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Bavato F, Barro C, Schnider LK, Simrén J, Zetterberg H, Seifritz E, Quednow BB. Introducing neurofilament light chain measure in psychiatry: current evidence, opportunities, and pitfalls. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02524-6. [PMID: 38503931 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02524-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The recent introduction of new-generation immunoassay methods allows the reliable quantification of structural brain markers in peripheral matrices. Neurofilament light chain (NfL), a neuron-specific cytoskeletal component released in extracellular matrices after neuroaxonal impairment, is considered a promising blood marker of active brain pathology. Given its sensitivity to a wide range of neuropathological alterations, NfL has been suggested for the use in clinical practice as a highly sensitive, but unspecific tool to quantify active brain pathology. While large efforts have been put in characterizing its clinical profile in many neurological conditions, NfL has received far less attention as a potential biomarker in major psychiatric disorders. Therefore, we briefly introduce NfL as a marker of neuroaxonal injury, systematically review recent findings on cerebrospinal fluid and blood NfL levels in patients with primary psychiatric conditions and highlight the opportunities and pitfalls. Current evidence suggests an elevation of blood NfL levels in patients with major depression, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, anorexia nervosa, and substance use disorders compared to physiological states. However, blood NfL levels strongly vary across diagnostic entities, clinical stage, and patient subgroups, and are influenced by several demographic, clinical, and analytical factors, which require accurate characterization. Potential clinical applications of NfL measure in psychiatry are seen in diagnostic and prognostic algorithms, to exclude neurodegenerative disease, in the assessment of brain toxicity for different pharmacological compounds, and in the longitudinal monitoring of treatment response. The high inter-individual variability of NfL levels and the lack of neurobiological understanding of its release are some of the main current limitations. Overall, this primer aims to introduce researchers and clinicians to NfL measure in the psychiatric field and to provide a conceptual framework for future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bavato
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics; Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Christian Barro
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura K Schnider
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics; Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joel Simrén
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics; Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Boris B Quednow
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics; Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Li L, Yang JH, Li C, Zhou HF, Yu L, Wu XL, Lu YH, He Y, Wan HT. Danhong injection improves neurological function in rats with ischemic stroke by enhancing neurogenesis and activating BDNF/AKT/CREB signaling pathway. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 163:114887. [PMID: 37207429 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Danhong injection (DHI) is a traditional Chinese medicine injection that promotes blood circulation and removes blood stasis and has been widely used in the treatment of stroke. Many studies have focused on the mechanism of DHI in acute ischemic stroke (IS); however, few studies have thoroughly explored its role during recovery. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of DHI on long-term neurological function recovery after cerebral ischemia and explored the related mechanisms. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was used to establish an IS model in rats. The efficacy of DHI was assessed using neurological severity scores, behaviors, cerebral infarction volume and histopathology. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess hippocampal neurogenesis. An in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) cell model was constructed and western-blot analyses were performed to verify the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that DHI treatment greatly reduced the infarct volume, promoted neurological recovery and reversed brain pathological changes. Furthermore, DHI promoted neurogenesis by increasing the migration and proliferation of neural stem cells, and enhancing synaptic plasticity. Moreover, we found that the pro-neurogenic effects of DHI were related to an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and the activation of AKT/CREB, which were attenuated by ANA-12 and LY294002, the inhibitors of the BDNF receptor and PI3K. These results suggest that DHI improves neurological function by enhancing neurogenesis and activating the BDNF/AKT/CREB signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Li
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang province, China
| | - Jie-Hong Yang
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang province, China
| | - Chang Li
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang province, China
| | - Hui-Fen Zhou
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang province, China
| | - Li Yu
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang province, China
| | - Xiao-Long Wu
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang province, China
| | - Yi-Hang Lu
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang province, China
| | - Yu He
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang province, China.
| | - Hai-Tong Wan
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang province, China.
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3
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Jia P, Wang J, Ren X, He J, Wang S, Xing Y, Chen D, Zhang X, Zhou S, Liu X, Yu S, Li Z, Jiang C, Zang W, Chen X, Wang J. An enriched environment improves long-term functional outcomes in mice after intracerebral hemorrhage by mechanisms that involve the Nrf2/BDNF/glutaminase pathway. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2023; 43:694-711. [PMID: 36635875 PMCID: PMC10108193 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x221135419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Post-stroke depression exacerbates neurologic deficits and quality of life. Depression after ischemic stroke is known to some extent. However, depression after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is relatively unknown. Increasing evidence shows that exposure to an enriched environment (EE) after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury has neuroprotective effects in animal models, but its impact after ICH is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of EE on long-term functional outcomes in mice subjected to collagenase-induced striatal ICH. Mice were subjected to ICH with the standard environment (SE) or ICH with EE for 6 h/day (8:00 am-2:00 pm). Depressive, anxiety-like behaviors and cognitive tests were evaluated on day 28 with the sucrose preference test, tail suspension test, forced swim test, light-dark transition experiment, morris water maze, and novel object recognition test. Exposure to EE improved neurologic function, attenuated depressive and anxiety-like behaviors, and promoted spatial learning and memory. These changes were associated with increased expression of transcription factor Nrf2 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inhibited glutaminase activity in the perihematomal tissue. However, EE did not change the above behavioral outcomes in Nrf2-/- mice on day 28. Furthermore, exposure to EE did not increase BDNF expression compared to exposure to SE in Nrf2-/- mice on day 28 after ICH. These findings indicate that EE improves long-term outcomes in sensorimotor, emotional, and cognitive behavior after ICH and that the underlying mechanism involves the Nrf2/BDNF/glutaminase pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peijun Jia
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
- School of Life Sciences,
Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Junmin Wang
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiuhua Ren
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jinxin He
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shaoshuai Wang
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yinpei Xing
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Danyang Chen
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xinling Zhang
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Siqi Zhou
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xi Liu
- Department of Neurology,
The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou,
China
| | - Shangchen Yu
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zefu Li
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chao Jiang
- Department of Neurology,
The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou,
China
| | - Weidong Zang
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xuemei Chen
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Anatomy,
School of Basic Medical Sciences, , Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, China
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Ji X, Zhao Z. Exposure to enriched environment ameliorated chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression-like symptoms in rats via regulating the miR-92a-3p/kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) pathway. Brain Res Bull 2023; 195:14-24. [PMID: 36638871 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.01.002] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Silencing of miR-92a-3p may be beneficial in relieving depression of chronically stressed rats. The level of kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) was increased in the striatum of depressed rats after ketamine treatment. Enriched environment (EE) ameliorated depression-like behaviors in rats. However, the specific mechanism of EE treatment on depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) remains unclear. METHODS After CUMS-induced male Sprague Dawley rats were treated under EE or/and Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV)-miR-92a-3p, depression-like behaviors, cognitive ability, dendritic spine density, as well as levels of miR-92a-3p and KLF2 were detected by the behavioral tests, morris water maze test, Golgi staining, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) as needed. The body weight of rats was also measured. Next, primary hippocampal neurons were cultivated. The targeting relationship between miR-92a-3p and KLF2 was analyzed by TargetScan v7.2 and dual-luciferase reporter assay. After hippocampal neurons were transfected with miR-92a-3p mimic or/and overexpressed KLF2 vector, the cell viability, and apoptosis, together with the levels of KLF2, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phosphorylated (p)-tropomysin related kinase B (p-TrkB) and TrkB were determined by MTT assay, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and western blot as needed. RESULTS EE ameliorated CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors and cognitive ability, and elevated the neuronal dendritic spine density and KLF2 level, but reduced miR-92a-3p level in hippocampal tissues, while the above effects were reversed by AAV-miR-92a-3p. MiR-92a-3p mimic restrained cell viability, along with p-TrkB/ TrkB and BDNF levels, but promoted apoptosis in hippocampal neurons, which were reversed by overexpressed KLF2. CONCLUSION EE ameliorates CUMS-induced depression-like symptoms in rats via regulating the miR-92a-3p/KLF2 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Ji
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenwu Zhao
- Emergency Department, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Third Affiliated Hospital, Beijing, China.
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Zhang YM, Wei RM, Li XY, Feng YZ, Zhang KX, Ge YJ, Kong XY, Liu XC, Chen GH. Long-term environmental enrichment overcomes depression, learning, and memory impairment in elderly CD-1 mice with maternal sleep deprivation exposure. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1177250. [PMID: 37168717 PMCID: PMC10164971 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1177250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress disrupts central nervous system development and increases the risk of neuropsychiatric disorder in offspring based on rodent studies. Maternal sleep deprivation (MSD) in rodents has also been associated with depression and cognitive decline in adult offspring. However, it is not known whether these issues persist into old age. Environmental enrichment is a non-pharmacological intervention with proven benefits in improving depression and cognitive impairment; however, it is unclear whether these benefits hold for aging mice following MSD exposure. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of MSD on depression and cognition in elderly offspring CD-1 mice and to determine whether long-term environmental enrichment could alleviate these effects by improving neuroinflammation and synaptic plasticity. The offspring mice subjected to MSD were randomly assigned to either a standard environment or an enriched environment. At 18 months of age, the forced swimming and tail suspension tests were used to evaluated depression-like behaviors, and the Morris water maze test was used to evaluate cognitive function. The expression levels of hippocampal proinflammatory cytokines and synaptic plasticity-associated proteins were also measured. MSD increased depression-like behaviors and impaired cognition function in aging CD-1 offspring mice. These effects were accompanied by upregulated interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α expression, and downregulated brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tyrosine kinase receptor B, postsynaptic density-95, and synaptophysin expression in the hippocampus. All of these changes were reversed by long-term exposure to an enriched environment. These findings suggest that MSD exerts long-term effects on the behaviors of offspring in mice, leading to depression and cognitive impairment in older age. Importantly, long-term environmental enrichment could counteract the behavior difficulties induced by MSD through improving hippocampal proinflammatory cytokines and synaptic plasticity-associated proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue-Ming Zhang
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ru-Meng Wei
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xue-Yan Li
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yi-Zhou Feng
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Kai-Xuan Zhang
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yi-Jun Ge
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao-Yi Kong
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xue-Chun Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- *Correspondence: Gui-Hai Chen, ; Xue-Chun Liu,
| | - Gui-Hai Chen
- Department of Neurology (Sleep Disorders), The Affiliated Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- *Correspondence: Gui-Hai Chen, ; Xue-Chun Liu,
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Liu YL, Bavato F, Chung AN, Liu TH, Chen YL, Huang MC, Quednow BB. Neurofilament light chain as novel blood biomarker of disturbed neuroaxonal integrity in patients with ketamine dependence. World J Biol Psychiatry 2021; 22:713-721. [PMID: 33783299 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2021.1907709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Chronic and heavy ketamine use has been associated with persistent neurocognitive impairment and structural brain abnormalities. Blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NFL) was recently proposed as a measure of axonal integrity in several neuropsychiatric disorders. We aimed to characterise the axonal neurotoxicity of chronic ketamine use and its relationship to relevant clinical outcomes. METHODS We enrolled 65 treatment-seeking ketamine-dependent patients (55 males and 10 females) and 60 healthy controls (51 males and 9 females). Blood NFL levels measured by single molecule array (SiMoA) immunoassay. We compared NFL levels between groups and used regression analyses to identify clinical variables related to NFL levels. RESULTS Ketamine-dependent patients had significantly higher NFL levels compared to controls (p < 0.001). A multivariate regression showed that age (p < 0.05) and lifetime history of major depressive disorder (MDD) (p < 0.01) predicted high NFL blood levels in patients. Subsequent group comparisons showed that specifically ketamine-dependent patients with a lifetime history of MDD had significantly increased NFL levels than those without (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest substantial neuroaxonal alterations following chronic and heavy ketamine use. The pronounced increase of NFL levels in the MDD subgroup warrants further investigation of a potential neuroaxonal vulnerability of depressed patients to ketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Li Liu
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Francesco Bavato
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - An-Nie Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tung-Hsia Liu
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Lung Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chyi Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Psychiatric Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Boris B Quednow
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Gu JY, Xu YW, Feng LP, Dong J, Zhao LQ, Liu C, Wang HY, Zhang XY, Song C, Wang CH. Enriched environment mitigates depressive behavior by changing the inflammatory activation phenotype of microglia in the hippocampus of depression model rats. Brain Res Bull 2021; 177:252-262. [PMID: 34653561 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammation mediated by microglia has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of depression. The enriched environment (EE) can improve depression-like behaviors and reduce inflammatory reactions, but it is unclear whether this is by changing the inflammatory activation phenotype of microglia. METHOD A depression rat model was established using chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) for four weeks. The rats were then treated with EE or fluoxetine administration during the following three weeks. Behavior tests including sucrose preference, forced swimming and open field were applied to evaluate the depression-like behaviors of rats at the baseline period prior to CUS, the end of fourth week and at the end of the seventh week. Microglial activation and hippocampal neuro-inflammation were detected on postmortem using immunofluorescence, western blotting, and real-time polymerase reaction (PCR). RESULT The results showed that severe depressive-like behavior was induced by four weeks of CUS. Changes in peripheral blood inflammatory cytokines were detected by ELISA. Immunofluorescent staining showed the IBA-1 of microglia activation marker level significantly increased in affected rats. The hippocampal microglial activation state was determined by measuring the increased levels of iNOS an M1 marker and the decreased levels of CD206, an M2 marker. The activation of NF-κB upregulation of inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus and factors such as IL-10 were decreased. This study showed that EE and chronic fluoxetine treatment alleviated the depressive-like behavior induced by chronic stress and significantly inhibited microglial activation, activated NF-κB inflammasome and increased pro-inflammatory cytokines. CONCLUSION EE can alleviate depression-like behavior by modulating the phenotype of microglia, inhibiting pro-inflammatory genes, and promoting anti-inflammatory genes. Furthermore, EE can effectively reduce the phosphorylation and expression levels of NF-κB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yang Gu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, China
| | - Yao-Wei Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, China
| | - Lai-Peng Feng
- Henan Key Lab of Biological Psychiatry, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, China
| | - Jiao Dong
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, China
| | - Li-Qin Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, China
| | - Hui-Ying Wang
- Henan Key Lab of Biological Psychiatry, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, China
| | - Xiang-Yang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Cai Song
- Research Institute for Marine Drugs and Nutrition, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
| | - Chang-Hong Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, China.
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Bavato F, Cathomas F, Klaus F, Gütter K, Barro C, Maceski A, Seifritz E, Kuhle J, Kaiser S, Quednow BB. Altered neuroaxonal integrity in schizophrenia and major depressive disorder assessed with neurofilament light chain in serum. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 140:141-148. [PMID: 34116440 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.05.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia (SZ) and major depressive disorders (MDD) have been frequently linked to anatomical brain alterations. However, the relationship between brain pathology, inflammation and clinical symptoms in these disorders is still unclear. Thus, by applying novel blood markers of neuroaxonal integrity such as neurofilament light chain (NfL), we can now address main issues in psychiatric research and potentially offer innovative diagnostic tools toward better clinical characterizations and monitoring in both SZ and MDD. METHODS NfL levels were measured in serum of 44 patients with SZ and in 41 patients with MDD applying single molecule array technology and compared to a healthy norm population. Main inflammatory markers (C- reactive protein, interleukins IL-6 and IL-10) were measured to define patients with inflammatory phenotype. The Digit Symbol Substitution Task (DSST) and the Letter-Number-Sequencing Task were performed to estimate cognitive function in both groups. RESULTS NfL levels in MDD group (but not in SZ group) were significantly higher than reference values of healthy norm population. A higher than expected proportion of patients with NfL levels above age-specific cut-off values was observed in both SZ and MDD groups. No correlation was observed between NfL and inflammatory markers. A negative correlation between DSST and NfL-values was observed in patients with MDD. CONCLUSIONS Both SZ and MDD showed elevated serum levels of NfL, which were independent from inflammatory markers but associated with cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bavato
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Flurin Cathomas
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Federica Klaus
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Karoline Gütter
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Barro
- Neurologic Clinic and Policlinic, Departments of Medicine, Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Aleksandra Maceski
- Neurologic Clinic and Policlinic, Departments of Medicine, Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jens Kuhle
- Neurologic Clinic and Policlinic, Departments of Medicine, Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Kaiser
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Chemin du Petit-Bel-Air, 1225, Chêne-Bourg, Switzerland
| | - Boris B Quednow
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Gao S, Zhang S, Zhou H, Tao X, Ni Y, Pei D, Kang S, Yan W, Lu J. Role of mTOR-Regulated Autophagy in Synaptic Plasticity Related Proteins Downregulation and the Reference Memory Deficits Induced by Anesthesia/Surgery in Aged Mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:628541. [PMID: 33935683 PMCID: PMC8085306 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.628541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction increases mortality and morbidity in perioperative patients and has become a major concern for patients and caregivers. Previous studies demonstrated that synaptic plasticity is closely related to cognitive function, anesthesia and surgery inhibit synaptic function. In central nervous system, autophagy is vital to synaptic plasticity, homeostasis of synapticproteins, synapse elimination, spine pruning, proper axon guidance, and when dysregulated, is associated with behavioral and memory functions disorders. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) negatively regulates the process of autophagy. This study aimed to explore whether rapamycin can ameliorate anesthesia/surgery-induced cognitive deficits by inhibiting mTOR, activating autophagy and rising synaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus. Aged C57BL/6J mice were used to establish POCD models with exploratory laparotomy under isoflurane anesthesia. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used to measure reference memory after anesthesia and surgery. The levels of mTOR phosphorylation (p-mTOR), Beclin-1 and LC3-II were examined on postoperative days 1, 3 and 7 by western blotting. The levels of synaptophysin (SYN) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) in the hippocampus were also examined by western blotting. Here we showed that anesthesia/surgery impaired reference memory and induced the activation of mTOR, decreased the expression of autophagy-related proteins such as Beclin-1 and LC3-II. A corresponding decline in the expression of neuronal/synaptic, plasticity-related proteins such as SYN and PSD-95 was also observed. Pretreating mice with rapamycin inhibited the activation of mTOR and restored autophagy function, also increased the expression of SYN and PSD-95. Furthermore, anesthesia/surgery-induced learning and memory deficits were also reversed by rapamycin pretreatment. In conclusion, anesthesia/surgery induced mTOR hyperactivation and autophagy impairments, and then reduced the levels of SYN and PSD-95 in the hippocampus. An mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, ameliorated anesthesia/surgery-related cognitive impairments by inhibiting the mTOR activity, inducing activation of autophagy, enhancing SYN and PSD-95 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunan Gao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China
| | - Siyu Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, China
| | - Hongmei Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing City, China
| | - Xiaoyan Tao
- Department of Nursing, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing City, China
| | - Yunjian Ni
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing City, China
| | - Daqing Pei
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing City, China
| | - Shuai Kang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing City, China
| | - Weiwei Yan
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing City, China
| | - Jian Lu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing City, China
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10
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Huang J, Shen C, Ye R, Shi Y, Li W. The Effect of Early Maternal Separation Combined With Adolescent Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress on Behavior and Synaptic Plasticity in Adult Female Rats. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:539299. [PMID: 33746787 PMCID: PMC7973020 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.539299] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Our aims were to evaluate the depression model of early maternal separation (MS) combined with adolescent chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in female adult SD rats to observe the behavior and the expressions of synaptic proteins in rats and to provide a reference for the screening of antidepressant drug activity. In our study, MS and CUMS were conducted to establish a dual stress model on female rats. Behavioral tests, including the sucrose preference test, open field test, and zero maze test, were used to detect depression-like and anxiety-like behavior of animals. Nissl staining was used to detect the number of neuronal cells in the hippocampus CA1 and DG regions of rats from each group. Synaptophysin (SYN), postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95), and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) expressions in the hippocampus were detected by western blot. Expression of the hippocampus SYN protein was further detected by immunohistochemistry. Rats in the MS+CUMS group presented more serious depression-like and anxiety-like behavior than in the MS group. Also, few Nissl bodies in the hippocampus CA1 and DG regions, less percentage of SYN-positive cells, and downregulated expressions of SYN, PSD-95, and GAP43 were found in the hippocampus of rats in MS+CUMS group. In conclusion, adult female rats that underwent MS and CUMS performed more critical depression-like and anxiety-like behaviors, and this process may be resulted from synaptic plasticity impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Huang
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chongkun Shen
- School of Fundamental Medical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ran Ye
- Heyuan People's Hospital, Heyuan, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yafei Shi
- School of Fundamental Medical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weirong Li
- Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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11
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Kokras N, Sotiropoulos I, Besinis D, Tzouveka EL, Almeida OFX, Sousa N, Dalla C. Neuroplasticity-related correlates of environmental enrichment combined with physical activity differ between the sexes. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 29:1-15. [PMID: 30497839 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.11.1107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Environmental enrichment (EE), comprising positive physical (exercise) and cognitive stimuli, influences neuronal structure and usually improves brain function. The promise of EE as a preventative strategy against neuropsychiatric disease is especially high during early postnatal development when the brain is still amenable to reorganization. Despite the fact that male and female brains differ in terms of connectivity and function that may reflect early life experiences, knowledge of the neural substrates and mechanisms by which such changes arise remains limited. This study compared the impact of EE combined with physical activity on neuroplasticity and its functional consequences in adult male and female rats; EE was provided during the first 3 months of life and our analysis focused on the hippocampus, an area implicated in cognitive behavior as well as the neuroendocrine response to stress. Both male and female rats reared in EE displayed better object recognition memory than their control counterparts. Interestingly, sex differences were revealed in the effects of EE on time spent exploring the objects during this test. Independently of sex, EE increased hippocampal turnover rates of dopamine and serotonin and reduced expression of 5-HT1A receptors; in addition, EE upregulated expression of synaptophysin, a presynaptic protein, in the hippocampus. As compared to their respective controls, EE-exposed males exhibited parallel increases in phosphorylated Tau and the GluN2B receptor, whereas females responded to EE with reduced hippocampal levels of glutamate and GluN2B. Together, these observations provide further evidence on the differential effects of EE on markers of hippocampal neuroplasticity in males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Kokras
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens 11527, Greece; First Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - I Sotiropoulos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal; Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - D Besinis
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - E L Tzouveka
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens 11527, Greece
| | | | - N Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - C Dalla
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Athens 11527, Greece.
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12
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Enriched environment combined with fluoxetine ameliorates depression-like behaviors and hippocampal SYP expression in a rat CUS model. Brain Res Bull 2017; 135:33-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2017.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 09/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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13
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Cassanelli PM, Cladouchos ML, Fernández Macedo G, Sifonios L, Giaccardi LI, Gutiérrez ML, Gravielle MC, Wikinski S. Working memory training triggers delayed chromatin remodeling in the mouse corticostriatothalamic circuit. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2015; 60:93-103. [PMID: 25724761 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Working memory is a cognitive function serving goal-oriented behavior. In the last decade, working memory training has been shown to improve performance and its efficacy for the treatment of several neuropsychiatric disorders has begun to be examined. Neuroimaging studies have contributed to elucidate the brain areas involved but little is known about the underlying cellular events. A growing body of evidence has provided a link between working memory and relatively long-lasting epigenetic changes. However, the effects elicited by working memory training at the epigenetic level remain unknown. In this study we establish an animal model of working memory training and explore the changes in histone H3 acetylation (H3K9,14Ac) and histone H3 dimethylation on lysine 27 (H3K27Me2) triggered by the procedure in the brain regions of the corticostriatothalamic circuit (prelimbic/infralimbic cortex (PrL/IL), dorsomedial striatum (DMSt) and dorsomedial thalamus (DMTh)). Mice trained on a spontaneous alternation task showed improved alternation scores when tested with a retention interval that disrupts the performance of untrained animals. We then determined the involvement of the brain areas of the corticostriatothalamic circuit in working memory training by measuring the marker of neuronal activation c-fos. We observed increased c-fos levels in PrL/IL and DMSt in trained mice 90min after training. These animals also presented lower immunoreactivity for H3K9,14Ac in DMSt 24h but not 90min after the procedure. Increases in H3K27Me2, a repressive chromatin mark, were found in the DMSt and DMTh 24h after the task. Altogether, we present a mouse model to study the cellular underpinnings of working memory training and provide evidence indicating delayed chromatin remodeling towards repression triggered by the procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Martín Cassanelli
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5th Floor, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - María Laura Cladouchos
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5th Floor, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Georgina Fernández Macedo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5th Floor, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Sifonios
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5th Floor, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Inés Giaccardi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5th Floor, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Laura Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5th Floor, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Clara Gravielle
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5th Floor, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Silvia Wikinski
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (UBA-CONICET), Junín 956, 5th Floor, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; 1ª Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155, C1121ABG Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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14
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Mallei A, Failler M, Corna S, Racagni G, Mathé AA, Popoli M. Synaptoproteomic analysis of a rat gene-environment model of depression reveals involvement of energy metabolism and cellular remodeling pathways. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 18:pyu067. [PMID: 25522407 PMCID: PMC4360251 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyu067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depression is a severe mental illness that causes heavy social and economic burdens worldwide. A number of studies have shown that interaction between individual genetic vulnerability and environmental risk factors, such as stress, is crucial in psychiatric pathophysiology. In particular, the experience of stressful events in childhood, such as neglect, abuse, or parental loss, was found to increase the risk for development of depression in adult life. Here, to reproduce the gene x environment interaction, we employed an animal model that combines genetic vulnerability with early-life stress. METHODS The Flinders Sensitive Line rats (FSL), a validated genetic animal model of depression, and the Flinders Resistant Line (FRL) rats, their controls, were subjected to a standard protocol of maternal separation (MS) from postnatal days 2 to 14. A basal comparison between the two lines for the outcome of the environmental manipulation was performed at postnatal day 73, when the rats were into adulthood. We carried out a global proteomic analysis of purified synaptic terminals (synaptosomes), in order to study a subcellular compartment enriched in proteins involved in synaptic function. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), mass spectrometry, and bioinformatic analysis were used to analyze proteins and related functional networks that were modulated by genetic susceptibility (FSL vs. FRL) or by exposure to early-life stress (FRL + MS vs. FRL and FSL + MS vs. FSL) RESULTS We found that, at a synaptic level, mainly proteins and molecular pathways related to energy metabolism and cellular remodeling were dysregulated. CONCLUSIONS The present results, in line with previous works, suggest that dysfunction of energy metabolism and cytoskeleton dynamics at a synaptic level could be features of stress-related pathologies, in particular major depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Mallei
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Milano, Milano, Italy (Drs Mallei, Failler, Corna, Racagni, and Popoli); Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Mathé).
| | - Marion Failler
- *Present address: Université Paris Descartes, Inserm U1163, Imagine Institute, Necker Hospital, Paris.
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15
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Jain V, Baitharu I, Prasad D, Ilavazhagan G. Enriched environment prevents hypobaric hypoxia induced memory impairment and neurodegeneration: role of BDNF/PI3K/GSK3β pathway coupled with CREB activation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62235. [PMID: 23704876 PMCID: PMC3660501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2013] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse environmental conditions such as hypobaric hypoxia (HH) cause memory impairment by affecting cellular machinery leading to neurodegeneration. Providing enriched environment (EE) is found to be beneficial for curing several neurodegenerative disorders. The protective role of EE in preventing HH induced neuronal death has been reported previously but the involved mechanism is still not clearly understood. The present study is an attempt to verify the impact of EE on spatial memory during HH and also to explore the possible role of neurotrophin in EE mediated neuroprotection. Signaling mechanism involved in neuroprotection was also explored. Male Sprague Dawley rats were simulated to HH condition in an Animal Decompression Chamber at an altitude of 25000 feet in standard and enriched cages for 7 days. Spatial memory was assessed through Morris Water Maze. Role of different neurotrophins was explored by gene silencing and inhibitors for their respective receptors. Further, using different blockers signaling pathway was also explored. Finding of the present study suggested that EE prevents HH mediated memory impairment and neurodegeneration. Also brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a major role in EE mediated neuroprotection and it effectively prevented neurodegeneration by activating PI3K/AKT pathway resulting in GSK3β inactivation which further inhibits apoptosis. Moreover GSK3β phosphorylation and hence its inactivation upregulates CREB phosphorylation which may also accounts for activation of survival machinery in cells and provides neuroprotection. From these observations it can be postulated that EE has a therapeutic potential in amelioration of HH induced memory impairment and neurodegeneration. Hence it may be used as a non invasive and non pharmacological intervention against various neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Jain
- Department of Neurobiology, Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), Delhi, India
| | - Iswar Baitharu
- Department of Neurobiology, Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), Delhi, India
| | - Dipti Prasad
- Department of Neurobiology, Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), Delhi, India
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16
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Effects of fluoxetine on CRF and CRF1 expression in rats exposed to the learned helplessness paradigm. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013; 225:647-59. [PMID: 22960774 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2859-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2012] [Accepted: 08/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Stress is a common antecedent reported by people suffering major depression. In these patients, extrahypothalamic brain areas, like the hippocampus and basolateral amygdala (BLA), have been found to be affected. The BLA synthesizes CRF, a mediator of the stress response, and projects to hippocampus. The main hippocampal target for this peptide is the CRF subtype 1 receptor (CRF1). Evidence points to a relationship between dysregulation of CRF/CRF1 extrahypothalamic signaling and depression. OBJECTIVE Because selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line pharmacological treatment for depression, we investigated the effect of chronic treatment with the SSRI fluoxetine on long-term changes in CRF/CRF1 signaling in animals showing a depressive-like behavior. METHODS Male Wistar rats were exposed to the learned helplessness paradigm (LH). After evaluation of behavioral impairment, the animals were treated with fluoxetine (10 mg/kg i.p.) or saline for 21 days. We measured BLA CRF expression with RT-PCR and CRF1 expression in CA3 and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus with in situ hybridization. We also studied the activation of one of CRF1's major intracellular signaling targets, the extracellular signal-related kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in CA3. RESULTS In saline-treated LH animals, CRF expression in the BLA increased, while hippocampal CRF1 expression and ERK1/2 activation decreased. Treatment with fluoxetine reversed the changes in CRF and CRF1 expressions, but not in ERK1/2 activation. CONCLUSION In animals exposed to the learned helplessness paradigm, there are long-term changes in CRF and CRF1 expression that are restored with a behaviorally effective antidepressant treatment.
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Hutchinson KM, McLaughlin KJ, Wright RL, Bryce Ortiz J, Anouti DP, Mika A, Diamond DM, Conrad CD. Environmental enrichment protects against the effects of chronic stress on cognitive and morphological measures of hippocampal integrity. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2012; 97:250-60. [PMID: 22266288 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2012.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2011] [Revised: 12/31/2011] [Accepted: 01/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic stress has detrimental effects on hippocampal integrity, while environmental enrichment (EE) has beneficial effects when initiated early in development. In this study, we investigated whether EE initiated in adulthood would mitigate chronic stress effects on cognitive function and hippocampal neuronal architecture, when EE started one week before chronic stress began, or two weeks after chronic stress onset. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were chronically restrained (6h/d) or assigned as non-stressed controls and subdivided into EE or non-EE housing. After restraint ended, rats were tested on a radial arm water maze (RAWM) for 2-d to assess spatial learning and memory. The first study showed that when EE began prior to 3-weeks of chronic stress, EE attenuated chronic stress-induced impairments in acquisition, which corresponded with the prevention of chronic stress-induced reductions in CA3 apical dendritic length. A second study showed that when EE began 2-weeks after the onset of a 5-week stress regimen, EE blocked chronic stress-induced impairments in acquisition and retention at 1-h and 24-h delays. RAWM performance corresponded with CA3 apical dendritic complexity. Moreover, rats in EE housing (control or stress) exhibited similar corticosterone profiles across weeks, which differed from the muted corticosterone response to restraint by the chronically stressed pair-housed rats. These data support the interpretation that chronic stress and EE may act on similar mechanisms within the hippocampus, and that manipulation of these factors may yield new directions for optimizing brain integrity and resilience under chronic stress or stress related neuropsychological disorders in the adult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie M Hutchinson
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104, USA
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Niciu MJ, Kelmendi B, Sanacora G. Overview of glutamatergic neurotransmission in the nervous system. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2011; 100:656-64. [PMID: 21889952 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2011] [Accepted: 08/10/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This introductory article to the special edition on glutamate neurotransmission in neuropsychiatric disorders provides an overview of glutamate neurotransmitter system physiology and pharmacology. Glutamate was only relatively recently recognized as the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain, in part due to its ubiquitous nature and diverse metabolic roles within the CNS. The extremely high concentration of glutamate in brain tissue paired with its excitotoxic potential requires tight physiological regulation of extracellular glutamate levels and receptor signaling in order to assure optimal excitatory neurotransmission but limits excitotoxic damage. In order to achieve this high level of control, the system has developed a complex physiology with multiple regulatory processes modulating glutamate metabolism, release, receptor signaling, and uptake. The basic physiology of the various regulatory components of the system including the rich receptor pharmacology is briefly reviewed. Potential contributions from each of the system's components to the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric illnesses are briefly discussed, as are the many new pharmacological targets for drug development provided by the system, especially as they pertain to the proceeding preclinical and clinical articles in this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Niciu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
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19
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Reduced hippocampus volume in the mouse model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. J Psychiatr Res 2011; 45:650-9. [PMID: 21106206 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2010.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2010] [Revised: 10/08/2010] [Accepted: 10/22/2010] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Some, but not all studies in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), report reduced hippocampus (HPC) volume. In particular it is unclear, whether smaller hippocampal volume represents a susceptibility factor for PTSD rather than a consequence of the trauma. To gain insight into the relationship of brain morphology and trauma exposure, we investigated volumetric and molecular changes of the HPC in a mouse model of PTSD by means of in vivo Manganese Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MEMRI) and ex vivo ultramicroscopic measurements. Exposure to a brief inescapable foot shock led to a volume reduction in both left HPC and right central amygdala two months later. This volume loss was mirrored by a down-regulation of growth-associated protein-43 (GAP43) in the HPC. Enriched housing decreased the intensity of trauma-associated contextual fear, independently of whether it was provided before or after the shock. Beyond that, enriched housing led to an increase in intracranial volume, including the lateral ventricles and the hippocampus, and to an up-regulation of GAP43 as revealed by MEMRI and Western blot analysis, thus partially compensating for trauma-related HPC volume loss and down-regulation of GAP43 expression. Together these data demonstrate that traumatic experience in mice causes a reduction in HPC and central amygdala volume possibly due to a shrinkage of axonal protrusions. Enriched housing might induce trophic changes, which may contribute to the amelioration of trauma-associated PTSD-like symptoms at behavioural, morphological and molecular levels.
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Arai JA, Feig LA. Long-lasting and transgenerational effects of an environmental enrichment on memory formation. Brain Res Bull 2010; 85:30-5. [PMID: 21078373 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2010.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Revised: 11/02/2010] [Accepted: 11/03/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
It has long been believed that genetically determined, but not environmentally acquired, phenotypes can be inherited. However, a large number of recent studies have reported that phenotypes acquired from an animal's environment can be transmitted to the next generation. Moreover, epidemiology studies have hinted that a similar phenomenon occurs in humans. This type of inheritance does not involve gene mutations that change DNA sequence. Instead, it is thought that epigenetic changes in chromatin, such as DNA methylation and histone modification, occur. In this review, we will focus on one exciting new example of this phenomenon, transfer across generations of enhanced synaptic plasticity and memory formation induced by exposure to an "enriched" environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junko A Arai
- Department of Biochemistry, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA, USA
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21
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Perroud N, Uher R, Ng MYM, Guipponi M, Hauser J, Henigsberg N, Maier W, Mors O, Gennarelli M, Rietschel M, Souery D, Dernovsek MZ, Stamp AS, Lathrop M, Farmer A, Breen G, Aitchison KJ, Lewis CM, Craig IW, McGuffin P. Genome-wide association study of increasing suicidal ideation during antidepressant treatment in the GENDEP project. THE PHARMACOGENOMICS JOURNAL 2010; 12:68-77. [PMID: 20877300 DOI: 10.1038/tpj.2010.70] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Suicidal thoughts during antidepressant treatment have been the focus of several candidate gene association studies. The aim of the present genome-wide association study was to identify additional genetic variants involved in increasing suicidal ideation during escitalopram and nortriptyline treatment. A total of 706 adult participants of European ancestry, treated for major depression with escitalopram or nortriptyline over 12 weeks in the Genome-Based Therapeutic Drugs for Depression (GENDEP) study were genotyped with Illumina Human 610-Quad Beadchips (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). A total of 244 subjects experienced an increase in suicidal ideation during follow-up. The genetic marker most significantly associated with increasing suicidality (8.28 × 10(-7)) was a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; rs11143230) located 30 kb downstream of a gene encoding guanine deaminase (GDA) on chromosome 9q21.13. Two suggestive drug-specific associations within KCNIP4 (Kv channel-interacting protein 4; chromosome 4p15.31) and near ELP3 (elongation protein 3 homolog; chromosome 8p21.1) were found in subjects treated with escitalopram. Suggestive drug by gene interactions for two SNPs near structural variants on chromosome 4q12, one SNP in the apolipoprotein O (APOO) gene on chromosome Xp22.11 and one on chromosome 11q24.3 were found. The most significant association within a set of 33 candidate genes was in the neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 2 (NTRK2) gene. Finally, we also found trend for an association within genes previously associated with psychiatric phenotypes indirectly linked to suicidal behavior, that is, GRIP1, NXPH1 and ANK3. The results suggest novel pathways involved in increasing suicidal ideation during antidepressant treatment and should help to target treatment to reduce the risk of this dramatic adverse event. Limited power precludes definitive conclusions and replication in larger sample is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Perroud
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
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