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Claro F, Morari J, Moreira LR, Sarian LOZ, Velloso LA. Breast Lipofilling Does Not Pose Evidence of Chronic Inflammation in Rats. Aesthet Surg J 2019; 39:NP202-NP212. [PMID: 30265289 DOI: 10.1093/asj/sjy257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Laboratory reports on adipose tissue suggest that fat grafting to the breast may pose an oncologic risk. One possible reason for this is the theoretic chronic inflammation due to adipokynes released by grafted white adipose tissue (WAT). OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to analyze inflammatory activity in lipofilled breast through the use of proinflammatory markers. METHODS Fifty-four paired-breasts of female rats were divided into 4 groups: control, sham, and breasts grafted with either autologous subcutaneous (SC) WAT or autologous omentum (OM). The WAT was prepared through centrifugation, and the grafting was performed with the use of 0.9-mm blunt-tip cannula. The rats were killed 8 weeks postoperatively, and their breasts were harvested for immunohistochemical staining for CD68-expressing macrophages, gene expression (real-time PCR) for monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), F4/80, Cox-2, and IL-6. RESULTS The weights of the rats that underwent a procedure differed from those of the unmanipulated control group (P < 0.01). The macrophage counts of CD68 differed only between breasts lipofilled with OM and control (P < 0.01). MCP-1, F4/80, and Cox-2 were similarly expressed among the groups (P = 0.422, P = 0.143, and P = 0.209, respectively). The expression of IL-6 differed between breast samples grafted with SC and OM WAT (P = 0.015), but not between samples of control and OM (P = 0.752), and control and SC (P = 0.056). CONCLUSIONS No inflammation activity was identified in the microenvironment of lipofilled breasts, indicating that chronic inflammation does not seem to be triggered by the breast lipofilling procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Claro
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Laboratory of Specialized Pathology and Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Obesity and Comorbidities, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas-SP, Brazil
| | - Joseane Morari
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Laboratory of Specialized Pathology and Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Obesity and Comorbidities, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas-SP, Brazil
| | - Luciana R Moreira
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Laboratory of Specialized Pathology and Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Obesity and Comorbidities, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas-SP, Brazil
| | - Luis O Z Sarian
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Laboratory of Specialized Pathology and Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Obesity and Comorbidities, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas-SP, Brazil
| | - Licio A Velloso
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Laboratory of Specialized Pathology and Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Obesity and Comorbidities, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas-SP, Brazil
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Johnson MB, Hoffmann JN, You HM, Lastra RR, Fernandez S, Strober JW, Allaw AB, Brady MJ, Conzen SD, McClintock MK. Psychosocial Stress Exposure Disrupts Mammary Gland Development. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2018; 23:59-73. [PMID: 29687293 PMCID: PMC6207373 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-018-9392-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to psychosocial stressors and ensuing stress physiology have been associated with spontaneous invasive mammary tumors in the Sprague-Dawley rat model of human breast cancer. Mammary gland (MG) development is a time when physiologic and environmental exposures influence breast cancer risk. However, the effect of psychosocial stress exposure on MG development remains unknown. Here, in the first comprehensive longitudinal study of MG development in nulliparous female rats (from puberty through young adulthood; 8-25 wks of age), we quantify the spatial gradient of differentiation within the MG of socially stressed (isolated) and control (grouped) rats. We then demonstrate that social isolation increased stress reactivity to everyday stressors, resulting in downregulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in the MG epithelium. Surprisingly, given that chemical carcinogens increase MG cancer risk by preventing normal terminal end bud (TEB) differentiation, chronic isolation stress did not alter TEBs. Instead, isolation blunted MG growth and alveolobular differentiation and reduced epithelial cell proliferation in these structures. Social isolation also enhanced corpora luteal progesterone at all ages but reduced estrogenization only in early adulthood, a pattern that precludes modulated ovarian function as a sufficient mechanism for the effects of isolation on MG development. This longitudinal study of natural variation provides an integrated view of MG development and the importance of increased GR activation in nulliparous ductal growth and alveolobular differentiation. Thus, social isolation and its physiological sequelae disrupt MG growth and differentiation and suggest a contribution of stress exposure during puberty and young adulthood to the previously observed increase in invasive MG cancer observed in chronically socially-isolated adult Sprague-Dawley rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna B Johnson
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Hannah M You
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ricardo R Lastra
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sully Fernandez
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jordan W Strober
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ahmad B Allaw
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Matthew J Brady
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Suzanne D Conzen
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Ben May Department of Cancer Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Martha K McClintock
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Departments of Psychology and Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago, 940 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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Abstract
Reproduction diseases are common presentations in small rodents. Some can be presented to the clinician as an emergency where a fast and effective treatment is required. This article presents an overview of reproductive disorders in these species. Diseases affecting the ovary, uterus, testicles, and mammary gland are developed in rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils: inflammatory, infectious, and neoplasia. Clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment information are included. Some specific indications about the surgical reproduction procedures are described. Literature regarding reproductive disorders exists for squirrels and prairie dogs. Brief information about the normal anatomy of the reproductive system is given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaume Martorell
- Departament de Medicina I Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinaria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Travessera dels Turons, Bellaterra 08193, Spain.
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Abstract
The brain is the central organ of stress and adaptation to stress because it perceives and determines what is threatening, as well as the behavioral and physiological responses to the stressor, which promote adaptation ("allostasis") but also contribute to pathophysiology ("allostatic load/overload") when overused and dysregulated. The adult as well as developing brain possesses a remarkable ability to show structural and functional plasticity in response to stressful and other experiences, including neuronal replacement, dendritic remodeling and synapse turnover. Stress can cause an imbalance of neural circuitry subserving cognition, decision making, anxiety and mood that can increase or decrease expression of those behaviors and behavioral states. This imbalance, in turn, affects systemic physiology via neuroendocrine, autonomic, immune and metabolic mediators. In the short term, these changes may be adaptive; but, if the threat passes and the behavioral state persists along with the changes in neural circuitry, such maladaptation requires intervention with a combination of pharmacological and behavioral therapies. There are important sex differences in how the brain responds to stressors. Moreover, adverse early life experience, interacting with alleles of certain genes, produces lasting effects on brain and body via epigenetic mechanisms. While prevention is key, the plasticity of the brain gives hope for therapies that utilize brain-body interactions. Policies of government and the private sector are important to promote health and increase "healthspan."
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce S McEwen
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
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5
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De la Roca-Chiapas JM, Barbosa-Sabanero G, Martínez-García JA, Martínez-Soto J, Ramos-Frausto VM, González-Ramírez LP, Nowack K. Impact of stress and levels of corticosterone on the development of breast cancer in rats. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2016; 9:1-6. [PMID: 26793009 PMCID: PMC4708200 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s94177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is experienced during cancer, and impairs the immune system’s ability to protect the body. Our aim was to investigate if isolation stress has an impact on the development of tumors in rats, and to measure the size and number of tumors and the levels of corticosterone. Breast cancer was induced in two groups of female rats (N=20) by administration of a single dose of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea 50 mg/kg. Rats in the control group (cancer induction condition) were allowed to remain together in a large cage, whereas in the second group, rats were also exposed to a stressful condition, that is, isolation (cancer induction and isolation condition, CIIC). The CIIC group displayed anxious behavior after 10 weeks of isolation. In the CIIC group, 16 tumors developed, compared with only eleven tumors in the control cancer induction condition group. In addition, compared with the control group, the volume of tumors in the CIIC group was greater, and more rats had more than one tumor and cells showed greater morphological damage. Levels of corticosterone were also significantly different between the two groups. This study supports the hypothesis that stress can influence the development of cancer, but that stress itself is not a sufficient factor for the development of cancer in rats. The study also provides new information for development of experimental studies and controlled environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gloria Barbosa-Sabanero
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, Campus Leon-University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato, USA
| | | | - Joel Martínez-Soto
- Department of Psychology, Campus Leon-University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato, USA
| | | | | | - Ken Nowack
- Envisia Learning, Inc., Santa Monica, CA, USA
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6
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Ohta R, Kumagai F, Marumo H, Usumi K, Saito Y, Kuwagata M. Stress-reactive rats (high-avoidance female rats) have a shorter lifespan than stress-nonreactive rats (low-avoidance female rats). J Toxicol Pathol 2015; 29:77-84. [PMID: 27182111 PMCID: PMC4866005 DOI: 10.1293/tox.2015-0045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Hatano high-avoidance and low-avoidance rats (HAA and LAA, respectively) have been selectively bred for good versus poor avoidance learning, HAA rats are known to be more reactive to stress than LAA rats. In this study, HAA and LAA female rats were compared during reproductive aging by observing estrous cycles from 8 to 11 months of age. Furthermore, these rats were allowed to live out their natural lifespans, that is, until 24 months of age, in order to compare their survival and to clarify the relationship between reproductive aging and tumor development. At eight months of age, 2 of 35 HAA rats and 20 of 35 LAA rats had abnormal estrous cycles. The median lifespan of the HAA rats (673 days) was shorter than that of the LAA rats (733 days). The incidence of pituitary neoplasia was higher in the HAA rats than in the LAA rats. These results suggest that HAA female rats (i.e., stress-reactive rats) have a shorter lifespan than LAA female rats (i.e., stress-nonreactive rats) and develop pituitary neoplasia, which was one of the causal factors in their accelerated mortality. However, the onset of an age-matched abnormal cycle did not correspond with their lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Ohta
- Hatano Research Institute, Food and Drug Safety Center, 729-5 Ochiai, Hadano, Kanagawa 257-8523, Japan
| | - Fumiaki Kumagai
- Hatano Research Institute, Food and Drug Safety Center, 729-5 Ochiai, Hadano, Kanagawa 257-8523, Japan
| | - Hideki Marumo
- Hatano Research Institute, Food and Drug Safety Center, 729-5 Ochiai, Hadano, Kanagawa 257-8523, Japan
| | - Kenji Usumi
- Hatano Research Institute, Food and Drug Safety Center, 729-5 Ochiai, Hadano, Kanagawa 257-8523, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Saito
- Hatano Research Institute, Food and Drug Safety Center, 729-5 Ochiai, Hadano, Kanagawa 257-8523, Japan
| | - Makiko Kuwagata
- Hatano Research Institute, Food and Drug Safety Center, 729-5 Ochiai, Hadano, Kanagawa 257-8523, Japan
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McEwen BS, Gray JD, Nasca C. 60 YEARS OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY: Redefining neuroendocrinology: stress, sex and cognitive and emotional regulation. J Endocrinol 2015; 226:T67-83. [PMID: 25934706 PMCID: PMC4515381 DOI: 10.1530/joe-15-0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of steroid hormone receptors in brain regions that mediate every aspect of brain function has broadened the definition of 'neuroendocrinology' to include the reciprocal communication between the brain and the body via hormonal and neural pathways. The brain is the central organ of stress and adaptation to stress because it perceives and determines what is threatening, as well as the behavioral and physiological responses to the stressor. The adult and developing brain possess remarkable structural and functional plasticity in response to stress, including neuronal replacement, dendritic remodeling, and synapse turnover. Stress causes an imbalance of neural circuitry subserving cognition, decision-making, anxiety and mood that can alter expression of those behaviors and behavioral states. This imbalance, in turn, affects systemic physiology via neuroendocrine, autonomic, immune and metabolic mediators. In the short term, as for increased fearful vigilance and anxiety in a threatening environment, these changes may be adaptive. But, if the danger passes and the behavioral state persists along with the changes in neural circuitry, such maladaptation may need intervention with a combination of pharmacological and behavioral therapies, as is the case for chronic anxiety and depression. There are important sex differences in the brain responses to stressors that are in urgent need of further exploration. Moreover, adverse early-life experience, interacting with alleles of certain genes, produce lasting effects on brain and body over the life-course via epigenetic mechanisms. While prevention is most important, the plasticity of the brain gives hope for therapies that take into consideration brain-body interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce S McEwen
- Laboratory of NeuroendocrinologyThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Jason D Gray
- Laboratory of NeuroendocrinologyThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Carla Nasca
- Laboratory of NeuroendocrinologyThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
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8
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9
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Hughes HD, Carroll JA, Burdick Sanchez NC, Richeson JT. Natural variations in the stress and acute phase responses of cattle. Innate Immun 2013; 20:888-96. [PMID: 24217218 DOI: 10.1177/1753425913508993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of the innate immune system and acute phase response (APR) results in several responses that include fever, metabolic adaptations and changes in behavior. The APR can be modulated by many factors, with stress being the most common. An elevation of stress hormones for a short duration of time can be beneficial. However, elevation of stress hormones repeatedly or for an extended duration of time can be detrimental to the overall health and well-being of animals. The stress and APR responses can also be modulated by naturally-occurring variations, such as breed, gender, and temperament. These three natural variations modulate both of these responses, and can therefore modulate the ability of an animal to recover from a stressor or infection. Understanding that cattle have different immunological responses, based on naturally occurring variations such as these, may be the foundation of new studies on how to effectively manage cattle so that health is optimized and production is benefited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather D Hughes
- West Texas A&M University, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Canyon, TX, USA
| | | | | | - John T Richeson
- West Texas A&M University, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Canyon, TX, USA USDA-ARS, Livestock Issues Research Unit, Lubbock, TX, USA
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10
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Individual differences in pre-carcinogen cytokine and corticosterone concentrations and depressive-like behavior predict tumor onset in rats exposed to a carcinogen. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:800-7. [PMID: 23046826 PMCID: PMC3990229 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2012] [Revised: 07/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Individual variation in the susceptibility to chronic disease can be attributed to both genetic and environmental factors. Measures of the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems are predictive of survival outcomes after a chronic disease is diagnosed. However, determining biomarkers or "traits" that predict risk before chronic disease development remains elusive. In this study, natural individual variation in circulating cytokines, corticosterone, and depressive-like behaviors (using the Porsolt forced swim test) were measured in female rats before induction of mammary tumors using a chemical carcinogen (N-nitroso-N-methylurea). Early tumor onset was associated with relatively high (but within the physiologically typical range) circulating cytokine concentrations (IL-1α, IL-1β, TNFα) and depressive-like behavior and with relatively low corticosterone concentrations, all of which were assessed at baseline before carcinogen treatment. Multiple regression analyses indicated that IL-1β was primarily responsible for the variation in tumor onset when controlling for corticosterone concentration. These results suggest that the susceptibility to tumor initiation and/or growth may be related to individual differences in baseline immune and endocrine physiology and emotional tone present at the time of carcinogen exposure. Investigation of the mechanistic relevance of these individual differences may lead to prophylactic approaches to cancer treatment in the context of carcinogen exposure.
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11
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Galatzer-Levy IR, Bonanno GA, Bush DEA, Ledoux JE. Heterogeneity in threat extinction learning: substantive and methodological considerations for identifying individual difference in response to stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:55. [PMID: 23754992 PMCID: PMC3665921 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pavlovian threat (fear) conditioning (PTC) is an experimental paradigm that couples innate aversive stimuli with neutral cues to elicit learned defensive behavior in response to the neutral cue. PTC is commonly used as a translational model to study neurobiological and behavioral aspects of fear and anxiety disorders including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Though PTSD is a complex multi-faceted construct that cannot be fully captured in animals PTC is a conceptually valid model for studying the development and maintenance of learned threat responses. Thus, it can inform the understanding of PTSD symptomatology. However, there are significant individual differences in posttraumatic stress that are not as of yet accounted for in studies of PTC. Individuals exposed to danger have been shown to follow distinct patterns: some adapt rapidly and completely (resilience) others adapt slowly (recovery) and others failure to adapt (chronic stress response). Identifying similar behavioral outcomes in PTC increases the translatability of this model. In this report we present a flexible methodology for identifying individual differences in PTC by modeling latent subpopulations or classes characterized by defensive behavior during training. We provide evidence from a reanalysis of previously examined PTC learning and extinction data in rats to demonstrate the effectiveness of this methodology in identifying outcomes analogous to those observed in humans exposed to threat. By utilizing Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA) to test for heterogeneity in freezing behavior during threat conditioning and extinction learning in adult male outbred rats (n = 58) three outcomes were identified: rapid extinction (57.3%), slow extinction (32.3%), and failure to extinguish (10.3%) indicating that heterogeneity analogous to that in naturalistic human studies is present in experimental animal studies strengthening their translatability in understanding stress responses in humans.
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12
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Dhabhar FS, Saul AN, Holmes TH, Daugherty C, Neri E, Tillie JM, Kusewitt D, Oberyszyn TM. High-anxious individuals show increased chronic stress burden, decreased protective immunity, and increased cancer progression in a mouse model of squamous cell carcinoma. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33069. [PMID: 22558071 PMCID: PMC3338811 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2011] [Accepted: 02/03/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of widespread anecdotal and scientific evidence much remains to be understood about the long-suspected connection between psychological factors and susceptibility to cancer. The skin is the most common site of cancer, accounting for nearly half of all cancers in the US, with approximately 2-3 million cases of non-melanoma cancers occurring each year worldwide. We hypothesized that a high-anxious, stress-prone behavioral phenotype would result in a higher chronic stress burden, lower protective-immunity, and increased progression of the immuno-responsive skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma. SKH1 mice were phenotyped as high- or low-anxious at baseline, and subsequently exposed to ultraviolet-B light (1 minimal erythemal dose (MED), 3 times/week, 10-weeks). The significant strengths of this cancer model are that it uses a normal, immunocompetent, outbred strain, without surgery/injection of exogenous tumor cells/cell lines, and produces lesions that resemble human tumors. Tumors were counted weekly (primary outcome), and tissues collected during early and late phases of tumor development. Chemokine/cytokine gene-expression was quantified by PCR, tumor-infiltrating helper (Th), cytolytic (CTL), and regulatory (Treg) T cells by immunohistochemistry, lymph node T and B cells by flow cytometry, adrenal and plasma corticosterone and tissue vascular-endothelial-growth-factor (VEGF) by ELISA. High-anxious mice showed a higher tumor burden during all phases of tumor development. They also showed: higher corticosterone levels (indicating greater chronic stress burden), increased CCL22 expression and Treg infiltration (increased tumor-recruited immuno-suppression), lower CTACK/CCL27, IL-12, and IFN-γ gene-expression and lower numbers of tumor infiltrating Th and CTLs (suppressed protective immunity), and higher VEGF concentrations (increased tumor angiogenesis/invasion/metastasis). These results suggest that the deleterious effects of high trait anxiety could be: exacerbated by life-stressors, accentuated by the stress of cancer diagnosis/treatment, and mediate increased tumor progression and/or metastasis. Therefore, it may be beneficial to investigate the use of chemotherapy-compatible anxiolytic treatments immediately following cancer diagnosis, and during cancer treatment/survivorship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firdaus S Dhabhar
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.
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13
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McEwen BS, Eiland L, Hunter RG, Miller MM. Stress and anxiety: structural plasticity and epigenetic regulation as a consequence of stress. Neuropharmacology 2011; 62:3-12. [PMID: 21807003 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 366] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2011] [Revised: 07/09/2011] [Accepted: 07/13/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The brain is the central organ of stress and adaptation to stress because it perceives and determines what is threatening, as well as the behavioral and physiological responses to the stressor. The adult, as well as developing brain, possess a remarkable ability to show reversible structural and functional plasticity in response to stressful and other experiences, including neuronal replacement, dendritic remodeling, and synapse turnover. This is particularly evident in the hippocampus, where all three types of structural plasticity have been recognized and investigated, using a combination of morphological, molecular, pharmacological, electrophysiological and behavioral approaches. The amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, brain regions involved in anxiety and fear, mood, cognitive function and behavioral control, also show structural plasticity. Acute and chronic stress cause an imbalance of neural circuitry subserving cognition, decision making, anxiety and mood that can increase or decrease expression of those behaviors and behavioral states. In the short term, such as for increased fearful vigilance and anxiety in a threatening environment, these changes may be adaptive; but, if the danger passes and the behavioral state persists along with the changes in neural circuitry, such maladaptation may need intervention with a combination of pharmacological and behavioral therapies, as is the case for chronic or mood anxiety disorders. We shall review cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as recent work on individual differences in anxiety-like behavior and also developmental influences that bias how the brain responds to stressors. Finally, we suggest that such an approach needs to be extended to other brain areas that are also involved in anxiety and mood. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Anxiety and Depression'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce S McEwen
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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14
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Ragan C, Loken E, Stifter C, Cavigelli S. Within-litter variance in early rat pup-mother interactions and adult offspring responses to novelty. Dev Psychobiol 2011; 54:199-206. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.20581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2010] [Accepted: 05/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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15
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Wise LA, Palmer JR, Boggs DA, Adams-Campbell LL, Rosenberg L. Abuse victimization and risk of breast cancer in the Black Women's Health Study [corrected]. Cancer Causes Control 2011; 22:659-69. [PMID: 21327459 PMCID: PMC3153377 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-011-9738-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2010] [Accepted: 01/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have examined the relation between abuse victimization and breast cancer, and results have been inconclusive. Using data from 35,728 participants in the Black Women's Health Study, we conducted multivariable Cox regression to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of abuse across the life span (childhood, adolescence, and adulthood) with breast cancer. Incident breast cancer diagnoses were reported during 1995-2009, and abuse histories were reported in 2005. No associations were found between abuse victimization in either childhood or adolescence and breast cancer. We found a weak positive association between abuse in adulthood and breast cancer (IRR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.03-1.34). IRRs for physical abuse only, sexual abuse only, and both physical and sexual abuse in adulthood, relative to no abuse, were 1.28 (95% CI = 1.09-1.49), 0.96 (95% CI = 0.76-1.20), and 1.22 (95% CI = 1.00-1.49), respectively. IRRs for low, intermediate, and high frequencies of physical abuse in adulthood, relative to no abuse, were 1.28 (95% CI = 1.07-1.52), 1.37 (95% CI = 1.04-1.79), and 1.24 (95% CI = 0.95-1.62), respectively. Our data suggest an increased risk of breast cancer among African-American women who reported physical abuse in adulthood, but there was little evidence of a dose-response relation. These results require confirmation in other studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Wise
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, 1010 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Schuler LA, Auger AP. Psychosocially influenced cancer: diverse early-life stress experiences and links to breast cancer. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2010; 3:1365-70. [PMID: 21084258 DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-10-0238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
This perspective on Boyd et al. (beginning on page 1398 in this issue of the journal) discusses recent published research examining the interplay between social stress and breast cancer. Cross-disciplinary studies using genetically defined mouse models and established neonatal and peripubertal paradigms of social stress are illuminating biological programming by diverse early-life experiences for the risk of breast cancer. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this programming can lead to the identification of risk factors and sensitive developmental windows, enabling improved prevention and treatment strategies for this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Schuler
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 Linden Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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17
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McEwen BS. Stress, sex, and neural adaptation to a changing environment: mechanisms of neuronal remodeling. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2010; 1204 Suppl:E38-59. [PMID: 20840167 PMCID: PMC2946089 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05568.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 241] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The adult brain is much more resilient and adaptable than previously believed, and adaptive structural plasticity involves growth and shrinkage of dendritic trees, turnover of synapses, and limited amounts of neurogenesis in the forebrain, especially the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation. Stress and sex hormones help to mediate adaptive structural plasticity, which has been extensively investigated in the hippocampus and to a lesser extent in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, all brain regions that are involved in cognitive and emotional functions. Stress and sex hormones exert their effects on brain structural remodeling through both classical genomic as well as non-genomic mechanisms, and they do so in collaboration with neurotransmitters and other intra- and extracellular mediators. This review will illustrate the actions of estrogen on synapse formation in the hippocampus and the process of stress-induced remodeling of dendrites and synapses in the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex. The influence of early developmental epigenetic events, such as early life stress and brain sexual differentiation, is noted along with the interactions between sex hormones and the effects of stress on the brain. Because hormones influence brain structure and function and because hormone secretion is governed by the brain, applied molecular neuroscience techniques can begin to reveal the role of hormones in brain-related disorders and the treatment of these diseases. A better understanding of hormone-brain interactions should promote more flexible approaches to the treatment of psychiatric disorders, as well as their prevention through both behavioral and pharmaceutical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce S McEwen
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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18
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The Relationship Between Psychosocial Stressors and Breast Cancer Biology. CURRENT BREAST CANCER REPORTS 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s12609-010-0021-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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19
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Mason GJ, Veasey JS. What do population-level welfare indices suggest about the well-being of zoo elephants? Zoo Biol 2010; 29:256-73. [PMID: 20140956 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
To assess zoo elephants' welfare using objective population-level indices, we sought data from zoos and other protected populations (potential "benchmarks") on variables affected by poor well-being. Such data were available on fecundity, potential fertility, stillbirths, infant mortality, adult survivorship, and stereotypic behavior. Most of these can also be affected by factors unrelated to well-being; therefore, for each, we analyzed the potential role of these other factors. Population-level comparisons generally indicate poor reproduction, and poor infant and adult survivorship in zoos compared with benchmark populations (with some differences between zoo regions and over time). Stereotypic behavior also occurs in c. 60% of zoo elephants; as the population-level welfare index least open to alternative interpretations, this represents the strongest evidence that well-being is/has been widely compromised. Poor well-being is a parsimonious explanation for the diverse range of population-level effects seen, but to test this hypothesis properly, data are now needed on, for example, potential confounds that can affect these indices (to partition out effects of factors unrelated to well-being), and causes of the observed temporal effects, and differences between species and zoo regions. Regardless of whether such additional data implicate poor well-being, our findings suggest that elephant management has generally been sub-optimal. We also discuss the selection and utilization of benchmark data, as a useful future approach for evaluating such issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia J Mason
- Canada Research Chair in Animal Welfare, Animal Science Department, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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20
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Cavigelli SA, Ragan CM, Barrett CE, Michael KC. Within-litter variance in rat maternal behaviour. Behav Processes 2010; 84:696-704. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2010.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2009] [Revised: 04/07/2010] [Accepted: 04/09/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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21
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Silk JB, Beehner JC, Bergman TJ, Crockford C, Engh AL, Moscovice LR, Wittig RM, Seyfarth RM, Cheney DL. Female chacma baboons form strong, equitable, and enduring social bonds. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010; 64:1733-1747. [PMID: 20976293 PMCID: PMC2952770 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-0986-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2009] [Revised: 05/12/2010] [Accepted: 05/17/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Analyses of the pattern of associations, social interactions, coalitions, and aggression among chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus) in the Okavango Delta of Botswana over a 16-year period indicate that adult females form close, equitable, supportive, and enduring social relationships. They show strong and stable preferences for close kin, particularly their own mothers and daughters. Females also form strong attachments to unrelated females who are close to their own age and who are likely to be paternal half-sisters. Although absolute rates of aggression among kin are as high as rates of aggression among nonkin, females are more tolerant of close relatives than they are of others with whom they have comparable amounts of contact. These findings complement previous work which indicates that the strength of social bonds enhances the fitness of females in this population and support findings about the structure and function of social bonds in other primate groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan B. Silk
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Jacinta C. Beehner
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Thore J. Bergman
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Catherine Crockford
- School of Psychology, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9JP United Kingdom
| | - Anne L. Engh
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Liza R. Moscovice
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Roman M. Wittig
- School of Psychology, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9JP United Kingdom
| | - Robert M. Seyfarth
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Dorothy L. Cheney
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
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22
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Harper JM, Wilkinson JE, Miller RA. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor-knockout mice are long lived and respond to caloric restriction. FASEB J 2010; 24:2436-42. [PMID: 20219983 DOI: 10.1096/fj.09-152223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) affects inflammation, glucose homeostasis, and cellular proliferation in mammals. Previously, we found that MIF was significantly elevated in multiple long-lived mouse models, including calorie restriction (CR), which led us to hypothesize that MIF might be important in the control of mammalian life span and be necessary for the life-extending effects of CR. To test this hypothesis, we examined the life span of mice with a targeted deletion of the Mif gene on a segregating B6 x 129/Sv background (MIF-KO) under ad libitum (AL) feeding and CR conditions. Control mice were generated by mating C57BL/6J females with 129/SvJ males to make an F1 hybrid, and crossing F1 males to F1 females to produce segregating F2 mice homozygous for the normal MIF allele. Not only did MIF-KO mice show a life span extension in response to CR, they were, unexpectedly, longer lived than controls under standard AL conditions. MIF-KO mice were significantly protected against lethal hemangiosarcoma, but more likely than controls to die of disseminated amyloid, an age-related inflammatory syndrome. Overall, these data refute the suggestion that MIF is required for the CR effect on life span, but raise the possibility that MIF may limit life span in normal mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Harper
- Department of Pathology and Geriatrics Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
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23
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Mason GJ, Veasey JS. How should the psychological well-being of zoo elephants be objectively investigated? Zoo Biol 2010; 29:237-55. [DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Hermes GL, Delgado B, Tretiakova M, Cavigelli SA, Krausz T, Conzen SD, McClintock MK. Social isolation dysregulates endocrine and behavioral stress while increasing malignant burden of spontaneous mammary tumors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:22393-8. [PMID: 20018726 PMCID: PMC2799783 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0910753106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2009] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In a life span study, we examined how the social environment regulates naturally occurring tumor development and malignancy in genetically prone Sprague-Dawley rats. We randomly assigned this gregarious species to live either alone or in groups of five female rats. Mammary tumor burden among social isolates increased to 84 times that of age-matched controls, as did malignancy, specifically a 3.3 relative risk for ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common early breast cancers in women. Importantly, isolation did not extend ovarian function in late middle age; in fact, isolated animals were exposed to lower levels of estrogen and progesterone in the middle-age period of mammary tumor growth, with unchanged tumor estrogen and progesterone receptor status. Isolates, however, did develop significant dysregulation of corticosterone responses to everyday stressors manifest in young adulthood, months before tumor development, and persisting into old age. Among isolates, corticosterone response to an acute stressor was enhanced and recovery was markedly delayed, each associated with increased mammary tumor progression. In addition to being stressed and tumor prone, an array of behavioral measures demonstrated that socially isolated females possessed an anxious, fearful, and vigilant phenotype. Our model provides a framework for studying the interaction of social neglect with genetic risk to identify mechanisms whereby psychosocial stressors increase growth and malignancy of breast cancer.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal
- Breast Neoplasms/etiology
- Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/etiology
- Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating/etiology
- Corticosterone/metabolism
- Endocrine Glands/physiopathology
- Female
- Humans
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/etiology
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/physiopathology
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/psychology
- Ovary/physiopathology
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Receptors, Glucocorticoid/metabolism
- Risk Factors
- Social Environment
- Social Isolation
- Stress, Physiological
- Stress, Psychological
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen L. Hermes
- Institute for Mind and Biology and
- Departments of Comparative Human Development
| | | | | | | | | | - Suzanne D. Conzen
- Institute for Mind and Biology and
- Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Martha K. McClintock
- Institute for Mind and Biology and
- Departments of Comparative Human Development
- Psychology
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25
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Trainor BC, Sweeney C, Cardiff R. Isolating the effects of social interactions on cancer biology. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2009; 2:843-6. [PMID: 19789296 DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-09-0167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This perspective on Williams et al. (beginning on p. 850 in this issue of the journal) examines the connections between biological responses activated during psychosocial stress and mammary tumorigenesis. Experiments in mouse models of cancer are identifying aspects of tumor biology that may be regulated by hormones such as glucocorticoids released during psychosocial stress. Our growing understanding of the actions of glucocorticoids on breast tumors could lead to important changes in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Trainor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, 2795 Second Street, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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26
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Williams JB, Pang D, Delgado B, Kocherginsky M, Tretiakova M, Krausz T, Pan D, He J, McClintock MK, Conzen SD. A model of gene-environment interaction reveals altered mammary gland gene expression and increased tumor growth following social isolation. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2009; 2:850-861. [PMID: 19789294 DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-08-0238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Clinical studies have revealed that social support improves the outcome of cancer patients, whereas epidemiologic studies suggest that social isolation increases the risk of death associated with several chronic diseases. However, the precise molecular consequences of an unfavorable social environment have not been defined. To do so, robust, reproducible preclinical models are needed to study the mechanisms whereby an adverse environment affects gene expression and cancer biology. Because random assignment of inbred laboratory mice to well-defined social environments allows accurate and repeated measurements of behavioral and endocrine parameters, transgenic mice provide a preclinical framework with which to begin to determine gene-environment mechanisms. In this study, we found that female C3(1)/SV40 T-antigen mice deprived of social interaction from weaning exhibited increased expression of genes encoding key metabolic pathway enzymes in the premalignant mammary gland. Chronic social isolation was associated with up-regulated lipid synthesis and glycolytic pathway gene expression-both pathways are known to contribute to increased breast cancer growth. Consistent with the expression of metabolic genes in premalignant mammary tissue, isolated mice subsequently developed a significantly larger mammary gland tumors burden compared with group-housed mice. Endocrine evaluation confirmed that isolated mice developed a heightened corticosterone stress response compared with group-housed mice. Together, these transdisciplinary studies show for the first time that an adverse social environment is associated with altered mammary gland gene expression and tumor growth. Moreover, the identification of specific alterations in metabolic pathways gene expression favoring tumor growth suggests potential molecular biomarkers and/or targets (e.g., fatty acid synthesis) for preventive intervention in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diana Pang
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Bertha Delgado
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,The Institute of Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Masha Kocherginsky
- Department of Health Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Maria Tretiakova
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Thomas Krausz
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Deng Pan
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jane He
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Martha K McClintock
- The Institute of Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Suzanne D Conzen
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,The Institute of Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Ben May Department for Cancer Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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Silvia PJ, Kashdan TB. Interesting Things and Curious People: Exploration and Engagement as Transient States and Enduring Strengths. SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY COMPASS 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2009.00210.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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28
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Fecundity and population viability in female zoo elephants: problems and possible solutions. Anim Welf 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0962728600000488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
AbstractWe previously reported that African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) female elephants in European zoos have shorter adult lifespans than protected conspecifics in range countries. This effect was the cause of greatest concern in Asian elephants, and risk factors within this species included being zoo-born, transferred between zoos, and possibly removed early from the mother. Here, we investigate these risk factors further; assess fecundity and sustainability in European zoos; and propose testable hypotheses as to the causes of these animals’ problems. Although imported wild-born Asian elephants live longer than zoo-born conspecifics, being imported when juvenile or adult appears no more protective than being imported in infancy, suggesting that the benefits of being wild- rather than zoo-born are conferred early in life. Zoo-born Asian neonates are significantly heavier than those born to working animals in range countries, with a possible tendency to be fatter. In zoos, African elephants have tended to be removed from their mothers at older ages than young Asians, and were also transferred between zoos significantly less often: factors that could possibly underlie this species’ lower calf losses and improving adult survivorship in Europe. Both species have low fecundity in European zoos compared to in situ populations, and are not self-sustaining, declining at approximately 10% per annum if reliant on captive-bred females under historically prevailing conditions. Data from other species suggest that stress and/or obesity are parsimonious explanations for the suite of problems seen. We recommend specific screens for testing these hypotheses, and for potentially identifying vulnerable individuals within the extant zoo populations.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although the detrimental physical health effects of social isolation have been known for three decades, the answers to how and why social relationships generally improve health remain elusive. Social relationships are not always beneficial, and we examined a structural dimension that may bring about their salubrious effects: affiliative reciprocity during a stressor. METHODS In a lifespan study, female rats lived with their sisters and were tested for temperament, affiliative reciprocity during an everyday stressor at puberty, corticosterone response to a stressor, mammary tumor development and diagnosis, and death. RESULTS Rats that affiliated more reciprocally during a mild group stressor survived longer (p = .0005), having exhibited a lower corticosterone peak in response to an acute novel stressor in late adulthood (p = .0015), and longer time to the development of spontaneous mammary tumors (p = .02). These effects could not be explained solely by the number of affiliative interactions or individual temperament. Indeed, affiliative reciprocity and neophobia were independent and predicted mortality additively (p = .0002). CONCLUSIONS Affiliative reciprocity during a stressor, a structural quality of social interactions, protected females from early mammary tumor development (the primary pathology in Sprague-Dawley rats) and early all-cause mortality. Conversely, lack of reciprocity (whether disproportionately seeking or receiving attempted affiliation) was as potent a risk factor as neophobia. Thus a social role increased risk additively with individual temperament. Our data indicate that affiliative reciprocity functions as a buffer for everyday stressors and are likely mediated by attenuated reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
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Abstract
Early life experiences have powerful effects on the brain and body lasting throughout the entire life span and influencing brain function, behavior, and the risk for a number of systemic and mental disorders. Animal models of early life adversity are providing mechanistic insights, including glimpses into the fascinating world that is now called "epigenetics" as well as the role of naturally occurring alleles of a number of genes. These studies also provide insights into the adaptive value as well as the negative consequences, of early life stress, exposure to novelty, and poor-quality vs good-quality maternal care. Animal models begin to provide a mechanistic basis for understanding how brain development and physiological functioning is affected in children exposed to early life abuse and neglect, where there is a burgeoning literature on the consequences for physical health and emotional and cognitive development. An important goal is to identify interventions that are likely to be most effective in early life and some guidelines are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce S McEwen
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Hermes GL, McClintock MK. Isolation and the timing of mammary gland development, gonadarche, and ovarian senescence: implications for mammary tumor burden. Dev Psychobiol 2008; 50:353-60. [PMID: 18393277 DOI: 10.1002/dev.20295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
In this study of Norway rats, we hypothesized that lifelong psychosocial experiences, social isolation or group living, trigger different developmental trajectories in the ovarian system, contributing to predisease pathways for spontaneous mammary tumors. Epidemiological studies indicate that early puberty and delayed menopause are risk factors for breast cancer. To that end, we took a cross-sectional, prospective approach and examined the ovarian system at two developmental points, young adulthood and middle age. We assessed ovarian function at both points, as well as mammary gland development at puberty and mammary tumor burden in middle age. Social isolation dissociated two components of puberty; it accelerated maturation of ovarian function while it simultaneously delayed mammary tissue development thereby increasing the exposure of developing breast parenchyma to high levels of estrogen. By mid-life, socially isolated rats had greater tumor burden despite having entered estropause prematurely, demonstrating that isolation did not increase tumorigenesis by prolonging ovarian function. These findings are discussed in the context of facultative lifespan strategies for rats born at different times of year and those living in isolation or in a large burrow community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen L Hermes
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, 5730 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Mehta PH, Gosling SD. Bridging human and animal research: a comparative approach to studies of personality and health. Brain Behav Immun 2008; 22:651-61. [PMID: 18343094 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2008.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2007] [Revised: 01/21/2008] [Accepted: 01/22/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This article evaluates a comparative approach to personality and health research. We (1) review evidence showing that personality exists and can be measured in animals, (2) illustrate the benefits of animal studies for human personality research, (3) illustrate the benefits of human studies for animal personality research, and (4) provide guidelines for making cross-species comparisons. We conclude that a comparative approach can provide unique insights into personality psychology, especially into research on personality, immunity, and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranjal H Mehta
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station A8000, Austin, TX 78712-0187, USA.
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Cavigelli SA, Bennett JM, Michael KC, Klein LC. Female temperament, tumor development and life span: relation to glucocorticoid and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels in rats. Brain Behav Immun 2008; 22:727-35. [PMID: 18155400 PMCID: PMC2505339 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2007.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2007] [Revised: 10/16/2007] [Accepted: 10/25/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral characteristics closely associated with specific physiological profiles present an important area of research in understanding health disparities. In particular, glucocorticoid overproduction may be an important factor moderating disease progression; natural variance in production of this steroid has been proposed as one mechanism underlying individual differences in health and disease. In the current paper, we examined immune parameters in female rats of two different behavioral types previously shown to have differential glucocorticoid production and life spans. We categorized young female rats according to their behavioral response to novelty (high- or low-locomotion), and compared their glucocorticoid production, adrenal size, thymus size, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production, tumor development and life span. As expected, high-locomotion females produced more glucocorticoids and had larger adrenal glands during young adulthood than did low-locomotion females. High-locomotion females had significantly smaller thymuses and reduced TNF-alpha levels compared to low-locomotion, suggesting altered immune function in young adulthood. Finally, high-locomotion females had shorter life spans than did low-locomotion females, and this was particularly true in females that developed pituitary tumors, but not in those that developed mammary tumors. These results, along with other published findings, suggest that high-locomotion rodent females experience life-long elevations in glucocorticoid responses to novelty, and that these elevated levels may be comparable to chronic stress. This naturally occurring endocrine profile may influence immune responses which in turn could affect disease susceptibility. Variance in immune function across personality types may be partially moderated by natural variance in glucocorticoid production.
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Spaced initial stimulus familiarization enhances novelty preference in Long-Evans rats. Behav Processes 2008; 78:481-6. [PMID: 18358637 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2008.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2007] [Revised: 01/30/2008] [Accepted: 02/09/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Berlyne [Berlyne, D.E., 1950. Novelty and curiosity as determinants of exploratory behaviour. Brit. J. Psychol. 41, 68-80] first illustrated that rats prefer to explore novel objects over ones with which they have had previous experience. Recently, variants on this novel object recognition (NOR) task have become widely popular and have been employed in numerous neuroscience and behavioral pharmacological studies investigating memory processes. Given this popularity, a thorough understanding of the various behavioral processes involved in novelty reaction and preference is essential. The current study compared the effects of spaced and massed initial stimulus exposures upon later object exploration and novel stimulus preference in Long-Evans rats. Results illustrated that a distributed initial stimulus familiarization procedure promoted greater novel object preference than did a massed procedure, and suggest that the novel object recognition task is sensitive to spacing effects in a similar fashion to more traditional learning paradigms. The mechanisms underlying such spacing effects are briefly discussed.
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Furumoto-Dawson A, Gehlert S, Sohmer D, Olopade O, Sacks T. Early-life conditions and mechanisms of population health vulnerabilities. Health Aff (Millwood) 2007; 26:1238-48. [PMID: 17848432 PMCID: PMC2494950 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.26.5.1238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The social status of groups is key to determining health vulnerability at the population level. The impact of material and psychological stresses imposed by social inequities and marginalization is felt most intensely during perinatal/early childhood and puberty/adolescent periods, when developmental genes are expressed and interact with social-physical environments. The influence of chronic psychosocial stresses on gene expression via neuroendocrine regulatory dysfunction is crucial to understanding the biological bases of adult health vulnerability. Studying childhood biology vulnerabilities to neighborhood environments will aid the crafting of multifaceted, multilevel public policy interventions providing immediate benefits and compounded long-term population health yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Furumoto-Dawson
- Center for Interdisciplinary Health Disparities Research (CIHDR), University of Chicago, IL, USA
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Abstract
The brain is the key organ of the response to stress because it determines what is threatening and, therefore, potentially stressful, as well as the physiological and behavioral responses which can be either adaptive or damaging. Stress involves two-way communication between the brain and the cardiovascular, immune, and other systems via neural and endocrine mechanisms. Beyond the "flight-or-fight" response to acute stress, there are events in daily life that produce a type of chronic stress and lead over time to wear and tear on the body ("allostatic load"). Yet, hormones associated with stress protect the body in the short-run and promote adaptation ("allostasis"). The brain is a target of stress, and the hippocampus was the first brain region, besides the hypothalamus, to be recognized as a target of glucocorticoids. Stress and stress hormones produce both adaptive and maladaptive effects on this brain region throughout the life course. Early life events influence life-long patterns of emotionality and stress responsiveness and alter the rate of brain and body aging. The hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex undergo stress-induced structural remodeling, which alters behavioral and physiological responses. As an adjunct to pharmaceutical therapy, social and behavioral interventions such as regular physical activity and social support reduce the chronic stress burden and benefit brain and body health and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce S McEwen
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
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Cole SW, Hawkley LC, Arevalo JM, Sung CY, Rose RM, Cacioppo JT. Social regulation of gene expression in human leukocytes. Genome Biol 2007; 8:R189. [PMID: 17854483 PMCID: PMC2375027 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2007-8-9-r189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 470] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2007] [Revised: 07/30/2007] [Accepted: 09/13/2007] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social environmental influences on human health are well established in the epidemiology literature, but their functional genomic mechanisms are unclear. The present study analyzed genome-wide transcriptional activity in people who chronically experienced high versus low levels of subjective social isolation (loneliness) to assess alterations in the activity of transcription control pathways that might contribute to increased adverse health outcomes in social isolates. RESULTS DNA microarray analysis identified 209 genes that were differentially expressed in circulating leukocytes from 14 high- versus low-lonely individuals, including up-regulation of genes involved in immune activation, transcription control, and cell proliferation, and down-regulation of genes supporting mature B lymphocyte function and type I interferon response. Promoter-based bioinformatic analyses showed under-expression of genes bearing anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid response elements (GREs; p = 0.032) and over-expression of genes bearing response elements for pro-inflammatory NF-kappaB/Rel transcription factors (p = 0.011). This reciprocal shift in pro- and anti-inflammatory signaling was not attributable to differences in circulating cortisol levels, or to other demographic, psychological, or medical characteristics. Additional transcription control pathways showing differential activity in bioinformatic analyses included the CREB/ATF, JAK/STAT, IRF1, C/EBP, Oct, and GATA pathways. CONCLUSION These data provide the first indication that human genome-wide transcriptional activity is altered in association with a social epidemiological risk factor. Impaired transcription of glucocorticoid response genes and increased activity of pro-inflammatory transcription control pathways provide a functional genomic explanation for elevated risk of inflammatory disease in individuals who experience chronically high levels of subjective social isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve W Cole
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles CA 90095-1678, USA
- UCLA AIDS Institute, UCLA Molecular Biology Institute, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Norman Cousins Center
| | - Louise C Hawkley
- Department of Psychology, and Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, University of Chicago
| | - Jesusa M Arevalo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles CA 90095-1678, USA
| | - Caroline Y Sung
- UCLA AIDS Institute, UCLA Molecular Biology Institute, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
| | - Robert M Rose
- Institute for Medical Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation
| | - John T Cacioppo
- Department of Psychology, and Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, University of Chicago
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