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Lara O, Janssen P, Mambretti M, De Pauw L, Ates G, Mackens L, De Munck J, Walckiers J, Pan Z, Beckers P, Espinet E, Sato H, De Ridder M, Marks DL, Barbé K, Aerts JL, Hermans E, Rooman I, Massie A. Compartmentalized role of xCT in supporting pancreatic tumor growth, inflammation and mood disturbance in mice. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:275-286. [PMID: 38447884 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
xCT (Slc7a11), the specific subunit of the cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc-, is present in the brain and on immune cells, where it is known to modulate behavior and inflammatory responses. In a variety of cancers -including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)-, xCT is upregulated by tumor cells to support their growth and spread. Therefore, we studied the impact of xCT deletion in pancreatic tumor cells (Panc02) and/or the host (xCT-/- mice) on tumor burden, inflammation, cachexia and mood disturbances. Deletion of xCT in the tumor strongly reduced tumor growth. Targeting xCT in the host and not the tumor resulted only in a partial reduction of tumor burden, while it did attenuate tumor-related systemic inflammation and prevented an increase in immunosuppressive regulatory T cells. The latter effect could be replicated by specific xCT deletion in immune cells. xCT deletion in the host or the tumor differentially modulated neuroinflammation. When mice were grafted with xCT-deleted tumor cells, hypothalamic inflammation was reduced and, accordingly, food intake improved. Tumor bearing xCT-/- mice showed a trend of reduced hippocampal neuroinflammation with less anxiety- and depressive-like behavior. Taken together, targeting xCT may have beneficial effects on pancreatic cancer-related comorbidities, beyond reducing tumor burden. The search for novel and specific xCT inhibitors is warranted as they may represent a holistic therapy in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaya Lara
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium; Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Pauline Janssen
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium; Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Marco Mambretti
- Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Laura De Pauw
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Gamze Ates
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Liselotte Mackens
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Jolien De Munck
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Jarne Walckiers
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Zhaolong Pan
- Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Pauline Beckers
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels 1200, Belgium
| | - Elisa Espinet
- Pancreatic Cancer Lab, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapy, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08907, Spain; Molecular Mechanisms and Experimental Therapy in Oncology Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08907, Spain
| | - Hideyo Sato
- Department of Medical Technology, Niigata University, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Mark De Ridder
- Department of Radiotherapy, UZ Brussels, VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Daniel L Marks
- Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Kurt Barbé
- The Biostatistics and Medical Informatics Department, VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Joeri L Aerts
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Hermans
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels 1200, Belgium
| | - Ilse Rooman
- Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium.
| | - Ann Massie
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium.
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Janssen P, De Pauw L, Mambretti M, Lara O, Walckiers J, Mackens L, Rooman I, Guillaume B, De Ridder M, Ates G, Massie A. Characterization of the long-term effects of lethal total body irradiation followed by bone marrow transplantation on the brain of C57BL/6 mice. Int J Radiat Biol 2023; 100:385-398. [PMID: 37976378 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2023.2283092] [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: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Total body irradiation (TBI) followed by bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is used in pre-clinical research to generate mouse chimeras that allow to study the function of a protein specifically on immune cells. Adverse consequences of irradiation on the juvenile body and brain are well described and include general fatigue, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. Yet, the long-term consequences of TBI/BMT performed on healthy adult mice have been poorly investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS We developed a robust protocol to achieve near complete bone marrow replacement in mice using 2x550cGy TBI and evaluated the impact of the procedure on their general health, mood disturbances, memory, brain atrophy, neurogenesis, neuroinflammation and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability 2 and/or 16 months post-BMT. RESULTS We found a persistent decrease in weight along with long-term impact on locomotion after TBI and BMT. Although the TBI/BMT procedure did not lead to anxiety- or depressive-like behavior 2- or 16-months post-BMT, long-term spatial memory of the irradiated mice was impaired. We also observed radiation-induced impaired neurogenesis and cortical microglia activation 2 months post-BMT. Moreover, higher levels of hippocampal IgG in aged BMT mice suggest an enhanced age-related increase in BBB permeability that could potentially contribute to the observed memory deficit. CONCLUSIONS Overall health of the mice did not seem to be majorly impacted by TBI followed by BMT during adulthood. Yet, TBI-induced alterations in the brain and behavior could lead to erroneous conclusions on the function of a protein on immune cells when comparing mouse chimeras with different genetic backgrounds that might display altered susceptibility to radiation-induced damage. Ultimately, the BMT model we here present could also be used to study the related long-term consequences of TBI and BMT seen in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Janssen
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Oncology, Oncology Research Centre (ORC), VUB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - L De Pauw
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - M Mambretti
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Oncology, Oncology Research Centre (ORC), VUB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - O Lara
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Oncology, Oncology Research Centre (ORC), VUB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - J Walckiers
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - L Mackens
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - I Rooman
- Laboratory of Medical and Molecular Oncology, Oncology Research Centre (ORC), VUB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - B Guillaume
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels, Belgium
- de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Centre hospitalier de Jolimont, Service de Biochimie Médicale, La Louvière, Belgium
| | - M De Ridder
- Department of Radiotherapy, UZ Brussel, VUB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - G Ates
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - A Massie
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
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Wang S, Liu Y, Wu Z, Jin Y, Zhang T, Yang Z, Liu C. Inhibition of xCT by sulfasalazine alleviates the depression-like behavior of adult male mice subjected to maternal separation stress. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114559. [PMID: 37392785 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Maternal separation (MS) can induce emotional disorders. Our previous study reported that MS resulted in depression-like behavior. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of xCT in depression-like behavior in adult mice subjected to MS stress. Pups were divided into the control group, the control + sulfasalazine (SSZ, 75 mg/kg/day, i.p.) group, the MS group, and the MS+SSZ group. After MS, all pups were raised until PD60. Then, the depression-like behavior was detected by the novelty suppressed feeding (NSF) test, the forced swimming test (FST), and the tail suspension test (TST). The synaptic plasticity was examined by electrophysiological recordings and molecular biotechnology. The data showed that, compared with the control group, the mice in the MS group presented depression-like behavior, impairment of long-term potentiation (LTP), a reduction in the number of astrocytes, and activation of the microglia. Moreover, the expression of xCT was increased in the prefrontal cortex of MS mice, the EAAT2 and the Group Ⅱ metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR2/3) were decreased, and the level of pro-inflammatory factors was increased in the prefrontal cortex. After the administration with SSZ, the depression-like behavior and the impairment of LTP were alleviated, the number of astrocytes was increased, and the microglial activation was inhibited. Moreover, the levels of EAAT2 and mGluR2/3 were ameliorated, the over-activation of the microglia was mitigated, and the levels of glutamate and pro-inflammatory factors were decreased. In conclusion, the inhibition of xCT by SSZ could alleviate depression-like behavior partly via modulating the homeostasis of the glutamate system and dampening neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengwen Wang
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Ye Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Injuries, Variations and Regeneration of Nervous System, Tianjin 300052, China; Key Laboratory of Post-trauma Neuro-repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin 300052, China; Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin 300052, China; Department of Neurology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Zekang Wu
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yuwen Jin
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Zhuo Yang
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Chunhua Liu
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
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Frare C, Pitt SK, Hewett SJ. Sex- and age-dependent contribution of System x c- to cognitive, sensory, and social behaviors revealed by comprehensive behavioral analyses of System x c- null mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1238349. [PMID: 37649973 PMCID: PMC10462982 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1238349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background System xc- (Sxc-) is an important heteromeric amino acid cystine/glutamate exchanger that plays a pivotal role in the CNS by importing cystine into cells while exporting glutamate. Although certain behaviors have been identified as altered in Sxc- null mutant mice, our understanding of the comprehensive impact of Sxc- on behavior remains incomplete. Methods To address this gap, we compared motor, sensory and social behaviors of male and female mice in mice null for Sxc- (SLC7A11sut/sut) with wildtype littermates (SLC7A11+/+) in a comprehensive and systematic manner to determine effects of genotype, sex, age, and their potential interactions. Results Motor performance was not affected by loss of Sxc- in both males and females, although it was impacted negatively by age. Motor learning was specifically disrupted in female mice lacking Sxc- at both 2 and 6 months of age. Further, female SLC7A11sut/sut mice at both ages exhibited impaired sociability, but normal spatial and recognition memory, as well as sensorimotor gating. Finally, pronounced open-space anxiety was displayed by female SLC7A11sut/sut when they were young. In contrast, young SLC7A11sut/sut male mice demonstrated normal sociability, delayed spatial learning, increased open-space anxiety and heightened sensitivity to noise. As they aged, anxiety and noise sensitivity abated but hyperactivity emerged. Discussion We find that the behavioral phenotypes of female SLC7A11sut/sut are similar to those observed in mouse models of autism spectrum disorder, while behaviors of male SLC7A11sut/sut resemble those seen in mouse models of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These results underscore the need for further investigation of SLC7A11 in neurodevelopment. By expanding our understanding of the potential involvement of Sxc-, we may gain additional insights into the mechanisms underlying complex neurodevelopmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sandra J. Hewett
- Department of Biology, Program in Neuroscience, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
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5
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Is depression the missing link between inflammatory mediators and cancer? Pharmacol Ther 2022; 240:108293. [PMID: 36216210 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Patients with cancer are at greater risk of developing depression in comparison to the general population and this is associated with serious adverse effects, such as poorer quality of life, worse prognosis and higher mortality. Although the relationship between depression and cancer is now well established, a common underlying pathophysiological mechanism between the two conditions is yet to be elucidated. Existing theories of depression, based on monoamine neurotransmitter system dysfunction, are insufficient as explanations of the disorder. Recent advances have implicated neuroinflammatory mechanisms in the etiology of depression and it has been demonstrated that inflammation at a peripheral level may be mirrored centrally in astrocytes and microglia serving to promote chronic levels of inflammation in the brain. Three major routes to depression in cancer in which proinflammatory mediators are implicated, seem likely. Activation of the kynurenine pathway involving cytokines, increases tryptophan catabolism, resulting in diminished levels of serotonin which is widely acknowledged as being the hallmark of depression. It also results in neurotoxic effects on brain regions thought to be involved in the evolution of major depression. Proinflammatory mediators also play a crucial role in impairing regulatory glucocorticoid mediated feedback of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is activated by stress and considered to be involved in both depression and cancer. The third route is via the glutamatergic pathway, whereby glutamate excitotoxicity may lead to depression associated with cancer. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying these dysregulated and other newly emerging pathways may provide a rationale for therapeutic targeting, serving to improve the care of cancer patients.
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Neuwirth LS, Verrengia MT, Harikinish-Murrary ZI, Orens JE, Lopez OE. Under or Absent Reporting of Light Stimuli in Testing of Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Rodents: The Need for Standardization. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:912146. [PMID: 36061362 PMCID: PMC9428565 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.912146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral neuroscience tests such as the Light/Dark Test, the Open Field Test, the Elevated Plus Maze Test, and the Three Chamber Social Interaction Test have become both essential and widely used behavioral tests for transgenic and pre-clinical models for drug screening and testing. However, as fast as the field has evolved and the contemporaneous involvement of technology, little assessment of the literature has been done to ensure that these behavioral neuroscience tests that are crucial to pre-clinical testing have well-controlled ethological motivation by the use of lighting (i.e., Lux). In the present review paper, N = 420 manuscripts were examined from 2015 to 2019 as a sample set (i.e., n = ~20–22 publications per year) and it was found that only a meager n = 50 publications (i.e., 11.9% of the publications sampled) met the criteria for proper anxiogenic and anxiolytic Lux reported. These findings illustrate a serious concern that behavioral neuroscience papers are not being vetted properly at the journal review level and are being released into the literature and public domain making it difficult to assess the quality of the science being reported. This creates a real need for standardizing the use of Lux in all publications on behavioral neuroscience techniques within the field to ensure that contributions are meaningful, avoid unnecessary duplication, and ultimately would serve to create a more efficient process within the pre-clinical screening/testing for drugs that serve as anxiolytic compounds that would prove more useful than what prior decades of work have produced. It is suggested that improving the standardization of the use and reporting of Lux in behavioral neuroscience tests and the standardization of peer-review processes overseeing the proper documentation of these methodological approaches in manuscripts could serve to advance pre-clinical testing for effective anxiolytic drugs. This report serves to highlight this concern and proposes strategies to proactively remedy them as the field moves forward for decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenz S. Neuwirth
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Lorenz S. Neuwirth
| | - Michael T. Verrengia
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
| | - Zachary I. Harikinish-Murrary
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
| | - Jessica E. Orens
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
| | - Oscar E. Lopez
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
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Verbruggen L, Ates G, Lara O, De Munck J, Villers A, De Pauw L, Ottestad-Hansen S, Kobayashi S, Beckers P, Janssen P, Sato H, Zhou Y, Hermans E, Njemini R, Arckens L, Danbolt NC, De Bundel D, Aerts JL, Barbé K, Guillaume B, Ris L, Bentea E, Massie A. Lifespan extension with preservation of hippocampal function in aged system x c--deficient male mice. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:2355-2368. [PMID: 35181756 PMCID: PMC9126817 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01470-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc- has been identified as the major source of extracellular glutamate in several brain regions as well as a modulator of neuroinflammation, and genetic deletion of its specific subunit xCT (xCT-/-) is protective in mouse models for age-related neurological disorders. However, the previously observed oxidative shift in the plasma cystine/cysteine ratio of adult xCT-/- mice led to the hypothesis that system xc- deletion would negatively affect life- and healthspan. Still, till now the role of system xc- in physiological aging remains unexplored. We therefore studied the effect of xCT deletion on the aging process of mice, with a particular focus on the immune system, hippocampal function, and cognitive aging. We observed that male xCT-/- mice have an extended lifespan, despite an even more increased plasma cystine/cysteine ratio in aged compared to adult mice. This oxidative shift does not negatively impact the general health status of the mice. On the contrary, the age-related priming of the innate immune system, that manifested as increased LPS-induced cytokine levels and hypothermia in xCT+/+ mice, was attenuated in xCT-/- mice. While this was associated with only a very moderate shift towards a more anti-inflammatory state of the aged hippocampus, we observed changes in the hippocampal metabolome that were associated with a preserved hippocampal function and the retention of hippocampus-dependent memory in male aged xCT-/- mice. Targeting system xc- is thus not only a promising strategy to prevent cognitive decline, but also to promote healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Verbruggen
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gamze Ates
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Olaya Lara
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jolien De Munck
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Agnès Villers
- grid.8364.90000 0001 2184 581XDepartment of Neurosciences, Université de Mons (UMONS), Mons, Belgium
| | - Laura De Pauw
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sigrid Ottestad-Hansen
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Neurotransporter Group, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sho Kobayashi
- grid.268394.20000 0001 0674 7277Department of Food, Life and Environmental Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Pauline Beckers
- grid.7942.80000 0001 2294 713XInstitute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pauline Janssen
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hideyo Sato
- grid.260975.f0000 0001 0671 5144Department of Medical Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Yun Zhou
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Neurotransporter Group, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Emmanuel Hermans
- grid.7942.80000 0001 2294 713XInstitute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rose Njemini
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Frailty in Ageing research Department, VUB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Niels C. Danbolt
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Neurotransporter Group, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dimitri De Bundel
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, C4N, VUB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joeri L. Aerts
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kurt Barbé
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069The Biostatistics and Medical Informatics Department, VUB, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Laurence Ris
- grid.8364.90000 0001 2184 581XDepartment of Neurosciences, Université de Mons (UMONS), Mons, Belgium
| | - Eduard Bentea
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ann Massie
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
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Verbruggen L, Sprimont L, Bentea E, Janssen P, Gharib A, Deneyer L, De Pauw L, Lara O, Sato H, Nicaise C, Massie A. Chronic Sulfasalazine Treatment in Mice Induces System x c - - Independent Adverse Effects. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:625699. [PMID: 34084129 PMCID: PMC8167035 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.625699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite ample evidence for the therapeutic potential of inhibition of the cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc− in neurological disorders and in cancer, none of the proposed inhibitors is selective. In this context, a lot of research has been performed using the EMA- and FDA-approved drug sulfasalazine (SAS). Even though this molecule is already on the market for decades as an anti-inflammatory drug, serious side effects due to its use have been reported. Whereas for the treatment of the main indications, SAS needs to be cleaved in the intestine into the anti-inflammatory compound mesalazine, it needs to reach the systemic circulation in its intact form to allow inhibition of system xc−. The higher plasma levels of intact SAS (or its metabolites) might induce adverse effects, independent of its action on system xc−. Some of these effects have however been attributed to system xc− inhibition, calling into question the safety of targeting system xc−. In this study we chronically treated system xc− - deficient mice and their wildtype littermates with two different doses of SAS (160 mg/kg twice daily or 320 mg/kg once daily, i.p.) and studied some of the adverse effects that were previously reported. SAS had a negative impact on the survival rate, the body weight, the thermoregulation and/or stress reaction of mice of both genotypes, and thus independent of its inhibitory action on system xc−. While SAS decreased the total distance travelled in the open-field test the first time the mice encountered the test, it did not influence this parameter on the long-term and it did not induce other behavioral changes such as anxiety- or depressive-like behavior. Finally, no major histological abnormalities were observed in the spinal cord. To conclude, we were unable to identify any undesirable system xc−-dependent effect of chronic administration of SAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Verbruggen
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lindsay Sprimont
- Laboratory Neurodegeneration and Regeneration, URPHyM-NARILIS, Université de Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Eduard Bentea
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pauline Janssen
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Azzedine Gharib
- Laboratory Neurodegeneration and Regeneration, URPHyM-NARILIS, Université de Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Lauren Deneyer
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laura De Pauw
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Olaya Lara
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hideyo Sato
- Department of Medical Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Charles Nicaise
- Laboratory Neurodegeneration and Regeneration, URPHyM-NARILIS, Université de Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Ann Massie
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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Sears SM, Hewett SJ. Influence of glutamate and GABA transport on brain excitatory/inhibitory balance. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:1069-1083. [PMID: 33554649 DOI: 10.1177/1535370221989263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An optimally functional brain requires both excitatory and inhibitory inputs that are regulated and balanced. A perturbation in the excitatory/inhibitory balance-as is the case in some neurological disorders/diseases (e.g. traumatic brain injury Alzheimer's disease, stroke, epilepsy and substance abuse) and disorders of development (e.g. schizophrenia, Rhett syndrome and autism spectrum disorder)-leads to dysfunctional signaling, which can result in impaired cognitive and motor function, if not frank neuronal injury. At the cellular level, transmission of glutamate and GABA, the principle excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system control excitatory/inhibitory balance. Herein, we review the synthesis, release, and signaling of GABA and glutamate followed by a focused discussion on the importance of their transport systems to the maintenance of excitatory/inhibitory balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila Ms Sears
- Department of Biology, Program in Neuroscience, 2029Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Sandra J Hewett
- Department of Biology, Program in Neuroscience, 2029Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
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10
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Bentea E, Villers A, Moore C, Funk AJ, O’Donovan SM, Verbruggen L, Lara O, Janssen P, De Pauw L, Declerck NB, DePasquale EAK, Churchill MJ, Sato H, Hermans E, Arckens L, Meshul CK, Ris L, McCullumsmith RE, Massie A. Corticostriatal dysfunction and social interaction deficits in mice lacking the cystine/glutamate antiporter. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:4754-4769. [PMID: 32366950 PMCID: PMC7609546 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0751-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The astrocytic cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc- represents an important source of extracellular glutamate in the central nervous system, with potential impact on excitatory neurotransmission. Yet, its function and importance in brain physiology remain incompletely understood. Employing slice electrophysiology and mice with a genetic deletion of the specific subunit of system xc-, xCT (xCT-/- mice), we uncovered decreased neurotransmission at corticostriatal synapses. This effect was partly mitigated by replenishing extracellular glutamate levels, indicating a defect linked with decreased extracellular glutamate availability. We observed no changes in the morphology of striatal medium spiny neurons, the density of dendritic spines, or the density or ultrastructure of corticostriatal synapses, indicating that the observed functional defects are not due to morphological or structural abnormalities. By combining electron microscopy with glutamate immunogold labeling, we identified decreased intracellular glutamate density in presynaptic terminals, presynaptic mitochondria, and in dendritic spines of xCT-/- mice. A proteomic and kinomic screen of the striatum of xCT-/- mice revealed decreased expression of presynaptic proteins and abnormal kinase network signaling, that may contribute to the observed changes in postsynaptic responses. Finally, these corticostriatal deregulations resulted in a behavioral phenotype suggestive of autism spectrum disorder in the xCT-/- mice; in tests sensitive to corticostriatal functioning we recorded increased repetitive digging behavior and decreased sociability. To conclude, our findings show that system xc- plays a previously unrecognized role in regulating corticostriatal neurotransmission and influences social preference and repetitive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduard Bentea
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Agnès Villers
- grid.8364.90000 0001 2184 581XDepartment of Neurosciences, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Cynthia Moore
- grid.410404.50000 0001 0165 2383Research Services, Neurocytology Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, OR USA
| | - Adam J. Funk
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Sinead M. O’Donovan
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Lise Verbruggen
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Olaya Lara
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pauline Janssen
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laura De Pauw
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Noemi B. Declerck
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Erica A. K. DePasquale
- grid.239573.90000 0000 9025 8099Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH USA ,grid.24827.3b0000 0001 2179 9593Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - Madeline J. Churchill
- grid.410404.50000 0001 0165 2383Research Services, Neurocytology Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, OR USA
| | - Hideyo Sato
- grid.260975.f0000 0001 0671 5144Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Emmanuel Hermans
- grid.7942.80000 0001 2294 713XInstitute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Charles K. Meshul
- grid.410404.50000 0001 0165 2383Research Services, Neurocytology Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, OR USA ,grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR USA
| | - Laurence Ris
- grid.8364.90000 0001 2184 581XDepartment of Neurosciences, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Robert E. McCullumsmith
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Neurosciences, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Ann Massie
- Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
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11
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Mitchell EJ, Thomson DM, Openshaw RL, Bristow GC, Dawson N, Pratt JA, Morris BJ. Drug-responsive autism phenotypes in the 16p11.2 deletion mouse model: a central role for gene-environment interactions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12303. [PMID: 32704009 PMCID: PMC7378168 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69130-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
There are no current treatments for autism, despite its high prevalence. Deletions of chromosome 16p11.2 dramatically increase risk for autism, suggesting that mice with an equivalent genetic rearrangement may offer a valuable model for the testing of novel classes of therapeutic drug. 16p11.2 deletion (16p11.2 DEL) mice and wild-type controls were assessed using an ethological approach, with 24 h monitoring of activity and social interaction of groups of mice in a home-cage environment. The ability of the excitation/inhibition modulator N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and the 5-HT1B/1D/1F receptor agonist eletriptan to normalise the behavioural deficits observed was tested. 16p11.2 DEL mice exhibited largely normal behaviours, but, following the stress of an injection, showed hyperlocomotion, reduced sociability, and a strong anxiolytic phenotype. The hyperactivity and reduced sociability, but not the suppressed anxiety, were effectively attenuated by both NAC and eletriptan. The data suggest that 16p11.2 DEL mice show an autism-relevant phenotype that becomes overt after an acute stressor, emphasising the importance of gene-environmental interactions in phenotypic analysis. Further, they add to an emerging view that NAC, or 5-HT1B/1D/1F receptor agonist treatment, may be a promising strategy for further investigation as a future treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J Mitchell
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - David M Thomson
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Rebecca L Openshaw
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Sir James Black Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Greg C Bristow
- Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK.,School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Neil Dawson
- Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Judith A Pratt
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK
| | - Brian J Morris
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Sir James Black Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
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12
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Srivastava I, Vazquez-Juarez E, Henning L, Gómez-Galán M, Lindskog M. Blocking Astrocytic GABA Restores Synaptic Plasticity in Prefrontal Cortex of Rat Model of Depression. Cells 2020; 9:cells9071705. [PMID: 32708718 PMCID: PMC7408154 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A decrease in synaptic plasticity and/or a change in excitation/inhibition balance have been suggested as mechanisms underlying major depression disorder. However, given the crucial role of astrocytes in balancing synaptic function, particular attention should be given to the contribution of astrocytes in these mechanisms, especially since previous findings show that astrocytes are affected and exhibit reactive-like features in depression. Moreover, it has been shown that reactive astrocytes increase the synthesis and release of GABA, contributing significantly to tonic GABA inhibition. In this study we found decreased plasticity and increased tonic GABA inhibition in the prelimbic area in acute slices from the medial prefrontal cortex in the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rat model of depression. The tonic inhibition can be reduced by either blocking astrocytic intracellular Ca2+ signaling or by reducing astrocytic GABA through inhibition of the synthesizing enzyme MAO-B with Selegiline. Blocking GABA synthesis also restores the impaired synaptic plasticity in the FSL prefrontal cortex, providing a new antidepressant mechanism of Selegiline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ipsit Srivastava
- Dep. Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (I.S.); (E.V.-J.); (L.H.)
| | - Erika Vazquez-Juarez
- Dep. Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (I.S.); (E.V.-J.); (L.H.)
| | - Lukas Henning
- Dep. Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (I.S.); (E.V.-J.); (L.H.)
| | - Marta Gómez-Galán
- Dep. Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence: (M.G.-G.); (M.L.)
| | - Maria Lindskog
- Dep. Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (I.S.); (E.V.-J.); (L.H.)
- Correspondence: (M.G.-G.); (M.L.)
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13
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Identification, Expression, and Roles of the Cystine/Glutamate Antiporter in Ocular Tissues. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2020; 2020:4594606. [PMID: 32655769 PMCID: PMC7320271 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4594606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The cystine/glutamate antiporter (system x c -) is composed of a heavy chain subunit 4F2hc linked by a disulphide bond to a light chain xCT, which exchanges extracellular cystine, the disulphide form of the amino acid cysteine, for intracellular glutamate. In vitro research in the brain, kidney, and liver have shown this antiporter to play a role in minimising oxidative stress by providing a source of intracellular cysteine for the synthesis of the antioxidant glutathione. In vivo studies using the xCT knockout mouse revealed that the plasma cystine/cysteine redox couple was tilted to a more oxidative state demonstrating system xc - to also play a role in maintaining extracellular redox balance by driving a cystine/cysteine redox cycle. In addition, through import of cystine, system xc - also serves to export glutamate into the extracellular space which may influence neurotransmission and glutamate signalling in neural tissues. While changes to system xc - function has been linked to cancer and neurodegenerative disease, there is limited research on the roles of system xc - in the different tissues of the eye, and links between the antiporter, aging, and ocular disease. Hence, this review seeks to consolidate research on system xc - in the cornea, lens, retina, and ocular humours conducted across several species to shed light on the in vitro and in vivo roles of xCT in the eye and highlight the utility of the xCT knockout mouse as a tool to investigate the contribution of xCT to age-related ocular diseases.
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14
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De Prins A, Allaoui W, Medrano M, Van Eeckhaut A, Ballet S, Smolders I, De Bundel D. Effects of neuromedin U-8 on stress responsiveness and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in male C57BL/6J mice. Horm Behav 2020; 121:104666. [PMID: 31899262 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Neuromedin U (NMU) is a highly conserved neuropeptide that has been implicated in the stress response. To better understand how it influences various aspects of the stress response, we studied the effects of intracerebroventricular NMU-8 administration on stress-related behavior and activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in male C57BL/6J mice. We investigated these NMU-8 effects when mice remained in their home cage and when they were challenged by exposure to forced swim stress. NMU-8 administration resulted in increased grooming behavior in mice that remained in their home cage and in a significant increase in c-Fos immunoreactivity in the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH) and arcuate nucleus (ARC). Surprisingly, NMU-8 administration significantly decreased plasma corticosterone concentrations. Furthermore, NMU-8 administration increased immobility in the forced swim test in both naïve mice and mice that were previously exposed to swim stress. The effect of NMU-8 on c-Fos immunoreactivity in the PVH was dependent on previous exposure to swim stress given that we observed no significant changes in mice exposed for the first time to swim stress. In contrast, in the ARC we observed a significant increase in c-Fos immunoreactivity regardless of previous stress exposure. Interestingly, NMU-8 administration also significantly decreased plasma corticosterone concentrations in mice that were exposed to single forced swim stress, while this effect was no longer observed when mice were exposed to forced swim stress for a second time. Taken together, our data indicate that NMU-8 regulates stress responsiveness and suggests that its effects depend on previous stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- An De Prins
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wissal Allaoui
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mireia Medrano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ann Van Eeckhaut
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Steven Ballet
- Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Chemistry and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ilse Smolders
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dimitri De Bundel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
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15
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Deneyer L, Albertini G, Bentea E, Massie A. Systemic LPS-induced neuroinflammation increases the susceptibility for proteasome inhibition-induced degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2019; 68:26-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2019.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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16
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Demuyser T, Deneyer L, Bentea E, Albertini G, Femenia T, Walrave L, Sato H, Danbolt NC, De Bundel D, Michotte A, Lindskog M, Massie A, Smolders I. Slc7a11 (xCT) protein expression is not altered in the depressed brain and system xc- deficiency does not affect depression-associated behaviour in the corticosterone mouse model. World J Biol Psychiatry 2019; 20:381-392. [PMID: 28882088 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2017.1371332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: The cystine/glutamate antiporter (system xc-) is believed to contribute to nonvesicular glutamate release from glial cells in various brain areas. Although recent investigations implicate system xc- in mood disorders, unambiguous evidence has not yet been established. Therefore, we evaluated the possible role of system xc- in the depressive state. Methods: We conducted a protein expression analysis of the specific subunit of system xc- (xCT) in brain regions of the corticosterone mouse model, Flinders Sensitive Line rat model and post-mortem tissue of depressed patients. We next subjected system xc- deficient mice to the corticosterone model and analysed their behaviour in several tests. Lastly, we subjected additional cohorts of xCT-deficient and wild-type mice to N-acetylcysteine treatment to unveil whether the previously reported antidepressant-like effects are dependent upon system xc-. Results: We did not detect any changes in xCT expression levels in the animal models or patients compared to proper controls. Furthermore, loss of system xc- had no effect on depression- and anxiety-like behaviour. Finally, the antidepressant-like effects of N-acetylcysteine are not mediated via system xc-. Conclusions: xCT protein expression is not altered in the depressed brain and system xc- deficiency does not affect depression-associated behaviour in the corticosterone mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Demuyser
- a Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information , Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Lauren Deneyer
- b Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology , C4N, Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Eduard Bentea
- b Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology , C4N, Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Giulia Albertini
- a Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information , Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Teresa Femenia
- c Department of Neuroscience , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Laura Walrave
- a Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information , Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Hideyo Sato
- d Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Medical Technology , Niigata University , Niigata , Japan
| | - Niels C Danbolt
- e Department of Molecular Medicine , Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway
| | - Dimitri De Bundel
- a Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information , Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Alex Michotte
- f Experimental Pathology and Neuropathology , University Hospital Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Maria Lindskog
- c Department of Neuroscience , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Ann Massie
- b Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology , C4N, Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium
| | - Ilse Smolders
- a Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information , Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels , Belgium
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17
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Albertini G, Deneyer L, Ottestad-Hansen S, Zhou Y, Ates G, Walrave L, Demuyser T, Bentea E, Sato H, De Bundel D, Danbolt NC, Massie A, Smolders I. Genetic deletion of xCT attenuates peripheral and central inflammation and mitigates LPS-induced sickness and depressive-like behavior in mice. Glia 2018; 66:1845-1861. [PMID: 29693305 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The communication between the immune and central nervous system (CNS) is affected in many neurological disorders. Peripheral injections of the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are widely used to study this communication: an LPS challenge leads to a biphasic syndrome that starts with acute sickness and is followed by persistent brain inflammation and chronic behavioral alterations such as depressive-like symptoms. In vitro, the response to LPS treatment has been shown to involve enhanced expression of system <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msubsup><mml:mrow><mml:mi>x</mml:mi></mml:mrow> <mml:mrow><mml:mi>c</mml:mi></mml:mrow> <mml:mrow><mml:mo>-</mml:mo></mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math> . This cystine-glutamate antiporter, with xCT as specific subunit, represents the main glial provider of extracellular glutamate in mouse hippocampus. Here we injected male xCT knockout and wildtype mice with a single intraperitoneal dose of 5 mg/kg LPS. LPS-injection increased hippocampal xCT expression but did not alter the mainly astroglial localization of the xCT protein. Peripheral and central inflammation (as defined by cytokine levels and morphological activation of microglia) as well as LPS-induced sickness and depressive-like behavior were significantly attenuated in xCT-deficient mice compared with wildtype mice. Our study is the first to demonstrate the involvement of system <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msubsup><mml:mrow><mml:mi>x</mml:mi></mml:mrow> <mml:mrow><mml:mi>c</mml:mi></mml:mrow> <mml:mrow><mml:mo>-</mml:mo></mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math> in peripheral and central inflammation in vivo and the potential therapeutic relevance of its inhibition in brain disorders characterized by peripheral and central inflammation, such as depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Albertini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
| | - Lauren Deneyer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
| | - Sigrid Ottestad-Hansen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0372, Norway
| | - Yun Zhou
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0372, Norway
| | - Gamze Ates
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
| | - Laura Walrave
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
| | - Thomas Demuyser
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
| | - Eduard Bentea
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
| | - Hideyo Sato
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Medical Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8518, Japan
| | - Dimitri De Bundel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
| | - Niels C Danbolt
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0372, Norway
| | - Ann Massie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
| | - Ilse Smolders
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, 1090, Belgium
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18
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Hamashima S, Homma T, Kobayashi S, Ishii N, Kurahashi T, Watanabe R, Kimura N, Sato H, Fujii J. Decreased reproductive performance in xCT-knockout male mice. Free Radic Res 2017; 51:851-860. [DOI: 10.1080/10715762.2017.1388504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shinji Hamashima
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Takujiro Homma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Sho Kobayashi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Naoki Ishii
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Kurahashi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Ren Watanabe
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka, Japan
| | - Naoko Kimura
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka, Japan
| | - Hideyo Sato
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Junichi Fujii
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
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19
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Van Eeghem V, El Arfani A, Anthoula A, Walrave L, Pourkazemi A, Bentea E, Demuyser T, Smolders I, Stiens J. Selective changes in locomotor activity in mice due to low-intensity microwaves amplitude modulated in the EEG spectral domain. Neuroscience 2017; 359:40-48. [PMID: 28687311 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.06.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite the numerous benefits of microwave applications in our daily life, microwaves were associated with diverse neurological complaints such as headaches and impaired sleep patterns, and changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG). To which extent microwaves influence the brain function remains unclear. This exploratory study assessed the behavior and neurochemistry in mice immediately or 4weeks after a 6-day exposure to low-intensity 10-GHz microwaves with an amplitude modulation (AM) of 2 or 8Hz. These modulation frequencies of 2 and 8Hz are situated within the delta and theta-alpha frequency bands in the EEG spectrum and are associated with sleep and active behavior, respectively. During these experiments, the specific absorbance rate was 0.3W/kg increasing the brain temperature with 0.23°C. For the first time, exposing mice to 8-Hz AM significantly reduced locomotor activity in an open field immediately after exposure which normalized after 4weeks. This in contrast to 2-Hz AM which didn't induce significant changes in locomotor activity immediately and 4weeks after exposure. Despite this difference in motor behavior, no significant changes in striatal dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels and DOPAC/DA turnover nor in cortical glutamate (GLU) concentrations were detected. In all cases, no effects on motor coordination on a rotarod, spatial working memory, anxiety nor depressive-like behavior were observed. The outcome of this study indicates that exposing mice to low-intensity 8-Hz AM microwaves can alter the locomotor activity in contrast to 2-Hz AM which did not affect the tested behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Van Eeghem
- Department of Electronics and Informatics (ETRO), Laboratory for micro- and photon electronics (LAMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Anissa El Arfani
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information (FASC), Research Group Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Arta Anthoula
- Department of Electronics and Informatics (ETRO), Laboratory for micro- and photon electronics (LAMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laura Walrave
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information (FASC), Research Group Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ali Pourkazemi
- Department of Electronics and Informatics (ETRO), Laboratory for micro- and photon electronics (LAMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Eduard Bentea
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information (FASC), Research Group Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Demuyser
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information (FASC), Research Group Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ilse Smolders
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis and Drug Information (FASC), Research Group Experimental Pharmacology, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Johan Stiens
- Department of Electronics and Informatics (ETRO), Laboratory for micro- and photon electronics (LAMI), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
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20
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Nashed MG, Ungard RG, Young K, Zacal NJ, Seidlitz EP, Fazzari J, Frey BN, Singh G. Behavioural Effects of Using Sulfasalazine to Inhibit Glutamate Released by Cancer Cells: A Novel target for Cancer-Induced Depression. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41382. [PMID: 28120908 PMCID: PMC5264609 DOI: 10.1038/srep41382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the lack of robust evidence of effectiveness, current treatment options for cancer-induced depression (CID) are limited to those developed for non-cancer related depression. Here, anhedonia-like and coping behaviours were assessed in female BALB/c mice inoculated with 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells. The behavioural effects of orally administered sulfasalazine (SSZ), a system xc− inhibitor, were compared with fluoxetine (FLX). FLX and SSZ prevented the development of anhedonia-like behaviour on the sucrose preference test (SPT) and passive coping behaviour on the forced swim test (FST). The SSZ metabolites 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and sulfapyridine (SP) exerted an effect on the SPT but not on the FST. Although 5-ASA is a known anti-inflammatory agent, neither treatment with SSZ nor 5-ASA/SP prevented tumour-induced increases in serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6, which are indicated in depressive disorders. Thus, the observed antidepressant-like effect of SSZ may primarily be attributable to the intact form of the drug, which inhibits system xc−. This study represents the first attempt at targeting cancer cells as a therapeutic strategy for CID, rather than targeting downstream effects of tumour burden on the central nervous system. In doing so, we have also begun to characterize the molecular pathways of CID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina G Nashed
- Department of Pathology &Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Robert G Ungard
- Department of Pathology &Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Kimberly Young
- Department of Pathology &Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Natalie J Zacal
- Department of Pathology &Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Eric P Seidlitz
- Department of Pathology &Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Fazzari
- Department of Pathology &Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Benicio N Frey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3K7, Canada.,Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, ON, L8P 3K7, Canada
| | - Gurmit Singh
- Department of Pathology &Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Pain Research and Care, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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21
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Wright DJ, Gray LJ, Finkelstein DI, Crouch PJ, Pow D, Pang TY, Li S, Smith ZM, Francis PS, Renoir T, Hannan AJ. N-acetylcysteine modulates glutamatergic dysfunction and depressive behavior in Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2016; 25:2923-2933. [PMID: 27179791 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2016] [Revised: 04/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamatergic dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of depressive disorders and Huntington's disease (HD), in which depression is the most common psychiatric symptom. Synaptic glutamate homeostasis is regulated by cystine-dependent glutamate transporters, including GLT-1 and system xc- In HD, the enzyme regulating cysteine (and subsequently cystine) production, cystathionine-γ-lygase, has recently been shown to be lowered. The aim of the present study was to establish whether cysteine supplementation, using N-acetylcysteine (NAC) could ameliorate glutamate pathology through the cystine-dependent transporters, system xc- and GLT-1. We demonstrate that the R6/1 transgenic mouse model of HD has lower basal levels of cystine, and showed depressive-like behaviors in the forced-swim test. Administration of NAC reversed these behaviors. This effect was blocked by co-administration of the system xc- and GLT-1 inhibitors CPG and DHK, showing that glutamate transporter activity was required for the antidepressant effects of NAC. NAC was also able to specifically increase glutamate in HD mice, in a glutamate transporter-dependent manner. These in vivo changes reflect changes in glutamate transporter protein in HD mice and human HD post-mortem tissue. Furthermore, NAC was able to rescue changes in key glutamate receptor proteins related to excitotoxicity in HD, including NMDAR2B. Thus, we have shown that baseline reductions in cysteine underlie glutamatergic dysfunction and depressive-like behavior in HD and these changes can be rescued by treatment with NAC. These findings have implications for the development of new therapeutic approaches for depressive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean J Wright
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
| | - Laura J Gray
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia, .,School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
| | - David I Finkelstein
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Peter J Crouch
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - David Pow
- The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Queensland 4029, Australia
| | - Terence Y Pang
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Zoe M Smith
- Centre for Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
| | - Paul S Francis
- Centre for Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
| | - Thibault Renoir
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Pde, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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22
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Demuyser T, Deneyer L, Bentea E, Albertini G, Van Liefferinge J, Merckx E, De Prins A, De Bundel D, Massie A, Smolders I. In-depth behavioral characterization of the corticosterone mouse model and the critical involvement of housing conditions. Physiol Behav 2015; 156:199-207. [PMID: 26707853 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Revised: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Depression and anxiety are disabling and highly prevalent psychiatric disorders. To better understand the neurobiological basis of mood and anxiety disorders, relevant animal models are needed. The corticosterone mouse model is frequently used to study depression. Chronic stress and accompanying glucocorticoid elevation causes pathological changes in the central nervous system, which are related to psychiatric symptoms. Exogenous administration of corticosterone is therefore often used to induce depressive-like behavior in mice and in some cases also features of anxiety-like behavior are shown. However, a thorough characterization of this model has never been conducted and housing conditions of the used subjects often differ between the implemented protocols. We chronically administered a subcutaneous corticosterone bolus injection to single- and group-housed mice, and we subsequently evaluated the face validity of this model by performing a battery of behavioral tests (forced swim test, mouse-tail suspension test, saccharin intake test, novelty-suppressed feeding test, elevated plus maze, light/dark paradigm and open field test). Our results show that corticosterone treatment has a substantial overall effect on depressive-like behavior. Increases in anxiety-like behavior on the other hand are mainly seen in single housed animals, independent of treatment. The current study therefore does not only show a detailed behavioral characterization of the corticosterone mouse model, but furthermore also elucidates the critical influence of housing conditions on the behavioral outcome in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Demuyser
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lauren Deneyer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Eduard Bentea
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Giulia Albertini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joeri Van Liefferinge
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ellen Merckx
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - An De Prins
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dimitri De Bundel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ann Massie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ilse Smolders
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
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23
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Shi J, He Y, Hewett SJ, Hewett JA. Interleukin 1β Regulation of the System xc- Substrate-specific Subunit, xCT, in Primary Mouse Astrocytes Involves the RNA-binding Protein HuR. J Biol Chem 2015; 291:1643-1651. [PMID: 26601945 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.697821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
System xc(-) is a heteromeric amino acid cystine/glutamate antiporter that is constitutively expressed by cells of the CNS, where it functions in the maintenance of intracellular glutathione and extracellular glutamate levels. We recently determined that the cytokine, IL-1β, increases the activity of system xc(-) in CNS astrocytes secondary to an up-regulation of its substrate-specific light chain, xCT, and that this occurs, in part, at the level of transcription. However, an in silico analysis of the murine xCT 3'-UTR identified numerous copies of adenine- and uridine-rich elements, raising the possibility that undefined trans-acting factors governing mRNA stability and translation may also contribute to xCT expression. Here we show that IL-1β increases the level of mRNA encoding xCT in primary cultures of astrocytes isolated from mouse cortex in association with an increase in xCT mRNA half-life. Additionally, IL-1β induces HuR translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. RNA immunoprecipitation analysis reveals that HuR binds directly to the 3'-UTR of xCT in an IL-1β-dependent manner. Knockdown of endogenous HuR protein abrogates the IL-1β-mediated increase in xCT mRNA half-life, whereas overexpression of HuR in unstimulated primary mouse astrocytes doubles the half-life of constitutive xCT mRNA. This latter effect is accompanied by an increase in xCT protein levels, as well as a functional increase in system xc(-) activity. Altogether, these data support a critical role for HuR in mediating the IL-1β-induced stabilization of astrocyte xCT mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxue Shi
- From the Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244
| | - Yan He
- From the Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244
| | - Sandra J Hewett
- From the Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244
| | - James A Hewett
- From the Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244.
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24
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Miladinovic T, Nashed MG, Singh G. Overview of Glutamatergic Dysregulation in Central Pathologies. Biomolecules 2015; 5:3112-41. [PMID: 26569330 PMCID: PMC4693272 DOI: 10.3390/biom5043112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, glutamate plays a key role in many central pathologies, including gliomas, psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative disorders. Post-mortem and serological studies have implicated glutamatergic dysregulation in these pathologies, and pharmacological modulation of glutamate receptors and transporters has provided further validation for the involvement of glutamate. Furthermore, efforts from genetic, in vitro, and animal studies are actively elucidating the specific glutamatergic mechanisms that contribute to the aetiology of central pathologies. However, details regarding specific mechanisms remain sparse and progress in effectively modulating glutamate to alleviate symptoms or inhibit disease states has been relatively slow. In this report, we review what is currently known about glutamate signalling in central pathologies. We also discuss glutamate's mediating role in comorbidities, specifically cancer-induced bone pain and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Miladinovic
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.
| | - Mina G Nashed
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.
| | - Gurmit Singh
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.
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25
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Hyperforin alleviates mood deficits of adult rats suffered from early separation. Neurosci Lett 2015; 608:1-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Revised: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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26
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Van Liefferinge J, Bentea E, Demuyser T, Albertini G, Follin-Arbelet V, Holmseth S, Merckx E, Sato H, Aerts JL, Smolders I, Arckens L, Danbolt NC, Massie A. Comparative analysis of antibodies to xCT (Slc7a11): Forewarned is forearmed. J Comp Neurol 2015; 524:1015-32. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.23889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joeri Van Liefferinge
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences; Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Brussels 1090 Belgium
| | - Eduard Bentea
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences; Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Brussels 1090 Belgium
| | - Thomas Demuyser
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences; Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Brussels 1090 Belgium
| | - Giulia Albertini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences; Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Brussels 1090 Belgium
| | - Virginie Follin-Arbelet
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences; University of Oslo; Oslo 0317 Norway
| | - Silvia Holmseth
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences; University of Oslo; Oslo 0317 Norway
| | - Ellen Merckx
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences; Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Brussels 1090 Belgium
| | - Hideyo Sato
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Medical Technology; Niigata University; Niigata Niigata Prefecture 950-2181 Japan
| | - Joeri L. Aerts
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Immunology-Physiology; Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Brussels 1090 Belgium
| | - Ilse Smolders
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Analysis, Center for Neurosciences; Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Brussels 1090 Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics; KU Leuven; Leuven 3000 Belgium
| | - Niels C. Danbolt
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences; University of Oslo; Oslo 0317 Norway
| | - Ann Massie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences; Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Brussels 1090 Belgium
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27
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Massie A, Boillée S, Hewett S, Knackstedt L, Lewerenz J. Main path and byways: non-vesicular glutamate release by system xc(-) as an important modifier of glutamatergic neurotransmission. J Neurochem 2015; 135:1062-79. [PMID: 26336934 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Revised: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
System xc(-) is a cystine/glutamate antiporter that exchanges extracellular cystine for intracellular glutamate. Cystine is intracellularly reduced to cysteine, a building block of GSH. As such, system xc(-) can regulate the antioxidant capacity of cells. Moreover, in several brain regions, system xc(-) is the major source of extracellular glutamate. As such this antiporter is able to fulfill key physiological functions in the CNS, while evidence indicates it also plays a role in certain brain pathologies. Since the transcription of xCT, the specific subunit of system xc(-), is enhanced by the presence of reactive oxygen species and inflammatory cytokines, system xc(-) could be involved in toxic extracellular glutamate release in neurological disorders that are associated with increased oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. System xc(-) has also been reported to contribute to the invasiveness of brain tumors and, as a source of extracellular glutamate, could participate in the induction of peritumoral seizures. Two independent reviews (Pharmacol. Rev. 64, 2012, 780; Antioxid. Redox Signal. 18, 2013, 522), approached from a different perspective, have recently been published on the functions of system xc(-) in the CNS. In this review, we highlight novel achievements and insights covering the regulation of system xc(-) as well as its involvement in emotional behavior, cognition, addiction, neurological disorders and glioblastomas, acquired in the past few years. System xc(-) constitutes an important source of extrasynaptic glutamate in the brain. By modulating the tone of extrasynaptic metabotropic or ionotropic glutamate receptors, it affects excitatory neurotransmission, the threshold for overexcitation and excitotoxicity and, as a consequence, behavior. This review describes the current knowledge of how system xc(-) is regulated and involved in physiological as well as pathophysiological brain functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Massie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Center for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Séverine Boillée
- Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Paris, France
| | - Sandra Hewett
- Department of Biology, Program in Neuroscience, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Lori Knackstedt
- Psychology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jan Lewerenz
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Oberer Eselsberg 45, Ulm, Germany
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