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Schilliger Z, Alemán-Gómez Y, Magnus Smith M, Celen Z, Meuleman B, Binz PA, Steullet P, Do KQ, Conus P, Merglen A, Piguet C, Dwir D, Klauser P. Sex-specific interactions between stress axis and redox balance are associated with internalizing symptoms and brain white matter microstructure in adolescents. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:30. [PMID: 38233401 PMCID: PMC10794182 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02728-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is marked by the maturation of systems involved in emotional regulation and by an increased risk for internalizing disorders (anxiety/depression), especially in females. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis function and redox homeostasis (balance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants) have both been associated with internalizing disorders and may represent critical factors for the development of brain networks of emotional regulation. However, sex-specific interactions between these factors and internalizing symptoms and their link with brain maturation remain unexplored. We investigated in a cohort of adolescents aged 13-15 from the general population (n = 69) whether sex-differences in internalizing symptoms were associated with the glutathione (GSH)-redox cycle homeostasis and HPA-axis function and if these parameters were associated with brain white matter microstructure development. Female adolescents displayed higher levels of internalizing symptoms, GSH-peroxidase (GPx) activity and cortisol/11-deoxycortisol ratio than males. There was a strong correlation between GPx and GSH-reductase (Gred) activities in females only. The cortisol/11-deoxycortisol ratio, related to the HPA-axis activity, was associated with internalizing symptoms in both sexes, whereas GPx activity was associated with internalizing symptoms in females specifically. The cortisol/11-deoxycortisol ratio mediated sex-differences in internalizing symptoms and the association between anxiety and GPx activity in females specifically. In females, GPx activity was positively associated with generalized fractional anisotropy in widespread white matter brain regions. We found that higher levels of internalizing symptoms in female adolescents than in males relate to sex-differences in HPA-axis function. In females, our results suggest an important interplay between HPA-axis function and GSH-homeostasis, a parameter strongly associated with brain white matter microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoé Schilliger
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Service of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yasser Alemán-Gómez
- Connectomics Lab, Department of Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mariana Magnus Smith
- Division of General Pediatrics, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Zeynep Celen
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ben Meuleman
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Alain Binz
- Service of Clinical Chemistry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Steullet
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kim Q Do
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Conus
- Service of General Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Arnaud Merglen
- Division of General Pediatrics, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Camille Piguet
- Division of General Pediatrics, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Daniella Dwir
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paul Klauser
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Service of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Ludwig M, Newton C, Pieters A, Homer NZM, Feng Li X, O'Byrne KT, Millar RP. Provocative tests with Kisspeptin-10 and GnRH set the scene for determining social status and environmental impacts on reproductive capacity in male African lions (Panthera leo). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 329:114127. [PMID: 36150474 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the hypothalamic factors regulating reproduction facilitates maximising the reproductive success of breeding programmes and in the management and conservation of threatened species, including African lions. To provide insight into the physiology and pathophysiology of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal reproductive axis in lions, we studied the luteinising hormone (LH) and steroid hormone responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its upstream regulator, kisspeptin. Six young (13.3 ± 1.7 months, 56.2 ± 4.3 kg) and four adult (40.2 ± 1.4 months, 174 ± 6 kg) male lions (Ukutula Conservation Centre, South Africa) were used in this study. Lions were immobilised with a combination of medetomidine and ketamine and an intravenous catheter was placed in a jugular, cephalic or medial saphenous vein for blood sampling at 10-min intervals for 220 min. The ten-amino acid kisspeptin which has full intrinsic activity (KP-10, 1 µg/kg) and GnRH (1 µg/kg) were administered intravenously to study their effects on LH and steroid hormone plasma concentrations, measured subsequently by ELISA and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively. Basal LH levels were similarly low between the age groups, but testosterone and its precursor levels were higher in the adult animals. Adult lions showed a significant LH response to KP-10 (10-fold) and GnRH (11-fold) administration (p < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) whereas in young lions LH increased significantly only in response to GnRH. In adults alone, testosterone and its precursors steadily increased in response to KP-10, with no significant further increase in response to GnRH. Plasma levels of glucocorticoids in response to KP-10 remained unchanged. We suggest that provocative testing of LH and steroid stimulation with kisspeptin provides a new and sensitive tool for determining reproductive status and possibly an index of exposure to stress, environmental insults such as disease, endocrine disruptors and nutritional status. 272 words.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Ludwig
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Department of Immunology, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Claire Newton
- Department of Immunology, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ané Pieters
- Department of Immunology, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Natalie Z M Homer
- BHF/University Centre for Cardiovascular Science and Mass Spectrometry Core, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Xiao Feng Li
- Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kevin T O'Byrne
- Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Robert P Millar
- Department of Immunology, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
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