1
|
Wei M, Gao Q, Liu J, Yang Y, Yang J, Fan J, Lv S, Yang S. Development programming: Stress during gestation alters offspring development in sheep. Reprod Domest Anim 2023; 58:1497-1511. [PMID: 37697713 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Inappropriate management practices of domestic animals during pregnancy can be potential stressors, resulting in complex behavioural, physiological and neurological consequences in the developing offspring. Some of these consequences can last into adulthood or propagate to subsequent generations. We systematically summarized the results of different experimental patterns using artificially increased maternal glucocorticoid levels or prenatal maternal physiological stress paradigms, mediators between prenatal maternal stress (PMS) and programming effects in the offspring and the effects of PMS on offspring phenotypes in sheep. PMS can impair birthweight, regulate the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, modify behavioural patterns and cognitive abilities and alter gene expression and brain morphology in offspring. Further research should focus on the effects of programming on gene expression, immune function, gut microbiome, sex-specific effects and maternal behaviour of offspring, especially comparative studies of gestational periods when PMS is applied, continual studies of programming effects on offspring and treatment strategies that effectively reverse the detrimental programming effects of prenatal stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingji Wei
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Qian Gao
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Junjun Liu
- Hebei Agriculture University, Baoding, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Linyi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Linyi, China
| | - Jinyan Yang
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Jingchang Fan
- Jiaxiang County Sheep Breeding Farm, Jiaxiang, China
| | - Shenjin Lv
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Shengmei Yang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abstract
Medical care is predicated on 'do no harm', yet the urgency to find drugs and vaccines to treat or prevent COVID-19 has led to an extraordinary effort to develop and test new therapies. Whilst this is an essential cornerstone of a united global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the absolute requirements for meticulous efficacy and safety data remain. This is especially pertinent to the needs of pregnant women; a group traditionally poorly represented in drug trials, yet a group at heightened risk of unintended adverse materno-fetal consequences due to the unique physiology of pregnancy and the life course implications of fetal or neonatal drug exposure. However, due to the complexities of drug trial participation when pregnant (be they vaccines or therapeutics for acute disease), many clinical drug trials will exclude them. Clinicians must determine the best course of drug treatment with a dearth of evidence from either clinical or preclinical studies, where at least in the short term they may be more focused on the outcome of the mother than of her offspring.
Collapse
|
3
|
Shallie PD, Naicker T. The placenta as a window to the brain: A review on the role of placental markers in prenatal programming of neurodevelopment. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 73:41-49. [PMID: 30634053 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During development, the placenta can be said to be the most important organ, however, the most poorly researched. There is currently a broader understanding of how specific insults during development affect the fetal brain, and also the importance of placental signaling in neurodevelopmental programming. Epigenetic responses to maternal and fetal signals are an obvious candidate for transforming early life inputs into long-term programmatic outcomes. As a mediator of maternal and environmental signals to the developing fetus, epigenetic processes within the placenta are particularly powerful such that alterations of placental gene expression, downstream function, and signalling during foetal development have the potential for dramatic changes in developmental programming. SUMMARY In this article, we reviewed emerging evidence for a placental role in prenatal neurodevelopmental programming with a specific focus on nutrient and prenatal stress signals integration into chromatin changes; this new understanding, we hope will provide the means for lowering developmentally based disorder risk, and new therapeutic targets for treatment in adulthood. KEY MESSAGES Based on this review, the placenta is a potent micro-environmental player in neurodevelopment as it orchestrates a series of complex maternal-foetal interactions. Maternal insults to this microenvironment will impair these processes and disrupt foetal brain development resulting in the prenatal programming of neurodevelopmental disorders. These findings should inspire advance animal model and human research drive to appraise gene-environment impacts during pregnancy that will target the developmental cause of adult-onset mental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philemon Dauda Shallie
- Optics and Imaging Centre, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, Nelson Mandela Medical School, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
| | - Thajasvarie Naicker
- Optics and Imaging Centre, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, Nelson Mandela Medical School, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Morrison JL, Berry MJ, Botting KJ, Darby JRT, Frasch MG, Gatford KL, Giussani DA, Gray CL, Harding R, Herrera EA, Kemp MW, Lock MC, McMillen IC, Moss TJ, Musk GC, Oliver MH, Regnault TRH, Roberts CT, Soo JY, Tellam RL. Improving pregnancy outcomes in humans through studies in sheep. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2018; 315:R1123-R1153. [PMID: 30325659 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00391.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Experimental studies that are relevant to human pregnancy rely on the selection of appropriate animal models as an important element in experimental design. Consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of any animal model of human disease is fundamental to effective and meaningful translation of preclinical research. Studies in sheep have made significant contributions to our understanding of the normal and abnormal development of the fetus. As a model of human pregnancy, studies in sheep have enabled scientists and clinicians to answer questions about the etiology and treatment of poor maternal, placental, and fetal health and to provide an evidence base for translation of interventions to the clinic. The aim of this review is to highlight the advances in perinatal human medicine that have been achieved following translation of research using the pregnant sheep and fetus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janna L Morrison
- Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Mary J Berry
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Otago , Wellington , New Zealand
| | - Kimberley J Botting
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Jack R T Darby
- Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Martin G Frasch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington
| | - Kathryn L Gatford
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
| | - Dino A Giussani
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Clint L Gray
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Otago , Wellington , New Zealand
| | - Richard Harding
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University , Clayton, Victoria , Australia
| | - Emilio A Herrera
- Pathophysiology Program, Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile , Santiago , Chile
| | - Matthew W Kemp
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia , Australia
| | - Mitchell C Lock
- Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - I Caroline McMillen
- Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Timothy J Moss
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University , Clayton, Victoria , Australia
| | - Gabrielle C Musk
- Animal Care Services, University of Western Australia , Perth, Western Australia , Australia
| | - Mark H Oliver
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
| | - Timothy R H Regnault
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, and Children's Health Research Institute , London, Ontario , Canada
| | - Claire T Roberts
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
| | - Jia Yin Soo
- Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ross L Tellam
- Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Jensen SKG, Pangelinan M, Björnholm L, Klasnja A, Leemans A, Drakesmith M, Evans CJ, Barker ED, Paus T. Associations between prenatal, childhood, and adolescent stress and variations in white-matter properties in young men. Neuroimage 2018; 182:389-397. [PMID: 29066395 PMCID: PMC5911246 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies have shown that both pre- and post-natal adversities, the latter including exposures to stress during childhood and adolescence, explain variation in structural properties of white matter (WM) in the brain. While previous studies have examined effects of independent stress exposures within one developmental period, such as childhood, we examine effects of stress across development using data from a prospective longitudinal study. More specifically, we ask how stressful events during prenatal development, childhood, and adolescence relate to variation in WM properties in early adulthood in young men recruited from a birth cohort. METHOD Using data from 393 mother-son pairs from a community-based birth cohort from England (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children), we examined how stressful life events relate to variation in different structural properties of WM in the corpus callosum and across the whole brain in early adulthood in men aged 18-21 years. We distinguish between stress occurring during three developmental periods: a) prenatal maternal stress, b) postnatal stress within the first four years of life, c) stress during adolescence (age 12-16 years). To obtain a comprehensive quantification of variation in WM, we assess structural properties of WM using four different measures, namely fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and myelin water fraction (MWF). RESULTS The developmental model shows that prenatal stress is associated with lower MTR and MWF in the genu and/or splenium of the corpus callosum, and with lower MTR in global (lobar) WM. Stress during early childhood is associated with higher MTR in the splenium, and stress during adolescence is associated with higher MTR in the genu and lower MD in the splenium. We see no associations between postnatal stress and variation in global (lobar) WM. CONCLUSIONS The current study found evidence for independent effects of stress on WM properties during distinct neurodevelopmental periods. We speculate that these independent effects are due to differences in the developmental processes unfolding at different developmental time points. We suggest that associations between prenatal stress and WM properties may relate to abnormalities in neurogenesis, affecting the number and density of axons, while postnatal stress may interfere with processes related to myelination or radial growth of axons. Potential consequences of prenatal glucocorticoid exposure should be considered in obstetric care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K G Jensen
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom; Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Anja Klasnja
- Rotman Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexander Leemans
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mark Drakesmith
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - C J Evans
- CUBRIC, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Edward D Barker
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tomáš Paus
- Rotman Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Child Mind Institute, New York, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Marečková K, Klasnja A, Andrýsková L, Brázdil M, Paus T. Developmental origins of depression-related white matter properties: Findings from a prenatal birth cohort. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 40:1155-1163. [PMID: 30367731 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is the leading cause of years lost due to disability worldwide. Still, the mechanisms underlying its development are not well understood. This study aimed to evaluate white-matter properties associated with depressive symptomatology in young adulthood and their developmental origins. Diffusion tensor imaging and assessment of depressive symptomatology were conducted in 128 young adults (47% male, age 23-24) from a prenatal birth cohort (European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood). For a subset of these individuals, the database included information on prenatal stress (n = 93) and depressive symptoms during adolescence (assessed repeatedly at age 15 and 19). Depressive symptoms in young adulthood were associated with lower fractional anisotropy in the left and right cingulum and higher fractional anisotropy in the right corticospinal tract and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Further analyses revealed that prenatal stress and depressive symptomatology during adolescence were independent predictors of altered white-matter properties in the cingulum in young adulthood. We conclude that typically developing young adults with more depressive symptoms already exhibit tract-specific alterations in white-matter properties and that prenatal stress and depressive symptomatology during adolescence might contribute to their development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Klára Marečková
- Brain and Mind Research Programme, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University (CEITEC MU), Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Anja Klasnja
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lenka Andrýsková
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Brázdil
- Brain and Mind Research Programme, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University (CEITEC MU), Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Neurology, St. Anne's University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, MU, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Paus
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Canada.,Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Child Mind Institute, New York
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kubo KY, Suzuki A, Iinuma M, Sato Y, Nagashio R, Ohta E, Azuma K. Vulnerability to stress in mouse offspring is ameliorated when pregnant dams are provided a chewing stick during prenatal stress. Arch Oral Biol 2018; 97:150-155. [PMID: 30390464 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2018.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether maternal chewing during prenatal stress alters the responsivity of young offspring to novel stress, we examined the expression of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors and mineralocorticoid receptors, and the levels of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone in young adult mouse offspring of dams exposed to restraint stress during pregnancy. DESIGN To induce stress, the dams were placed in a ventilated restraint tube for 45 min each day from day 12 of pregnancy through parturition. While restrained in the tube, one group of dams was provided a wooden stick for chewing. Hippocampal expression of glucocorticoid receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor messenger ribonucleic acid was assessed in 1-month-old pups. Hypothalamic expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone messenger ribonucleic acid was examined before and after exposing the offspring to a novel stressor. RESULTS Prenatal stress significantly decreased hippocampal expression of both glucocorticoid receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in the offspring, and increased the expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone messenger ribonucleic acid in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in the offspring after novel stress exposure. Maternal chewing during exposure to prenatal stress attenuated the decreased hippocampal expression of both glucocorticoid receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor messenger ribonucleic acid, and the increased corticotropin-releasing hormone messenger ribonucleic acid expression in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in the offspring. CONCLUSIONS Downregulation of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor expression in offspring due to prenatal stress, which may be associated with increased susceptibility to novel stress in adulthood, are attenuated by allowing the dams to chew on a wooden stick.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kin-Ya Kubo
- Graduate School of Human Life Science, Nagoya Women's University, 3-40, Shioji-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 467-8610, Japan.
| | - Ayumi Suzuki
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Asahi University School of Dentistry, 1851 Hozumi, Mizuho, Gifu, 501-0296, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Iinuma
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Asahi University School of Dentistry, 1851 Hozumi, Mizuho, Gifu, 501-0296, Japan
| | - Yuichi Sato
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Kitasato University School of Allied Health Science, 1-15-1, Minamiku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan; R & D Center for Cell Design, Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Cell Design, Kitasato University School of Allied Health Sciences, 1-15-1, Minamiku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan
| | - Ryo Nagashio
- Department of Molecular Diagnostics, Kitasato University School of Allied Health Science, 1-15-1, Minamiku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan; R & D Center for Cell Design, Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Cell Design, Kitasato University School of Allied Health Sciences, 1-15-1, Minamiku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan
| | - Etsuro Ohta
- R & D Center for Cell Design, Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Cell Design, Kitasato University School of Allied Health Sciences, 1-15-1, Minamiku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan; Department of Immunology, Kitasato University School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato, 1-15-1, Minamiku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan
| | - Kagaku Azuma
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 807-8555, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Cabbia R, Consoli A, Suchecki D. Association of 24 h maternal deprivation with a saline injection in the neonatal period alters adult stress response and brain monoamines in a sex-dependent fashion. Stress 2018; 21:333-346. [PMID: 29607713 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2018.1456525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal deprivation (MD) disinhibits the adrenal glands, rendering them responsive to various stressors, including saline injection, and this increased corticosterone (CORT) response can last for as long as 2 h. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that association of MD on day 11 with a saline injection would alter emotional behavior, CORT response, and brain monoamine levels, in male and female adult rats. Rats were submitted to the novelty suppressed feeding (NSF), the sucrose negative contrast test (SNCT), social investigation test (SIT), and the elevated plus maze (EPM). One quarter of each group was not tested (providing basal values of CORT and brain monoamines) and the remainder was decapitated 15, 45, or 75 min after the EPM, to assess CORT reactivity. Monoamine levels were determined in the hypothalamus (HPT), frontal cortex (FC), amygdala (AMY), ventral, and dorsal hippocampus (vHPC, dHPC, respectively). MD reduced food intake, in the home-cage, and latency to eat in the NSF in both sexes; females explored less the target animal in the SIT and explored more the open arms of the EPM than males; the CORT response to the EPM was greater in maternally-deprived males and females than in their control counterparts, and this response was further elevated in maternally-deprived females injected with saline. Regarding monoamine levels, females were less affected, showing isolated effects of the stressors, while in males, MD increased 5-HT levels in the HPT and decreased this monoamine in the FC, MD associated with saline reduced dopamine levels in all brain regions, except the HPT. MD at 11 days did not alter emotional behaviors in adult rats, but had an impact in neurobiological parameters associated with this class of behaviors. The impact of MD associated with saline on dopamine levels suggests that males may be vulnerable to motivation-related disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Cabbia
- a Departamento de Psicobiologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Universidade Federal de São Paulo , São Paulo , Brasil
| | - Amanda Consoli
- a Departamento de Psicobiologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Universidade Federal de São Paulo , São Paulo , Brasil
| | - Deborah Suchecki
- a Departamento de Psicobiologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Universidade Federal de São Paulo , São Paulo , Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hurtado-Alvarado G, Velázquez-Moctezuma J, Gómez-González B. Chronic sleep restriction disrupts interendothelial junctions in the hippocampus and increases blood-brain barrier permeability. J Microsc 2017; 268:28-38. [PMID: 28543440 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Chronic sleep loss in the rat increases blood-brain barrier permeability to Evans blue and FITC-dextrans in almost the whole brain and sleep recovery during short periods restores normal blood-brain barrier permeability. Sleep loss increases vesicle density in hippocampal endothelial cells and decreases tight junction protein expression. However, at the ultrastructural level the effect of chronic sleep loss on interendothelial junctions is unknown. In this study we characterised the ultrastructure of interendothelial junctions in the hippocampus, the expression of tight junction proteins, and quantified blood-brain barrier permeability to fluorescein-sodium after chronic sleep restriction. Male Wistar rats were sleep restricted using the modified multiple platform method during 10 days, with a daily schedule of 20-h sleep deprivation plus 4-h sleep recovery at their home-cages. At the 10th day hippocampal samples were obtained immediately at the end of the 20-h sleep deprivation period, and after 40 and 120 min of sleep recovery. Samples were processed for transmission electron microscopy and western blot. Chronic sleep restriction increased blood-brain barrier permeability to fluorescein-sodium, and decreased interendothelial junction complexity by increasing the frequency of less mature end-to-end and simply overlap junctions, even after sleep recovery, as compared to intact controls. Chronic sleep loss also induced the formation of clefts between narrow zones of adjacent endothelial cell membranes in the hippocampus. The expression of claudin-5 and actin decreased after chronic sleep loss as compared to intact animals. Therefore, it seems that chronic sleep loss disrupts interendothelial junctions that leads to blood-brain barrier hyperpermeability in the hippocampus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G Hurtado-Alvarado
- Area of Neurosciences, Department of Biology of Reproduction, CBS, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - J Velázquez-Moctezuma
- Area of Neurosciences, Department of Biology of Reproduction, CBS, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - B Gómez-González
- Area of Neurosciences, Department of Biology of Reproduction, CBS, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Chronic glucocorticoid exposure suppressed the differentiation and survival of embryonic neural stem/progenitor cells: Possible involvement of ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling in the neuronal differentiation. Neurosci Res 2016; 113:28-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 06/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
|
11
|
Prenatal stress-induced increases in hippocampal von Willebrand factor expression are prevented by concurrent prenatal escitalopram. Physiol Behav 2016; 172:24-30. [PMID: 27422674 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal stress has been linked to deficits in neurological function including deficient social behavior, alterations in learning and memory, impaired stress regulation, and susceptibility to adult disease. In addition, prenatal environment is known to alter cardiovascular health; however, limited information is available regarding the cerebrovascular consequences of prenatal stress exposure. Vascular disturbances late in life may lead to cerebral hypoperfusion which is linked to a variety of neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. The known impact of cerebrovascular compromise on neuronal function and behavior highlights the importance of characterizing the impact of stress on not just neurons and glia, but also cerebrovasculature. Von Willebrand factor has previously been shown to be impacted by prenatal stress and is predictive of cerebrovascular health. Here we assess the impact of prenatal stress on von Willebrand factor and related angiogenic factors. Furthermore, we assess the potential protective effects of concurrent anti-depressant treatment during in utero stress exposure on the assessed cerebrovascular endpoints. Prenatal stress augmented expression of von Willebrand factor which was prevented by concurrent in utero escitalopram treatment. The functional implications of this increase in von Willebrand factor remain elusive, but the presented data demonstrate that although prenatal stress did not independently impact total vascularization, exposure to chronic stress in adulthood decreased blood vessel length. In addition, the current study demonstrates that production of reactive oxygen species in the hippocampus is decreased by prenatal exposure to escitalopram. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the prenatal experience can cause complex changes in adult cerebral vascular structure and function.
Collapse
|
12
|
Konstantakou P, Mastorakos G, Vrachnis N, Tomlinson JW, Valsamakis G. Dysregulation of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases: implications during pregnancy and beyond. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2016; 30:284-293. [PMID: 27018008 DOI: 10.3109/14767058.2016.1171308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Glucococorticoids play a critical role in the developmental programing and fetal growth. Key molecules mediating and regulating tissue-specific glucocorticoid actions are 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD) type 1 and 2 isozymes, both of which are expressed in the placenta and the fetal membranes. 11beta-HSD1 is implicated in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and its dysregulation has been observed in pregnancy-related complications (pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction). Interestingly, preliminary clinical data have associated certain 11beta-HSD1 gene polymorphisms with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, suggesting, if confirmed by further targeted studies, it's potential as a putative prognostic marker. Animal studies and observations in humans have confirmed that 11beta-HSD2 insufficiency is related with pregnancy adversity (pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth). Importantly, down-regulation or deficiency of placental 11beta-HSD2 is associated with significant restriction in fetal growth and low-birth weight, and unfavorable cardio-metabolic profile in adulthood. The potential association of 11beta-HSD1 tissue-specific dysregulation with gestational diabetes, as well as the plausible utility of 11beta-HSD2, as a biomarker of pregnancy adversity and later life morbidity, are emerging areas of intense scientific interest and future investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Konstantakou
- a Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece
| | - G Mastorakos
- a Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece
| | - N Vrachnis
- b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece
| | - J W Tomlinson
- c Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital , Headington , UK
| | - G Valsamakis
- a Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Elfayomy AK, Almasry SM. Effects of a single course versus repeated courses of antenatal corticosteroids on fetal growth, placental morphometry and the differential regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2014; 40:2135-45. [PMID: 25163747 DOI: 10.1111/jog.12466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM To investigate the impact of antenatal exposure to a single course or repeated courses of dexamethasone (DEX) on neonatal anthropometrics, placental morphometry and potential effect on maternal plasma levels and placental expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). METHODS Pregnant women between 27 and 32 weeks of gestation who delivered between 28 and 40 weeks and received a single course (n = 38) or repeated courses (n = 33) of DEX were compared to gestational age-matched controls (n = 30). Maternal blood samples were obtained, and placental biopsy was taken. Area percent of VEGF immunostaining and villous capillarization index were evaluated using image analysis. RESULTS Infants exposed to repeated courses of DEX were significantly associated with decreased birthweight, body length, head circumference and placental weight compared with controls (P = 0.011, P < 0.001, P = 0.004, P < 0.001, respectively) and with the group that received a single course of DEX (P = 0.021, P = 0.020, P = 0.049, P = 0.010, respectively). There was a significant decrease in maternal VEGF plasma levels and percentage of VEGF immunostained area after repeated courses of DEX compared with controls (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively) or a single course (P = 0.028 and P = 0.002, respectively). Notably, repeated courses of DEX impaired normal increase in villous capillarization index compared with controls or a single course (P = 0.001 and P = 0.041, respectively). CONCLUSION Repeated antenatal courses of DEX compromised fetal and placental growth compared with a single course of DEX, and these effects were potentially mediated by altered maternal plasma levels and placental expression of VEGF with consequent decrease in placental vascularization. Because of continuing uncertainties, several key messages for clinicians are provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amr K Elfayomy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawarah, Saudi Arabia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Salouci M, Antoine N, Shikh Al Sook MK, Piret J, Mignon Y, Kirschvink N, Gabriel A. Developmental profiles of GFAP-positive astrocytes in sheep cerebellum. Vet Res Commun 2014; 38:279-85. [PMID: 25113608 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-014-9614-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Astroglial account for the largest glial population in the brain and play a variety of vital functions in the development of the central nervous system (CNS). An immunohistochemical study was performed in 19 ovine foetuses ranging from 2 to 5 months of gestation, one newborn lamb and three adult sheep. Using the anit-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) marker, several variations were found in the degree of GFAP positive (GFAP+) astrocyte distribution between the different zones in the cerebellum of sheep during brain development. Our study indicates that the first appearance of astrocytes from restricted zones in the cerebellum occurs around the eighth week of gestation. Bergmann cells were found to be present from around the 15th week of gestation onwards. Our findings suggest that the maturation of astrocytes begins in the caudal parts of the cerebellum, developing from their initial ventral regions to spread first to dorsal regions radially within the white matter, then followed by the more rostral parts of the cerebellum. Astrocytes were also found to proliferate in the vermis before appearing in the cerebellar hemispheres.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moustafa Salouci
- Department of Morphology and Pathology, University of Liège, Boulevard de Colonster 20, 4000, Liège, Sart Tilman, Belgium,
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kelly EN, Sananes R, Chiu-Man C, Silverman ED, Jaeggi E. Prenatal Anti-Ro Antibody Exposure, Congenital Complete Atrioventricular Heart Block, and High-Dose Steroid Therapy: Impact on Neurocognitive Outcome in School-Age Children. Arthritis Rheumatol 2014; 66:2290-6. [DOI: 10.1002/art.38675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. N. Kelly
- Mount Sinai Hospital; Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - R. Sananes
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto; Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - C. Chiu-Man
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto; Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - E. D. Silverman
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto; Toronto, Ontario Canada
| | - E. Jaeggi
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto; Toronto, Ontario Canada
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Paradis AN, Gay MS, Zhang L. Binucleation of cardiomyocytes: the transition from a proliferative to a terminally differentiated state. Drug Discov Today 2013; 19:602-9. [PMID: 24184431 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2013.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Revised: 09/26/2013] [Accepted: 10/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cardiomyocytes possess a unique ability to transition from mononucleate to the mature binucleate phenotype in late fetal development and around birth. Mononucleate cells are proliferative, whereas binucleate cells exit the cell cycle and no longer proliferate. This crucial period of terminal differentiation dictates cardiomyocyte endowment for life. Adverse early life events can influence development of the heart, affecting cardiomyocyte number and contributing to heart disease late in life. Although much is still unknown about the mechanisms underlying the binucleation process, many studies are focused on molecules involved in cell cycle regulation and cytokinesis as well as epigenetic modifications that can occur during this transition. Better understanding of these mechanisms could provide a basis for recovering the proliferative capacity of cardiomyocytes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra N Paradis
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Division of Pharmacology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Maresha S Gay
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Division of Pharmacology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Lubo Zhang
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Division of Pharmacology, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Chapman K, Holmes M, Seckl J. 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases: intracellular gate-keepers of tissue glucocorticoid action. Physiol Rev 2013; 93:1139-206. [PMID: 23899562 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00020.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 553] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid action on target tissues is determined by the density of "nuclear" receptors and intracellular metabolism by the two isozymes of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) which catalyze interconversion of active cortisol and corticosterone with inert cortisone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone. 11β-HSD type 1, a predominant reductase in most intact cells, catalyzes the regeneration of active glucocorticoids, thus amplifying cellular action. 11β-HSD1 is widely expressed in liver, adipose tissue, muscle, pancreatic islets, adult brain, inflammatory cells, and gonads. 11β-HSD1 is selectively elevated in adipose tissue in obesity where it contributes to metabolic complications. Similarly, 11β-HSD1 is elevated in the ageing brain where it exacerbates glucocorticoid-associated cognitive decline. Deficiency or selective inhibition of 11β-HSD1 improves multiple metabolic syndrome parameters in rodent models and human clinical trials and similarly improves cognitive function with ageing. The efficacy of inhibitors in human therapy remains unclear. 11β-HSD2 is a high-affinity dehydrogenase that inactivates glucocorticoids. In the distal nephron, 11β-HSD2 ensures that only aldosterone is an agonist at mineralocorticoid receptors (MR). 11β-HSD2 inhibition or genetic deficiency causes apparent mineralocorticoid excess and hypertension due to inappropriate glucocorticoid activation of renal MR. The placenta and fetus also highly express 11β-HSD2 which, by inactivating glucocorticoids, prevents premature maturation of fetal tissues and consequent developmental "programming." The role of 11β-HSD2 as a marker of programming is being explored. The 11β-HSDs thus illuminate the emerging biology of intracrine control, afford important insights into human pathogenesis, and offer new tissue-restricted therapeutic avenues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen Chapman
- Endocrinology Unit, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Effect of prenatal steroid treatment on the developing immune system. J Mol Med (Berl) 2013; 91:1293-302. [PMID: 23851605 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-013-1069-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Revised: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Prenatal steroids have an undisputed positive effect of decreasing neonatal morbidity and mortality by improving fetal lung maturation. Some concerns have been raised on long-term consequences on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and cognition, but there are no studies addressing effects on the immune system. The thymus is an essential organ for the development and selection of T cells, and thymocytes are extremely sensitive to steroids. Using a mouse model for prenatal steroid administration, we show here that betamethasone treatment to the mother has a profound effect on the thymus of the offspring. We find the thymus volume reduced, affecting mostly the developing CD4+ CD8+ double-positive thymocytes and a compensatory accelerated transition of the earlier stages to replenish the depleted compartment. This effect lasts for at least 3 days, which correspond to a very relevant period for the selection of the T cell repertoire. Moreover, we show that low doses of betamethasone have similar effects on human thymocytes in vitro. Therefore, further studies are needed to analyze possible long-term consequences of this treatment on the immune system of the offspring. KEY MESSAGE Betamethasone administered to the mother before birth reaches the fetal thymus. Prenatal betamethasone results in massive loss of developing thymocytes. The effects of betamethasone on thymus development are visible for several days. Human thymocytes are also sensitive to low doses of betamethasone. Altered thymocyte development around birth may have an effect on the immune system.
Collapse
|
19
|
Washburn SE, Tress U, Lunde ER, Chen WJA, Cudd TA. The role of cortisol in chronic binge alcohol-induced cerebellar injury: Ovine model. Alcohol 2013; 47:53-61. [PMID: 23218665 PMCID: PMC3544992 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2012.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2012] [Revised: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy are at high risk of giving birth to children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Previous reports from our laboratory have shown that third trimester equivalent binge alcohol exposure at a dose of 1.75 g/kg/day results in significant fetal cerebellar Purkinje cell loss in fetal sheep and that both maternal and fetal adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol levels are elevated in response to alcohol treatment. In this study, we hypothesized that repeated elevations in cortisol from chronic binge alcohol are responsible at least in part for fetal neuronal deficits. Animals were divided into four treatment groups: normal control, pair-fed saline control, alcohol and cortisol. The magnitude of elevation in cortisol in response to alcohol was mimicked in the cortisol group by infusing pregnant ewes with hydrocortisone for 6 h on each day of the experiment, and administering saline during the first hour in lieu of alcohol. The experiment was conducted on three consecutive days followed by four days without treatment beginning on gestational day (GD) 109 until GD 132. Peak maternal blood alcohol concentration in the alcohol group was 239 ± 7 mg/dl. The fetal brains were collected and processed for stereological cell counting on GD 133. The estimated total number of fetal cerebellar Purkinje cells, the reference volume and the Purkinje cell density were not altered in response to glucocorticoid infusion in the absence of alcohol. These results suggest that glucocorticoids independently during the third trimester equivalent may not produce fetal cerebellar Purkinje cell loss. However, the elevations in cortisol along with other changes induced by alcohol could together lead to brain injury seen in the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon E Washburn
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology and Michael E. DeBakey Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Nesan D, Vijayan MM. Role of glucocorticoid in developmental programming: evidence from zebrafish. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 181:35-44. [PMID: 23103788 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2012] [Accepted: 10/13/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate corticosteroid stress response is highly conserved and a key function is to restore homeostasis by mobilizing and reallocating energy stores. This process is primarily initiated by activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to the release of corticosteroids into the circulation. In teleosts, cortisol is the primary corticosteroid that is released into the circulation in response to stress. This steroid activates corticosteroid receptors that are ligand-bound transcription factors, modulating downstream gene expression in target tissues. Recent research in zebrafish (Danio rerio) has identified novel roles for cortisol in early developmental processes, including organogenesis and mesoderm formation. As cortisol biosynthesis commences only around the time of hatch in teleosts, the early developmental events are orchestrated by cortisol that is maternally deposited prior to fertilization. This review will highlight the molecular events leading to the development of the corticosteroid stress axis, and the possible role of cortisol in the developmental programming of stress axis function. Use of zebrafish as a model may lead to significant insights into the conserved role of glucocorticoids during early development with potential implications in biomedical research, including fetal stress syndromes in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dinushan Nesan
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Virk J, Li J, Lauritsen J, Olsen J. Risk of childhood injuries after prenatal exposure to maternal bereavement: a Danish National Cohort Study. BMJ Open 2013; 3:bmjopen-2012-002357. [PMID: 23613570 PMCID: PMC3641438 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the risk of injuries among children exposed to a stressful life exposure (defined as bereavement) before conception or during fetal life. DESIGN Population-based cohort study. SETTING Denmark. PARTICIPANTS All singleton births in Denmark between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 2006 were identified. These newborns were then linked to mothers, fathers, grandparents and siblings using individually assigned civil personal registration numbers. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES We identified that data on childhood injuries were obtained from the Danish National Patient Registry, which contains data on all hospital stays and outpatient visits. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were estimated from birth using log-linear Poisson regression models, and person-years were used as the offset variable. Age, residence, calendar period, maternal education, maternal income and parental-cohabitation status are treated as time-dependent variables (records were extracted from the offspring's birth year). RESULTS Exposure to maternal bereavement due to a father's death had the strongest association with childhood injuries, especially when the cause of death was due to a traumatic event (adjusted estimates of IRR (aIRR): 1.25, 95%CI: 0.99 to 1.58). We did not find an association for childhood injuries and maternal bereavement due to grandparent's death, and we only found an association for sibling death when restricting to deaths due to traumatic events (aIRR: 1.20, 95%CI:1.03 to 1.39). CONCLUSIONS The aetiology of childhood injuries is complex and may be related to events that take place during prenatal life. This study suggests that exposure to a stressful life event during gestation may be linked to injury susceptibility in childhood. However, changes in postnatal family conditions related to loss or genetic factors may also play a role. BACKGROUND Developmental plasticity related to early life exposures leading to disease programming in offspring is a theory with substantial theoretical and empirical support. Prenatal stress exposure has been linked to neurological outcomes, such as temperament, behavioural problems, cognitive function and affective disorders. If exposure modifies risk-seeking behaviour, perceived danger and reaction time, it is also expected to modify injury risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasveer Virk
- Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jiong Li
- Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jens Lauritsen
- Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Orthopedics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jørn Olsen
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Abstract
Adverse environments during the fetal and neonatal development period may permanently program physiology and metabolism, and lead to increased risk of diseases in later life. Programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is one of the key mechanisms that contribute to altered metabolism and response to stress. Programming of the HPA axis often involves epigenetic modification of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene promoter, which influences tissue-specific GR expression patterns and response to stimuli. This review summarizes the current state of research on the HPA axis and programming of health and disease in the adult, focusing on the epigenetic regulation of GR gene expression patterns in response to fetal and neonatal stress. Aberrant GR gene expression patterns in the developing brain may have a significant negative impact on protection of the immature brain against hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in the critical period of development during and immediately after birth.
Collapse
|
23
|
Antenatal steroids and the IUGR fetus: are exposure and physiological effects on the lung and cardiovascular system the same as in normally grown fetuses? J Pregnancy 2012; 2012:839656. [PMID: 23227338 PMCID: PMC3512319 DOI: 10.1155/2012/839656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 09/06/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are administered to pregnant women at risk of preterm labour to promote fetal lung surfactant maturation. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with an increased risk of preterm labour. Hence, IUGR babies may be exposed to antenatal glucocorticoids. The ability of the placenta or blood brain barrier to remove glucocorticoids from the fetal compartment or the brain is compromised in the IUGR fetus, which may have implications for lung, brain, and heart development. There is conflicting evidence on the effect of exogenous glucocorticoids on surfactant protein expression in different animal models of IUGR. Furthermore, the IUGR fetus undergoes significant cardiovascular adaptations, including altered blood pressure regulation, which is in conflict with glucocorticoid-induced alterations in blood pressure and flow. Hence, antenatal glucocorticoid therapy in the IUGR fetus may compromise regulation of cardiovascular development. The role of cortisol in cardiomyocyte development is not clear with conflicting evidence in different species and models of IUGR. Further studies are required to study the effects of antenatal glucocorticoids on lung, brain, and heart development in the IUGR fetus. Of specific interest are the aetiology of IUGR and the resultant degree, duration, and severity of hypoxemia.
Collapse
|
24
|
Abstract
Epidemiological evidence suggests that exposure to an adverse environment in early life is associated with an increased risk of cardio-metabolic and behavioral disorders in adulthood, a phenomenon termed 'early life programming'. One major hypothesis for early life programming is fetal glucocorticoid overexposure. In animal studies, prenatal glucocorticoid excess as a consequence of maternal stress or through exogenous administration to the mother or fetus is associated with programming effects on cardiovascular and metabolic systems and on the brain. These effects can be transmitted to subsequent generations. Studies in humans provide some evidence that prenatal glucocorticoid exposure may exert similar programming effects on glucose/insulin homeostasis, blood pressure and neurodevelopment. The mechanisms by which glucocorticoids mediate these effects are unclear but may include a role for epigenetic modifications. This review discusses the evidence for glucocorticoid programming in animal models and in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Batbayar Khulan
- Endocrinology Unit, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Claessens SE, Belanoff JK, Kanatsou S, Lucassen PJ, Champagne DL, Ronald de Kloet E. Acute effects of neonatal dexamethasone treatment on proliferation and astrocyte immunoreactivity in hippocampus and corpus callosum: Towards a rescue strategy. Brain Res 2012; 1482:1-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2012] [Revised: 07/31/2012] [Accepted: 08/10/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
|
26
|
Antenatal corticosteroids: a risk factor for the development of chronic disease. J Nutr Metab 2012; 2012:930591. [PMID: 22523677 PMCID: PMC3317130 DOI: 10.1155/2012/930591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2011] [Revised: 12/30/2011] [Accepted: 12/31/2011] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth remains a major health issue worldwide. Since the 1990s, women at risk for preterm birth received a single course of exogenous antenatal corticosteroids (ACSs) to facilitate fetal lung maturity. More recently, repeated or multiple courses of ACS have been supported to provide continued fetal maturity support for women with continued risk of preterm birth. However, exogenous ACS reduces birth weight which, in turn, is associated with adverse adult outcomes such as coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. The long-term effects of ACS exposure on HPA axis activity and neurological function are well documented in animal studies, and it appears that ACS, regardless of dose exposure, is capable of affecting fetal HPA axis development causing permanent changes in the HPA axis that persists through life and is manifested by chronic illness and behavioral changes. The challenge in human studies is to demonstrate whether an intervention such as ACS administration in pregnancy contributes to developmental programming and how this is manifested in later life.
Collapse
|
27
|
Wyrwoll CS, Holmes MC. Prenatal excess glucocorticoid exposure and adult affective disorders: a role for serotonergic and catecholamine pathways. Neuroendocrinology 2012; 95:47-55. [PMID: 22042385 PMCID: PMC3388616 DOI: 10.1159/000331345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2011] [Accepted: 07/29/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Fetal glucocorticoid exposure is a key mechanism proposed to underlie prenatal 'programming' of adult affective behaviours such as depression and anxiety. Indeed, the glucocorticoid metabolising enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2), which is highly expressed in the placenta and the developing fetus, acts as a protective barrier from the high maternal glucocorticoids which may alter developmental trajectories. The programmed changes resulting from maternal stress or bypass or from the inhibition of 11β-HSD2 are frequently associated with alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Hence, circulating glucocorticoid levels are increased either basally or in response to stress accompanied by CNS region-specific modulations in the expression of both corticosteroid receptors (mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors). Furthermore, early-life glucocorticoid exposure also affects serotonergic and catecholamine pathways within the brain, with changes in both associated neurotransmitters and receptors. Indeed, global removal of 11β-HSD2, an enzyme that inactivates glucocorticoids, increases anxiety- and depressive-like behaviour in mice; however, in this case the phenotype is not accompanied by overt perturbation in the HPA axis but, intriguingly, alterations in serotonergic and catecholamine pathways are maintained in this programming model. This review addresses one of the potential adverse effects of glucocorticoid overexposure in utero, i.e. increased incidence of affective behaviours, and the mechanisms underlying these behaviours including alteration of the HPA axis and serotonergic and catecholamine pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin S. Wyrwoll
- *C.S. Wyrwoll, Endocrinology Unit, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ (UK), Tel. +44 131 242 6746, E-Mail
| | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Gómez‐González B, Larios HM, Escobar A. Increased transvascular transport of WGA‐peroxidase after chronic perinatal stress in the hippocampal microvasculature of the rat. Int J Dev Neurosci 2011; 29:839-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2011.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2011] [Revised: 07/08/2011] [Accepted: 08/08/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Gómez‐González
- Dept. Cell Biology and PhysiologyInstituto de Investigaciones BiomédicasUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad Universitaria04510Mexico CityMexico
| | - Horacio Merchant Larios
- Dept. Cell Biology and PhysiologyInstituto de Investigaciones BiomédicasUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad Universitaria04510Mexico CityMexico
| | - Alfonso Escobar
- Dept. Cell Biology and PhysiologyInstituto de Investigaciones BiomédicasUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad Universitaria04510Mexico CityMexico
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Wyrwoll CS, Holmes MC, Seckl JR. 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and the brain: from zero to hero, a decade of progress. Front Neuroendocrinol 2011; 32:265-86. [PMID: 21144857 PMCID: PMC3149101 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2010] [Revised: 12/01/2010] [Accepted: 12/01/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids have profound effects on brain development and adult CNS function. Excess or insufficient glucocorticoids cause myriad abnormalities from development to ageing. The actions of glucocorticoids within cells are determined not only by blood steroid levels and target cell receptor density, but also by intracellular metabolism by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (11β-HSD). 11β-HSD1 regenerates active glucocorticoids from their inactive 11-keto derivatives and is widely expressed throughout the adult CNS. Elevated hippocampal and neocortical 11β-HSD1 is observed with ageing and causes cognitive decline; its deficiency prevents the emergence of cognitive defects with age. Conversely, 11β-HSD2 is a dehydrogenase, inactivating glucocorticoids. The major central effects of 11β-HSD2 occur in development, as expression of 11β-HSD2 is high in fetal brain and placenta. Deficient feto-placental 11β-HSD2 results in a life-long phenotype of anxiety and cardiometabolic disorders, consistent with early life glucocorticoid programming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin S Wyrwoll
- Endocrinology Unit, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Abstract
The perinatal period is particularly sensitive to a variety of insults during which stress-regulating systems can be permanently altered and psychopathologies ensue. The programming of physiological, endocrinological, and behavioral functions by perinatal adversities is mediated by altered levels of glucocorticoids or the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in either the mother or offspring. In this article, I review the integrated data from human studies and from animal models that suggest the programming effects of perinatal glucocorticoids exposure. Finally, the concept of developmental origins of psychiatric disorders is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Tung Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Harris A, Seckl J. Glucocorticoids, prenatal stress and the programming of disease. Horm Behav 2011; 59:279-89. [PMID: 20591431 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 567] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2010] [Revised: 05/26/2010] [Accepted: 06/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
An adverse foetal environment is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular, metabolic, neuroendocrine and psychological disorders in adulthood. Exposure to stress and its glucocorticoid hormone mediators may underpin this association. In humans and in animal models, prenatal stress, excess exogenous glucocorticoids or inhibition of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD2; the placental barrier to maternal glucocorticoids) reduces birth weight and causes hyperglycemia, hypertension, increased HPA axis reactivity, and increased anxiety-related behaviour. Molecular mechanisms that underlie the 'developmental programming' effects of excess glucocorticoids/prenatal stress include epigenetic changes in target gene promoters. In the case of the intracellular glucocorticoid receptor (GR), this alters tissue-specific GR expression levels, which has persistent and profound effects on glucocorticoid signalling in certain tissues (e.g. brain, liver, and adipose). Crucially, changes in gene expression persist long after the initial challenge, predisposing the individual to disease in later life. Intriguingly, the effects of a challenged pregnancy appear to be transmitted possibly to one or two subsequent generations, suggesting that these epigenetic effects persist.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anjanette Harris
- University of Edinburgh, Endocrinology Unit, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
McKendry AA, Palliser HK, Yates DM, Walker DW, Hirst JJ. The effect of betamethasone treatment on neuroactive steroid synthesis in a foetal Guinea pig model of growth restriction. J Neuroendocrinol 2010; 22:166-74. [PMID: 20041984 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2009.01949.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
There are ongoing concerns that antenatal corticosteroids, which are administered to women at high risk of delivering preterm to reduce the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome, have adverse effects on foetal brain development and subsequent effects on behaviour and learning, when administered as repeated courses. The present study aimed to examine whether repeated betamethasone treatment alters the expression of the key-rate limiting enzyme, 5alpha-reductase, in the synthetic pathway of the potent neuroactive steroid allopregnanolone in the brain and placenta and whether this effect is potentiated in growth restricted foetuses. To investigate this, pregnant guinea pigs carrying either control (sham surgery) or growth-restricted foetuses were treated with vehicle or betamethasone (1 mg/kg/day) for 4 days prior to sacrifice (65d). Placental insufficiency was induced by the ablation of uterine artery branches supplying each placenta at mid gestation, resulting in foetal growth restriction characterised by 'brain sparing'. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to determine relative 5alpha-reductase type 1 and 2 mRNA expression in the placenta and brain. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in the subcortical white matter, CA1 and dentate regions of the hippocampus. 5alpha-reductase type 2 mRNA expression in the brain was markedly reduced by betamethasone treatment in male foetuses compared to vehicle-treated controls but not in female foetuses. In addition, 5alpha-reductase type 1 expression in the brain was increased by growth restriction and/or betamethasone treatment in female foetuses but expression in males foetuses did not increase. 5alpha-reductase type 2 expression in the placenta was markedly reduced by betamethasone treatment compared to vehicle-treated control. Intrauterine growth restriction and betamethasone treatment reduced GFAP expression in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in the brains of male but not female foetuses. These data indicate that betamethasone treatment suppresses placental expression and has sexually dimorphic effects on expression of neuroactive steroid synthetic enzymes in the brain. These actions may lead to adverse effects on the developing brain, particularly in male foetuses, such as the observed effects on GFAP expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A A McKendry
- Mothers & Babies Research Centre and School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Gómez-González B, Escobar A. Prenatal stress alters microglial development and distribution in postnatal rat brain. Acta Neuropathol 2010; 119:303-15. [PMID: 19756668 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-009-0590-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2009] [Revised: 08/28/2009] [Accepted: 09/04/2009] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Stress affects microglial function and viability during adulthood and early postnatal life; however, it is unknown whether stress to the pregnant dam might alter offspring microglia. The effects of prenatal stress on microglial development and distribution in the postnatal brain were studied using Wistar rats. Prenatal stress consisting of 20 min of forced swimming occurred on embryonic days 10-20. On postnatal days 1 and 10, stressed and control pups were killed. Microglia were identified using Griffonia simplicifolia lectin and quantified in the whole encephalon. In addition, plasma corticosterone was measured in dams at embryonic day 20, and in pups on postnatal days 1 and 10. At postnatal day 1, there was an increase in number of ramified microglia in the parietal, entorhinal and frontal cortices, septum, basal ganglia, thalamus, medulla oblongata and internal capsule in the stressed pups as compared to controls, but also there was a reduction of amoeboid microglia and the total number of microglia in the corpus callosum. By postnatal day 10, there were no differences in the morphologic type or the distribution of microglia between the prenatal stress and control groups, except in the corpus callosum; where prenatal stress decreased the number of ramified microglia. The stress procedure was effective in producing plasma rise in corticosterone levels of pregnant rats at embryonic day 20 when compared to same age controls. Prenatal stress reduced the number of immature microglia and promoted an accelerated microglial differentiation into a ramified form. These findings may be related to an increase in plasma corticosterone in the pregnant dam.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Gómez-González
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Mexico D.F., Mexico.
| | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Maric NP, Dunjic B, Stojiljkovic DJ, Britvic D, Jasovic-Gasic M. Prenatal stress during the 1999 bombing associated with lower birth weight-a study of 3,815 births from Belgrade. Arch Womens Ment Health 2010; 13:83-9. [PMID: 19649574 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-009-0099-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2009] [Accepted: 07/14/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
During the 3-month bombing of Serbia (March 24-June 9, 1999), the entire population, including pregnant females as an especially vulnerable group, was exposed to a high degree of stress. This is the first study to explore the effects of prenatal stress during the 1999 bombing of Belgrade on the main obstetric characteristics of newborns. The design of the study was retrospective cross-sectional. The total number of birth records in the sample was 3,815, namely, 1,198 from the group exposed to prenatal stress and 1,251 and 1,366 from the respective control periods, years 1996 and 2003, when no stressful events affected the city. We found that exposed mothers gave birth to infants with statistically significantly lower birth weight (BW; mean difference = 86 g, 95% confidence interval = 67 to 104; F ((1, 3,349)) = 80.8, p < 0.001, eta (p) (2) = 0.024), when controlling for confounding effects of body length and head circumference. There was no specific relation between the trimester of stress exposure and BW in infants born in 1999. Neither increased frequency of preterm deliveries nor more complications of pregnancy and delivery were found in the given sample. Possible consequences of lower BW on psychosocial and somatic functioning should be evaluated through the lifetime.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadja P Maric
- Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Center of Serbia, Pasterova 2, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Neigh GN, Gillespie CF, Nemeroff CB. The neurobiological toll of child abuse and neglect. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2009; 10:389-410. [PMID: 19661133 PMCID: PMC6492037 DOI: 10.1177/1524838009339758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to interpersonal violence or abuse affects the physical and emotional well-being of affected individuals. In particular, exposure to trauma during development increases the risk of psychiatric and other medical disorders beyond the risks associated with adult violence exposure. Alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a major mediating pathway of the stress response, contribute to the long-standing effects of early life trauma. Although early life trauma elevates the risk of psychiatric and medical disease, not all exposed individuals demonstrate altered HPA axis physiology, suggesting that genetic variation influences the consequences of trauma exposure. In addition, the effects of abuse may extend beyond the immediate victim into subsequent generations as a consequence of epigenetic effects transmitted directly to offspring and/or behavioral changes in affected individuals. Recognition of the biological consequences and transgenerational impact of violence and abuse has critical importance for both disease research and public health policy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen N Neigh
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Altered functional development of the blood–brain barrier after early life stress in the rat. Brain Res Bull 2009; 79:376-87. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2009.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2008] [Revised: 05/09/2009] [Accepted: 05/13/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
37
|
|
38
|
Miracle X, Di Renzo GC, Stark A, Fanaroff A, Carbonell-Estrany X, Saling E. Guideline for the use of antenatal corticosteroids for fetal maturation. J Perinat Med 2008; 36:191-6. [PMID: 18576926 DOI: 10.1515/jpm.2008.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The aim is to present a document, which is based on current evidence and serves as a guideline for use in clinical practice. The following questions are addressed: Is the use of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) an effective therapy? Who are the candidates for antenatal corticosteroid therapy? Is there benefit after 34 weeks' gestation? When is the optimal time to treat? Which are the optimal steroids; what is the ideal dose and route of administration? Are there any contraindications to the administration of ACS? Are antenatal corticosteroids indicated in women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM)? Is the use of ACS recommended in pregnancies complicated by maternal diabetes mellitus? Should the treatment with corticosteroids be repeated?
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Miracle
- Neonatology Service, Hospital Clinic, Institut Clinic de Ginecologia, Obstetricia I Neonatologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Song L, Bai J, Zhou W. Determination of Betamethasone and Dexamethasone in Human Urine and Serum by MEKC After an Experimental Design. Chromatographia 2008. [DOI: 10.1365/s10337-008-0692-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
|
40
|
Leventopoulos M, Rüedi-Bettschen D, Knuesel I, Feldon J, Pryce CR, Opacka-Juffry J. Long-term effects of early life deprivation on brain glia in Fischer rats. Brain Res 2007; 1142:119-26. [PMID: 17306230 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2006] [Revised: 12/19/2006] [Accepted: 01/11/2007] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Both clinical and experimental studies have indicated that depression and depression-like animal conditions are associated with disruption of the intrinsic plasticity of the brain, resulting in neuronal atrophy. However, little is known about the brain glia in these conditions. Early life stress in the form of infant abuse or neglect constitutes a risk factor in the aetiology of major depressive disorder in later life. It is possible to model this relation between early life stress and depression in the rat through maternal deprivation; in adulthood, this postnatal manipulation is known to lead to depression-like behaviour. In the stress-hyperresponsive Fischer strain, P1-14 pups were isolated for 4 h/day (early deprivation, ED, n=6) or were nonhandled (NH, n=6); they were left undisturbed until adulthood. Postmortem quantitative analysis of regional astroglial distribution and morphology based on glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemistry indicated a significant effect of ED on the density of GFAP-reactive astrocytes in brain areas implicated in stress-related behaviour. A moderate (10-22%) but consistent reduction in GFAP-reactive astrocyte density was seen in dorsal dentate gyrus, prefrontal cortex, ventral hippocampal CA1, cingulate cortex, dorsal hippocampal CA1 and basolateral amygdala. The ED-related reduction in GFAP-immunoreactive astrocyte density was more marked than the reduction in total cell density, which suggests that GFAP immunoreactivity, rather than the number of astrocytes, was reduced. This study provides evidence that early life stress leads to long-term changes in the density of astroglia in the brain regions involved in stress responses in the rat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michail Leventopoulos
- School of Human and Life Sciences, Whitelands College, Roehampton University, London SW15 4JD, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Glucocorticoids, developmental ‘programming’ and the risk of affective dysfunction. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2007; 167:17-34. [DOI: 10.1016/s0079-6123(07)67002-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
|
42
|
Abstract
Antenatal corticosteroid therapy to enhance fetal lung maturation in pregnancies at risk for preterm delivery is used commonly, based on the assumption that its established benefits outweigh associated risks. Corticosteroid treatment does confer some risks, particularly with respect to restricted brain growth and disordered neuronal development. These alterations have the potential for long-term effects on health. They deserve further study, and should not be undervalued. Corticosteroid therapy should be applied selectively in those situations in which the risk of preterm birth is very high and the likelihood of severe respiratory distress syndrome substantial.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ralph L Cavalieri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and the Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Abstract
Epidemiological data have linked an adverse fetal environment with increased risks of cardiovascular, metabolic, neuroendocrine, and psychiatric disorders in adulthood. Prenatal stress and/or glucocorticoid excess might underlie this link. In animal models, prenatal stress, glucocorticoid exposure or inhibition/knockout of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11 beta-HSD-2), the feto-placental barrier to maternal glucocorticoids, reduces birth weight and causes permanent hypertension, hyperglycemia, increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and behavior resembling of anxiety. In humans, 11 beta-HSD-2 gene mutations cause low birth weight and placental 11 beta-HSD-2 activity correlates directly with birth weight and inversely with infant blood pressure. Low birth weight babies have higher plasma cortisol levels throughout adult life, indicating HPA programming. In human pregnancy, severe maternal stress affects the offspring HPA axis and associates with neuropsychiatric disorders. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) appears to be a variable in the effects. Intriguingly, some of these effects appear to be 'inherited' into a further generation, itself unexposed to exogenous glucocorticoids at any point in the lifespan from fertilization, implying epigenetic marks persist into subsequent generation(s). Overall, the data suggest that prenatal exposure to excess glucocorticoids programs peripheral and CNS functions in adult life, predisposing to some pathologies, perhaps protecting from others, and these may be transmitted perhaps to one or two subsequent generations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Seckl
- Endocrinology Unit, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Sadowska GB, Patlak CS, Petersson KH, Stonestreet BS. Effects of multiple courses of antenatal corticosteroids on blood-brain barrier permeability in the ovine fetus. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 13:248-55. [PMID: 16697940 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsgi.2006.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2005] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that multiple courses of antenatal corticosteroids accentuate the decreases in blood-brain barrier permeability observed after a single course of corticosteroids in preterm ovine fetuses. METHODS Chronically instrumented 106-day gestation ovine fetuses were studied after single and multiple courses of dexamethasone or placebo were given to ewes beginning at 104 to 106 or 76 to 78 days of gestation, respectively. In the single-course groups, the ewes received dexamethasone (6 mg, n = 6) or placebo (n = 6) as four intramuscular injections every 12 hours over 48 hours. In the multiple course groups, the ewes received the same treatment (dexamethasone, n = 9, or placebo, n = 8), once per week for 5 weeks starting at 76 to 78 days of gestation. Blood-brain barrier permeability was quantified with the blood-to-brain transfer constant (K(i)) for alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) in the brain regions of the fetuses 12 hours after the last injection of dexamethasone was given to the ewes at 106 to 107 days of gestation. RESULTS Both single (analysis of variance [ANOVA]; main effects for dexamethasone treatment, F = 5.92, P <.04) and multiple (ANOVA; main effects for dexamethasone treatment, F = 4.74, P <.04) courses of antenatal corticosteroids were associated with decreases in blood-brain barrier permeability in the brain regions of the ovine fetus. However, the multiple courses did not accentuate (ANOVA; main effects for single versus multiple courses, F = 1.06, P = .32) the decreases in permeability observed after a single course. CONCLUSION Contrary to our hypothesis, antenatal treatment with a 5-week course of corticosteroids did not accentuate the reductions in blood-brain barrier permeability that we observed after a single course of corticosteroids in the fetus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grazyna B Sadowska
- Department of Pediatrics, Brown University Medical School, Women and Infants' Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI 02905-2499 , USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Østensen M, Khamashta M, Lockshin M, Parke A, Brucato A, Carp H, Doria A, Rai R, Meroni P, Cetin I, Derksen R, Branch W, Motta M, Gordon C, Ruiz-Irastorza G, Spinillo A, Friedman D, Cimaz R, Czeizel A, Piette JC, Cervera R, Levy RA, Clementi M, De Carolis S, Petri M, Shoenfeld Y, Faden D, Valesini G, Tincani A. Anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs and reproduction. Arthritis Res Ther 2006; 8:209. [PMID: 16712713 PMCID: PMC1526635 DOI: 10.1186/ar1957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 343] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Rheumatic diseases in women of childbearing years may necessitate drug treatment during a pregnancy, to control maternal disease activity and to ensure a successful pregnancy outcome. This survey is based on a consensus workshop of international experts discussing effects of anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and biological drugs during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, effects of these drugs on male and female fertility and possible long-term effects on infants exposed to drugs antenatally are discussed where data were available. Recommendations for drug treatment during pregnancy and lactation are given.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monika Østensen
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology/Allergology, University Hospital of Bern, Switzerland.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Abstract
Compelling epidemiological evidence suggests that the early environment is an important determinant of later risk of disease. In particular, low birth weight has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, including hypertension, Type 2 diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease, independent of classical adult lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, adult weight, social class, excess alcohol intake and sedentary lifestyle. These observations have led to a revolutionary concept of early life physiological programming. The molecular mechanisms that underlie this relationship remain unclear, but one major hypothesis implicates fetal overexposure to glucocorticoid stress hormones. This article will review evidence for this hypothesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moffat J Nyirenda
- a University of Edinburgh, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ Scotland, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Brucato A, Astori MG, Cimaz R, Villa P, Li Destri M, Chimini L, Vaccari R, Muscarà M, Motta M, Tincani A, Neri F, Martinelli S. Normal neuropsychological development in children with congenital complete heart block who may or may not be exposed to high-dose dexamethasone in utero. Ann Rheum Dis 2006; 65:1422-6. [PMID: 16504990 PMCID: PMC1798357 DOI: 10.1136/ard.2005.049866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antenatal and postnatal treatment with dexamethasone (DEX) may negatively affect the neuropsychological development in children. Maternal anti-Ro/Sjögren's syndrome A (SSA) antibodies may also be associated with learning disabilities in offspring. OBJECTIVE To assess neuropsychological development in babies exposed to very high dosages of DEX in utero, whose mothers were anti-Ro/SSA positive. METHODS 13 children with congenital complete heart block (CHB) (11 exposed and 2 not exposed to DEX) and 3 healthy siblings, all of anti-Ro/SSA-positive women, were evaluated. 11 preschool-aged children (5 boys) were assessed using Griffiths Mental Development Scales. 5 school-aged children (2 boys) were examined using Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised to check IQ and reading tests to explore the existence of learning disabilities or dyslexia. None of the children had had major neonatal complications, although those with CHB had to be paced at different intervals from birth. RESULTS The children had been exposed in utero to a mean total dose of 186.6 mg DEX. IQ levels were always normal (mean IQ 105.1, standard deviation (SD) 9.5). Only one child had a learning disability, of borderline clinical significance, but this child had never been exposed to DEX. CONCLUSION No negative effects were found on the neuropsychological development in this cohort of children, even if they had been exposed to maternal anti-Ro/SSA antibodies and to very high dosages of DEX (much higher than those used to improve fetal lung maturity). These findings might be of interest in view of the large number of infants exposed in the past to repeated antenatal courses of steroids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Brucato
- Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Niguarda Hospital, Milano, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Kanagawa T, Tomimatsu T, Hayashi S, Shioji M, Fukuda H, Shimoya K, Murata Y. The effects of repeated corticosteroid administration on the neurogenesis in the neonatal rat. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006; 194:231-8. [PMID: 16389037 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2005.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2005] [Revised: 04/18/2005] [Accepted: 06/01/2005] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects on the brain including neurogenesis pretreated with repeated doses of dexamethasone in the neonatal rat. STUDY DESIGN The 4-day-old Sprague Dawley rats were pretreated with 4 different regimens, namely, single administration of dexamethasone, 2-dose administration, 3-dose administration, and saline administration as a control. Concurrently, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), which was incorporated into the dividing cells, was administered. We examined body weight, brain weight, and the number of BrdU-labeled cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ), the subgranular zone (SGZ), and the cortex. RESULTS Both the body and brain weight of the rats pretreated with dexamethasone were significantly decreased compared with those given saline. Quantitative analysis of BrdU-labeled cells revealed the significant dose-dependent decreases in the SVZ, the SGZ, and the cortex with the dexamethasone treatment. CONCLUSION We concluded that the decreases in neurogenesis caused by repeated antenatal corticosteroid therapy might result in the adverse effects on the size of the head at birth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Kanagawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Barros VG, Duhalde-Vega M, Caltana L, Brusco A, Antonelli MC. Astrocyte–neuron vulnerability to prenatal stress in the adult rat brain. J Neurosci Res 2006; 83:787-800. [PMID: 16493669 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.20758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Chronic activation of the stress response during pregnancy has been shown to be injurious to the development of the offspring. We have previously demonstrated that restraint prenatal stress inflicted during the last week of pregnancy in rats increased dopamine and glutamate receptors in forebrain areas of the adult offsprings. In this study, the same prenatal insult was employed to assess morphological changes in astrocytes and in the dendritic arborization in frontal cortex, striatum, and hippocampus of the adult rat brain. On postnatal day 90, brains were processed for immunocytochemistry using primary antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP; the main cytoskeletal astroglial protein), S100B protein (an astroglial-derived neurotrophic factor), MAP-2 (a microtubule-associated protein present almost exclusively in dendrites), and synaptophysin (Syn; one major integral protein of the synaptic vesicles membrane). The results show a significant increase in the cell area of GFAP-immunoreactive (-IR) astrocytes, with high levels of S100B protein and a significant decrease in the relative area of MAP-2-IR neuronal processes in prenatally stressed adult rats. The expression of synaptophysin decreased in all areas studied. These results demonstrate that prenatal stress induces a long-lasting astroglial reaction and a reduced dendritic arborization, with synaptic loss in the brain of adult offspring. In addition to the neurochemical alterations previously reported, these morphological changes might be underlying the behavioral and learning impairment previously observed in prenatally stressed rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Virginia G Barros
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Rosenthal E, Gordon PA, Simpson JM, Sharland GK. Letter Regarding Article by Jaeggi et al, “Transplacental Fetal Treatment Improves the Outcome of Prenatally Diagnosed Complete Atrioventricular Block Without Structural Heart Disease”. Circulation 2005; 111:e287-8; author reply e287-8. [PMID: 15883222 DOI: 10.1161/01.cir.0000164275.69617.b2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|