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Allard RL, Mayfield J, Barchiesi R, Salem NA, Mayfield RD. Toll-like receptor 7: A novel neuroimmune target to reduce excessive alcohol consumption. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100639. [PMID: 38765062 PMCID: PMC11101708 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of innate immune receptors that recognize molecular patterns in foreign pathogens and intrinsic danger/damage signals from cells. TLR7 is a nucleic acid sensing endosomal TLR that is activated by single-stranded RNAs from microbes or by small noncoding RNAs that act as endogenous ligands. TLR7 signals through the MyD88 adaptor protein and activates the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7). TLR7 is found throughout the brain and is highly expressed in microglia, the main immune cells of the brain that have also been implicated in alcohol drinking in mice. Upregulation of TLR7 mRNA and protein has been identified in postmortem hippocampus and cortex from AUD subjects that correlated positively with lifetime consumption of alcohol. Similarly, Tlr7 and downstream signaling genes were upregulated in rat hippocampal and cortical slice cultures after chronic alcohol exposure and in these regions after chronic binge-like alcohol treatment in mice. In addition, repeated administration of the synthetic TLR7 agonists imiquimod (R837) or resiquimod (R848) increased voluntary alcohol drinking in different rodent models and produced sustained upregulation of IRF7 in the brain. These findings suggest that chronic TLR7 activation may drive excessive alcohol drinking. In the brain, this could occur through increased levels of endogenous TLR7 activators, like microRNAs and Y RNAs. This review explores chronic TLR7 activation as a pathway of dysregulated neuroimmune signaling in AUD and the endogenous small RNA ligands in the brain that could perpetuate innate immune responses and escalate alcohol drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth L. Allard
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Jody Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Riccardo Barchiesi
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Nihal A. Salem
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - R. Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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2
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Mignogna KM, Tatom Z, Macleod L, Sergi Z, Nguyen A, Michenkova M, Smith ML, Miles MF. Identification of novel genetic loci and candidate genes for progressive ethanol consumption in diversity outbred mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01902-6. [PMID: 38951586 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01902-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Mouse behavioral genetic mapping studies can identify genomic intervals modulating complex traits under well-controlled environmental conditions and have been used to study ethanol behaviors to aid in understanding genetic risk and the neurobiology of alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, historically such studies have produced large confidence intervals, thus complicating identification of potential causal candidate genes. Diversity Outbred (DO) mice offer the ability to perform high-resolution quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping on a very genetically diverse background, thus facilitating identification of candidate genes. Here, we studied a population of 636 male DO mice with four weeks of intermittent ethanol access via a three-bottle choice procedure, producing a progressive ethanol consumption phenotype. QTL analysis identified 3 significant (Chrs 3, 4, and 12) and 13 suggestive loci for ethanol-drinking behaviors with narrow confidence intervals (1-4 Mbp for significant QTLs). Results suggested that genetic influences on initial versus progressive ethanol consumption were localized to different genomic intervals. A defined set of positional candidate genes were prioritized using haplotype analysis, identified coding polymorphisms, prefrontal cortex transcriptomics data, human GWAS data and prior rodent gene set data for ethanol or other misused substances. These candidates included Car8, the lone gene with a significant cis-eQTL within a Chr 4 QTL for week four ethanol consumption. These results represent the highest-resolution genetic mapping of ethanol consumption behaviors in mice to date, providing identification of novel loci and candidate genes for study in relation to the neurobiology of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin M Mignogna
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Zachary Tatom
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Lorna Macleod
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Zachary Sergi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Angel Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Marie Michenkova
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Maren L Smith
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Michael F Miles
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
- VCU Alcohol Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
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3
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Nentwig TB, Obray JD, Kruyer A, Wilkes ET, Vaughan DT, Scofield MD, Chandler LJ. Central Amygdala Astrocyte Plasticity Underlies GABAergic Dysregulation in Ethanol Dependence. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.11.598470. [PMID: 38915577 PMCID: PMC11195260 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.11.598470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Dependence is a hallmark of alcohol use disorder characterized by excessive alcohol intake and withdrawal symptoms. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is a key brain structure underlying the synaptic and behavioral consequences of ethanol dependence. While accumulating evidence suggests that astrocytes regulate synaptic transmission and behavior, there is a limited understanding of the role astrocytes play in ethanol dependence. The present study used a combination of viral labeling, super resolution confocal microscopy, 3D image analysis, and slice electrophysiology to determine the effects of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure on astrocyte plasticity in the CeA. During withdrawal from CIE exposure, we observed increased GABA transmission, an upregulation in astrocytic GAT3 levels, and an increased proximity of astrocyte processes near CeA synapses. Furthermore, GAT3 levels and synaptic proximity were positively associated with voluntary ethanol drinking in dependent rats. Slice electrophysiology confirmed that the upregulation in astrocytic GAT3 levels was functional, as CIE exposure unmasked a GAT3-sensitive tonic GABA current in the CeA. A causal role for astrocytic GAT3 in ethanol dependence was assessed using viral-mediated GAT3 overexpression and knockdown approaches. However, GAT3 knockdown or overexpression had no effect on somatic withdrawal symptoms, dependence-escalated ethanol intake, aversion-resistant drinking, or post-dependent ethanol drinking in male or female rats. Moreover, intra-CeA pharmacological inhibition of GAT3 also did not alter dependent ethanol drinking. Together, these findings indicate that ethanol dependence induces GABAergic dysregulation and astrocyte plasticity in the CeA. However, astrocytic GAT3 does not appear necessary for the drinking related phenotypes associated with dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B. Nentwig
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
| | - J. Daniel Obray
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
| | - Anna Kruyer
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
- Current affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Erik T Wilkes
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
| | - Dylan T. Vaughan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
- Current affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael D. Scofield
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
| | - L. Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC 29425, United States
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4
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Huber RE, Babbitt C, Peyton SR. Heterogeneity of brain extracellular matrix and astrocyte activation. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25356. [PMID: 38773875 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
From the blood brain barrier to the synaptic space, astrocytes provide structural, metabolic, ionic, and extracellular matrix (ECM) support across the brain. Astrocytes include a vast array of subtypes, their phenotypes and functions varying both regionally and temporally. Astrocytes' metabolic and regulatory functions poise them to be quick and sensitive responders to injury and disease in the brain as revealed by single cell sequencing. Far less is known about the influence of the local healthy and aging microenvironments on these astrocyte activation states. In this forward-looking review, we describe the known relationship between astrocytes and their local microenvironment, the remodeling of the microenvironment during disease and injury, and postulate how they may drive astrocyte activation. We suggest technology development to better understand the dynamic diversity of astrocyte activation states, and how basal and activation states depend on the ECM microenvironment. A deeper understanding of astrocyte response to stimuli in ECM-specific contexts (brain region, age, and sex of individual), paves the way to revolutionize how the field considers astrocyte-ECM interactions in brain injury and disease and opens routes to return astrocytes to a healthy quiescent state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Huber
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Courtney Babbitt
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shelly R Peyton
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Holt LM, Nestler EJ. Astrocytic transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms of drug addiction. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:409-424. [PMID: 37940687 PMCID: PMC11066772 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02716-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Addiction is a leading cause of disease burden worldwide and remains a challenge in current neuroscience research. Drug-induced lasting changes in gene expression are mediated by transcriptional and epigenetic regulation in the brain and are thought to underlie behavioral adaptations. Emerging evidence implicates astrocytes in regulating drug-seeking behaviors and demonstrates robust transcriptional response to several substances of abuse. This review focuses on the astrocytic transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms of drug action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne M Holt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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6
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Berríos-Cárcamo P, Núñez S, Castañeda J, Gallardo J, Bono MR, Ezquer F. Two-Month Voluntary Ethanol Consumption Promotes Mild Neuroinflammation in the Cerebellum but Not in the Prefrontal Cortex, Hippocampus, or Striatum of Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4173. [PMID: 38673763 PMCID: PMC11050159 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic ethanol exposure often triggers neuroinflammation in the brain's reward system, potentially promoting the drive for ethanol consumption. A main marker of neuroinflammation is the microglia-derived monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1) in animal models of alcohol use disorder in which ethanol is forcefully given. However, there are conflicting findings on whether MCP1 is elevated when ethanol is taken voluntarily, which challenges its key role in promoting motivation for ethanol consumption. Here, we studied MCP1 mRNA levels in areas implicated in consumption motivation-specifically, the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum-as well as in the cerebellum, a brain area highly sensitive to ethanol, of C57BL/6 mice subjected to intermittent and voluntary ethanol consumption for two months. We found a significant increase in MCP1 mRNA levels in the cerebellum of mice that consumed ethanol compared to controls, whereas no significant changes were observed in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, or striatum or in microglia isolated from the hippocampus and striatum. To further characterize cerebellar neuroinflammation, we measured the expression changes in other proinflammatory markers and chemokines, revealing a significant increase in the proinflammatory microRNA miR-155. Notably, other classical proinflammatory markers, such as TNFα, IL6, and IL-1β, remained unaltered, suggesting mild neuroinflammation. These results suggest that the onset of neuroinflammation in motivation-related areas is not required for high voluntary consumption in C57BL/6 mice. In addition, cerebellar susceptibility to neuroinflammation may be a trigger to the cerebellar degeneration that occurs after chronic ethanol consumption in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Berríos-Cárcamo
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610615, Chile; (J.G.); (F.E.)
| | - Sarah Núñez
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Sede Los Leones 7510602, Chile;
- Centro Ciencia & Vida, Santiago 8580702, Chile
| | - Justine Castañeda
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile; (J.C.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Javiera Gallardo
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610615, Chile; (J.G.); (F.E.)
| | - María Rosa Bono
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile; (J.C.); (M.R.B.)
| | - Fernando Ezquer
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610615, Chile; (J.G.); (F.E.)
- Research Center for the Development of Novel Therapeutics Alternatives for Alcohol Use Disorders, Santiago 7610658, Chile
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7
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Blokhin IO, Martinez-Garza DM, Patel D, Douaihy AB, Salloum IM. Editorial: Genome-wide molecular mechanisms of substance use disorders. Front Psychiatry 2024; 14:1356103. [PMID: 38260789 PMCID: PMC10800646 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1356103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ilya O. Blokhin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | | | - Dhruti Patel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Antoine B. Douaihy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Ihsan M. Salloum
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, United States
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8
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Grantham EK, Tiwari GR, Ponomareva O, Harris RA, Lopez MF, Becker HC, Mayfield RD. Transcriptome changes in the nucleus of the solitary tract induced by repeated stress, alcohol dependence, or stress-induced drinking in dependent mice. Neuropharmacology 2024; 242:109768. [PMID: 37865137 PMCID: PMC10688594 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Stress increases alcohol consumption in dependent animals and contributes to the development of alcohol use disorder. The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) is a critical brainstem region for integrating and relaying central and peripheral signals to regulate stress responses, but it is not known if it plays a role in alcohol dependence- or in stress-induced escalations in alcohol drinking in dependent mice. Here, we used RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analyses to study molecular adaptations in the NTS of C57BL/6J male mice that underwent an ethanol drinking procedure that uses exposure to chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor, forced swim stress (FSS), or both conditions (CIE + FSS). Transcriptome profiling was performed at three different times after the last vapor cycle (0-hr, 72-hr, and 168-hr) to identify changes in gene expression associated with different stages of ethanol intoxication and withdrawal. In the CIE and CIE + FSS groups at 0-hr, there was upregulation of genes enriched for cellular response to type I interferon (IFN) and type I IFN- and cytokine-mediated signaling pathways, while the FSS group showed upregulation of neuronal genes. IFN signaling was the top gene network positively correlated with ethanol consumption levels in the CIE and CIE + FSS groups. Results from different analyses (differential gene expression, weighted gene coexpression network analysis, and rank-rank hypergeometric overlap) indicated that activation of type I IFN signaling would be expected to increase ethanol consumption. The CIE and CIE + FSS groups also shared an immune signature in the NTS as has been demonstrated in other brain regions after chronic ethanol exposure. A temporal-based clustering analysis revealed a unique expression pattern in the CIE + FSS group that suggests the interaction of these two stressors produces adaptations in synaptic and glial functions that may drive stress-induced drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Grantham
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Gayatri R Tiwari
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Olga Ponomareva
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - R Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Marcello F Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Howard C Becker
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 28425, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, 20401, USA
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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9
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Coulter OR, Walker CD, Risher ML. Astrocyte-specific Ca 2+ activity: Mechanisms of action, experimental tools, and roles in ethanol-induced dysfunction. Biochem Cell Biol 2023; 101:410-421. [PMID: 36989534 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2023-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are a subtype of non-neuronal glial cells that reside in the central nervous system. Astrocytes have extensive peripheral astrocytic processes that ensheathe synapses to form the tripartite synapse. Through a multitude of pathways, astrocytes can influence synaptic development and structural maturation, respond to neuronal signals, and modulate synaptic transmission. Over the last decade, strong evidence has emerged demonstrating that astrocytes can influence behavioral outcomes in various animal models of cognition. However, the full extent of how astrocytes influence brain function is still being revealed. Astrocyte calcium (Ca2+) signaling has emerged as an important driver of astrocyte-neuronal communication allowing intricate crosstalk through mechanisms that are still not fully understood. Here, we will review the field's current understanding of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling and discuss the sophisticated state-of-the-art tools and approaches used to continue unraveling astrocytes' interesting role in brain function. Using the field of pre-clinical ethanol (EtOH) studies in the context of alcohol use disorder, we focus on how these novel approaches have helped to reveal an important role for astrocyte Ca2+ function in regulating EtOH consumption and how astrocyte Ca2+ dysfunction contributes to the cognitive deficits that emerge after EtOH exposure in a rodent model.
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Affiliation(s)
- O R Coulter
- Department of Biomedical Research, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
| | - C D Walker
- Department of Biomedical Research, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
- Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Hershel 'Woody' Williams Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Huntington, WV 25704, USA
| | - M-L Risher
- Department of Biomedical Research, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
- Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Hershel 'Woody' Williams Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Huntington, WV 25704, USA
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10
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Rojas-Cruz AF, Martín-Jiménez CA, González J, González-Giraldo Y, Pinzón AM, Barreto GE, Aristizábal-Pachón AF. Palmitic Acid Upregulates Type I Interferon-Mediated Antiviral Response and Cholesterol Biosynthesis in Human Astrocytes. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:4842-4854. [PMID: 37184765 PMCID: PMC10293381 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03366-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Chronic intake of a high-fat diet increases saturated fatty acids in the brain causing the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Palmitic acid is a free fatty acid abundant in the diet that at high concentrations may penetrate the blood-brain barrier and stimulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to inflammation in astrocytes. The use of the synthetic neurosteroid tibolone in protection against fatty acid toxicity is emerging, but its transcriptional effects on palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity remain unclear. Herein, we performed a transcriptome profiling of normal human astrocytes to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which palmitic acid causes cellular damage to astrocytes, and whether tibolone could reverse its detrimental effects. Astrocytes undergo a profound transcriptional change at 2 mM palmitic acid, affecting the expression of 739 genes, 366 upregulated and 373 downregulated. However, tibolone at 10 nM does not entirely reverse palmitic acid effects. Additionally, the protein-protein interaction reveals two novel gene clustering modules. The first module involves astrocyte defense responses by upregulation of pathways associated with antiviral innate immunity, and the second is linked to lipid metabolism. Our data suggest that activation of viral response signaling pathways might be so far, the initial molecular mechanism of astrocytes in response to a lipotoxic insult by palmitic acid, triggered particularly upon increased expression levels of IFIT2, IRF1, and XAF1. Therefore, this novel approach using a global gene expression analysis may shed light on the pleiotropic effects of palmitic acid on astrocytes, and provide a basis for future studies addressed to elucidate these responses in neurodegenerative conditions, which is highly valuable for the design of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Felipe Rojas-Cruz
- Departamento de Nutrición Y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, 110231, Colombia
| | | | - Janneth González
- Departamento de Nutrición Y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, 110231, Colombia
| | - Yeimy González-Giraldo
- Departamento de Nutrición Y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, 110231, Colombia
| | - Andrés Mauricio Pinzón
- Laboratorio de Bioinformática Y Biología de Sistemas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, 110231, Colombia
| | - George E Barreto
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX, Limerick, Ireland
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11
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Hashimoto JG, Zhang X, Guizzetti M. Ethanol-induced transcriptional and translational changes in Aldh1l1-Egfp/Rpl10a cortical astrocyte cultures. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1193304. [PMID: 37415614 PMCID: PMC10320287 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1193304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The role astrocytes play in brain development and function has garnered greater attention as the diversity of roles they are involved in has become apparent. We have previously shown that ethanol-exposed astrocytes alter neuronal neurite outgrowth in an in vitro co-culture system and that ethanol alters the astrocyte-produced extracellular matrix (ECM) in vitro, with similar alterations in vivo. In this study, we utilized the translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) procedure in Aldh1l1-EGFP/Rpl10a transgenic mouse primary cortical astrocyte cultures to transcriptionally and translationally profile the astrocyte response to ethanol. We found a large number of differences between the total RNA pool and the translating RNA pool, indicating that the transcriptional state of astrocytes may not always reflect the translational state of astrocytes. In addition, there was a considerable overlap between ethanol-dysregulated genes in the total RNA pool and the translating RNA pool. Comparisons to published datasets indicate the in vitro model used here is most similar to PD1 or PD7 in vivo cortical astrocytes, and the ethanol-regulated genes showed a significant overlap with models of chronic ethanol exposure in astrocytes, a model of third-trimester ethanol exposure in the hippocampus and cerebellum, and an acute model of ethanol exposure in the hippocampus. These findings will further our understanding of the effects of ethanol on astrocyte gene expression and protein translation and how these changes may alter brain development and support the use of in vitro astrocyte cultures as models of neonatal astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel G. Hashimoto
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Research Service, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Research Service, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Research Service, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
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12
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Carlson ER, Guerin SP, Nixon K, Fonken LK. The neuroimmune system - Where aging and excess alcohol intersect. Alcohol 2023; 107:153-167. [PMID: 36150610 PMCID: PMC10023388 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
As the percentage of the global population over age 65 grows, and with it a subpopulation of individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), understanding the effect of alcohol on the aged brain is of utmost importance. Neuroinflammation is implicated in both natural aging as well as alcohol use, and its role in alterations to brain morphology and function may be exacerbated in aging individuals who drink alcohol to excess. The neuroimmune response to alcohol in aging is complex. The few studies investigating this issue have reported heightened basal activity and either hypo- or hyper-reactivity to an alcohol challenge. This review of preclinical research will first introduce key players of the immune system, then explore changes in neuroimmune function with aging or alcohol alone, with discussion of vulnerable brain regions, changes in cytokines, and varied reactions of microglia and astrocytes. We will then consider different levels of alcohol exposure, relevant animal models of AUD, and neuroimmune activation by alcohol across the lifespan. By identifying key findings, challenges, and targets for future research, we hope to bring more attention and resources to this underexplored area of inquiry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika R Carlson
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Steven P Guerin
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Kimberly Nixon
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Laura K Fonken
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
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13
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Randall CA, Sun D, Randall PA. Differential Effects of Nicotine, Alcohol, and Coexposure on Neuroimmune-Related Protein and Gene Expression in Corticolimbic Brain Regions of Rats. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:628-644. [PMID: 36705334 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Nicotine and alcohol co-use is extremely common and their use constitutes two of the most common causes of preventable death, yet the underlying biological mechanisms are largely understudied. Activation of neuroimmune toll-like receptors (TLRs) promotes the induction of proinflammatory cascades and increases alcohol intake in rodents, which further promotes TLRs in the brain; nicotine may decrease central proinflammatory signaling. The current studies sought to determine the effects of nicotine ± alcohol (alone or in combination) on circulating blood plasma and TLR protein/gene expression in addiction-associated corticolimbic brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex-prelimbic (mPFC-PL) and nucleus accumbens core (AcbC). Adult rats were treated with alcohol (0 or 2 g/kg, IG) and exposed to nicotine vapor (0 or 30 mg/mL solution) daily for 2, 14, or 28 days. Plasma studies indicated no effects of independent exposure or coexposure in males. Coexposure decreased plasma nicotine levels versus nicotine-only treated females, yet alcohol and cotinine concentrations were unchanged. By 28 days, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-13 was decreased in alcohol-only females. Divergent changes in TLR3 (but not TLR4) protein occurred for independent-drug exposed males (but not coexposure), with reductions in the mPFC-PL after 14 days and increases in the AcbC by 28 days. Gene expression following chronic coexposure suggests nicotine may regionally counteract alcohol-induced inflammation, including increased AcbC-TLR3/4/7 and several downstream markers in females and increased mPFC-PL-TLR3 and -STAT3 (but not IRF3) evident in males with exposure to either drug alone. These findings give further insight into the role of sex and the neuroimmune system in independent exposure and coexposure to nicotine ± alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christie A Randall
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
| | - Dongxiao Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033 United States
| | - Patrick A Randall
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033 United States
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14
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Grantham EK, Barchiesi R, Salem NA, Mayfield RD. Neuroimmune pathways as targets to reduce alcohol consumption. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2023; 222:173491. [PMID: 36400266 PMCID: PMC9906983 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Riccardo Barchiesi
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and the Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, United States.
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15
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Chang XW, Sun Y, Muhai JN, Li YY, Chen Y, Lu L, Chang SH, Shi J. Common and distinguishing genetic factors for substance use behavior and disorder: an integrated analysis of genomic and transcriptomic studies from both human and animal studies. Addiction 2022; 117:2515-2529. [PMID: 35491750 DOI: 10.1111/add.15908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Genomic and transcriptomic findings greatly broaden the biological knowledge regarding substance use. However, systematic convergence and comparison evidence of genome-wide findings is lacking for substance use. Here, we combined all the genome-wide findings from both substance use behavior and disorder (SUBD) and identified common and distinguishing genetic factors for different SUBDs. METHODS Systemic literature search for genome-wide association (GWAS) and RNA-seq studies of alcohol/nicotine/drug use behavior (partially meets or not reported diagnostic criteria) and alcohol use behavior and disorder (AUBD), nicotine use behavior and disorder (NUBD) and drug use behavior and disorder (DUBD) was performed using PubMed and the GWAS catalog. Drug use was focused upon cannabis, opioid, cocaine and methamphetamine use. GWAS studies required case-control or case/cohort samples. RNA-seq studies were based on brain tissues. The genes which contained significant single nucleotide polymorphism (P ≤ 1 × 10-6 ) in GWAS and reported as significant in RNA-seq studies were extracted. Pathway enrichment was performed by using Metascape. Gene interaction networks were identified by using the Protein Interaction Network Analysis database. RESULTS Total SUBD-related 2910 genes were extracted from 75 GWAS studies (2 773 889 participants) and 17 RNA-seq studies. By overlapping the genes and pathways of AUBD, NUBD and DUBD, four shared genes (CACNB2, GRIN2B, PLXDC2 and PKNOX2), four shared pathways [two Gene Ontology (GO) terms of 'modulation of chemical synaptic transmission', 'regulation of trans-synaptic signaling', two Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways of 'dopaminergic synapse', 'cocaine addiction'] were identified (significantly higher than random, P < 1 × 10-5 ). The top shared KEGG pathways (Benjamini-Hochberg-corrected P-value < 0.05) in the pairwise comparison of AUBD versus DUBD, NUBD versus DUBD, AUBD versus NUBD were 'Epstein-Barr virus infection', 'protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum' and 'neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction', respectively. We also identified substance-specific genetic factors: i.e. ADH1B and ALDH2 were unique for AUBD, while CHRNA3 and CHRNA4 were unique for NUBD. CONCLUSIONS This systematic review identifies the shared and unique genes and pathways for alcohol, nicotine and drug use behaviors and disorders at the genome-wide level and highlights critical biological processes for the common and distinguishing vulnerability of substance use behaviors and disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Wen Chang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Na Muhai
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Yang-Yang Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Lu
- National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Su-Hua Chang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Jie Shi
- National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, China.,The State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, China.,The Key Laboratory for Neuroscience of the Ministry of Education and Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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16
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León BE, Kang S, Franca-Solomon G, Shang P, Choi DS. Alcohol-Induced Neuroinflammatory Response and Mitochondrial Dysfunction on Aging and Alzheimer's Disease. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:778456. [PMID: 35221939 PMCID: PMC8866940 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.778456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are essential organelles central to various cellular functions such as energy production, metabolic pathways, signaling transduction, lipid biogenesis, and apoptosis. In the central nervous system, neurons depend on mitochondria for energy homeostasis to maintain optimal synaptic transmission and integrity. Deficiencies in mitochondrial function, including perturbations in energy homeostasis and mitochondrial dynamics, contribute to aging, and Alzheimer's disease. Chronic and heavy alcohol use is associated with accelerated brain aging, and increased risk for dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, through neuroimmune responses, including pro-inflammatory cytokines, excessive alcohol use induces mitochondrial dysfunction. The direct and indirect alcohol-induced neuroimmune responses, including pro-inflammatory cytokines, are critical for the relationship between alcohol-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. In the brain, alcohol activates microglia and increases inflammatory mediators that can impair mitochondrial energy production, dynamics, and initiate cell death pathways. Also, alcohol-induced cytokines in the peripheral organs indirectly, but synergistically exacerbate alcohol's effects on brain function. This review will provide recent and advanced findings focusing on how alcohol alters the aging process and aggravates Alzheimer's disease with a focus on mitochondrial function. Finally, we will contextualize these findings to inform clinical and therapeutic approaches towards Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Emanuel León
- Regenerative Sciences Program, Center for Regenerative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Shinwoo Kang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Gabriela Franca-Solomon
- Neuroscience Program, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Pei Shang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- Neuroscience Program, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, United States
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17
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Miguel-Hidalgo JJ. Astroglia in the Vulnerability and Maintenance of Alcohol Use Disorders. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 26:255-279. [PMID: 34888838 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-77375-5_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Changes induced in the morphology and the multiplicity of functional roles played by astrocytes in brain regions critical to the establishment and maintenance of alcohol abuse suggest that they make an important contribution to the vulnerability to alcohol use disorders. The understanding of the relevant mechanisms accounting for that contribution is complicated by the fact that alcohol itself acts directly on astrocytes altering their metabolism, gene expression, and plasticity, so that the ultimate result is a complex interaction of various cellular pathways, including intracellular calcium regulation, neuroimmune responses, and regulation of neurotransmitter and gliotransmitter release and uptake. The recent years have seen a steady increase in the characterization of several of the relevant mechanisms, but much remains to be done for a full understanding of the astrocytes' contribution to the vulnerability to alcohol dependence and abuse and for using that knowledge in designing effective therapies for AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Javier Miguel-Hidalgo
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
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18
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Egervari G, Siciliano CA, Whiteley EL, Ron D. Alcohol and the brain: from genes to circuits. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:1004-1015. [PMID: 34702580 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use produces wide-ranging and diverse effects on the central nervous system. It influences intracellular signaling mechanisms, leading to changes in gene expression, chromatin remodeling, and translation. As a result of these molecular alterations, alcohol affects the activity of neuronal circuits. Together, these mechanisms produce long-lasting cellular adaptations in the brain that in turn can drive the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD). We provide an update on alcohol research, focusing on multiple levels of alcohol-induced adaptations, from intracellular changes to changes in neural circuits. A better understanding of how alcohol affects these diverse and interlinked mechanisms may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and to the development of much-needed novel and efficacious treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor Egervari
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Cody A Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.
| | - Ellanor L Whiteley
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Dorit Ron
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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19
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Hong SI, Kang S, Baker M, Choi DS. Astrocyte-neuron interaction in the dorsal striatum-pallidal circuits and alcohol-seeking behaviors. Neuropharmacology 2021; 198:108759. [PMID: 34433087 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In the striatum, two main types of GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs), denoted striatonigral (or direct-pathway MSNs, dMSNs) and striatopallidal neurons (indirect-pathway MSNs, iMSNs), form circuits with distinct pallidal nuclei, which sends "GO" or "NO-GO" signals through the thalamus. These striatopallidal circuits evaluate and execute reward-seeking and taking behaviors. Especially, the dorsal striatum can be further divided into the dorsomedial striatum (DMS, equivalent to caudate in primates and humans) and dorsolateral striatum (DLS, equivalent to putamen), which orchestrates goal-directed and habitual reward-seeking and taking behaviors, respectively. Using optogenetics, chemogenetics and in vivo calcium imaging technologies combined with electrophysiology and digitalized behavior phenotyping, recent studies have revealed cell-, circuit- and context-specific functions of these microcircuits in addictive behaviors. Also, region-specific astrocytes regulate the homeostatic activities of the dMSNs and iMSNs as well as the downstream circuits, which determine the net balance of cortico-striato-pallidal activities to the thalamic neurons. This review will summarize the recent progress of striatopallidal circuits focusing on astrocyte-neuron interaction and, reward- and alcohol-seeking behaviors. Our review will also discuss the translational and clinical implications of these microcircuit studies. This article is part of the special Issue on "Neurocircuitry Modulating Drug and Alcohol Abuse".
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Affiliation(s)
- Sa-Ik Hong
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Seungwoo Kang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Matthew Baker
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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20
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Lee KM, Talikoti A, Shelton K, Grotewiel M. Tyramine synthesis, vesicular packaging, and the SNARE complex function coordinately in astrocytes to regulate Drosophila alcohol sedation. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e13019. [PMID: 33538092 PMCID: PMC8225576 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Identifying mechanisms underlying alcohol-related behaviors could provide important insights regarding the etiology of alcohol use disorder. To date, most genetic studies on alcohol-related behavior in model organisms have focused on neurons, leaving the causal roles of glial mechanisms less comprehensively investigated. Here, we report our studies on the role of Tyrosine decarboxylase 2 (Tdc2), which converts tyrosine to the catecholamine tyramine, in glial cells in Drosophila alcohol sedation. Using genetic approaches that drove transgene expression constitutively in all glia, constitutively in astrocytes and conditionally in glia during adulthood, we found that knockdown and overexpression of Tdc2, respectively, increased and decreased the sensitivity to alcohol sedation in flies. Manipulation of the genes tyramine β-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase, which respectively synthesize octopamine and dopamine from tyramine and tyrosine, had no discernable effect on alcohol sedation, suggesting that Tdc2 affects alcohol sedation by regulating tyramine production. We also found that knockdown of the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) and disruption of the SNARE complex in all glia or selectively in astrocytes increased sensitivity to alcohol sedation and that both VMAT and the SNARE complex functioned downstream of Tdc2. Our studies support a model in which the synthesis of tyramine and vesicle-mediated release of tyramine from adult astrocytes regulates alcohol sedation in Drosophila. Considering that tyramine is functionally orthologous to norepinephrine in mammals, our results raise the possibility that gliotransmitter synthesis release could be a conserved mechanism influencing behavioral responses to alcohol as well as alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M. Lee
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Ananya Talikoti
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Keith Shelton
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Mike Grotewiel
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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21
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Warden AS, Triplett TA, Lyu A, Grantham EK, Azzam MM, DaCosta A, Mason S, Blednov YA, Ehrlich LI, Mayfield RD, Harris RA. Microglia depletion and alcohol: Transcriptome and behavioral profiles. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12889. [PMID: 32176824 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol abuse induces changes in microglia morphology and immune function, but whether microglia initiate or simply amplify the harmful effects of alcohol exposure is still a matter of debate. Here, we determine microglia function in acute and voluntary drinking behaviors using a colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor (PLX5622). We show that microglia depletion does not alter the sedative or hypnotic effects of acute intoxication. Microglia depletion also does not change the escalation or maintenance of chronic voluntary alcohol consumption. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that although many immune genes have been implicated in alcohol abuse, downregulation of microglia genes does not necessitate changes in alcohol intake. Instead, microglia depletion and chronic alcohol result in compensatory upregulation of alcohol-responsive, reactive astrocyte genes, indicating astrocytes may play a role in regulation of these alcohol behaviors. Taken together, our behavioral and transcriptional data indicate that microglia are not the primary effector cell responsible for regulation of acute and voluntary alcohol behaviors. Because microglia depletion did not regulate acute or voluntary alcohol behaviors, we hypothesized that these doses were insufficient to activate microglia and recruit them to an effector phenotype. Therefore, we used a model of repeated immune activation using polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) to activate microglia. Microglia depletion blocked poly(I:C)-induced escalations in alcohol intake, indicating microglia regulate drinking behaviors with sufficient immune activation. By testing the functional role of microglia in alcohol behaviors, we provide insight into when microglia are causal and when they are consequential for the transition from alcohol use to dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna S. Warden
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for Neuroscience University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Todd A. Triplett
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Department of Oncology University of Texas Dell Medical School, LiveSTRONG Cancer Institutes Austin TX USA
| | - Aram Lyu
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Emily K. Grantham
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for Neuroscience University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Moatasem M. Azzam
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Adriana DaCosta
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Sonia Mason
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Yuri A. Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Lauren I.R. Ehrlich
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Department of Oncology University of Texas Dell Medical School, LiveSTRONG Cancer Institutes Austin TX USA
| | - R. Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for Neuroscience University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - R. Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for Neuroscience University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
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22
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Hamada K, Ferguson LB, Mayfield RD, Krishnan HR, Maienschein-Cline M, Lasek AW. Binge-like ethanol drinking activates anaplastic lymphoma kinase signaling and increases the expression of STAT3 target genes in the mouse hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 20:e12729. [PMID: 33641239 PMCID: PMC8944393 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has a complex pathogenesis, making it a difficult disorder to treat. Identifying relevant signaling pathways in the brain may be useful for finding new pharmacological targets to treat AUD. The receptor tyrosine kinase anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) activates the transcription factor STAT3 in response to ethanol in cell lines. Here, we show ALK activation and upregulation of known STAT3 target genes (Socs3, Gfap and Tnfrsf1a) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral hippocampus (HPC) of mice after 4 days of binge-like ethanol drinking. Mice treated with the STAT3 inhibitor stattic drank less ethanol than vehicle-treated mice, demonstrating the behavioral importance of STAT3. To identify novel ethanol-induced target genes downstream of the ALK and STAT3 pathway, we analyzed the NIH LINCS L1000 database for gene signature overlap between ALK inhibitor (alectinib and NVP-TAE684) and STAT3 inhibitor (niclosamide) treatments on cell lines. These genes were then compared with differentially expressed genes in the PFC of mice after binge-like drinking. We found 95 unique gene candidates, out of which 57 had STAT3 binding motifs in their promoters. We further showed by qPCR that expression of the putative STAT3 genes Nr1h2, Smarcc1, Smarca4 and Gpnmb were increased in either the PFC or HPC after binge-like drinking. Together, these results indicate activation of the ALK-STAT3 signaling pathway in the brain after binge-like ethanol consumption, identify putative novel ethanol-responsive STAT3 target genes, and suggest that STAT3 inhibition may be a potential method to reduce binge drinking in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kana Hamada
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 USA
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 USA
| | - Laura B. Ferguson
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol Addiction Research and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
- Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - R. Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol Addiction Research and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Harish R. Krishnan
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 USA
| | | | - Amy W. Lasek
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612 USA
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23
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Moffat JJ, Ron D. Astrocytes and alcohol: cortical astrocytes regulate alcohol consumption and intoxication. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:487-488. [PMID: 32561855 PMCID: PMC8026953 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0737-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J Moffat
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Dorit Ron
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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24
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Cortical astrocytes regulate ethanol consumption and intoxication in mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:500-508. [PMID: 32464636 PMCID: PMC8027025 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0721-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are fundamental building blocks of the central nervous system. Their dysfunction has been implicated in many psychiatric disorders, including alcohol use disorder, yet our understanding of their functional role in ethanol intoxication and consumption is very limited. Astrocytes regulate behavior through multiple intracellular signaling pathways, including G-protein coupled-receptor (GPCR)-mediated calcium signals. To test the hypothesis that GPCR-induced calcium signaling is also involved in the behavioral effects of ethanol, we expressed astrocyte-specific excitatory DREADDs in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mice. Activating Gq-GPCR signaling in PFC astrocytes increased drinking in ethanol-naïve mice, but not in mice with a history of ethanol drinking. In contrast, reducing calcium signaling with an astrocyte-specific calcium extruder reduced ethanol intake. Cortical astrocyte calcium signaling also altered the acute stimulatory and sedative-hypnotic effects of ethanol. Astrocyte-specific Gq-DREADD activation increased both the locomotor-activating effects of low dose ethanol and the sedative-hypnotic effects of a high dose, while reduced astrocyte calcium signaling diminished sensitivity to the hypnotic effects. In addition, we found that adenosine A1 receptors were required for astrocyte calcium activation to increase ethanol sedation. These results support integral roles for PFC astrocytes in the behavioral actions of ethanol that are due, at least in part, to adenosine receptor activation.
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25
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Ye L, Orynbayev M, Zhu X, Lim EY, Dereddi RR, Agarwal A, Bergles DE, Bhat MA, Paukert M. Ethanol abolishes vigilance-dependent astroglia network activation in mice by inhibiting norepinephrine release. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6157. [PMID: 33268792 PMCID: PMC7710743 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19475-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Norepinephrine adjusts sensory processing in cortical networks and gates plasticity enabling adaptive behavior. The actions of norepinephrine are profoundly altered by recreational drugs like ethanol, but the consequences of these changes on distinct targets such as astrocytes, which exhibit norepinephrine-dependent Ca2+ elevations during vigilance, are not well understood. Using in vivo two-photon imaging, we show that locomotion-induced Ca2+ elevations in mouse astroglia are profoundly inhibited by ethanol, an effect that can be reversed by enhancing norepinephrine release. Vigilance-dependent astroglial activation is abolished by deletion of α1A-adrenergic receptor from astroglia, indicating that norepinephrine acts directly on these ubiquitous glial cells. Ethanol reduces vigilance-dependent Ca2+ transients in noradrenergic terminals, but has little effect on astroglial responsiveness to norepinephrine, suggesting that ethanol suppresses their activation by inhibiting norepinephrine release. Since abolition of astroglia Ca2+ activation does not affect motor coordination, global suppression of astroglial networks may contribute to the cognitive effects of alcohol intoxication. The effects of norepinephrine on sensory processing in cortical networks are altered by recreational drugs like ethanol. The authors show that ethanol suppresses the activation of astrocytes by inhibiting norepinephrine release which may contribute to the cognitive effects of alcohol intoxication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Ye
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Murat Orynbayev
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Xiangyu Zhu
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Eunice Y Lim
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ram R Dereddi
- The Chica and Heinz Schaller Research Group, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Amit Agarwal
- The Chica and Heinz Schaller Research Group, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dwight E Bergles
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Johns Hopkins Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Manzoor A Bhat
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Martin Paukert
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA. .,Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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26
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Blokhin IO, Khorkova O, Saveanu RV, Wahlestedt C. Molecular mechanisms of psychiatric diseases. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 146:105136. [PMID: 33080337 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
For most psychiatric diseases, pathogenetic concepts as well as paradigms underlying neuropsychopharmacologic approaches currently revolve around neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. However, despite the fact that several generations of neurotransmitter-based psychotropics including atypical antipsychotics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are available, the effectiveness of these medications is limited, and relapse rates in psychiatric diseases are relatively high, indicating potential involvement of other pathogenetic pathways. Indeed, recent high-throughput studies in genetics and molecular biology have shown that pathogenesis of major psychiatric illnesses involves hundreds of genes and numerous pathways via such fundamental processes as DNA methylation, transcription, and splicing. Current review summarizes these and other molecular mechanisms of such psychiatric illnesses as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and alcohol use disorder and suggests a conceptual framework for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya O Blokhin
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America; Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Olga Khorkova
- OPKO Health Inc., Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Radu V Saveanu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Claes Wahlestedt
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America.
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27
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Grantham EK, Warden AS, McCarthy GS, DaCosta A, Mason S, Blednov Y, Mayfield RD, Harris RA. Role of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) in voluntary alcohol consumption. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:423-432. [PMID: 32726684 PMCID: PMC7572874 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Overactivation of neuroimmune signaling has been linked to excessive ethanol consumption. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a major component of innate immune signaling and initiate anti- and pro-inflammatory responses via intracellular signal transduction cascades. TLR7 is upregulated in post-mortem brain tissue from humans with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and animals with prior exposure to ethanol. Despite this evidence, the role of TLR7 in the regulation of voluntary ethanol consumption has not been studied. We test the hypothesis that TLR7 activation regulates voluntary ethanol drinking behavior by administering a TLR7 agonist (R848) during an intermittent access drinking procedure in mice. Acute activation of TLR7 reduced ethanol intake, preference, and total fluid intake due, at least in part, to an acute sickness response. However, chronic pre-treatment with R848 resulted in tolerance to the adverse effects of the drug and a subsequent increase in ethanol consumption. To determine the molecular machinery that mediates these behavioral changes, we evaluated gene expression after acute and chronic TLR7 activation. We found that acute TLR7 activation produces brain region specific changes in expression of immune pathway genes, whereas chronic TLR7 activation causes downregulation of TLRs and blunted cytokine induction, suggesting molecular tolerance. Our results demonstrate a novel role for TLR7 signaling in regulating voluntary ethanol consumption. Taken together, our findings suggest TLR7 may be a viable target for development of therapies to treat AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- E K Grantham
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - A S Warden
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - G S McCarthy
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - A DaCosta
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - S Mason
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Y Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - R D Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - R A Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Stop 14800, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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28
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Brenner E, Tiwari GR, Kapoor M, Liu Y, Brock A, Mayfield RD. Single cell transcriptome profiling of the human alcohol-dependent brain. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:1144-1153. [PMID: 32142123 PMCID: PMC7206851 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcoholism remains a prevalent health concern throughout the world. Previous studies have identified transcriptomic patterns in the brain associated with alcohol dependence in both humans and animal models. But none of these studies have systematically investigated expression within the unique cell types present in the brain. We utilized single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) to examine the transcriptomes of over 16 000 nuclei isolated from the prefrontal cortex of alcoholic and control individuals. Each nucleus was assigned to one of seven major cell types by unsupervised clustering. Cell type enrichment patterns varied greatly among neuroinflammatory-related genes, which are known to play roles in alcohol dependence and neurodegeneration. Differential expression analysis identified cell type-specific genes with altered expression in alcoholics. The largest number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including both protein-coding and non-coding, were detected in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia. To our knowledge, this is the first single cell transcriptome analysis of alcohol-associated gene expression in any species and the first such analysis in humans for any addictive substance. These findings greatly advance the understanding of transcriptomic changes in the brain of alcohol-dependent individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Brenner
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Gayatri R Tiwari
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Manav Kapoor
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Yunlong Liu
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Amy Brock
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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29
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Xu J, Ma HY, Liu X, Rosenthal S, Baglieri J, McCubbin R, Sun M, Koyama Y, Geoffroy CG, Saijo K, Shang L, Nishio T, Maricic I, Kreifeldt M, Kusumanchi P, Roberts A, Zheng B, Kumar V, Zengler K, Pizzo DP, Hosseini M, Contet C, Glass CK, Liangpunsakul S, Tsukamoto H, Gao B, Karin M, Brenner DA, Koob GF, Kisseleva T. Blockade of IL-17 signaling reverses alcohol-induced liver injury and excessive alcohol drinking in mice. JCI Insight 2020; 5:131277. [PMID: 32051339 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.131277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic alcohol abuse has a detrimental effect on the brain and liver. There is no effective treatment for these patients, and the mechanism underlying alcohol addiction and consequent alcohol-induced damage of the liver/brain axis remains unresolved. We compared experimental models of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and alcohol dependence in mice and demonstrated that genetic ablation of IL-17 receptor A (IL-17ra-/-) or pharmacological blockade of IL-17 signaling effectively suppressed the increased voluntary alcohol drinking in alcohol-dependent mice and blocked alcohol-induced hepatocellular and neurological damage. The level of circulating IL-17A positively correlated with the alcohol use in excessive drinkers and was further increased in patients with ALD as compared with healthy individuals. Our data suggest that IL-17A is a common mediator of excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol-induced liver/brain injury, and targeting IL-17A may provide a novel strategy for treatment of alcohol-induced pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xu
- Department of Medicine.,Department of Surgery, and
| | | | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Medicine.,Department of Surgery, and
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Cedric G Geoffroy
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, UCSD, San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Kaoru Saijo
- Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - Max Kreifeldt
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Praveen Kusumanchi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.,Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Amanda Roberts
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Binhai Zheng
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, UCSD, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Candice Contet
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Christopher K Glass
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, UCSD, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Suthat Liangpunsakul
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.,Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Hidekazu Tsukamoto
- Southern California Research Center for ALPD and Cirrhosis, Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Bin Gao
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael Karin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, UCSD, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - George F Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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30
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Lowe PP, Cho Y, Tornai D, Coban S, Catalano D, Szabo G. Inhibition of the Inflammasome Signaling Cascade Reduces Alcohol Consumption in Female But Not Male Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:567-578. [PMID: 31854009 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorder is a significant societal and medical burden that is associated with both organ pathology and addiction. Excessive alcohol use results in neuroinflammation characterized by activation of the inflammasome, a multiprotein complex, and IL-1β increase in the brain. Recent studies suggest that inflammation could contribute to alcohol addiction. Here, we targeted components of the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome cascade, which senses and responds to immunologic stimuli, to determine whether NLRP3 inhibition modulates alcohol consumption. METHODS C57BL/6J male and female mice were provided a 2-bottle choice of alcohol at increasing concentrations (3, 6, 9, and 12%, 4 days each) or water, and some were treated with daily injections of an NLRP3 inhibitor (MCC950), a caspase-1 inhibitor (VX765), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra; anakinra), or vehicle injection. RESULTS Treatment with VX765, MCC950, and IL-1ra significantly reduced alcohol consumption and preference in female mice (p < 0.05). Treatment with MCC950 and IL-1ra reduced alcohol consumption, while IL-1ra reduced alcohol preference in male mice (p < 0.05). VX765 did not affect alcohol consumption or preference in male mice. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight gender differences in alcohol preference and demonstrate that inhibition of different steps in inflammasome signaling can reduce alcohol consumption in females. Inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and the inflammasome-IL-1β cascade opens novel insights into the development of new therapies to address alcohol use disorder in an era of targeted and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick P Lowe
- From the, Department of Medicine, (PPL, YC, DT, SC, DC, GS), University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Yeonhee Cho
- From the, Department of Medicine, (PPL, YC, DT, SC, DC, GS), University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, (YC, DT, GS), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David Tornai
- From the, Department of Medicine, (PPL, YC, DT, SC, DC, GS), University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, (YC, DT, GS), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sahin Coban
- From the, Department of Medicine, (PPL, YC, DT, SC, DC, GS), University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Donna Catalano
- From the, Department of Medicine, (PPL, YC, DT, SC, DC, GS), University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Gyongyi Szabo
- From the, Department of Medicine, (PPL, YC, DT, SC, DC, GS), University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, (YC, DT, GS), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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31
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Sanchez-Alavez M, Nguyen W, Mori S, Wills DN, Otero D, Aguirre CA, Singh M, Ehlers CL, Conti B. Time Course of Blood and Brain Cytokine/Chemokine Levels Following Adolescent Alcohol Exposure and Withdrawal in Rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:2547-2558. [PMID: 31589333 PMCID: PMC6904424 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescence is a critical period for neural development, and alcohol exposure during adolescence can lead to an elevated risk for health consequences as well as alcohol use disorders. Clinical and experimental data suggest that chronic alcohol exposure may produce immunomodulatory effects that can lead to the activation of pro-inflammatory cytokine pathways as well as microglial markers. The present study evaluated, in brain and blood, the effects of adolescent alcohol exposure and withdrawal on microglia and on the most representative pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and major chemokines that can contribute to the establishing of a neuroinflammatory environment. METHODS Wistar rats (males, n = 96) were exposed to ethanol (EtOH) vapors, or air control, for 5 weeks over adolescence (PD22-PD58). Brains and blood samples were collected at 3 time points: (i) after 35 days of vapor/air exposure (PD58); (ii) after 1 day of withdrawal (PD59), and (iii) 28 days after withdrawal (PD86). The ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1) was used to index microglial activation, and cytokine/chemokine responses were analyzed using magnetic bead panels. RESULTS After 35 days of adolescent vapor exposure, a significant increase in Iba-1 immunoreactivity was seen in amygdala, frontal cortex, hippocampus, and substantia nigra. However, Iba-1 density returned to control levels at both 1 day and 28 days of withdrawal except in the hippocampus where Iba-1 density was significantly lower than controls. In serum, adolescent EtOH exposure induced a reduction in IL-13 and an increase in fractalkine at day 35. After 1 day of withdrawal, IL-18 was reduced, and IP-10 was elevated, whereas both IP-10 and IL-10 were elevated at 28 days following withdrawal. In the frontal cortex, adolescent EtOH exposure induced an increase in IL-1β at day 35, and 28 days of withdrawal, and IL-10 was increased after 28 days of withdrawal. CONCLUSION These data demonstrate that EtOH exposure during adolescence produces significant microglial activation; however, inflammatory markers seen in the blood appear to differ from those observed in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Simone Mori
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Derek N Wills
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Dennis Otero
- Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center and National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Carlos A Aguirre
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Mona Singh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Cindy L Ehlers
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Bruno Conti
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
- Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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32
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Erickson EK, Blednov YA, Harris RA, Mayfield RD. Glial gene networks associated with alcohol dependence. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10949. [PMID: 31358844 PMCID: PMC6662804 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47454-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic alcohol abuse alters the molecular structure and function of brain cells. Recent work suggests adaptations made by glial cells, such as astrocytes and microglia, regulate physiological and behavioral changes associated with addiction. Defining how alcohol dependence alters the transcriptome of different cell types is critical for developing the mechanistic hypotheses necessary for a nuanced understanding of cellular signaling in the alcohol-dependent brain. We performed RNA-sequencing on total homogenate and glial cell populations isolated from mouse prefrontal cortex (PFC) following chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure (CIE). Compared with total homogenate, we observed unique and robust gene expression changes in astrocytes and microglia in response to CIE. Gene co-expression network analysis revealed biological pathways and hub genes associated with CIE in astrocytes and microglia that may regulate alcohol-dependent phenotypes. Astrocyte identity and synaptic calcium signaling genes were enriched in alcohol-associated astrocyte networks, while TGF-β signaling and inflammatory response genes were disrupted by CIE treatment in microglia gene networks. Genes related to innate immune signaling, specifically interferon pathways, were consistently up-regulated across CIE-exposed astrocytes, microglia, and total homogenate PFC tissue. This study illuminates the cell-specific effects of chronic alcohol exposure and provides novel molecular targets for studying alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K Erickson
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-01095, USA.
| | - Yuri A Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-01095, USA
| | - R Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-01095, USA
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-01095, USA
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33
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Enculescu C, Kerr ED, Yeo KYB, Schenk G, Fortes MRS, Schulz BL. Proteomics Reveals Profound Metabolic Changes in the Alcohol Use Disorder Brain. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:2364-2373. [PMID: 30807102 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in brain metabolism are a hallmark of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Determining how AUD changes the brain proteome is critical for understanding the effects of alcohol consumption on biochemical processes in the brain. We used data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry proteomics to study differences in the abundance of proteins associated with AUD in prefrontal lobe and motor cortex from autopsy brain. AUD had a substantial effect on the overall brain proteome exceeding the inherent differences between brain regions. Proteins associated with glycolysis, trafficking, the cytoskeleton, and excitotoxicity were altered in abundance in AUD. We observed extensive changes in the abundance of key metabolic enzymes, consistent with a switch from glucose to acetate utilization in the AUD brain. We propose that metabolic adaptations allowing efficient acetate utilization contribute to ethanol dependence in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charmaine Enculescu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Edward D. Kerr
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - K. Y. Benjamin Yeo
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Gerhard Schenk
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Marina R. S. Fortes
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Benjamin L. Schulz
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
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34
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Grantham EK, Farris SP. Bioinformatic and biological avenues for understanding alcohol use disorder. Alcohol 2019; 74:65-71. [PMID: 30144960 PMCID: PMC8939236 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a multifarious psychiatric condition resulting from complex relationships between genetics, gene expression, neuroadaptations, and environmental influences. Understanding these complex relationships is essential to uncovering the mechanisms involved in the development and progression of AUD, with the ultimate goal of devising effective behavioral and therapeutic interventions. Technical advances in the fields of omics-based research and bioinformatics have yielded insights into gene interactions, biological networks, and cellular responses across humans and animal models. This review highlights several of the newly developed sequencing methodologies and resultant discoveries in neuroscience, as well as the importance of a multi-faceted and integrative approach for determining causal factors in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Grantham
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-1095, United States
| | - Sean P Farris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712-1095, United States.
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35
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Erickson EK, Grantham EK, Warden AS, Harris RA. Neuroimmune signaling in alcohol use disorder. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2018; 177:34-60. [PMID: 30590091 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a widespread disease with limited treatment options. Targeting the neuroimmune system is a new avenue for developing or repurposing effective pharmacotherapies. Alcohol modulates innate immune signaling in different cell types in the brain by altering gene expression and the molecular pathways that regulate neuroinflammation. Chronic alcohol abuse may cause an imbalance in neuroimmune function, resulting in prolonged perturbations in brain function. Likewise, manipulating the neuroimmune system may change alcohol-related behaviors. Psychiatric disorders that are comorbid with AUD, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and other substance use disorders, may also have underlying neuroimmune mechanisms; current evidence suggests that convergent immune pathways may be involved in AUD and in these comorbid disorders. In this review, we provide an overview of major neuroimmune cell-types and pathways involved in mediating alcohol behaviors, discuss potential mechanisms of alcohol-induced neuroimmune activation, and present recent clinical evidence for candidate immune-related drugs to treat AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K Erickson
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-01095, USA.
| | - Emily K Grantham
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-01095, USA
| | - Anna S Warden
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-01095, USA
| | - R A Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-01095, USA
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