechanism of treatment of autism with acupuncture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tangfeng Su
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Lei Pei
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- The Institute for Brain Research (IBR), Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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19
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The promiscuity of the oxytocin-vasopressin systems and their involvement in autism spectrum disorder. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 182:121-140. [PMID: 34266588 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819973-2.00009-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin and vasopressin systems have been studied separately in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we provide evidence from an evolutionary and neuroscience perspective about the shared mechanisms and the common roles in regulating social behaviors. We first discuss findings on the evolutionary history of oxytocin and vasopressin ligands and receptors that highlight their common origin and clarify the evolutionary background of the crosstalk between them. Second, we conducted a comprehensive review of the increasing evidence for the role of both neuropeptides in regulating social behaviors. Third, we reviewed the growing evidence on the associations between the oxytocin/vasopressin systems and ASD, which includes oxytocin and vasopressin dysfunction in animal models of autism and in human patients, and the impact of treatments targeting the oxytocin or the vasopressin systems in children and in adults. Here, we highlight the potential of targeting the oxytocin/vasopressin systems to improve social deficits observed in ASD and the need for further investigations on how to transfer these research innovations into clinical applications.
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20
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Horiai M, Otsuka A, Hidema S, Hiraoka Y, Hayashi R, Miyazaki S, Furuse T, Mizukami H, Teruyama R, Tamura M, Bito H, Maejima Y, Shimomura K, Nishimori K. Targeting oxytocin receptor (Oxtr)-expressing neurons in the lateral septum to restore social novelty in autism spectrum disorder mouse models. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22173. [PMID: 33335150 PMCID: PMC7746761 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79109-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a continuum of neurodevelopmental disorders and needs new therapeutic approaches. Recently, oxytocin (OXT) showed potential as the first anti-ASD drug. Many reports have described the efficacy of intranasal OXT therapy to improve the core symptoms of patients with ASD; however, the underlying neurobiological mechanism remains unknown. The OXT/oxytocin receptor (OXTR) system, through the lateral septum (LS), contributes to social behavior, which is disrupted in ASD. Therefore, we selectively express hM3Dq in OXTR-expressing (OXTR+) neurons in the LS to investigate this effect in ASD mouse models developed by environmental and genetic cues. In mice that received valproic acid (environmental cue), we demonstrated successful recovery of impaired social memory with three-chamber test after OXTR+ neuron activation in the LS. Application of a similar strategy to Nl3R451C knock-in mice (genetic cue) also caused successful recovery of impaired social memory in single field test. OXTR+ neurons in the LS, which are activated by social stimuli, are projected to the CA1 region of the hippocampus. This study identified a candidate mechanism for improving core symptoms of ASD by artificial activation of DREADDs, as a simulation of OXT administration to activate OXTR+ neurons in the LS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Machi Horiai
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan
| | - Ayano Otsuka
- Department of Obesity and Internal Inflammation, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Shizu Hidema
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan.,Department of Obesity and Internal Inflammation, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.,Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hiraoka
- Laboratory for Molecular Neuroscience Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Ryotaro Hayashi
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan.,Innovation Center, Nippon Flour Mills Co., Ltd., 5-1-3 Midorigaoka, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0041, Japan
| | - Shinji Miyazaki
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan
| | - Tamio Furuse
- Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis, Japan Mouse Clinic, RIKEN BioResouce Reserch Center (BRC), 3-1-1 Koyadai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Mizukami
- Division of Genetic Therapeutics, Center for Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Ryoichi Teruyama
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Masaru Tamura
- Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis, Japan Mouse Clinic, RIKEN BioResouce Reserch Center (BRC), 3-1-1 Koyadai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Bito
- Department of Neurochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yuko Maejima
- Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Kenju Shimomura
- Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Nishimori
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, Japan. .,Department of Obesity and Internal Inflammation, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan. .,Department of Bioregulation and Pharmacological Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
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21
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Pandina G, Ring RH, Bangerter A, Ness S. Current Approaches to the Pharmacologic Treatment of Core Symptoms Across the Lifespan of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Psychiatr Clin North Am 2020; 43:629-645. [PMID: 33126999 DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2020.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
There are no approved medications for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) core symptoms. However, given the significant clinical need, children and adults with ASD are prescribed medication off label for core or associated conditions, sometimes based on limited evidence for effectiveness. Recent developments in the understanding of biologic basis of ASD have led to novel targets with potential to impact core symptoms, and several clinical trials are underway. Heterogeneity in course of development, co-occurring conditions, and age-related treatment response variability hampers study outcomes. Novel measures and approaches to ASD clinical trial design will help in development of effective pharmacologic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gahan Pandina
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1125 Trenton Harbouron Road, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA.
| | | | - Abigail Bangerter
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1125 Trenton Harbouron Road, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
| | - Seth Ness
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1125 Trenton Harbouron Road, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
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22
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Chruścicka B, Cowan CSM, Wallace Fitzsimons SE, Borroto-Escuela DO, Druelle CM, Stamou P, Bergmann CA, Dinan TG, Slattery DA, Fuxe K, Cryan JF, Schellekens H. Molecular, biochemical and behavioural evidence for a novel oxytocin receptor and serotonin 2C receptor heterocomplex. Neuropharmacology 2020; 183:108394. [PMID: 33188842 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The complexity of oxytocin-mediated functions is strongly associated with its modulatory effects on other neurotransmission systems, including the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) system. Signalling between oxytocin (OT) and 5-HT has been demonstrated during neurodevelopment and in the regulation of specific emotion-based behaviours. It is suggested that crosstalk between neurotransmitters is driven by interaction between their specific receptors, particularly the oxytocin receptor (OTR) and the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C receptor (5-HTR2C), but evidence for this and the downstream signalling consequences that follow are lacking. Considering the overlapping central expression profiles and shared involvement of OTR and 5-HTR2C in certain endocrine functions and behaviours, including eating behaviour, social interaction and locomotor activity, we investigated the existence of functionally active OTR/5-HTR2C heterocomplexes. Here, we demonstrate evidence for a potential physical interaction between OTR and 5-HTR2Cin vitro in a cellular expression system using flow cytometry-based FRET (fcFRET). We could recapitulate this finding under endogenous expression levels of both receptors via in silico analysis of single cell transcriptomic data and ex vivo proximity ligation assay (PLA). Next, we show that co-expression of the OTR/5-HTR2C pair resulted in a significant depletion of OTR-mediated Gαq-signalling and significant changes in receptor trafficking. Of note, attenuation of OTR-mediated downstream signalling was restored following pharmacological blockade of the 5-HTR2C. Finally, we demonstrated a functional relevance of this novel heterocomplex, in vivo, as 5-HTR2C antagonism increased OT-mediated hypoactivity in mice. Overall, we provide compelling evidence for the formation of functionally active OTR/5-HTR2C heterocomplexes, adding another level of complexity to OTR and 5-HTR2C signalling functionality. This article is part of the special issue on Neuropeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Chruścicka
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Timothy G Dinan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - David A Slattery
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Kjell Fuxe
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Harriët Schellekens
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Chen JY, Strodl E, Huang LH, Chen YJ, Yang GY, Chen WQ. Early Electronic Screen Exposure and Autistic-Like Behaviors among Preschoolers: The Mediating Role of Caregiver-Child Interaction, Sleep Duration and Outdoor Activities. CHILDREN-BASEL 2020; 7:children7110200. [PMID: 33126543 PMCID: PMC7692375 DOI: 10.3390/children7110200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Research into early screen exposure has raised growing concerns about its impact upon children’s neuropsychological well-being. However, possible pathways remain unclear. This study therefore aimed not only to evaluate the association between screen exposure during the ages of 0–3 years and preschoolers’ autistic-like behaviors, but also the mediating roles of the frequency of caregiver-child interaction, sleep duration and level of participation in outdoor activities. Based on the 2017 survey of the Longhua Child Cohort Study, data of 29,595 child-caregiver dyads were obtained via a caregiver-reported questionnaire, with the data from 29,461 dyads included in the data analysis. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were employed to estimate the associations between screen exposure, caregiver-child interaction, sleep duration, outdoor activities, and children’s autistic-like behaviors. The results indicated that screen exposure during 0–3 years of age was associated with the presence of autistic-like behaviors at preschool age, and the strength of the association was enhanced with the increase of average daily screen time (Odds Ratios (ORs) ranging from 1.358 to 4.026). The frequency of caregiver-child interaction and sleep duration mediated 5.32% and 1.19% of the variance of the association respectively, but outdoor activities did not mediate the association. Our findings indicate that preschoolers who are exposed to screens at aged 0–3 years might have an increased risk of autistic-like behaviors, and that, the frequency of caregiver-child interaction and sleep duration might function as potential mediators of this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yi Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.-Y.C.); (L.-H.H.); (Y.-J.C.); (G.-Y.Y.)
| | - Esben Strodl
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4059, Queensland, Australia;
| | - Li-Hua Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.-Y.C.); (L.-H.H.); (Y.-J.C.); (G.-Y.Y.)
| | - Ying-Jie Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.-Y.C.); (L.-H.H.); (Y.-J.C.); (G.-Y.Y.)
| | - Gui-You Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.-Y.C.); (L.-H.H.); (Y.-J.C.); (G.-Y.Y.)
| | - Wei-Qing Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; (J.-Y.C.); (L.-H.H.); (Y.-J.C.); (G.-Y.Y.)
- Department of Information Management, Xinhua College of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-20-87332199; Fax: +86-20-87330446
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Kordás K, Kis-Varga Á, Varga A, Eldering H, Bulthuis R, Lendvai B, Lévay G, Román V. Measuring sociability of mice using a novel three-chamber apparatus and algorithm of the LABORAS™ system. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 343:108841. [PMID: 32621917 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108841] [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: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The social approach and social novelty tests utilizing the three-chamber apparatus are widely accepted to measure social behavior of rodents. The LABORAS™ system offers a possibility to assess sociability of mice in a reliable and objective manner. NEW METHOD We assessed the capability of the LABORAS™ sociability cage and algorithm (2.6.6) to detect social behaviors in mice. Furthermore, we investigated whether the system is able to detect various levels of sociability due to genetic background or after pharmacological treatments. RESULTS By comparing manual scoring with various detection zone settings of the automated registration, the most fitting algorithm with a detection zone radius of 90 mm was identified. When different strains were investigated, C57Bl/6 J and NMRI mice proved to be social, while CD1 mice were found asocial. The system was able to detect the sociability increasing effect of R-baclofen (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) and oxytocin (12 ng i.c.v.) in asocial CD1 mice. The negative control PCP impaired social behavior of C57Bl/6 J mice (1 mg/kg i.p.) and increased social avoidance in CD1 mice (0.3 mg/kg i.p.). COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) This setup, in contrast to video frame analysis softwares, determines signal changes caused by movements of rodents allowing accurate detection and analysis of trajectories. Parallel automated measurements also allow replacing time and labor intensive, highly subjective human observational work. CONCLUSIONS The set-up provides a fast and reliable method to examine social behavior of mice in the three-chamber apparatus. The system is capable of detecting pro or antisocial activity of pharmacological agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Kordás
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Kis-Varga
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anita Varga
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Herman Eldering
- Metris B.V., Kruisweg 829c, 2132NG Hoofddorp, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald Bulthuis
- Metris B.V., Kruisweg 829c, 2132NG Hoofddorp, the Netherlands
| | - Balázs Lendvai
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Lévay
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Viktor Román
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19-21, 1103 Budapest, Hungary.
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25
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Mansouri M, Pouretemad H, Roghani M, Wegener G, Ardalan M. Autistic-like behaviours and associated brain structural plasticity are modulated by oxytocin in maternally separated rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 393:112756. [PMID: 32535183 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early psycho-social experiences influence the developing brain and possible onset of various neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is characterized by a variety of brain abnormalities, including alteration of oxytocin receptors in the brain. Recently, early life adverse experiences, such as maternal separation (MS), have been shown to constitute risk factors for ASD in preclinical studies. Therefore, the main aims of the current study were to i) explore the association between onset of autistic-like behaviours and molecular/structural changes in the brain following MS, and ii) evaluate the possible beneficial effects of oxytocin treatment on the same parameters. METHOD AND MATERIAL Male rats were exposed to the maternal separation from post-natal day (PND) 1 to PND14. After weaning, daily injections of oxytocin (1 mg/kg, ip) were administered (PND 22-30), followed by examination of autism-related behaviours at adolescence (PND 42-50). Brain structural plasticity was examined using stereological methods, and the plasma level of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was analysed using ELISA. RESULTS We found that maternal separation induced autistic-like behaviours, which was associated with increase in the hippocampal CA1 stratum radiatum (CA1.SR) volume. In addition, we observed increase in the infralimbic brain region volume and in the number of the pyramidal neurons in the same brain region. Maternal separation significantly increased the plasma BDNF levels. Treatment with oxytocin improved autistic like behaviours, normalized the number of neurons and the volume of the infralimbic region as well as the plasma BDNF level (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Maternal separation induced autistic-like behaviours, brain structural impairment together with plasma BDNF level abnormality, which could be improved by oxytocin treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monireh Mansouri
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran; Center of Excellence in Cognitivr Neuropsychology, Institue for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Pouretemad
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran; Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mehrdad Roghani
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gregers Wegener
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa; AUGUST Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Risskov, Denmark
| | - Maryam Ardalan
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Centre for Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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26
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Panaro MA, Benameur T, Porro C. Hypothalamic Neuropeptide Brain Protection: Focus on Oxytocin. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9051534. [PMID: 32438751 PMCID: PMC7290962 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9051534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is hypothalamic neuropeptide synthetized in the brain by magnocellular and parvo cellular neurons of the paraventricular (PVN), supraoptic (SON) and accessory nuclei (AN) of the hypothalamus. OXT acts in the central and peripheral nervous systems via G-protein-coupled receptors. The classical physiological functions of OXT are uterine contractions, the milk ejection reflex during lactation, penile erection and sexual arousal, but recent studies have demonstrated that OXT may have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and regulate immune and anti-inflammatory responses. In the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases, microglia are present in an active form and release high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that are implicated in the process of neural injury. A promising treatment for neurodegenerative diseases involves new therapeutic approaches targeting activated microglia. Recent studies have reported that OXT exerts neuroprotective effects through the inhibition of production of pro-inflammatory mediators, and in the development of correct neural circuitry. The focus of this review is to attribute a new important role of OXT in neuroprotection through the microglia–OXT interaction of immature and adult brains. In addition, we analyzed the strategies that could enhance the delivery of OXT in the brain and amplify its positive effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Antonietta Panaro
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy;
| | - Tarek Benameur
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, 31982 Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Chiara Porro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy
- Correspondence:
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27
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Ribeiro D, Nunes AR, Gliksberg M, Anbalagan S, Levkowitz G, Oliveira RF. Oxytocin receptor signalling modulates novelty recognition but not social preference in zebrafish. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12834. [PMID: 31961994 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Sociality is a complex phenomenon that involves the individual´s motivation to approach their conspecifics, along with social cognitive functions that enable individuals to interact and survive. The nonapeptide oxytocin (OXT) is known to regulate sociality in many species. However, the role of OXT in specific aspects of sociality is still not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of the OXT receptor (OXTR) signalling in two different aspects of zebrafish social behaviour: social preference, by measuring their motivation to approach a shoal of conspecifics, and social recognition, by measuring their ability to discriminate between a novel and familiar fish, using a mutant zebrafish lacking a functional OXTR. Although oxtr mutant zebrafish displayed normal attraction to a shoal of conspecifics, they exhibited reduced social recognition. We further investigated whether this effect would be social-domain specific by replacing conspecific fish by objects. Although no differences were observed in object approach, oxtr mutant fish also exhibited impaired object recognition. Our findings suggest that OXTR signalling regulates a more general memory recognition of familiar vs novel entities, not only in social but also in a non-social domain, in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Rui F Oliveira
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- ISPA, Instituto Universitário, Oeiras, Portugal
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28
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Pandina G, Ring RH, Bangerter A, Ness S. Current Approaches to the Pharmacologic Treatment of Core Symptoms Across the Lifespan of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am 2020; 29:301-317. [PMID: 32169264 DOI: 10.1016/j.chc.2019.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
There are no approved medications for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) core symptoms. However, given the significant clinical need, children and adults with ASD are prescribed medication off label for core or associated conditions, sometimes based on limited evidence for effectiveness. Recent developments in the understanding of biologic basis of ASD have led to novel targets with potential to impact core symptoms, and several clinical trials are underway. Heterogeneity in course of development, co-occurring conditions, and age-related treatment response variability hampers study outcomes. Novel measures and approaches to ASD clinical trial design will help in development of effective pharmacologic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gahan Pandina
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1125 Trenton Harbouron Road, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA.
| | | | - Abigail Bangerter
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1125 Trenton Harbouron Road, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
| | - Seth Ness
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1125 Trenton Harbouron Road, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
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29
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Effects of intraperitoneal and intracerebroventricular injections of oxytocin on social and emotional behaviors in pubertal male mice. Physiol Behav 2019; 212:112701. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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30
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Horta M, Kaylor K, Feifel D, Ebner NC. Chronic oxytocin administration as a tool for investigation and treatment: A cross-disciplinary systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 108:1-23. [PMID: 31647964 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) subserves various physiological, behavioral, and cognitive processes. This paired with the ability to administer OT with minimal and inconsistent side effects has spurred research to explore its therapeutic potential. Findings from single-dose studies indicate that OT administration may be beneficial, at least under certain circumstances. The state of the field, however, is less clear regarding effects from chronic OT administration, which more closely resembles long-term treatment. To address this gap, this review synthesizes existing findings on the use of chronic OT administration in animal and human work. In addition to detailing the effects of chronic OT administration across different functional domains, this review highlights factors that have contributed to mixed findings. Based on this review, a basic framework of interrelated regulatory functions sensitive to chronic OT administration is offered. The paper also identifies future research directions across different contexts, populations, and outcomes, specifically calling for more systematic and standardized research on chronic OT administration in humans to supplement and expand what is currently known from preclinical work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn Horta
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Kathryn Kaylor
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David Feifel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Natalie C Ebner
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Institute on Aging, Department of Aging & Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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31
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Dalla Vecchia E, Di Donato V, Young AMJ, Del Bene F, Norton WHJ. Reelin Signaling Controls the Preference for Social Novelty in Zebrafish. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:214. [PMID: 31607872 PMCID: PMC6761276 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Reelin (Reln) is an extracellular glycoprotein that is important for brain patterning. During development Reln coordinates the radial migration of postmitotic cortical neurons, cerebellar and hippocampal neurons, whereas it promotes dendrite maturation, synaptogenesis, synaptic transmission, plasticity and neurotransmitter release in the postnatal and adult brain. Genetic studies of human patients have demonstrated association between the RELN locus and autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease. In this study we have characterized the behavioral phenotype of reelin (reln) mutant zebrafish, as well as two canonical signaling pathway targets DAB adaptor protein 1a (dab1a) and the very low density lipoprotein receptor (vldlr). Zebrafish reln–/– mutants display a selective reduction in preference for social novelty that is not observed in dab1a–/– or vldlr–/– mutant lines. They also exhibit an increase in 5-HT signaling in the hindbrain that parallels but does not underpin the alteration in social preference. These results suggest that zebrafish reln–/– mutants can be used to model some aspects of human diseases in which changes to Reln signaling alter social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Dalla Vecchia
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Vincenzo Di Donato
- Institut Curie, Paris, France.,ZeClinics SL, Institute for Health Science Research Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrew M J Young
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | | | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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32
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Smith AS, Korgan AC, Young WS. Oxytocin delivered nasally or intraperitoneally reaches the brain and plasma of normal and oxytocin knockout mice. Pharmacol Res 2019; 146:104324. [PMID: 31238093 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Intranasal delivery of oxytocin (Oxt) has been identified as a potential therapeutic to target human conditions characterized by social deficits, yet the ability of this administrative route to deliver to the brain is unconfirmed. Oxt knockout (Oxt KO) and wildtype C57BL/6 J male mice received Oxt (12 μg total amount) either by nasal or intraperitoneal administration. Oxt concentrations were monitored for 2 h after administration in circulation via a jugular vein catheter and in the brain by two intracerebral microdialysis probes. Group sizes varied from 4 to 7 mice (n = 22 total). We document for the first time that Oxt applied to the nasal mucosa after nasal administration is delivered to the extracellular fluid in the brain. After nasal application, Oxt concentrations in circulation and in the extracellular fluid of the amygdala and, to an extent, the dorsal hippocampus, rose within the first 30 min and remained elevated for the subsequent hour. These findings were confirmed in an Oxt KO mouse line, establishing that the circulating and brain Oxt elevations derive from the administered dose. Interestingly, the pharmacokinetics of Oxt were slightly biased to the brain after nasal administration and to the periphery following intraperitoneal injection. No change in vasopressin levels was detected. These findings have stimulating implications for the interpretation of various behavioral and physiological effects described in animal and human studies after nasal administration of Oxt and provide the pharmacokinetics necessary to develop this drug delivery route for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam S Smith
- Section on Neural Gene Expression, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
| | - Austin C Korgan
- Section on Neural Gene Expression, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - W Scott Young
- Section on Neural Gene Expression, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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33
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Clinical potential of oxytocin in autism spectrum disorder: current issues and future perspectives. Behav Pharmacol 2019; 29:1-12. [PMID: 28857771 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The effects of oxytocin on social cognition and behavior have recently attracted considerable attention. In particular, oxytocin has been proposed as a novel therapeutic for psychiatric disorders with social deficits such as autism spectrum disorders. This review provides a brief overview of behavioral and neural responses to oxytocin manipulations in humans and animal models. Although the differences in findings between human and animal studies should be interpreted carefully, shared behavioral phenotypes have been recognized, such as social bonding, social responses, and recognition and usage of social cues. Previous literature suggests that the neural effects of oxytocin in humans and animals overlap in the prefrontal, limbic, and paralimbic cortices. Oxytocin-induced alterations in these regions may indicate a fundamental basis for how oxytocin modulates social behaviors and facilitate the discovery of new pharmaceutical targets for treating social deficits.
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34
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Greenwood MA, Hammock EAD. Oxytocin Receptor Binding Sites in the Periphery of the Neonatal Prairie Vole. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:474. [PMID: 31178680 PMCID: PMC6542991 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The oxytocin receptor (OXTR) has been observed in the periphery of neonatal C57BL/6J mice (Mus musculus), including facial regions and the anogenital area. In those studies, ligand specificity was confirmed with a congenital OXTR knockout mouse as well as competitive binding techniques. The aim of this study was to determine if OXTR is present in the same peripheral sites in the neonatal prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) for cross-species comparisons. Receptor autoradiography was performed on 20 μm sagittal sections of whole postnatal day 0 (P0) male and female prairie voles using the 125iodinated-ornithine vasotocin ([125I]-OVTA) radioligand. A competition binding assay was used to assess the selectivity of [125I]-OVTA for peripheral OXTR. Radioactive ligand (0.05 nM [125I]-OVTA) was competed against concentrations of 0 and 1000 nM excess unlabeled oxytocin (OXT). Previously identified regions of significant OXTR ligand binding in the mouse were analyzed for comparison: rostral and lateral periodontium, olfactory epithelium, ciliary bodies of the eye, whisker pads, adrenal gland, and anogenital area. We also evaluated the liver and scapular brown adipose tissue, which displayed strong but non-specific signal on film in mice. While there were some areas that showed conserved OXTR ligand binding in the prairie vole (e.g., ciliary body of the eye and the anogenital area), areas showing OXTR ligand binding in the neonatal prairie vole were not identical to OXTR ligand binding in the periphery of the C57BL/6J neonatal mouse. Further, some of the regions measured in the prairie vole suggest sex differences in OXTR ligand binding. Collectively, as is well-established in the central nervous system, these data indicate that patterns of OXTR ligand binding in the infant periphery are species-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Greenwood
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States.,Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Elizabeth A D Hammock
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States.,Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
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Li LF, Yuan W, He ZX, Wang LM, Jing XY, Zhang J, Yang Y, Guo QQ, Zhang XN, Cai WQ, Hou WJ, Jia R, Tai FD. Involvement of oxytocin and GABA in consolation behavior elicited by socially defeated individuals in mandarin voles. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 103:14-24. [PMID: 30605804 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.12.238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Consolation, which entails comforting contact directed toward a distressed party, is a common empathetic response in humans and other species with advanced cognition. Here, using the social defeat paradigm, we provide empirical evidence that highly social and monogamous mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus) increased grooming toward a socially defeated partner but not toward a partner who underwent only separation. This selective behavioral response existed in both males and females. Accompanied with these behavioral changes, c-Fos expression was elevated in many of the brain regions relevant for emotional processing, such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, paraventricular nucleus (PVN), basal/basolateral and central nucleus of the amygdala, and lateral habenular nucleus in both sexes; in the medial preoptic area, the increase in c-Fos expression was found only in females, whereas in the medial nucleus of the amygdala, this increase was found only in males. In particular, the GAD67/c-Fos and oxytocin (OT)/c-Fos colocalization rates were elevated in the ACC and PVN, indicating selective activation of GABA and OT neurons in these regions. The "stressed" pairs matched their anxiety-like behaviors in the open-field test, and their plasma corticosterone levels correlated well with each other, suggesting an empathy-based mechanism. This partner-directed grooming was blocked by pretreatment with an OT receptor antagonist or a GABAA receptor antagonist in the ACC but not by a V1a subtype vasopressin receptor antagonist. We conclude that consolation behavior can be elicited by the social defeat paradigm in mandarin voles, and this behavior may be involved in a coordinated network of emotion-related brain structures, which differs slightly between the sexes. We also found that the endogenous OT and the GABA systems within the ACC are essential for consolation behavior in mandarin voles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lai-Fu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China; College of Life Sciences, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Zhi-Xiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Li-Min Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Xiao-Yuan Jing
- College of Life Sciences, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Qian-Qian Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Xue-Ni Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Wen-Qi Cai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Wen-Juan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Rui Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Fa-Dao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
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The Benefits of Using New Tools for Behavioral Investigations in Animal Experimental Models. SERBIAN JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH 2019. [DOI: 10.1515/sjecr-2017-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The animal experimental models of emotional disorders attempt to reproduce features of human psychiatric disorders in laboratory animals by correlating the physiological and behavioral changes associated with specific emotional states, the etiology of disorders, and responses on drug treatments. Animal experimental models that accurately recapitulate clinical pathology are indispensable for understanding molecular mechanisms and advancing preclinical studies. Behavioral tests on animal models have been developed over time in two directions: to enable the acquisition of as many valid behavior data as possible, and constructing experimental models and procedures that represent a parallel with certain conditions in humans. In this review we discuss more information for the new tools in behavioral investigations in animal experimental models. Here we described evoked beam-walking (EBW) test as a new test for estimation of anxiety levels. The reliability of that test was confirmed in our studies by using nandrolone decanoate (ND) and testosterone enanthate (TE) in supraphysiological doses. Also, we defined a new approach to estimation of exploratory activity by using these tests and an improvement of detectability in standard evaluation of depressive state levels. Taking into account that behavioral investigation in animal models still has to remain indispensable in conducting of preclinical studies, we assume that new tools that can be applied in this field may improve the quality of research.
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Ornoy A, Weinstein-Fudim L, Ergaz Z. Prevention or Amelioration of Autism-Like Symptoms in Animal Models: Will it Bring Us Closer to Treating Human ASD? Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20051074. [PMID: 30832249 PMCID: PMC6429371 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20051074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the first animal model of valproic acid (VPA) induced autistic-like behavior, many genetic and non-genetic experimental animal models for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been described. The more common non-genetic animal models induce ASD in rats and mice by infection/inflammation or the prenatal or early postnatal administration of VPA. Through the establishment of these models, attempts have been made to ameliorate or even prevent ASD-like symptoms. Some of the genetic models have been successfully treated by genetic manipulations or the manipulation of neurotransmission. Different antioxidants have been used (i.e., astaxanthin, green tea, piperine) to reduce brain oxidative stress in VPA-induced ASD models. Agents affecting brain neurotransmitters (donepezil, agmatine, agomelatine, memantine, oxytocin) also successfully reduced ASD-like symptoms. However, complete prevention of the development of symptoms was achieved only rarely. In our recent study, we treated mouse offspring exposed on postnatal day four to VPA with S-adenosine methionine (SAM) for three days, and prevented ASD-like behavior, brain oxidative stress, and the changes in gene expression induced by VPA. In this review, we describe, in addition to our data, the existing literature on the prevention/amelioration of ASD-like symptoms. We also discuss the possible mechanisms underlying some of these phenomena. Finally, we describe some of the clinical trials in children with ASD that were carried out as a result of data from animal studies, especially those with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Asher Ornoy
- Laboratory of Teratology, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
| | - Liza Weinstein-Fudim
- Laboratory of Teratology, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
| | - Zivanit Ergaz
- Laboratory of Teratology, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
- Neonatology Department, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel.
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Drozd HP, Karathanasis SF, Molosh AI, Lukkes JL, Clapp DW, Shekhar A. From bedside to bench and back: Translating ASD models. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 241:113-158. [PMID: 30447753 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) represent a heterogeneous group of disorders defined by deficits in social interaction/communication and restricted interests, behaviors, or activities. Models of ASD, developed based on clinical data and observations, are used in basic science, the "bench," to better understand the pathophysiology of ASD and provide therapeutic options for patients in the clinic, the "bedside." Translational medicine creates a bridge between the bench and bedside that allows for clinical and basic science discoveries to challenge one another to improve the opportunities to bring novel therapies to patients. From the clinical side, biomarker work is expanding our understanding of possible mechanisms of ASD through measures of behavior, genetics, imaging modalities, and serum markers. These biomarkers could help to subclassify patients with ASD in order to better target treatments to a more homogeneous groups of patients most likely to respond to a candidate therapy. In turn, basic science has been responding to developments in clinical evaluation by improving bench models to mechanistically and phenotypically recapitulate the ASD phenotypes observed in clinic. While genetic models are identifying novel therapeutics targets at the bench, the clinical efforts are making progress by defining better outcome measures that are most representative of meaningful patient responses. In this review, we discuss some of these challenges in translational research in ASD and strategies for the bench and bedside to bridge the gap to achieve better benefits to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley P Drozd
- Program in Medical Neurobiology, Stark Neurosciences Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Sotirios F Karathanasis
- Program in Medical Neurobiology, Stark Neurosciences Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Andrei I Molosh
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Jodi L Lukkes
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - D Wade Clapp
- Department of Pediatrics, Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Anantha Shekhar
- Program in Medical Neurobiology, Stark Neurosciences Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States; Indiana Clinical and Translation Sciences Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.
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Moy SS, Teng BL, Nikolova VD, Riddick NV, Simpson CD, Van Deusen A, Janzen WP, Sassano MF, Pedersen CA, Jarstfer MB. Prosocial effects of an oxytocin metabolite, but not synthetic oxytocin receptor agonists, in a mouse model of autism. Neuropharmacology 2018; 144:301-311. [PMID: 30399367 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Currently, there are no established pharmaceutical strategies that effectively treat social deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Oxytocin, a neurohormone that plays a role in multiple types of social behaviors, has been proposed as a possible therapeutic against social impairment and other symptoms in ASD. However, from the standpoint of pharmacotherapy, oxytocin has several liabilities as a standard clinical treatment, including rapid metabolism, low brain penetrance, and activity at the vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone) receptors. The present studies describe findings from a preclinical screening program to evaluate oxytocin receptor (OXTR) agonists and oxytocin metabolites for potential clinical use as more optimal treatments. We first investigated two synthetic oxytocin analogs, TC-OT-39 and carbetocin, using in vitro cell-based assays for pharmacological characterization and behavioral tests in the BALB/cByJ mouse model of ASD-like social deficits. Although both TC-OT-39 and carbetocin selectively activate the OXTR, neither synthetic agonist had prosocial efficacy in the BALB/cByJ model. We next evaluated two oxytocin metabolites: OT(4-9) and OT(5-9). While OT(5-9) failed to affect social deficits, the metabolite OT(4-9) led to significant social preference in the BALB/cByJ model, in a dose-dependent manner. The increased sociability was observed at both 24 h and 12 days following the end of a subchronic regimen with OT(4-9) (2.0 mg/kg). Overall, these results suggest that the prosocial effects of oxytocin could be mediated by downstream activity of oxytocin metabolites, raising the possibility of new pathways to target for drug discovery relevant to ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheryl S Moy
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Brian L Teng
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Viktoriya D Nikolova
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Natallia V Riddick
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Catherine D Simpson
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Amy Van Deusen
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - William P Janzen
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Maria F Sassano
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Cort A Pedersen
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Michael B Jarstfer
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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Abstract
In this chapter, we introduce a new area of social pharmacology that encompasses the study of the role of neuromodulators in modulating a wide range of social behaviors and brain function, with the interplay of genetic and epigenetic factors. There are increasing evidences for the role of the neuropeptide oxytocin in modulating a wide range of social behaviors, in reducing anxiety, and in impacting the social brain network. Oxytocin also promotes social functions in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and reduces anxiety and fear in anxiety disorders. In this chapter, we will emphasize the importance of integrating basic research and clinical human research in determining optimal strategies for drug discoveries for social dysfunctions and anxiety disorders. We will highlight the significance of adopting a precision medicine approach to optimize targeted treatments with oxytocin in neuropsychiatry. Oxytocin effects on social behavior and brain function can vary from one individual to another based on external factors, such as heterogeneity in autism phenotype, childhood experiences, personality, attachment style, and oxytocin receptor polymorphisms. Hence, targeted therapies for subgroups of patients can help alleviating some of the core symptoms and lead to a better future for these patients and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissar Andari
- Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Rene Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical Psychology Division, NEMO (Neuromodulation of Emotion) Research Group, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Larry J Young
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Bauman MD, Murai T, Hogrefe CE, Platt ML. Opportunities and challenges for intranasal oxytocin treatment studies in nonhuman primates. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22913. [PMID: 30281820 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Nonhuman primates provide a human-relevant experimental model system to explore the mechanisms by which oxytocin (OT) regulates social processing and inform its clinical applications. Here, we highlight contributions of the nonhuman primate model to our understanding of OT treatment and address unique challenges in administering OT to awake behaving primates. Prior preclinical research utilizing macaque monkeys has demonstrated that OT can modulate perception of other individuals and their expressions, attention to others, imitation, vigilance to social threats, and prosocial decisions. We further describe ongoing efforts to develop an OT delivery system for use in experimentally naïve juvenile macaque monkeys compatible with naturalistic social behavior outcomes. Finally, we discuss future directions to further develop the rhesus monkey as a preclinical test bed to evaluate the effects of OT exposure and advance efforts to translate basic science OT research into safe and effective OT therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa D Bauman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, California.,The UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, California.,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Takeshi Murai
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California.,Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Casey E Hogrefe
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Michael L Platt
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Marketing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Sanathara NM, Garau C, Alachkar A, Wang L, Wang Z, Nishimori K, Xu X, Civelli O. Melanin concentrating hormone modulates oxytocin-mediated marble burying. Neuropharmacology 2018; 128:22-32. [PMID: 28888943 PMCID: PMC5830107 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Repetitive and perseverative behaviors are common features of a number of neuropsychiatric diseases such as Angelman's syndrome, Tourette's syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and autism spectrum disorders. The oxytocin system has been linked to the regulation of repetitive behavior in both animal models and humans, but many of its downstream targets have still to be found. We report that the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) system is a target of the oxytocin system in regulating one repetitive behavior, marble burying. First we report that nearly 60% of MCH neurons express oxytocin receptors, and demonstrate using rabies mediated tract tracing that MCH neurons receive direct presynaptic input from oxytocin neurons. Then we show that MCH receptor knockout (MCHR1KO) mice and MCH ablated animals display increased marble burying response while central MCH infusion decreases it. Finally, we demonstrate the downstream role of the MCH system on oxytocin mediated marble burying by showing that central infusions of MCH and oxytocin alone or together reduce it while antagonizing the MCH system blocks oxytocin-mediated reduction of this behavior. Our findings reveal a novel role for the MCH system as a mediator of the role of oxytocin in regulating marble-burying behavior in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayna M Sanathara
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Celia Garau
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Amal Alachkar
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Lien Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Zhiwei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Katsuhiko Nishimori
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori-Amamiyamachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8555, Japan
| | - Xiangmin Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Olivier Civelli
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA; Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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Abstract
Empathy is fundamental to human relations, but its neural substrates remain largely unknown. Here we characterize the involvement of oxytocin in the capacity of mice to display emotional state-matching, an empathy-like behavior. When exposed to a familiar conspecific demonstrator in distress, an observer mouse becomes fearful, as indicated by a tendency to freeze and subsequent efforts to escape. Both intranasal oxytocin administration and chemogenetic stimulation of oxytocin neurons render males sensitive to the distress of an unfamiliar mouse. Acute intranasal oxytocin penetrates the brain and enhances cellular activity within the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas chronic administration produces long-term facilitation of observational fear and downregulates oxytocin receptor expression in the amygdala. None of these manipulations affect fear acquired as a result of direct experience with the stressor. Hence, these results implicate oxytocin in observational fear in mice (rather than fear itself) and provide new avenues for examining the neural substrates of empathy. Oxytocin modulates social behaviours in mammals. Here the authors demonstrate that observational fear, a measure of empathy-like behaviour in rodents, is modulated by oxytocin.
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Chronic Intranasal Oxytocin has Dose-dependent Effects on Central Oxytocin and Vasopressin Systems in Prairie Voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Neuroscience 2017; 369:292-302. [PMID: 29183825 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.11.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (Oxt) is a neuropeptide with many functions, including modulation of social behavior(s) and anxiety. Due to its notable pro-social effects, it has been proposed as a treatment in the management of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, and social anxiety; however, effects of long-term daily treatment are still being explored. Previously, we have shown that in male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) exposure to Oxt during the peri-adolescent period impaired adult pair bonding in a dose-dependent fashion. In females, the medium dose used (0.8 IU/kg) appeared to facilitate pair bonding, and the low and medium doses were associated with fewer lines crossed in the open field. In this study, we examined central receptor binding and immunoreactive (IR) protein for Oxt and vasopressin (Avp), a closely related peptide. Voles were treated with saline vehicle, or one of three doses of Oxt (0.08, 0.8, 8.0 IU/kg) for three weeks from postnatal days 21 to 42, and euthanized as adults. We used autoradiography to examine Oxt and Avp receptor binding and immunohistochemistry to examine Oxt and Avp - IR cells in the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei of the hypothalamus. Females that received the medium dose of Oxt had higher Oxt receptor binding in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAS), while males that received the medium dose had lower Avp-IR cells in the PVN. In summary, we found sex-specific effects of long-term exposure to intranasal Oxt on the Oxt and Avp systems at the weight-adjusted dose currently being used in clinical trials in humans.
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Hara Y, Ago Y, Higuchi M, Hasebe S, Nakazawa T, Hashimoto H, Matsuda T, Takuma K. Oxytocin attenuates deficits in social interaction but not recognition memory in a prenatal valproic acid-induced mouse model of autism. Horm Behav 2017; 96:130-136. [PMID: 28942000 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2017] [Revised: 08/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have reported that oxytocin ameliorates behavioral abnormalities in both animal models and individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the mechanisms underlying the ameliorating effects of oxytocin remain unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of intranasal oxytocin on impairments in social interaction and recognition memory in an ASD mouse model in which animals are prenatally exposed to valproic acid (VPA). We found that a single intranasal administration of oxytocin restored social interaction deficits for up to 2h in mice prenatally exposed to VPA, but there was no effect on recognition memory impairments. Additionally, administration of oxytocin across 2weeks improved prenatal VPA-induced social interaction deficits for at least 24h. In contrast, there were no effects on the time spent sniffing in control mice. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that intranasal administration of oxytocin increased c-Fos expression in the paraventricular nuclei (PVN), prefrontal cortex, and somatosensory cortex, but not the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions of VPA-exposed mice, suggesting the former regions may underlie the effects of oxytocin. These findings suggest that oxytocin attenuates social interaction deficits through the activation of higher cortical areas and the PVN in an ASD mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Hara
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yukio Ago
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Momoko Higuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shigeru Hasebe
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takanobu Nakazawa
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Hashimoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuropharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, University of Fukui, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Division of Bioscience, Institute for Datability Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Toshio Matsuda
- Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Takuma
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, University of Fukui, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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Estrela FN, Rabelo LM, Vaz BG, de Oliveira Costa DR, Pereira I, de Lima Rodrigues AS, Malafaia G. Short-term social memory deficits in adult female mice exposed to tannery effluent and possible mechanism of action. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 184:148-158. [PMID: 28586655 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.05.174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The accumulated organic residues in tannery-plant courtyards are an eating attraction to small rodents; however, the contact of these animals with these residues may change their social behavior. Thus, the aim of the present study is to investigate whether the exposure to tannery effluent (TE) can damage the social recognition memory of female Swiss mice, as well as to assess whether vitamin C supplementation could provide information about how TE constituents can damage these animals' memory. We have observed that resident females exposed to TE (without vitamin supplementation) did not explore the anogenital region, their body or chased intruding females for shorter time or with lower frequency during the retest session of the social recognition test, fact that indicates social recognition memory deficit in these animals. Such finding is reinforced by the confirmation that there was no change in the animals' olfactory function during the buried food test, or locomotor changes in females exposed to the pollutant. Since no behavioral change was observed in the females exposed to TE and treated with vitamin C (before or after the exposure), it is possible saying that these social cognitive impairments seem to be directly related to the imbalance between the cellular production of reactive oxygen species and the counteracting antioxidant mechanisms (oxidative stress) in female mice exposed to the pollutant (without vitamin supplementation). Therefore, the present study evidences that the direct contact with tannery effluent, even for a short period-of-time, may cause short-term social memory deficits in adult female Swiss mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Neves Estrela
- Laboratório de Pesquisas Biológicas, Instituto Federal Goiano - Campus Urutaí, GO, Brazil
| | - Letícia Martins Rabelo
- Laboratório de Pesquisas Biológicas, Instituto Federal Goiano - Campus Urutaí, GO, Brazil
| | - Boniek Gontijo Vaz
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás - Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | | | - Igor Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás - Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Aline Sueli de Lima Rodrigues
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Conservação de Recursos Naturais do Cerrado, Instituto Federal Goiano - Campus Urutaí, GO, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Malafaia
- Laboratório de Pesquisas Biológicas, Instituto Federal Goiano - Campus Urutaí, GO, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Conservação de Recursos Naturais do Cerrado, Instituto Federal Goiano - Campus Urutaí, GO, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Universidade Federal de Goiás - Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
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47
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Kelly JR, Minuto C, Cryan JF, Clarke G, Dinan TG. Cross Talk: The Microbiota and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:490. [PMID: 28966571 PMCID: PMC5605633 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans evolved within a microbial ecosystem resulting in an interlinked physiology. The gut microbiota can signal to the brain via the immune system, the vagus nerve or other host-microbe interactions facilitated by gut hormones, regulation of tryptophan metabolism and microbial metabolites such as short chain fatty acids (SCFA), to influence brain development, function and behavior. Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiota may play a role in shaping cognitive networks encompassing emotional and social domains in neurodevelopmental disorders. Drawing upon pre-clinical and clinical evidence, we review the potential role of the gut microbiota in the origins and development of social and emotional domains related to Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia. Small preliminary clinical studies have demonstrated gut microbiota alterations in both ASD and schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. However, we await the further development of mechanistic insights, together with large scale longitudinal clinical trials, that encompass a systems level dimensional approach, to investigate whether promising pre-clinical and initial clinical findings lead to clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Kelly
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland
| | - Chiara Minuto
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College CorkCork, Ireland
| | - Gerard Clarke
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland
| | - Timothy G Dinan
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland
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Smith JE, Petelle MB, Jerome EL, Cristofari H, Blumstein DT. Oxytocin Experiments Shed Light on Mechanisms Shaping Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviors in Non-human Mammals. Integr Comp Biol 2017; 57:619-630. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
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49
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Rapanelli M, Frick LR, Xu M, Groman SM, Jindachomthong K, Tamamaki N, Tanahira C, Taylor JR, Pittenger C. Targeted Interneuron Depletion in the Dorsal Striatum Produces Autism-like Behavioral Abnormalities in Male but Not Female Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 82:194-203. [PMID: 28347488 PMCID: PMC5374721 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Revised: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interneuronal pathology is implicated in many neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Tourette syndrome (TS). Interneurons of the striatum, including the parvalbumin-expressing fast-spiking interneurons (FSIs) and the large cholinergic interneurons (CINs), are affected in patients with TS and in preclinical models of both ASD and TS. METHODS To test the causal importance of these neuronal abnormalities, we recapitulated them in vivo in developmentally normal mice using a combination transgenic-viral strategy for targeted toxin-mediated ablation. RESULTS We found that conjoint ~50% depletion of FSIs and CINs in the dorsal striatum of male mice produces spontaneous stereotypy and marked deficits in social interaction. Strikingly, these behavioral effects are not seen in female mice; because ASD and TS have a marked male predominance, this observation reinforces the potential relevance of the finding to human disease. Neither of these effects is seen when only one or the other interneuronal population is depleted; ablation of both is required. Depletion of FSIs, but not of CINs, also produces anxiety-like behavior, as has been described previously. Behavioral pathology in male mice after conjoint FSI and CIN depletion is accompanied by increases in activity-dependent signaling in the dorsal striatum; these alterations were not observed after disruption of only one interneuron type or in doubly depleted female mice. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that disruption of CIN and FSI interneurons in the dorsal striatum is sufficient to produce network and behavioral changes of potential relevance to ASD, in a sexually dimorphic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Meiyu Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | | | - Nobuaki Tamamaki
- Department of Morphological Neural Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kumamoto University, Honjo, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Chiyoko Tanahira
- Department of Morphological Neural Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kumamoto University, Honjo, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Jane Rebecca Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Christopher Pittenger
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
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50
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Aleman A, Lincoln TM, Bruggeman R, Melle I, Arends J, Arango C, Knegtering H. Treatment of negative symptoms: Where do we stand, and where do we go? Schizophr Res 2017; 186:55-62. [PMID: 27293137 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2016.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Negative symptoms, e.g. social withdrawal, reduced initiative, anhedonia and affective flattening, are notoriously difficult to treat. In this review, we take stock of recent research into treatment of negative symptoms by summarizing psychosocial as well as pharmacological and other biological treatment strategies. Major psychosocial approaches concern social skills training, cognitive behavior therapy for psychosis, cognitive remediation and family intervention. Some positive findings have been reported, with the most robust improvements observed for social skills training. Although cognitive behavior therapy shows significant effects for negative symptoms as a secondary outcome measure, there is a lack of data to allow for definite conclusions of its effectiveness for patients with predominant negative symptoms. With regard to pharmacological interventions, antipsychotics have been shown to improve negative symptoms, but this seems to be limited to secondary negative symptoms in acute patients. It has also been suggested that antipsychotics may aggravate negative symptoms. Recent studies have investigated glutamatergic compounds, e.g. glycine receptor inhibitors and drugs that target the NMDA receptor or metabotropic glutamate 2/3 (mGlu2/3) receptor, but no consistent evidence of improvement of negative symptoms was found. Finally, some small studies have suggested improvement of negative symptoms after non-invasive electromagnetic neurostimulation, but this has only been partly replicated and it is still unclear whether these are robust improvements. We address methodological issues, in particular the heterogeneity of negative symptoms and treatment response, and suggest avenues for future research. There is a need for more detailed studies that focus on different dimensions of negative symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Aleman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Neuroscience, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Tania M Lincoln
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Richard Bruggeman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen and Rob Giel Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ingrid Melle
- NORMENT and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0424 Oslo, Norway
| | - Johan Arends
- GGZ Drenthe Mental Health Center, Department of Psychotic Disorders, Assen, The Netherlands
| | - Celso Arango
- Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Henderikus Knegtering
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Neuroscience, Groningen, The Netherlands; GGZ Lentis Mental Health Center, Department of Psychotic Disorders, Groningen, The Netherlands
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