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Hu H, Zarate CA, Verbalis J. Arginine vasopressin in mood disorders: A potential biomarker of disease pathology and a target for pharmacologic intervention. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024; 78:495-506. [PMID: 38923665 PMCID: PMC11371531 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13703] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Vasopressin or arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is a neuropeptide molecule known for its antidiuretic effects and serves to regulate plasma osmolality and blood pressure. The existing literature suggests that AVP plays a multifaceted-though less well-known-role in the central nervous system (CNS), particularly in relation to the pathophysiology and treatment of mood disorders. Animal models have demonstrated that AVP is implicated in regulating social cognition, affiliative and prosocial behaviors, and aggression, often in conjunction with oxytocin. In humans, AVP is implicated in mood disorders through its effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis as well as on the serotoninergic and glutamatergic systems. Measuring plasma AVP has yielded interesting but mixed results in mood and stress-related disorders. Recent advances have led to the development of copeptin as a stable and reliable surrogate biomarker for AVP. Another interesting but relatively unexplored issue is the interaction between the osmoregulatory system and mood disorder pathophysiology, given that psychotropic medications often cause dysregulation of AVP receptor expression or signaling that can subsequently lead to clinical syndromes like syndrome of inappropriate diuresis and diabetes insipidus. Finally, pharmaceutical trials of agents that act on V1a and V1b receptor antagonists are still underway. This narrative review summarizes: (1) the neurobiology of the vasopressinergic system in the CNS; (2) the interaction between AVP and the monoaminergic and glutamatergic pathways in the pathophysiology and treatment of mood disorders; (3) the iatrogenic AVP dysregulation caused by psychotropic medications; and (4) the pharmaceutical development of AVP receptor antagonists for the treatment of mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroe Hu
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Carlos A Zarate
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph Verbalis
- Department of Endocrinology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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2
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Perrelli M, Goparaju P, Postolache TT, del Bosque-Plata L, Gragnoli C. Stress and the CRH System, Norepinephrine, Depression, and Type 2 Diabetes. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1187. [PMID: 38927393 PMCID: PMC11200886 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12061187] [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: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) by 60% in untreated patients, and hypercortisolism is common in MDD as well as in some patients with T2D. Patients with MDD, despite hypercortisolism, show inappropriately normal levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) in the cerebrospinal fluid, which might implicate impaired negative feedback. Also, a positive feedback loop of the CRH-norepinephrine (NE)-CRH system may be involved in the hypercortisolism of MDD and T2D. Dysfunctional CRH receptor 1 (CRHR1) and CRH receptor 2 (CRHR2), both of which are involved in glucose regulation, may explain hypercortisolism in MDD and T2D, at least in a subgroup of patients. CRHR1 increases glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Dysfunctional CRHR1 variants can cause hypercortisolism, leading to serotonin dysfunction and depression, which can contribute to hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and increased visceral fat, all of which are characteristics of T2D. CRHR2 is implicated in glucose homeostasis through the regulation of insulin secretion and gastrointestinal functions, and it stimulates insulin sensitivity at the muscular level. A few studies show a correlation of the CRHR2 gene with depressive disorders. Based on our own research, we have found a linkage and association (i.e., linkage disequilibrium [LD]) of the genes CRHR1 and CRHR2 with MDD and T2D in families with T2D. The correlation of CRHR1 and CRHR2 with MDD appears stronger than that with T2D, and per our hypothesis, MDD may precede the onset of T2D. According to the findings of our analysis, CRHR1 and CRHR2 variants could modify the response to prolonged chronic stress and contribute to high levels of cortisol, increasing the risk of developing MDD, T2D, and the comorbidity MDD-T2D. We report here the potential links of the CRH system, NE, and their roles in MDD and T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pruthvi Goparaju
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE 68124, USA;
| | - Teodor T. Postolache
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 19, Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO 80246, USA
- Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 5, VA Capitol Health Care Network, Baltimore, MD 21090, USA
| | - Laura del Bosque-Plata
- Nutrigenetics, and Nutrigenomic Laboratory, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Mexico City 14610, Mexico;
| | - Claudia Gragnoli
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE 68124, USA;
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
- Klinik für Endokrinologie, Diabetologie und Klinische Ernährung, Universitätsspital Zürich, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Bios Biotech Multi-Diagnostic Health Center, 00197 Rome, Italy
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3
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László K, Vörös D, Correia P, Fazekas CL, Török B, Plangár I, Zelena D. Vasopressin as Possible Treatment Option in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2603. [PMID: 37892977 PMCID: PMC10603886 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102603] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is rather common, presenting with prevalent early problems in social communication and accompanied by repetitive behavior. As vasopressin was implicated not only in salt-water homeostasis and stress-axis regulation, but also in social behavior, its role in the development of ASD might be suggested. In this review, we summarized a wide range of problems associated with ASD to which vasopressin might contribute, from social skills to communication, motor function problems, autonomous nervous system alterations as well as sleep disturbances, and altered sensory information processing. Beside functional connections between vasopressin and ASD, we draw attention to the anatomical background, highlighting several brain areas, including the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, medial preoptic area, lateral septum, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, amygdala, hippocampus, olfactory bulb and even the cerebellum, either producing vasopressin or containing vasopressinergic receptors (presumably V1a). Sex differences in the vasopressinergic system might underline the male prevalence of ASD. Moreover, vasopressin might contribute to the effectiveness of available off-label therapies as well as serve as a possible target for intervention. In this sense, vasopressin, but paradoxically also V1a receptor antagonist, were found to be effective in some clinical trials. We concluded that although vasopressin might be an effective candidate for ASD treatment, we might assume that only a subgroup (e.g., with stress-axis disturbances), a certain sex (most probably males) and a certain brain area (targeting by means of virus vectors) would benefit from this therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristóf László
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (K.L.); (D.V.); (P.C.); (C.L.F.); (B.T.); (I.P.)
- Center of Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
| | - Dávid Vörös
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (K.L.); (D.V.); (P.C.); (C.L.F.); (B.T.); (I.P.)
- Center of Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
| | - Pedro Correia
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (K.L.); (D.V.); (P.C.); (C.L.F.); (B.T.); (I.P.)
- Center of Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Hungarian Research Network, Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csilla Lea Fazekas
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (K.L.); (D.V.); (P.C.); (C.L.F.); (B.T.); (I.P.)
- Center of Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Hungarian Research Network, Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bibiána Török
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (K.L.); (D.V.); (P.C.); (C.L.F.); (B.T.); (I.P.)
- Center of Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Hungarian Research Network, Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Imola Plangár
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (K.L.); (D.V.); (P.C.); (C.L.F.); (B.T.); (I.P.)
- Center of Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
| | - Dóra Zelena
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary; (K.L.); (D.V.); (P.C.); (C.L.F.); (B.T.); (I.P.)
- Center of Neuroscience, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Szentágothai Research Center, University of Pécs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary
- Hungarian Research Network, Institute of Experimental Medicine, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
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Wang H, Bin Wang, Pan MB, Jiang ST, Wang YC, Zhu Y, Zhang QC, Dong YF. Disorders in the gut and liver are involved in depression contagion between isosexual post-stroke depression mice and the healthy cohabitors. Behav Brain Res 2023; 439:114246. [PMID: 36481213 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Despite the accumulated evidence that pair housing could attenuate post-stroke depression (PSD), but less attention has been paid to the healthy cohabitors, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to determine whether there is depressive contagion between PSD mice and their healthy cohabitors. PSD was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) plus restraint stress for four weeks. Three days after MCAO, the mice were restrained two hours per day and isosexually pair-housed for four weeks. The results showed that, compared with the partners pair housed with normal control mice (Ctrl group), the partners pair housed with PSD mice (CH group) displayed depressive-like behaviors, including decreased sucrose preference rate, significantly shorter duration in the center arena and reduced total distance in the open-field test, and extended immobile time in forced swimming test and tail-suspension test without sex differences. Regarding the change in the body weight, only the males showed a significant reduction on days 17 and 24 after treatment. Furthermore, the CH group showed significantly increased corticosterone and decreased oxytocin (OXT) levels in serum, while the mRNA levels of OXT, vasopressin and oxytocin receptor were remarkably upregulated in the hypothalamus of the CH group. However, there was no significant change in the vasopressin receptor V1a. Interestingly, compared with the Ctrl group, there was a significant decrease in butyrate in serum of the CH group. Consistently, they had mild liver dysfunction with increased alanine transaminase, extended hepatic sinus surrounded by enhanced SLC22A9, and significantly increased Iba1-positive macrophages. Moreover, the expression of tight junction protein (Occludin and ZO-1) obviously decreased in the colon with increasing Iba1-positive cells. These results suggest that isosexual pair-housing with PSD mice causes the healthy partners to develop depressive-like behaviors with disturbances in the gut and liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Department of Medical Care, School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Medical Care, School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Mei-Bo Pan
- Department of Medical Care, School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Su-Ting Jiang
- Department of Medical Care, School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yi-Chen Wang
- Department of Medical Care, School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Medical Care, School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Qi-Chun Zhang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicity, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yin-Feng Dong
- Department of Medical Care, School of Nursing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
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Vasopressin as a Possible Link between Sleep-Disturbances and Memory Problems. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415467. [PMID: 36555107 PMCID: PMC9778878 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415467] [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: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Normal biological rhythms, including sleep, are very important for a healthy life and their disturbance may induce-among other issues-memory impairment, which is a key problem of many psychiatric pathologies. The major brain center of circadian regulation is the suprachiasmatic nucleus, and vasopressin (AVP), which is one of its main neurotransmitters, also plays a key role in memory formation. In this review paper, we aimed to summarize our knowledge on the vasopressinergic connection between sleep and memory with the help of the AVP-deficient Brattleboro rat strain. These animals have EEG disturbances with reduced sleep and impaired memory-boosting theta oscillation and show memory impairment in parallel. Based upon human and animal data measuring AVP levels, haplotypes, and the administration of AVP or its agonist or antagonist via different routes (subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intracerebroventricular, or intranasal), V1a receptors (especially of hippocampal origin) were implicated in the sleep-memory interaction. All in all, the presented data confirm the possible connective role of AVP between biological rhythms and memory formation, thus, supporting the importance of AVP in several psychopathological conditions.
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Hu G, Zhang M, Wang Y, Yu M, Zhou Y. Potential of Heterogeneous Compounds as Antidepressants: A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213776. [PMID: 36430254 PMCID: PMC9692659 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a globally widespread disorder caused by a complicated interplay of social, psychological, and biological factors. Approximately 280 million people are suffering from depression worldwide. Traditional frontline antidepressants targeting monoamine neurotransmitters show unsatisfactory effects. The development and application of novel antidepressants for dissimilar targets are on the agenda. This review characterizes the antidepressant effects of multiple endogenous compounds and/or their targets to provide new insight into the working mechanism of antidepressants. We also discuss perspectives and challenges for the generation of novel antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonghui Hu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, China
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
- Institute of Brain Sciences and Related Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
- Institute of Brain Sciences and Related Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yuyang Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Ming Yu
- Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation Institute, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, China
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
- Institute of Brain Sciences and Related Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
- Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation Institute, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao 266000, China
- Correspondence:
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7
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Markiewicz-Gospodarek A, Kuszta P, Baj J, Dobrowolska B, Markiewicz R. Can Neuropeptide S Be an Indicator for Assessing Anxiety in Psychiatric Disorders? Front Public Health 2022; 10:872430. [PMID: 35558538 PMCID: PMC9087177 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.872430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptide S (NPS) is a neuropeptide primarily produced within three brainstem regions including locus coeruleus, trigeminal nerve nucleus, and lateral parabrachial nucleus. NPS is involved in the central regulation of stress, fear, and cognitive integration. NPS is a mediator of behavior, seeking food, and the proliferation of new adipocytes in the setting of obesity. So far, current research of NPS is only limited to animal models; data regarding its functions in humans is still scarce. Animal studies showed that anxiety and appetite might be suppressed by the action of NPS. The discovery of this neuromodulator peptide is effective considering its strong anxiolytic action, which has the potential to be an interesting therapeutic option in treating neuropsychiatric disorders. In this article, we aimed to analyze the pharmaceutical properties of NPS as well as its influence on several neurophysiological aspects-modulation of behavior, association with obesity, as well as its potential application in rehabilitation and treatment of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Piotr Kuszta
- Students Scientific Association at the Department of Human Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Jacek Baj
- Department of Human Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Beata Dobrowolska
- Department of Holistic Care and Management in Nursing, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Renata Markiewicz
- Department of Neurology, Neurological and Psychiatric Nursing, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Cid-Jofré V, Moreno M, Reyes-Parada M, Renard GM. Role of Oxytocin and Vasopressin in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Therapeutic Potential of Agonists and Antagonists. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222112077. [PMID: 34769501 PMCID: PMC8584779 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222112077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are hypothalamic neuropeptides classically associated with their regulatory role in reproduction, water homeostasis, and social behaviors. Interestingly, this role has expanded in recent years and has positioned these neuropeptides as therapeutic targets for various neuropsychiatric diseases such as autism, addiction, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders. Due to the chemical-physical characteristics of these neuropeptides including short half-life, poor blood-brain barrier penetration, promiscuity for AVP and OT receptors (AVP-R, OT-R), novel ligands have been developed in recent decades. This review summarizes the role of OT and AVP in neuropsychiatric conditions, as well as the findings of different OT-R and AVP-R agonists and antagonists, used both at the preclinical and clinical level. Furthermore, we discuss their possible therapeutic potential for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeska Cid-Jofré
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (V.C.-J.); (M.M.)
| | - Macarena Moreno
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (V.C.-J.); (M.M.)
- Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Bernardo OHiggins, Santiago 8370993, Chile
| | - Miguel Reyes-Parada
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (V.C.-J.); (M.M.)
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Providencia 7500912, Chile
- Correspondence: (M.R.-P.); (G.M.R.)
| | - Georgina M. Renard
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170022, Chile; (V.C.-J.); (M.M.)
- Correspondence: (M.R.-P.); (G.M.R.)
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Huang S, Li G, Pan Y, Liu J, Zhao J, Zhang X, Lu W, Wan X, Krebs CJ, Wang Z, Han W, Zhang Z. Population variation alters aggression-associated oxytocin and vasopressin expressions in brains of Brandt's voles in field conditions. Front Zool 2021; 18:56. [PMID: 34717666 PMCID: PMC8557550 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-021-00441-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Density-dependent change in aggressive behavior contributes to the population regulation of many small rodents, but the underlying neurological mechanisms have not been examined in field conditions. We hypothesized that crowding stress and aggression-associated oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in specific regions of the brain may be closely related to aggressive behaviors and population changes of small rodents. We analyzed the association of OT and AVP expression, aggressive behavior, and population density of Brandt’s voles in 24 large semi-natural enclosures (0.48 ha each) in Inner Mongolia grassland. We tested the effects of population density on the OT/AVP system and aggressive behavior by experimentally manipulating populations of Brandt’s voles in the grassland enclosures. High density was positively and significantly associated with more aggressive behavior, and increased expression of mRNA and protein of AVP and its receptor, but decreased expression of mRNA and protein of OT and its receptor in specific brain regions of the voles. Our study suggests that changes in OT/AVP expression are likely a result of the increased psychosocial stress that these voles experience during overcrowding, and thus the OT/AVP system can be used as indicators of density-dependent stressors in Brandt’s voles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuli Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guoliang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yongliang Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,School of Medicine, Huzhou University, Huzhou, 313000, China
| | - Jing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jidong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xinrong Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Charles J Krebs
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-1270, USA
| | - Wenxuan Han
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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10
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Xie S, Hu Y, Fang L, Chen S, Botchway BOA, Tan X, Fang M, Hu Z. The association of oxytocin with major depressive disorder: role of confounding effects of antidepressants. Rev Neurosci 2021; 33:59-77. [PMID: 33989469 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2020-0128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is a genetic susceptible disease, and a psychiatric syndrome with a high rate of incidence and recurrence. Because of its complexity concerning etiology and pathogenesis, the cure rate of first-line antidepressants is low. In recent years, accumulative evidences revealed that oxytocin act as a physiological or pathological participant in a variety of complex neuropsychological activities, including major depressive disorder. Six electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, CNKI, and Wanfang) were employed for researching relevant publications. At last, 226 articles were extracted. The current review addresses the correlation of the oxytocin system and major depressive disorder. Besides, we summarize the mechanisms by which the oxytocin system exerts potential antidepressant effects, including regulating neuronal activity, influencing neuroplasticity and regeneration, altering neurotransmitter release, down regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, anti-inflammatory, antioxidation, and genetic effects. Increasing evidence shows that oxytocin and its receptor gene may play a potential role in major depressive disorder. Future research should focus on the predictive ability of the oxytocin system as a biomarker, as well as its role in targeted prevention and early intervention of major depressive disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Xie
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Department, Integrated Chinese and West Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, 208 Huanchendong Road, 310003Hangzhou, China.,Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 310053Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan Hu
- Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 310053Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Fang
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Department, Integrated Chinese and West Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, 208 Huanchendong Road, 310003Hangzhou, China
| | - Shijia Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058Hangzhou, China
| | - Benson O A Botchway
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoning Tan
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058Hangzhou, China
| | - Marong Fang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 310058Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiying Hu
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Department, Integrated Chinese and West Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, 208 Huanchendong Road, 310003Hangzhou, China
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11
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Komnenov D, Quaal H, Rossi NF. V 1a and V 1b vasopressin receptors within the paraventricular nucleus contribute to hypertension in male rats exposed to chronic mild unpredictable stress. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2021; 320:R213-R225. [PMID: 33264070 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00245.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Depression is an independent nontraditional risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. The chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS) rat model is a validated model of depression. Within the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), vasopressin (VP) via V1aR and V1bR have been implicated in stress and neurocardiovascular dysregulation. We hypothesized that in conscious, unrestrained CMS rats versus control, unstressed rats, PVN VP results in elevated arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) via activation of V1aR and/or V1bR. Male rats underwent 4 wk of CMS or control conditions. They were then equipped with hemodynamic telemetry transmitters, PVN cannula, and left renal nerve electrode. V1aR or V1bR antagonism dose-dependently inhibited MAP after VP injection. V1aR or V1bR blockers at their ED50 doses did not alter baseline parameters in either control or CMS rats but attenuated the pressor response to VP microinjected into PVN by ∼50%. Combined V1aR and V1bR inhibition completely blocked the pressor response to PVN VP in control but not CMS rats. CMS rats required combined maximally inhibitory doses to block either endogenous VP within the PVN or responses to microinjected VP. Compared with unstressed control rats, CMS rats had higher plasma VP levels and greater abundance of V1aR and V1bR transcripts within PVN. Thus, the CMS rat model of depression results in higher resting MAP, heart rate, and RSNA, which can be mitigated by inhibiting vasopressinergic mechanisms involving both V1aR and V1bR within the PVN. Circulating VP may also play a role in the pressor response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dragana Komnenov
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Harrison Quaal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Noreen F Rossi
- John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
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12
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Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes in the Dentate Gyrus and Anterior Cingulate Cortex in a Mouse Model of Depression. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:5013565. [PMID: 33628784 PMCID: PMC7892236 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5013565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent, chronic, and relapse-prone psychiatric disease. However, the intermediate molecules resulting from stress and neurological impairment in different brain regions are still unclear. To clarify the pathological changes in the dentate gyrus (DG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) regions of the MDD brain, which are the most closely related to the disease, we investigated the published microarray profile dataset GSE84183 to identify unpredictable chronic mild stress- (UCMS-) induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the DG and ACC regions. Based on the DEG data, functional annotation, protein-protein interaction, and transcription factor (TF) analyses were performed. In this study, 1071 DEGs (679 upregulated and 392 downregulated) and 410 DEGs (222 upregulated and 188 downregulated) were identified in DG and ACC, respectively. The pathways and GO terms enriched by the DEGs in the DG, such as cell adhesion, proteolysis, ion transport, transmembrane transport, chemical synaptic transmission, immune system processes, response to lipopolysaccharide, and nervous system development, may reveal the molecular mechanism of MDD. However, the DEGs in the ACC involved metabolic processes, proteolysis, visual learning, DNA methylation, innate immune responses, cell migration, and circadian rhythm. Sixteen hub genes in the DG (Fn1, Col1a1, Anxa1, Penk, Ptgs2, Cdh1, Timp1, Vim, Rpl30, Rps21, Dntt, Ptk2b, Jun, Avp, Slit1, and Sema5a) were identified. Eight hub genes in the ACC (Prkcg, Grin1, Syngap1, Rrp9, Grwd1, Pik3r1, Hnrnpc, and Prpf40a) were identified. In addition, eleven TFs (Chd2, Zmiz1, Myb, Etv4, Rela, Tcf4, Tcf12, Chd1, Mef2a, Ubtf, and Mxi1) were predicted to regulate more than two of these hub genes. The expression levels of ten randomly selected hub genes that were specifically differentially expressed in the MDD-like animal model were verified in the corresponding regions in the human brain. These hub genes and TFs may be regarded as potential targets for future MDD treatment strategies, thus aiding in the development of new therapeutic approaches to MDD.
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13
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Aly J, Engmann O. The Way to a Human's Brain Goes Through Their Stomach: Dietary Factors in Major Depressive Disorder. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:582853. [PMID: 33364919 PMCID: PMC7750481 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.582853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, more than 250 million people are affected by depression (major depressive disorder; MDD), a serious and debilitating mental disorder. Currently available treatment options can have substantial side effects and take weeks to be fully effective. Therefore, it is important to find safe alternatives, which act more rapidly and in a larger number of patients. While much research on MDD focuses on chronic stress as a main risk factor, we here make a point of exploring dietary factors as a somewhat overlooked, yet highly promising approach towards novel antidepressant pathways. Deficiencies in various groups of nutrients often occur in patients with mental disorders. These include vitamins, especially members of the B-complex (B6, B9, B12). Moreover, an imbalance of fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6, or an insufficient supply with minerals, including magnesium and zinc, are related to MDD. While some of them are relevant for the synthesis of monoamines, others play a crucial role in inflammation, neuroprotection and the synthesis of growth factors. Evidence suggests that when deficiencies return to normal, changes in mood and behavior can be, at least in some cases, achieved. Furthermore, supplementation with dietary factors (so called "nutraceuticals") may improve MDD symptoms even in the absence of a deficiency. Non-vital dietary factors may affect MDD symptoms as well. For instance, the most commonly consumed psychostimulant caffeine may improve behavioral and molecular markers of MDD. The molecular structure of most dietary factors is well known. Hence, dietary factors may provide important molecular tools to study and potentially help treat MDD symptoms. Within this review, we will discuss the role of dietary factors in MDD risk and symptomology, and critically discuss how they might serve as auxiliary treatments or preventative options for MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Aly
- Faculty of Medicine, Friedrich Schiller Universität, Jena, Germany
| | - Olivia Engmann
- Institute for Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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14
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Pałasz A, Suszka-Świtek A, Kaśkosz A, Plewka D, Bogus K, Filipczyk Ł, Błaszczyk I, Bacopoulou F, Worthington JJ, Piwowarczyk-Nowak A, Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor M, Wiaderkiewicz R. Spexin-expressing neurons in the magnocellular nuclei of the human hypothalamus. J Chem Neuroanat 2020; 111:101883. [PMID: 33161073 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2020.101883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Neuropeptides are involved in numerous brain activities being responsible for a wide spectrum of higher mental functions. The purpose of this concise, structural and qualitative investigation was to map the possible immunoreactivity of the novel neuropeptide spexin (SPX) within the human magnocellular hypothalamus. SPX is a newly identified peptide, a natural ligand for the galanin receptors (GALR) 2/3, with no molecular structure similarities to currently known regulatory factors. SPX seems to have multiple physiological functions, with an involvement in reproduction and food-intake regulation recently revealed in animal studies. For the first time we describe SPX expressing neurons in the supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei of the human hypothalamus using immunohistochemical and fluorescent methods, key regions involved in the mechanisms of osmotic homeostasis, energy expenditure, consummatory behaviour, reproductive processes, social recognition and stress responses. The vast majority of neurons located in both examined neurosecretory nuclei show abundant SPX expression and this may indirectly implicate a potential contribution of SPX signalling to the hypothalamic physiology in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Pałasz
- Department of Histology, School of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland.
| | - Aleksandra Suszka-Świtek
- Department of Histology, School of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Andrzej Kaśkosz
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Danuta Plewka
- Department of Cytophysiology, School of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Bogus
- Department of Histology, School of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Łukasz Filipczyk
- Department of Histology, School of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Iwona Błaszczyk
- Department of Histology, School of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Flora Bacopoulou
- Center for Adolescent Medicine and UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 'Aghia Sophia' Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - John J Worthington
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Aneta Piwowarczyk-Nowak
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | - Marta Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, ul. Szpitalna 27/33, 60-572, Poznań, Poland
| | - Ryszard Wiaderkiewicz
- Department of Histology, School of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
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15
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Otubo A, Kawakami N, Maejima S, Ueda Y, Morris JF, Sakamoto T, Sakamoto H. Vasopressin gene products are colocalised with corticotrophin-releasing factor within neurosecretory vesicles in the external zone of the median eminence of the Japanese macaque monkey (Macaca fuscata). J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12875. [PMID: 32715549 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Arginine vasopressin (AVP), when released into portal capillaries with corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) from terminals of parvocellular neurones of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVH), facilitates the secretion of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in stressed rodents. The AVP gene encodes a propeptide precursor containing AVP, AVP-associated neurophysin II (NPII), and a glycopeptide copeptin, although it is currently unclear whether copeptin is always cleaved from the neurophysin and whether the NPII and/or copeptin have any functional role in the pituitary. Furthermore, for primates, it is unknown whether CRF, AVP, NPII and copeptin are all colocalised in neurosecretory vesicles in the terminal region of the paraventricular CRF neurone axons. Therefore, we investigated, by fluorescence and immunogold immunocytochemistry, the cellular and subcellular relationships of these peptides in the CRF- and AVP-producing cells in unstressed Japanese macaque monkeys (Macaca fuscata). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed the expression of both CRF and AVP mRNAs in the monkey PVH. As expected, in the magnocellular neurones of the PVH and supraoptic nucleus, essentially no CRF immunoreactivity could be detected in NPII-immunoreactive (AVP-producing) neurones. Immunofluorescence showed that, in the parvocellular part of the PVH, NPII was detectable in a subpopulation (approximately 39%) of the numerous CRF-immunoreactive neuronal perikarya, whereas, in the outer median eminence, NPII was more prominent (approximately 52%) in the CRF varicosities. Triple immunoelectron microscopy in the median eminence demonstrated the presence of both NPII and copeptin immunoreactivity in dense-cored vesicles of CRF-containing axons. The results are consistent with an idea that the AVP propeptide is processed and NPII and copeptin are colocalised in hypothalamic-pituitary CRF axons in the median eminence of a primate. The CRF, AVP and copeptin are all co-packaged in neurosecretory vesicles in monkeys and are thus likely to be co-released into the portal capillary blood to amplify ACTH release from the primate anterior pituitary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akito Otubo
- Ushimado Marine Institute (UMI), Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Natsuko Kawakami
- Ushimado Marine Institute (UMI), Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Sho Maejima
- Ushimado Marine Institute (UMI), Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Ueda
- Department of Physiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - John F Morris
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Tatsuya Sakamoto
- Ushimado Marine Institute (UMI), Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Sakamoto
- Ushimado Marine Institute (UMI), Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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16
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Deol P, Kozlova E, Valdez M, Ho C, Yang EW, Richardson H, Gonzalez G, Truong E, Reid J, Valdez J, Deans JR, Martinez-Lomeli J, Evans JR, Jiang T, Sladek FM, Curras-Collazo MC. Dysregulation of Hypothalamic Gene Expression and the Oxytocinergic System by Soybean Oil Diets in Male Mice. Endocrinology 2020; 161:5698148. [PMID: 31912136 PMCID: PMC7041656 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqz044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Soybean oil consumption has increased greatly in the past half-century and is linked to obesity and diabetes. To test the hypothesis that soybean oil diet alters hypothalamic gene expression in conjunction with metabolic phenotype, we performed RNA sequencing analysis using male mice fed isocaloric, high-fat diets based on conventional soybean oil (high in linoleic acid, LA), a genetically modified, low-LA soybean oil (Plenish), and coconut oil (high in saturated fat, containing no LA). The 2 soybean oil diets had similar but nonidentical effects on the hypothalamic transcriptome, whereas the coconut oil diet had a negligible effect compared to a low-fat control diet. Dysregulated genes were associated with inflammation, neuroendocrine, neurochemical, and insulin signaling. Oxt was the only gene with metabolic, inflammation, and neurological relevance upregulated by both soybean oil diets compared to both control diets. Oxytocin immunoreactivity in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus was reduced, whereas plasma oxytocin and hypothalamic Oxt were increased. These central and peripheral effects of soybean oil diets were correlated with glucose intolerance but not body weight. Alterations in hypothalamic Oxt and plasma oxytocin were not observed in the coconut oil diet enriched in stigmasterol, a phytosterol found in soybean oil. We postulate that neither stigmasterol nor LA is responsible for effects of soybean oil diets on oxytocin and that Oxt messenger RNA levels could be associated with the diabetic state. Given the ubiquitous presence of soybean oil in the American diet, its observed effects on hypothalamic gene expression could have important public health ramifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poonamjot Deol
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Elena Kozlova
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Matthew Valdez
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Catherine Ho
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Ei-Wen Yang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California Riverside, California
| | - Holly Richardson
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Gwendolyn Gonzalez
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Edward Truong
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Jack Reid
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Joseph Valdez
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Jonathan R Deans
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Jose Martinez-Lomeli
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Jane R Evans
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Tao Jiang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California Riverside, California
| | - Frances M Sladek
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Margarita C Curras-Collazo
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California
- Correspondence: Margarita C. Curras-Collazo, PhD, FAPS, Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, 2110 Biological Sciences Building, Riverside, California 92521. E-mail:
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17
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Jiang Y, Peng T, Gaur U, Silva M, Little P, Chen Z, Qiu W, Zhang Y, Zheng W. Role of Corticotropin Releasing Factor in the Neuroimmune Mechanisms of Depression: Examination of Current Pharmaceutical and Herbal Therapies. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:290. [PMID: 31312123 PMCID: PMC6614517 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 3% of the world population suffers from depression, which is one of the most common form of mental disorder. Recent findings suggest that an interaction between the nervous system and immune system might be behind the pathophysiology of various neurological and psychiatric disorders, including depression. Neuropeptides have been shown to play a major role in mediating response to stress and inducing immune activation or suppression. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is a major regulator of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis response. CRF is a stress-related neuropeptide whose dysregulation has been associated with depression. In this review, we summarized the role of CRF in the neuroimmune mechanisms of depression, and the potential therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) as well as other agents. Studying the network of CRF and immune responses will help to enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of depression. Additionally, targeting this important network may aid in developing novel treatments for this debilitating psychiatric disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhou Jiang
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.,Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tangming Peng
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Neurosurgical Clinical Research Center of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China
| | - Uma Gaur
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Marta Silva
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Peter Little
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Zhong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Qiu
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yandong Zhang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenhua Zheng
- Center of Reproduction, Development and Aging and Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
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18
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Maruyama NO, Mitchell NC, Truong TT, Toney GM. Activation of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus by acute intermittent hypoxia: Implications for sympathetic long-term facilitation neuroplasticity. Exp Neurol 2018; 314:1-8. [PMID: 30605624 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2018.12.011] [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: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) induces a progressive increase of sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) that reflects a form of neuroplasticity known as sympathetic long-term facilitation (sLTF). Our recent findings indicate that activity of neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) contributes to AIH-induced sLTF, but neither the intra-PVN distribution nor the neurochemical identity of AIH responsive neurons has been determined. Here, awake rats were exposed to 10 cycles of AIH and c-Fos immunohistochemistry was performed to identify transcriptionally activated neurons in rostral, middle and caudal planes of the PVN. Effects of graded intensities of AIH were investigated in separate groups of rats (n = 6/group) in which inspired oxygen (O2) was reduced every 6 min from 21% to nadirs of 10%, 8% or 6%. All intensities of AIH failed to increase c-Fos counts in the caudally located lateral parvocellular region of the PVN. c-Fos counts increased in the dorsal parvocellular and central magnocellular regions, but significance was achieved only with AIH to 6% O2 (P < 0.002). By contrast, graded intensities of AIH induced graded c-Fos activation in the stress-related medial parvocellular (MP) region. Focusing on AIH exposure to 8% O2, experiments next investigated the stress-regulatory neuropeptide content of AIH-activated MP neurons. Tissue sections immunostained for corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) or arginine vasopressin (AVP) revealed a significantly greater number of neurons stained for CRH than AVP (P < 0.0001), though AIH induced expression of c-Fos in a similar fraction (~14%) of each neurochemical class. Amongst AIH-activated MP neurons, ~30% stained for CRH while only ~2% stained for AVP. Most AIH-activated CRH neurons (~82%) were distributed in the rostral one-half of the PVN. Results indicate that AIH recruits CRH, but not AVP, neurons in rostral to middle levels of the MP region of PVN, and raise the possibility that these CRH neurons may be a substrate for AIH-induced sLTF neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Oliveira Maruyama
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Nathan C Mitchell
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Tamara T Truong
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Glenn M Toney
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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19
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Maternal stress during pregnancy induces depressive-like behavior only in female offspring and correlates to their hippocampal Avp and Oxt receptor expression. Behav Brain Res 2018; 353:1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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20
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Ogłodek EA, Just MJ, Szromek AR, Araszkiewicz A. Assessing the serum concentration levels of NT-4/5, GPX-1, TNF-α, and l-arginine as biomediators of depression severity in first depressive episode patients with and without posttraumatic stress disorder. Pharmacol Rep 2017; 69:1049-1058. [PMID: 28958613 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2017.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5) and glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX-1) have been shown to play a major role in neuronal processes including depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They protect the body from oxidative damage by affecting neuronal growth, development and plasticity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the concentrations of NT-4/5, GPX-1, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and l-arginine in patients suffering from varying levels of depression severity, PTSD, and depression comorbid with PTSD. METHODS The study involved 460 participants, 360 of whom were diagnosed with different types of depressive episodes. They included: 60 patients with mild depression (MD), 60 patients with moderate depression (MOD), 60 patients with severe depression (SeD), 60 patients with MD and PTSD (MD+PTSD), 60 patients with MOD and PTSD (MOD+PTSD), 60 patients with SeD and PTSD (SeD+PTSD), and 60 patients with PTSD alone. Each group of 60 subjects comprised 30 females and 30 males. The control group comprised 40 subjects. The 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems was utilized to diagnose depression and PTSD. At 7a.m. blood samples were collected and serum NT-4/5, GPX-1, TNF-α and l-arginine concentrations were assessed using the ELISA method. RESULTS Depressive episodes with and without PTSD and PTSD alone became more severe as the levels of TNF-α, l-arginine increased and the levels of NT-4/5, GPX-1 decreased. CONCLUSION l-arginine, TNF-α, NT-4/5 and GPX-1 can be markers of depression severity in both males and females with first depressive episode with or without posttraumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa A Ogłodek
- Department of Psychiatry, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland.
| | - Marek J Just
- Department of General and Endocrine Surgery, Municipal Hospital in Piekary Śląskie, Piekary Śląskie, Poland
| | - Adam R Szromek
- Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Aleksander Araszkiewicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
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Atescelik M, Yilmaz M, Korkmaz S, Goktekin MC, Gurger M, Ilhan N. The Relationship between Ghrelin and Copeptin Levels, and Anxiety and Depression Levels in Suicide Attempts. CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE 2017; 15:256-260. [PMID: 28783935 PMCID: PMC5565089 DOI: 10.9758/cpn.2017.15.3.256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective It was aimed to detect acylated ghrelin (AG), unacylated ghrelin (UG) and copeptin levels in patients with suicide attempts and to determine if these biomarkers are risk factors for suicide attempts. Methods Serum copeptin, AG and GU levels were screened in 128 patients who were admitted to emergency department with suicide attempts and 59 healthy controls. Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were applied simultaneously, and the data were compared statistically. Results AG, UG and copeptin levels were higher in the patient group compared with the healthy control group. BAI scores of patients were found to be positively correlated with BDI scores. While there was a significant difference (p=0.0064) between psychiatric and non-psychiatric patients with suicide attempts in terms of BAI scores, there were no differences in BDI scores and levels of biomarkers. We found significantly increased BDI and BAI scores and increased levels of AG, UG and copeptin in psychiatric and non-psychiatric patients compared with healthy individuals. The specificities yielded by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis in patients with suicide attempts were as follows: 91.53% for AG, 72.88% for UG and 94.92% for copeptin. Conclusion Serum levels of AG, UG and copeptin increase with increasing anxiety and depression in patients with suicide attempts. Increased levels of AG, UG and copeptin could be considered a risk factor for suicide attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Metin Atescelik
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Yilmaz
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Sevda Korkmaz
- Department of Psychiatry, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Cagri Goktekin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Mehtap Gurger
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Nevin Ilhan
- Department of Biochemistry, Firat University School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey
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Mitic M, Brkic Z, Lukic I, Adzic M. Convergence of glycogen synthase kinase 3β and GR signaling in response to fluoxetine treatment in chronically stressed female and male rats. Behav Brain Res 2017; 333:295-303. [PMID: 28729116 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence strongly suggest that impaired glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling is involved in stress-related mood disorders, and nominate GR as a potential target for antidepressants (ADs). It is known that different classes of ADs affects the GR action via modifying its phosphorylation, while the mechanism through which ADs alter GR phosphorylation targeted by GSK3β, a kinase modulated via serotonin neurotransmission, are unclear. On this basis, we investigated whether GSK3β-GR signaling could be a convergence point of fluoxetine action on brain function and behavior, by examining its effect on GSK3β targeted-GR phosphorylation on threonine 171 (pGR171), and expression of GR-regulated genes in the hippocampus of female and male rats exposed to chronic isolation stress. Stress induced sex-specific GSK3β-targeted phosphorylation of pGR171 in the nucleus of the hippocampus of stressed animals. Namely, while in females stress triggered coupled action of GSK3β-pGR171 signaling, in males changes in pGR171 levels did not correspond to GSK3β activity. On the other hand, fluoxetine managed to up-regulate this pathway in sex-unbiased manner. Furthermore, fluoxetine reverted stress-induced changes in most of the analyzed genes in males, CRH, 5-HT1a and p11, while in females its effect was limited to CRH. These data further suggest that pGR171 signaling affects cellular localization of GR in response to chronic stress and fluoxetine in both sexes. Collectively, our results describe a novel convergence point between GR signaling and GSK3β pathway in rat hippocampus in response to stress and fluoxetine in both sexes and its involvement in fluoxetine-regulated brain function in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milos Mitic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, University of Belgrade, Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box-522-MBE090, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Zeljka Brkic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, University of Belgrade, Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box-522-MBE090, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Iva Lukic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, University of Belgrade, Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box-522-MBE090, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Miroslav Adzic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, University of Belgrade, Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box-522-MBE090, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia
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23
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Qi XR, Luchetti S, Verwer RWH, Sluiter AA, Mason MRJ, Zhou JN, Swaab DF. Alterations in the steroid biosynthetic pathways in the human prefrontal cortex in mood disorders: A post-mortem study. Brain Pathol 2017; 28:536-547. [PMID: 28752602 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered levels of steroids have been reported in the brain, cerebral spinal fluid and plasma of patients with mood disorders. Neuroimaging studies have reported both functional and structural alterations in mood disorders, for instance in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In order to determine whether the endogenous production of steroids is altered in the ACC and DLPFC of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BPD), quantitative real-time PCR was performed to detect mRNA expression level of key enzymes in the steroid biosynthetic pathways. In MDD, a significant decrease in mRNA level of cytochrome P450 17A1 (CYP17A1, synthesizing C19 ketosteroids) in the ACC and a significant increase in mRNA levels of hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase 2A1 [SULT2A1, catalyzing the sulfate conjugation of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)] were observed in the DLPFC, suggesting alterations in DHEA and its sulfate metabolite DHEAS levels. Decreased intensity and distribution of CYP17A1 immunohistochemical staining was found in the ACC of MDD patients. Interestingly, there was a significant positive correlation between the mRNA levels of CYP17A1 and tyrosine-related kinase B (TrkB) full length isoform. In a unique post-mortem human brain slice culture paradigm, BDNF mRNA expression was found to be significantly increased following incubation with DHEA. Together, these data indicate a close relationship between DHEA and BDNF-TrkB pathways in depression. Furthermore, in the DLPFC, higher mRNA levels of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 (HSD11B1, reducing cortisone to the active hormone cortisol) and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR, facilitating the shuttle of cholesterol through the intermembrane space) were found in the MDD patients and BPD patients, respectively. In conclusion, this study suggests the presence of a disturbance in the endogenous synthesis of DHEA and DHEAS in mood disorders, which has a close relationship with BDNF-TrkB signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Rui Qi
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, P. R. China
| | - Sabina Luchetti
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald W H Verwer
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Arja A Sluiter
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Matthew R J Mason
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jiang-Ning Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, P. R. China
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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24
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Zhang R, Asai M, Mahoney CE, Joachim M, Shen Y, Gunner G, Majzoub JA. Loss of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone markedly reduces anxiety behaviors in mice. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:733-744. [PMID: 27595593 PMCID: PMC5339066 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A long-standing paradigm posits that hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) regulates neuroendocrine functions such as adrenal glucocorticoid release, whereas extra-hypothalamic CRH has a key role in stressor-triggered behaviors. Here we report that hypothalamus-specific Crh knockout mice (Sim1CrhKO mice, created by crossing Crhflox with Sim1Cre mice) have absent Crh mRNA and peptide mainly in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) but preserved Crh expression in other brain regions including amygdala and cerebral cortex. As expected, Sim1CrhKO mice exhibit adrenal atrophy as well as decreased basal, diurnal and stressor-stimulated plasma corticosterone secretion and basal plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone, but surprisingly, have a profound anxiolytic phenotype when evaluated using multiple stressors including open-field, elevated plus maze, holeboard, light-dark box and novel object recognition task. Restoring plasma corticosterone did not reverse the anxiolytic phenotype of Sim1CrhKO mice. Crh-Cre driver mice revealed that PVHCrh fibers project abundantly to cingulate cortex and the nucleus accumbens shell, and moderately to medial amygdala, locus coeruleus and solitary tract, consistent with the existence of PVHCrh-dependent behavioral pathways. Although previous, nonselective attenuation of CRH production or action, genetically in mice and pharmacologically in humans, respectively, has not produced the anticipated anxiolytic effects, our data show that targeted interference specifically with hypothalamic Crh expression results in anxiolysis. Our data identify neurons that express both Sim1 and Crh as a cellular entry point into the study of CRH-mediated, anxiety-like behaviors and their therapeutic attenuation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zhang
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA,Key laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China; College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710069, China,Division for Experimental Natural Science, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan,To whom correspondence should be addressed. ;
| | - Masato Asai
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA,Department of Pathology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Carrie E Mahoney
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maria Joachim
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yuan Shen
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Georgia Gunner
- Neurodevelopmental Behavior Core, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Joseph A Majzoub
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed. ;
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Park S, Hong JP, Lee JK, Park YM, Park Y, Jeon J, Ahn MH, Yoon SC. Associations between the neuron-specific glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) Bcl-1 polymorphisms and suicide in cancer patients within the first year of diagnosis. Behav Brain Funct 2016; 12:22. [PMID: 27401254 PMCID: PMC4940702 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-016-0104-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer diagnosis is associated with an increased suicide risk, particularly within the first 1 year after diagnosis of cancer. Abnormal function of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and suicide. We examined genetic associations of the functional Bcl-1 polymorphism of (rs41423247) neuron-specific glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) gene, with death by suicide in cancer patients. Suicides occurring within a year of cancer diagnosis (‘early suicide’) were considered separately from those suicides during the second or subsequent year (‘late suicide’) after cancer diagnosis. Methods The subjects consisted of 343 cancer patients admitted to a general hospital in Seoul, South Korea from 1996 to 2009, of which 182 had died by suicide and 161 were alive on December 31, 2009. Genomic DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sample of patients with cancer. We conducted a case-control association analysis of Bcl-1 polymorphism of NR3C1 gene. Results Subjects carrying the GG genotype of Bcl-1 polymorphism were at increased risk of early suicide when compared to those carrying the CC genotype (OR 3.80, 95 % CI 1.02–14.16, p = .047). Similarly, those individuals carrying the GG genotype (recessive mode) had an increased risk of early suicide relative to the CC or CG genotype (OR 3.71, 95 % CI 1.03–13.43, p = .045). However, there were no differences in the genotype distributions of the NR3C1 Bcl-1 polymorphism between late suicide cases and controls. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the NR3C1 Bcl-1 polymorphisms may be involved in the susceptibility to suicide within the first year after cancer diagnosis among cancer patients in Korean population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subin Park
- Research Planning Division, Mental Health Research Institute, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Pyo Hong
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-Ro Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-710, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Keuk Lee
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mi Park
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangsoon Park
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Juri Jeon
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-Ro Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-710, Republic of Korea
| | - Myeong Hee Ahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Se Chang Yoon
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-Ro Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-710, Republic of Korea.
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Allelic variation in CRHR1 predisposes to panic disorder: evidence for biased fear processing. Mol Psychiatry 2016; 21:813-22. [PMID: 26324098 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a major regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Binding to its receptor CRHR1 triggers the downstream release of the stress response-regulating hormone cortisol. Biochemical, behavioral and genetic studies revealed CRHR1 as a possible candidate gene for mood and anxiety disorders. Here we aimed to evaluate CRHR1 as a risk factor for panic disorder (PD). Allelic variation of CRHR1 was captured by 9 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which were genotyped in 531 matched case/control pairs. Four SNPs were found to be associated with PD, in at least one sub-sample. The minor allele of rs17689918 was found to significantly increase risk for PD in females after Bonferroni correction and furthermore decreased CRHR1 mRNA expression in human forebrains and amygdalae. When investigating neural correlates underlying this association in patients with PD using functional magnetic resonance imaging, risk allele carriers of rs17689918 showed aberrant differential conditioning predominantly in the bilateral prefrontal cortex and safety signal processing in the amygdalae, arguing for predominant generalization of fear and hence anxious apprehension. Additionally, the risk allele of rs17689918 led to less flight behavior during fear-provoking situations but rather increased anxious apprehension and went along with increased anxiety sensitivity. Thus reduced gene expression driven by CRHR1 risk allele leads to a phenotype characterized by fear sensitization and hence sustained fear. These results strengthen the role of CRHR1 in PD and clarify the mechanisms by which genetic variation in CRHR1 is linked to this disorder.
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27
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Herbert J, Lucassen PJ. Depression as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease: Genes, steroids, cytokines and neurogenesis - What do we need to know? Front Neuroendocrinol 2016; 41:153-71. [PMID: 26746105 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Revised: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Depression (MDD) is prodromal to, and a component of, Alzheimer's disease (AD): it may also be a trigger for incipient AD. MDD is not a unitary disorder, so there may be particular subtypes of early life MDD that pose independent high risks for later AD, though the identification of these subtypes is problematical. There may either be a common pathological event underlying both MDD and AD, or MDD may sensitize the brain to a second event ('hit') that precipitates AD. MDD may also accelerate brain ageing, including altered DNA methylation, increased cortisol but decreasing DHEA and thus the risk for AD. So far, genes predicting AD (e.g. APOEε4) are not risk factors for MDD, and those implicated in MDD (e.g. SLC6A4) are not risks for AD, so a common genetic predisposition looks unlikely. There is as yet no strong indication that an epigenetic event occurs during some forms of MDD that predisposes to later AD, though the evidence is limited. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are disturbed in some cases of MDD and in AD. GCs have marked degenerative actions on the hippocampus, a site of early β-amyloid deposition, and rare genetic variants of GC-regulating enzymes (e.g. 11β-HSD) predispose to AD. GCs also inhibit hippocampal neurogenesis and plasticity, and thus episodic memory, a core symptom of AD. Disordered GCs in MDD may inhibit neurogenesis, but the contribution of diminished neurogenesis to the onset or progression of AD is still debated. GCs and cytokines also reduce BDNF, implicated in both MDD and AD and hippocampal neurogenesis, reinforcing the notion that those cases of MDD with disordered GCs may be a risk for AD. Cytokines, including IL1β, IL6 and TNFα, are increased in the blood in some cases of MDD. They also reduce hippocampal neurogenesis, and increased cytokines are a known risk for later AD. Inflammatory changes occur in both MDD and AD (e.g. raised CRP, TNFα). Both cytokines and GCs can have pro-inflammatory actions in the brain. Inflammation (e.g. microglial activation) may be a common link, but this has not been systematically investigated. We lack substantial, rigorous and comprehensive follow-up studies to better identify possible subtypes of MDD that may represent a major predictor for later AD. This would enable specific interventions during critical episodes of these subtypes of MDD that should reduce this substantial risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Herbert
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, UK.
| | - Paul J Lucassen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Karanges EA, Ramos L, Dampney B, Suraev AS, Li KM, McGregor IS, Hunt GE. Contrasting regional Fos expression in adolescent and young adult rats following acute administration of the antidepressant paroxetine. Brain Res Bull 2016; 121:246-54. [PMID: 26876759 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2016.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Adolescents and adults may respond differently to antidepressants, with poorer efficacy and greater probability of adverse effects in adolescents. The mechanisms underlying this differential response are largely unknown, but likely relate to an interaction between the neural effects of antidepressants and brain development. We used Fos immunohistochemistry to examine regional differences in adolescent (postnatal day (PND) 28) and young adult (PND 56) male, Wistar rats given a single injection of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine (10mg/kg). Paroxetine induced widespread Fos expression in both adolescent and young adult rats. Commonly affected areas include the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dorsolateral), medial preoptic area, paraventricular hypothalamic and thalamic nuclei and central nucleus of the amygdala. Fos expression was generally lower in adolescents with significantly greater Fos expression observed in young adults in the prelimbic cortex, supraoptic nucleus, basolateral amygdala, lateral parabrachial and Kölliker-Fuse nuclei. However, a small subset of regions showed greater adolescent Fos expression including the nucleus accumbens shell, lateral habenula and dorsal raphe. Paroxetine increased plasma corticosterone concentrations in young adults, but not adolescents. Plasma paroxetine levels were not significantly different between the age groups. These results indicate a different c-Fos signature of acute paroxetine in adolescent rats, with greater activation in key mesolimbic and serotonergic regions, but a more subdued cortical, brainstem and hypothalamic response. This suggests that the atypical response of adolescents to paroxetine may be related to a blunted neuroendocrine response, combined with insufficient top-down regulation of limbic regions involved in reward and impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Karanges
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Linnet Ramos
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Bruno Dampney
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | | | - Kong M Li
- Discipline of Pharmacology, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Iain S McGregor
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Glenn E Hunt
- Discipline of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Concord, NSW 2139, Australia.
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Nikolopoulou E, Mytilinaios D, Calogero AE, Kamilaris TC, Troupis T, Chrousos GP, Johnson EO. Modulation of central glucocorticoid receptors in short- and long-term experimental hyperthyroidism. Endocrine 2015; 49:828-41. [PMID: 25722011 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-015-0528-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Hyperthyroidism is associated with a significant increase in circulating glucocorticoid levels and hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The aim of this study was to examine whether the HPA axis hyperactivity observed in hyperthyroidism may be explained by a disturbed feedback inhibition of endogenous glucocorticoids through two specific intracellular receptors in the brain: the high affinity mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and the lower affinity glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Cytosolic receptor binding and gene expression was assessed in rats with short (7 days) and long standing (60 days) eu- and hyperthyroidism. Glucocorticoid receptor number and binding affinity (Kd) in the hippocampus were measured using [(3)H2]-dexamethasone radioreceptor assay. In situ hybridization was employed to examine the effects of hyperthyroidism on the GR and MR mRNA levels in the hippocampus and the pituitary. Both short- and long-term hyperthyroid rats showed pronounced reduction in the concentration of cytosolic GR in the hippocampus, without changes in binding affinity or changes in GR expression. In contrast, GR mRNA in the pituitary increased after 7 days and decreased after 60 days of thyroxin treatment. MR mRNA was moderately affected. Hyperthyroidism is associated with significant decreases in hippocampal GR levels supporting the hypothesis that hyperactivity of the HPA axis observed in experimentally induced hyperthyroidism may be attributed, at least in part, to decreased negative feedback at the level of the hippocampus. These findings further support the notion that a central locus is principally responsible for the hyperactivity of the HPA axis observed in hyperthyroidism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Nikolopoulou
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Str., Goudi, 11572, Athens, Greece
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Sex differences in the stress response in SD rats. Behav Brain Res 2015; 284:231-7. [PMID: 25687843 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Revised: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences play an important role in depression, the basis of which is an excessive stress response. We aimed at revealing the neurobiological sex differences in the same study in acute- and chronically-stressed rats. Female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), acute foot shock (FS) and controls, animals in all 3 groups were sacrificed in proestrus or diestrus. Male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: CUMS, FS and controls. Comparisons were made of behavioral changes in CUMS and control rats, plasma levels of corticosterone (CORT), testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2), and of the hypothalamic mRNA-expression of stress-related molecules, i.e. estrogen receptor α and β, androgen receptor, aromatase, mineralocorticoid receptor, glucocorticoid receptor, corticotropin-releasing hormone, arginine vasopressin and oxytocin. CUMS resulted in disordered estrus cycles, more behavioral and hypothalamic stress-related molecules changes and a stronger CORT response in female rats compared with male rats. Female rats also showed decreased E2 and T levels after FS and CUMS, while male FS rats showed increased E2 and male CUMS rats showed decreased T levels. Stress affects the behavioral, endocrine and the molecular response of the stress systems in the hypothalamus of SD rats in a clear sexual dimorphic way, which has parallels in human data on stress and depression.
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Cai L, Li R, Zhou JN. Chronic all-trans retinoic acid administration induces CRF over-expression accompanied by AVP up-regulation and multiple CRF-controlling receptors disturbance in the hypothalamus of rats. Brain Res 2015; 1601:1-7. [PMID: 25578258 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.12.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2014] [Revised: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Clinical reports suggest a potential link between excess retinoids and development of depression. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) produced in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is considered the central driver of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of depression. Although we had shown that chronic all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) administration induced hypothalamic CRF over-expression and hyperactivity of HPA axis in rats, further insight into how ATRA modulate CRF expression is lacking. The activity of CRF neurons is under close control of vasopressinergic system and three-paired receptors (corticosteroid receptors, sex hormone receptors and CRF receptors). Here we show that ATRA-induced CRF over-expression is accompanied by arginine-vasopressin (AVP) up-regulation and apparent gene expression disturbances of CRF-controlling receptors. ATRA was applied to rats by daily intraperitoneal injection for 6 weeks. Chronic ATRA treatment induced significantly increased expression of CRF and AVP in the PVN. Moreover, the transcript levels of CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1), estrogen receptor-β (ERβ) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), three genes involved in the activation of CRF neurons, were significantly increased in the hypothalamus, and the expression ratio of GRα/MR was markedly decreased. Correlation analysis indicated that the alteration of multiple CRF-controlling receptors is highly correlated with depression-related behaviors of rats in the forced swimming test. These findings support that in addition to the 'classic' retinoic acid receptor α-mediated transcriptional control of CRF expression, disruption in CRF-modulating systems constitutes a novel pathway that underlies ATRA-induced HPA axis hyperactivity in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Cai
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, Anhui, China
| | - Rong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jiang-Ning Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, Anhui, China.
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Shan L, Bao AM, Swaab DF. The human histaminergic system in neuropsychiatric disorders. Trends Neurosci 2015; 38:167-77. [PMID: 25575625 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2014.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Revised: 12/06/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Histaminergic neurons are exclusively located in the hypothalamic tuberomamillary nucleus, from where they project to many brain areas. The histaminergic system is involved in basic physiological functions, such as the sleep-wake cycle, energy and endocrine homeostasis, sensory and motor functions, cognition, and attention, which are all severely affected in neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we present recent postmortem findings on the alterations in this system in neuropsychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), depression, and narcolepsy. In addition, we highlight the need to validate animal models for these diseases and also for Tourette's syndrome (TS) in relation to alterations in the histaminergic system. Moreover, we discuss the potential for, and concerns over, the use of novel histamine 3 receptor (H3R) antagonists/inverse agonists as treatment for such disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Shan
- Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam 1105 BA, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Neurobiology Research, Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Health Care System, 16111 Plummer Street, North Hills, CA 91343, USA
| | - Ai-Min Bao
- Department of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam 1105 BA, The Netherlands
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Abstract
The primary adrenal cortical steroid hormones, aldosterone, and the glucocorticoids cortisol and corticosterone, act through the structurally similar mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). Aldosterone is crucial for fluid, electrolyte, and hemodynamic homeostasis and tissue repair; the significantly more abundant glucocorticoids are indispensable for energy homeostasis, appropriate responses to stress, and limiting inflammation. Steroid receptors initiate gene transcription for proteins that effect their actions as well as rapid non-genomic effects through classical cell signaling pathways. GR and MR are expressed in many tissues types, often in the same cells, where they interact at molecular and functional levels, at times in synergy, others in opposition. Thus the appropriate balance of MR and GR activation is crucial for homeostasis. MR has the same binding affinity for aldosterone, cortisol, and corticosterone. Glucocorticoids activate MR in most tissues at basal levels and GR at stress levels. Inactivation of cortisol and corticosterone by 11β-HSD2 allows aldosterone to activate MR within aldosterone target cells and limits activation of the GR. Under most conditions, 11β-HSD1 acts as a reductase and activates cortisol/corticosterone, amplifying circulating levels. 11β-HSD1 and MR antagonists mitigate inappropriate activation of MR under conditions of oxidative stress that contributes to the pathophysiology of the cardiometabolic syndrome; however, MR antagonists decrease normal MR/GR functional interactions, a particular concern for neurons mediating cognition, memory, and affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Gomez-Sanchez
- G.V.(Sonny) Montgomery V.A. Medical Center and Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi
| | - Celso E. Gomez-Sanchez
- G.V.(Sonny) Montgomery V.A. Medical Center and Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi
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Steen NE, Methlie P, Lorentzen S, Dieset I, Aas M, Nerhus M, Haram M, Agartz I, Melle I, Berg JP, Andreassen OA. Altered systemic cortisol metabolism in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. J Psychiatr Res 2014; 52:57-62. [PMID: 24534618 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 01/23/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is suggested as a pathophysiological factor in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Increased clearance of cortisol was recently indicated as a component in the HPA axis hyperdrive. The aim of the present study was to test the model of increased cortisol metabolism in a new replication sample separately and combined with a previously published sample of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Spot urine was sampled from 212 healthy controls (HC) and 221 patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SCZ, n = 115) and bipolar disorder (BD, n = 106). Of these, a subsample of 169 HC and 155 patients was included in a previous report. Urinary free cortisol, cortisone and their metabolites were measured, and the activities of 5α-reductase, 5β-reductase and 11β-HSD were estimated and analyzed for differences between groups. In the new sample, there was increased enzyme activity in SCZ for 5β-reductase (p = 0.024 vs HC; p = 0.027 vs BD) and 11β-HSD2 (p = 0.014 vs HC; p = 0.004 vs BD). In the combined sample, there was increased activity in SCZ for 5α-reductase (p < 0.001 vs HC; p = 0.020 vs BD), 5β-reductase (p < 0.001 vs HC; p = 0.045 vs BD) and 11β-HSD2 (p < 0.001 vs HC; p = 0.043 vs BD), and in BD for 5β-reductase (p = 0.002), 11β-HSD2 (p = 0.039) and 5α-reductase (trend, p = 0.084) (all vs HC). The findings confirm increased systemic cortisol metabolism in BD and SCZ. This is most consistent in SCZ, with BD taking an intermediate position. The design makes it impossible to determine the direction of the effect. However, the findings merit further study of cortisol metabolism as a possible component in the HPA axis dysfunction and pathophysiology of BD and SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Eiel Steen
- KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Drammen District Psychiatric Center, Clinic of Mental Health and Addiction, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway.
| | - Paal Methlie
- Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Hormone Laboratory, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Steinar Lorentzen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Research and Development, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Dieset
- KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Monica Aas
- KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mari Nerhus
- KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marit Haram
- KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Agartz
- KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Melle
- KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jens P Berg
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Hormone Laboratory, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Gragnoli C. Hypothesis of the neuroendocrine cortisol pathway gene role in the comorbidity of depression, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. APPLICATION OF CLINICAL GENETICS 2014; 7:43-53. [PMID: 24817815 PMCID: PMC4012344 DOI: 10.2147/tacg.s39993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Depression, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are often comorbid. Depression per se increases the risk for T2D by 60%. This risk is not accounted for by the use of antidepressant therapy. Stress causes hyperactivation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, by triggering the hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) secretion, which stimulates the anterior pituitary to release the adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), which causes the adrenal secretion of cortisol. Depression is associated with an increased level of cortisol, and CRH and ACTH at inappropriately “normal” levels, that is too high compared to their expected lower levels due to cortisol negative feedback. T2D and MetS are also associated with hypercortisolism. High levels of cortisol can impair mood as well as cause hyperglycemia and insulin resistance and other traits typical of T2D and MetS. We hypothesize that HPA axis hyperactivation may be due to variants in the genes of the CRH receptors (CRHR1, CRHR2), corticotropin receptors (or melanocortin receptors, MC1R-MC5R), glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), mineralocorticoid receptor (NR3C2), and of the FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP5), and that these variants may be partially responsible for the clinical association of depression, T2D and MetS. In this review, we will focus on the correlation of stress, HPA axis hyperactivation, and the possible genetic role of the CRHR1, CRHR2, MCR1–5, NR3C1, and NR3C2 receptors and FKBP5 in the susceptibility to the comorbidity of depression, T2D, and MetS. New studies are needed to confirm the hypothesized role of these genes in the clinical association of depression, T2D, and MetS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Gragnoli
- Center for Biotechnology and Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA ; Molecular Biology Laboratory, Bios Biotech Multi-Diagnostic Health Center, Rome, Italy
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Beurel E, Nemeroff CB. Interaction of stress, corticotropin-releasing factor, arginine vasopressin and behaviour. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2014; 18:67-80. [PMID: 24659554 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2014_306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Stress mediates the activation of a variety of systems ranging from inflammatory to behavioral responses. In this review we focus on two neuropeptide systems, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and arginine vasopressin (AVP), and their roles in regulating stress responses. Both peptides have been demonstrated to be involved in anxiogenic and depressive effects, actions mediated in part through their regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Because of the depressive effects of CRF and AVP, drugs modifying the stress-associated detrimental actions of CRF and AVP are under development, particularly drugs antagonizing CRF and AVP receptors for therapy in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eléonore Beurel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
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Pandey GN, Rizavi HS, Ren X, Dwivedi Y, Palkovits M. Region-specific alterations in glucocorticoid receptor expression in the postmortem brain of teenage suicide victims. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:2628-39. [PMID: 23845513 PMCID: PMC3812306 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2012] [Revised: 06/05/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Abnormal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and suicide. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the reported dysregulation of the HPA axis in suicide may be related to a disturbed feedback inhibition caused by decreased corticoid receptors in the brain. We therefore determined the protein and gene expression of glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in the postmortem brain of teenage suicide victims and matched normal controls. METHODS Protein and mRNA expression of GR (GR-α and GR-β) and MR and the mRNA expression of glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ), a target gene for GR were determined by immunolabeling using Western blot technique and the real-time RT-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, subiculum, and amygdala obtained from 24 teenage suicide victims and 24 teenage control subjects. RESULTS We observed that protein and gene expression of GR-α was significantly decreased in the PFC and amygdala, but not in the hippocampus or subiculum, of teenage suicide victims compared with normal control subjects. Also, the mRNA levels of GR inducible target gene GILZ was significantly decreased in PFC and amygdaloid nuclei but not in hippocampus compared with controls. In contrast, no significant differences were observed in protein or gene expression of MR in any of the areas studied between teenage suicide victims and normal control subjects. There was no difference in the expression of GR-β in the PFC between suicide victims and normal controls. CONCLUSIONS These results suggested that the observed dysregulation of the HPA axis in suicide may be related to a decreased expression of GR-α and GR inducible genes in the PFC and amygdala of teenage suicide victims. The reason why GR receptors are not dysregulated in the hippocampus or subiculum, presumably two sites of stress action, are not clear at this time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghanshyam N. Pandey
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL 60612, USA,Corresponding Author: Ghanshyam N. Pandey, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA, Phone (312) 413-4540, Fax: (312) 413-4547,
| | - Hooriyah S. Rizavi
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Xinguo Ren
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yogesh Dwivedi
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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39
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Ben-Efraim YJ, Wasserman D, Wasserman J, Sokolowski M. Family-based study of AVPR1B association and interaction with stressful life events on depression and anxiety in suicide attempts. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 38:1504-11. [PMID: 23422793 PMCID: PMC3682145 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The cortisol response to psychosocial stress may become dysregulated in stress-related disorders. It is potentiated by pituitary secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which is, in part, regulated by arginine vasopressin receptor-1B (AVPR1B). AVPR1B variants were previously reported to associate with mood and anxiety disorders. This study aims, for the first time, to investigate association of AVPR1B genetic variants with mood and anxiety outcomes in suicidal behavior.Using a family-based study design of 660 complete nuclear family trios with offspring who have made a suicide attempt (SA), we tested the direct association and linkage of AVPR1B single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with SA, as well as with depression and anxiety in SA. Main findings were the association and linkage of AVPR1B exon 1 SNP rs33990840 and a major 6-SNP haplotype representative of all common AVPR1B-SNPs, on the outcome of high Beck Depression Inventory scores in SA. By contrast, genetic associations with lifetime diagnoses of depression and anxiety in SA or gene-environment interactions between AVPR1B variants and stressful life events (SLEs) were not significant. An exploratory screen of interactions between AVPR1B and CRHR1 (corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor-1), the principal pituitary regulator of ACTH secretion, showed no support for gene-gene interactions on the studied outcomes. The results suggest that AVPR1B genetic variation, eg, non-synonymous SNP rs33990840 mediating putative consequences on ligand binding, has a role in SA etiology characterized by elevated depression symptoms, without involving AVPR1B-moderation of SLEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yair J Ben-Efraim
- The National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Danuta Wasserman
- The National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jerzy Wasserman
- The National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcus Sokolowski
- The National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden,National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm S-171 77, Sweden. Tel: +468 5248 6938, Fax: +4683 06439, E-mail:
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Qi XR, Kamphuis W, Wang S, Wang Q, Lucassen PJ, Zhou JN, Swaab DF. Aberrant stress hormone receptor balance in the human prefrontal cortex and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of depressed patients. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:863-70. [PMID: 23137715 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2012] [Revised: 08/29/2012] [Accepted: 09/16/2012] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays an important role in the regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis regarding stress response and possibly also depression. We used quantitative real-time PCR to determine the mRNA levels of 17 stress-related genes in the human postmortem anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) of patients with mood disorder and of well-matched controls. The correlation between the expression of these DLPFC genes and their earlier measured expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the same subjects was also determined. Transcript level of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) was significantly decreased, while the ratio of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) α to MR mRNA level was increased in the ACC/DLPFC, both in the bipolar and major depressive disorder subgroups and also in the pooled depression group. Significantly inverse correlations were found for MR mRNA level and for GRα/MR ratio between the DLPFC and PVN. A selective disturbance of MR and of the GRα/MR ratio thus seems to exist in the ACC/DLPFC in depression, which was inversely correlated with the corresponding levels in the PVN. These changes may contribute to HPA-axis hyperactivity and hence to depression etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Rui Qi
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Cortisol plays a multifaceted role in major depression disorder (MDD). Diurnal rhythms are disturbed, there is increased resistance to the feedback action of glucocorticoids, excess cortisol may induce MDD, basal levels may be higher and the post-awakening cortisol surge accentuated in those at risk for MDD. Does this suggest new avenues for studying MDD or its clinical management? METHOD The relevant literature was reviewed. RESULTS Cortisol contributes to genetic variants for the risk for MDD and the way that environmental events amplify risk. The corticoids' influence begins prenatally, but continues into adulthood. The impact of cortisol at each phase depends not only on its interaction with other factors, such as psychological traits and genetic variants, but also on events that have, or have not, occurred previously. CONCLUSIONS This review suggests that the time is now right for serious consideration of the role of cortisol in a clinical context. Estimates of cortisol levels and the shape of the diurnal rhythm might well guide the understanding of subtypes of MDD and yield additional indicators for optimal treatment. Patients with disturbed cortisol rhythms might benefit from restitution of those rhythms; they may be distinct from those with more generally elevated levels, who might benefit from cortisol blockade. Higher levels of cortisol are a risk for subsequent depression. Should manipulation of cortisol or its receptors be considered as a preventive measure for some of those at very high risk of future MDD, or to reduce other cortisol-related consequences such as long-term cognitive decline?
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Affiliation(s)
- J Herbert
- Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, UK.
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Neumann ID, Landgraf R. Balance of brain oxytocin and vasopressin: implications for anxiety, depression, and social behaviors. Trends Neurosci 2012; 35:649-59. [PMID: 22974560 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2012.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 653] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2011] [Revised: 05/24/2012] [Accepted: 08/13/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin and vasopressin are regulators of anxiety, stress-coping, and sociality. They are released within hypothalamic and limbic areas from dendrites, axons, and perikarya independently of, or coordinated with, secretion from neurohypophysial terminals. Central oxytocin exerts anxiolytic and antidepressive effects, whereas vasopressin tends to show anxiogenic and depressive actions. Evidence from pharmacological and genetic association studies confirms their involvement in individual variation of emotional traits extending to psychopathology. Based on their opposing effects on emotional behaviors, we propose that a balanced activity of both brain neuropeptide systems is important for appropriate emotional behaviors. Shifting the balance between the neuropeptide systems towards oxytocin, by positive social stimuli and/or psychopharmacotherapy, may help to improve emotional behaviors and reinstate mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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Laryea G, Arnett MG, Muglia LJ. Behavioral Studies and Genetic Alterations in Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH) Neurocircuitry: Insights into Human Psychiatric Disorders. Behav Sci (Basel) 2012; 2:135-71. [PMID: 23077729 PMCID: PMC3471213 DOI: 10.3390/bs2020135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2012] [Revised: 05/23/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To maintain well-being, all organisms require the ability to re-establish homeostasis in the presence of adverse physiological or psychological experiences. The regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis during stress is important in preventing maladaptive responses that may increase susceptibility to affective disorders. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a central stress hormone in the HPA axis pathway and has been implicated in stress-induced psychiatric disorders, reproductive and cardiac function, as well as energy metabolism. In the context of psychiatric disorders, CRH dysfunction is associated with the occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, anorexia nervosa, and anxiety disorders. Here, we review the synthesis, molecular signaling and regulation, as well as synaptic activity of CRH. We go on to summarize studies of altered CRH signaling in mutant animal models. This assembled data demonstrate an important role for CRH in neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral correlates of adaptation and maladaptation. Next, we present findings regarding human genetic polymorphisms in CRH pathway genes that are associated with stress and psychiatric disorders. Finally, we discuss a role for regulators of CRH activity as potential sites for therapeutic intervention aimed at treating maladaptive behaviors associated with stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Laryea
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st. Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; E-Mail:
- Center for Preterm Birth Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Melinda G. Arnett
- Center for Preterm Birth Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Louis J. Muglia
- Center for Preterm Birth Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; E-Mail:
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Ekmekcioglu C. Are proinflammatory cytokines involved in an increased risk for depression by unhealthy diets? Med Hypotheses 2012; 78:337-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2011] [Revised: 11/09/2011] [Accepted: 11/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Marsden W. Stressor-induced NMDAR dysfunction as a unifying hypothesis for the aetiology, pathogenesis and comorbidity of clinical depression. Med Hypotheses 2011; 77:508-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2011] [Accepted: 06/05/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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