1
|
Copenhaver AE, LeGates TA. Sex-Specific Mechanisms Underlie Long-Term Potentiation at Hippocampus→Medium Spiny Neuron Synapses in the Medial Shell of the Nucleus Accumbens. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0100242024. [PMID: 38806250 PMCID: PMC11223474 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0100-24.2024] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex differences have complicated our understanding of the neurobiological basis of many behaviors that are key for survival. As such, continued elucidation of the similarities and differences between sexes is necessary to gain insight into brain function and vulnerability. The connection between the hippocampus (Hipp) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a crucial site where modulation of neuronal activity mediates reward-related behavior. Our previous work demonstrated that long-term potentiation (LTP) of Hipp→NAc synapses is rewarding, and mice can establish learned associations between LTP of these synapses and the contextual environment in which LTP occurred. Here, we investigated sex differences in the mechanisms underlying Hipp→NAc LTP using whole-cell electrophysiology and pharmacology. We observed similarities in basal synaptic strength between males and females and found that LTP occurs postsynaptically with similar magnitudes in both sexes. However, key sex differences emerged as LTP in males required NMDA receptors (NMDAR), whereas LTP in females utilized an NMDAR-independent mechanism involving L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) and estrogen receptor α (ERα). We also uncovered sex-similar features as LTP in both sexes depended on CaMKII activity and occurred independently of dopamine-1 receptor (D1R) activation. Our results have elucidated sex-specific molecular mechanisms for LTP in an integral pathway that mediates reward-related behaviors, emphasizing the importance of considering sex as a variable in mechanistic studies. Continued characterization of sex-specific mechanisms underlying plasticity will offer novel insight into the neurophysiological basis of behavior, with significant implications for understanding how diverse processes mediate behavior and contribute to vulnerability to developing psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Copenhaver
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Baltimore, Maryland 21250
| | - Tara A LeGates
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Baltimore, Maryland 21250
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kundakovic M, Tickerhoof M. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in the brain and behavior. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:18-35. [PMID: 37968206 PMCID: PMC10841872 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.09.007] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences are found across brain regions, behaviors, and brain diseases. Sexual differentiation of the brain is initiated prenatally but it continues throughout life, as a result of the interaction of three major factors: gonadal hormones, sex chromosomes, and the environment. These factors are thought to act, in part, via epigenetic mechanisms which control chromatin and transcriptional states in brain cells. In this review, we discuss evidence that epigenetic mechanisms underlie sex-specific neurobehavioral changes during critical organizational periods, across the estrous cycle, and in response to diverse environments throughout life. We further identify future directions for the field that will provide novel mechanistic insights into brain sex differences, inform brain disease treatments and women's brain health in particular, and apply to people across genders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA.
| | - Maria Tickerhoof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pańczyszyn-Trzewik P, Czechowska E, Stachowicz K, Sowa-Kućma M. The Importance of α-Klotho in Depression and Cognitive Impairment and Its Connection to Glutamate Neurotransmission-An Up-to-Date Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15268. [PMID: 37894946 PMCID: PMC10607524 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015268] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression is a serious neuropsychiatric disease affecting an increasing number of people worldwide. Cognitive deficits (including inattention, poor memory, and decision-making difficulties) are common in the clinical picture of depression. Cognitive impairment has been hypothesized to be one of the most important components of major depressive disorder (MDD; referred to as clinical depression), although typical cognitive symptoms are less frequent in people with depression than in people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (BD; sometimes referred to as manic-depressive disorder). The importance of α-Klotho in the aging process has been well-documented. Growing evidence points to the role of α-Klotho in regulating other biological functions, including responses to oxidative stress and the modulation of synaptic plasticity. It has been proven that a Klotho deficit may contribute to the development of various nervous system pathologies, such as behavioral disorders or neurodegeneration. Given the growing evidence of the role of α-Klotho in depression and cognitive impairment, it is assumed that this protein may be a molecular link between them. Here, we provide a research review of the role of α-Klotho in depression and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, we propose potential mechanisms (related to oxidative stress and glutamatergic transmission) that may be important in α-Klotho-mediated regulation of mental and cognitive function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrycja Pańczyszyn-Trzewik
- Department of Human Physiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, Kopisto 2a, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland; (P.P.-T.); (E.C.)
| | - Ewelina Czechowska
- Department of Human Physiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, Kopisto 2a, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland; (P.P.-T.); (E.C.)
| | - Katarzyna Stachowicz
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smetna 12, 31-343 Krakow, Poland;
| | - Magdalena Sowa-Kućma
- Department of Human Physiology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, Kopisto 2a, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland; (P.P.-T.); (E.C.)
- Centre for Innovative Research in Medical and Natural Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszow University, Warzywna Street 1A, 35-595 Rzeszow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Iqbal J, Bibi M, Huang GD, Xue YX, Khatttak JZK, Yang M, Jia XJ. Differential regulation of hippocampal transcriptome by circulating estrogen. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:309. [PMID: 37735249 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01234-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen (E2) modulates the synaptic structure and plasticity in the hippocampus. Previous studies showed that E2 fluctuations during various phases of the menstrual cycle produce subtle neurosynaptic changes that impact women's behavior, emotion, and cognitive functions. In this study, we explored the transcriptome of the hippocampus via RNA-seq (RNA-sequencing) between proestrus (PE) and diestrus (DE) stages in young female rats to determine the effect of E2 of PE and DE stages on hippocampal gene expression. We identified 238 genes (at 1.5-fold-change selection criteria, FDR adjusted p-value < 0.05) as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that responded to E2 between PE and DE stages. Functional analysis based on Gene Ontology (GO) revealed that a higher E2 level corresponded to an increase in gene transcription among most of the DEGs, suggesting biological mechanisms operating differentially in the hippocampus of female rats between PE and DE stages in the estrus cycle; while analysis with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database (KEGG) found that the DEGs involving neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, antigen processing, cell adhesion molecules, and presentation were upregulated in PE stage, whereas DEGs in pathways relating to bile secretion, coagulation cascades, osteoclast differentiation, cysteine and methionine metabolism were upregulated in DE stage of the estrus cycle. The high-fold expression of DEGs was confirmed by a follow-up quantitative real-time PCR. Our findings in this current study have provided fundamental information for further dissection of neuro-molecular mechanisms in the hippocampus in response to E2 fluctuation and its relationship with disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Javed Iqbal
- Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for Precision Psychiatric Technology, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No.77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China
| | - Maryam Bibi
- Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Geng-Di Huang
- Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for Precision Psychiatric Technology, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No.77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan-Xue Xue
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Mei Yang
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for Precision Psychiatric Technology, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No.77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China.
- Clinical College of Mental Health, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xiao-Jian Jia
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Engineering Research Center for Precision Psychiatric Technology, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No.77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China.
- Clinical College of Mental Health, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sharma DR, Cheng B, Sahu R, Zhang X, Mehdizadeh R, Singh D, Iacobas D, Ballabh P. Oestrogen treatment restores dentate gyrus development in premature newborns by IGF1 regulation. J Cell Mol Med 2023; 27:2467-2481. [PMID: 37594177 PMCID: PMC10468667 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17816] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Prematurely-born infants cared for in the neonatal units suffer from memory and learning deficits. Prematurity diminishes neurogenesis and synaptogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). This dysmaturation of neurons is attributed to elevated PSD95, NMDR2A, and IGF1 levels. Since oestrogen treatment plays key roles in the development and plasticity of DG, we hypothesized that 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment would ameliorate neurogenesis and synaptogenesis in the DG, reversing cognitive deficits in premature newborns. Additionally, E2-induced recovery would be mediated by IGF1 signalling. These hypotheses were tested in a rabbit model of prematurity and nonmaternal care, in which premature kits were gavage-fed and reared by laboratory personnel. We compared E2- and vehicle-treated preterm kits for morphological, molecular, and behavioural parameters. We also treated kits with oestrogen degrader, RAD1901, and assessed IGF1 signalling. We found that E2 treatment increased the number of Tbr2+ and DCX+ neuronal progenitors and increased the density of glutamatergic synapses in the DG. E2 treatment restored PSD95 and NMDAR2A levels and cognitive function in preterm kits. Transcriptomic analyses showed that E2 treatment contributed to recovery by influencing interactions between IGF1R and neurodegenerative, as well as glutamatergic genes. ERα expression was reduced on completion of E2 treatment at D7, followed by D30 elevation. E2-induced fluctuation in ERα levels was associated with a reciprocal elevation in IGF1/2 expression at D7 and reduction at D30. ERα degradation by RAD1901 treatment enhanced IGF1 levels, suggesting ERα inhibits IGF1 expression. E2 treatment alleviates the prematurity-induced maldevelopment of DG and cognitive dysfunctions by regulating ERα and IGF1 levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deep R. Sharma
- Department of PediatricsAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Bokun Cheng
- Department of PediatricsAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Rauhin Sahu
- Department of PediatricsAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Xusheng Zhang
- Computational Genomics CoreAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Rana Mehdizadeh
- Department of PediatricsAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Divya Singh
- Department of PediatricsAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Dumitru Iacobas
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of NeuroscienceAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
- Personalized Genomics Laboratory, Texas Undergraduate Medical AcademyPrairie View A&M UniversityPrairie ViewTexasUSA
| | - Praveen Ballabh
- Department of PediatricsAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of NeuroscienceAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mulvey B, Frye HE, Lintz T, Fass S, Tycksen E, Nelson EC, Morón JA, Dougherty JD. Cnih3 Deletion Dysregulates Dorsal Hippocampal Transcription across the Estrous Cycle. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0153-22.2023. [PMID: 36849260 PMCID: PMC10027183 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0153-22.2023] [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: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In females, the hippocampus, a critical brain region for coordination of learning, memory, and behavior, displays altered physiology and behavioral output across the estrous or menstrual cycle. However, the molecular effectors and cell types underlying these observed cyclic changes have only been partially characterized to date. Recently, profiling of mice null for the AMPA receptor trafficking gene Cnih3 have demonstrated estrous-dependent phenotypes in dorsal hippocampal synaptic plasticity, composition, and learning/memory. We therefore profiled dorsal hippocampal transcriptomes from female mice in each estrous cycle stage, and contrasted it with that of males, across wild-type (WT) and Cnih3 mutants. In wild types, we identified only subtle differences in gene expression between the sexes, while comparing estrous stages to one another revealed up to >1000 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These estrous-responsive genes are especially enriched in gene markers of oligodendrocytes and the dentate gyrus, and in functional gene sets relating to estrogen response, potassium channels, and synaptic gene splicing. Surprisingly, Cnih3 knock-outs (KOs) showed far broader transcriptomic differences between estrous cycle stages and males. Moreover, Cnih3 knock-out drove subtle but extensive expression changes accentuating sex differential expression at diestrus and estrus. Altogether, our profiling highlights cell types and molecular systems potentially impacted by estrous-specific gene expression patterns in the adult dorsal hippocampus, enabling mechanistic hypothesis generation for future studies of sex-differential neuropsychiatric function and dysfunction. Moreover, these findings suggest an unrecognized role of Cnih3 in buffering against transcriptional effects of estrous, providing a candidate molecular mechanism to explain estrous-dependent phenotypes observed with Cnih3 loss.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Mulvey
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Hannah E Frye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Tania Lintz
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Stuart Fass
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Eric Tycksen
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Elliot C Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Jose A Morón
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Rocks D, Kundakovic M. Hippocampus-based behavioral, structural, and molecular dynamics across the estrous cycle. J Neuroendocrinol 2023; 35:e13216. [PMID: 36580348 PMCID: PMC10050126 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The activity of neurons in the rodent hippocampus contributes to diverse behaviors, with the activity of ventral hippocampal neurons affecting behaviors related to anxiety and emotion regulation, and the activity of dorsal hippocampal neurons affecting performance in learning- and memory-related tasks. Hippocampal cells also express receptors for ovarian hormones, estrogen and progesterone, and are therefore affected by physiological fluctuations of those hormones that occur over the rodent estrous cycle. In this review, we discuss the effects of cycling ovarian hormones on hippocampal physiology. Starting with behavior, we explore the role of the estrous cycle in regulating hippocampus-dependent behaviors. We go on to detail the cellular mechanisms through which cycling estrogen and progesterone, through changes in the structural and functional properties of hippocampal neurons, may be eliciting these changes in behavior. Then, providing a basis for these cellular changes, we outline the epigenetic, chromatin regulatory mechanisms through which ovarian hormones, by binding to their receptors, can affect the regulation of behavior- and synaptic plasticity-related genes in hippocampal neurons. We also highlight an unconventional role that chromatin dynamics may have in regulating neuronal function across the estrous cycle, including in sex hormone-driven X chromosome plasticity and hormonally-induced epigenetic priming. Finally, we discuss directions for future studies and the translational value of the rodent estrous cycle for understanding the effects of the human menstrual cycle on hippocampal physiology and brain disease risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Devin Rocks
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University; Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University; Bronx, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Klotho Regulated by Estrogen Plays a Key Role in Sex Differences in Stress Resilience in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021206. [PMID: 36674721 PMCID: PMC9862442 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021206] [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: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Klotho (KL) is a glycosyl hydrolase and aging-suppressor gene. Stress is a risk factor for depression and anxiety, which are highly comorbid with each other. The aim of this study is to determine whether KL is regulated by estrogen and plays an important role in sex differences in stress resilience. Our results showed that KL is regulated by estrogen in rat hippocampal neurons in vivo and in vitro and is essential for the estrogen-mediated increase in the number of presynaptic vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (Vglut1)-positive clusters on the dendrites of hippocampal neurons. The role of KL in sex differences in stress response was examined in rats using 3-week chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). CUMS produced a deficit in spatial learning and memory, anhedonic-like behaviors, and anxiety-like behaviors in male but not female rats, which was accompanied by a reduction in KL protein levels in the hippocampus of male but not female rats. This demonstrated the resilience of female rats to CUMS. Interestingly, the knockdown of KL protein levels in the rat hippocampus of both sexes caused a decrease in stress resilience in both sexes, especially in female rats. These results suggest that the regulation of KL by estrogen plays an important role in estrogen-mediated synapse formation and that KL plays a critical role in the sex differences in cognitive deficit, anhedonic-like behaviors, and anxiety-like behaviors induced by chronic stress in rats, highlighting an important role of KL in sex differences in stress resilience.
Collapse
|
9
|
Coenjaerts M, Trimborn I, Adrovic B, Stoffel-Wagner B, Cahill L, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R, Scheele D. Exogenous estradiol and oxytocin modulate sex differences in hippocampal reactivity during the encoding of episodic memories. Neuroimage 2022; 264:119689. [PMID: 36349596 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable evidence supports sex differences in episodic memory. The hormones estradiol and oxytocin both affect episodic memory and may contribute to these sex differences, but possible underlying hormonal interactions have not been tested in a sample involving both sexes. To this end, we conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study including healthy free-cycling women (n = 111) and men (n = 115). The fMRI session was conducted under four experimental conditions: 1. transdermal estradiol (2 mg) and intranasal oxytocin (24 IU), 2. transdermal placebo and intranasal oxytocin, 3. transdermal estradiol and intranasal placebo, 4. transdermal placebo and intranasal placebo. Participants were scanned during the encoding of positive, neutral, and negative scenes. Recognition memory was tested three days following the scanning sessions without additional treatments. Under placebo, women showed a significantly better recognition memory and increased hippocampal responses to subsequently remembered items independent of the emotional valence compared to men. The separate treatments with either hormone significantly diminished this mnemonic sex difference and reversed the hippocampal activation pattern. However, the combined treatments produced no significant effect. Collectively, the results suggest that both hormones play a crucial role in modulating sex differences in episodic memory. Furthermore, possible antagonistic interactions between estradiol and oxytocin could explain previously observed opposing hormonal effects in women and men.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie Coenjaerts
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany.
| | - Isabelle Trimborn
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Berina Adrovic
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Birgit Stoffel-Wagner
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - Larry Cahill
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3800, United States
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn 53105, Germany
| | - René Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26129, Germany; Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg 26129, Germany
| | - Dirk Scheele
- Department of Social Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Automated classification of estrous stage in rodents using deep learning. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17685. [PMID: 36271290 PMCID: PMC9587051 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22392-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The rodent estrous cycle modulates a range of biological functions, from gene expression to behavior. The cycle is typically divided into four stages, each characterized by distinct hormone concentration profiles. Given the difficulty of repeatedly sampling plasma steroid hormones from rodents, the primary method for classifying estrous stage is by identifying vaginal epithelial cell types. However, manual classification of epithelial cell samples is time-intensive and variable, even amongst expert investigators. Here, we use a deep learning approach to achieve classification accuracy at expert level. Due to the heterogeneity and breadth of our input dataset, our deep learning approach ("EstrousNet") is highly generalizable across rodent species, stains, and subjects. The EstrousNet algorithm exploits the temporal dimension of the hormonal cycle by fitting classifications to an archetypal cycle, highlighting possible misclassifications and flagging anestrus phases (e.g., pseudopregnancy). EstrousNet allows for rapid estrous cycle staging, improving the ability of investigators to consider endocrine state in their rodent studies.
Collapse
|
11
|
Dong TN, Kramár EA, Beardwood JH, Al-Shammari A, Wood MA, Keiser AA. Temporal endurance of exercise-induced benefits on hippocampus-dependent memory and synaptic plasticity in female mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2022; 194:107658. [PMID: 35811066 PMCID: PMC9901197 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Exercise facilitates hippocampal neurogenesis and neuroplasticity that in turn, promotes cognitive function. Our previous studies have demonstrated that in male mice, voluntary exercise enables hippocampus-dependent learning in conditions that are normally subthreshold for long-term memory formation in sedentary animals. Such cognitive enhancement can be maintained long after exercise has ceased and can be re-engaged by a subsequent subthreshold exercise session, suggesting exercise-induced benefits are temporally dynamic. In females, the extent to which the benefits of exercise can be maintained and the mechanisms underlying this maintenance have yet to be defined. Here, we examined the exercise parameters required to initiate and maintain the benefits of exercise in female C57BL/6J mice. Using a subthreshold version of the hippocampus-dependent task called object-location memory (OLM) task, we show that 14d of voluntary exercise enables learning under subthreshold acquisition conditions in female mice. Following the initial exercise, a 7d sedentary delay results in diminished performance, which can be re-facilitated when animals receive 2d of reactivating exercise following the sedentary delay. Assessment of estrous cycle reveals enhanced wheel running activity during the estrus phase relative to the diestrus phase, whereas estrous phase on training or test had no effect on OLM performance. Utilizing the same exercise parameters, we demonstrate that 14d of exercise enhances long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, an effect that persists throughout the sedentary delay and following the reactivating exercise session. Previous studies have proposed exercise-induced BDNF upregulation as the mechanism underlying exercise-mediated benefits on synaptic plasticity and cognition. However, our assessment of hippocampal Bdnf mRNA expression following memory retrieval reveals no difference between exercise conditions and control, suggesting that persistent Bdnf upregulation may not be required for maintenance of exercise-induced benefits. Together, our data indicate that 14d of voluntary exercise can initiate long-lasting benefits on neuroplasticity and cognitive function in female mice, establishing the first evidence on the temporal endurance of exercise-induced benefits in females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T N Dong
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - E A Kramár
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (CNLM), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States
| | - J H Beardwood
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (CNLM), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States
| | - A Al-Shammari
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (CNLM), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States
| | - M A Wood
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (CNLM), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States
| | - A A Keiser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (CNLM), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States; Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), University of California, Irvine 92697-2695, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Farrell K, Auerbach A, Musaus M, Jarome TJ. The epigenetic role of proteasome subunit RPT6 during memory formation in female rats. Learn Mem 2022; 29:256-264. [PMID: 36206393 PMCID: PMC9488026 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053498.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Reports of sex differences in the neurobiology of memory formation are becoming more prevalent. Despite this, much remains unknown about the role of sex in this process. We previously reported the first evidence of a novel epigenetic role for proteasome subunit RPT6 during memory formation in the hippocampus of male rodents whereby it associated with monoubiquitinated histone H2B (H2Bubi). Here, we used molecular, biochemical, and behavioral approaches to investigate whether RPT6 has a similar epigenetic role during memory formation in female rats. Following contextual fear conditioning, we found that RPT6 levels and DNA binding at regions coding for c-fos, the previously identified target of RPT6 in males, were unchanged in the hippocampus of females and that loss of RPT6 did not alter learning-induced increases in c-fos However, RPT6 was in complex with H2Bubi in the female hippocampus and this association increased with fear conditioning, suggesting that it could still retain an epigenetic function. Consistent with this, hippocampal siRNA-mediated knockdown of the RPT6-coding gene, Psmc5, impaired memory in females. These results suggest that while RPT6 does associate with epigenetic H2Bubi during memory formation in both males and females, it has sex-specific gene targets during the memory consolidation process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Farrell
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Aubrey Auerbach
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Madeline Musaus
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Timothy J Jarome
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Kundakovic M, Rocks D. Sex hormone fluctuation and increased female risk for depression and anxiety disorders: From clinical evidence to molecular mechanisms. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 66:101010. [PMID: 35716803 PMCID: PMC9715398 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Women are at twice the risk for anxiety and depression disorders as men are, although the underlying biological factors and mechanisms are largely unknown. In this review, we address this sex disparity at both the etiological and mechanistic level. We dissect the role of fluctuating sex hormones as a critical biological factor contributing to the increased depression and anxiety risk in women. We provide parallel evidence in humans and rodents that brain structure and function vary with naturally-cycling ovarian hormones. This female-unique brain plasticity and associated vulnerability are primarily driven by estrogen level changes. For the first time, we provide a sex hormone-driven molecular mechanism, namely chromatin organizational changes, that regulates neuronal gene expression and brain plasticity but may also prime the (epi)genome for psychopathology. Finally, we map out future directions including experimental and clinical studies that will facilitate novel sex- and gender-informed approaches to treat depression and anxiety disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA.
| | - Devin Rocks
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Li HH, Sai LT, Liu Y, Freel CI, Wang K, Zhou C, Zheng J, Shu Q, Zhao YJ. Systemic lupus erythematosus dysregulates the expression of long noncoding RNAs in placentas. Arthritis Res Ther 2022; 24:142. [PMID: 35701843 PMCID: PMC9195362 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-022-02825-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can cause placental dysfunctions, which may result in pregnancy complications. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are actively involved in the regulation of immune responses during pregnancy. The present study aimed to determine the lncRNA expression profiles in placentas from women with SLE to gain new insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms in SLE pregnancies. Methods RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was performed to identify SLE-dysregulated lncRNAs and mRNAs in placentas from women with SLE and normal full-term (NT) pregnancies. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict the biological functions of these SLE-dysregulated lncRNAs and mRNAs. Results RNA-seq analysis identified 52 dysregulated lncRNAs in SLE placentas, including 37 that were upregulated and 15 downregulated. Additional 130 SLE-dysregulated mRNAs were discovered, including 122 upregulated and 8 downregulated. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that SLE-dysregulated genes were associated with biological functions and gene networks, such as regulation of type I interferon-mediated signaling pathway, response to hypoxia, regulation of MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascade, response to steroid hormone, complement and coagulation cascades, and Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation. Conclusions This is the first report of the lncRNA profiles in placentas from SLE pregnancies. These results suggest that the aberrant expression and the potential regulatory function of lncRNAs in placentas may play comprehensive roles in the pathogenesis of SLE pregnancies. SLE-dysregulated lncRNAs may potentially serve as biomarkers for SLE. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-022-02825-7.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Hui Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Lin-Tao Sai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Colman I Freel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA.,Scholars Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chi Zhou
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Jing Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Qiang Shu
- Department of Rheumatology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China. .,Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Immune Diseases and Gout, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
| | - Ying-Jie Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA. .,Department of Rheumatology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China. .,Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Immune Diseases and Gout, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
An X, Guo W, Wu H, Fu X, Li M, Zhang Y, Li Y, Cui R, Yang W, Zhang Z, Zhao G. Sex Differences in Depression Caused by Early Life Stress and Related Mechanisms. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:797755. [PMID: 35663561 PMCID: PMC9157793 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.797755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a common psychiatric disease caused by various factors, manifesting with continuous low spirits, with its precise mechanism being unclear. Early life stress (ELS) is receiving more attention as a possible cause of depression. Many studies focused on the mechanisms underlying how ELS leads to changes in sex hormones, neurotransmitters, hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) axis function, and epigenetics. The adverse effects of ELS on adulthood are mainly dependent on the time window when stress occurs, sex and the developmental stage when evaluating the impacts. Therefore, with regard to the exact sex differences of adult depression, we found that ELS could lead to sex-differentiated depression through multiple mechanisms, including 5-HT, sex hormone, HPA axis, and epigenetics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xianquan An
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wanxu Guo
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Huiying Wu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiying Fu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ming Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yizhi Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yanlin Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ranji Cui
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Zhuo Zhang,
| | - Guoqing Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Guoqing Zhao,
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Yan S, Ren T, Wan Mahari WA, Feng H, Xu C, Yun F, Waiho K, Wei Y, Lam SS, Liu G. Soil carbon supplementation: Improvement of root-surrounding soil bacterial communities, sugar and starch content in tobacco (N. tabacum). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 802:149835. [PMID: 34461468 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Soil carbon supplementation is known to stimulate plant growth by improving soil fertility and plant nutrient uptake. However, the underlying process and chemical mechanism that could explain the interrelationship between soil carbon supplementation, soil micro-ecology, and the growth and quality of plant remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the influence and mechanism of soil carbon supplementation on the bacterial community, chemical cycling, mineral nutrition absorption, growth and properties of tobacco leaves. The soil carbon supplementation increased amino acid, carbohydrates, chemical energy metabolism, and bacterial richness in the soil. This led to increased content of sugar (23.75%), starch (13.25%), and chlorophyll (10.56%) in tobacco leaves. Linear discriminant analysis revealed 49 key phylotypes and significant increment of some of the Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) genera (Bacillus, Novosphingobium, Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas) in the rhizosphere, which can influence the tobacco growth. Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM) showed that soil carbon supplementation positively affected the sugar and starch contents in tobacco leaves by possibly altering the photosynthesis pathway towards increasing the aroma of the leaves, thus contributing to enhanced tobacco flavor. These findings are useful for understanding the influence of soil carbon supplementation on bacterial community for improving the yields and quality of tobacco in industrial plantation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shen Yan
- Tobacco College of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Biochar Technology Engineering Laboratory, 450002, China; Henan Biochar Engineering Technology Research Center, 450002, China; Staff Development Institute of China National Tobacco Corporation, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Tianbao Ren
- Tobacco College of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Biochar Technology Engineering Laboratory, 450002, China; Henan Biochar Engineering Technology Research Center, 450002, China.
| | - Wan Adibah Wan Mahari
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Huilin Feng
- Tobacco College of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Chensheng Xu
- Nanping Branch, Fujian Tobacco Sciences Research Institute, Nanping 353000, China
| | - Fei Yun
- Tobacco College of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Biochar Technology Engineering Laboratory, 450002, China
| | - Khor Waiho
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Centre for Chemical Biology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11900 Penang, Malaysia
| | - Yaowei Wei
- Tobacco College of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Biochar Technology Engineering Laboratory, 450002, China; Henan Biochar Engineering Technology Research Center, 450002, China
| | - Su Shiung Lam
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Tobacco College of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
| | - Guoshun Liu
- Tobacco College of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Henan Biochar Technology Engineering Laboratory, 450002, China; Henan Biochar Engineering Technology Research Center, 450002, China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Lichtensteiger W, Bassetti-Gaille C, Rehrauer H, Georgijevic JK, Tresguerres JAF, Schlumpf M. Converging Effects of Three Different Endocrine Disrupters on Sox and Pou Gene Expression in Developing Rat Hippocampus: Possible Role of microRNA in Sex Differences. Front Genet 2021; 12:718796. [PMID: 34858468 PMCID: PMC8632217 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.718796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can impair hippocampus-dependent behaviors in rat offspring and in children. In search for key processes underlying this effect, we compared the transcriptomes of rat hippocampus on postnatal day 6 after gestational and lactational exposure to three different EDCs at doses known to impair development of learning and memory. Aroclor 1254, a commercial PCB mixture (5 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg), or bisphenol A (5 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg) were administered in chow, chlorpyrifos (3 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously. Male hippocampus exhibited a common effect of all three chemicals on genes involved in cell-autonomous processes, Sox6, Sox11, Pou2f2/Oct2, and Pou3f2/Brn2, all upregulated at the high dose. Additional genes of the Sox and Pou families were affected by only one or two of the chemicals. Real time RT PCR showed a comparable expression change for bisphenol A also at the lower dose. Female hippocampus exhibited much fewer genes with expression changes (almost none with false discovery rate <0.05), and none of the genes of the Sox and Pou families was affected. Since gene network analyses in male hippocampus suggested a link between Sox6 and miR-24, known to be repressed by activation of ER-alpha and to repress Sox6 in other tissues, this microRNA was measured. miR-24 was downregulated by all chemicals at the high dose in males. Values of Sox6 mRNA and miR-24 were inversely correlated in individual male hippocampus samples, supporting the hypothesis that the change in Sox6 expression resulted from an action of miR-24. In contrast, miR-24 levels remained unchanged in hippocampus of females. A sexually dimorphic response of miR-24 may thus be at the basis of the sex difference in Sox6 expression changes following exposure to the three chemicals. ER-alpha expression was also sex-dependent, but the expression changes did not parallel those of potential downstream genes such as Sox6. Sox6 is known to suppress differentiation of Parvalbumin (Pvalb)-expressing interneurons. Individual Sox6 levels (FPKM) were inversely correlated with levels of Pvalb, but not with markers of Sox6-independent interneuron subpopulations, Nos1 and 5HT3aR. Effects on interneuron development are further suggested, in males, by expression changes of Nrg1 and its receptor Erbb4, controlling interneuron migration. Our study disclosed new types of EDC-responsive morphogenetic genes, and illustrated the potential relevance of microRNAs in sexually dimorphic EDC actions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Walter Lichtensteiger
- GREEN Tox and Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Catherine Bassetti-Gaille
- GREEN Tox and Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hubert Rehrauer
- Functional Genomics Center, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jelena Kühn Georgijevic
- Functional Genomics Center, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Margret Schlumpf
- GREEN Tox and Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Adu-Nti F, Gao X, Wu JM, Li J, Iqbal J, Ahmad R, Ma XM. Osthole Ameliorates Estrogen Deficiency-Induced Cognitive Impairment in Female Mice. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:641909. [PMID: 34025413 PMCID: PMC8134730 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.641909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of endogenous estrogen and dysregulation of the estrogen receptor signaling pathways are associated with an increase in risk for cognitive deficit and depression in women after menopause. Estrogen therapy for menopause increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and stroke. Therefore, it is critical to find an alternate treatment for menopausal women. Osthole (OST), a coumarin, has been reported to have neuroprotective effects. This study examined whether OST improves ovariectomy (OVX)-induced cognitive impairment, and alleviates anxiety- and depression-like behaviors induced by OVX in mice. Adult female C57BL/6J mice were ovariectomized and then treated with OST at a dose of 30 mg/kg for 14 days. At the end of the treatment period, behavioral tests were used to evaluate spatial learning and memory, recognition memory, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. A cohort of the mice were sacrificed after 14 days of OST treatment and their hippocampi were collected for measurement of the proteins of interest using western blot. OVX-induced alteration in the levels of proteins was accompanied by cognitive deficit, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. OST treatment improved cognitive deficit, alleviated anxiety- and depression-like behaviors induced by OVX, and reversed OVX-induced alterations in the levels of synaptic proteins and ERα, BDNF, TrKB, p-CREB, p-Akt and Rac1 in the hippocampus. Therefore, reversal of OVX-induced decrease in the levels of hippocampal proteins by OST might contribute to the effects of OST on improving cognitive deficit and alleviating anxiety- and depression-like behaviors induced by OVX.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Adu-Nti
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xu Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jia-Min Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Javed Iqbal
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Riaz Ahmad
- Department of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Development of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xin-Ming Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Llorente R, Marraudino M, Carrillo B, Bonaldo B, Simon-Areces J, Abellanas-Pérez P, Rivero-Aguilar M, Fernandez-Garcia JM, Pinos H, Garcia-Segura LM, Collado P, Grassi D. G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor Immunoreactivity Fluctuates During the Estrous Cycle and Show Sex Differences in the Amygdala and Dorsal Hippocampus. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:537. [PMID: 32849310 PMCID: PMC7426398 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in the amygdala and the dorsal hippocampus mediates actions of estradiol on anxiety, social recognition and spatial memory. In addition, GPER participates in the estrogenic regulation of synaptic function in the amygdala and in the process of adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. While the distribution of the canonical estrogen receptors α and β in the amygdala and dorsal hippocampus are well characterized, little is known about the regional distribution of GPER in these brain regions and whether this distribution is affected by sex or the stages of the estrous cycle. In this study we performed a morphometric analysis of GPER immunoreactivity in the posterodorsal medial, anteroventral medial, basolateral, basomedial and central subdivisions of the amygdala and in all the histological layers of CA1 and the dentate gyrus of the dorsal hippocampal formation. The number of GPER immunoreactive cells was estimated in these different structures. GPER immunoreactivity was detected in all the assessed subdivisions of the amygdaloid nucleus and dorsal hippocampal formation. The number of GPER immunoreactive cells was higher in males than in estrus females in the central (P = 0.001) and the posterodorsal medial amygdala (P < 0.05); higher in males than in diestrus females in the strata orients (P < 0.01) and radiatum-lacunosum-moleculare (P < 0.05) of CA1-CA3 and in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus (P < 0.01); higher in diestrus females than in males in the basolateral amygdala (P < 0.05); higher in diestrus females than in estrus females in the central (P < 0.01), posterodorsal medial (P < 0.01) and basolateral amygdala (P < 0.01) and higher in estrus females than in diestrus females in the strata oriens (P < 0.05) and radiatum-lacunosum-moleculare (P < 0.05) of CA1-CA3 and in the molecular layer (P < 0.05) and the hilus of the dentate gyrus (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that estrogenic regulation of the amygdala and hippocampus through GPER may be different in males and in females and may fluctuate during the estrous cycle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Llorente
- Department of Preclinical Odontology, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marilena Marraudino
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Beatriz Carrillo
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Mixto de Investigación Escuela Nacional de Sanidad-UNED (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Brigitta Bonaldo
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Julia Simon-Areces
- Department of Physiotherapy, Podology and Dance, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Jose M. Fernandez-Garcia
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Mixto de Investigación Escuela Nacional de Sanidad-UNED (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Helena Pinos
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Mixto de Investigación Escuela Nacional de Sanidad-UNED (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis M. Garcia-Segura
- Cajal Institute, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Collado
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Mixto de Investigación Escuela Nacional de Sanidad-UNED (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniela Grassi
- Department of Preclinical Odontology, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Mixto de Investigación Escuela Nacional de Sanidad-UNED (IMIENS), Madrid, Spain
- Cajal Institute, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Daniela Grassi ;
| |
Collapse
|