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Burenkova OV, Grigorenko EL. The role of epigenetic mechanisms in the long-term effects of early-life adversity and mother-infant relationship on physiology and behavior of offspring in laboratory rats and mice. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22479. [PMID: 38470450 PMCID: PMC10959231 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Maternal care during the early postnatal period of altricial mammals is a key factor in the survival and adaptation of offspring to environmental conditions. Natural variations in maternal care and experimental manipulations with maternal-child relationships modeling early-life adversity (ELA) in laboratory rats and mice have a strong long-term influence on the physiology and behavior of offspring in rats and mice. This literature review is devoted to the latest research on the role of epigenetic mechanisms in these effects of ELA and mother-infant relationship, with a focus on the regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. An important part of this review is dedicated to pharmacological interventions and epigenetic editing as tools for studying the causal role of epigenetic mechanisms in the development of physiological and behavioral profiles. A special section of the manuscript will discuss the translational potential of the discussed research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V. Burenkova
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elena L. Grigorenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Cognitive Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Research Administration, Moscow State University for Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
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Valvassori SS, Varela RB, Resende WR, Possamai-Della T, Borba LDA, Behenck JP, Réus GZ, Quevedo J. Antidepressant Effect of Sodium Butyrate is Accompanied by Brain Epigenetic Modulation in Rats Subjected to Early or Late Life Stress. Curr Neurovasc Res 2024; 20:586-598. [PMID: 38288841 DOI: 10.2174/0115672026277345240115101852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depression has a complex and multifactorial etiology constituted by the interaction between genetic and environmental factors in its development. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sodium butyrate (SD) on epigenetic enzyme alterations in rats subjected to animal models of depression induced by maternal deprivation (MD) or chronic mild stress (CMS). METHODS To induce MD, male Wistar rats were deprived of maternal care during the first 10 days of life. To induce CMS, rats were subjected to the CMS for 40 days. Adult rats were then treated with daily injections of SD for 7 days. Animals were subjected to the forced swimming test (FST), and then, histone deacetylase (HDAC), histone acetyltransferase (HAT), and DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activities were evaluated in the brain. RESULTS MD and CMS increased immobility time in FST and increased HDAC and DNMT activity in the animal brains. SD reversed increased immobility induced by both animal models and the alterations in HDAC and DNMT activities. There was a positive correlation between enzyme activities and immobility time for both models. HDAC and DNMT activities also presented a positive correlation between themselves. CONCLUSION These results suggest that epigenetics can play an important role in major depression pathophysiology triggered by early or late life stress and its treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira Silva Valvassori
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Roger Bitencourt Varela
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
- Functional Neuromodulation and Novel Therapeutics Laboratory, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Wilson Rodrigues Resende
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Taise Possamai-Della
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Laura de Araujo Borba
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - João Paulo Behenck
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Gislaine Zilli Réus
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - João Quevedo
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
- Translational Psychiatry Program, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA
- Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Interventional Psychiatry, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), Houston, TX, USA
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Effects of early life adversities upon memory processes and cognition in rodent models. Neuroscience 2022; 497:282-307. [PMID: 35525496 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to stressors in early postnatal life induces long-lasting modifications in brainfunction.Thisplasticity,an essential characteristic of the brain that enables adaptation to the environment, may also induce impairments in some psychophysiological functions, including learning and memory. Early life stress (ELS) has long-term effects on thehypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axisresponse to stressors, and has been reported to lead toneuroinflammation,altered levelsof neurotrophic factors, modifications inneurogenesis andsynaptic plasticity,with changes in neurotransmitter systems and network functioning. In this review, we focus on early postnatal stress in animal models and their effects on learning and memory.Many studies have reported ELS-induced impairments in different types of memories, including spatial memory, fear memory, recognition (both for objects and social) memory, working memory and reversal learning. Studies are not always in agreement, however, no effects, or sometimes facilitation, being reported, depending on the nature and intensity of the early intervention, as well as the age when the outcome was evaluated and the sex of the animals. When considering processes occurring after consolidation, related with memory maintenance or modification, there are a very reduced number of reports. Future studies addressing the mechanisms underlying memory changes for ELS should shed some light on the understanding of the different effects induced by stressors of different types and intensities on cognitive functions.
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Guan J, Ding Y, Rong Y, Geng Y, Lai L, Qi D, Tang Y, Yang L, Li J, Zhou T, Wu E, Wu R. Early Life Stress Increases Brain Glutamate and Induces Neurobehavioral Manifestations in Rats. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:4169-4178. [PMID: 33179901 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is associated with an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety disorders. Disturbances of the neurobiological glutamatergic system are implicated in depression; however, the long-term effects of ELS on glutamate (Glu) metabolites remain unclear. Our study used 7T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (7T 1H MRS) to detect metabolic Glu in a rat model to investigate maternal deprivation (MD)-induced ELS. MD was established in Sprague-Dawley rats by periodic separation from mothers and peers. Changes in the hippocampal volume and Glu metabolism were detected by 7T 1H MRS after testing for depression-like behavior via open field, sucrose preference, and Morris water maze tests. Adult MD offspring exhibited depression-like behavior. Compared to the control, the MD group exhibited reduced ratio of central activity time to total time and decreased sucrose consumption (p < 0.05). MD rats spent less time in the fourth quadrant, where the platform was originally placed, in the Morris water maze test. According to 7T 1H MRS, hippocampus of MD rats had elevated Glu and glutamate + glutamine (Glu+Gln) levels compared with the control group hippocampi, but Gln, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutamate + glutamine (Glu+Gln) in the prefrontal cortex of MD rats showed a downward trend. Depression-like behavior and cognition deficits related to ELS may induce region-specific changes in Glu metabolism in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The novel, noninvasive 7T 1H MRS-identified associations between Glu levels and ELS may guide future clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitian Guan
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
| | - Yan Ding
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yunjie Rong
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Yiqun Geng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China
| | - Lingfeng Lai
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Dan Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
| | - Yanyan Tang
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Juntao Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Teng Zhou
- Department of Computer Science, Shantou University, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Erxi Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Department of Surgery, Texas A & M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple 76508, Texas United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Texas A & M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- LIVESTRONG Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Renhua Wu
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
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Prenatal maternal stress is associated with increased sensitivity to neuropathic pain and sex-specific changes in supraspinal mRNA expression of epigenetic- and stress-related genes in adulthood. Behav Brain Res 2020; 380:112396. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Maternal Deprivation Induces Memory Deficits That Are Reduced by One Aerobic Exercise Shot Performed after the Learning Session. Neural Plast 2019; 2019:3608502. [PMID: 31827496 PMCID: PMC6881746 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3608502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During the neonatal period, the brain is susceptible to external influences. Exposure to stressful events during this phase of life influences brain development and impacts adult life. In animals, the maternal deprivation (MD) model is effective in mimicking stress in the early stages of development. In contrast, physical exercise seems to be able to prevent deficits in memory consolidation. Although the effects of chronic exercise in cognition are already well established, little is known about the effects of acute aerobic exercise. Here, male Wistar rats divided into deprived (MD) and nondeprived (NMD) rats were submitted to the object recognition (OR) memory test. Immediately after OR training, some of the rats were submitted to a single aerobic exercise session for 30 minutes. Memory consolidation and persistence were evaluated by retention tests performed 24 h and 7, 14, and 21 days after OR training. We show that a single physical exercise session is able to modulate learning by promoting memory consolidation and persistence in rats with cognitive deficits induced by MD. Hippocampal dopamine levels, measured by HPLC, were not altered after OR training in rats that performed and in rats that did not perform an exercise session; on the other hand, while OR training promoted increase of hippocampal norepinephrine in NMD rats, the MD rats did not present this increase, regardless of the practice or not of exercise.
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Giacobbo BL, de Freitas BS, Vedovelli K, Schlemmer LM, Pires VN, Antoniazzi V, Santos CDSD, Paludo L, Borges JV, de Lima DB, Schröder N, de Vries EFJ, Bromberg E. Long-term environmental modifications affect BDNF concentrations in rat hippocampus, but not in serum. Behav Brain Res 2019; 372:111965. [PMID: 31125621 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.111965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The role of mBDNF on the beneficial effects of cognitive stimulation on the brain remains controversial, as well as the potential of peripheral mBDNF as a biomarker of environmental effects on its central status. We investigated the effect of different environmental conditions on recognition memory, proBDNF, mBDNF and synaptophysin levels in the hippocampus, and on mBDNF levels in blood. Male Wistar rats (6 and 17 months-old) were assigned to cognitively enriched (EE), standard (SE) and impoverished (IE) environmental conditions for twelve weeks. Novel object recognition was performed at week 10. When the animals were 9 and 20-months old, hippocampus was collected for mBDNF, proBDNF and synaptophysin analysis; serum was analyzed for mBDNF levels. The cognitively EE improved recognition memory, resulted in a trend to increased hippocampal mBDNF and augmented synaptophysin levels. Accordingly, hippocampal mBDNF, proBDNF and synaptophysin were significantly higher in EE than IE animals. Hippocampal mBDNF was positively correlated to proBDNF, cellular and behavioral plasticity markers. No effect of age was seen on the studied variables. Moreover, no significant effects of EE or IE on serum mBDNF were observed. Serum mBDNF also failed to correlate with hippocampal mBDNF, proBDNF and with the cellular and behavioral plasticity markers. These findings indicate that mBDNF is involved in neuronal and behavioral plasticity mechanisms induced by cognitively enriched environments, and that peripheral mBDNF may not always be a reliable biomarker of the effects of environmental settings on central mBDNF and plasticity, which is of special interest from a translational research perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Lima Giacobbo
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, P.O. Box 31.001, 9713 GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Betânia Souza de Freitas
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Kelem Vedovelli
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6690, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lívia Machado Schlemmer
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Vivian Naziaseno Pires
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Antoniazzi
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Cristophod de Souza Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Leticia Paludo
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Juliano Viana Borges
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Daiane Borba de Lima
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Nadja Schröder
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq), Brasília, Brazil; Department of Physiology, Institute for Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Sarmento Leite, 500, 90050-170 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Erik F J de Vries
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, P.O. Box 31.001, 9713 GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Elke Bromberg
- Laboratory of Biology and Development of the Nervous System, School of Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6681, 90619-900, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga Av. 6690, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq), Brasília, Brazil.
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Preventing epigenetic traces of caregiver maltreatment: A role for HDAC inhibition. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 78:178-184. [PMID: 31075305 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Reorganization of the brain's epigenetic landscape occurs alongside early adversity in both human and non-human animals. Whether this reorganization is simply incidental to or is a causal mechanism of the behavioral abnormalities that result from early adversity is important to understand. Using the scarcity-adversity model of low nesting resources in Long Evans rats, our lab has previously reported specific epigenetic and behavioral trajectories occurring in response to early disruption of the caregiving environment. To further probe that relationship, the current work investigates the ability of the epigenome-modifying drug sodium butyrate to prevent maltreatment-induced methylation changes when administered alongside maltreatment. Following exposure to the scarcity-adversity model, during which drug was administered prior to each caregiving session, methylation of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (Bdnf) IX DNA was examined in the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) of male and female pups at postnatal day (PN) 8. As our previous work reports, increased methylation at this exon of Bdnf in the PFC is a stable epigenetic change across the lifespan that occurs in response to early maltreatment, thus giving us a suitable starting point to investigate pharmacological prevention of maltreatment-induced epigenetic marks. Here we also examined off-target effects of sodium butyrate by assessing methylation in another region of Bdnf (exon IV) not affected in the infant brain as well as global levels of methylation in the brain region of interest. Results indicate that a 400 mg/kg (but not 300 mg/kg) dose of sodium butyrate is effective in preventing the maltreatment-induced rise in methylation at Bdnf exon IX in the PFC of male (but not female) infant pups. Administration of sodium butyrate did not affect the methylation status of Bdnf IV or overall levels of global methylation in the PFC, suggesting potential specificity of this drug. These data provide us an avenue forward for investigating whether the relationship between adversity-induced epigenetic outcomes in our model can be manipulated to improve behavioral outcomes.
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Neonatal Lipopolysaccharide Challenge Induces Long-lasting Spatial Cognitive Impairment and Dysregulation of Hippocampal Histone Acetylation in Mice. Neuroscience 2018; 398:76-87. [PMID: 30543856 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Neonatal inflammation induces long-term effects on brain function. We investigated the effects of systematic neonatal inflammation using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection at postnatal day 3 (P3) and P5 in a mouse model of spatial memory capacity measured using a Morris water maze (MWM) task in adulthood. Subsequently, we assessed histone acetylation and immediate-early response gene expression (c-Fos and brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in the hippocampus in response to MWM acquisition training. The LPS-treated mice exhibited a significant spatial cognitive impairment, which was accompanied by insufficient histone acetylation of the H4K12-specific lysine residue and repressed c-Fos gene expression immediately after acquisition training. Moreover, the enrichment of acetyl-H4K12 on the c-Fos promoter following acquisition training was decreased in LPS-treated mice. Administration of trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, 2 h before each MWM acquisition training session effectively enhanced hippocampal histone acetylation levels and enrichment of acetyl-H4K12 on the c-Fos promoter following acquisition training in LPS-treated mice. TSA also increased c-Fos gene expression underlying synaptic plasticity and memory formation, and consequently rescued impaired spatial cognitive function. These results indicate that the dysregulation of H4K12 acetylation during the ongoing process of memory formation plays a key role in the spatial cognitive impairment associated with a neonatal LPS challenge. The histone deacetylase inhibitor TSA exhibits therapeutic potential for treating cognitive impairment induced by neonatal inflammation, by means of improving hippocampal histone acetylation and downstream c-Fos gene expression in response to a learning task.
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Wearick-Silva LE, Orso R, Martins LA, Creutzberg KC, Centeno-Silva A, Xavier LL, Grassi-Oliveira R, Mestriner RG. Dual influences of early life stress induced by limited bedding on walking adaptability and Bdnf/TrkB and Drd1/Drd2 gene expression in different mouse brain regions. Behav Brain Res 2018; 359:66-72. [PMID: 30347225 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Evidence suggests early life stress impairs development, quality of life and increases vulnerability to disease. One important aspect of the stress experience is its impact on cognitive-motor performance, which includes the ability to adapt walking according to the environmental conditions. This study aimed to investigate how early-life stress affects walking adaptability of mice, while investigating BDNF/TrkB and Drd1/Drd2 expression in different brain regions. Methods Briefly, we exposed male C56BL/6 to the limited bedding protocol (LB) from post-natal day (PND) 2 to PND9 and then tested animals in the ladder walking task at PND60. RT-qPCR was used to investigate gene expression in the mPFC, hippocampus, motor cortex and cerebellum 2 h after the task Results LB induced a wide range of variability and therefore two distinct subgroups of animals within the LB group were established: a) superior performance (LB-SP); and b) inferior performance (LB-IP), compared to controls. Additionally, Drd1 gene expression was increased in the mPFC of LB-IP animals and in the cerebellum of LB-SP animals, while Drd2 expression was reduced in the hippocampus of the LB-IP group. BDNF exon IV gene expression in the mPFC and motor cortex was increased in both the LB-IP and LB-SP subgroups. TrkB gene expression in the hippocampus was reduced in the LB-IP group. A strong negative correlation was found between walking adaptability performance and BDNF exon IV gene expression in the motor cortex. Conversely, a positive correlation was found between walking adaptability performance and TrkB expression in the mPFC and a negative correlation in the hippocampus. Both Drd1 and Drd2 gene expression were negatively correlated with the ability to adapt walking. Conclusions Overall, our findings suggest exposure to early life stress leads to distinct walking adaptability phenotypes, which may be related to Drd1, Drd2, Bdnf exon IV and TrkB gene expression in brain regions that influence walking adaptability.
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Affiliation(s)
- L E Wearick-Silva
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - R Orso
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - L A Martins
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair Research Group, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - K C Creutzberg
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - A Centeno-Silva
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - L L Xavier
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair Research Group, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - R Grassi-Oliveira
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - R G Mestriner
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair Research Group, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Hing B, Sathyaputri L, Potash JB. A comprehensive review of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate BDNF expression and function with relevance to major depressive disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2018; 177:143-167. [PMID: 29243873 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder that affects behavior and impairs cognition. A gene potentially important to this disorder is the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as it is involved in processes controlling neuroplasticity. Various mechanisms exist to regulate BDNF's expression level, subcellular localization, and sorting to appropriate secretory pathways. Alterations to these processes by genetic factors and negative stressors can dysregulate its expression, with possible implications for MDD. Here, we review the mechanisms governing the regulation of BDNF expression, and discuss how disease-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can alter these mechanisms, and influence MDD. As negative stressors increase the likelihood of MDD, we will also discuss the impact of these stressors on BDNF expression, the cellular effect of such a change, and its impact on behavior in animal models of stress. We will also describe epigenetic processes that mediate this change in BDNF expression. Similarities in BDNF expression between animal models of stress and those in MDD will be highlighted. We will also contrast epigenetic patterns at the BDNF locus between animal models of stress, and MDD patients, and address limitations to current clinical studies. Future work should focus on validating current genetic and epigenetic findings in tightly controlled clinical studies. Regions outside of BDNF promoters should also be explored, as should other epigenetic marks, to improve identification of biomarkers for MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Hing
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Leela Sathyaputri
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - James B Potash
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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Boschen KE, Keller SM, Roth TL, Klintsova AY. Epigenetic mechanisms in alcohol- and adversity-induced developmental origins of neurobehavioral functioning. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2018; 66:63-79. [PMID: 29305195 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2017.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The long-term effects of developmental alcohol and stress exposure are well documented in both humans and non-human animal models. Damage to the brain and attendant life-long impairments in cognition and increased risk for psychiatric disorders are debilitating consequences of developmental exposure to alcohol and/or psychological stress. Here we discuss evidence for a role of epigenetic mechanisms in mediating these consequences. While we highlight some of the common ways in which stress or alcohol impact the epigenome, we point out that little is understood of the epigenome's response to experiencing both stress and alcohol exposure, though stress is a contributing factor as to why women drink during pregnancy. Advancing our understanding of this relationship is of critical concern not just for the health and well-being of individuals directly exposed to these teratogens, but for generations to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Boschen
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - S M Keller
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - T L Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States.
| | - A Y Klintsova
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States.
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Singh P, Srivas S, Thakur MK. Epigenetic Regulation of Memory-Therapeutic Potential for Disorders. Curr Neuropharmacol 2017; 15:1208-1221. [PMID: 28393704 PMCID: PMC5725549 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666170404144522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Memory is a vital function which declines in different physiological and pathological conditions such as aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Research in the past has reported that memory formation and consolidation require the precise expression of synaptic plasticity genes. However, little is known about the regulation of these genes. Epigenetic modification is now a well established mechanism that regulates synaptic plasticity genes and neuronal functions including memory. Therefore, we have reviewed the epigenetic regulation of memory and its therapeutic potential for memory dysfunction during aging and neurological disorders. METHOD Research reports and online contents relevant to epigenetic regulation of memory during physiological and pathological conditions have been compiled and discussed. RESULTS Epigenetic modifications include mainly DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, histone acetylation and methylation which involve chromatin modifying enzymes. These epigenetic marks change during memory formation and impairment due to dementia, aging and neurodegeneration. As the epigenetic modifications are reversible, they can be modulated by enzyme inhibitors leading to the recovery of memory. CONCLUSION Epigenetic modifications could be exploited as a potential therapeutic target to recover memory disorders during aging and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Padmanabh Singh
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Brain Research Centre, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India
| | - Sweta Srivas
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Brain Research Centre, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India
| | - M K Thakur
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Brain Research Centre, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India
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