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Mukherjee S, Tarale P, Sarkar DK. Neuroimmune Interactions in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Potential Therapeutic Targets and Intervention Strategies. Cells 2023; 12:2323. [PMID: 37759545 PMCID: PMC10528917 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a set of abnormalities caused by prenatal exposure to ethanol and are characterized by developmental defects in the brain that lead to various overt and non-overt physiological abnormalities. Growing evidence suggests that in utero alcohol exposure induces functional and structural abnormalities in gliogenesis and neuron-glia interactions, suggesting a possible role of glial cell pathologies in the development of FASD. However, the molecular mechanisms of neuron-glia interactions that lead to the development of FASD are not clearly understood. In this review, we discuss glial cell pathologies with a particular emphasis on microglia, primary resident immune cells in the brain. Additionally, we examine the involvement of several neuroimmune molecules released by glial cells, their signaling pathways, and epigenetic mechanisms responsible for FASD-related alteration in brain functions. Growing evidence suggests that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in the communication between cells via transporting bioactive cargo from one cell to the other. This review emphasizes the role of EVs in the context of neuron-glia interactions during prenatal alcohol exposure. Finally, some potential applications involving nutritional, pharmacological, cell-based, and exosome-based therapies in the treatment of FASD are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayani Mukherjee
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1573, USA; (S.M.); (P.T.)
- Hormone Laboratory Research Group, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Jonas Lies vei 91B, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Prashant Tarale
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1573, USA; (S.M.); (P.T.)
| | - Dipak K. Sarkar
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1573, USA; (S.M.); (P.T.)
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Li N, Zhou P, Tang H, He L, Fang X, Zhao J, Wang X, Qi Y, Sun C, Lin Y, Qin F, Yang M, Zhang Z, Liao C, Zheng S, Peng X, Xue T, Zhu Q, Li H, Li Y, Liu L, Huang J, Liu L, Peng C, Kaindl AM, Gecz J, Han D, Liu D, Xu K, Hu H. In-depth analysis reveals complex molecular aetiology in a cohort of idiopathic cerebral palsy. Brain 2021; 145:119-141. [PMID: 34077496 PMCID: PMC8967106 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral palsy is the most prevalent physical disability in children; however, its inherent molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we performed in-depth clinical and molecular analysis on 120 idiopathic cerebral palsy families, and identified underlying detrimental genetic variants in 45% of these patients. In addition to germline variants, we found disease-related postzygotic mutations in ∼6.7% of cerebral palsy patients. We found that patients with more severe motor impairments or a comorbidity of intellectual disability had a significantly higher chance of harbouring disease-related variants. By a compilation of 114 known cerebral-palsy-related genes, we identified characteristic features in terms of inheritance and function, from which we proposed a dichotomous classification system according to the expression patterns of these genes and associated cognitive impairments. In two patients with both cerebral palsy and intellectual disability, we revealed that the defective TYW1, a tRNA hypermodification enzyme, caused primary microcephaly and problems in motion and cognition by hindering neuronal proliferation and migration. Furthermore, we developed an algorithm and demonstrated in mouse brains that this malfunctioning hypermodification specifically perturbed the translation of a subset of proteins involved in cell cycling. This finding provided a novel and interesting mechanism for congenital microcephaly. In another cerebral palsy patient with normal intelligence, we identified a mitochondrial enzyme GPAM, the hypomorphic form of which led to hypomyelination of the corticospinal tract in both human and mouse models. In addition, we confirmed that the aberrant Gpam in mice perturbed the lipid metabolism in astrocytes, resulting in suppressed astrocytic proliferation and a shortage of lipid contents supplied for oligodendrocytic myelination. Taken together, our findings elucidate novel aspects of the aetiology of cerebral palsy and provide insights for future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Li
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pei Zhou
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongmei Tang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510120, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu He
- Department of Rehabilitation, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510120, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Fang
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinxiang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, 226001, Nantong, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, 226001, Nantong, China
| | - Yifei Qi
- Division of Uterine Vascular Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chuanbo Sun
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunting Lin
- Department of Genetics and Endocrinology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fengying Qin
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Miaomiao Yang
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhan Zhang
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Caihua Liao
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuxin Zheng
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofang Peng
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Xue
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianying Zhu
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong Li
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Li
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liru Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510120, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingyu Huang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510120, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Genetics and Endocrinology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Changgeng Peng
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University School of Medicine, 200029, Shanghai, China
| | - Angela M Kaindl
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, 13353, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, 13353, Berlin, Germany.,Center for Chronically Sick Children, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jozef Gecz
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, SA5005, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Dingding Han
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Nantong University, 226001, Nantong, China
| | - Kaishou Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510120, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Hu
- Laboratory of Medical Systems Biology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research in Structural Birth Defect Disease, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China.,Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, China
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Jakubowska‐Dogru E, Elibol B, Dursun I, Yürüker S. Effects of prenatal binge‐like ethanol exposure and maternal stress on postnatal morphological development of hippocampal neurons in rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Jakubowska‐Dogru
- Middle East Technical UniversityFaculty of Science and Arts, Department of Biological SciencesAnkaraTurkey
| | - Birsen Elibol
- Bezmialem Vakif University, Faculty of MedicineDepartment of Medical BiologyIstanbulTurkey
| | - Ilknur Dursun
- Istanbul Kemerburgaz University, Faculty of MedicineDepartment of PhysiologyIstanbulTurkey
| | - Sinan Yürüker
- Hacettepe University, Faculty of MedicineDepartment of Histology and EmbryologyAnkaraTurkey
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Topper LA, Baculis BC, Valenzuela CF. Exposure of neonatal rats to alcohol has differential effects on neuroinflammation and neuronal survival in the cerebellum and hippocampus. J Neuroinflammation 2015; 12:160. [PMID: 26337952 PMCID: PMC4558631 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-015-0382-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fetal alcohol exposure is a leading cause of preventable birth defects, yet drinking during pregnancy remains prevalent worldwide. Studies suggest that activation of the neuroimmune system plays a role in the effects of alcohol exposure during the rodent equivalent to the third trimester of human pregnancy (i.e., first week of neonatal life), particularly by contributing to neuronal loss. Here, we performed a comprehensive study investigating differences in the neuroimmune response in the cerebellum and hippocampus, which are important targets of third trimester-equivalent alcohol exposure. Methods To model heavy, binge-like alcohol exposure during this period, we exposed rats to alcohol vapor inhalation during postnatal days (P)3–5 (blood alcohol concentration = 0.5 g/dL). The cerebellar vermis and hippocampus of rat pups were analyzed for signs of glial cell activation and neuronal loss by immunohistochemistry at different developmental stages. Cytokine production was measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction during peak blood alcohol concentration and withdrawal periods. Additionally, adolescent offspring were assessed for alterations in gait and spatial memory. Results We found that this paradigm causes Purkinje cell degeneration in the cerebellar vermis at P6 and P45; however, no signs of neuronal loss were found in the hippocampus. Significant increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines were observed in both brain regions during alcohol withdrawal periods. Although astrocyte activation occurred in both the hippocampus and cerebellar vermis, microglial activation was observed primarily in the latter. Conclusions These findings suggest that heavy, binge-like third trimester-equivalent alcohol exposure has time- and brain region-dependent effects on cytokine levels, morphological activation of microglia and astrocytes, and neuronal survival. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12974-015-0382-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Topper
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, MSC08 4740, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA.
| | - Brian C Baculis
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, MSC08 4740, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA.
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, MSC08 4740, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA.
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Guizzetti M, Zhang X, Goeke C, Gavin DP. Glia and neurodevelopment: focus on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Front Pediatr 2014; 2:123. [PMID: 25426477 PMCID: PMC4227495 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2014.00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
During the last 20 years, new and exciting roles for glial cells in brain development have been described. Moreover, several recent studies implicated glial cells in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders including Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Abnormalities in glial cell development and proliferation and increased glial cell apoptosis contribute to the adverse effects of ethanol on the developing brain and it is becoming apparent that the effects of fetal alcohol are due, at least in part, to effects on glial cells affecting their ability to modulate neuronal development and function. The three major classes of glial cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia as well as their precursors are affected by ethanol during brain development. Alterations in glial cell functions by ethanol dramatically affect neuronal development, survival, and function and ultimately impair the development of the proper brain architecture and connectivity. For instance, ethanol inhibits astrocyte-mediated neuritogenesis and oligodendrocyte development, survival and myelination; furthermore, ethanol induces microglia activation and oxidative stress leading to the exacerbation of ethanol-induced neuronal cell death. This review article describes the most significant recent findings pertaining the effects of ethanol on glial cells and their significance in the pathophysiology of FASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, IL , USA ; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Chicago, IL , USA ; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington , Seattle, WA , USA
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, IL , USA ; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Chicago, IL , USA
| | - Calla Goeke
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, IL , USA ; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Chicago, IL , USA
| | - David P Gavin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago, IL , USA ; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , Chicago, IL , USA
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Activation of liver X receptor is protective against ethanol-induced developmental impairment of Bergmann glia and Purkinje neurons in the mouse cerebellum. Mol Neurobiol 2013; 49:176-86. [PMID: 23900741 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8510-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Cerebellar Purkinje cell and granule cell development are coordinated by Bergmann glia, and are particularly sensitive to ethanol (EtOH) exposure. The liver X receptor (LXR) plays important roles in Bergmann glial development. However, the effect of LXR activation on EtOH-mediated impairment of Bergmann glia and subsequently on Purkinje cell dendritogenesis remains undetermined. Therefore, using immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot, we tested the possible protection of LXR agonist T0901317 (T0) on Bergmann glia and Purkinje cell dendritogenesis in mice exposed to ethanol. Results showed that a brief exposure of EtOH on postnatal day (PD 5) significantly decreased the average body weight of mice at PD 6 without alteration in the brain weight. In EtOH-exposed mice, the number of migrating granule cells in the molecular layer was significantly decreased, and this effect was attenuated by pretreatment of T0. EtOH exposure also resulted in the significant reduction of calbindin-labeled Purkinje cells, their maximum dendrite length, and impairment of Purkinje cell dendritogenesis. Furthermore, EtOH induced the activation of microglia in the Purkinje cell layer and impaired the development of Bergmann glia. However, pretreatment of T0 effectively blocked all of these responses. These responses were found to be mediated by the inhibition of upregulated levels of β-catenin and transcription factor LEF1 in the cerebellum. Overall, the results suggest that activating LXRs on postnatal mice exposed to EtOH is protective to Bergmann glia, and thus may play a critical role in preventing EtOH-induced defects during cerebellar development.
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7
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Dursun I, Jakubowska-Doğru E, van der List D, Liets LC, Coombs JL, Berman RF. Effects of early postnatal exposure to ethanol on retinal ganglion cell morphology and numbers of neurons in the dorsolateral geniculate in mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2011; 35:2063-74. [PMID: 21651582 PMCID: PMC3410545 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01557.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The adverse effects of fetal and early postnatal ethanol intoxication on peripheral organs and the central nervous system are well documented. Ocular defects have also been reported in about 90% of children with fetal alcohol syndrome, including microphthalmia, loss of neurons in the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) layer, optic nerve hypoplasia, and dysmyelination. However, little is known about perinatal ethanol effects on retinal cell morphology. Examination of the potential toxic effects of alcohol on the neuron architecture is important because the changes in dendritic geometry and synapse distribution directly affect the organization and functions of neural circuits. Thus, in the present study, estimations of the numbers of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), and a detailed analysis of RGC morphology were carried out in transgenic mice exposed to ethanol during the early postnatal period. METHODS The study was carried out in male and female transgenic mice expressing yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) controlled by a Thy-1 (thymus cell antigen 1) regulator on a C57 background. Ethanol (3 g/kg/d) was administered to mouse pups by intragastric intubation throughout postnatal days (PDs) 3 to 20. Intubation control (IC) and untreated control (C) groups were included. Blood alcohol concentration was measured in separate groups of pups on PDs 3, 10, and 20 at 4 different time points, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 hours after the second intubation. Numbers of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and in the dLGN were quantified on PD20 using unbiased stereological procedures. RGC morphology was imaged by confocal microscopy and analyzed using Neurolucida software. RESULTS Binge-like ethanol exposure in mice during the early postnatal period from PDs 3 to 20 altered RGC morphology and resulted in a significant decrease in the numbers of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and in the dLGN. In the alcohol exposure group, out of 13 morphological parameters examined in RGCs, soma area was significantly reduced and dendritic tortuosity significantly increased. After neonatal exposure to ethanol, a decrease in total dendritic field area and an increase in the mean branch angle were also observed. Interestingly, RGC dendrite elongation and a decrease in the spine density were observed in the IC group, as compared to both ethanol-exposed and pure control subjects. There were no significant effects of alcohol exposure on total retinal area. CONCLUSIONS Early postnatal ethanol exposure affects development of the visual system, reducing the numbers of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and in the dLGN, and altering RGCs' morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilknur Dursun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, 06531 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ewa Jakubowska-Doğru
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, 06531 Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Lauren C. Liets
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Julie L. Coombs
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Robert F. Berman
- Center for Neuroscience & Department of Neurological Surgery, UC Davis, Davis, CA 95616
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Guizzetti M, Moore NH, Giordano G, VanDeMark KL, Costa LG. Ethanol inhibits neuritogenesis induced by astrocyte muscarinic receptors. Glia 2010; 58:1395-406. [PMID: 20648635 DOI: 10.1002/glia.21015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In utero alcohol exposure can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, characterized by cognitive and behavioral deficits. In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that ethanol alters neuronal development. We have recently shown that stimulation of M(3) muscarinic receptors in astrocytes increases the synthesis and release of fibronectin, laminin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, causing neurite outgrowth in hippocampal neurons. As M(3) muscarinic receptor signaling in astroglial cells is strongly inhibited by ethanol, we hypothesized that ethanol may also inhibit neuritogenesis in hippocampal neurons induced by carbachol-stimulated astrocytes. In the present study, we report that the effect of carbachol-stimulated astrocytes on hippocampal neuron neurite outgrowth was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner (25-100 mM) by ethanol. This effect was because of the inhibition of the release of fibronectin, laminin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Similar effects on neuritogenesis and on the release of astrocyte extracellular proteins were observed after the incubation of astrocytes with carbachol in the presence of 1-butanol, another short-chain alcohol, which like ethanol is a competitive substrate for phospholipase D, but not by tert-butanol, its analog that is not a substrate for this enzyme. This study identifies a potential novel mechanism involved in the developmental effects of ethanol mediated by the interaction of ethanol with cell signaling in astrocytes, leading to an impairment in neuron-astrocyte communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
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González-Burgos I, Alejandre-Gómez M. Cerebellar granule cell and Bergmann glial cell maturation in the rat is disrupted by pre- and post-natal exposure to moderate levels of ethanol. Int J Dev Neurosci 2005; 23:383-8. [PMID: 15927762 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2004.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2004] [Accepted: 11/12/2004] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Migration of the external granular layer cells in the cerebellum of rats was delayed after exposure to moderate levels of ethanol during a pre-gestational period, through gestation and lactation until weaning. After ethanol withdrawal, cell soma and dendrites were observed to be larger in granule cells. Likewise, Bergmann glia showed several cytoarchitectonic features suggesting cell immaturity, as well as some apparent compensatory plastic responses after ethanol withdrawal. These effects may be due to ethanol impairing neurotrophin-mediated processes during cerebellar development that could lead to alterations in Purkinje cell structure and activity, and thereafter in the psychoneural functions in which the cerebellar cortex is involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- I González-Burgos
- Laboratorio de Psicobiología, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Michoacán, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo. A.P. 7-70, C.P. 58261 Morelia, Mich., Mexico.
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McCaffery P, Koul O, Smith D, Napoli JL, Chen N, Ullman MD. Ethanol increases retinoic acid production in cerebellar astrocytes and in cerebellum. BRAIN RESEARCH. DEVELOPMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH 2004; 153:233-41. [PMID: 15527891 DOI: 10.1016/j.devbrainres.2004.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/17/2004] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Several characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are similar to the teratogenic effects of retinoic acid (RA) exposure. It has been suggested that FAS may result from ethanol-induced alteration in endogenous RA synthesis, leading to abnormal embryonic concentrations of this morphogen. We examined whether ethanol may interfere with RA synthesis in the postnatal cerebellum, as a region of the developing CNS particularly vulnerable to both ethanol and RA teratogenesis. It was found that astrocytes are the predominant source of postnatal RA synthesis in the cerebellum. They express both retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 1 and 2. In vitro cytosolic preparations of astrocytes, as well as live cell preparations, have an increased capacity to synthesize RA in the presence of ethanol. A mechanism by which ethanol could stimulate RA synthesis is via the ethanol-activated short-chain retinol dehydrogenases, which we show to be present in the postnatal cerebellum. To determine whether ethanol stimulated RA synthesis in vivo, a sensitive and highly specific HPLC/MSn technique was used to measure cerebellar RA after administration of ethanol to postnatal day 4 rat pups. Cerebellar RA levels climbed significantly after such treatment. These results suggest that the cerebellar pathology exerted by ethanol may occur, at least in part, through increased production of RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter McCaffery
- University of Massachusetts Medical School Shriver Center, Waltham, MA, USA
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11
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Abstract
The developing central nervous system (CNS) is more vulnerable to injury than the adult one. Although a great deal of research has been devoted to subtle effects of developmental exposure, such as neurobehavioral changes, this review instead focuses on a number of chemicals that have been shown, in several experimental models as well as humans, to cause morphological changes in the developing nervous system. Chemicals that are discussed include methylmercury (MeHg), lead (Pb), antiepileptic drugs, and ethanol. Additionally, the issue of silent neurotoxicity, i.e., persistent morphological and/or biochemical injury that remains clinically unapparent until later in life, is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucio G Costa
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA.
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12
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Li Z, Miller MW, Luo J. Effects of prenatal exposure to ethanol on the cyclin-dependent kinase system in the developing rat cerebellum. BRAIN RESEARCH. DEVELOPMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH 2002; 139:237-45. [PMID: 12480138 DOI: 10.1016/s0165-3806(02)00573-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to ethanol inhibits neurogenesis in the developing cerebellum. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are a family of protein kinases that play multiple roles in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. The activity of CDKs is positively regulated by CDK activators, cyclins, and negatively regulated by CDK inhibitors (CDKIs). We hypothesize that impaired cerebellar development induced by gestational ethanol exposure is mediated by disruption of the CDK system. Pregnant rats were fed ad libitum with an ethanol-containing liquid diet (Et) or pair-fed an isocaloric control diet (Ct). Cerebella were collected from pups (postnatal day (P) 0 through P21) and examined for CDK, cyclin, or CDKI expression using a quantitative immunoblotting procedure. In Ct-treated rats, the expression of CDK2 and its activator, cyclin A, paralleled the pattern of granule cell proliferation. Prenatal ethanol exposure produced a significant down-regulation of CDK2/cyclin A expression. Although the amounts of CDK4/CDK6 and their activator, cyclin D2, did not oscillate during postnatal development, their expression in Et-treated pups was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in controls. The expression of a CDK inhibitor, p27(Kip), was inversely correlated to proliferation of cerebellar granule progenitors. Prenatal ethanol exposure caused the down-regulation of p27(Kip) between P0 and P21. Thus, prenatal exposure to ethanol disturbed the expression of cell cycle machineries in the postnatal cerebellum. This may account for the teratogenic effects of ethanol on the developing cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center, P.O. Box 9177, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
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Costa LG, Guizzetti M. Inhibition of muscarinic receptor-induced proliferation of astroglial cells by ethanol: mechanisms and implications for the fetal alcohol syndrome. Neurotoxicology 2002; 23:685-91. [PMID: 12520758 DOI: 10.1016/s0161-813x(02)00009-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In utero exposure to ethanol is deleterious to fetal brain development. Children born with the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) display a number of abnormalities, the most significant of which are central nervous system (CNS) dysfunctions, such as microencephaly and mental retardation. An interaction of ethanol with glial cells, particularly astrocytes, has been suggested to contribute to the developmental neurotoxicity of this alcohol. At low concentrations (10-100 mM) ethanol inhibits the proliferation of astroglial cells in vitro, particularly when stimulated by acetycholine through muscarinic M3 receptors. Of the several signal transduction pathways activated by these receptors in astrocytes or astrocytoma cells, which are involved in mitogenic signaling, only some (e.g. protein kinase C (PKC) zeta, p70S6 kinase) appear to be targeted by ethanol at the same low concentrations which effectively inhibit proliferation. Inhibition of astroglial proliferation by ethanol may contribute to the microencephaly seen in FAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucio G Costa
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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14
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Oberdoerster J, Rabin RA. NGF-differentiated and undifferentiated PC12 cells vary in induction of apoptosis by ethanol. Life Sci 1999; 64:PL 267-72. [PMID: 10372659 DOI: 10.1016/s0024-3205(99)00166-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The present study was undertaken to determine whether the neurotoxic effects of ethanol vary between undifferentiated and differentiated neurons. For this study, untreated rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells and PC12 cells treated for 8-10 days with nerve growth factor (NGF) were used as models of undifferentiated and differentiated neurons, respectively. Treatment of differentiated PC12 cells with 150 mM ethanol resulted in a loss of cells whereas a similar treatment of undifferentiated cells had no effect. In contrast, 50 mM ethanol enhanced apoptosis initiated by serum withdrawal in undifferentiated cells while a similar response in the differentiated cells required 150 mM ethanol. This study demonstrates that undifferentiated and differentiated neuronal cells differ in their sensitivity to the neurotoxic actions of ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Oberdoerster
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, 14214-3000, USA
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15
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Abstract
Glial cells constitute one of the most common cell types in the brain. They play critical roles in central nervous system (CNS) development. Recent evidence demonstrates that glial cells are profoundly affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, suggesting that alterations in these cells may participate in CNS abnormalities associated with ethanol-induced teratogenesis. In vivo studies show that prenatal exposure to alcohol hampers myelinogenesis and is associated with neuroglial heterotopias and abnormal astrogliogenesis. Studies using primary cultures of rat cortical astrocytes show that ethanol affects DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, decreases the number of mitotic cells, alters the content and distribution of several cytoskeletal proteins including the astroglial marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and the levels of plasma-membrane glycoproteins, reduces the capacity of astrocytes to secrete growth factors, and induces oxidative stress. Furthermore, ethanol exposure during early embryogenesis alters the normal development of radial glia cells (the main astrocytic precursors), delays the onset of GFAP expression, and decreases mRNA GFAP levels in fetal and postnatal brains and in radial glia and astrocytes in primary culture. Recent evidence suggests that ethanol interferes with the transcription process of GFAP, thus leading to a reduction in GFAP-gene expression during astrogliogenesis. However, brief exposure of rats to high levels of ethanol during the neonatal period (the period of astrocyte differentiation) causes a transient gliosis, with an increase in GFAP and its mRNA levels. These findings indicate that astroglial cells are an important target of ethanol toxicity during central nervous system (CNS) development.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Guerri
- Instituto Investigaciones Citológicas (FVIB), Amadeo de Saboya, Valencia
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