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Frank N, Herrmann MJ, Lauer M, Förster CY. Exploratory Review of the Takotsubo Syndrome and the Possible Role of the Psychosocial Stress Response and Inflammaging. Biomolecules 2024; 14:167. [PMID: 38397404 PMCID: PMC10886847 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020167] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a cardiomyopathy that clinically presents as a transient and reversible left ventricular wall motion abnormality (LVWMA). Recovery can occur spontaneously within hours or weeks. Studies have shown that it mainly affects older people. In particular, there is a higher prevalence in postmenopausal women. Physical and emotional stress factors are widely discussed and generally recognized triggers. In addition, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the associated glucocorticoid-dependent negative feedback play an important role in the resulting immune response. This review aims to highlight the unstudied aspects of the trigger factors of TTS. The focus is on emotional stress/chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), which is influenced by estrogen concentration and noradrenaline, for example, and can lead to changes in the behavioral, hormonal, and autonomic systems. Age- and gender-specific aspects, as well as psychological effects, must also be considered. We hypothesize that this leads to a stronger corticosteroid response and altered feedback of the HPA axis. This may trigger proinflammatory markers and thus immunosuppression, inflammaging, and sympathetic overactivation, which contributes significantly to the development of TTS. The aim is to highlight the importance of CUMS and psychological triggers as risk factors and to make an exploratory proposal based on the new knowledge. Based on the imbalance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is presented as a possible new therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Frank
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, Würzburg University, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin J. Herrmann
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (M.J.H.); (M.L.)
| | - Martin Lauer
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany; (M.J.H.); (M.L.)
| | - Carola Y. Förster
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, Würzburg University, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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2
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Aliska G, Putra AE, Anggrainy F, Lailani M. The exploration of glucocorticoid pathway based on disease severity in COVID-19 patients. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23579. [PMID: 38187222 PMCID: PMC10770556 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Systemic inflammation is a hallmark of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is the key to the pathophysiology of its severe cases with host cytokine involvement. Glucocorticoids can moderate this inflammatory effect due to receptor binding (NRC31-the gene encoded), influencing the expression of effector genes and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Another important pathway in the processes of the immune and inflammatory responses is nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling (NFKBIA-the gene encoded). We aimed to explore the expression of genes in the glucocorticoid pathway in mild and severe COVID-19. We performed a cross-sectional, observational study on COVID-19 cases, assessing the expression of RNA in white blood cells. The Illumina® platform was used for RNA sequencing, and FASTQ data were quality-checked with Multiqc. The raw data were analyzed using CLC Genomics Workbench®. Our study included 23 patients with severe COVID-19 and 21 patients with mild COVID-19 with an average age of 49.9 ± 18.2 years old. The NR3C1 and NFKBIA expressions did not show a significantly significant difference between groups (log2 fold change 0.5, p = 0.1; 0.82, p = 0.09). However, the expressions of TSC22D3, DUSP-1, JAK-1 and MAPK-1 were significantly higher in mild cases (log2 fold change 1.3, p < 0.001; 2.6, p < 0.001; 0.9, p < 0.001; 1.48, p-value<0.001; respectively). Furthermore, the TNF, IL-1β, and IL-6 expressions were significantly lower in mild cases (log2 fold change 4.05, p < 0.001; 3.33, p < 0.001; 6.86, p < 0.001; respectively). In conclusion, our results showed that although the NRC31 and NFKBIA expressions did not show a statistically significant difference between groups, the expression of TSC22D3 was higher in mild cases. These results highlight the importance of effector genes, specifically TSC22D3, in combatting systemic inflammation. Our recent findings have the potential to lead to the identification of novel pharmacological targets that could prove to be vital in the fight against diseases associated with inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gestina Aliska
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, 25176, Indonesia
- Centre for Diagnostic and Research on Infectious Disease (PDRPI), Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Dr. M. Djamil General Hospital, Padang, Indonesia
| | - Andani Eka Putra
- Centre for Diagnostic and Research on Infectious Disease (PDRPI), Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, 2517, Indonesia
| | - Fenty Anggrainy
- Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, 2517, Indonesia
| | - Mutia Lailani
- Centre for Diagnostic and Research on Infectious Disease (PDRPI), Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, 2517, Indonesia
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3
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Chou PC, Huang YC, Yu S. Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:98. [PMID: 38255713 PMCID: PMC10817356 DOI: 10.3390/life14010098] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes debilitating functional impairment in patients. Observations from survivors of traumatic historical events solidify that this disease is not only associated with personal experiences but can also be inherited from familial traumas. Over the past decades, researchers have focused on epigenetic inheritance to understand how responses to adverse experiences can be passed down to future generations. This review aims to present recent findings on epigenetic markers related to PTSD and research in the intergenerational inheritance of trauma. By understanding the information, we hope that epigenetic markers can act as biochemical measurements for future clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Chen Chou
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
| | - Yu-Chi Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan;
| | - Sebastian Yu
- Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Department of Dermatology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80756, Taiwan
- Master of Public Health Degree Program, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
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4
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Murray SL, Holton KF. Effects of a diet low in excitotoxins on PTSD symptoms and related biomarkers. Nutr Neurosci 2024; 27:1-11. [PMID: 36484432 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2022.2152932] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after trauma exposure and involves symptoms of avoidance, intrusive re-experiencing, mood and cognitive dysfunction, and hypervigilance. PTSD is often comorbid with Gulf War Illness (GWI), a neurological condition involving widespread pain, cognitive dysfunction, digestive problems, and other symptoms, in Gulf War veterans. PTSD tends to be more severe when comorbid with GWI. Low cortisol and elevated homocysteine levels have been found in PTSD, making them potential PTSD biomarkers. The low-glutamate diet, which aims to reduce excitotoxicity by eliminating the consumption of free glutamate and aspartate, has been shown to significantly reduce GWI and PTSD symptoms. This study examined whether changes in serum cortisol and homocysteine are associated with reduced PTSD severity in veterans with GWI after one month on the low-glutamate diet, and whether reducing the consumption of dietary excitotoxins was associated changes in PTSD and serum biomarkers. Data were analyzed for 33 veterans. No serum biomarkers significantly changed post-diet; however, cortisol increased as dietary excitotoxin consumption decreased, which held in a multivariable linear regression after adjustment for sex. Reduced dietary excitotoxin consumption was also associated with reduced hyperarousal symptoms, which held in a multivariable linear regression after adjustment for sex. Cortisol increase was associated with reduced avoidance symptoms after adjustment for change in BMI, and was marginally associated with overall PTSD reduction. Change in homocysteine was not significantly related to dietary adherence nor change in PTSD. Results suggest that reducing the consumption of dietary excitotoxins may normalize cortisol levels, which has been associated with alleviating PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidney L Murray
- Department of Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kathleen F Holton
- Department of Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Health Studies, American University, Washington, DC, USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Behaviour, American University, Washington, DC, USA
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5
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Stroud LR, Jao NC, Ward LG, Lee SY, Marsit CJ. Differential impact of prenatal PTSD symptoms and preconception trauma exposure on placental NR3C1 and FKBP5 methylation. Stress 2024; 27:2321595. [PMID: 38676353 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2024.2321595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Perinatal stress is associated with altered placental methylation, which plays a critical role in fetal development and infant outcomes. This proof-of-concept pilot study investigated the impact of lifetime trauma exposure and perinatal PTSD symptoms on epigenetic regulation of placenta glucocorticoid signaling genes (NR3C1 and FKBP5). Lifetime trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms during pregnancy were assessed in a racially/ethnically diverse sample of pregnant women (N = 198). Participants were categorized into three groups: (1) No Trauma (-T); (2) Trauma, No Symptoms (T - S); and (3) Trauma and Symptoms (T + S). Placental tissue was analyzed via bisulfite pyrosequencing for degree of methylation at the NR3C1 promoter and FKBP5 regulatory regions. Analyses of covariance were used to test group differences in percentages of NR3C1 and FKBP5 methylation overall and at each CpG site. We found a significant impact of PTSD symptoms on placental NR3C1 methylation. Compared to the -T group, the T + S group had greater NR3C1 methylation overall and at CpG6, CpG8, CpG9, and CpG13, but lower methylation at CpG5. The T + S group had significantly higher NR3C1 methylation overall and at CpG8 compared to the T - S group. There were no differences between the T - S group and - T group. Additionally, no group differences emerged for FKBP5 methylation. Pregnant trauma survivors with PTSD symptoms exhibited differential patterns of placental NR3C1 methylation compared to trauma survivors without PTSD symptoms and pregnant women unexposed to trauma. Results highlight the critical importance of interventions to address the mental health of pregnant trauma survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R Stroud
- COBRE Center for Stress, Trauma, and Resilience*, Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Nancy C Jao
- Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - L G Ward
- COBRE Center for Stress, Trauma, and Resilience*, Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Sharon Y Lee
- COBRE Center for Stress, Trauma, and Resilience*, Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Carmen J Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Goltser-Dubner T, Shalev A, Benarroch F, Canetti L, Yogev M, Kalla C, Masarwa R, Martin J, Pevzner D, Oz O, Saloner C, Amer R, Lavon M, Lotan A, Galili-Weisstub E, Segman R. Decreased mononuclear cell NR3C1 SKA2 and FKPB5 expression levels among adult survivors of suicide bombing terror attacks in childhood are associated with the development of PTSD. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3851-3855. [PMID: 37845495 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02278-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Life threatening trauma and the development of PTSD during childhood, may each associate with transcriptional perturbation of immune cell glucocorticoid reactivity, yet their separable longer term contributions are less clear. The current study compared resting mononuclear cell gene expression levels of the nuclear receptor, subfamily 3, member 1 (NR3C1) coding the glucocorticoid receptor, its trans-activator spindle and kinetochore-associated protein 2 (SKA2), and its co-chaperon FKBP prolyl isomerase 5 (FKBP5), between a cohort of young adults first seen at the Hadassah Emergency Department (ED) after surviving a suicide bombing terror attack during childhood, and followed longitudinally over the years, and matched healthy controls not exposed to life threatening trauma. While significant reductions in mononuclear cell gene expression levels were observed among young adults for all three transcripts following early trauma exposure, the development of subsequent PTSD beyond trauma exposure, accounted for a small but significant portion of the variance in each of the three transcripts. Long-term perturbation in the expression of immune cell glucocorticoid response transcripts persists among young adults who develop PTSD following life threatening trauma exposure in childhood, denoting chronic dysregulation of immune stress reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Goltser-Dubner
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Herman-Danna Division of Pediatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amit Shalev
- The Herman-Danna Division of Pediatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Fortu Benarroch
- The Herman-Danna Division of Pediatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Laura Canetti
- Department of Psychology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Maayan Yogev
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Carmel Kalla
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ranin Masarwa
- The Herman-Danna Division of Pediatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Josef Martin
- The Herman-Danna Division of Pediatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Dalya Pevzner
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Osnat Oz
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Chen Saloner
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Reaan Amer
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michal Lavon
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amit Lotan
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Esti Galili-Weisstub
- The Herman-Danna Division of Pediatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ronen Segman
- Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
- The Herman-Danna Division of Pediatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Nagai M, Shityakov S, Smetak M, Hunkler HJ, Bär C, Schlegel N, Thum T, Förster CY. Blood Biomarkers in Takotsubo Syndrome Point to an Emerging Role for Inflammaging in Endothelial Pathophysiology. Biomolecules 2023; 13:995. [PMID: 37371575 DOI: 10.3390/biom13060995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), an acute cardiac condition characterized by transient wall motion abnormalities mostly of the left ventricle, results in difficulties in diagnosing patients. We set out to present a detailed blood analysis of TTS patients analyzing novel markers to understand the development of TTS. Significant differences in proinflammatory cytokine expression patterns and sex steroid and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression levels were observed in the TTS patient collected. Remarkably, the measured catecholamine serum concentrations determined from TTS patient blood could be shown to be two orders of magnitude lower than the levels determined from experimentally induced TTS in laboratory animals. Consequently, the exposure of endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes in vitro to such catecholamine concentrations did not damage the cellular integrity or function of either endothelial cells forming the blood-brain barrier, endothelial cells derived from myocardium, or cardiomyocytes in vitro. Computational analysis was able to link the identified blood markers, specifically, the proinflammatory cytokines and glucocorticoid receptor GR to microRNA (miR) relevant in the ontogeny of TTS (miR-15) and inflammation (miR-21, miR-146a), respectively. Amongst the well-described risk factors of TTS (older age, female sex), inflammaging-related pathways were identified to add to these relevant risk factors or prediagnostic markers of TTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiaki Nagai
- Department of Cardiology, 2-1-1, Kabeminami, Aaskita-ku, Hiroshima City Asa, Hiroshima 731-0293, Japan
| | - Sergey Shityakov
- Infochemistry Scientific Center, Laboratory of Chemoinformatics, ITMO University, Lomonosova Str. 9, 191002 Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Manuel Smetak
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Jill Hunkler
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Bär
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH-Centre for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Nicolas Schlegel
- Department of General, Visceral, Transplant, Vascular and Pediatric Surgery, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Thum
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH-Centre for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Carola Yvette Förster
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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Guardado-Estrada M, Cárdenas-Monroy CA, Martínez-Rivera V, Cortez F, Pedraza-Lara C, Millan-Catalan O, Pérez-Plasencia C. A miRNome analysis at the early postmortem interval. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15409. [PMID: 37304870 PMCID: PMC10257396 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The postmortem interval (PMI) is the time elapsing since the death of an individual until the body is examined. Different molecules have been analyzed to better estimate the PMI with variable results. The miRNAs draw attention in the forensic field to estimate the PMI as they can better support degradation. In the present work, we analyzed the miRNome at early PMI in rats' skeletal muscle using the Affymetrix GeneChip™ miRNA 4.0 microarrays. We found 156 dysregulated miRNAs in rats' skeletal muscle at 24 h of PMI, out of which 84 were downregulated, and 72 upregulated. The miRNA most significantly downregulated was miR-139-5p (FC = -160, p = 9.97 × 10-11), while the most upregulated was rno-miR-92b-5p (FC = 241.18, p = 2.39 × 10-6). Regarding the targets of these dysregulated miRNAs, the rno-miR-125b-5p and rno-miR-138-5p were the miRNAs with more mRNA targets. The mRNA targets that we found in the present study participate in several biological processes such as interleukin secretion regulation, translation regulation, cell growth, or low oxygen response. In addition, we found a downregulation of SIRT1 mRNA and an upregulation of TGFBR2 mRNA at 24 h of PMI. These results suggest there is an active participation of miRNAs at early PMI which could be further explored to identify potential biomarkers for PMI estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Guardado-Estrada
- Laboratorio de Genética, Ciencia Forense, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Christian A. Cárdenas-Monroy
- Laboratorio de Genética, Ciencia Forense, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Vanessa Martínez-Rivera
- Laboratorio de Genética, Ciencia Forense, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fernanda Cortez
- Computational Genomics Division, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Carlos Pedraza-Lara
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Ciencia Forense, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Oliver Millan-Catalan
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Laboratorio de Genómica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Carlos Pérez-Plasencia
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Laboratorio de Genómica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Laboratorio de Genómica, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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9
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NR3C1 overexpression regulates the expression and alternative splicing of inflammation-associated genes involved in PTSD. Gene 2023; 859:147199. [PMID: 36657650 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
NR3C1-encoding glucocorticoid receptors have dual roles as RNA-binding protein and transcription factor. Recent studies revealed that NR3C1 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder). However, its molecular mechanism remained unclear. In the present study, a neuronal cell model was constructed by transfecting a NR3C1-overexpressing plasmid pIRES-hrGFP-1a-NR3C1 or empty vector into HT22 cells. The changes in global transcription levels and alternative splicing events in HT22 cells after NR3C1 overexpression were analyzed by RNA sequencing. Compared with the empty vector control, the expression of inflammatory factors were differentially regulated by NR3C1, including genes involved in chemokine signal pathway, PI3K-Akt signal pathway, cytokine receptor interaction, neural ligand-receptor interaction and so on. In addition, NR3C1 regulated the alternative splicing of many genes involved in immune response, axon formation, stress response and inflammation. This study was the first to perform a transcriptome analysis of differential gene expression and alternative splicing in a NR3C1-overexpressing HT22 cell model. Our results suggested that NR3C1 could manipulate the expression of inflammatory transcription factors and their alternative splicing patterns, subsequently affecting the expression of downstream targets, may be leading to the onset of PTSD. This study will provide new insights in the NR3C1-mediated gene regulation in relation to PTSD.
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10
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Jimeno B, Zimmer C. Glucocorticoid receptor expression as an integrative measure to assess glucocorticoid plasticity and efficiency in evolutionary endocrinology: A perspective. Horm Behav 2022; 145:105240. [PMID: 35933849 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105240] [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: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Organisms have to cope with the changes that take place in their environment in order to keep their physical and psychological stability. In vertebrates, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a key role in mediating phenotypic adjustments to environmental changes, primarily by regulating glucocorticoids (GCs). Although circulating GCs have widely been used as proxy for individual health and fitness, our understanding of HPA regulation is still very limited, especially in free-living animals. Circulating GCs only exert their actions when they are bound to receptors, and therefore, GC receptors play a pivotal role mediating HPA regulation and GC downstream phenotypic changes. Because under challenging conditions GC actions (as well as negative feedback activation) occur mainly through binding to low-affinity glucocorticoid receptors (GR), we propose that GR activity, and in particular GR expression, may play a crucial role in GC regulation and dynamics, and be ultimately related to organismal capacity to appropriately respond to environmental changes. Thus, we suggest that GR expression will provide more comprehensive information of GC variation and function. To support this idea, we compile previous evidence demonstrating the fundamental role of GR on GC responses and the fine-tuning of circulating GCs. We also make predictions about the phenotypic differences in GC responsiveness - and ultimately HPA regulation capacity - associated with differences in GR expression, focusing on GC plasticity and efficiency. Finally, we discuss current priorities and limitations of integrating measures of GR expression into evolutionary endocrinology and ecology studies, and propose further research directions towards the use of GR expression and the study of the mechanisms regulating GR activity to gather information on coping strategies and stress resilience. Our goals are to provide an integrative perspective that will prompt reconsideration on the ecological and physiological interpretation of current GC measurements, and motivate further research on the role of GR in tuning individual responses to dynamic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Jimeno
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Cedric Zimmer
- Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée, LEEC, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UR 4443, 93430 Villetaneuse, France; Global Health and Infectious Disease Research Center, University of South Florida, 33612 Tampa, FL, USA
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11
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Parker JM, Brown JL, Hobbs NT, Boisseau NP, Letitiya D, Douglas-Hamilton I, Wittemyer G. Social support correlates with glucocorticoid concentrations in wild African elephant orphans. Commun Biol 2022; 5:630. [PMID: 35835816 PMCID: PMC9283395 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03574-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Social relationships have physiological impacts. Here, we investigate whether loss of the mother/offspring relationship has lasting effects on fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations in wild African elephant orphans several years following their mothers’ deaths. We find no difference in fGCM concentrations between orphans and nonorphans, but find lower fGCM concentrations in elephants with more age mates in their family. We also unexpectedly identify lower concentrations in orphans without their natal family versus nonorphans and natal orphans, which we speculate may be due to the development of hypocortisolism following a prolonged period without familial support. An index of plant productivity (i.e. food) shows the largest correlation with fGCM concentrations. Our findings indicate no lasting differences in glucocorticoid concentrations of surviving orphan elephants who are with their family, suggest the presence of age mates may reduce glucocorticoid concentrations in elephants, and emphasize that basic survival needs are the primary regulators of the stress response. Remaining with the family group may reduce long-term stress effects in orphaned African elephants.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Parker
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, 102 Johnson Hall, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA. .,Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA. .,Save the Elephants, Marula Manor, Marula Lane, Karen, Nairobi, 00200, Kenya.
| | - J L Brown
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - N T Hobbs
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, 102 Johnson Hall, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.,Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - N P Boisseau
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - D Letitiya
- Save the Elephants, Marula Manor, Marula Lane, Karen, Nairobi, 00200, Kenya
| | - I Douglas-Hamilton
- Save the Elephants, Marula Manor, Marula Lane, Karen, Nairobi, 00200, Kenya.,Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
| | - G Wittemyer
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, 102 Johnson Hall, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.,Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.,Save the Elephants, Marula Manor, Marula Lane, Karen, Nairobi, 00200, Kenya
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12
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Paixão Pequeno D, Pequeno Galvão L, Lourenço GJ. Addressing psychiatric disorders and genetics: the meaningful use of comics for health information. J Vis Commun Med 2022; 45:154-159. [PMID: 35315748 DOI: 10.1080/17453054.2022.2029369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
In the fields of healthcare and education, comics have shown considerable academic and teaching importance, with their combination of text and images. As a well-known character in comics, Batman allows us to discuss several relevant topics, from the outcomes in adulthood of experiencing parental death in childhood to genetic and epigenetic changes that may be factors of vulnerability to psychiatric disorders in adulthood. In this text, a narrative of Batman is developed, demonstrating the possibility of using it in an academic context and intending at paying greater attention to patients' history and the relationship between genetics and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Paixão Pequeno
- Laboratory of Cancer Genetics, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Gustavo Jacob Lourenço
- Laboratory of Cancer Genetics, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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13
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Milligan Armstrong A, Porter T, Quek H, White A, Haynes J, Jackaman C, Villemagne V, Munyard K, Laws SM, Verdile G, Groth D. Chronic stress and Alzheimer's disease: the interplay between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, genetics and microglia. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2209-2228. [PMID: 34159699 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Chronic psychosocial stress is increasingly being recognised as a risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) is the major stress response pathway in the body and tightly regulates the production of cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone. Dysregulation of the HPA axis and increased levels of cortisol are commonly found in AD patients and make a major contribution to the disease process. The underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In addition, within the general population there are interindividual differences in sensitivities to glucocorticoid and stress responses, which are thought to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. These differences could ultimately impact an individuals' risk of AD. The purpose of this review is first to summarise the literature describing environmental and genetic factors that can impact an individual's HPA axis reactivity and function and ultimately AD risk. Secondly, we propose a mechanism by which genetic factors that influence HPA axis reactivity may also impact inflammation, a key driver of neurodegeneration. We hypothesize that these factors can mediate glucocorticoid priming of the immune cells of the brain, microglia, to become pro-inflammatory and promote a neurotoxic environment resulting in neurodegeneration. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms and identifying these genetic factors has implications for evaluating stress-related risk/progression to neurodegeneration, informing the success of interventions based on stress management and potential risks associated with the common use of glucocorticoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayeisha Milligan Armstrong
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Tenielle Porter
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Collaborative Genomics and Translation Group, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Hazel Quek
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Institute, 300 Herston Rd, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Anthony White
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Institute, 300 Herston Rd, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - John Haynes
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Connie Jackaman
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Victor Villemagne
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia.,The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Kylie Munyard
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Simon M Laws
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Collaborative Genomics and Translation Group, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Giuseppe Verdile
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - David Groth
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.,Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
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14
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Corbett RJ, Luttman AM, Wurtz KE, Siegford JM, Raney NE, Ford LM, Ernst CW. Weaning Induces Stress-Dependent DNA Methylation and Transcriptional Changes in Piglet PBMCs. Front Genet 2021; 12:633564. [PMID: 33613645 PMCID: PMC7893110 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.633564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes to the epigenome, including those to DNA methylation, have been proposed as mechanisms by which stress can induce long-term physiological changes in livestock species. Pig weaning is associated with dietary and social stress, both of which elicit an immune response and changes to the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. While differential methylation following stress has been assessed in model organisms, it remains poorly understood how the pig methylome is altered by stressors in production settings. We quantified changes in CpG methylation and transcript abundance in piglet peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) following weaning and also assessed differential patterns in pigs exhibiting high and low stress response as measured by cortisol concentration and lesion scores. Blood was collected from nine gilt piglets 24 h before and after weaning, and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and RNA-sequencing were performed on six and nine animals, respectively, at both time points. We identified 2,674 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that were enriched within promoters of genes associated with lymphocyte stimulation and transcriptional regulation. Stress groups displayed unique differential methylation and expression patterns associated with activation and suppression of T cell immunity in low and high stress animals, respectively. Differential methylation was strongly associated with differential expression; specifically, upregulated genes were enriched among hypomethylated genes. We observed post-weaning hypermethylation of the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) promoter and a significant decrease in NR3C1 expression (n = 9, p = 6.1 × 10–3). Our results indicate that weaning-associated stress elicits genome-wide methylation changes associated with differential gene expression, reduced T cell activation, and an altered HPA axis response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Corbett
- Genetics and Genome Sciences Graduate Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Andrea M Luttman
- Genetics and Genome Sciences Graduate Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Kaitlin E Wurtz
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Janice M Siegford
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Nancy E Raney
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Laura M Ford
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Catherine W Ernst
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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