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Baptista FI, Ambrósio AF. Tracing the influence of prenatal risk factors on the offspring retina: Focus on development and putative long-term consequences. Eur J Clin Invest 2024:e14266. [PMID: 38864773 DOI: 10.1111/eci.14266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy represents a window of vulnerability to fetal development. Disruptions in the prenatal environment during this crucial period can increase the risk of the offspring developing diseases over the course of their lifetime. The central nervous system (CNS) has been shown to be particularly susceptible to changes during crucial developmental windows. To date, research focused on disruptions in the development of the CNS has predominantly centred on the brain, revealing a correlation between exposure to prenatal risk factors and the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, some studies indicate that the retina, which is part of the CNS, is also vulnerable to in utero alterations during pregnancy. Such changes may affect neuronal, glial and vascular components of the retina, compromising retinal structure and function and possibly impairing visual function. METHODS A search in the PubMed database was performed, and any literature concerning prenatal risk factors (drugs, diabetes, unbalanced diet, infection, glucocorticoids) affecting the offspring retina were included. RESULTS This review collects evidence on the cellular, structural and functional changes occurring in the retina triggered by maternal risk factors during pregnancy. We highlight the adverse impact on retinal development and its long-lasting effects, providing a critical analysis of the current knowledge while underlining areas for future research. CONCLUSIONS Appropriate recognition of the prenatal risk factors that negatively impact the developing retina may provide critical clues for the design of preventive strategies and for early therapeutic intervention that could change retinal pathology in the progeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa I Baptista
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - António F Ambrósio
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal
- Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, Coimbra, Portugal
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2
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Abarca-Castro EA, Talavera-Peña AK, Reyes-Lagos JJ, Becerril-Villanueva E, Pérez-Sanchez G, de la Peña FR, Maldonado-García JL, Pavón L. Modulation of vagal activity may help reduce neurodevelopmental damage in the offspring of mothers with pre-eclampsia. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1280334. [PMID: 38022681 PMCID: PMC10653300 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1280334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal Immune Activation (MIA) has been linked to the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring, such as cognitive deficits, behavioral abnormalities, and mental disorders. Pre-eclampsia is associated with an activation of the immune system characterized by persistently elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, as well as a decrease in immunoregulatory factors. The Cholinergic Anti-inflammatory Pathway (CAP) may play a relevant role in regulating the maternal inflammatory response during pre-eclampsia and protecting the developing fetus from inflammation-induced damage. Dysregulation in the CAP has been associated with the clinical evolution of pre-eclampsia. Some studies suggest that therapeutic stimulation of this pathway may improve maternal and fetal outcomes in preclinical models of pre-eclampsia. Modulation of vagal activity influences the CAP, improving maternal hemodynamics, limiting the inflammatory response, and promoting the growth of new neurons, which enhances synaptic plasticity and improves fetal neurodevelopment. Therefore, we postulate that modulation of vagal activity may improve maternal and fetal outcomes in pre-eclampsia by targeting underlying immune dysregulation and promoting better fetal neurodevelopment. In this perspective, we explore the clinical and experimental evidence of electrical, pharmacological, physical, and biological stimulation mechanisms capable of inducing therapeutical CAP, which may be applied in pre-eclampsia to improve the mother's and offspring's quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Alonso Abarca-Castro
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Lerma (UAM-L), Lerma, Mexico
| | - Ana Karen Talavera-Peña
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Lerma (UAM-L), Lerma, Mexico
| | - José Javier Reyes-Lagos
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEMéx), Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico
| | - Enrique Becerril-Villanueva
- Laboratorio de Psicoinmunología, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gilberto Pérez-Sanchez
- Laboratorio de Psicoinmunología, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Francisco R. de la Peña
- Unidad de Fomento a la Investigación, Dirección de Servicios Clínicos, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José Luis Maldonado-García
- Laboratorio de Psicoinmunología, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
- Departamento de Inmunología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Lenin Pavón
- Laboratorio de Psicoinmunología, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
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Association between maternal prenatal psychological distress and autism spectrum disorder among 3-year-old children: The Japan Environment and Children's Study. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2023; 14:70-76. [PMID: 35801288 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174422000411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Maternal prenatal psychological distress, which includes depression and anxiety, affects the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there is no consistent knowledge regarding at which term during pregnancy psychological distress affects the risk of ASD among children. We used a dataset obtained from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, which is a nationwide prospective birth cohort study, to evaluate the association between the six-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) and ASD among 3-year-old children. A total of 78,745 children were analyzed, and 355 of them were diagnosed with ASD (0.45%). The maternal K6 was administered twice during pregnancy: at a median of 15.1 weeks (M-T1) and at that of 27.4 weeks (M-T2) of gestation. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the group with a maternal K6 score of ≥5 at both M-T1 and M-T2 was significantly associated with ASD among the children (adjusted odds ratio, 1.440; 95% confidence interval, 1.104-1.877) compared to the group with a score of ≤4 at both M-T1 and M-T2. There was no significant difference between the group with a score of ≥5 only at M-T1 or M-T2 and that with a score of ≤4 at both M-T1 and M-T2. In conclusion, from the first to the second half of pregnancy, continuous maternal psychological distress was associated with ASD among 3-year-old children. Contrarily, in the group without persistent maternal psychological distress during pregnancy, there was no significant association.
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4
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Altered Development of Prefrontal GABAergic Functions and Anxiety-like Behavior in Adolescent Offspring Induced by Prenatal Stress. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12081015. [PMID: 36009078 PMCID: PMC9406165 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12081015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal stress can afflict fetal brain development, putting the offspring at risk of cognitive deficits, including anxiety. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), a protracted maturing region, is notably affected by prenatal stress (PS). However, it remains unclear how PS interferes with the maturation of the GABAergic system, considering its functional adjustment in the PFC during adolescence. The present study thus investigated the long-lasting consequences of PS on the prefrontal GABAergic functions of adolescent offspring. Pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into controls and the PS group, which underwent restraint stress during the last week of gestation. Male pups from postnatal days (PND) 40–42 were submitted to the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Proteins essentially involved in GABAergic signaling were then examined in PFC tissues, including the K+-Cl− cotransporter (KCC2), Na+-K+-Cl− cotransporter (NKCC1), α1 and α5 subunits of GABA type A receptors (GABAA receptors), and parvalbumin (PV), along with cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation (pCREB), which reacts in the plasticity regulation of PV-positive interneurons. The results revealed that the higher anxiety-like behavior of PS adolescent rats concurred with the significant decreases of the KCC2 and α1 subunits, with PV- and pCREB-lowered levels. The findings suggested that PS disrupts the continuance of PFC maturity by reducing the essential elements of GABAergic functions. These changes likely underlie the anxiety emerging in adolescence, possibly progressing to mental disorders.
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5
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Investigating the Role of GABA in Neural Development and Disease Using Mice Lacking GAD67 or VGAT Genes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147965. [PMID: 35887307 PMCID: PMC9318753 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Normal development and function of the central nervous system involves a balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. Activity of both excitatory and inhibitory neurons is modulated by inhibitory signalling of the GABAergic and glycinergic systems. Mechanisms that regulate formation, maturation, refinement, and maintenance of inhibitory synapses are established in early life. Deviations from ideal excitatory and inhibitory balance, such as down-regulated inhibition, are linked with many neurological diseases, including epilepsy, schizophrenia, anxiety, and autism spectrum disorders. In the mammalian forebrain, GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, binding to GABA receptors, opening chloride channels and hyperpolarizing the cell. We review the involvement of down-regulated inhibitory signalling in neurological disorders, possible mechanisms for disease progression, and targets for therapeutic intervention. We conclude that transgenic models of disrupted inhibitory signalling—in GAD67+/− and VGAT−/− mice—are useful for investigating the effects of down-regulated inhibitory signalling in a range of neurological diseases.
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Mallard TT, Karlsson Linnér R, Grotzinger AD, Sanchez-Roige S, Seidlitz J, Okbay A, de Vlaming R, Meddens SFW, Palmer AA, Davis LK, Tucker-Drob EM, Kendler KS, Keller MC, Koellinger PD, Harden KP. Multivariate GWAS of psychiatric disorders and their cardinal symptoms reveal two dimensions of cross-cutting genetic liabilities. CELL GENOMICS 2022; 2:S2666-979X(22)00073-8. [PMID: 35812988 PMCID: PMC9264403 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2022.100140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Understanding which biological pathways are specific versus general across diagnostic categories and levels of symptom severity is critical to improving nosology and treatment of psychopathology. Here, we combine transdiagnostic and dimensional approaches to genetic discovery for the first time, conducting a novel multivariate genome-wide association study of eight psychiatric symptoms and disorders broadly related to mood disturbance and psychosis. We identify two transdiagnostic genetic liabilities that distinguish between common forms of psychopathology versus rarer forms of serious mental illness. Biological annotation revealed divergent genetic architectures that differentially implicated prenatal neurodevelopment and neuronal function and regulation. These findings inform psychiatric nosology and biological models of psychopathology, as they suggest that the severity of mood and psychotic symptoms present in serious mental illness may reflect a difference in kind rather than merely in degree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis T. Mallard
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard Karlsson Linnér
- Department of Economics, School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Geisinger, Lewisburg, PA, USA
| | | | - Sandra Sanchez-Roige
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aysu Okbay
- Department of Economics, School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald de Vlaming
- Department of Economics, School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S. Fleur W. Meddens
- Erasmus University Rotterdam Institute for Behavior and Biology, Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Bipolar Disorder Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Economics, School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Geisinger, Lewisburg, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Erasmus University Rotterdam Institute for Behavior and Biology, Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Abraham A. Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Lea K. Davis
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Elliot M. Tucker-Drob
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Matthew C. Keller
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Philipp D. Koellinger
- Department of Economics, School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - K. Paige Harden
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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7
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Dong E, Zhang H, Chu A, Pandey SC. Acute and Protracted Prenatal Stress Produce Mood Disorder-Like and Ethanol Drinking Behaviors in Male and Female Adult Offspring. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:862390. [PMID: 35722193 PMCID: PMC9204301 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.862390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex and chronic relapsing brain disease, which is often co-morbid with psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. AUD phenotypes differ in men and women. Although genetic factors play an important role in its pathophysiology, epidemiologic evidence suggests that during prenatal development, individuals are more vulnerable to the negative effects of environmental factors that may predispose them to AUD later in life. We explored the effects of prenatal stress on the development of AUD phenotypes as well as anxiety- and depression-like behaviors using rat model. Methods In this study, timed-pregnant Sprague Dawley dams were used. Dams in the control group were left undisturbed throughout gestation, whereas dams in stress groups were either subjected to protracted or acute restraint stress under bright light. At adulthood, the anxiety-like, ethanol drinking, and sucrose drinking behaviors were measured using the Light/Dark Box test and two-bottle free-choice procedure. Results Compared to the control group, both the male and female offspring in the stress groups exhibited anxiety-like behavior and consumed significantly higher amounts of ethanol in which the acute stress group demonstrated the higher ethanol preference. Moreover, male but not female offspring from the stress groups had decreased sucrose preferences. Conclusion These findings suggest that protracted and acute prenatal stress in late pregnancy can induce in anxiety-, depressive-like behaviors, and excessive ethanol intake in adult offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erbo Dong
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, College of Medicine, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, United States,*Correspondence: Erbo Dong
| | - Huaibo Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, College of Medicine, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Alison Chu
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, College of Medicine, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Subhash C. Pandey
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, College of Medicine, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, United States,Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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Davis JLB, O’Connor M, Erlbacher H, Schlichte SL, Stevens HE. The Impact of Maternal Antioxidants on Prenatal Stress Effects on Offspring Neurobiology and Behavior. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2022; 95:87-104. [PMID: 35370489 PMCID: PMC8961714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal stress is a neuropsychiatric risk factor, and effects may be mediated by prenatal oxidative stress. Cell types in the brain sensitive to oxidative stress-cortical microglia and cortical and hippocampal interneurons-may be altered by oxidative stress generated during prenatal stress and may be neurobiological substrates for altered behavior. Our objective was to determine the critical nature of oxidative stress in prenatal stress effects by manipulating prenatal antioxidants. CD1 mouse dams underwent restraint embryonic day 12 to 18 three times daily or no stress and received intraperitoneal injections before each stress period of vehicle, N-acetylcysteine (200 mg/kg daily), or astaxanthin (30 mg/kg before first daily stress, 10 mg/kg before second/third stresses). Adult male and female offspring behavior, microglia, and interneurons were assessed. Results supported the hypothesis that prenatal stress-induced oxidative stress affects microglia; microglia ramification increased after prenatal stress, and both antioxidants prevented these effects. In addition, N-acetylcysteine or astaxanthin was effective in preventing distinct male and female interneuron changes; decreased female medial frontal cortical parvalbumin interneurons was prevented by either antioxidant; increased male medial frontal cortical parvalbumin interneurons was prevented by N-acetylcysteine and decreased male hippocampal GAD67GFP+ cells prevented by astaxanthin. Prenatal stress-induced increased anxiety-like behavior and decreased sociability were not prevented by prenatal antioxidants. Sensorimotor gating deficits in males was partially prevented by prenatal astaxanthin. This study demonstrates the importance of oxidative stress for persistent impacts on offspring cortical microglia and interneurons, but did not link these changes with anxiety-like, social, and sensorimotor gating behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jada L-B Davis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa
City, IA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience,
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Mara O’Connor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa
City, IA, USA
| | - Hannah Erlbacher
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa
City, IA, USA
| | | | - Hanna E. Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa
City, IA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience,
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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9
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Woodward EM, Coutellier L. Age- and sex-specific effects of stress on parvalbumin interneurons in preclinical models: Relevance to sex differences in clinical neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1228-1242. [PMID: 34718048 PMCID: PMC8642301 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Stress is a major risk factor for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, with the capacity to impact susceptibility to disease as well as long-term neurobiological and behavioral outcomes. Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, the most prominent subtype of GABAergic interneurons in the cortex, are uniquely responsive to stress due to their protracted development throughout the highly plastic neonatal period and into puberty and adolescence. Additionally, PV + interneurons appear to respond to stress in a sex-specific manner. This review aims to discuss existing preclinical studies that support our overall hypothesis that the sex-and age-specific impacts of stress on PV + interneurons contribute to differences in individual vulnerability to stress across the lifespan, particularly in regard to sex differences in the diagnostic rate of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases in clinical populations. We also emphasize the importance of studying sex as a biological variable to fully understand the mechanistic and behavioral differences between males and females in models of neuropsychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 53 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States.
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10
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Shao S, Li J, Chen S, Dong Y, Wang S, Zhu Z, Xie L, Li H. Sex-dependent expression of N-cadherin-GluA1 pathway-related molecules in the prefrontal cortex mediates anxiety-like behavior in male offspring following prenatal stress. Stress 2021; 24:612-620. [PMID: 34184955 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2021.1942829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal stress (PS) affects neurodevelopment and increases the risk for anxiety in adolescence in male offspring, but the mechanism is still unclear. N-Cadherin regulates the expression of AMPA receptors (AMPARs), which mediate anxiety by modulating network excitability in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Our results revealed that in adolescent male, but not female, offspring rats, PS induced anxiety-like behavior, as assessed by the open field test (OFT). Furthermore, N-cadherin and AMPAR subunit GluA1 were colocalized in the PFC, and the expression of the N-cadherin and the GluA1 decreased following PS exposure in male offspring rats. We also found that the AMPAR agonist CX546 did not alleviate anxiety-like behavior in adolescent male offspring rats; however, it increased the expression of GluA1 in the PFC but did not alter the expression of N-cadherin. In conclusion, our study suggested that the N-cadherin-GluA1 pathway in the PFC mediates anxiety-like behavior in adolescent male offspring rats and that N-cadherin might be required for sex differences in the effect of PS on adolescent offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuya Shao
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shengquan Chen
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - YanKai Dong
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Maternal and Infant Health Research Institute and Medical College, Northwestern University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shang Wang
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhongliang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Maternal and Infant Health Research Institute and Medical College, Northwestern University, Xi'an, China
| | - Longshan Xie
- Department of Functional Neuroscience, The First People's Hospital of Foshan (The Affiliated Foshan Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University), Foshan, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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11
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Schroeder R, Sridharan P, Nguyen L, Loren A, Williams NS, Kettimuthu KP, Cintrón-Pérez CJ, Vázquez-Rosa E, Pieper AA, Stevens HE. Maternal P7C3-A20 Treatment Protects Offspring from Neuropsychiatric Sequelae of Prenatal Stress. Antioxid Redox Signal 2021; 35:511-530. [PMID: 33501899 PMCID: PMC8388250 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2020.8227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Aims: Impaired embryonic cortical interneuron development from prenatal stress is linked to adult neuropsychiatric impairment, stemming in part from excessive generation of reactive oxygen species in the developing embryo. Unfortunately, there are no preventive medicines that mitigate the risk of prenatal stress to the embryo, as the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms are poorly understood. Our goal was to interrogate the molecular basis of prenatal stress-mediated damage to the embryonic brain to identify a neuroprotective strategy. Results: Chronic prenatal stress in mice dysregulated nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) synthesis enzymes and cortical interneuron development in the embryonic brain, leading to axonal degeneration in the hippocampus, cognitive deficits, and depression-like behavior in adulthood. Offspring were protected from these deleterious effects by concurrent maternal administration of the NAD+-modulating agent P7C3-A20, which crossed the placenta to access the embryonic brain. Prenatal stress also produced axonal degeneration in the adult corpus callosum, which was not prevented by maternal P7C3-A20. Innovation: Prenatal stress dysregulates gene expression of NAD+-synthesis machinery and GABAergic interneuron development in the embryonic brain, which is associated with adult cognitive impairment and depression-like behavior. We establish a maternally directed treatment that protects offspring from these effects of prenatal stress. Conclusion: NAD+-synthesis machinery and GABAergic interneuron development are critical to proper embryonic brain development underlying postnatal neuropsychiatric functioning, and these systems are highly susceptible to prenatal stress. Pharmacologic stabilization of NAD+ in the stressed embryonic brain may provide a neuroprotective strategy that preserves normal embryonic development and protects offspring from neuropsychiatric impairment. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 35, 511-530.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Schroeder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Preethy Sridharan
- Harrington Discovery Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Lynn Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Alexandra Loren
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Noelle S Williams
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Kavitha P Kettimuthu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Coral J Cintrón-Pérez
- Harrington Discovery Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Edwin Vázquez-Rosa
- Harrington Discovery Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrew A Pieper
- Harrington Discovery Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Institute for Transformative Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers, Louis Stokes Cleveland VAMC, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Weill Cornell Autism Research Program, Weill Cornell Medicine of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hanna E Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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12
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Courraud J, Ernst M, Svane Laursen S, Hougaard DM, Cohen AS. Studying Autism Using Untargeted Metabolomics in Newborn Screening Samples. J Mol Neurosci 2021; 71:1378-1393. [PMID: 33515432 PMCID: PMC8233278 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-020-01787-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Main risk factors of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) include both genetic and non-genetic factors, especially prenatal and perinatal events. Newborn screening dried blood spot (DBS) samples have great potential for the study of early biochemical markers of disease. To study DBS strengths and limitations in the context of ASD research, we analyzed the metabolomic profiles of newborns later diagnosed with ASD. We performed LC-MS/MS-based untargeted metabolomics on DBS from 37 case-control pairs randomly selected from the iPSYCH sample. After preprocessing using MZmine 2.41, metabolites were putatively annotated using mzCloud, GNPS feature-based molecular networking, and MolNetEnhancer. A total of 4360 mass spectral features were detected, of which 150 (113 unique) could be putatively annotated at a high confidence level. Chemical structure information at a broad level could be retrieved for 1009 metabolites, covering 31 chemical classes. Although no clear distinction between cases and controls was revealed, our method covered many metabolites previously associated with ASD, suggesting that biochemical markers of ASD are present at birth and may be monitored during newborn screening. Additionally, we observed that gestational age, age at sampling, and month of birth influence the metabolomic profiles of newborn DBS, which informs us on the important confounders to address in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Courraud
- Section for Clinical Mass Spectrometry, Danish Center for Neonatal Screening, Department of Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Fuglesangs Allé 26, 8210, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Madeleine Ernst
- Section for Clinical Mass Spectrometry, Danish Center for Neonatal Screening, Department of Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Fuglesangs Allé 26, 8210, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Susan Svane Laursen
- Section for Clinical Mass Spectrometry, Danish Center for Neonatal Screening, Department of Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
| | - David M Hougaard
- Section for Clinical Mass Spectrometry, Danish Center for Neonatal Screening, Department of Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Fuglesangs Allé 26, 8210, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Arieh S Cohen
- Section for Clinical Mass Spectrometry, Danish Center for Neonatal Screening, Department of Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark
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13
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Elser BA, Kayali K, Dhakal R, O'Hare B, Wang K, Lehmler HJ, Stevens HE. Combined Maternal Exposure to Cypermethrin and Stress Affect Embryonic Brain and Placental Outcomes in Mice. Toxicol Sci 2021; 175:182-196. [PMID: 32191333 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfaa040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to cypermethrin is a risk factor for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. In addition, maternal psychological stress during pregnancy has significant effects on fetal neurodevelopment and may influence end-stage toxicity to offspring by altering maternal xenobiotic metabolism. As such, this study examined effects of maternal exposure to alpha-cypermethrin and stress, alone and in combination, on offspring development, with a focus on fetal neurotoxicity. CD1 mouse dams were administered 10 mg/kg alpha-cypermethrin or corn oil vehicle via oral gavage from embryonic day 11 (E11) to E14. In addition, dams from each treatment were subjected to a standard model of restraint stress from E12 to E14. Cypermethrin treatment impaired fetal growth, reduced fetal forebrain volume, and increased ventral forebrain proliferative zone volume, the latter effects driven by combined exposure with stress. Cypermethrin also impaired migration of GABAergic progenitors, with different transcriptional changes alone and in combination with stress. Stress and cypermethrin also interacted in effects on embryonic microglia morphology. In addition, levels of cypermethrin were elevated in the serum of stressed dams, which was accompanied by interacting effects of cypermethrin and stress on hepatic expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes. Levels of cypermethrin in amniotic fluid were below the limit of quantification, suggesting minimal transfer to fetal circulation. Despite this, cypermethrin increased placental malondialdehyde levels and increased placental expression of genes responsive to oxidative stress, effects significantly modified by stress exposure. These findings suggest a role for interaction between maternal exposures to cypermethrin and stress on offspring neurodevelopment, involving indirect mechanisms in the placenta and maternal liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Elser
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, Graduate College.,Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine
| | - Khaled Kayali
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine
| | - Ram Dhakal
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health
| | - Bailey O'Hare
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
| | - Hans-Joachim Lehmler
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, Graduate College.,Department of Occupational and Environmental Health
| | - Hanna E Stevens
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, Graduate College.,Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine
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14
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Marchisella F, Creutzberg KC, Begni V, Sanson A, Wearick-Silva LE, Tractenberg SG, Orso R, Kestering-Ferreira É, Grassi-Oliveira R, Riva MA. Exposure to Prenatal Stress Is Associated With an Excitatory/Inhibitory Imbalance in Rat Prefrontal Cortex and Amygdala and an Increased Risk for Emotional Dysregulation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:653384. [PMID: 34141707 PMCID: PMC8204112 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.653384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have shown that environmental insults and maternal stress during pregnancy increase the risk of several psychiatric disorders in the offspring. Converging lines of evidence from humans, as well as from rodent models, suggest that prenatal stress (PNS) interferes with fetal development, ultimately determining changes in brain maturation and function that may lead to the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders. From a molecular standpoint, transcriptional alterations are thought to play a major role in this context and may contribute to the behavioral phenotype by shifting the expression of genes related to excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) transmission balance. Nevertheless, the exact neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the enhanced vulnerability to psychopathology following PNS exposure are not well understood. In the present study, we used a model of maternal stress in rats to investigate the distal effects of PNS on the expression of genes related to glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmissions. We inspected two critical brain regions involved in emotion regulation, namely, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the amygdala (AMY), which we show to relate with the mild behavioral effects detected in adult rat offspring. We observed that PNS exposure promotes E/I imbalance in the PFC of adult males only, by dysregulating the expression of glutamatergic-related genes. Moreover, such an effect is accompanied by increased expression of the activity-dependent synaptic modulator gene Npas4 specifically in the PFC parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons, suggesting an altered regulation of synapse formation promoting higher PV-dependent inhibitory transmission and increased overall circuit inhibition in the PFC of males. In the AMY, PNS more evidently affects the transcription of GABAergic-related genes, shifting the balance toward inhibition. Collectively, our findings suggest that the E/I dysregulation of the PFC-to-AMY transmission may be a long-term signature of PNS and may contribute to increase the risk for mood disorder upon further stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Marchisella
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Kerstin Camile Creutzberg
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Begni
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Sanson
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Luis Eduardo Wearick-Silva
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Saulo Gantes Tractenberg
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Orso
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Érika Kestering-Ferreira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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15
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Kundu S, Maurer SV, Stevens HE. Future Horizons for Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Placental Mechanisms. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:653230. [PMID: 33898362 PMCID: PMC8061726 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.653230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hanna E. Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
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16
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Vassoler FM, Byrnes EM. Transgenerational effects on anxiety-like behavior following adolescent morphine exposure in female rats. Behav Brain Res 2021; 406:113239. [PMID: 33731277 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Global opioid use and misuse remains high, despite efforts to decrease rates of prescribing and diversion. Chronic exposure to opioids, particularly during critical periods of development, can lead to long-lasting effects, including effects that may extend to future generations. Using a rodent model, we have demonstrated significant transgenerational effects of female adolescent morphine exposure, despite the absence of in utero drug exposure. While these effects have been observed in both sexes, effects on anxiety-like behavior were only observed in F1 females. The current study was designed to examine both inter- and transgenerational effects of adolescent morphine exposure on anxiety-like behavior. Female Sprague Dawley rats were administered increasing doses of morphine (5-25 mg/kg s.c.) or saline for 10 days during adolescence (PND30-39). Adult diestrous female offspring (MORF1 or SALF1) and grand offspring (F2) were tested for anxiety-like behavior using the elevated plus maze (EPM). F1 females cross-fostered to donor mothers were also examined. The results show that MORF1 and MORF2 females spend significantly more time on the open arms of the EPM compared to SALF1 controls, an effect that persisted in cross-fostered females. Additional studies demonstrate that this effect is estrous cycle dependent, as decreased anxiety-like behavior was observed in diestrus, while increased anxiety-like behavior was observed in estrus. These behavioral effects were not associated with any differences in circulating corticosterone either at baseline or following EPM testing. Thus, female adolescent morphine exposure alters the regulation of anxiety-like behavior in an estrous-dependent manner and this effect persists in the F2 generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fair M Vassoler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA, 01536, United States
| | - Elizabeth M Byrnes
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA, 01536, United States.
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17
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Fitzgerald E, Parent C, Kee MZL, Meaney MJ. Maternal Distress and Offspring Neurodevelopment: Challenges and Opportunities for Pre-clinical Research Models. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:635304. [PMID: 33643013 PMCID: PMC7907173 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.635304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-natal exposure to acute maternal trauma or chronic maternal distress can confer increased risk for psychiatric disorders in later life. Acute maternal trauma is the result of unforeseen environmental or personal catastrophes, while chronic maternal distress is associated with anxiety or depression. Animal studies investigating the effects of pre-natal stress have largely used brief stress exposures during pregnancy to identify critical periods of fetal vulnerability, a paradigm which holds face validity to acute maternal trauma in humans. While understanding these effects is undoubtably important, the literature suggests maternal stress in humans is typically chronic and persistent from pre-conception through gestation. In this review, we provide evidence to this effect and suggest a realignment of current animal models to recapitulate this chronicity. We also consider candidate mediators, moderators and mechanisms of maternal distress, and suggest a wider breadth of research is needed, along with the incorporation of advanced -omics technologies, in order to understand the neurodevelopmental etiology of psychiatric risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamon Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Carine Parent
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michelle Z. L. Kee
- Translational Neuroscience Programme, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michael J. Meaney
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Translational Neuroscience Programme, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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18
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Chen F, Chen H, Chen Y, Wei W, Sun Y, Zhang L, Cui L, Wang Y. Dysfunction of the SNARE complex in neurological and psychiatric disorders. Pharmacol Res 2021; 165:105469. [PMID: 33524541 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The communication between neurons constitutes the basis of all neural activities, and synaptic vesicle exocytosis is the fundamental biological event that mediates most communication between neurons in the central nervous system. The SNARE complex is the core component of the protein machinery that facilitates the fusion of synaptic vesicles with presynaptic terminals and thereby the release of neurotransmitters. In synapses, each release event is dependent on the assembly of the SNARE complex. In recent years, basic research on the SNARE complex has provided a clearer understanding of the mechanism underlying the formation of the SNARE complex and its role in vesicle formation. Emerging evidence indicates that abnormal expression or dysfunction of the SNARE complex in synapse physiology might contribute to abnormal neurotransmission and ultimately to synaptic dysfunction. Clinical research using postmortem tissues suggests that SNARE complex dysfunction is correlated with various neurological diseases, and some basic research has also confirmed the important role of the SNARE complex in the pathology of these diseases. Genetic and pharmacogenetic studies suggest that the SNARE complex and individual proteins might represent important molecular targets in neurological disease. In this review, we summarize the recent progress toward understanding the SNARE complex in regulating membrane fusion events and provide an update of the recent discoveries from clinical and basic research on the SNARE complex in neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric, and neurodevelopmental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Huiyi Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yanting Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Wenyan Wei
- Department of Gerontology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yuanhong Sun
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Lu Zhang
- The First Clinical College, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Lili Cui
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China.
| | - Yan Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Biomedical Informatics & Genomics Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiao tong University, Xi'an, China.
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19
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Sze Y, Brunton PJ. Effects of prenatal stress on neuroactive steroid responses to acute stress in adult male and female rats. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e12916. [PMID: 33270955 PMCID: PMC7900968 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Acute swim stress results in the robust production of several neuroactive steroids, which act as mediators of the stress response. These steroids include glucocorticoids, and positive GABAA receptor modulatory steroids such as allopregnanolone and tetrahydrocorticosterone (THDOC), which potentiate inhibitory GABA signalling, thereby playing a role in the negative control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Prenatally stressed (PNS) offspring exhibit increased vulnerability to stress-related disorders and frequently display exaggerated HPA axis responses to stressors during adulthood, which may be a result of reduced neuroactive steroid production and consequently inhibitory signalling. Here, we investigated whether exposure of rats to prenatal social stress from gestational day 16-20 altered neuroactive steroid production under non-stress conditions and in response to an acute stressor (swim stress) in adulthood. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, nine neuroactive steroids were quantified (corticosterone, deoxycorticosterone [DOC], dihydrodeoxycorticosterone, THDOC, progesterone, dihydroprogesterone, allopregnanolone, pregnenolone, testosterone) in plasma and in five brain regions (frontal cortex, hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, brainstem) of male and female control and PNS rats. There was no difference in the neuroactive steroid profile between control and PNS rats under basal conditions. The increase in circulating corticosterone induced by acute swim stress was similar in control and PNS offspring. However, greater stress-induced corticosterone and DOC concentrations were observed in the brainstem of male PNS offspring, whereas DOC concentrations were lower in the hippocampus of PNS females compared to controls, following acute stress. Although PNS rats did not show deficits in allopregnanolone responses to acute stress, there were modest deficits in the production of THDOC in the brainstem, amygdala, and frontal cortex of PNS males and in the frontal cortex of PNS females. The data suggest that neuroactive steroid modulation of GABAergic signalling following stress exposure may be affected in a sex- and region-specific manner in PNS offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sze
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- The Roslin InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Paula J. Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- The Roslin InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Zhejiang University‐University of Edinburgh Joint InstituteHainingChina
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20
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Scott H, Phillips TJ, Sze Y, Alfieri A, Rogers MF, Volpato V, Case CP, Brunton PJ. Maternal antioxidant treatment prevents the adverse effects of prenatal stress on the offspring's brain and behavior. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100281. [PMID: 33344732 PMCID: PMC7739187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal exposure to stress during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of psychiatric disorders in the offspring in later life. The mechanisms through which the effects of maternal stress are transmitted to the fetus are unclear, however the placenta, as the interface between mother and fetus, is likely to play a key role. Using a rat model, we investigated a role for placental oxidative stress in conveying the effects of maternal social stress to the fetus and the potential for treatment using a nanoparticle-bound antioxidant to prevent adverse outcomes in the offspring. Maternal psychosocial stress increased circulating corticosterone in the mother, but not in the fetuses. Maternal stress also induced oxidative stress in the placenta, but not in the fetal brain. Blocking oxidative stress using an antioxidant prevented the prenatal stress-induced anxiety phenotype in the male offspring, and prevented sex-specific neurobiological changes, specifically a reduction in dendrite lengths in the hippocampus, as well as reductions in the number of parvalbumin-positive neurons and GABA receptor subunits in the hippocampus and basolateral amygdala of the male offspring. Importantly, many of these effects were mimicked in neuronal cultures by application of placental-conditioned medium or fetal plasma from stressed pregnancies, indicating molecules released from the placenta may mediate the effects of prenatal stress on the fetal brain. Indeed, both placenta-conditioned medium and fetal plasma contained differentially abundant microRNAs following maternal stress, and their predicted targets were enriched for genes relevant to nervous system development and psychiatric disorders. The results highlight placental oxidative stress as a key mediator in transmitting the maternal social stress effects on the offspring's brain and behavior, and offer a potential intervention to prevent stress-induced fetal programming of affective disorders. Social stress in pregnancy induces oxidative stress but is prevented by antioxidant. Prenatal stress induces behavioural, neuroanatomical and neurochemical changes. Maternal antioxidant treatment prevents stress-induced effects in the offspring. Maternal stress alters the balance of microRNAs secreted from the placenta. Placental oxidative stress mediates maternal social stress effects on the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Scott
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Learning & Research Building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - T J Phillips
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Learning & Research Building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - Y Sze
- Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
| | - A Alfieri
- Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - M F Rogers
- Intelligent Systems Laboratory, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK
| | - V Volpato
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - C P Case
- School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Learning & Research Building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - P J Brunton
- Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK.,Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Haining, Zhejiang, 314400, PR China
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21
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Environmental regulation of the chloride transporter KCC2: switching inflammation off to switch the GABA on? Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:349. [PMID: 33060559 PMCID: PMC7562743 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01027-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chloride homeostasis, the main determinant factor for the dynamic tuning of GABAergic inhibition during development, has emerged as a key element altered in a wide variety of brain disorders. Accordingly, developmental disorders such as schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, epilepsy, and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) have been associated with alterations in the expression of genes codifying for either of the two cotransporters involved in the excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA switch, KCC2 and NKCC1. These alterations can result from environmental insults, including prenatal stress and maternal separation which share, as common molecular denominator, the elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this review we report and systemize recent research articles indicating that different perinatal environmental perturbations affect the expression of chloride transporters, delaying the developmental switch of GABA signaling, and that inflammatory cytokines, in particular interleukin 1β, may represent a key causal factor for this phenomenon. Based on literature data, we provide therefore a unifying conceptual framework, linking environmental hits with the excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA switch in the context of brain developmental disorders.
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22
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Dong E, Pandey SC. Prenatal stress induced chromatin remodeling and risk of psychopathology in adulthood. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 156:185-215. [PMID: 33461663 PMCID: PMC7864549 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
New insights into the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders suggest the existence of a complex interplay between genetics and environment. This notion is supported by evidence suggesting that exposure to stress during pregnancy exerts profound effects on the neurodevelopment and behavior of the offspring and predisposes them to psychiatric disorders later in life. Accumulated evidence suggests that vulnerability to psychiatric disorders may result from permanent negative effects of long-term changes in synaptic plasticity due to altered epigenetic mechanisms (histone modifications and DNA methylation) that lead to condensed chromatin architecture, thereby decreasing the expression of candidate genes during early brain development. In this chapter, we have summarized the literature of clinical studies on psychiatric disorders induced by maternal stress during pregnancy. We also discussed the epigenetic alterations of gene regulations induced by prenatal stress. Because the clinical manifestations of psychiatric disorders are complex, it is obvious that the biological progression of these diseases cannot be studied only in postmortem brains of patients and the use of animal models is required. Therefore, in this chapter, we have introduced a well-established mouse model of prenatal stress (PRS) generated in restrained pregnant dams. The behavioral phenotypes of the offspring (PRS mice) born to the stressed dam and underlying epigenetic changes in key molecules related to synaptic activity were described and highlighted. PRS mice may serve as a useful model for investigating the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders and may be a useful tool for screening for the potential compounds that may normalize aberrant epigenetic mechanisms induced by prenatal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erbo Dong
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
| | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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Sowa J, Hess G. Prenatal stress-related alterations in synaptic transmission and 5-HT 7 receptor-mediated effects in the rat dorsal raphe nucleus are ameliorated by the 5-HT 7 receptor antagonist SB 269970. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 52:3295-3305. [PMID: 32402149 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Early life adversity exerts a detrimental influence on developing brain neuronal networks and its consequences may include mental health disorders. In rats, prenatal stress may lead to anxiety and depressive-like behavior in the offspring. Several lines of evidence implicated an involvement of prenatal stress in alterations of the brain serotonergic system functions, but the effects of prenatal stress on its core, the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), still remain incompletely understood. The present study was aimed at finding whether prenatal stress induces modifications in the glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs to DRN projection cells and whether it affects DRN 5-HT7 receptors, which modulate activity of these synapses. Prenatal stress resulted in an increase in basal frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and in a decrease in basal frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) recorded from putative projection neurons in DRN slices ex vivo. While there were no changes in the excitability of DRN projection neurons, the 5-HT7 receptor-mediated reduction in the sEPSC frequency and rise in the sIPSC frequency, seen in control rats, were largely absent in slices obtained from prenatally stressed rats. Repeated administration of SB 269970, a 5-HT7 receptor antagonist, resulted in a reversal of prenatal stress-induced alterations in 5-HT7 receptor-mediated effects on the sEPSC/sIPSC frequency. Moreover, the treatment reversed prenatal stress-induced alterations in basal excitatory transmission and partially reversed the effect of stress on basal inhibitory transmission in the DRN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Sowa
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Hess
- Department of Physiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
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Bartolomé I, Llidó A, Darbra S, Pallarès M. Early postnatal allopregnanolone levels alteration and adult behavioral disruption in rats: Implication for drug abuse. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 12:100208. [PMID: 32435661 PMCID: PMC7231993 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have highlighted the role that early postnatal levels of allopregnanolone play in the development of the CNS and adult behavior. Changes in allopregnanolone levels related to stress have been observed during early postnatal periods, and perinatal stress has been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders. The alteration of early postnatal allopregnanolone levels in the first weeks of life has been proven to affect adult behaviors, such as anxiety-related behaviors and the processing of sensory inputs. This review focuses on the first studies about the possible relationship between the early postnatal allopregnanolone levels and the vulnerability to abuse of drugs such as alcohol in adulthood, given that (1) changes in neonatal allopregnanolone levels affect novelty exploration and novelty seeking has been linked to vulnerability to drug abuse; (2) early postnatal administration of progesterone, the main allopregnanolone precursor, affects the maturation of dopaminergic meso-striatal systems, which have been related to novelty seeking and drug abuse; and (3) alcohol consumption increases plasma and brain allopregnanolone levels in animals and humans. Manipulating neonatal allopregnanolone by administering finasteride, an inhibitor of the 5α-reductase enzyme that participates in allopregnanolone synthesis, increases alcohol consumption and decreases the locomotor stimulant effects of low alcohol doses. At a molecular level, finasteride decreases dopamine and serotonin in ventral striatum and dopamine release in nucleus accumbens. Preliminary results suggest that serotonin 5HT3 receptors could also be affected. Although an in-depth study is necessary, evidence suggests that there is a relation between early postnatal allopregnanolone and vulnerability to drug use/abuse. Early postnatal AlloP levels alteration affects brain maturation and adult behavior. Early stress interacts to AlloP influencing neuropsychiatric disorders vulnerability. Fluctuations in neonatal AlloP levels play a role in alcohol abuse vulnerability. Neonatal finasteride induces novelty-seeking profile and increases ethanol intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Bartolomé
- Institut de Neurociències, Departament de Psicobiologia I Metodologia en Ciències de La Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Llidó
- Institut de Neurociències, Departament de Psicobiologia I Metodologia en Ciències de La Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sònia Darbra
- Institut de Neurociències, Departament de Psicobiologia I Metodologia en Ciències de La Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Pallarès
- Institut de Neurociències, Departament de Psicobiologia I Metodologia en Ciències de La Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Bittle J, Menezes EC, McCormick ML, Spitz DR, Dailey M, Stevens HE. The Role of Redox Dysregulation in the Effects of Prenatal Stress on Embryonic Interneuron Migration. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:5116-5130. [PMID: 30877797 PMCID: PMC7199998 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of psychiatric disorders in offspring, but embryonic brain mechanisms disrupted by prenatal stress are not fully understood. Our lab has shown that prenatal stress delays inhibitory neural progenitor migration. Here, we investigated redox dysregulation as a mechanism for embryonic cortical interneuron migration delay, utilizing direct manipulation of pro- and antioxidants and a mouse model of maternal repetitive restraint stress starting on embryonic day 12. Time-lapse, live-imaging of migrating GAD67GFP+ interneurons showed that normal tangential migration of inhibitory progenitor cells was disrupted by the pro-oxidant, hydrogen peroxide. Interneuron migration was also delayed by in utero intracerebroventricular rotenone. Prenatal stress altered glutathione levels and induced changes in activity of antioxidant enzymes and expression of redox-related genes in the embryonic forebrain. Assessment of dihydroethidium (DHE) fluorescence after prenatal stress in ganglionic eminence (GE), the source of migrating interneurons, showed increased levels of DHE oxidation. Maternal antioxidants (N-acetylcysteine and astaxanthin) normalized DHE oxidation levels in GE and ameliorated the migration delay caused by prenatal stress. Through convergent redox manipula-tions, delayed interneuron migration after prenatal stress was found to critically involve redox dysregulation. Redox biology during prenatal periods may be a target for protecting brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jada Bittle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Edenia C Menezes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Michael L McCormick
- Free Radical and Radiation Biology Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, B180 Medical Laboratories, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Douglas R Spitz
- Free Radical and Radiation Biology Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, B180 Medical Laboratories, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Michael Dailey
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, 2312 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Hanna E Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, 2312 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Dowell J, Elser BA, Schroeder RE, Stevens HE. Cellular stress mechanisms of prenatal maternal stress: Heat shock factors and oxidative stress. Neurosci Lett 2019; 709:134368. [PMID: 31299286 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Development of the brain prenatally is affected by maternal experience and exposure. Prenatal maternal psychological stress changes brain development and results in increased risk for neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, multiple levels of prenatal stress mechanisms (offspring brain, placenta, and maternal physiology) are discussed and their intersection with cellular stress mechanisms explicated. Heat shock factors and oxidative stress are closely related to each other and converge with the inflammation, hormones, and cellular development that have been more deeply explored as the basis of prenatal stress risk. Increasing evidence implicates cellular stress mechanisms in neuropsychiatric disorders associated with prenatal stress including affective disorders, schizophrenia, and child-onset psychiatric disorders. Heat shock factors and oxidative stress also have links with the mechanisms involved in other kinds of prenatal stress including external exposures such as environmental toxicants and internal disruptions such as preeclampsia. Integrative understanding of developmental neurobiology with these cellular and physiological mechanisms is necessary to reduce risks and promote healthy brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Dowell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA.
| | - Benjamin A Elser
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
| | - Rachel E Schroeder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
| | - Hanna E Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Toxicology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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Shephard E, Fatori D, Mauro LR, de Medeiros Filho MV, Hoexter MQ, Chiesa AM, Fracolli LA, Brentani H, Ferraro AA, Nelson CA, Miguel EC, Polanczyk GV. Effects of Maternal Psychopathology and Education Level on Neurocognitive Development in Infants of Adolescent Mothers Living in Poverty in Brazil. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:925-934. [PMID: 31345780 PMCID: PMC6863387 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescent motherhood remains common in developing countries and is associated with risk factors that adversely impact infant neurodevelopment, including poverty, low maternal education, and increased maternal psychopathology. Yet, no published work has assessed how these factors affect early brain development in developing countries. METHODS This pilot study examined effects of maternal psychopathology and education on early neurocognitive development in a sample of adolescent mothers (N = 50, final n = 31) and their infants living in poverty in São Paulo, Brazil. Maternal symptoms of anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and education level were assessed during pregnancy. Infant neurocognitive development was assessed at 6 months of age, with oscillatory power and functional connectivity in the theta (4-6 Hz), alpha (6-9 Hz), and gamma (30-50 Hz) frequencies derived from resting-state electroencephalography; temperament (negative affect, attention, and regulation); and cognitive, language, and motor skills. Cluster-based permutation testing and graph-theoretical methods were used to identify alterations in oscillatory power and connectivity that were associated with maternal psychopathology and education. Correlations between power and connectivity alterations were examined in relation to infants' overt cognitive behavioral abilities. RESULTS Increased maternal anxiety and lower maternal education were associated with weaker oscillatory connectivity in alpha-range networks. Infants with the weakest connectivity in the alpha network associated with maternal anxiety also showed the lowest cognitive ability. Greater maternal anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were associated with increased absolute and relative theta power. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the importance of addressing maternal psychopathology and improving education in poor adolescent mothers to prevent negative effects on infant neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Shephard
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Daniel Fatori
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Larissa Rezende Mauro
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Marcelo Q Hoexter
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anna M Chiesa
- School of Nursing, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Helena Brentani
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre A Ferraro
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Euripedes C Miguel
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme V Polanczyk
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Serpeloni F, Radtke KM, Hecker T, Sill J, Vukojevic V, de Assis SG, Schauer M, Elbert T, Nätt D. Does Prenatal Stress Shape Postnatal Resilience? - An Epigenome-Wide Study on Violence and Mental Health in Humans. Front Genet 2019; 10:269. [PMID: 31040859 PMCID: PMC6477038 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress during pregnancy widely associates with epigenetic changes and psychiatric problems during childhood. Animal studies, however, show that under specific postnatal conditions prenatal stress may have other, less detrimental consequences for the offspring. Here, we studied mental health and epigenome-wide DNA methylation in saliva following intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy in São Gonçalo, a Brazilian city with high levels of violence. Not surprisingly, mothers exposed to pregnancy IPV expressed elevated depression, PTSD and anxiety symptoms. Children had similar psychiatric problems when they experienced maternal IPV after being born. More surprisingly, when maternal IPV occurred both during (prenatal) and after pregnancy these problems were absent. Following prenatal IPV, genomic sites in genes encoding the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) and its repressor FKBP51 (FKBP5) were among the most differentially methylated and indicated an enhanced ability to terminate hormonal stress responses in prenatally stressed children. These children also showed more DNA methylation in heterochromatin-like regions, which previously has been associated with stress/disease resilience. A similar relationship was seen in prenatally stressed middle-eastern refugees of the same age as the São Gonçalo children but exposed to postnatal war-related violence. While our study is limited in location and sample size, it provides novel insights on how prenatal stress may epigenetically shape resilience in humans, possibly through interactions with the postnatal environment. This translates animal findings and emphasizes the importance to account for population differences when studying how early life gene–environment interactions affects mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Serpeloni
- Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Studies in Violence and Health Jorge Careli, National School of Public Health of Rio de Janeiro - National Institute of Women, Children and Adolescents Health Fernandes Figueira, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Karl M Radtke
- Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Evolutionary Biology and Zoology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Tobias Hecker
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Johanna Sill
- Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Vanja Vukojevic
- Division of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Simone G de Assis
- Department of Studies in Violence and Health Jorge Careli, National School of Public Health of Rio de Janeiro - National Institute of Women, Children and Adolescents Health Fernandes Figueira, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Maggie Schauer
- Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Thomas Elbert
- Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Daniel Nätt
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Liu Q, Chen MX, Sun L, Wallis CU, Zhou JS, Ao LJ, Li Q, Sham PC. Rational use of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders. World J Stem Cells 2019; 11:55-72. [PMID: 30842805 PMCID: PMC6397804 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v11.i2.55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 12/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) refer to a range of conditions characterized by impaired social and communication skills and repetitive behaviors caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences. Although the pathophysiology underlying ASD is still unclear, recent evidence suggests that immune dysregulation and neuroinflammation play a role in the etiology of ASD. In particular, there is direct evidence supporting a role for maternal immune activation during prenatal life in neurodevelopmental conditions. Currently, the available options of behavioral therapies and pharmacological and supportive nutritional treatments in ASD are only symptomatic. Given the disturbing rise in the incidence of ASD, and the fact that there is no effective pharmacological therapy for ASD, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic options. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess immunomodulatory properties that make them relevant to several diseases associated with inflammation and tissue damage. The paracrine regenerative mechanisms of MSCs are also suggested to be therapeutically beneficial for ASD. Thus the underlying pathology in ASD, including immune system dysregulation and inflammation, represent potential targets for MSC therapy. This review will focus on immune dysfunction in the pathogenesis of ASD and will further discuss the therapeutic potential for MSCs in mediating ASD-related immunological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Liu
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mo-Xian Chen
- School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Lin Sun
- Department of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chloe U Wallis
- Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
| | - Jian-Song Zhou
- Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China
| | - Li-Juan Ao
- School of Rehabilitation, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan Province, China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Psychiatry, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Pak C Sham
- Department of Psychiatry, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Center for Genomic Sciences, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Beversdorf DQ, Stevens HE, Margolis KG, Van de Water J. Prenatal Stress and Maternal Immune Dysregulation in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Potential Points for Intervention. Curr Pharm Des 2019; 25:4331-4343. [PMID: 31742491 PMCID: PMC7100710 DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666191119093335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetics is a major etiological contributor to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Environmental factors, however, also appear to contribute. ASD pathophysiology due to gene x environment is also beginning to be explored. One reason to focus on environmental factors is that they may allow opportunities for intervention or prevention. METHODS AND RESULTS Herein, we review two such factors that have been associated with a significant proportion of ASD risk, prenatal stress exposure and maternal immune dysregulation. Maternal stress susceptibility appears to interact with prenatal stress exposure to affect offspring neurodevelopment. We also explore how maternal stress may interact with the microbiome in the neurodevelopmental setting. Additionally, understanding of the impact of maternal immune dysfunction on ASD has recently been advanced by recognition of specific fetal brain proteins targeted by maternal autoantibodies, and identification of unique mid-gestational maternal immune profiles. This might also be interrelated with maternal stress exposure. Animal models have been developed to explore pathophysiology targeting each of these factors. CONCLUSION We are beginning to understand the behavioral, pharmacopathological, and epigenetic effects related to these interactions, and we are beginning to explore potential mitigating factors. Continued growth in understanding of these mechanisms may ultimately allow for the identification of multiple potential targets for prevention or intervention for this subset of environmental-associated ASD cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Q. Beversdorf
- Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychological Sciences, and The Thompson Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri, William and Nancy Thompson Endowed Chair in Radiology
| | - Hanna E. Stevens
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa
| | - Kara Gross Margolis
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center
| | - Judy Van de Water
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, And the MIND Institute, University of California, Davis
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Hoffmann A, Spengler D. The Mitochondrion as Potential Interface in Early-Life Stress Brain Programming. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:306. [PMID: 30574076 PMCID: PMC6291450 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria play a central role in cellular energy-generating processes and are master regulators of cell life. They provide the energy necessary to reinstate and sustain homeostasis in response to stress, and to launch energy intensive adaptation programs to ensure an organism’s survival and future well-being. By this means, mitochondria are particularly apt to mediate brain programming by early-life stress (ELS) and to serve at the same time as subcellular substrate in the programming process. With a focus on mitochondria’s integrated role in metabolism, steroidogenesis and oxidative stress, we review current findings on altered mitochondrial function in the brain, the placenta and peripheral blood cells following ELS-dependent programming in rodents and recent insights from humans exposed to early life adversity (ELA). Concluding, we propose a role of the mitochondrion as subcellular intersection point connecting ELS, brain programming and mental well-being, and a role as a potential site for therapeutic interventions in individuals exposed to severe ELS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Hoffmann
- Epigenomics of Early Life, Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Dietmar Spengler
- Epigenomics of Early Life, Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
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32
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Dong E, Locci V, Gatta E, Grayson DR, Guidotti A. N-Phthalyl-l-Tryptophan (RG108), like Clozapine (CLO), Induces Chromatin Remodeling in Brains of Prenatally Stressed Mice. Mol Pharmacol 2018; 95:62-69. [PMID: 30397000 PMCID: PMC6277925 DOI: 10.1124/mol.118.113415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective (SZA), and bipolar (BP) disorder are neurodevelopmental psychopathological conditions related, in part, to genetic load and, in part, to environmentally induced epigenetic dysregulation of chromatin structure and function in neocortical GABAergic, glutamatergic, and monoaminergic neurons. To test the above hypothesis, we targeted our scientific efforts on identifying whether the molecular epigenetic signature of postmortem brains of patients with SZ, SZA, and BP disorder are also present in the brains of adult mice born from dams prenatally restraint stressed (PRS) during gestation. The brains of PRS mice, which are similar to the brains of patients with SZ and BP disorder, show an ∼2-fold increased binding of DNMT1 to psychiatric candidate promoters (glutamic acid decarboxylase 67, Reelin, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor), leading to their hypermethylation, reduced expression, as well as the behavioral endophenotypes reminiscent of those observed in the above psychiatric disorders. To establish whether clozapine (CLO) produces its behavioral and molecular action through a causal involvement of DNA methylation/demethylation processes, we compared the epigenetic action of CLO with that of the DNMT1 competitive inhibitor N-phthalyl-l-tryptophan (RG108). The intracerebroventricular injection of RG108 (20 nmol/day per 5 days), similar to the systemic administration of CLO, corrects the altered behavioral and molecular endophenotypes that are typical of PRS mice. These results are consistent with an epigenetic etiology underlying the behavioral endophenotypic profile in PRS mice. Further, it suggests that PRS mice may be useful in the preclinical screening of antipsychotic drugs acting to correct altered epigenetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erbo Dong
- The Psychiatric Institute, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Valentina Locci
- The Psychiatric Institute, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Eleonora Gatta
- The Psychiatric Institute, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Dennis R Grayson
- The Psychiatric Institute, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Alessandro Guidotti
- The Psychiatric Institute, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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33
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Marchese E, Corvino V, Di Maria V, Furno A, Giannetti S, Cesari E, Lulli P, Michetti F, Geloso MC. The Neuroprotective Effects of 17β-Estradiol Pretreatment in a Model of Neonatal Hippocampal Injury Induced by Trimethyltin. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:385. [PMID: 30416427 PMCID: PMC6213803 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hippocampal dysfunction plays a central role in neurodevelopmental disorders, resulting in severe impairment of cognitive abilities, including memory and learning. On this basis, developmental studies represent an important tool both to understanding the cellular and molecular phenomena underlying early hippocampal damage and to study possible therapeutic interventions, that may modify the progression of neuronal death. Given the modulatory role played by 17β-estradiol (E2) on hippocampal functions and its neuroprotective properties, the present study investigates the effects of pretreatment with E2 in a model of neonatal hippocampal injury obtained by trimethyltin (TMT) administration, characterized by neuronal loss in CA1 and CA3 subfields and astroglial and microglial activation. At post-natal days (P)5 and P6 animals received E2 administration (0.2 mg/kg/die i.p.) or vehicle. At P7 they received a single dose of TMT (6.5 mg/kg i.p.) and were sacrificed 72 h (P10) or 7 days after TMT treatment (P14). Our findings indicate that pretreatment with E2 exerts a protective effect against hippocampal damage induced by TMT administration early in development, reducing the extent of neuronal death in the CA1 subfield, inducing the activation of genes involved in neuroprotection, lowering the neuroinflammatory response and restoring neuropeptide Y- and parvalbumin- expression, which is impaired in the early phases of TMT-induced damage. Our data support the efficacy of estrogen-based neuroprotective approaches to counteract early occurring hippocampal damage in the developing hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Marchese
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Corvino
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Di Maria
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Epilepsy Center, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Alfredo Furno
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Giannetti
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cesari
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuroembryology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Lulli
- Laboratorio di Biochimica Clinica e Biologia Molecolare, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Michetti
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia - IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Concetta Geloso
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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Lacal I, Ventura R. Epigenetic Inheritance: Concepts, Mechanisms and Perspectives. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:292. [PMID: 30323739 PMCID: PMC6172332 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Parents’ stressful experiences can influence an offspring’s vulnerability to many pathological conditions, including psychopathologies, and their effects may even endure for several generations. Nevertheless, the cause of this phenomenon has not been determined, and only recently have scientists turned to epigenetics to answer this question. There is extensive literature on epigenetics, but no consensus exists with regard to how and what can (and must) be considered to study and define epigenetics processes and their inheritance. In this work, we aimed to clarify and systematize these concepts. To this end, we analyzed the dynamics of epigenetic changes over time in detail and defined three types of epigenetics: a direct form of epigenetics (DE) and two indirect epigenetic processes—within (WIE) and across (AIE). DE refers to changes that occur in the lifespan of an individual, due to direct experiences with his environment. WIE concerns changes that occur inside of the womb, due to events during gestation. Finally, AIE defines changes that affect the individual’s predecessors (parents, grandparents, etc.), due to events that occur even long before conception and that are somehow (e.g., through gametes, the intrauterine environment setting) transmitted across generations. This distinction allows us to organize the main body of epigenetic evidence according to these categories and then focus on the latter (AIE), referring to it as a faster route of informational transmission across generations—compared with genetic inheritance—that guides human evolution in a Lamarckian (i.e., experience-dependent) manner. Of the molecular processes that are implicated in this phenomenon, well-known (methylation) and novel (non-coding RNA, ncRNA) regulatory mechanisms are converging. Our discussion of the chief methods that are used to study epigenetic inheritance highlights the most compelling technical and theoretical problems of this discipline. Experimental suggestions to expand this field are provided, and their practical and ethical implications are discussed extensively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Lacal
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Ventura
- Department of Psychology and "Daniel Bovet" Center, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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Dong E, Guidotti A, Zhang H, Pandey SC. Prenatal stress leads to chromatin and synaptic remodeling and excessive alcohol intake comorbid with anxiety-like behaviors in adult offspring. Neuropharmacology 2018; 140:76-85. [PMID: 30016666 PMCID: PMC6499375 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiologic evidence suggests that individuals during their prenatal development may be especially vulnerable to the effects of environmental factors such as stress that predisposes them to psychiatric disorders including alcohol use disorder (AUD) later in life. Currently, the epigenetic mechanisms of anxiety comorbid with AUD induced by prenatal stress (PRS) remain to be elucidated. Here, we examined anxiety-like and alcohol drinking behaviors in adult offspring of prenatally stressed dam (PRS-mice) using elevated plus maze, light/dark box and two-bottle free-choice paradigm. It was found that PRS-mice exhibit heightened anxiety-like behaviors and increased alcohol intake in adulthood and these behavioral deficits were associated with a significant decrease in dendritic spine density (DSD) in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) relative to non-stressed mice (NS mice). To determine the mechanisms by which PRS reduces DSD, we examined the expressions of key genes associated with synaptic plasticity, including activity regulated cytoskeleton associated protein (Arc), spinophilin (Spn), postsynaptic density 95 (Psd95), tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), protein kinase B (Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and period 2 (Per2) in mPFC of PRS and NS mice. The mRNA levels of these genes were significantly decreased in PRS mice. Methylated DNA and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies revealed hyper DNA methylation or reduced histone H3K14 acetylation on promoters of above genes suggesting that epigenetic dysregulation may be responsible for the deficits in their expression. Findings from this study suggest that prenatal stress induced abnormal epigenetic mechanisms and synaptic plasticity-related events may be associated with anxiety-like and alcohol drinking behaviors in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erbo Dong
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago IL, 60612, USA.
| | - Alessandro Guidotti
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago IL, 60612, USA
| | - Huaibo Zhang
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago IL, 60612, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago IL, 60612, USA
| | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago IL, 60612, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago IL, 60612, USA
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Beversdorf DQ, Stevens HE, Jones KL. Prenatal Stress, Maternal Immune Dysregulation, and Their Association With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2018; 20:76. [PMID: 30094645 PMCID: PMC6369590 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-018-0945-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW While genetic factors are a major etiological contributor to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), evidence also supports a role for environmental factors. Herein, we will discuss two such factors that have been associated with a significant proportion of ASD risk: prenatal stress exposure and maternal immune dysregulation, and how sex and gender relate to these factors. RECENT FINDINGS Recent evidence suggests that maternal stress susceptibility interacts with prenatal stress exposure to affect offspring neurodevelopment. Additionally, understanding of the impact of maternal immune dysfunction on ASD has recently been advanced by recognition of specific fetal brain proteins targeted by maternal autoantibodies, and identification of unique mid-gestational maternal immune profiles. Animal models have been developed to explore pathophysiology targeting both of these factors, with limited sex-specific effects observed. While prenatal stress and maternal immune dysregulation are associated with ASD, most cases of these prenatal exposures do not result in ASD, suggesting interaction with multiple other risks. We are beginning to understand the behavioral, pharmacopathological, and epigenetic effects related to these interactions, as well as potential mitigating factors. Sex differences of these risks have been understudied but are crucial for understanding the higher prevalence of ASD in boys. Continued growth in understanding of these mechanisms may ultimately allow for the identification of multiple potential points for prevention or intervention, and for a personalized medicine approach for this subset of environmental-associated ASD cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Q. Beversdorf
- Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychological Sciences And The Thompson Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA,Department of Radiology, University of Missouri, DC 069.10, One Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Hanna E. Stevens
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Karen L. Jones
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, And the MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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Involvement of SNARE complex in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of offspring with depression induced by prenatal stress. J Affect Disord 2018; 235:374-383. [PMID: 29674253 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.04.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal stress (PS) exposure can cause depression-like behavior in offspring, and maladaptive responses including physiological and neurobiological changes. Glutamate neurotransmission is implicated in effects of PS and in antidepressant mechanisms; however, the mechanisms underlying its involvement remain unclear. In the synapse, the formation of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex is essential for vesicular docking and neurotransmitter release. METHODS To explore effects of PS on the SNARE complex, pregnant rats were assigned to a control or PS group. Both male and female offspring in each group were used in this study. PS rats were exposed to restraint stress three times daily for 45 min on days 14-20 of pregnancy. RESULTS In the PS offspring, the expression of the SNARE protein SNAP-25, vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP)-2, and Syntaxin 1a was significantly increased in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. These observations were associated with increased levels of proteins that chaperone SNARE complex formation, including Munc-18, α-synuclein, CSPα, complexin1, and complexin2. Immunoblotting of hippocampal and prefrontal cortex homogenates revealed significantly increased SNARE complex formation. vGluT1 protein expression was also significantly increased in the offspring. Additionally, PS was associated with increased mRNA expression of VAMP1, VAMP2, SNAP25, Syntaxin1a, and Syntaxin1b in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Increased monomeric SNARE proteins, SNARE complex formation, vesicle-associated proteins, and vGluT1 may explain the increase in glutamate and its downstream excitotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS These results support the hypothesis that glutamate release and vesicular glutamate transporters play a role in PS-induced depression-like behavior of rat offspring.
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38
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Ye D, Zhang L, Fan W, Zhang X, Dong E. Genipin normalizes depression-like behavior induced by prenatal stress through inhibiting DNMT1. Epigenetics 2018. [PMID: 29522357 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2018.1450033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic antidepressants in current use for the complex etiopathogeneses of depression have slow response and remission as well as various unpleasant side effects. As a result, it is imperative to develop new antidepressants with more effectiveness and less severe side effects. Recent studies demonstrated that genipin, the aglycon of geniposide, extracted from Gardenia jasminoides Ellis has antidepressive effects. However, knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms of its antidepressant effects remains limited. Employing a depression-like mouse model, we confirmed that genipin is capable of correcting depressions-like behaviors induced by prenatal stress in offspring from prenatally stressed dams (defined as PRS mice). In further experiments, we found that the effect of genipin on PRS mice occurs through DNA demethylation by inhibiting DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), normalizing the expression of reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Ye
- a Oncology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital , Chongqing Medical University , Yuzhong District , Chongqing , China
| | - Li Zhang
- a Oncology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital , Chongqing Medical University , Yuzhong District , Chongqing , China
| | - Weidong Fan
- a Oncology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital , Chongqing Medical University , Yuzhong District , Chongqing , China
| | - Xianquan Zhang
- a Oncology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital , Chongqing Medical University , Yuzhong District , Chongqing , China
| | - Erbo Dong
- a Oncology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital , Chongqing Medical University , Yuzhong District , Chongqing , China
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Mitochondrial proteomics investigation of frontal cortex in an animal model of depression: Focus on chronic antidepressant drugs treatment. Pharmacol Rep 2018; 70:322-330. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2017.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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40
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Abbott PW, Gumusoglu SB, Bittle J, Beversdorf DQ, Stevens HE. Prenatal stress and genetic risk: How prenatal stress interacts with genetics to alter risk for psychiatric illness. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 90:9-21. [PMID: 29407514 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Risk for neuropsychiatric disorders is complex and includes an individual's internal genetic endowment and their environmental experiences and exposures. Embryonic development captures a particularly complex period, in which genetic and environmental factors can interact to contribute to risk. These environmental factors are incorporated differently into the embryonic brain than postnatal one. Here, we comprehensively review the human and animal model literature for studies that assess the interaction between genetic risks and one particular environmental exposure with strong and complex associations with neuropsychiatric outcomes-prenatal maternal stress. Gene-environment interaction has been demonstrated for stress occurring during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Additional work demonstrates that prenatal stress risk may be similarly complex. Animal model studies have begun to address some underlying mechanisms, including particular maternal or fetal genetic susceptibilities that interact with stress exposure and those that do not. More specifically, the genetic underpinnings of serotonin and dopamine signaling and stress physiology mechanisms have been shown to be particularly relevant to social, attentional, and internalizing behavioral changes, while other genetic factors have not, including some growth factor and hormone-related genes. Interactions have reflected both the diathesis-stress and differential susceptibility models. Maternal genetic factors have received less attention than those in offspring, but strongly modulate impacts of prenatal stress. Priorities for future research are investigating maternal response to distinct forms of stress and developing whole-genome methods to examine the contributions of genetic variants of both mothers and offspring, particularly including genes involved in neurodevelopment. This is a burgeoning field of research that will ultimately contribute not only to a broad understanding of psychiatric pathophysiology but also to efforts for personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker W Abbott
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA.
| | - Serena B Gumusoglu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Jada Bittle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - David Q Beversdorf
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Interdisciplinary Intercampus Research Program, Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders, Departments of Radiology, Neurology and Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - Hanna E Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 2312 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA.
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41
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Bittle J, Stevens HE. The role of glucocorticoid, interleukin-1β, and antioxidants in prenatal stress effects on embryonic microglia. J Neuroinflammation 2018; 15:44. [PMID: 29452586 PMCID: PMC5815231 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-018-1079-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of psychopathology in offspring. Resident immune cells of the brain, microglia, may be mediators of prenatal stress and altered neurodevelopment. Here, we demonstrate that neither the exogenous pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), nor the glucocorticoid hormone, corticosterone, recapitulated the full effects of prenatal stress on the morphology of microglial cells in the cortical plate of embryonic mice; IL-1β effects showed greater similarity to prenatal stress effects on microglia. Unexpectedly, oil vehicle alone, which has antioxidant properties, moderated the effects of prenatal stress on microglia. Microglia changes with prenatal stress were also sensitive to the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine, suggesting redox dysregulation as a mechanism of prenatal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jada Bittle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1330 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA 52246 USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
| | - Hanna E. Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1330 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA 52246 USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 2312 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA 52246 USA
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Engelhardt M, Hamad MIK, Jack A, Ahmed K, König J, Rennau LM, Jamann N, Räk A, Schönfelder S, Riedel C, Wirth MJ, Patz S, Wahle P. Interneuron synaptopathy in developing rat cortex induced by the pro-inflammatory cytokine LIF. Exp Neurol 2018; 302:169-180. [PMID: 29305051 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maren Engelhardt
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany; Institute of Neuroanatomy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, CBTM, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Mohammad I K Hamad
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Alexander Jack
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Küpra Ahmed
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Jennifer König
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Lisa Marie Rennau
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Nora Jamann
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, CBTM, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Andrea Räk
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Sabine Schönfelder
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Christian Riedel
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Markus Joseph Wirth
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany; Institute of Biology-II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Silke Patz
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany; Research Unit for Experimental Neurotraumatology, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Petra Wahle
- Developmental Neurobiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany.
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Heslin K, Coutellier L. Npas4 deficiency and prenatal stress interact to affect social recognition in mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 17:e12448. [PMID: 29227584 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia have an expansive array of reported genetic and environmental contributing factors. However, none of these factors alone can account for a substantial proportion of cases of either disorder. Instead, many gene-by-environment interactions are responsible for neurodevelopmental disturbances that lead to these disorders. The current experiment used heterozygous knock-out mice to examine a potential interaction between 2 factors commonly linked to neurodevelopmental disorders and cognitive deficit: imbalanced excitatory/inhibitory signaling in the cortex and prenatal stress (PNS) exposure. Both of these factors have been linked to disrupt GABAergic signaling in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a common feature of neurodevelopmental disorders. The neuronal PAS domain protein 4 (Npas4) gene is instrumental in regulation of the excitatory/inhibitory balance in the cortex and hippocampus in response to activation. Npas4 heterozygous and wild-type male and female mice were exposed to either PNS or standard gestation, then evaluated during adulthood in social and anxiety behavioral measures. The combination of PNS and Npas4 deficiency in male mice impaired social recognition. This behavioral deficit was associated with decreased parvalbumin and cFos protein expression in the infralimbic region of the PFC following social stimulation in Npas4 heterozygous males. In contrast, females displayed fewer behavioral effects and molecular changes in PFC in response to PNS and decreased Npas4.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Heslin
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - L Coutellier
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.,Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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44
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Sowa JE, Ślusarczyk J, Trojan E, Chamera K, Leśkiewicz M, Regulska M, Kotarska K, Basta-Kaim A. Prenatal stress affects viability, activation, and chemokine signaling in astroglial cultures. J Neuroimmunol 2017; 311:79-87. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2017.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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45
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Jafari Z, Faraji J, Mirza Agha B, Metz GAS, Kolb BE, Mohajerani MH. The Adverse Effects of Auditory Stress on Mouse Uterus Receptivity and Behaviour. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4720. [PMID: 28680154 PMCID: PMC5498668 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04943-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress during gestation has harmful effects on pregnancy outcome and can lead to spontaneous abortion. Few studies, however, have addressed the impact of gestational stress, particularly auditory stress, on behavioural performance and pregnancy outcome in mice. This study aimed to examine the effect of two types of gestational stress on uterus receptivity and behavioural performance. Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to either auditory or physical stress conditions or a control condition from gestational days 12-16. The auditory stress regimen used loud 3000 Hz tone, while the physical stressor consisted of restraint and exposure to an elevated platform. Three behavioural tests were performed in the dams after weaning. Uterine receptivity was investigated by counting the number of sites of implantation and fetal resorption. Also, the offspring survival rates during the early postnatal period were calculated. Auditory stress caused an increase in anxiety-like behaviour, reduced time spent exploring new object/environment, and reduced balance when compared to the physical stress and control groups. Auditory stress also caused higher rates of resorbed embryos and reduction of litter size. Our results suggest that the adverse effect of noise stress is stronger than physical stress for both uterus receptivity and behavioural performance of the dams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Jafari
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Science (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamshid Faraji
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
- Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Behroo Mirza Agha
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Gerlinde A S Metz
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Bryan E Kolb
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Majid H Mohajerani
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
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Smucny J, Tregellas JR. Targeting neuronal dysfunction in schizophrenia with nicotine: Evidence from neurophysiology to neuroimaging. J Psychopharmacol 2017; 31:801-811. [PMID: 28441884 PMCID: PMC5963521 DOI: 10.1177/0269881117705071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Patients with schizophrenia self-administer nicotine at rates higher than is self-administered for any other psychiatric illness. Although the reasons are unclear, one hypothesis suggests that nicotine is a form of 'self-medication' in order to restore normal levels of nicotinic signaling and target abnormalities in neuronal function associated with cognitive processes. This brief review discusses evidence from neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies in schizophrenia patients that nicotinic agonists may effectively target dysfunctional neuronal circuits in the illness. Evidence suggests that nicotine significantly modulates a number of these circuits, although relatively few studies have used modern neuroimaging techniques (e.g. functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)) to examine the effects of nicotinic drugs on disease-related neurobiology. The neuronal effects of nicotine and other nicotinic agonists in schizophrenia remain a priority for psychiatry research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Smucny
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jason R Tregellas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA,Research Service, Denver VA Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA
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Alessandro G, Erbo D, Grayson DR. Epigenetic Basis of Clozapine Action. JOURNAL OF DRUG DESIGN AND RESEARCH 2017; 4:1055. [PMID: 29644342 PMCID: PMC5891149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Guidotti Alessandro
- Corresponding author: Guidotti A, Department of Psychiatry, Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, University of Illinois Chicago, 1601 W. Taylor, Chicago IL 60612, USA,
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van Bodegom M, Homberg JR, Henckens MJAG. Modulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis by Early Life Stress Exposure. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:87. [PMID: 28469557 PMCID: PMC5395581 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 310] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to stress during critical periods in development can have severe long-term consequences, increasing overall risk on psychopathology. One of the key stress response systems mediating these long-term effects of stress is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; a cascade of central and peripheral events resulting in the release of corticosteroids from the adrenal glands. Activation of the HPA-axis affects brain functioning to ensure a proper behavioral response to the stressor, but stress-induced (mal)adaptation of the HPA-axis' functional maturation may provide a mechanistic basis for the altered stress susceptibility later in life. Development of the HPA-axis and the brain regions involved in its regulation starts prenatally and continues after birth, and is protected by several mechanisms preventing corticosteroid over-exposure to the maturing brain. Nevertheless, early life stress (ELS) exposure has been reported to have numerous consequences on HPA-axis function in adulthood, affecting both its basal and stress-induced activity. According to the match/mismatch theory, encountering ELS prepares an organism for similar ("matching") adversities during adulthood, while a mismatching environment results in an increased susceptibility to psychopathology, indicating that ELS can exert either beneficial or disadvantageous effects depending on the environmental context. Here, we review studies investigating the mechanistic underpinnings of the ELS-induced alterations in the structural and functional development of the HPA-axis and its key external regulators (amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex). The effects of ELS appear highly dependent on the developmental time window affected, the sex of the offspring, and the developmental stage at which effects are assessed. Albeit by distinct mechanisms, ELS induced by prenatal stressors, maternal separation, or the limited nesting model inducing fragmented maternal care, typically results in HPA-axis hyper-reactivity in adulthood, as also found in major depression. This hyper-activity is related to increased corticotrophin-releasing hormone signaling and impaired glucocorticoid receptor-mediated negative feedback. In contrast, initial evidence for HPA-axis hypo-reactivity is observed for early social deprivation, potentially reflecting the abnormal HPA-axis function as observed in post-traumatic stress disorder, and future studies should investigate its neural/neuroendocrine foundation in further detail. Interestingly, experiencing additional (chronic) stress in adulthood seems to normalize these alterations in HPA-axis function, supporting the match/mismatch theory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marloes J. A. G. Henckens
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Centre for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboudumc, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Prenatal Stress Impairs Spatial Learning and Memory Associated with Lower mRNA Level of the CAMKII and CREB in the Adult Female Rat Hippocampus. Neurochem Res 2017; 42:1496-1503. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-017-2206-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Revised: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Rakers F, Rupprecht S, Dreiling M, Bergmeier C, Witte OW, Schwab M. Transfer of maternal psychosocial stress to the fetus. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 117:S0149-7634(16)30719-9. [PMID: 28237726 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Revised: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Psychosocial maternal stress experienced during different vulnerable periods throughout gestation is thought to increase the individual's risk to develop neuropsychiatric, cardiovascular and metabolic disease in later life. Cortisol has generally been identified as the major mediator of maternal stress transfer to the fetus. Its lipophilic nature allows a trans-placental passage and thus excessive maternal cortisol could persistently impair the development of the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA). However, cortisol alone cannot fully explain all effects of maternal stress especially during early to mid pregnancy before maturation of the fetal HPAA has even begun and expression of fetal glucocorticoid receptors is limited. This review focuses on mediators of maternal fetal stress transfer that in addition to cortisol have been proposed as transmitters of maternal stress: catecholamines, cytokines, serotonin/tryptophan, reactive-oxygen-species and the maternal microbiota. We propose that the effects of psychosocial maternal stress on fetal development and health and disease in later life are not a consequence of a single pathway but are mediated by multiple stress-transfer mechanisms acting together in a synergistic manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Rakers
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany.
| | - Sven Rupprecht
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany.
| | - Michelle Dreiling
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany.
| | - Christoph Bergmeier
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany.
| | - Otto W Witte
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany.
| | - Matthias Schwab
- Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany.
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