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Hen-Shoval D, Indig-Naimer T, Moshe L, Kogan NM, Zaidan H, Gaisler-Salomon I, Okun E, Mechoulam R, Shoval G, Zalsman G, Weller A. Unraveling the molecular basis of cannabidiolic acid methyl Ester's anti-depressive effects in a rat model of treatment-resistant depression. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 175:50-59. [PMID: 38704981 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.033] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) stands as a significant cause of disability globally. Cannabidiolic Acid-Methyl Ester (CBDA-ME) (EPM-301, HU-580), a derivative of Cannabidiol, demonstrates immediate antidepressant-like effects, yet it has undergone only minimal evaluation in psychopharmacology. Our goal was to investigate the behavioral and potential molecular mechanisms associated with the chronic oral administration of this compound in the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) genetic model of treatment-resistant depression. Male WKY rats were subjected to behavioral assessments before and after receiving chronic (14-day) oral doses of CBDA-ME (0.5 mg/kg), 15 mg/kg of imipramine or vehicle. At the end of the study, plasma corticosterone levels and mRNA expression of various genes in the medial Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus were measured. Behavioral outcomes from CBDA-ME treatment indicated an antidepressant-like effect similar to imipramine, as oral ingestion reduced immobility and increased swimming duration in the Forced Swim Test. Neither treatment influenced locomotion in the Open Field Test nor preference in the Saccharin Preference Test. The behavioral impact in WKY rats coincided with reduced corticosterone serum levels, upregulated mRNA expression of Cannabinoid receptor 1, Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase, and Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor 1, alongside downregulation of the Serotonin Transporter in the hippocampus. Additionally, there was an upregulation of CB1 mRNA expression and downregulation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in the mPFC. These findings contribute to our limited understanding of the antidepressant effects of CBDA-ME and shed light on its potential psychopharmacological mechanisms. This discovery opens up possibilities for utilizing cannabinoids in the treatment of major depressive disorder and related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Hen-Shoval
- Psychology Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
| | - T Indig-Naimer
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - L Moshe
- Psychology Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - N M Kogan
- Institute of Personalized and Translational Medicine, Molecular Biology, Ariel University, Ariel, 4070000, Israel
| | - H Zaidan
- School of Psychological Sciences and the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - I Gaisler-Salomon
- School of Psychological Sciences and the Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - E Okun
- Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Israel; The Paul Feder laboratory for Alzheimer disease research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - R Mechoulam
- Institute for Drug Research, Medical Faculty, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - G Shoval
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - G Zalsman
- Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - A Weller
- Psychology Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Rice RC, Gil DV, Baratta AM, Frawley RR, Hill SY, Farris SP, Homanics GE. Inter- and transgenerational heritability of preconception chronic stress or alcohol exposure: Translational outcomes in brain and behavior. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 29:100603. [PMID: 38234394 PMCID: PMC10792982 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress and alcohol (ethanol) use are highly interrelated and can change an individual's behavior through molecular adaptations that do not change the DNA sequence, but instead change gene expression. A recent wealth of research has found that these nongenomic changes can be transmitted across generations, which could partially account for the "missing heritability" observed in genome-wide association studies of alcohol use disorder and other stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we summarize the molecular and behavioral outcomes of nongenomic inheritance of chronic stress and ethanol exposure and the germline mechanisms that could give rise to this heritability. In doing so, we outline the need for further research to: (1) Investigate individual germline mechanisms of paternal, maternal, and biparental nongenomic chronic stress- and ethanol-related inheritance; (2) Synthesize and dissect cross-generational chronic stress and ethanol exposure; (3) Determine cross-generational molecular outcomes of preconception ethanol exposure that contribute to alcohol-related disease risk, using cancer as an example. A detailed understanding of the cross-generational nongenomic effects of stress and/or ethanol will yield novel insight into the impact of ancestral perturbations on disease risk across generations and uncover actionable targets to improve human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C. Rice
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniela V. Gil
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Annalisa M. Baratta
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Remy R. Frawley
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Shirley Y. Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sean P. Farris
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gregg E. Homanics
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Musazzi L, Mingardi J, Ieraci A, Barbon A, Popoli M. Stress, microRNAs, and stress-related psychiatric disorders: an overview. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4977-4994. [PMID: 37391530 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02139-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Stress is a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders. During and after exposure to stressors, the stress response may have pro- or maladaptive consequences, depending on several factors related to the individual response and nature of the stressor. However, the mechanisms mediating the long-term effects of exposure to stress, which may ultimately lead to the development of stress-related disorders, are still largely unknown. Epigenetic mechanisms have been shown to mediate the effects of the environment on brain gene expression and behavior. MicroRNAs, small non-coding RNAs estimated to control the expression of about 60% of all genes by post-transcriptional regulation, are a fundamental epigenetic mechanism. Many microRNAs are expressed in the brain, where they work as fine-tuners of gene expression, with a key role in the regulation of homeostatic balance, and a likely influence on pro- or maladaptive brain changes. Here we have selected a number of microRNAs, which have been strongly implicated as mediators of the effects of stress in the brain and in the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders. For all of them recent evidence is reported, obtained from rodent stress models, manipulation of microRNAs levels with related behavioral changes, and clinical studies of stress-related psychiatric disorders. Moreover, we have performed a bioinformatic analysis of the predicted brain-expressed target genes of the microRNAs discussed, and found a central role for mechanisms involved in the regulation of synaptic function. The complex regulatory role of microRNAs has suggested their use as biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment response, as well as possible therapeutic drugs. While, microRNA-based diagnostics have registered advancements, particularly in oncology and other fields, and many biotech companies have launched miRNA therapeutics in their development pipeline, the development of microRNA-based tests and drugs for brain disorders is comparatively slower.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Musazzi
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Jessica Mingardi
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ieraci
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy
- Molecular Pharmacology, Cellular and Behavioral Physiology; Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Barbon
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Maurizio Popoli
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
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Asraf K, Zaidan H, Natoor B, Gaisler-Salomon I. Synergistic, long-term effects of glutamate dehydrogenase 1 deficiency and mild stress on cognitive function and mPFC gene and miRNA expression. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:248. [PMID: 37419882 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02534-y] [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: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate abnormalities in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are associated with cognitive deficits. We previously showed that homozygous deletion of CNS glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (Glud1), a metabolic enzyme critical for glutamate metabolism, leads to schizophrenia-like behavioral abnormalities and increased mPFC glutamate; mice heterozygous for CNS Glud1 deletion (C-Glud1+/- mice) showed no cognitive or molecular abnormalities. Here, we examined the protracted behavioral and molecular effects of mild injection stress on C-Glud1+/- mice. We found spatial and reversal learning deficits, as well as large-scale mPFC transcriptional changes in pathways associated with glutamate and GABA signaling, in stress-exposed C-Glud1+/- mice, but not in their stress-naïve or C-Glud1+/+ littermates. These effects were observed several weeks following stress exposure, and the expression levels of specific glutamatergic and GABAergic genes differentiated between high and low reversal learning performance. An increase in miR203-5p expression immediately following stress may provide a translational regulatory mechanism to account for the delayed effect of stress exposure on cognitive function. Our findings show that chronic glutamate abnormalities interact with acute stress to induce cognitive deficits, and resonate with gene x environment theories of schizophrenia. Stress-exposed C-Glud1+/- mice may model a schizophrenia high-risk population, which is uniquely sensitive to stress-related 'trigger' events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kfir Asraf
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Hiba Zaidan
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Baylasan Natoor
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Inna Gaisler-Salomon
- School of Psychological Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBRC), University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
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Bhattacharya S, MacCallum PE, Dayma M, McGrath-Janes A, King B, Dawson L, Bambico FR, Berry MD, Yuan Q, Martin GM, Preisser EL, Blundell JJ. A short pre-conception bout of predation risk affects both children and grandchildren. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10886. [PMID: 37407623 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37455-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic events that affect physiology and behavior in the current generation may also impact future generations. We demonstrate that an ecologically realistic degree of predation risk prior to conception causes lasting changes in the first filial (F1) and second filial (F2) generations. We exposed male and female mice to a live rat (predator stress) or control (non-predator) condition for 5 min. Ten days later, stressed males and females were bred together as were control males and females. Adult F1 offspring from preconception-stressed parents responded to a mild stressor with more anxiety-like behavior and hyperarousal than offspring from control parents. Exposing these F1 offspring to the mild stressor increased neuronal activity (cFOS) in the hippocampus and altered glucocorticoid system function peripherally (plasma corticosterone levels). Even without the mild stressor, F1 offspring from preconception-stressed parents still exhibited more anxiety-like behaviors than controls. Cross-fostering studies confirmed that preconception stress, not maternal social environment, determined offspring behavioral phenotype. The effects of preconception parental stress were also unexpectedly persistent and produced similar behavioral phenotypes in the F2 offspring. Our data illustrate that a surprisingly small amount of preconception predator stress alters the brain, physiology, and behavior of future generations. A better understanding of the 'long shadow' cast by fearful events is critical for understanding the adaptive costs and benefits of transgenerational plasticity. It also suggests the intriguing possibility that similar risk-induced changes are the rule rather than the exception in free-living organisms, and that such multigenerational impacts are as ubiquitous as they are cryptic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriya Bhattacharya
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
- Northwestern Polytechnic, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 4C4, Canada
| | - Phillip E MacCallum
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Mrunal Dayma
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Andrea McGrath-Janes
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Brianna King
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Laura Dawson
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Francis R Bambico
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Mark D Berry
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Qi Yuan
- Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Gerard M Martin
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Evan L Preisser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Jacqueline J Blundell
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada.
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FAAH Inhibition Restores Early Life Stress-Induced Alterations in PFC microRNAs Associated with Depressive-Like Behavior in Male and Female Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416101. [PMID: 36555739 PMCID: PMC9782513 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) increases predisposition to depression. We compared the effects of treatment with the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597, and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine, on ELS-induced depressive-like behavior and the expression of microRNAs (miRs) associated with depression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampal CA1 area, lateral habenula and dorsal raphe in rats. We also examined the mRNA expression of serotonergic (htr1a and slc6a4) and endocannabinoid (cnr1, cnr2 and faah) targets in the mPFC following ELS and pharmacological treatment. Adult males and females exposed to the 'Limited Bedding and Nesting' ELS paradigm demonstrated a depressive-like phenotype and late-adolescence URB597 treatment, but not paroxetine, reversed this phenotype. In the mPFC, ELS downregulated miR-16 in males and miR-135a in females and URB597 treatment restored this effect. In ELS females, the increase in cnr2 and decrease in faah mRNAs in the mPFC were reversed by URB597 treatment. We show for the first time that URB597 reversed ELS-induced mPFC downregulation in specific miRs and stress-related behaviors, suggesting a novel mechanism for the beneficial effects of FAAH inhibition. The differential effects of ELS and URB597 on males and females highlight the importance of developing sex-specific treatment approaches.
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Krispil-Alon M, Jovasevic V, Radulovic J, Richter-Levin G. Sex-specific roles of hippocampal microRNAs in stress vulnerability and resilience. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:503. [PMID: 36473835 PMCID: PMC9726879 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02267-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Contrary to intuition, most individuals are resilient to psychological trauma and only a minority is vulnerable. Men and women are known to respond differently to trauma exposure, however, mechanisms underlying the relationship between sex differences and trauma resilience and vulnerability are not yet fully understood. Taking advantage of the Behavioral Profiling approach, which enables differentiating between 'affected' and 'unaffected' individuals, we examined sex-associated differences in stress exposure effects on hippocampal expression of selected stress-related GABA-A receptor targeting miRNAs. Levels of the miRNA-144 and miRNA-33 were measured in male and female affected (vulnerable, e.g., higher freezing time) and unaffected (resilient) rats. In male rats, increased levels of miRNA-144 and miRNA-33 were observed in the dorsal dentate gyrus (dDG) and ventral dentate gyrus (vDG) respectively, of stress-exposed but unaffected animals. In females, we observed an increased expression of miRNA-144 and miRNA-33 in the ventral cornu ammonis 1 (vCA1) of affected animals. Accordingly, we inhibited miRNAs expression selectively in hippocampal subregions using oligonucleotides containing locked nucleic acid bases, to examine the miRNAs' causal contribution to either vulnerability or resilience to stress in each sex. Inhibition of miRNA-144 in dDG and miRNA-33 in vDG in males resulted in an increased prevalence of vulnerable animals, while inhibition of miRNA-144 and miRNA-33 in vCA1 in females increased the proportion of resilient animals. The current findings reveal a critical sex-associated difference in the role of miRNAs in stress vulnerability and resilience. This novel understanding of sex-associated epigenetic involvement in the mechanism of stress-related psychopathologies may help improve gender-specific diagnosis and effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maayan Krispil-Alon
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Vladimir Jovasevic
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Jelena Radulovic
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Gal Richter-Levin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
- Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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Gao ZY, Chen TY, Yu TT, Zhang LP, Zhao SJ, Gu XY, Pan Y, Kong LD. Cinnamaldehyde prevents intergenerational effect of paternal depression in mice via regulating GR/miR-190b/BDNF pathway. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2022; 43:1955-1969. [PMID: 34983931 PMCID: PMC9343651 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-021-00831-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Paternal stress exposure-induced high corticosterone (CORT) levels may contribute to depression in offspring. Clinical studies disclose the association of depressive symptoms in fathers with their adolescent offspring. However, there is limited information regarding the intervention for intergenerational inheritance of depression. In this study we evaluated the intervention of cinnamaldehyde, a major constituent of Chinese herb cinnamon bark, for intergenerational inheritance of depression in CORT- and CMS-induced mouse models of depression. Depressive-like behaviors were induced in male mice by injection of CORT (20 mg·kg-1·d-1, sc) for 6 weeks or by chronic mild stress (CMS) for 6 weeks. We showed that co-administration of cinnamaldehyde (10, 20, or 40 mg·kg-1·d-1, ig) for 6 weeks in F0 males prevented the depressive-like phenotypes of F1 male offspring. In addition, co-administration of cinnamaldehyde (20 mg·kg-1·d-1, ig) for 4 weeks significantly ameliorated depressive-like behaviors of chronic variable stress (CVS)-stimulated F1 offspring born to CMS mice. Notably, cinnamaldehyde had no reproductive toxicity, while positive drug fluoxetine showed remarkable reproductive toxicity. We revealed that CMS and CORT significantly reduced testis glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression, and increased testis and sperm miR-190b expression in F0 depressive-like models. Moreover, pre-miR-190b expression was upregulated in testis of F0 males. The amount of GR on miR-190b promoter regions was decreased in testis of CORT-stimulated F0 males. Cinnamaldehyde administration reversed CORT-induced GR reduction in testis, miR-190b upregulation in testis and sperm, pre-miR-190b upregulation in testis, and the amount of GR on miR-190b promoter regions of F0 males. In miR-190b-transfected Neuro 2a (N2a) cells, we demonstrated that miR-190b might directly bind to the 3'-UTR of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In the hippocampus of F1 males of CORT- or CMS-induced depressive-like models, increased miR-190b expression was accompanied by reduced BDNF and GR, which were ameliorated by cinnamaldehyde. In conclusion, cinnamaldehyde is a potential intervening agent for intergenerational inheritance of depression, probably by regulating GR/miR-190b/BDNF pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-ying Gao
- grid.41156.370000 0001 2314 964XSchool of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| | - Tian-yu Chen
- grid.41156.370000 0001 2314 964XSchool of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| | - Ting-ting Yu
- grid.41156.370000 0001 2314 964XSchool of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| | - Li-ping Zhang
- grid.41156.370000 0001 2314 964XSchool of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| | - Si-jie Zhao
- grid.41156.370000 0001 2314 964XSchool of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| | - Xiao-yang Gu
- grid.41156.370000 0001 2314 964XSchool of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| | - Ying Pan
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China. .,Institute of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Ling-dong Kong
- grid.41156.370000 0001 2314 964XSchool of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China ,grid.41156.370000 0001 2314 964XInstitute of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
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Vázquez-Ágredos A, Gámiz F, Gallo M. MicroRNA Regulation of the Environmental Impact on Adolescent Neurobehavioral Development: A Systematic Review. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:956609. [PMID: 35936504 PMCID: PMC9352948 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.956609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a late developmental period marked by pronounced reorganization of brain networks in which epigenetic mechanisms play a fundamental role. This brain remodeling is associated with a peculiar behavior characterized by novelty seeking and risky activities such as alcohol and drug abuse, which is associated with increased susceptibility to stress. Hence, adolescence is a vulnerable postnatal period since short- and long-term deleterious effects of alcohol drinking and drug abuse are a serious worldwide public health concern. Among several other consequences, it has been proposed that exposure to stress, alcohol, or other drugs disrupts epigenetic mechanisms mediated by small non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs). During adolescence, this modifies the expression of a variety of genes involved in neurodevelopmental processes such as proliferation, differentiation, synaptogenesis, neural plasticity, and apoptosis. Hence, the effect of miRNAs dysregulation during adolescence might contribute to a long-term impact on brain function. This systematic review focuses on the miRNA expression patterns in the adolescent rodent brain with special interest in the impact of stress and drugs such as amphetamine, cocaine, nicotine, cannabis, and ketamine. The results point to a relevant and complex role of miRNAs in the regulation of the molecular processes involved in adolescent brain development as part of a dynamic epigenetic network sensitive to environmental events with distinctive changes across adolescence. Several miRNAs have been assessed evidencing changing expression profiles during the adolescent transition which are altered by exposure to stress and drug abuse. Since this is an emerging rapidly growing field, updating the present knowledge will contribute to improving our understanding of the epigenetic regulation mechanisms involved in the neurodevelopmental changes responsible for adolescent behavior. It can be expected that increased knowledge of the molecular mechanisms mediating the effect of environmental threats during the adolescent critical developmental period will improve understanding of psychiatric and addictive disorders emerging at this stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Vázquez-Ágredos
- Department of Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences (CIBM), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Fernando Gámiz
- Department of Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences (CIBM), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Milagros Gallo
- Department of Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences (CIBM), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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Spry EA, Letcher P, Patton GC, Sanson AV, Olsson CA. The developmental origins of stress reactivity: an intergenerational life-course perspective. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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11
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Maternal stress prior to conception impairs memory and decreases right dorsal hippocampal volume and basilar spine density in the prefrontal cortex of adult male offspring. Behav Brain Res 2022; 416:113543. [PMID: 34425182 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Chronic parental stress impacts offspring functioning throughout life. Chronic variable stress prior to conception impairs offspring development in terms of behavior, neuroanatomy, and neurobiology. Previously, our lab demonstrated that even a consistent stressor experienced by the sire or the dam shapes offspring development beginning in early life. Here, we show how consistent maternal stress prior to conception influences the brain and behavior of offspring in adolescence and adulthood. Female Long-Evans rats were exposed to elevated platform stress twice daily for 27 consecutive days immediately prior to mating with non-stressed males. Male and female offspring were assessed in the open field and elevated plus maze in adolescence, and open field, elevated plus maze, Whishaw tray reaching, and Morris water task in adulthood. Offspring were then euthanized, and their brains were stained with Golgi-Cox solution and then examined for dendritic spine density and hippocampal volume. Major findings include deficits in spatial memory, decreased medial prefrontal cortex spine density, and reduced right dorsal hippocampal volume in male offspring only. This work illustrates that the effects of consistent maternal stress prior to conception are lifelong and highly sexually dimorphic.
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