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Bai L, Wang K, Liu D, Wu S. Potential Early Effect Biomarkers for Ambient Air Pollution Related Mental Disorders. TOXICS 2024; 12:454. [PMID: 39058106 PMCID: PMC11280925 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12070454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Air pollution is one of the greatest environmental risks to health, with 99% of the world's population living where the World Health Organization's air quality guidelines were not met. In addition to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, the brain is another potential target of air pollution. Population- and experiment-based studies have shown that air pollution may affect mental health through direct or indirect biological pathways. The evidence for mental hazards associated with air pollution has been well documented. However, previous reviews mainly focused on epidemiological associations of air pollution with some specific mental disorders or possible biological mechanisms. A systematic review is absent for early effect biomarkers for characterizing mental health hazards associated with ambient air pollution, which can be used for early warning of related mental disorders and identifying susceptible populations at high risk. This review summarizes possible biomarkers involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, and epigenetic changes linking air pollution and mental disorders, as well as genetic susceptibility biomarkers. These biomarkers may provide a better understanding of air pollution's adverse effects on mental disorders and provide future research direction in this arena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Bai
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi’an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases in Ministry of Health, Xi’an 710061, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi’an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases in Ministry of Health, Xi’an 710061, China
| | - Dandan Liu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi’an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases in Ministry of Health, Xi’an 710061, China
| | - Shaowei Wu
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Yanta District, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi’an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, Xi’an 710061, China
- Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases in Ministry of Health, Xi’an 710061, China
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Gan HW, Cerbone M, Dattani MT. Appetite- and Weight-Regulating Neuroendocrine Circuitry in Hypothalamic Obesity. Endocr Rev 2024; 45:309-342. [PMID: 38019584 PMCID: PMC11074800 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnad033] [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: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Since hypothalamic obesity (HyOb) was first described over 120 years ago by Joseph Babinski and Alfred Fröhlich, advances in molecular genetic laboratory techniques have allowed us to elucidate various components of the intricate neurocircuitry governing appetite and weight regulation connecting the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, brainstem, adipose tissue, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract. On a background of an increasing prevalence of population-level common obesity, the number of survivors of congenital (eg, septo-optic dysplasia, Prader-Willi syndrome) and acquired (eg, central nervous system tumors) hypothalamic disorders is increasing, thanks to earlier diagnosis and management as well as better oncological therapies. Although to date the discovery of several appetite-regulating peptides has led to the development of a range of targeted molecular therapies for monogenic obesity syndromes, outside of these disorders these discoveries have not translated into the development of efficacious treatments for other forms of HyOb. This review aims to summarize our current understanding of the neuroendocrine physiology of appetite and weight regulation, and explore our current understanding of the pathophysiology of HyOb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoong-Wei Gan
- Department of Endocrinology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- Genetics & Genomic Medicine Research & Teaching Department, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Manuela Cerbone
- Department of Endocrinology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- Genetics & Genomic Medicine Research & Teaching Department, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Mehul Tulsidas Dattani
- Department of Endocrinology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- Genetics & Genomic Medicine Research & Teaching Department, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
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Chen P, Sun S, Yang Y, Huang A, Zhang H, Wang M. Cumulative Genetic Scores Interact with Maternal and Paternal Parenting in Predicting Parent-Adolescent Cohesion and Conflict. J Youth Adolesc 2024; 53:1171-1185. [PMID: 38308791 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-024-01947-2] [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: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Previous research concerning the interplay between genetics and parenting in the development of the parent-child relationship during adolescence has been extremely scarce, predominantly adopting single-gene designs. This limited body of work has largely overlooked the distinct effects of maternal and paternal roles, as well as potential gender differences. Additionally, existing gene-by-environment (G × E) studies have mainly concentrated on adverse environmental factors and associated negative outcomes, somewhat neglecting positive environments and outcomes. The present study examined the interactions of cumulative genetic scores (CGS, dopamine receptor D2 TaqIA and oxytocin receptor gene rs53576 polymorphisms) with both positive and negative parenting on parent-adolescent cohesion and conflict. Furthermore, this study aimed to ascertain with which gene-environment model the potential G × E interactions would align. A total of 745 Chinese Han adolescents (Mage = 13.36 ± 0.96 years; 46.8% girls) from grades 7 to 9 participated in this study. Results revealed a significant effect of CGS and negative maternal parenting on mother-adolescent conflict among males, consistent with the weak differential susceptibility model. As CGS increased, the effects of negative maternal parenting on mother-son conflict were magnified. These findings have implications for the timing and focus of interventions aimed at improving parent-adolescent relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pian Chen
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Shan Sun
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Aodi Huang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Meiping Wang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China.
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Dmytrenko G, Fernández-Solari J, Correa F, De Laurentiis A. Oxytocin alleviates periodontitis in adult rats. J Periodontal Res 2024; 59:280-288. [PMID: 38226427 DOI: 10.1111/jre.13212] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to evaluate the expression of oxytocin receptors in normal and inflamed gingiva, as well as the effects of systemic administration of oxytocin in bone loss and gum inflammatory mediators in a rat model of experimental periodontitis. BACKGROUND DATA Current evidence supports the hypothesis of a disbalance between the oral microbiota and the host's immune response in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Increased complexity of the microbial biofilm present in the periodontal pocket leads to local production of nitrogen and oxygen-reactive species, cytokines, chemokines, and other proinflammatory mediators which contribute to periodontal tissue destruction and bone loss. Oxytocin has been suggested to participate in the modulation of immune and inflammatory processes. We have previously shown that oxytocin, nitric oxide, and endocannabinoid system interact providing a mechanism of regulation for systemic inflammation. Here, we aimed at investigating not only the presence and levels of expression of oxytocin receptors on healthy and inflamed gingiva, but also the effects of oxytocin treatment on alveolar bone loss, and systemic and gum expression of inflammatory mediators involved in periodontal tissue damage using ligature-induced periodontitis. Therefore, anti-inflammatory strategies oriented at modulating the host's immune response could be valuable adjuvants to the main treatment of periodontal disease. METHODS We used an animal model of ligature-induced periodontitis involving the placement of a linen thread (Barbour flax 100% linen suture, No. 50; size 2/0) ligature around the neck of first lower molars of adult male rats. The ligature was left in place during the entire experiment (7 days) until euthanasia. Animals with periodontitis received daily treatment with oxytocin (OXT, 1000 μg/kg, sc.) or vehicle and/or atosiban (3 mg/kg, sc.), an antagonist of oxytocin receptors. The distance between the cement-enamel junction and the alveolar bone crest was measured in stained hemimandibles in the long axis of both buccal and lingual surfaces of both inferior first molars using a caliper. TNF-α levels in plasma were determined using specific rat enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). OXT receptors, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α expression were determined in gingival tissues by semiquantitative or real-time PCR. RESULTS We show that oxytocin receptors are expressed in normal and inflamed gingival tissues in male rats. We also show that the systemic administration of oxytocin prevents the experimental periodontitis-induced increased gum expression of oxytocin receptors, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β (p < .05). Furthermore, we observed a reduction in bone loss in rats treated with oxytocin in our model. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that oxytocin is a novel and potent modulator of the gingival inflammatory process together with bone loss preventing effects in an experimental model of ligature-induced periodontitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganna Dmytrenko
- Facultad de Odontología, Cátedra de Fisiología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Javier Fernández-Solari
- Facultad de Odontología, Cátedra de Fisiología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernando Correa
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos, CEFYBO-UBA-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Odontología, Cátedra de Fisiología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrea De Laurentiis
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos, CEFYBO-UBA-CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Odontología, Cátedra de Fisiología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Delikishkina E, Cohen-Zimerman S, Kachian ZR, Krueger F, Gordon B, Grafman J. Understanding altruistic behavior: The joint role of prefrontal damage and OXTR genotype. Neuropsychologia 2023; 190:108686. [PMID: 37741549 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108686] [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: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Altruism is a type of prosocial behavior that is carried out in the absence of personal benefit or even at an expense to self. Trait altruism varies greatly across individuals, and the reasons for this variability are still not fully understood. Growing evidence suggests that altruism may be partly determined by the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene, which regulates the emotions underlying altruistic attitudes, such as empathy and trust. Neuroimaging and lesion studies have also implied several higher-order brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex, in altruistic behaviors. Yet the existing reports are contradictory and suggest that the top-down control exercised by the prefrontal cortex may promote both altruistic and self-interested behaviors and, thus, could obscure one's natural proclivity towards altruism encoded by OXTR. Here, we hypothesized that extensive prefrontal damage would result in an increased influence of the OXTR genotype on one's altruistic attitudes and actions. To test this hypothesis, we recruited 115 male combat veterans with penetrating traumatic brain injury to the prefrontal cortex and other brain regions, as well as 35 demographically matched control subjects without brain injury. Participants completed a self-report altruism questionnaire and were genotyped for four OXTR single nucleotide polymorphisms implicated in prosocial behavior, including rs53576, rs1042778, rs2254298 and rs7632287. Consistent with the previous studies, we found that individuals homozygotic for the G allele of rs53576 and rs7632287 were significantly more altruistic than carriers of at least one "vulnerable" A allele. Remarkably, in patients with prefrontal cortex damage, greater lesion extent was associated with significantly lower altruism scores in carriers of the A allele of rs7632287, but not in G-homozygotes, suggesting that significant disruption of the prefrontal cortex increased the influence of genetic polymorphisms on prosocial behavior. This study presents the first account of an interaction effect between the OXTR genotype and the location and extent of brain damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Delikishkina
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Brain Injury Research, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Shira Cohen-Zimerman
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Brain Injury Research, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Zachary R Kachian
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Brain Injury Research, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Frank Krueger
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, 68161, Germany
| | - Barry Gordon
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA; Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Brain Injury Research, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Cognitive Neurology & Alzheimer's Disease Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
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Danoff JS, Page EA, Perkeybile AM, Kenkel WM, Yee JR, Ferris CF, Carter CS, Connelly JJ. Transcriptional diversity of the oxytocin receptor in prairie voles: mechanistic implications for behavioral neuroscience and maternal physiology. Front Genet 2023; 14:1225197. [PMID: 37705612 PMCID: PMC10495980 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1225197] [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: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurohormone oxytocin regulates many aspects of physiology primarily by binding to its receptor, the oxytocin receptor. The oxytocin receptor gene (Oxtr) has been shown to have alternative transcripts in the mouse brain which may each have different biological functions or be used in specific contexts. A popular animal model for studying oxytocin-dependent social behaviors is the prairie vole, a biparental and monogamous rodent. Alternative transcriptional capacity of Oxtr in prairie voles is unknown. We used 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends to identify alternative Oxtr transcription start sites in prairie vole brain tissue and uterine tissue. We then validated expression of specific transcripts in fetal brains and assessed the impact of exogenous oxytocin administration in utero on offspring brain development. We identified seven distinct Oxtr transcripts, all of which are present in both brain and uterine tissue. We then demonstrated that maternal oxytocin administration alters expression of a specific subset of Oxtr transcripts and that these different transcripts are under unique epigenetic regulation, such that in the perinatal period only one of the alternative transcripts is associated with DNA methylation in the Oxtr promoter. These data establish the existence of multiple Oxtr transcripts in prairie vole brain and uterine tissue and implicate oxytocin in the regulation of alternative transcript expression. These data have significant implications for our understanding of null mutant models in both mice and voles and translation in human birth and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua S. Danoff
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Emma A. Page
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Allison M. Perkeybile
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - William M. Kenkel
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Jason R. Yee
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, WIE, Austria
| | - Craig F. Ferris
- Department of Psychology, Center for Translational Neuroimaging, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - C. Sue Carter
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Jessica J. Connelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
- Program in Fundamental Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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Müller S, Sicorello M, Moser D, Frach L, Limberg A, Gumpp AM, Ramo-Fernandez L, Köhler-Dauner F, Fegert JM, Waller C, Kumsta R, Kolassa IT. The DNA methylation landscape of the human oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR): data-driven clusters and their relation to gene expression and childhood adversity. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:265. [PMID: 37479681 PMCID: PMC10362059 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02548-6] [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: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is of interest when investigating the effects of early adversity on DNA methylation. However, there is heterogeneity regarding the selection of the most promising CpG sites to target for analyses. The goal of this study was to determine functionally relevant clusters of CpG sites within the OXTR CpG island in 113 mother-infant dyads, with 58 of the mothers reporting childhood maltreatment (CM). OXTR DNA methylation was analyzed in peripheral/umbilical blood mononuclear cells. Different complexity reduction approaches were used to reduce the 188 CpG sites into clusters of co-methylated sites. Furthermore, associations between OXTR DNA methylation (cluster- and site-specific level) and OXTR gene expression and CM were investigated in mothers. Results showed that, first, CpG sections differed strongly regarding their statistical utility for research of individual differences in DNA methylation. Second, cluster analyses and Partial Least Squares (PLS) suggested two clusters consisting of intron1/exon2 and the protein-coding region of exon3, respectively, as most strongly associated with outcome measures. Third, cross-validated PLS regression explained 7% of variance in CM, with low cross-validated variance explained for the prediction of gene expression. Fourth, substantial mother-child correspondence was observed in correlation patterns within the identified clusters, but only modest correspondence outside these clusters. This study makes an important contribution to the mapping of the DNA methylation landscape of the OXTR CpG island by highlighting clusters of CpG sites that show desirable statistical properties and predictive value. We provide a Companion Web Application to facilitate the choice of CpG sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Müller
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Maurizio Sicorello
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dirk Moser
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr Universität Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Leonard Frach
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, WC1H 0AP, United Kingdom
| | - Alicia Limberg
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr Universität Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Anja M Gumpp
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Laura Ramo-Fernandez
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Franziska Köhler-Dauner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jörg M Fegert
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89075, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christiane Waller
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Ulm, 89075, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Paracelsus Medical Private University of Nueremberg, 90419, Nueremberg, Germany
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr Universität Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Laboratory for Stress and Gene-Environment Interplay, University of Luxemburg, Porte des Sciences L-4366, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxemburg.
| | - Iris-Tatjana Kolassa
- Department of Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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Li Y, Wang Y, Guan X, Yue J, Wu HE, Zhen S, He SC, Zhang XY. Genotype-genotype interactions of the OXTR gene polymorphisms are associated with self-reported daytime dysfunction, sleep latency and personal distress. J Sleep Res 2023; 32:e13668. [PMID: 35706410 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13668] [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: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The oxytocin receptors located in the corticotropin-releasing factor neurons of the paraventricular nucleus are stimulated by oxytocin. Oxytocin functions as the regulator of the corticotropin-releasing factor system and in turn promotes sleep quality. The objective of this study was to examine the main and genotype-genotype interactive effects of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphisms on sleep quality. A total of 324 participants were randomly recruited from a university in Beijing, China. Sleep quality was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The OXTR single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2254298, rs2268498, rs13316193, rs2268490 and rs2268491) were genotyped. The results showed that gender and age were associated with various empathy traits (all p < 0.001). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was positively correlated with the Personal Distress subscale of empathy (p < 0.001). Both rs2254298 and rs2268491 interacted with rs13316193 to influence daytime dysfunction and Personal Distress (all p < 0.05), indicating that in individuals with rs13316193 CC/CT genotype, those with rs2254298 AA/AG or rs2268491 TT/TC genotypes displayed higher daytime dysfunction and Personal Distress scores than those with rs2254298 GG or rs2268491 CC genotypes. Conversely, among the individuals with rs2254298 GG or rs2268491 CC genotypes, the rs13316193 C allele carriers had lower daytime dysfunction and Personal Distress scores than rs13316193 TT homozygotes. There was also a significant interaction between rs2268490 and rs2268498 on the sleep latency dimension of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Our findings reveal for the first time the genotype-genotype interactions of the OXTR gene on sleep quality, which may open new research avenues for studying psychopathology involving sleep problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuling Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- PLA Strategic Support Force Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Guan
- PLA Strategic Support Force Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyan Yue
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Hanjing Emily Wu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Shiqian Zhen
- Institute of Circulation and Consumption, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, Beijing, China
| | - Shu-Chang He
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang-Yang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Oxytocin receptor DNA methylation is associated with exogenous oxytocin needs during parturition and postpartum hemorrhage. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2023; 3:11. [PMID: 36707542 PMCID: PMC9882749 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00244-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is regulated, in part, by DNA methylation. This mechanism has implications for uterine contractility during labor and for prevention or treatment of postpartum hemorrhage, an important contributor to global maternal morbidity and mortality. METHODS We measured and compared the level of OXTR DNA methylation between matched blood and uterine myometrium to evaluate blood as an indicator of uterine methylation status using targeted pyrosequencing and sites from the Illumina EPIC Array. Next, we tested for OXTR DNA methylation differences in blood between individuals who experienced a postpartum hemorrhage arising from uterine atony and matched controls following vaginal birth. Bivariate statistical tests, generalized linear modeling and Poisson regression were used in the analyses. RESULTS Here we show a significant positive correlation between blood and uterine DNA methylation levels at several OXTR loci. Females with higher OXTR DNA methylation in blood had required significantly more exogenous oxytocin during parturition. With higher DNA methylation, those who had oxytocin administered during labor had significantly greater relative risk for postpartum hemorrhage (IRR 2.95, 95% CI 1.53-5.71). CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence that epigenetic variability in OXTR is associated with the amount of oxytocin administered during parturition and moderates subsequent postpartum hemorrhage. Methylation can be measured using a peripheral tissue, suggesting potential use in identifying individuals susceptible to postpartum hemorrhage. Future studies are needed to quantify myometrial gene expression in connection with OXTR methylation.
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Wei J, Zheng H, Li G, Chen Z, Fang G, Yan J. Involvement of oxytocin receptor deficiency in psychiatric disorders and behavioral abnormalities. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1164796. [PMID: 37153633 PMCID: PMC10159063 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1164796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin and its target receptor (oxytocin receptor, OXTR) exert important roles in the regulation of complex social behaviors and cognition. The oxytocin/OXTR system in the brain could activate and transduce several intracellular signaling pathways to affect neuronal functions or responses and then mediate physiological activities. The persistence and outcome of the oxytocin activity in the brain are closely linked to the regulation, state, and expression of OXTR. Increasing evidence has shown that genetic variations, epigenetic modification states, and the expression of OXTR have been implicated in psychiatric disorders characterized by social deficits, especially in autism. Among these variations and modifications, OXTR gene methylation and polymorphism have been found in many patients with psychiatric disorders and have been considered to be associated with those psychiatric disorders, behavioral abnormalities, and individual differences in response to social stimuli or others. Given the significance of these new findings, in this review, we focus on the progress of OXTR's functions, intrinsic mechanisms, and its correlations with psychiatric disorders or deficits in behaviors. We hope that this review can provide a deep insight into the study of OXTR-involved psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinbao Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Ningde Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China
| | - Huanrui Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Guokai Li
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zichun Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Ningde Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China
| | - Gengjing Fang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Technical Evaluation of Fertility Regulation for Non-human Primate (Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital), Fuzhou, Fujia, China
- Gengjing Fang
| | - Jianying Yan
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children's Critical Diseases Research, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Department of Obstetrics, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- *Correspondence: Jianying Yan
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11
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Erickson EN, Krol KM, Perkeybile AM, Connelly JJ, Myatt L. Oxytocin receptor single nucleotide polymorphism predicts atony-related postpartum hemorrhage. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022; 22:884. [PMID: 36447139 PMCID: PMC9706912 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-05205-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postpartum hemorrhage remains a key contributor to overall maternal morbidity in the United States. Current clinical assessment methods used to predict postpartum hemorrhage are unable to prospectively identify about 40% of hemorrhage cases. Oxytocin is a first-line pharmaceutical for preventing and treating postpartum hemorrhage, which acts through oxytocin receptors on uterine myocytes. Existing research indicates that oxytocin function is subject to variation, influenced in part by differences in the DNA sequence within the oxytocin receptor gene. One variant, rs53576, has been shown to be associated with variable responses to exogenous oxytocin when administered during psychological research studies. How this variant may influence myometrial oxytocin response in the setting of third stage labor has not been studied. We tested for differences in the frequency of the oxytocin receptor genotype at rs53576 in relationship to the severity of blood loss among a sample of individuals who experienced vaginal birth. METHODS A case-control prospective design was used to enroll 119 postpartum participants who underwent vaginal birth who were at least 37 weeks of gestation. Cases were defined by either a 1000 mL or greater blood loss or instances of heavier bleeding where parturients were given additional uterotonic treatment due to uterine atony. Controls were matched to cases on primiparity and labor induction status. Genotype was measured from a maternal blood sample obtained during the 2nd postpartum month from 95 participants. Statistical analysis included bivariate tests and generalized linear and Poisson regression modeling. RESULTS The distribution of the genotype across the sample of 95 participants was 40% GG (n = 38), 50.5% AG (n = 48) and 9.5% AA (n = 9). Blood loss of 1000 mL or greater occurred at a rate of 7.9% for GG, 12.5% for AG and 55.6% for AA participants (p = 0.005). Multivariable models demonstrated A-carriers (versus GG) had 275.2 mL higher blood loss (95% CI 96.9-453.4, p < 0.01) controlling for parity, intrapartum oxytocin, self-reported ancestry, active management of third stage or genital tract lacerations. Furthermore, A-carrier individuals had a 79% higher risk for needing at least one second-line treatment (RR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.08-2.95) controlling for covariates. Interaction models revealed that A-carriers who required no oxytocin for labor stimulation experienced 371.4 mL greater blood loss (95% CI 196.6-546.2 mL). CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence of a risk allele in the oxytocin receptor gene that may be involved in the development of postpartum hemorrhage among participants undergoing vaginal birth, particularly among those with fewer risk factors. The findings, if reproducible, could be useful in studying pharmacogenomic strategies for predicting, preventing or treating postpartum hemorrhage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise N. Erickson
- grid.134563.60000 0001 2168 186XPresent Address: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA ,grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Oregon Health and Science University, OR Portland, USA
| | - Kathleen M. Krol
- grid.27755.320000 0000 9136 933XUniversity of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA USA
| | | | - Jessica J. Connelly
- grid.27755.320000 0000 9136 933XUniversity of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA USA
| | - Leslie Myatt
- grid.5288.70000 0000 9758 5690Oregon Health and Science University, OR Portland, USA
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12
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Gonzalez A, Hammock EAD. Oxytocin and microglia in the development of social behaviour. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210059. [PMID: 35858111 PMCID: PMC9272152 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a well-established regulator of social behaviour. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, regulate brain development and maintenance in health and disease. Oxytocin and microglia interact: microglia appear to regulate the oxytocin system and are, in turn, regulated by oxytocin, which appears to have anti-inflammatory effects. Both microglia and oxytocin are regulated in sex-specific ways. Oxytocin and microglia may work together to promote experience-dependent circuit refinement through multiple developmental-sensitive periods contributing to individual differences in social behaviour. This article is part of the theme issue 'Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. D. Hammock
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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13
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Systematic identification of candidate genes associated with aggressive behavior: A neurogenetic approach. GENE REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2022.101493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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14
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Abstract
Oxytocin and oxytocin receptors are synthesized in the periphery where paracrine/autocrine actions have been described alongside endocrine actions effected by central release of oxytocin from the posterior pituitary. In the female reproductive system, classical actions of uterine contraction and milk ejection from mammary glands are accompanied by actions in the ovaries where roles in steroidogenesis, follicle recruitment and ovulation have been described. Steroidogenesis, contractile activity, and gamete health are similarly affected by oxytocin in the male reproductive tract. In the cardiovascular system, a local oxytocinergic system appears to play an important cardio-protective role. This role is likely associated with emerging evidence that peripheral oxytocin is an important hormone in the endocrinology of glucose homeostasis due to its actions in adipose, the pancreas, and the largely ignored oxytocinergic systems of the adrenal glands and liver. Gene polymorphisms are shown to be associated with a number of reported traits, not least factors associated with metabolic syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Assinder
- Discipline of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
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15
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Baldi E, Costa A, Rani B, Passani MB, Blandina P, Romano A, Provensi G. Oxytocin and Fear Memory Extinction: Possible Implications for the Therapy of Fear Disorders? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10000. [PMID: 34576161 PMCID: PMC8467761 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Several psychiatric conditions such as phobias, generalized anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are characterized by pathological fear and anxiety. The main therapeutic approach used in the management of these disorders is exposure-based therapy, which is conceptually based upon fear extinction with the formation of a new safe memory association, allowing the reduction in behavioral conditioned fear responses. Nevertheless, this approach is only partially resolutive, since many patients have difficulty following the demanding and long process, and relapses are frequently observed over time. One strategy to improve the efficacy of the cognitive therapy is the combination with pharmacological agents. Therefore, the identification of compounds able to strengthen the formation and persistence of the inhibitory associations is a key goal. Recently, growing interest has been aroused by the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT), which has been shown to have anxiolytic effects. Furthermore, OXT receptors and binding sites have been found in the critical brain structures involved in fear extinction. In this review, the recent literature addressing the complex effects of OXT on fear extinction at preclinical and clinical levels is discussed. These studies suggest that the OXT roles in fear behavior are due to its local effects in several brain regions, most notably, distinct amygdaloid regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Baldi
- Section of Physiological Sciences, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy;
| | - Alessia Costa
- Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, Department of Health Sciences (DSS), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (A.C.); (B.R.); (M.B.P.)
| | - Barbara Rani
- Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, Department of Health Sciences (DSS), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (A.C.); (B.R.); (M.B.P.)
| | - Maria Beatrice Passani
- Section of Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology, Department of Health Sciences (DSS), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy; (A.C.); (B.R.); (M.B.P.)
| | - Patrizio Blandina
- Section of Pharmacology of Toxicology, Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy;
| | - Adele Romano
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology ‘V. Erspamer’, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Gustavo Provensi
- Section of Pharmacology of Toxicology, Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Florence, Italy;
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16
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Burmester V, Nicholls D, Buckle A, Stanojevic B, Crous-Bou M. Review of eating disorders and oxytocin receptor polymorphisms. J Eat Disord 2021; 9:85. [PMID: 34256847 PMCID: PMC8278600 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-021-00438-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Oxytocin, a nine amino acid peptide synthesised in the hypothalamus, has been widely recognised for its role in anxiolysis, bonding, sociality, and appetite. It binds to the oxytocin receptor (OXTR)-a G-protein coupled receptor-that is stimulated by the actions of oestrogen both peripherally and centrally. Studies have implicated OXTR genotypes in conferring either a risk or protective effect in autism, schizophrenia, and eating disorders (ED). There are numerous DNA variations of this receptor, with the most common DNA variation being in the form of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Two OXTR SNPs have been most studied in relation to ED: rs53576 and rs2254298. Each SNP has the same allelic variant that produces genotypes AA, AG, and GG. In this critical review we will evaluate the putative role of rs53576 and rs2254298 SNPs in ED. Additionally, this narrative review will consider the role of gene-environment interactions in the development of ED pathology. FINDINGS The OXTR SNPs rs53576 and rs2254298 show independent associations between the A allele and restrictive eating behaviours. Conversely, the G allele of the OXTR rs53576 SNP is associated with binging behaviours, findings that were also evident in neuroanatomy. One study found the A allele of both OXTR SNPs to confer risk for more severe ED symptomatology while the G allele conferred some protective effect. An interaction between poor maternal care and rs2254298 AG/AA genotype conferred increased risk for binge eating and purging in women. CONCLUSIONS Individual OXTR SNP are unlikely in themselves to explain complex eating disorders but may affect the expression of and/or effectiveness of the OXTR. A growing body of G x E work is indicating that rs53576G homozygosity becomes disadvantageous for later mental health under early adverse conditions but further research to extend these findings to eating pathology is needed. The GWAS approach would benefit this area of knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Burmester
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Imperial College London, Burlington Danes, The Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Dasha Nicholls
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Imperial College London, Burlington Danes, The Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Alexis Buckle
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Imperial College London, Burlington Danes, The Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Boban Stanojevic
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Rayne Institute, 111 Coldharbour Ln, London, SE5 9RR, UK.,Laboratory for Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, "Vinca" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marta Crous-Bou
- Unit of Nutrition and Cancer, Cancer Epidemiology Research Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) - Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL). L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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17
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Baptista T, de Azeredo LA, Zaparte A, Viola TW, Coral SC, Nagai MA, Mangone FR, Pavanelli AC, Schuch JB, Mardini V, Szobot CM, Grassi-Oliveira R. Oxytocin Receptor Exon III Methylation in the Umbilical Cord Blood of Newborns With Prenatal Exposure to Crack Cocaine. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:639287. [PMID: 34178979 PMCID: PMC8220805 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.639287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) is associated with behavioral, cognitive, and social consequences in children that might persist into later development. However, there are still few data concerning epigenetic mechanisms associated with the effects of gestational cocaine exposure, particularly in human newborns. AIMS We investigated the effects of PCE on DNA methylation patterns of the Oxytocin Receptor (OXTR) gene in the umbilical cord blood (UCB). The relationship between UCB DNA methylation levels and the severity of the mother's cocaine use during pregnancy was also evaluated. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 28 UCB samples of newborns with a history of crack cocaine exposure in utero and 30 UCB samples of non-exposed newborns (NEC) were compared for DNA methylation levels at two genomic loci located in exon III of the OXTR gene (OXTR1 and OXTR2) through pyrosequencing. Maternal psychopathology was investigated using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and substance use characteristics and addiction severity were assessed using the Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). RESULTS No differences between newborns with a history of PCE and NEC were observed in OXTR1 or OXTR2 DNA methylation levels. However, regression analyses showed that maternal addiction severity for crack cocaine use predicted OXTR1 DNA methylation in newborns. CONCLUSION These data suggest that OXTR methylation levels in the UCB of children are affected by the severity of maternal crack cocaine usage. Larger studies are likely to detect specific changes in DNA methylation relevant to the consequences of PCE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talita Baptista
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of the Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lucas Araújo de Azeredo
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of the Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Aline Zaparte
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of the Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Thiago Wendt Viola
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of the Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Sayra Catalina Coral
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of the Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Maria Aparecida Nagai
- Discipline of Oncology, Department of Radiology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Center for Translational Research in Oncology, Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flávia Rotea Mangone
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Center for Translational Research in Oncology, Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Pavanelli
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Center for Translational Research in Oncology, Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline B. Schuch
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Victor Mardini
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service (SPIA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Claudia M. Szobot
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service (SPIA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, School of Medicine, Brain Institute of the Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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18
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Chander RJ, Mather KA, Cleary R, Grainger SA, Thalamuthu A, Numbers K, Kochan NA, Armstrong NJ, Brodaty H, Henry JD, Sachdev PS. The influence of rs53576 polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor ( OXTR) gene on empathy in healthy adults by subtype and ethnicity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Rev Neurosci 2021; 33:43-57. [PMID: 33892530 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2021-0038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Empathy is essential for navigating complex social environments. Prior work has shown associations between rs53576, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), and generalized empathy. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of rs53576 on subdomains of empathy, specifically cognitive empathy (CE) and affective empathy (AE), in healthy adults. Twenty cohorts of 8933 participants aged 18-98 were identified, including data from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, a cohort of older community adults. Meta-analyses found G homozygotes had greater generalized empathic abilities only in young to middle-aged adults. While meta-analyses of empathy subdomains yielded no significant overall effects, there were differential effects based on ethnicity. G homozygotes were associated with greater CE abilities in Asian cohorts (standardized mean difference; SMD: 0.09 [2.8·10-3-0.18]), and greater AE performance in European cohorts [SMD: 0.12 (0.04-0.21)]. The current literature highlights a need for further work that distinguishes between genetic and ethnocultural effects and explores effects of advanced age on this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell J Chander
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Karen A Mather
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Rhiagh Cleary
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Sarah A Grainger
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Anbupalam Thalamuthu
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Katya Numbers
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Nicole A Kochan
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Nicola J Armstrong
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.,Discipline of Mathematics and Statistics, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Henry Brodaty
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.,Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Julie D Henry
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Perminder S Sachdev
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.,Neuropsychiatric Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
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19
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Warrener CD, Valentin EM, Gallin C, Richey L, Ross DB, Hood CJ, Lori A, Cubells J, Rauch SA, Rilling JK. The role of oxytocin signaling in depression and suicidality in returning war veterans. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 126:105085. [PMID: 33582574 PMCID: PMC8483597 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Many war veterans struggle with depression and suicidality, and separation from the military is a time of particularly high risk. Based on research in non-human animals, we hypothesized that reduced oxytocin signaling would mediate symptoms of depression and suicidality in war veterans recently separated from their close comrades. We also hypothesized that veterans with more frequent contact with comrades would have fewer symptoms of depression and suicidality. In this cross-sectional study, male veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (n = 86) provided blood and urine samples for measurement of peripheral oxytocin (OT) levels, as well as saliva samples for DNA extraction followed by genotyping of oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, and CpG-methylation assessment. Participants also completed a series of mental health questionnaires and interviews. Veterans reported feeling very close to their comrades during war, and missing them greatly upon returning home. Neither peripheral OT levels nor OXTR genotypes were related to symptoms of depression or suicidality. On the other hand, methylation at OXTR CpG -924 was negatively correlated with depressive symptomology, after controlling for possible confounds. Veterans who socialized with comrades more frequently had higher levels of urinary, but not plasma OT, as well as less depressive symptomology. Social connectedness was a strong negative predictor of symptoms of both depression and suicidality, eclipsing the predictive power of other variables such as post-deployment social support, the degree to which participants reported missing their comrades, and the frequency with which they socialized with comrades. Our results suggest that veteran mental health is more impacted by lack of social connectedness than by separation from close comrades per se. While there is some evidence that OXTR methylation relates to depressive symptomology, decreased OT signaling does not appear to mediate the relationship between social disconnectedness and depression or suicidality. Sleep quality and anxiety disorders were also significantly associated with mental health symptoms, independent of social connectedness. Our findings suggest that efforts aimed at alleviating the burden of depression and suicidality in returning war veterans should focus on re-integrating veterans into society and establishing a feeling of social connectedness, as well as on treating anxiety disorders and sleep problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne D. Warrener
- The Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work, Clark Atlanta University, USA
| | - Edward M. Valentin
- The Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work, Clark Atlanta University, USA
| | - Camilla Gallin
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Emory University, USA
| | | | | | - Chelsea J. Hood
- The Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work, Clark Atlanta University, USA
| | - Adriana Lori
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Joseph Cubells
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, USA,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Sheila A.M. Rauch
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, USA,Mental Health Service Line, VA Atlanta Healthcare System, USA
| | - James K. Rilling
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, USA,Department of Anthropology, Emory University, USA,Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Emory University, USA,Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, USA,Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, USA,Yerkes National Primate Research Center, USA,Corresponding author at: Department of Anthropology, Emory University, USA. (J.K. Rilling)
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20
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Danoff JS, Wroblewski KL, Graves AJ, Quinn GC, Perkeybile AM, Kenkel WM, Lillard TS, Parikh HI, Golino HF, Gregory SG, Carter CS, Bales KL, Connelly JJ. Genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors controlling oxytocin receptor gene expression. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:23. [PMID: 33516250 PMCID: PMC7847178 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01017-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neuropeptide oxytocin regulates mammalian social behavior. Disruptions in oxytocin signaling are a feature of many psychopathologies. One commonly studied biomarker for oxytocin involvement in psychiatric diseases is DNA methylation at the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR). Such studies focus on DNA methylation in two regions of OXTR, exon 3 and a region termed MT2 which overlaps exon 1 and intron 1. However, the relative contribution of exon 3 and MT2 in regulating OXTR gene expression in the brain is currently unknown. RESULTS Here, we use the prairie vole as a translational animal model to investigate genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors affecting Oxtr gene expression in a region of the brain that has been shown to drive Oxtr related behavior in the vole, the nucleus accumbens. We show that the genetic structure of Oxtr in prairie voles resembles human OXTR. We then studied the effects of early life experience on DNA methylation in two regions of a CpG island surrounding the Oxtr promoter: MT2 and exon 3. We show that early nurture in the form of parental care results in DNA hypomethylation of Oxtr in both MT2 and exon 3, but only DNA methylation in MT2 is associated with Oxtr gene expression. Network analyses indicate that CpG sites in the 3' portion of MT2 are most highly associated with Oxtr gene expression. We also identify two novel SNPs in exon 3 of Oxtr in prairie voles and a novel alternative transcript originating from the third intron of the gene. Expression of the novel alternative transcript is associated with genotype at SNP KLW2. CONCLUSIONS These results identify putative regulatory features of Oxtr in prairie voles which inform future studies examining OXTR in human social behaviors and disorders. These studies indicate that in prairie voles, DNA methylation in MT2, particularly in the 3' portion, is more predictive of Oxtr gene expression than DNA methylation in exon 3. Similarly, in human temporal cortex, we find that DNA methylation in the 3' portion of MT2 is associated with OXTR expression. Together, these results suggest that among the CpG sites studied, DNA methylation of MT2 may be the most reliable indicator of OXTR gene expression. We also identify novel features of prairie vole Oxtr, including SNPs and an alternative transcript, which further develop the prairie vole as a translational model for studies of OXTR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua S Danoff
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Kelly L Wroblewski
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Andrew J Graves
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Graham C Quinn
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Allison M Perkeybile
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 150 S Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - William M Kenkel
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 150 S Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, 105 The Green, Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Travis S Lillard
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Hardik I Parikh
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, 345 Crispell Drive, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Research Computing, University of Virginia, 560 Ray C. Hunt Drive, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
| | - Hudson F Golino
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA
| | - Simon G Gregory
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, 300 N Duke St, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - C Sue Carter
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 150 S Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jessica J Connelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA.
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21
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Møller M. Vasopressin and oxytocin beyond the pituitary in the human brain. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 180:7-24. [PMID: 34225951 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-820107-7.00002-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Vasopressin and oxytocin are primarily synthesized in the magnocellular supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus and transported to the posterior pituitary. In the human, an extensive accessory magnocellular neuroendocrine system is present with contact to the posterior pituitary and blood vessels in the hypothalamus itself. Vasopressin and oxytocin are involved in social and behavioral functions. However, only few neocortical areas are targeted by vasopressinergic and oxytocinergic nerve fibers, which mostly project to limbic areas in the forebrain, where also their receptors are located. Vasopressinergic/oxytocinergic perikarya in the forebrain project to the brain stem and spinal cord targeting nuclei and areas involved in autonomic functions. Parvocellular neurons containing vasopressin are located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and synchronize the activity of the pacemaker in this nucleus. From the suprachiasmatic nucleus fibers project to the parvocellular part of the paraventricular nucleus, where preautonomic neurons project to the intermediolateral nucleus in the thoracic spinal cord, from where the superior cervical ganglion is reached whose noradrenergic fibers terminate in the pineal gland to stimulate melatonin secretion at night. The pineal gland is also innervated by vasopressin- and oxytocin-containing fibers reaching the gland via the "central innervation" in the pineal stalk, which might be involve in an annual regulation of melatonin secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morten Møller
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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22
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Arakawa H. Dynamic regulation of oxytocin neuronal circuits in the sequential processes of prosocial behavior in rodent models. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 2:100011. [PMID: 36246512 PMCID: PMC9559098 DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2021.100011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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Uvnäs-Moberg K, Gross MM, Agius A, Downe S, Calleja-Agius J. Are There Epigenetic Oxytocin-Mediated Effects on the Mother and Infant during Physiological Childbirth? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249503. [PMID: 33327490 PMCID: PMC7765000 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Studies have shown that long-term positive behavioural and physiological changes are induced in connection with vaginal, physiological birth, and skin-to-skin contact after birth in mothers and babies. Some of these effects are consistent with the effect profile of oxytocin. This scoping review explores whether epigenetic changes of the oxytocin gene and of the oxytocin receptor gene (OTR) are involved in these effects. METHODS We searched Pubmed, Medline, BioMed Central, Cochrane Library, OVID, and Web of Science for evidence of epigenetic changes in connection with childbirth in humans, with a particular focus on the oxytocin system. RESULTS There were no published studies identified that were related to epigenetic changes of oxytocin and its receptor in connection with labour, birth, and skin-to-skin contact after birth in mothers and babies. However, some studies were identified that showed polymorphisms of the oxytocin receptor influenced the progress of labour. We also identified studies in which the level of global methylation was measured in vaginal birth and caesarean section, with conflicting results. Some studies identified differences in the level of methylation of single genes linked to various effects, for example, immune response, metabolism, and inflammation. In some of these cases, the level of methylation was associated with the duration of labour or mode of birth. We also identified some studies that demonstrated long-term effects of mode of birth and of skin-to-skin contact linked to changes in oxytocin function. CONCLUSION There were no studies identified that showed epigenetic changes of the oxytocin system in connection with physiological birth. The lack of evidence, so far, regarding epigenetic changes did not exclude future demonstrations of such effects, as there was a definite role of oxytocin in creating long-term effects during the perinatal period. Such studies may not have been performed. Alternatively, the oxytocin linked effects might be indirectly mediated via other receptors and signalling systems. We conclude that there is a significant lack of research examining long-term changes of oxytocin function and long-term oxytocin mediated adaptive effects induced during physiological birth and skin-to-skin contact after birth in mothers and their infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Uvnäs-Moberg
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 53223 Skara, Sweden;
| | - Mechthild M. Gross
- Midwifery Research and Education Unit, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hanover, Germany;
| | - Andee Agius
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mater Dei Hospital, MSD2090 Msida, Malta;
| | - Soo Downe
- School of Community Health and Midwifery, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK;
| | - Jean Calleja-Agius
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, MSD2080 Msida, Malta
- Correspondence:
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24
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Liu C, Li Y, Li L, Shui S, Yang L, Sui C, Zhang H. Aberrant expression of oxytocin receptor in endometrium and decidua in women who have experienced recurrent implantation failure. F&S SCIENCE 2020; 1:183-187. [PMID: 35559926 DOI: 10.1016/j.xfss.2020.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To detect the oxytocin receptor (OTR) expression levels in the endometrium and decidua from women who have experienced recurrent implantation failure (RIF) and fertile women. DESIGN Laboratory study using human endometrial and decidual samples. SETTINGS University-affiliated hospital. PATIENT(S) Six patients with RIF and six fertile women were recruited for endometrial sampling on day 20-24 of the menstrual cycle. Decidual tissues were collected from women who had a history of RIF and experienced a spontaneous abortion at 6-8 weeks of gestation (n = 8) and women with healthy pregnancies that terminated for nonmedical reasons (n = 8). INTERVENTION None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) OTR expression in the endometrial and decidual tissues was detected with the use of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. RESULT(S) OTR protein and mRNA were significantly increased in the endometria of RIF patients. In the decidua, OTR protein was significantly up-regulated in the RIF group, whereas mRNA was significantly decreased in this group. CONCLUSION(S) Women who experienced RIF presented with an aberrant expression pattern of OTR in the endometria and decidua.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuehan Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Linshuang Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shike Shui
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Le Yang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Cong Sui
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Hanwang Zhang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
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25
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McKay EC, Counts SE. Oxytocin Receptor Signaling in Vascular Function and Stroke. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:574499. [PMID: 33071746 PMCID: PMC7544744 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.574499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The oxytocin receptor (OXTR) is a G protein-coupled receptor with a diverse repertoire of intracellular signaling pathways, which are activated in response to binding oxytocin (OXT) and a similar nonapeptide, vasopressin. This review summarizes the cell and molecular biology of the OXTR and its downstream signaling cascades, particularly focusing on the vasoactive functions of OXTR signaling in humans and animal models, as well as the clinical applications of OXTR targeting cerebrovascular accidents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C McKay
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Scott E Counts
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States.,Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Hauenstein Neurosciences Center, Mercy Health Saint Mary's Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI, United States.,Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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26
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Butovskaya M, Rostovtseva V, Butovskaya P, Burkova V, Dronova D, Filatova V, Sukhodolskaya E, Vasiliev V, Mesa T, Rosa A, Lazebny O. Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism (rs53576) and digit ratio associates with aggression: comparison in seven ethnic groups. J Physiol Anthropol 2020; 39:20. [PMID: 32795360 PMCID: PMC7427763 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-020-00232-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The specific role of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene polymorphisms in emotional support seeking, related to social norms and culturally normative behavior, has been discussed in several studies. Evidence on the association between aggression and OXTR polymorphisms has also been reported. The goal of the current study was to analyze the effect of the OXTR rs53576 polymorphism, prenatal testosterone effect (second-to-fourth digit ratio, or 2D:4D), and culture on aggression assessed with the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Methods The data were collected in Russia and Tanzania and included seven ethnic groups of European, Asian, and African origin. The total sample included 1705 adults (837 males, 868 females). All the subjects were evaluated with the BPAQ. As a measure of prenatal androgenization, the second and fourth digits were measured directly from hand, and the digit ratios were calculated. All the participants provided buccal samples, from which genomic DNA was extracted, and the OXTR gene rs53576 polymorphism was genotyped. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23.0; the alpha level for all analyses was set at 0.05. Results The ethnic group factor was the most significant predictor of ratings on BPAQ (medium effect size for physical aggression, anger and hostility scales, and low for verbal aggression). To study the effect of sex, the OXTR polymorphism, and prenatal androgenization, we conducted the z-score transformation for BPAQ scales and 2D:4D for each ethnic group and pooled these data into new z-score variables. According to the GLM analysis after leveling the effects of culture (z-transformation), all four scales of BPAQ demonstrated association with sex (main effects), with men scoring higher on physical and verbal aggression and women scoring higher on anger and hostility. Anger and hostility scales were also associated with OXTR polymorphism and 2D:4D of the right hand. The lowest levels of anger and hostility were observed in individuals with the AA genotype, especially in men. Conclusions Our data suggest that both oxytocin (OXTR gene polymorphism) and fetal testosterone (2D:4D) may significantly affect emotional (anger) and cognitive (hostility) aggression in humans, given the leveling the role of culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Butovskaya
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 32a, 119991, Moscow, Russia. .,National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Victoria Rostovtseva
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 32a, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Valentina Burkova
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 32a, 119991, Moscow, Russia.,National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Daria Dronova
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 32a, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasilisa Filatova
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 32a, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Eugenia Sukhodolskaya
- Federal Budget Institution of Science "Central Research Institute of Epidemiology" of The Federal Service on Customers' Rights Protection and Human Well-being Surveillance, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasiliy Vasiliev
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tania Mesa
- Secció de Zoologia i Antropologia Biològica, Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Araceli Rosa
- Secció de Zoologia i Antropologia Biològica, Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona, Spain.,Centre for Biomedical Research Network on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oleg Lazebny
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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27
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Luo S, Zhu Y, Fan L, Gao D, Han S. Resting-state brain network properties mediate the association between the oxytocin receptor gene and interdependence. Soc Neurosci 2020; 15:296-310. [PMID: 31928145 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2020.1714718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
While an increasing number of behavioral findings have provided gene-culture coevolution accounts of human development, whether and how the brain mediates gene-culture associations remain unresolved. Based on the Culture-Behavior-Brain-Loop Model and the recent finding of associations between the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR, rs53576) and a cultural trait (i.e., interdependence) across populations, we tested the hypothesis that resting-state brain network properties mediate the relationship between OXTR rs53576 and interdependence. G and A allele carriers of OXTR rs53576 were scanned during a resting state using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and completed questionnaires to estimate their interdependence cultural values. We identified significant genotype effects on the local network metrics of the right hippocampus and its functional connectivity with the medial prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, basal ganglia and thalamus. The local network metrics of the right hippocampus and its functional connectivity with the basal ganglia and thalamus were correlated with interdependence. Moreover, both the degree of the right hippocampus and its functional connectivity with the basal ganglia and thalamus mediated the relationship between OXTR and interdependence. Our results provide brain imaging evidence for a key function of the brain in mediating the relationship between genes and culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyang Luo
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University , Guangzhou China
| | - Yiyi Zhu
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University , Guangzhou China.,School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas , Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Leyi Fan
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University , Guangzhou China
| | - Dingguo Gao
- Department of Psychology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University , Guangzhou China
| | - Shihui Han
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University , Beijing, China
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Bozorgmehr A, Alizadeh F, Sadeghi B, Shahbazi A, Norouzi Ofogh S, Joghataei MT, Razian S, Heydari F, Ghadirivasfi M. Oxytocin moderates risky decision-making during the Iowa Gambling Task: A new insight based on the role of oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms and interventional cognitive study. Neurosci Lett 2019; 708:134328. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Association of oxytocin levels and oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism (rs2254298) with cardiovascular risk factors in Brazilian elderly from Primary Health Care. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2019; 84:103903. [PMID: 31326852 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2019.103903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease is a typical phenomenon in the elderly, and are related to unfavorable genetic, hormonal and environmental (lifestyle) interactions. In this context, oxytocin (OT) seems plays a key role in the development of CVD by performing important actions in metabolism energy and hemodynamic variables. OBJECTIVE To verify if there is an association between (OT) levels and the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism (rs2254298) with cardiovascular risk factors (CRF) in the elderly. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study in community-dwelling elderly attending primary health care. The genotyping was done using the polymerase chain reaction technique. The CRF factors investigated included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. Levels of triglycerides (TGC) postprandial and glucose were measured in capillary blood. OT and cortisol levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS The sample comprised 177 elderly individuals. OT levels showed a significant negative correlation with postprandial triglycerides (p = 0.030) and BMI (p = 0.019). OT levels were also associated with leanness (p = 0.005). On Poisson regression analysis, OT remained a predictor for leanness (p = 0.010). No significant associations were observed between the OXTR polymorphism and CRF. CONCLUSION The results suggest that Postprandial TGC levels are increased, while OT levels are decreased, and this hormone was significantly elevated in lean elderly. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings, and the role of OT in metabolic parameters.
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Choi D, Tsuchiya KJ, Takei N. Interaction effect of oxytocin receptor (OXTR) rs53576 genotype and maternal postpartum depression on child behavioural problems. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7685. [PMID: 31118457 PMCID: PMC6531431 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44175-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have reported interaction effects of oxytocin receptor genotype (rs53576) and environmental factors on mental health in youth. However, the findings are mixed, especially regarding the type of allele (i.e., A vs. G), and it remains unanswered whether such an interaction presents at an early stage of development. Thus, using a unique longitudinal birth cohort sample in Japan (n = 568), we examined whether there was an effect of the interaction between the OXTR rs53576 genotype and maternal postpartum depression, as an environmental risk, on behavioural problems in children. Child behavioural problems (internalising and externalising problems) were ascertained using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire when children were 6 years old. Maternal postpartum depression was measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale when children were at 2 months and 10 months of age. The results revealed a significant effect in the interaction between OXTR rs53576 genotype and maternal postpartum depression on externalising problems in children with AA genotype (β = 0.136, 95% CI 0.032 to 0.240), but not in those with GG/GA genotype. This indicates that an interaction of vulnerable genotypes (i.e., A allele of OXTR rs53576) with an environmental burden (i.e. maternal postpartum depression) may be one of the potential elements that predisposes the infant to developing behavioural problems early in life. Hence, special attention needs to be paid to children exposed to environmental risks such as maternal postpartum depression, to facilitate the provision of appropriate care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damee Choi
- Research Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Kenji J Tsuchiya
- Research Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Nori Takei
- Research Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan. .,Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
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31
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Tops S, Habel U, Radke S. Genetic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and the (clinical) implications for social behavior. Horm Behav 2019; 108:84-93. [PMID: 29505762 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin and the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) play an important role in a large variety of social behaviors. The oxytocinergic system interacts with environmental cues and is highly dependent on interindividual factors. Deficits in this system have been linked to mental disorders associated with social impairments, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This review focuses on the modulation of social behavior by alterations in two domains of the oxytocinergic system. We discuss genetic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms and alterations in these mechanisms that were found to have clinical implications for ASD. We propose possible explanations how these alterations affect the biological pathways underlying the aberrant social behavior and point out avenues for future research. We advocate the need for integration studies that combine multiple measures covering a broad range of social behaviors and link these to genetic and epigenetic profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Tops
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Germany.
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Germany; Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA) - BRAIN Institute I, Jülich/Aachen, Germany
| | - Sina Radke
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Germany; Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA) - BRAIN Institute I, Jülich/Aachen, Germany
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Kraaijenvanger EJ, He Y, Spencer H, Smith AK, Bos PA, Boks MP. Epigenetic variability in the human oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene: A possible pathway from early life experiences to psychopathologies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 96:127-142. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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Wilczyński KM, Siwiec A, Janas-Kozik M. Systematic Review of Literature on Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Within the Oxytocin and Vasopressin Receptor Genes in the Development of Social Cognition Dysfunctions in Individuals Suffering From Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:380. [PMID: 31214061 PMCID: PMC6554290 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is found in virtually all population groups regardless of ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds. Among others, dominant symptoms of autism persistent throughout its course of development include, inter alia, qualitative disorders of social communication and social interactions. Numerous studies have been performed on animal models as well as groups of healthy individuals to assess the potential role of oxytocinergic and vasopresynergic systems in normal social functioning. These studies have also discussed their potential participation in the development of social cognition dysfunctions in the course of ASD. This literature review aimed to identify studies examining single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) receptor genes and their differential effects on social cognitive dysfunction in the development of ASD. Methods: A systematic review of literature published within the last 10 years and accessible in PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and APA PsycNET databases was conducted by each author separately. Inclusion criteria required that articles should 1) be published between January 2008 and August 2018; 2) be published in English or Polish; 3) be located in periodical publications; 4) focus on the role of polymorphisms within oxytocin and vasopressin receptor genes in autistic population; 5) provide a clear presentation of the applied methodology; and 6) apply proper methodology. Results: From the 491 studies qualified to the initial abstract analysis, 15 met the six inclusion criteria and were included in the full-text review. Conclusions: The analysis of available literature seems to indicate that there is an association between social cognition dysfunctions in the course of autism and selected alleles of polymorphisms within the OXT receptor AVP 1A receptor genes. However, previous studies neither specify the nature of this association in an unequivocal way nor select genotypes that are the basis for this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Maria Wilczyński
- Pediatric Centre of John Paul II in Sosnowiec Sp. z o.o., Sosnowiec, Poland.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of Developmental Age, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Andrzej Siwiec
- Pediatric Centre of John Paul II in Sosnowiec Sp. z o.o., Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Janas-Kozik
- Pediatric Centre of John Paul II in Sosnowiec Sp. z o.o., Sosnowiec, Poland.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of Developmental Age, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
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Towers AJ, Tremblay MW, Chung L, Li XL, Bey AL, Zhang W, Cao X, Wang X, Wang P, Duffney LJ, Siecinski SK, Xu S, Kim Y, Kong X, Gregory S, Xie W, Jiang YH. Epigenetic dysregulation of Oxtr in Tet1-deficient mice has implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. JCI Insight 2018; 3:120592. [PMID: 30518695 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.120592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
OXTR modulates a variety of behaviors in mammals, including social memory and recognition. Genetic and epigenetic dysregulation of OXTR has been suggested to be implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While the involvement of DNA methylation is suggested, the mechanism underlying epigenetic regulation of OXTR is largely unknown. This has hampered the experimental design and interpretation of the results of epigenetic studies of OXTR in neuropsychiatric disorders. From the generation and characterization of a new line of Tet1 mutant mice - by deleting the largest coding exon 4 (Tet1Δe4) - we discovered for the first time to our knowledge that Oxtr has an array of mRNA isoforms and a complex transcriptional regulation. Select isoforms of Oxtr are significantly reduced in the brain of Tet1Δe4-/- mice. Accordingly, CpG islands of Oxtr are hypermethylated during early development and persist into adulthood. Consistent with the reduced express of OXTR, Tet1Δe4-/- mice display impaired maternal care, social behavior, and synaptic responses to oxytocin stimulation. Our findings elucidate a mechanism mediated by TET1 protein in regulating Oxtr expression by preventing DNA hypermethylation of Oxtr. The discovery of epigenetic dysregulation of Oxtr in TET1-deficient mouse brain supports the necessity of a reassessment of existing findings and a value of future studies of OXTR in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Leeyup Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Xin-Lei Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Alexandra L Bey
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Wenhao Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Cao
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lara J Duffney
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Sonia Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Yuna Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Xiangyin Kong
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Simon Gregory
- University Program in Genetics and Genomics and.,Department of Neurology and Duke Molecular Physiology Institute
| | - Wei Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yong-Hui Jiang
- University Program in Genetics and Genomics and.,Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, and.,Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Cataldo I, Azhari A, Lepri B, Esposito G. Oxytocin receptors (OXTR) and early parental care: An interaction that modulates psychiatric disorders. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2018; 82:27-38. [PMID: 29033100 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin plays an important role in the modulation of social behavior in both typical and atypical contexts. Also, the quality of early parental care sets the foundation for long-term psychosocial development. Here, we review studies that investigated how oxytocin receptor (OXTR) interacts with early parental care experiences to influence the development of psychiatric disorders. Using Pubmed, Scopus and PsycInfo databases, we utilized the keyword "OXTR" before subsequently searching for specific OXTR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), generating a list of 598 studies in total. The papers were catalogued in a database and filtered for gene-environment interaction, psychiatric disorders and involvement of parental care. In particular, rs53576 and rs2254298 were found to be significantly involved in gene-environment interactions that modulated risk for psychopathology and the following psychiatric disorders: disruptive behavior, depression, anxiety, eating disorder and borderline personality disorder. These results illustrate the importance of OXTR in mediating the impact of parental care on the emergence of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Cataldo
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Italy; Mobile and Social Computing Lab, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
| | - Atiqah Azhari
- Division of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Bruno Lepri
- Mobile and Social Computing Lab, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Italy; Division of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
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Nishina K, Takagishi H, Fermin ASR, Inoue-Murayama M, Takahashi H, Sakagami M, Yamagishi T. Association of the oxytocin receptor gene with attitudinal trust: role of amygdala volume. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 13:1091-1097. [PMID: 30202991 PMCID: PMC6204480 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsy075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that genetic variations in rs53576, a common variant of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) resulting from a single nucleotide polymorphism involving an adenine (A)/guanine (G) transition, are associated with attitudinal trust in men. However, the pathway from gene to behaviour has not been elucidated. We conducted the present study to determine whether amygdala volume mediates the association between OXTR rs53576 genotypes and attitudinal trust. Our results revealed that the left amygdala volume was significantly smaller in GG men than in AA and AG men, whereas it was significantly smaller in AA and AG women than in GG women. In addition, the left amygdala volume was negatively associated with attitudinal trust in men, whereas there was no such association in women. We also found a significant mediation effect of the left amygdala volume on the association between OXTR rs53576 genotypes and attitudinal trust in men. The results of our study suggest that the left amygdala volume plays a pivotal role in the association between OXTR rs53576 genotypes and attitudinal trust in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuniyuki Nishina
- Graduate School of Brain Sciences, Tamagawa University, Tamagawagakuen, Machida-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruto Takagishi
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tamagawagakuen, Machida-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - A S R Fermin
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tamagawagakuen, Machida-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miho Inoue-Murayama
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tamagawagakuen, Machida-shi, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masamichi Sakagami
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tamagawagakuen, Machida-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshio Yamagishi
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Tamagawagakuen, Machida-shi, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy, Hitotsubashi University, Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Jurek B, Neumann ID. The Oxytocin Receptor: From Intracellular Signaling to Behavior. Physiol Rev 2018; 98:1805-1908. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00031.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 408] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The many facets of the oxytocin (OXT) system of the brain and periphery elicited nearly 25,000 publications since 1930 (see FIGURE 1 , as listed in PubMed), which revealed central roles for OXT and its receptor (OXTR) in reproduction, and social and emotional behaviors in animal and human studies focusing on mental and physical health and disease. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of OXT expression and release, expression and binding of the OXTR in brain and periphery, OXTR-coupled signaling cascades, and their involvement in behavioral outcomes to assemble a comprehensive picture of the central and peripheral OXT system. Traditionally known for its role in milk let-down and uterine contraction during labor, OXT also has implications in physiological, and also behavioral, aspects of reproduction, such as sexual and maternal behaviors and pair bonding, but also anxiety, trust, sociability, food intake, or even drug abuse. The many facets of OXT are, on a molecular basis, brought about by a single receptor. The OXTR, a 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor capable of binding to either Gαior Gαqproteins, activates a set of signaling cascades, such as the MAPK, PKC, PLC, or CaMK pathways, which converge on transcription factors like CREB or MEF-2. The cellular response to OXT includes regulation of neurite outgrowth, cellular viability, and increased survival. OXTergic projections in the brain represent anxiety and stress-regulating circuits connecting the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, or the medial prefrontal cortex. Which OXT-induced patterns finally alter the behavior of an animal or a human being is still poorly understood, and studying those OXTR-coupled signaling cascades is one initial step toward a better understanding of the molecular background of those behavioral effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Jurek
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D. Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Mokkonen M, Koskela E, Procyshyn T, Crespi B. Socio-reproductive Conflicts and the Father's Curse Dilemma. Am Nat 2018; 192:250-262. [PMID: 30016171 DOI: 10.1086/698216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary conflicts between males and females can manifest over sexually antagonistic interactions at loci or over sexually antagonistic interests within a locus. The latter form of conflict, intralocus sexual conflict, arises from sexually antagonistic selection and constrains the fitness of individuals through a phenotypic compromise. These conflicts, and socio-reproductive interactions in general, are commonly mediated by hormones, and thus predictive insights can be gained from studying their mediating effects. Here, we integrate several lines of evidence to describe a novel, hormonally mediated reproductive dilemma that we call the father's curse, which results from an intralocus conflict between mating and parental efforts. Essentially, a genetic locus exerts pleiotropic and antagonistic effects on the mating effort of one individual and the parental effort of a related individual who is the primary provider of parental care. We outline the criteria for operation of the father's curse dilemma, provide evidence of the phenomenon, and discuss the predictions and outcomes arising from its dynamics. By integrating the effects of hormones into socio-reproductive conflicts and socio-reproductive effort, clearer links between genotypes, phenotypes, and fitness can be established.
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Flasbeck V, Moser D, Kumsta R, Brüne M. The OXTR Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism rs53576 Moderates the Impact of Childhood Maltreatment on Empathy for Social Pain in Female Participants: Evidence for Differential Susceptibility. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:359. [PMID: 30135663 PMCID: PMC6092568 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has associated genetic variations of the oxytocin receptor with individual differences in human social behavior. Specifically, homozygous carriers of the G-allele of the single nucleotide polymorphism rs53576 have been reported to display more trust, empathy, and prosocial behavior and were less sensitive toward stress and maltreatment during childhood when compared to A-allele carriers. With regard to Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), a psychiatric condition that is often associated with the experience of childhood adversity, it has been suggested that A-allele carriers are more vulnerable to developing psychopathological signs and symptoms. In the present study we investigated whether childhood trauma, as assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), affects empathy for somatic and psychological pain, and how this is moderated by genotype, in a sample of 302 individuals (148 of whom were diagnosed with BPD). We found a three-way interaction between genotype, group and pain condition. Posthoc comparisons revealed that patients with BPD carrying at least one A-allele, rated psychological pain as more intense compared to controls, whereas no difference between groups emerged in GG homozygotes. Moreover, a moderating effect of genotype appeared on the impact of childhood trauma on empathy for psychological pain. In addition, a positive correlation of CTQ scores and empathy appeared only in A-allele carriers (GA + AA), independent of diagnosis. Together, A-allele carriers, especially those with BPD, seemed to be responsive to the impact of adversity on empathy-for-pain, while GG homozygotes were not, which is compatible with the idea of differential susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Flasbeck
- Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dirk Moser
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Martin Brüne
- Division of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Ocakoğlu FT, Köse S, Özbaran B, Onay H. The oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism -rs237902- is associated with the severity of autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study. Asian J Psychiatr 2018; 31:142-149. [PMID: 29428512 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 12/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous studies showed the association of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene. We aimed to explore the OXTR gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the ASD severity categories based on DSM-5. METHOD The whole encoding regions of the human OXTR gene were sequenced to identify the SNPs in 100 Turkish children with ASD. Genotypes of detected SNPs were also compared with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores. RESULTS Disease severity of the patients carrying GA and AA genotypes (GA/AA) of rs237902 were found more severe compared to those carrying GG genotype (χ2 = 6.456, df = 2, p = .040). This finding was more powerful in boys (χ2 = 9.288, df = 2, p = .010). Similarly, GA/AA genotypes of rs237902 were found associated with higher CARS scores in boys (U = 650.5, r = 0.24, p = .021). CONCLUSION Significant relationship between the ASD severity categories of DSM-5 and rs237902 was shown for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fevzi Tuna Ocakoğlu
- Batman District State Hospital, Child Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic, MA: 72070, Batman, Turkey.
| | - Sezen Köse
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
| | - Burcu Özbaran
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
| | - Hüseyin Onay
- Department of Medical Genetic, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
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Yang S, Dong X, Guo X, Han Y, Song H, Gao L, Dai W, Su Y, Zhang X. Serum Oxytocin Levels and an Oxytocin Receptor Gene Polymorphism (rs2254298) Indicate Social Deficits in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:221. [PMID: 28484366 PMCID: PMC5399030 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) and its receptor (OXTR) have been predicted to be involved in the regulation of social functioning in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Objective of the study was to investigate serum OT levels and the OXTR rs2254298 polymorphism in Chinese Han children and adolescents with ASD as well as to identify their social deficits relevant to the oxytocinergic system. We tested serum OT levels using ELISA in 55 ASD subjects and 110 typically developing (TD) controls as well as genotyped the OXTR rs2254298 polymorphism using PCR-RFLP in 100 ASD subjects and 232 TD controls. Autistic symptoms were assessed by the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). There were no significant associations between OXTR rs2254298 polymorphism and ASD, serum OT levels and age, as well as serum OT levels and intelligent quotient (IQ) in both ASD and TD groups. However, ASD subjects exhibited elevated serum OT levels compared to TD controls and positive correlations between serum OT levels and “adaptation to change score” in the CARS and CARS total scores. Moreover, in the ASD group, significant relationships were revealed between the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2254298 and serum OT levels, the category “stereotypes and object use” in the ABC and the category “adaptation to change” in the CARS. These findings indicated that individuals with ASD may exhibit a dysregulation in OT on the basis of changes in OXTR gene expression as well as environmentally induced alterations of the oxytocinergic system to determine their social deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhan Yang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
| | - Xiaopeng Dong
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
| | - Xuan Guo
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
| | - Yu Han
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
| | - Hanbing Song
- Department of Applied Science, The College of William and MaryWilliamsburg, VA, USA
| | - Lei Gao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
| | - Yuanyuan Su
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China
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Balancing selection maintains polymorphisms at neurogenetic loci in field experiments. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:3690-3695. [PMID: 28325880 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1621228114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Most variation in behavior has a genetic basis, but the processes determining the level of diversity at behavioral loci are largely unknown for natural populations. Expression of arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (Avpr1a) and oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) in specific regions of the brain regulates diverse social and reproductive behaviors in mammals, including humans. That these genes have important fitness consequences and that natural populations contain extensive diversity at these loci implies the action of balancing selection. In Myodes glareolus, Avpr1a and Oxtr each contain a polymorphic microsatellite locus located in their 5' regulatory region (the regulatory region-associated microsatellite, RRAM) that likely regulates gene expression. To test the hypothesis that balancing selection maintains diversity at behavioral loci, we released artificially bred females and males with different RRAM allele lengths into field enclosures that differed in population density. The length of Avpr1a and Oxtr RRAMs was associated with reproductive success, but population density and the sex interacted to determine the optimal genotype. In general, longer Avpr1a RRAMs were more beneficial for males, and shorter RRAMs were more beneficial for females; the opposite was true for Oxtr RRAMs. Moreover, Avpr1a RRAM allele length is correlated with the reproductive success of the sexes during different phases of reproduction; for males, RRAM length correlated with the numbers of newborn offspring, but for females selection was evident on the number of weaned offspring. This report of density-dependence and sexual antagonism acting on loci within the arginine vasopressin-oxytocin pathway explains how genetic diversity at Avpr1a and Oxtr could be maintained in natural populations.
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Genes Related to Oxytocin and Arginine-Vasopressin Pathways: Associations with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neurosci Bull 2017; 33:238-246. [PMID: 28283809 PMCID: PMC5360847 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-017-0120-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interactions, communication deficits, and repetitive behavior. Although the mechanisms underlying its etiology and manifestations are poorly understood, several lines of evidence from rodent and human studies suggest involvement of the evolutionarily highly-conserved oxytocin (OXT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP), as these neuropeptides modulate various aspects of mammalian social behavior. As far as we know, there is no comprehensive review of the roles of the OXT and AVP systems in the development of ASD from the genetic aspect. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding associations between ASD and single-nucleotide variants of the human OXT-AVP pathway genes OXT, AVP, AVP receptor 1a (AVPR1a), OXT receptor (OXTR), the oxytocinase/vasopressinase (LNPEP), and ADP-ribosyl cyclase (CD38).
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Micali N, Crous‐Bou M, Treasure J, Lawson EA. Association Between Oxytocin Receptor Genotype, Maternal Care, and Eating Disorder Behaviours in a Community Sample of Women. EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW 2017; 25:19-25. [PMID: 27862641 PMCID: PMC5216446 DOI: 10.1002/erv.2486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate associations between oxytocin receptor gene (OXT-R) polymorphisms (rs53576 and rs2254298), their interaction with maternal care (GxE), and ED behaviours in a community sample. We studied 3698 women from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) who participated in a two-phase prevalence study of lifetime ED and had genotype data. The GG rs53576 genotype was associated with binge eating and purging, and the rs2254298 AG/AA genotype with restrictive eating lifetime. In addition, the rs2254298 AG/AA genotype interacted with poor maternal care to increase the odds of binge eating and purging (odds ratio = 4.40 (95% confidence intervals: 1.11-17.4)). This study replicates previous findings of an association between OXT-R polymorphisms and ED, and it is the first to show an interaction between OXT-R genotype and poor maternal care. As such, these findings highlight the important role of oxytocin in understanding the pathophysiology of ED. © 2016 The Authors European Eating Disorders Review published by Eating Disorders Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Micali
- Eating and Weight Disorders Program, Department of PsychiatryIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNYUSA
- Mindich Child Health and Development InstituteIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNYUSA
- Institute of Child HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Marta Crous‐Bou
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of MedicineBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyHarvard T. H. Chan School of Public HealthBostonMAUSA
| | - Janet Treasure
- Eating Disorders Research Unit, Psychological MedicineInstitute of Psychiatry, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine UnitMassachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
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Molecular Basis of Oxytocin Receptor Signalling in the Brain: What We Know and What We Need to Know. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2017; 35:3-29. [PMID: 28812263 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2017_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT), a hypothalamic neuropeptide involved in regulating the social behaviour of all vertebrates, has been proposed as a treatment for a number of neuropsychiatric disorders characterised by deficits in the social domain. Over the last few decades, advances focused on understanding the social effects of OT and its role in physiological conditions and brain diseases, but much less has been done to clarify the molecular cascade of events involved in mediating such effects and in particular the cellular and molecular pharmacology of OT and its target receptor (OTR) in neuronal and glial cells.The entity and persistence of OT activity in the brain is closely related to the expression and regulation of the OTR expressed on the cell surface, which transmits the signal intracellularly and permits OT to affect cell function. Understanding the various signalling mechanisms mediating OTR-induced cell responses is crucial to determine the different responses in different cells and brain regions, and the success of OT and OT-derived analogues in the treatment of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases depends on how well we can control such responses. In this review, we will consider the most important aspects of OT/OTR signalling by focusing on the molecular events involved in OT binding and coupling, on the main signalling pathways activated by the OTR in neuronal cells and on intracellular and plasma membrane OTR trafficking, all of which contribute to the quantitative and qualitative features of OT responses in the brain.
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McInnis OA, McQuaid RJ, Matheson K, Anisman H. Unsupportive social interactions and affective states: examining associations of two oxytocin-related polymorphisms. Stress 2017; 20:122-129. [PMID: 28235397 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2017.1286326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on oxytocin-related genes, specifically the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) rs53576 and the CD38 rs3796863 variants, have been associated with alterations in prosocial behaviors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students (N = 476) to examine associations between the OXTR and CD38 polymorphisms and unsupportive social interactions and mood states. Results revealed no association between perceived levels of unsupportive social interactions and the OXTR polymorphism. However, A carriers of the CD38 polymorphism, a variant previously associated with elevated oxytocin, reported greater perceived peer unsupportive interactions compared to CC carriers. As expected, perceived unsupportive interactions from peers was associated with greater negative affect, which was moderated by the CD38 polymorphism. Specifically, this relation was stronger among CC carriers of the CD38 polymorphism (a variant thought to be linked to lower oxytocin). When examining whether the OXTR polymorphism moderated the relation between unsupportive social interactions from peers and negative affect there was a trend toward significance, however, this did not withstand multiple testing corrections. These findings are consistent with the perspective that a variant on an oxytocin polymorphism that may be tied to lower oxytocin is related to poor mood outcomes in association with negative social interactions. At the same time, having a genetic constitution presumed to be associated with higher oxytocin was related to increased perceptions of unsupportive social interactions. These seemingly paradoxical findings could be related to previous reports in which variants associated with prosocial behaviors were also tied to relatively more effective coping styles to deal with challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Opal A McInnis
- a Department of Neuroscience , Carleton University , Ottawa , ON , Canada
| | - Robyn J McQuaid
- a Department of Neuroscience , Carleton University , Ottawa , ON , Canada
| | - Kimberly Matheson
- a Department of Neuroscience , Carleton University , Ottawa , ON , Canada
| | - Hymie Anisman
- a Department of Neuroscience , Carleton University , Ottawa , ON , Canada
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Vaht M, Kurrikoff T, Laas K, Veidebaum T, Harro J. Oxytocin receptor gene variation rs53576 and alcohol abuse in a longitudinal population representative study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 74:333-341. [PMID: 27716573 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oxytocin is an important regulator of social relationships and has been implicated in development of substance use and addiction. We examined the association of a variance in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR rs53576 polymorphism) with alcohol use in a population-representative sample, and potential moderation by social functioning. METHODS The analysis was carried out on the older birth cohort of the longitudinal Estonian Children Personality Behaviour and Health Study (ECPBHS), a cohort of initially 15 years old children (original n=593) recalled at ages 18 and 25. In all data collection waves the participants reported the frequency of consuming alcoholic beverages. Psychiatric interview was carried out at age 25 to assess the lifetime prevalence of substance use disorders. Adverse social interactions with teachers, classmates and family members were self-reported at ages 15 and 18. The minor (A) allele frequency was 0.37. RESULTS Males homozygous for the A allele (suggested to be associated with less efficient oxytocinergic functioning) were more frequent alcohol consumers at ages 15 and 18 and also more likely to have had alcohol abuse or addiction by age 25 compared to male G allele carriers. Alcohol use was not associated with the OXTR genotype in females. Both male and female AA homozygotes who had reported less favourable relations with their teachers at age 15 more likely had alcohol use disorder. CONCLUSIONS OXTR rs53576 polymorphism is associated with alcohol use and prevalence of alcohol use disorders in males, and this may be moderated by inferior interpersonal relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariliis Vaht
- Division of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Psychology, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Triin Kurrikoff
- Division of Sociology, Department of Social Studies, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kariina Laas
- Division of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Psychology, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Toomas Veidebaum
- National Institute for Health Development, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Jaanus Harro
- Division of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Psychology, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, University of Tartu, Estonia.
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Helmer H, Tretzmüller U, Brunbauer M, Kaider A, Husslein P, Knöfler M. Production of Oxytocin Receptor and Cytokines in Primary Uterine Smooth Muscle Cells Cultivated Under Inflammatory Conditions. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/107155760200900104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Peter Husslein
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medical Computersciences, General Hospital, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Knöfler
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medical Computersciences, General Hospital, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Affiliation(s)
- B. F. Mitchell
- Perinatal Research Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Birgit Schmid
- Perinatal Research Centre, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Kanthak MK, Chen FS, Kumsta R, Hill LK, Thayer JF, Heinrichs M. Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism modulates the effects of social support on heart rate variability. Biol Psychol 2016; 117:43-49. [PMID: 26903384 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2016.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
A large body of empirical research has demonstrated stress-buffering effects of social support. However, recent studies suggest that genetic variation of the oxytocin system (specifically, a common single nucleotide polymorphism, rs53576, of the oxytocin receptor gene) modulates the efficacy of social support. The timing and neurobiological basis of this genetic modulation were investigated using a standardized, laboratory-based psychological stress procedure (Trier Social Stress Test for Groups, TSST-G). To index potential stress buffering effects of social support mediated by the oxytocin system, heart rate variability (HRV) was obtained before and during the TSST-G from 40 healthy participants. Results indicate that social support is associated with higher HRV only in G allele carriers. Specifically, social support increased heart rate variability during direct social interaction and only in individuals with at least one copy of the G allele of rs53576. These findings support the idea that the stress-attenuating effects of social support are modulated by genetic variation of the oxytocin system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena K Kanthak
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Biological Psychology, Technical University of Dresden, Germany
| | - Frances S Chen
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
| | - LaBarron K Hill
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Julian F Thayer
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
| | - Markus Heinrichs
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Germany; Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Germany.
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