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Parkins EV, Gross C. Small Differences and Big Changes: The Many Variables of MicroRNA Expression and Function in the Brain. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0365242024. [PMID: 39111834 PMCID: PMC11308354 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0365-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs are emerging as crucial regulators within the complex, dynamic environment of the synapse, and they offer a promising new avenue for the treatment of neurological disease. These small noncoding RNAs modify gene expression in several ways, including posttranscriptional modulation via binding to complementary and semicomplementary sites on target mRNAs. This rapid, finely tuned regulation of gene expression is essential to meet the dynamic demands of the synapse. Here, we provide a detailed review of the multifaceted world of synaptic microRNA regulation. We discuss the many mechanisms by which microRNAs regulate gene expression at the synapse, particularly in the context of neuronal plasticity. We also describe the various factors, such as age, sex, and neurological disease, that can influence microRNA expression and activity in neurons. In summary, microRNAs play a crucial role in the intricate and quickly changing functional requirements of the synapse, and context is essential in the study of microRNAs and their potential therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma V Parkins
- University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Graduate Program, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229
| | - Christina Gross
- University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Graduate Program, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229
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Reemst K, Lopizzo N, Abbink MR, Engelenburg HJ, Cattaneo A, Korosi A. Molecular underpinnings of programming by early-life stress and the protective effects of early dietary ω6/ω3 ratio, basally and in response to LPS: Integrated mRNA-miRNAs approach. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 117:283-297. [PMID: 38242369 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.01.011] [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: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress (ELS) exposure increases the risk for mental disorders, including cognitive impairments later in life. We have previously demonstrated that an early diet with low ω6/ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio protects against ELS-induced cognitive impairments. Several studies have implicated the neuroimmune system in the ELS and diet mediated effects, but currently the molecular pathways via which ELS and early diet exert their long-term impact are not yet fully understood. Here we study the effects of ELS and dietary PUFA ratio on hippocampal mRNA and miRNA expression in adulthood, both under basal as well as inflammatory conditions. Male mice were exposed to chronic ELS by the limiting bedding and nesting material paradigm from postnatal day(P)2 to P9, and provided with a diet containing a standard (high (15:1.1)) or protective (low (1.1:1)) ω6 linoleic acid to ω3 alpha-linolenic acid ratio from P2 to P42. At P120, memory was assessed using the object location task. Subsequently, a single lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection was given and 24 h later hippocampal genome-wide mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) expression was measured using microarray. Spatial learning deficits induced by ELS in mice fed the standard (high ω6/ω3) diet were reversed by the early-life protective (low ω6/ω3) diet. An integrated miRNA - mRNA analysis revealed that ELS and early diet induced miRNA driven mRNA expression changes into adulthood. Under basal conditions both ELS and the diet affected molecular pathways related to hippocampal plasticity, with the protective (low ω6/ω3 ratio) diet leading to activation of molecular pathways associated with improved hippocampal plasticity and learning and memory in mice previously exposed to ELS (e.g., CREB signaling and endocannabinoid neuronal synapse pathway). LPS induced miRNA and mRNA expression was strongly dependent on both ELS and early diet. In mice fed the standard (high ω6/ω3) diet, LPS increased miRNA expression leading to activation of inflammatory pathways. In contrast, in mice fed the protective diet, LPS reduced miRNA expression and altered target mRNA expression inhibiting inflammatory signaling pathways and pathways associated with hippocampal plasticity, which was especially apparent in mice previously exposed to ELS. This data provides molecular insights into how the protective (low ω6/ω3) diet during development could exert its long-lasting beneficial effects on hippocampal plasticity and learning and memory especially in a vulnerable population exposed to stress early in life, providing the basis for the development of intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Reemst
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science park 904, Amsterdam, 1098 XH, the Netherlands
| | - Nicola Lopizzo
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, Istituto di Recupero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy; Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Maralinde R Abbink
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science park 904, Amsterdam, 1098 XH, the Netherlands
| | - Hendrik J Engelenburg
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science park 904, Amsterdam, 1098 XH, the Netherlands
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, Istituto di Recupero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy; Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Aniko Korosi
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science park 904, Amsterdam, 1098 XH, the Netherlands.
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Ibrahim P, Denniston R, Mitsuhashi H, Yang J, Fiori LM, Żurawek D, Mechawar N, Nagy C, Turecki G. Profiling Small RNA From Brain Extracellular Vesicles in Individuals With Depression. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2024; 27:pyae013. [PMID: 38457375 PMCID: PMC10946232 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae013] [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: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability with significant mortality risk. Despite progress in our understanding of the etiology of MDD, the underlying molecular changes in the brain remain poorly understood. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound particles that can reflect the molecular signatures of the tissue of origin. We aimed to optimize a streamlined EV isolation protocol from postmortem brain tissue and determine whether EV RNA cargo, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), have an MDD-specific profile. METHODS EVs were isolated from postmortem human brain tissue. Quality was assessed using western blots, transmission electron microscopy, and microfluidic resistive pulse sensing. EV RNA was extracted and sequenced on Illumina platforms. Functional follow-up was performed in silico. RESULTS Quality assessment showed an enrichment of EV markers, as well as a size distribution of 30 to 200 nm in diameter, and no contamination with cellular debris. Small RNA profiling indicated the presence of several RNA biotypes, with miRNAs and transfer RNAs being the most prominent. Exploring miRNA levels between groups revealed decreased expression of miR-92a-3p and miR-129-5p, which was validated by qPCR and was specific to EVs and not seen in bulk tissue. Finally, in silico functional analyses indicate potential roles for these 2 miRNAs in neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. CONCLUSION We provide a streamlined isolation protocol that yields EVs of high quality that are suitable for molecular follow-up. Our findings warrant future investigations into brain EV miRNA dysregulation in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Ibrahim
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ryan Denniston
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Haruka Mitsuhashi
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jennie Yang
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Dariusz Żurawek
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Corina Nagy
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Jing L, Ma C, Xu L, Richter-Levin G. Distinct Neural Representations and Cognitive Behaviors Attributable to Naturally Developed Active Avoidance or Reactive Escape Strategies in the Male Rat. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 26:761-772. [PMID: 37725443 PMCID: PMC10674082 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyad054] [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: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The high individual variability in coping with stress is often attributed to genetic background differences, sustained environmental conditions, or a combination of both. However, the neural mechanisms underlying coping style variability are still poorly understood. METHODS Here we examined the impact of a single extended emotional challenge on coping style variability and the associated involvement of the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and periaqueductal gray (PAG). Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 170) were trained in an extended 2-way shuttle avoidance (eTWSA) task for 7 days, and daily avoidance rates were measured. Forced swim test, elevated plus maze, or Morris water maze was tested before or after eTWSA exposure. Excitotoxic lesion of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) was performed by Ibotenic infusion. Transient pharmacological blocking of DG, mPFC, or PAG was performed by muscimol or CNQX+TTX infusion. RESULTS Exposing rats to eTWSA was found to lead to naturally developing dichotomous, not continuous, coping styles, which we termed active avoidance (AA) or reactive escape (RE). Prior emotional responses did not predict the developing coping style. AA was associated with beneficial outcomes, including reduced behavioral despair and improved spatial learning. RE led to impaired spatial retrieval. AA was abolished by lesioning or pharmacological blocking of the DG. RE was prevented by blocking mPFC or PAG. CONCLUSION The results indicate that a single exposure to a significant emotional challenge can lead, in otherwise healthy individuals, to dichotomous development of an active or reactive coping style with distinctive neural correlates and subsequent behavioral significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Jing
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Israel
- The School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chen Ma
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, Lab of Learning and Memory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Israel
| | - Lin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, Lab of Learning and Memory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- CAS Centre for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligent Technology, Shanghai, China
- Mental Health Institute, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
- KIZ-SU Joint Laboratory of Animal Model and Drug Development, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Gal Richter-Levin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Israel
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Zhu Z, Huang X, Du M, Wu C, Fu J, Tan W, Wu B, Zhang J, Liao ZB. Recent advances in the role of miRNAs in post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:2630-2644. [PMID: 37340171 PMCID: PMC10615752 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02126-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is usually considered a psychiatric disorder upon emotional trauma. However, with the rising number of conflicts and traffic accidents around the world, the incidence of PTSD has skyrocketed along with traumatic brain injury (TBI), a complex neuropathological disease due to external physical force and is also the most common concurrent disease of PTSD. Recently, the overlap between PTSD and TBI is increasingly attracting attention, as it has the potential to stimulate the emergence of novel treatments for both conditions. Of note, treatments exploiting the microRNAs (miRNAs), a well-known class of small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), have rapidly gained momentum in many nervous system disorders, given the miRNAs' multitudinous and key regulatory role in various biological processes, including neural development and normal functioning of the nervous system. Currently, a wealth of studies has elucidated the similarities of PTSD and TBI in pathophysiology and symptoms; however, there is a dearth of discussion with respect to miRNAs in both PTSD and TBI. In this review, we summarize the recent available studies of miRNAs in PTSD and TBI and discuss and highlight promising miRNAs therapeutics for both conditions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xuekang Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Mengran Du
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Chenrui Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Jiayuanyuan Fu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Weilin Tan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Biying Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Z B Liao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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Chbeir S, Carrión V. Resilience by design: How nature, nurture, environment, and microbiome mitigate stress and allostatic load. World J Psychiatry 2023; 13:144-159. [PMID: 37303926 PMCID: PMC10251360 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v13.i5.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Resilience to psychological stress is defined as adaption to challenging life experiences and not the absence of adverse life events. Determinants of resilience include personality traits, genetic/epigenetic modifications of genes involved in the stress response, cognitive and behavioral flexibility, secure attachment with a caregiver, social and community support systems, nutrition and exercise, and alignment of circadian rhythm to the natural light/dark cycle. Therefore, resilience is a dynamic and flexible process that continually evolves by the intersection of different domains in human’s life; biological, social, and psychological. The objective of this minireview is to summarize the existing knowledge about the multitude factors and molecular alterations that result from resilience to stress response. Given the multiple contributing factors in building resilience, we set out a goal to identify which factors were most supportive of a causal role by the current literature. We focused on resilience-related molecular alterations resulting from mind-body homeostasis in connection with psychosocial and environmental factors. We conclude that there is no one causal factor that differentiates a resilient person from a vulnerable one. Instead, building resilience requires an intricate network of positive experiences and a healthy lifestyle that contribute to a balanced mind-body connection. Therefore, a holistic approach must be adopted in future research on stress response to address the multiple elements that promote resilience and prevent illnesses and psychopathology related to stress allostatic load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souhad Chbeir
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
| | - Victor Carrión
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
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