1
|
Mottarlini F, Rizzi B, Targa G, Buzzelli V, Di Trapano M, Rullo L, Candeletti S, Ciccocioppo R, Fattore L, Romualdi P, Fumagalli F, Trezza V, Caffino L. Communal nesting shapes the sex-dependent glutamatergic response to early life stress in the rat prefrontal cortex. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1406687. [PMID: 38835543 PMCID: PMC11148342 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1406687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Early social environment, either positive or negative, shapes the adult brain. Communal nesting (CN), a naturalistic setting in which 2-3 females keep their pups in a single nest sharing care-giving behavior, provides high level of peer interaction for pups. Early social isolation (ESI) from dam and siblings represents, instead, an adverse condition providing no peer interaction. Methods We investigated whether CN (enrichment setting) might influence the response to ESI (impoverishment setting) in terms of social behavior and glutamate system in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of adult and adolescent male and female rats. Results Pinning (a rewarding component of social play behavior) was significantly more pronounced in males than in females exposed to the combination of CN and ESI. CN sensitized the glutamate synapse in the mPFC of ESI-exposed male, but not female, rats. Accordingly, we observed (i) a potentiation of the glutamatergic neurotransmission in the mPFC of both adolescent and adult males, as shown by the recruitment of NMDA receptor subunits together with increased expression/activation of PSD95, SynCAM 1, Synapsin I and αCaMKII; (ii) a de-recruiting of NMDA receptors from active synaptic zones of same-age females, together with reduced expression/activation of the above-mentioned proteins, which might reduce the glutamate transmission. Whether similar sex-dependent glutamate homeostasis modulation occurs in other brain areas remains to be elucidated. Discussion CN and ESI interact to shape social behavior and mPFC glutamate synapse homeostasis in an age- and sex-dependent fashion, suggesting that early-life social environment may play a crucial role in regulating the risk to develop psychopathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Mottarlini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Beatrice Rizzi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Giorgia Targa
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Buzzelli
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Melania Di Trapano
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Rullo
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sanzio Candeletti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Liana Fattore
- Research National Council (CNR) Institute of Neuroscience-Cagliari, National Research Council, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Patrizia Romualdi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- Neuroendocrinology, Metabolism and Neuropharmacology Unit, Istituto di Ricerca e Cura di Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yu Y, Li X, Teng T, He Y, Jiang Y, Liu X, Zhou X, Luo Y, Xie P. Comparative analysis of the nucleus accumbens transcriptional features in multiple depressive animal models. Behav Brain Res 2024; 463:114890. [PMID: 38309372 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Chronic stress is deemed a significant clinical contributor to depression. The use of animal models of chronic stress can fully reveal the complex pathological mechanisms and their changing trends in the pathogenesis of depression, which is crucial for both disease prevention and therapy. It is also unknown how various forms of stress differ in their impact on animal physiology and behavior. The nucleus accumbens (NAc), an essential brain area for the pathophysiology of depression, and its underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we systematically compared transcriptional signatures in the NAc of four chronic stress models in rats: chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), chronic social defeat stress (CSDS), learned helplessness (LH), chronic restraint stress (CRS). The majority of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were unique to a single depression model, while the rank-rank hypergeometric overlap analysis showed that the CSDS and CRS models had the greatest overlap, and the CRS and CUMS models had the least. Then, we performed pathway analysis of the differential genes and found that the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway was significantly enriched not only in the LH, CRS and CSDS stress models, but also significantly enriched in stress genes that were also altered in at least two stress models. Finally, we found three hub genes (Dcx, Tnc and Wdfy4) by constructing co-expression networks for stress genes. In summary, our research has the potential to offer fresh insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying depression induced by different types of stress, highlighting both their similarities and differences. It may provide valuable clues for understanding the pathogenesis of depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Yu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuemei Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Teng Teng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuqian He
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanliang Jiang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xueer Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyu Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Yong Luo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Peng Xie
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Anderson JA, Lin D, Lea AJ, Johnston RA, Voyles T, Akinyi MY, Archie EA, Alberts SC, Tung J. DNA methylation signatures of early-life adversity are exposure-dependent in wild baboons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2309469121. [PMID: 38442181 PMCID: PMC10945818 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309469121] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The early-life environment can profoundly shape the trajectory of an animal's life, even years or decades later. One mechanism proposed to contribute to these early-life effects is DNA methylation. However, the frequency and functional importance of DNA methylation in shaping early-life effects on adult outcomes is poorly understood, especially in natural populations. Here, we integrate prospectively collected data on fitness-associated variation in the early environment with DNA methylation estimates at 477,270 CpG sites in 256 wild baboons. We find highly heterogeneous relationships between the early-life environment and DNA methylation in adulthood: aspects of the environment linked to resource limitation (e.g., low-quality habitat, early-life drought) are associated with many more CpG sites than other types of environmental stressors (e.g., low maternal social status). Sites associated with early resource limitation are enriched in gene bodies and putative enhancers, suggesting they are functionally relevant. Indeed, by deploying a baboon-specific, massively parallel reporter assay, we show that a subset of windows containing these sites are capable of regulatory activity, and that, for 88% of early drought-associated sites in these regulatory windows, enhancer activity is DNA methylation-dependent. Together, our results support the idea that DNA methylation patterns contain a persistent signature of the early-life environment. However, they also indicate that not all environmental exposures leave an equivalent mark and suggest that socioenvironmental variation at the time of sampling is more likely to be functionally important. Thus, multiple mechanisms must converge to explain early-life effects on fitness-related traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A. Anderson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Dana Lin
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Amanda J. Lea
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child & Brain Development Program, Toronto, ONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37235
| | | | - Tawni Voyles
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Mercy Y. Akinyi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi00502, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth A. Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN46556
| | - Susan C. Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child & Brain Development Program, Toronto, ONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig04103, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Siller Wilks SJ, Heidinger BJ, Westneat DF, Solomon J, Rubenstein DR. The impact of parental and developmental stress on DNA methylation in the avian hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17291. [PMID: 38343177 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis coordinates an organism's response to environmental stress. The responsiveness and sensitivity of an offspring's stress response may be shaped not only by stressors encountered in their early post-natal environment but also by stressors in their parent's environment. Yet, few studies have considered how stressors encountered in both of these early life environments may function together to impact the developing HPA axis. Here, we manipulated stressors in the parental and post-natal environments in a population of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to assess their impact on changes in DNA methylation (and corresponding gene expression) in a suite of genes within the HPA axis. We found that nestlings that experienced early life stress across both life-history periods had higher DNA methylation in a critical HPA axis gene, the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1). In addition, we found that the life-history stage when stress was encountered impacted some genes (HSD11B1, NR3C1 and NR3C2) differently. We also found evidence for the mitigation of parental stress by post-natal stress (in HSD11B1 and NR3C2). Finally, by assessing DNA methylation in both the brain and blood, we were able to evaluate cross-tissue patterns. While some differentially methylated regions were tissue-specific, we found cross-tissue changes in NR3C2 and NR3C1, suggesting that blood is a suitable tissue for assessing DNA methylation as a biomarker of early life stress. Our results provide a crucial first step in understanding the mechanisms by which early life stress in different life-history periods contributes to changes in the epigenome of the HPA axis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie J Siller Wilks
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Britt J Heidinger
- Biological Sciences Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - David F Westneat
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Joseph Solomon
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dustin R Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Arzate-Mejia RG, Carullo NVN, Mansuy IM. The epigenome under pressure: On regulatory adaptation to chronic stress in the brain. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 84:102832. [PMID: 38141414 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Chronic stress (CS) can have long-lasting consequences on behavior and cognition, that are associated with stable changes in gene expression in the brain. Recent work has examined the role of the epigenome in the effects of CS on the brain. This review summarizes experimental evidence in rodents showing that CS can alter the epigenome and the expression of epigenetic modifiers in brain cells, and critically assesses their functional effect on genome function. It discusses the influence of the developmental time of stress exposure on the type of epigenetic changes, and proposes new lines of research that can help clarify these changes and their causal involvement in the impact of CS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo G Arzate-Mejia
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Research Institute, Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich and Institute of Neurosciences, Department of Health Science and Technology of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Neuroscience Center Zurich, Switzerland. https://twitter.com/RodrigoArzt
| | - Nancy V N Carullo
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Research Institute, Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich and Institute of Neurosciences, Department of Health Science and Technology of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Neuroscience Center Zurich, Switzerland. https://twitter.com/DrNancyCarullo
| | - Isabelle M Mansuy
- Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics, Brain Research Institute, Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich and Institute of Neurosciences, Department of Health Science and Technology of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Neuroscience Center Zurich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Benvenuti F, De Carlo S, Rullo L, Caffino L, Losapio L, Morosini C, Ubaldi M, Soverchia L, Cannella N, Domi E, Candeletti S, Mottarlini F, Fattore L, Romualdi P, Fumagalli F, Trezza V, Roberto M, Ciccocioppo R. Early social isolation differentially affects the glucocorticoid receptor system and alcohol-seeking behavior in male and female Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 28:100598. [PMID: 38115888 PMCID: PMC10727952 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Adverse early life experiences during postnatal development can evoke long-lasting neurobiological changes in stress systems, thereby affecting subsequent behaviors including propensity to develop alcohol use disorder. Here, we exposed genetically selected male and female Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) and Wistar rats to mild, repeated social deprivation from postnatal day 14 (PND14) to PND21 and investigated the effect of the early social isolation (ESI) on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) system and on the propensity to drink and seek alcohol in adulthood. We found that ESI resulted in higher levels of GR gene and protein expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in male but not female msP rats. In female Wistars, ESI resulted in significant downregulation of Nr3c1 mRNA levels and lower GR protein levels. In male and female msP rats, plasma corticosterone levels on PND35 were similar and unaffected by ESI. Wistar females exhibited higher levels of corticosterone compared with males, independently from ESI. In alcohol self-administration experiments we found that the pharmacological stressor yohimbine (0.0, 0.312, 0.625, and 1.25 mg/kg) increased alcohol self-administration in both rat lines, regardless of ESI. After extinction, 0.625 mg/kg yohimbine significantly reinstated alcohol seeking in female rats only. ESI enhanced reinstatement in female msP rats. Overall, the present results indicate that repeated social deprivation during the third week of postnatal life affects GR expression in a strain- and sex-dependent manner: such effect may contribute, at least partially, to the heightened sensitivity of female msP rats to the effects of yohimbine-induced alcohol seeking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F. Benvenuti
- School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - S. De Carlo
- School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - L. Rullo
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - L. Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, ‘Rodolfo Paoletti’, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - L.M. Losapio
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - C. Morosini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - M. Ubaldi
- School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - L. Soverchia
- School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - N. Cannella
- School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - E. Domi
- School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - S. Candeletti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - F. Mottarlini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, ‘Rodolfo Paoletti’, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - L. Fattore
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience-Cagliari, National Research Council, Cagliari, Italy
| | - P. Romualdi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - F. Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, ‘Rodolfo Paoletti’, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - V. Trezza
- Department of Science, University “Roma Tre”, Rome, Italy
| | - M. Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - R. Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Rullo L, Losapio LM, Morosini C, Mottarlini F, Schiavi S, Buzzelli V, Ascone F, Ciccocioppo R, Fattore L, Caffino L, Fumagalli F, Romualdi P, Trezza V, Candeletti S. Outcomes of early social experiences on glucocorticoid and endocannabinoid systems in the prefrontal cortex of male and female adolescent rats. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1270195. [PMID: 38174157 PMCID: PMC10762649 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1270195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Social and emotional experiences differently shape individual's neurodevelopment inducing substantial changes in neurobiological substrates and behavior, particularly when they occur early in life. In this scenario, the present study was aimed at (i) investigating the impact of early social environments on emotional reactivity of adolescent male and female rats and (ii) uncovering the underlying molecular features, focusing on the cortical endocannabinoid (eCB) and glucocorticoid systems. To this aim, we applied a protocol of environmental manipulation based on early postnatal socially enriched or impoverished conditions. Social enrichment was realized through communal nesting (CN). Conversely, an early social isolation (ESI) protocol was applied (post-natal days 14-21) to mimic an adverse early social environment. The two forms of social manipulation resulted in specific behavioral and molecular outcomes in both male and female rat offspring. Despite the combination of CN and ESI did not affect emotional reactivity in both sexes, the molecular results reveal that the preventive exposure to CN differently altered mRNA and protein expression of the main components of the glucocorticoid and eCB systems in male and female rats. In particular, adolescent females exposed to the combination of CN and ESI showed increased corticosterone levels, unaltered genomic glucocorticoid receptor, reduced cannabinoid receptor type-1 and fatty acid amide hydrolase protein levels, suggesting that the CN condition evokes different reorganization of these systems in males and females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rullo
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Loredana Maria Losapio
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Camilla Morosini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Mottarlini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences “Rodolfo Paoletti,” Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Schiavi
- Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Buzzelli
- Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ascone
- Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Center for Neuroscience, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Liana Fattore
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience-Cagliari, National Research Council, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences “Rodolfo Paoletti,” Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences “Rodolfo Paoletti,” Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Patrizia Romualdi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Sanzio Candeletti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Diaconu B, Kohls G, Rogers JC, Pauli R, Cornwell H, Bernhard A, Martinelli A, Ackermann K, Fann N, Fernandez-Rivas A, Gonzalez-Torres MA, Gonzalez de Artaza-Lavesa M, Hervas A, Stadler C, Konrad K, Freitag CM, Fairchild G, Rotshtein P, De Brito SA. Emotion processing in maltreated boys and girls: Evidence for latent vulnerability. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023; 32:2523-2536. [PMID: 36738328 PMCID: PMC10682268 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-022-02132-1] [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: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Evidence of alterations in emotion processing in maltreated youth has been hypothesized to reflect latent vulnerability for psychopathology. However, previous studies have not systematically examined the influence of psychopathology on the results. Here, we examined emotion recognition and learning in youth who differed in terms of presence vs. absence of maltreatment and psychopathology and tested for potential sex effects. Maltreatment and psychopathology were assessed in 828 youth (514 females) aged 9-18 years using diagnostic interviews and self- and parent-report questionnaires. Emotion recognition was assessed via identification of morphed facial expressions of six universal emotions. For emotion learning, reward and punishment values were assigned to novel stimuli and participants had to learn to correctly respond/withhold response to stimuli to maximize points. A three-way interaction of maltreatment by psychopathology by emotion indicated that when psychopathology was low, maltreated youth were less accurate than non-maltreated youth for happy, fear and disgust. A three-way interaction of sex, maltreatment and emotion indicated that maltreated girls and boys were impaired for fear, but girls showed an impairment for happy, while boys for disgust. There were no effects of maltreatment, psychopathology, or sex on reward learning. However, a two-way interaction between sex and maltreatment showed that maltreated girls were worse at learning from punishment relative to non-maltreated girls, while maltreated boys were better than non-maltreated boys. The study provides the first clear evidence of latent-vulnerability in emotion recognition in maltreated youth and suggests that girls and boys might be characterized by distinct profiles of emotion recognition and learning following maltreatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Diaconu
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Gregor Kohls
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jack C Rogers
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ruth Pauli
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | | | - Anka Bernhard
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anne Martinelli
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- School of Psychology, Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Katharina Ackermann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nikola Fann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Amaia Hervas
- University Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
- Global Institute of Neurodevelopment Integrated Care (IGAIN), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christina Stadler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen & Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Pia Rotshtein
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Stephane A De Brito
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Graves CL, Norloff E, Thompson D, Kosyk O, Sang Y, Chen A, Zannas AS, Wallet SM. Chronic early life stress alters the neuroimmune profile and functioning of the developing zebrafish gut. Brain Behav Immun Health 2023; 31:100655. [PMID: 37449287 PMCID: PMC10336164 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic early life stress (ELS) potently impacts the developing central nervous and immune systems and is associated with the onset of gastrointestinal disease in humans. Though the gut-brain axis is appreciated to be a major target of the stress response, the underlying mechanisms linking ELS to gut dysfunction later in life is incompletely understood. Zebrafish are a powerful model validated for stress research and have emerged as an important tool in delineating neuroimmune mechanisms in the developing gut. Here, we developed a novel model of ELS and utilized a comparative transcriptomics approach to assess how chronic ELS modulated expression of neuroimmune genes in the developing gut and brain. Zebrafish exposed to ELS throughout larval development exhibited anxiety-like behavior and altered expression of neuroimmune genes in a time- and tissue-dependent manner. Further, the altered gut neuroimmune profile, which included increased expression of genes associated with neuronal modulation, correlated with a reduction in enteric neuronal density and delayed gut transit. Together, these findings provide insights into the mechanisms linking ELS with gastrointestinal dysfunction and highlight the zebrafish model organism as a valuable tool in uncovering how "the body keeps the score."
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina L. Graves
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Carolina Stress Initiative, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Erik Norloff
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Darius Thompson
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Oksana Kosyk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Yingning Sang
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Angela Chen
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Anthony S. Zannas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Carolina Stress Initiative, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Shannon M. Wallet
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Anderson JA, Lin D, Lea AJ, Johnston RA, Voyles T, Akinyi MY, Archie EA, Alberts SC, Tung J. DNA methylation signatures of early life adversity are exposure-dependent in wild baboons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.05.542485. [PMID: 37333311 PMCID: PMC10274726 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.05.542485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The early life environment can profoundly shape the trajectory of an animal's life, even years or decades later. One mechanism proposed to contribute to these early life effects is DNA methylation. However, the frequency and functional importance of DNA methylation in shaping early life effects on adult outcomes is poorly understood, especially in natural populations. Here, we integrate prospectively collected data on fitness-associated variation in the early environment with DNA methylation estimates at 477,270 CpG sites in 256 wild baboons. We find highly heterogeneous relationships between the early life environment and DNA methylation in adulthood: aspects of the environment linked to resource limitation (e.g., low-quality habitat, early life drought) are associated with many more CpG sites than other types of environmental stressors (e.g., low maternal social status). Sites associated with early resource limitation are enriched in gene bodies and putative enhancers, suggesting they are functionally relevant. Indeed, by deploying a baboon-specific, massively parallel reporter assay, we show that a subset of windows containing these sites are capable of regulatory activity, and that, for 88% of early drought-associated sites in these regulatory windows, enhancer activity is DNA methylation-dependent. Together, our results support the idea that DNA methylation patterns contain a persistent signature of the early life environment. However, they also indicate that not all environmental exposures leave an equivalent mark and suggest that socioenvironmental variation at the time of sampling is more likely to be functionally important. Thus, multiple mechanisms must converge to explain early life effects on fitness-related traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A Anderson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Dana Lin
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235, USA
| | - Rachel A Johnston
- Zoo New England, Stoneham, Massachusetts, 02180
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142
| | - Tawni Voyles
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Mercy Y Akinyi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Xia M, Yan R, Kim MH, Xu X. Tet Enzyme-Mediated Response in Environmental Stress and Stress-Related Psychiatric Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:1594-1608. [PMID: 36534335 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03168-9] [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: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Mental disorders caused by stress have become a worldwide public health problem. These mental disorders are often the results of a combination of genes and environment, in which epigenetic modifications play a crucial role. At present, the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of mental disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder or depression caused by environmental stress are not entirely clear. Although many epigenetic modifications affect gene regulation, the most well-known modification in eukaryotic cells is the DNA methylation of CpG islands. Stress causes changes in DNA methylation in the brain to participate in the neuronal function or mood-modulating behaviors, and these epigenetic modifications can be passed on to offspring. Ten-eleven translocation (Tet) enzymes are the 5-methylcytosine (5mC) hydroxylases of DNA, which recognize 5mC on the DNA sequence and oxidize it to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). Tet regulates gene expression at the transcriptional level through the demethylation of DNA. This review will elaborate on the molecular mechanism and the functions of Tet enzymes in environmental stress-related disorders and discuss future research directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meiling Xia
- Departments of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou City, 215006, China.,Department of Physiology and Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul City, 03080, Korea
| | - Rui Yan
- Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou City, China
| | - Myoung-Hwan Kim
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul City, 03080, Korea.
| | - Xingshun Xu
- Departments of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou City, 215006, China. .,Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou City, China. .,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou City, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Korobkova L, Morin EL, Aoued H, Sannigrahi S, Garza KM, Siebert ER, Walum H, Cabeen RP, Sanchez MM, Dias BG. RNA in extracellular vesicles during adolescence reveal immune, energetic and microbial imprints of early life adversity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.23.529808. [PMID: 36865138 PMCID: PMC9980043 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.23.529808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to early life adversity (ELA), including childhood maltreatment, is one of the most significant risk factors for the emergence of neuropsychiatric disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Despite this relationship being well established, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. One way to achieve this understanding is to identify molecular pathways and processes that are perturbed as a consequence of childhood maltreatment. Ideally, these perturbations would be evident as changes in DNA, RNA or protein profiles in easily accessible biological samples collected in the shadow of childhood maltreatment. In this study, we isolated circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) from plasma collected from adolescent rhesus macaques that had either experienced nurturing maternal care (CONT) or maternal maltreatment (MALT) in infancy. RNA sequencing of RNA in plasma EVs and gene enrichment analysis revealed that genes related to translation, ATP synthesis, mitochondrial function and immune response were downregulated in MALT samples, while genes involved in ion transport, metabolism and cell differentiation were upregulated. Interestingly, we found that a significant proportion of EV RNA aligned to the microbiome and that MALT altered the diversity of microbiome-associated RNA signatures found in EVs. Part of this altered diversity suggested differences in prevalence of bacterial species in CONT and MALT animals noted in the RNA signatures of the circulating EVs. Our findings provide evidence that immune function, cellular energetics and the microbiome may be important conduits via which infant maltreatment exerts effects on physiology and behavior in adolescence and adulthood. As a corollary, perturbations of RNA profiles related to immune function, cellular energetics and the microbiome may serve as biomarkers of responsiveness to ELA. Our results demonstrate that RNA profiles in EVs can serve as a powerful proxy to identify biological processes that might be perturbed by ELA and that may contribute to the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders in the aftermath of ELA.
Collapse
|
13
|
Reemst K, Kracht L, Kotah JM, Rahimian R, van Irsen AAS, Congrains Sotomayor G, Verboon LN, Brouwer N, Simard S, Turecki G, Mechawar N, Kooistra SM, Eggen BJL, Korosi A. Early-life stress lastingly impacts microglial transcriptome and function under basal and immune-challenged conditions. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:507. [PMID: 36481769 PMCID: PMC9731997 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02265-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress (ELS) leads to increased vulnerability to psychiatric disorders including depression later in life. Neuroinflammatory processes have been implicated in ELS-induced negative health outcomes, but how ELS impacts microglia, the main tissue-resident macrophages of the central nervous system, is unknown. Here, we determined the effects of ELS-induced by limited bedding and nesting material during the first week of life (postnatal days [P]2-9) on microglial (i) morphology; (ii) hippocampal gene expression; and (iii) synaptosome phagocytic capacity in male pups (P9) and adult (P200) mice. The hippocampus of ELS-exposed adult mice displayed altered proportions of morphological subtypes of microglia, as well as microglial transcriptomic changes related to the tumor necrosis factor response and protein ubiquitination. ELS exposure leads to distinct gene expression profiles during microglial development from P9 to P200 and in response to an LPS challenge at P200. Functionally, synaptosomes from ELS-exposed mice were phagocytosed less by age-matched microglia. At P200, but not P9, ELS microglia showed reduced synaptosome phagocytic capacity when compared to control microglia. Lastly, we confirmed the ELS-induced increased expression of the phagocytosis-related gene GAS6 that we observed in mice, in the dentate gyrus of individuals with a history of child abuse using in situ hybridization. These findings reveal persistent effects of ELS on microglial function and suggest that altered microglial phagocytic capacity is a key contributor to ELS-induced phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Reemst
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Laura Kracht
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Janssen M. Kotah
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Reza Rahimian
- grid.412078.80000 0001 2353 5268McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1 Canada
| | - Astrid A. S. van Irsen
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Gonzalo Congrains Sotomayor
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Laura N. Verboon
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH The Netherlands
| | - Nieske Brouwer
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sophie Simard
- grid.412078.80000 0001 2353 5268McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1 Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- grid.412078.80000 0001 2353 5268McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1 Canada
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- grid.412078.80000 0001 2353 5268McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1 Canada
| | - Susanne M. Kooistra
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bart J. L. Eggen
- grid.4494.d0000 0000 9558 4598Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Molecular Neurobiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Aniko Korosi
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Paoli C, Misztak P, Mazzini G, Musazzi L. DNA Methylation in Depression and Depressive-Like Phenotype: Biomarker or Target of Pharmacological Intervention? Curr Neuropharmacol 2022; 20:2267-2291. [PMID: 35105292 PMCID: PMC9890294 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220201084536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder, the third leading global cause of disability. Regarding aetiopathogenetic mechanisms involved in the onset of depressive disorders, the interaction between genetic vulnerability traits and environmental factors is believed to play a major role. Although much is still to be elucidated about the mechanisms through which the environment can interact with genetic background shaping the disease risk, there is a general agreement about a key role of epigenetic marking. In this narrative review, we focused on the association between changes in DNA methylation patterns and MDD or depressive-like phenotype in animal models, as well as mechanisms of response to antidepressant drugs. We discussed studies presenting DNA methylation changes at specific genes of interest and profiling analyses in both patients and animal models of depression. Overall, we collected evidence showing that DNA methylation could not only be considered as a promising epigenetic biomarker of pathology but could also help in predicting antidepressant treatment efficacy. Finally, we discussed the hypothesis that specific changes in DNA methylation signature could play a role in aetiopathogenetic processes as well as in the induction of antidepressant effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Paoli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Unit, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Paulina Misztak
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Giulia Mazzini
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Laura Musazzi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Catale C, Martini A, Piscitelli RM, Senzasono B, Iacono LL, Mercuri NB, Guatteo E, Carola V. Early-life social stress induces permanent alterations in plasticity and perineuronal nets in the mouse anterior cingulate cortex. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:5763-5783. [PMID: 36117291 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Child maltreatment disrupts trajectories of brain development, but the underlying pathways are unclear. Stressful stimuli in early life interfere with maturation of local inhibitory circuitry and deposition of perineuronal nets (PNNs), specialized extracellular matrix structures involved in the closure of critical periods of development. Alterations in cortical PNN and parvalbumin (PV) following early-life stress (ELS) have been detected in human and animal studies. Aberrations in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are the most consistent neuroimaging findings in maltreated people, but the molecular mechanisms linking ELS with ACC dysfunctions are unknown. Here, we employed a mouse model of early social threat to test whether ELS experienced in a sensitive period for ACC maturation could induce long-term aberrations of PNN and PV development in the ACC, with consequences on plasticity and ACC-dependent behavior. We found that ELS increased PNN but not PV expression in the ACC of young adult mice. This was associated with reduced frequency of inhibitory postsynaptic currents and long-term potentiation impairments and expression of intense object phobia. Our findings provide information on the long-term effects of ELS on ACC functionality and PNN formation and present evidence for a novel neurobiological pathway underlying the impact of early adversity on the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Catale
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Neurobiology of Behavior Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Martini
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa Maria Piscitelli
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.,Department of Motor Science and Wellness, Parthenope University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Luisa Lo Iacono
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola B Mercuri
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.,Department of Systems Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Ezia Guatteo
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.,Department of Motor Science and Wellness, Parthenope University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Carola
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Neurobiology of Behavior Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.,Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Gu Z, Yang J, Yang M, Deng Y, Jiao Y. Immunomodulatory effects of decitabine in pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 129:191-198. [PMID: 36029945 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Decitabine (DAC), an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase, is typically used to reverse DNA methylation and is considered an epigenetic modifying drug. DNA methylation is crucial to the regulation of gene expression without altering genetic information. Our previous research showed that the DNA methylation levels of many immune-related genes changed after the pre-grafting condition in pearl production. In the present study, we evaluated the DNA methylation level and analyzed transcriptome, enzyme, and antimicrobial activities after DAC treatment to evaluate the effect of DAC on DNA methylation and immune system of pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii. Results showed that DAC significantly decreased the level of global DNA methylation in the hemocytes of the pearl oysters. Transcriptome analysis obtained 577 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the control and DAC treatment group. The DEGs were mainly enriched in the following pathways: "Relaxin signaling pathway," "Cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway," "Platelet activation," and "Peroxisome," and related genes were overexpressed after DAC treatment. DAC treatment resulted in a substantial increase in the levels of serum superoxide dismutase, interleukin-17, phenol oxidase, tumor necrosis factor, and antimicrobial activity, compared with the control. These results suggested that DAC can alter DNA methylation level, activate immune-related genes, and improve the level of humoral immunity in pearl oysters, thereby increasing our understanding of the mechanism underlying DNA methylation in immune regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zefeng Gu
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524025, China
| | - Jingmiao Yang
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524025, China
| | - Min Yang
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524025, China
| | - Yuewen Deng
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524025, China; Pearl Breeding and Processing Engineering Technology Research Centre of Guangdong Province, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Science and Innovation Center for Pearl Culture, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Yu Jiao
- Fishery College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524025, China; Pearl Breeding and Processing Engineering Technology Research Centre of Guangdong Province, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Science and Innovation Center for Pearl Culture, Zhanjiang, 524088, China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Microglia involvement in sex-dependent behaviors and schizophrenia occurrence in offspring with maternal dexamethasone exposure. SCHIZOPHRENIA 2022; 8:71. [PMID: 36075925 PMCID: PMC9458670 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-022-00280-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Fetal microglia that are particularly sensitive cells to the changes in utero environment might be involved in the sex-biased onset and vulnerability to psychiatric disorders. To address this issue, we administered a 50 µg/kg dexamethasone (DEX) to dams subcutaneously from gestational days 16 to 18 and a series of behavioral assessments were performed in the offspring. Prenatal exposure to dexamethasone (PN-DEX) induced schizophrenia (SCZ)-relevant behaviors in male mice and depressive-like behavior in female mice. SCZ-relevant behavioral patterns occurred in 10-week-old (10 W) male mice but not in 4-week-old (4 W) male mice. Microglia in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the striatum (STR) of 10 W males prenatally treated with dexamethasone (10 W PN-DEX-M) showed hyper-ramified morphology and dramatically reduced spine density in mPFC. Immunofluorescence studies indicated that microglia in the mPFC of the 10 W PN-DEX-M group interacted with pre-synaptic Bassoon and post-synaptic density 95 (PSD95) puncta. PN-DEX-M also showed significantly changed dopamine system proteins. However, a testosterone surge during adolescence was not a trigger on SCZ-relevant behavior occurrence in 10 W PN-DEX-M. Furthermore, females prenatally treated with dexamethasone (PN-DEX-F) displayed depressive-like behavior, in addition to HPA-axis activation and inflammatory microglial phenotypes in their hippocampus (HPC). We propose that altered microglial function, such as increased synaptic pruning, may be involved in the occurrence of SCZ-relevant behavior in PN-DEX-M and sex-biased abnormal behavior in the PN-DEX model.
Collapse
|
18
|
Early life adversity shapes neural circuit function during sensitive postnatal developmental periods. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:306. [PMID: 35915071 PMCID: PMC9343623 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02092-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) is a major risk factor for mental illness, but the neurobiological mechanisms by which ELA increases the risk for future psychopathology are still poorly understood. Brain development is particularly malleable during prenatal and early postnatal life, when complex neural circuits are being formed and refined through an interplay of excitatory and inhibitory neural input, synaptogenesis, synaptic pruning, myelination, and neurogenesis. Adversity that influences these processes during sensitive periods of development can thus have long-lasting and pervasive effects on neural circuit maturation. In this review, we will discuss clinical and preclinical evidence for the impact of ELA on neural circuit formation with a focus on the early postnatal period, and how long-lasting impairments in these circuits can affect future behavior. We provide converging evidence from human and animal studies on how ELA alters the functional development of brain regions, neural circuits, and neurotransmitter systems that are crucial for cognition and affective behavior, including the hippocampus, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, neural networks of fear responses and cognition, and the serotonin (5-HT) system. We also discuss how gene-by-environment (GxE) interactions can determine individual differences in susceptibility and resilience to ELA, as well as molecular pathways by which ELA regulates neural circuit development, for which we emphasize epigenetic mechanisms. Understanding the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying ELA effects on brain function and psychopathology during early postnatal sensitive periods may have great potential to advance strategies to better treat or prevent psychiatric disorders that have their origin early in life.
Collapse
|
19
|
de Rooij SR. Are Brain and Cognitive Reserve Shaped by Early Life Circumstances? Front Neurosci 2022; 16:825811. [PMID: 35784851 PMCID: PMC9243389 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.825811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
When growing older, many people are faced with cognitive deterioration, which may even amount to a form of dementia at some point in time. Although neuropathological signs of dementia disorders can often be demonstrated in brains of patients, the degree to which clinical symptoms are present does mostly not accurately reflect the amount of neuropathology that is present. Sometimes existent pathology even goes without any obvious clinical presentation. An explanation for this phenomenon may be found in the concept of reserve capacity. Reserve capacity refers to the ability of the brain to effectively buffer changes that are associated with normal aging processes and to cope with pathological damage. A larger reserve capacity has been suggested to increase resilience against age-associated cognitive deterioration and dementia disorders. Traditionally, a division has been made between brain reserve, which is based on morphological characteristics of the brain, and cognitive reserve, which is based on functional characteristics of the brain. The present review discusses the premises that brain and cognitive reserve capacity are shaped by prenatal and early postnatal factors. Evidence is accumulating that circumstances during the first 1,000 days of life are of the utmost importance for the lifelong health of an individual. Cognitive deterioration and dementia disorders may also have their origin in early life and a potentially important pathway by which the early environment affects the risk for neurodegenerative diseases is by developmental programming of the reserve capacity of the brain. The basic idea behind developmental programming of brain and cognitive reserve is explained and an overview of studies that support this idea is presented. The review is concluded by a discussion of potential mechanisms, synthesis of the evidence and relevance and future directions in the field of developmental origins of reserve capacity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne R. de Rooij
- Epidemiology and Data Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Aging and Later Life, Health Behaviors and Chronic Diseases, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Gonçalves de Andrade E, González Ibáñez F, Tremblay MÈ. Microglia as a Hub for Suicide Neuropathology: Future Investigation and Prevention Targets. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:839396. [PMID: 35663424 PMCID: PMC9158339 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.839396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Suicide is a complex public health challenge associated worldwide with one death every 40 s. Research advances in the neuropathology of suicidal behaviors (SB) have defined discrete brain changes which may hold the key to suicide prevention. Physiological differences in microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, are present in post-mortem tissue samples of individuals who died by suicide. Furthermore, microglia are mechanistically implicated in the outcomes of important risk factors for SB, including early-life adversity, stressful life events, and psychiatric disorders. SB risk factors result in inflammatory and oxidative stress activities which could converge to microglial synaptic remodeling affecting susceptibility or resistance to SB. To push further this perspective, in this Review we summarize current areas of opportunity that could untangle the functional participation of microglia in the context of suicide. Our discussion centers around microglial state diversity in respect to morphology, gene and protein expression, as well as function, depending on various factors, namely brain region, age, and sex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Gonçalves de Andrade
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Fernando González Ibáñez
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Marie-Ève Tremblay,
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Catale C, Lo Iacono L, Martini A, Heil C, Guatteo E, Mercuri NB, Viscomi MT, Palacios D, Carola V. Early Life Social Stress Causes Sex- and Region-Dependent Dopaminergic Changes that Are Prevented by Minocycline. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:3913-3932. [PMID: 35435618 PMCID: PMC9148283 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02830-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is known to modify trajectories of brain dopaminergic development, but the mechanisms underlying have not been determined. ELS perturbs immune system and microglia reactivity, and inflammation and microglia influence dopaminergic transmission and development. Whether microglia mediate the effects of ELS on dopamine (DA) system development is still unknown. We explored the effects of repeated early social stress on development of the dopaminergic system in male and female mice through histological, electrophysiological, and transcriptomic analyses. Furthermore, we tested whether these effects could be mediated by ELS-induced altered microglia/immune activity through a pharmacological approach. We found that social stress in early life altered DA neurons morphology, reduced dopamine transporter (DAT) and tyrosine hydroxylase expression, and lowered DAT-mediated currents in the ventral tegmental area but not substantia nigra of male mice only. Notably, stress-induced DA alterations were prevented by minocycline, an inhibitor of microglia activation. Transcriptome analysis in the developing male ventral tegmental area revealed that ELS caused downregulation of dopaminergic transmission and alteration in hormonal and peptide signaling pathways. Results from this study offer new insight into the mechanisms of stress response and altered brain dopaminergic maturation after ELS, providing evidence of neuroimmune interaction, sex differences, and regional specificity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Catale
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Neurobiology of Behavior Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Luisa Lo Iacono
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Martini
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Constantin Heil
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Epigenetics and Signal Transduction Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Ezia Guatteo
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Motor Science and Wellness, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Biagio Mercuri
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, Università Degli Studi Di Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Viscomi
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Section of Histology and Embryology, Università Cattolica Del S. Cuore, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Palacios
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Epigenetics and Signal Transduction Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Section of Biology, Università Cattolica Del S. Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Carola
- Division of Experimental Neuroscience, Neurobiology of Behavior Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, Rome, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Carloni E, Ramos A, Hayes LN. Developmental Stressors Induce Innate Immune Memory in Microglia and Contribute to Disease Risk. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13035. [PMID: 34884841 PMCID: PMC8657756 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222313035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Many types of stressors have an impact on brain development, function, and disease susceptibility including immune stressors, psychosocial stressors, and exposure to drugs of abuse. We propose that these diverse developmental stressors may utilize a common mechanism that underlies impaired cognitive function and neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, and mood disorders that can develop in later life as a result of developmental stressors. While these stressors are directed at critical developmental windows, their impacts are long-lasting. Immune activation is a shared pathophysiology across several different developmental stressors and may thus be a targetable treatment to mitigate the later behavioral deficits. In this review, we explore different types of prenatal and perinatal stressors and their contribution to disease risk and underlying molecular mechanisms. We highlight the impact of developmental stressors on microglia biology because of their early infiltration into the brain, their critical role in brain development and function, and their long-lived status in the brain throughout life. Furthermore, we introduce innate immune memory as a potential underlying mechanism for developmental stressors' impact on disease. Finally, we highlight the molecular and epigenetic reprogramming that is known to underlie innate immune memory and explain how similar molecular mechanisms may be at work for cells to retain a long-term perturbation after exposure to developmental stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Carloni
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA;
| | - Adriana Ramos
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Lindsay N. Hayes
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Cahill B, Poelker-Wells S, Prather JF, Li Y. A Glimpse Into the Sexual Dimorphisms in Major Depressive Disorder Through Epigenetic Studies. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:768571. [PMID: 34744641 PMCID: PMC8564393 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.768571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is an umbrella term used to describe a mood disorder with a broad spectrum of symptoms including a persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest, and deficits in social behavior. Epigenetic research bridges the environmental and genetic landscape and has the potential to exponentially improve our understanding of such a complex disorder. Depression is also a sexually dimorphic disorder and variations exist within epigenetic modification sites between sexes. These sex-specific mediators may impact behavioral symptomology and could serve as therapeutic targets for treatments to improve behavioral deficits. This mini review will focus on the social behavior perspective of depression and specifically explore the sexually different epigenetic modifications on depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Branden Cahill
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Samuel Poelker-Wells
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Jonathan F Prather
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Lynch CMK, Nagpal J, Clarke G, Cryan JF. Wrapping Things Up: Recent Developments in Understanding the Role of the Microbiome in Regulating Myelination. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2021.100468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
|
25
|
Early Life Stress and Metabolic Plasticity of Brain Cells: Impact on Neurogenesis and Angiogenesis. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9091092. [PMID: 34572278 PMCID: PMC8470044 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091092] [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: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) causes long-lasting changes in brain plasticity induced by the exposure to stress factors acting prenatally or in the early postnatal ontogenesis due to hyperactivation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system, development of neuroinflammation, aberrant neurogenesis and angiogenesis, and significant alterations in brain metabolism that lead to neurological deficits and higher susceptibility to development of brain disorders later in the life. As a key component of complex pathogenesis, ELS-mediated changes in brain metabolism associate with development of mitochondrial dysfunction, loss of appropriate mitochondria quality control and mitochondrial dynamics, deregulation of metabolic reprogramming. These mechanisms are particularly critical for maintaining the pool and development of brain cells within neurogenic and angiogenic niches. In this review, we focus on brain mitochondria and energy metabolism related to tightly coupled neurogenic and angiogenic events in healthy and ELS-affected brain, and new opportunities to develop efficient therapeutic strategies aimed to restore brain metabolism and reduce ELS-induced impairments of brain plasticity.
Collapse
|
26
|
Catale C, Bisicchia E, Carola V, Viscomi MT. Early life stress exposure worsens adult remote microglia activation, neuronal death, and functional recovery after focal brain injury. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 94:89-103. [PMID: 33677027 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Trauma to the central nervous system (CNS) is a devastating condition resulting in severe functional impairments that strongly vary among patients. Patients' features, such as age, social and cultural environment, and pre-existing psychiatric conditions may be particularly relevant for determining prognosis after CNS trauma. Although several studies demonstrated the impact of adult psycho-social stress exposure on functional recovery after CNS damage, no data exist regarding the long-term effects of the exposure to such experience at an early age. Here, we assessed whether early life stress (ELS) hampers the neuroinflammatory milieuand the functional recovery after focal brain injury in adulthood by using a murine model of ELS exposure combined with hemicerebellectomy (HCb), a model of remote damage. We found that ELS permanently altered microglia responses such that, once experienced HCb, they produced an exaggerated remote inflammatory response - consistent with a primed phenotype - associated with increased cell death and worse functional recovery. Notably, prevention of microglia/macrophages activation by GW2580 treatment during ELS exposure significantly reduced microglia responses, cell death and improved functional recovery. Conversely, GW2580 treatment administered in adulthood after HCb was ineffective in reducing inflammation and cell death or improving functional recovery. Our findings highlight that ELS impacts the immune system maturation producing permanent changes, and that it is a relevant factor modulating the response to a CNS damage. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying the interaction between ELS and brain injury with the aim of developing targeted treatments to improve functional recovery after CNS damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Catale
- Department of Psychology, Ph.D. Program in "Behavioral Neuroscience", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Valeria Carola
- IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy; Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Maria Teresa Viscomi
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Section of Histology and Embryology, University "Cattolica Del S. Cuore", Rome, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Merz MP, Turner JD. Is early life adversity a trigger towards inflammageing? Exp Gerontol 2021; 150:111377. [PMID: 33905877 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
There are many 'faces' of early life adversity (ELA), such as childhood trauma, institutionalisation, abuse or exposure to environmental toxins. These have been implicated in the onset and severity of a wide range of chronic non-communicable diseases later in life. The later-life disease risk has a well-established immunological component. This raises the question as to whether accelerated immune-ageing mechanistically links early-life adversity to the lifelong health trajectory resulting in either 'poor' or 'healthy' ageing. Here we examine observational and mechanistic studies of ELA and inflammageing, highlighting common and distinct features in these two life stages. Many biological processes appear in common including reduction in telomere length, increased immunosenescence, metabolic distortions and chronic (viral) infections. We propose that ELA shapes the developing immune, endocrine and nervous system in a non-reversible way, creating a distinct phenotype with accelerated immunosenescence and systemic inflammation. We conclude that ELA might act as an accelerator for inflammageing and age-related diseases. Furthermore, we now have the tools and cohorts to be able to dissect the interaction between ELA and later life phenotype. This should, in the near future, allow us to identify the ecological and mechanistic processes that are involved in 'healthy' or accelerated immune-ageing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Myriam P Merz
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 rue Henri Koch, L-4354 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, 2 avenue de Université, L-4365 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Jonathan D Turner
- Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 29 rue Henri Koch, L-4354 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Carola V, Cimino S, Bussone S, Cerniglia L, Tambelli R. Children With Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder and Psychopathological Risk in Their Mothers: The Function of Global DNA Methylation. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:593500. [PMID: 33584381 PMCID: PMC7874238 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.593500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms, in particular DNA methylation, have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of psychopathologies in adulthood. The significance of this mechanism in child psychopathologies, however, is much less recognized. Here, we examined whether global DNA methylation alteration was associated with the presence of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) in children. Moreover, in light of the relevance of the interplay between children and parents for the onset and maintaining of psychopathology during development, we measured the association between psychological symptoms, attachment styles, and global DNA methylation levels in healthy and DMDD mother-child dyads (mothers: N = 126, age = 38.3 ± 2.5 years; children: N = 150, age = 8.2 ± 0.9 years, gender ratio [f/m] = 72/78). We did not observe any significant differences in global DNA methylation levels in DMDD children when compared with healthy peers, and children's symptoms did not correlate with variations in this parameter. The mothers showed different levels of psychological symptomatology. Notably, mothers with high psychological symptomatology showed the lowest levels of global DNA methylation. Maternal global DNA methylation levels were associated with maternal hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, psychoticism, and general severity index. Moreover, we found an effect of maternal mental health on the severity of children's symptoms, independently from both maternal and child DNA methylation levels. Despite here DNA methylation does not appear to be involved in the maternal inheritance of vulnerability to depression, this biological link could still arise in later stages of the child's development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Carola
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Cimino
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Bussone
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Cerniglia
- Faculty of Psychology, International Telematic University Uninettuno, Rome, Italy
| | - Renata Tambelli
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|