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Mastwal S, Li X, Stowell R, Manion M, Zhang W, Kim NS, Yoon KJ, Song H, Ming GL, Wang KH. Adolescent neurostimulation of dopamine circuit reverses genetic deficits in frontal cortex function. eLife 2023; 12:RP87414. [PMID: 37830916 PMCID: PMC10575630 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopamine system dysfunction is implicated in adolescent-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. Although psychosis symptoms can be alleviated by antipsychotics, cognitive symptoms remain unresponsive and novel paradigms investigating the circuit substrates underlying cognitive deficits are critically needed. The frontal cortex and its dopaminergic input from the midbrain are implicated in cognitive functions and undergo maturational changes during adolescence. Here, we used mice carrying mutations in Arc or Disc1 to model mesofrontal dopamine circuit deficiencies and test circuit-based neurostimulation strategies to restore cognitive functions. We found that in a memory-guided spatial navigation task, frontal cortical neurons were activated coordinately at the decision-making point in wild-type but not Arc-/- mice. Chemogenetic stimulation of midbrain dopamine neurons or optogenetic stimulation of frontal cortical dopamine axons in a limited adolescent period consistently reversed genetic defects in mesofrontal innervation, task-coordinated neuronal activity, and memory-guided decision-making at adulthood. Furthermore, adolescent stimulation of dopamine neurons also reversed the same cognitive deficits in Disc1+/- mice. Our findings reveal common mesofrontal circuit alterations underlying the cognitive deficits caused by two different genes and demonstrate the feasibility of adolescent neurostimulation to reverse these circuit and behavioral deficits. These results may suggest developmental windows and circuit targets for treating cognitive deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surjeet Mastwal
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Xinjian Li
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Rianne Stowell
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Matthew Manion
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
| | - Nam-Shik Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Ki-Jun Yoon
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Guo-Li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterUnited States
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Chen Y, Wang X, Xiao B, Luo Z, Long H. Mechanisms and Functions of Activity-Regulated Cytoskeleton-Associated Protein in Synaptic Plasticity. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:5738-5754. [PMID: 37338805 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03442-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) is one of the most important regulators of cognitive functions in the brain regions. As a hub protein, Arc plays different roles in modulating synaptic plasticity. Arc supports the maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP) by regulating actin cytoskeletal dynamics, while it guides the endocytosis of AMPAR in long-term depression (LTD). Moreover, Arc can self-assemble into capsids, leading to a new way of communicating among neurons. The transcription and translation of the immediate early gene Arc are rigorous procedures guided by numerous factors, and RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is considered to regulate the precise timing dynamics of gene expression. Since astrocytes can secrete brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and L-lactate, their unique roles in Arc expression are emphasized. Here, we review the entire process of Arc expression and summarize the factors that can affect Arc expression and function, including noncoding RNAs, transcription factors, and posttranscriptional regulations. We also attempt to review the functional states and mechanisms of Arc in modulating synaptic plasticity. Furthermore, we discuss the recent progress in understanding the roles of Arc in the occurrence of major neurological disorders and provide new thoughts for future research on Arc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Chen
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Xiangya School of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaohu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Epileptic Disease of Hunan Province, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China, 410008
| | - Zhaohui Luo
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Clinical Research Center for Epileptic Disease of Hunan Province, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China, 410008.
| | - Hongyu Long
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Clinical Research Center for Epileptic Disease of Hunan Province, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China, 410008.
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Mastwal S, Li X, Stowell R, Manion M, Zhang W, Kim NS, Yoon KJ, Song H, Ming GL, Wang KH. Adolescent neurostimulation of dopamine circuit reverses genetic deficits in frontal cortex function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.03.526987. [PMID: 36778456 PMCID: PMC9915739 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.03.526987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine system dysfunction is commonly implicated in adolescent-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. Although psychosis symptoms can be alleviated by antipsychotics, cognitive symptoms remain unresponsive to such pharmacological treatments and novel research paradigms investigating the circuit substrates underlying cognitive deficits are critically needed. The frontal cortex and its dopaminergic input from the midbrain are implicated in cognitive functions and undergo maturational changes during adolescence. Here, we used mice carrying mutations in the Arc or DISC1 genes to model mesofrontal dopamine circuit deficiencies and test circuit-based neurostimulation strategies to restore cognitive functions. We found that in a memory-guided spatial navigation task, frontal cortical neurons were activated coordinately at the decision-making point in wild-type but not Arc mutant mice. Chemogenetic stimulation of midbrain dopamine neurons or optogenetic stimulation of frontal cortical dopamine axons in a limited adolescent period consistently reversed genetic defects in mesofrontal innervation, task-coordinated neuronal activity, and memory-guided decision-making at adulthood. Furthermore, adolescent stimulation of dopamine neurons also reversed the same cognitive deficits in DISC1 mutant mice. Our findings reveal common mesofrontal circuit alterations underlying the cognitive deficits caused by two different genes and demonstrate the feasibility of adolescent neurostimulation to reverse these circuit and behavioral deficits. These results may suggest developmental windows and circuit targets for treating cognitive deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surjeet Mastwal
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Xinjian Li
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Rianne Stowell
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Matthew Manion
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Nam-Shik Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ki-jun Yoon
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Guo-li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642
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Buck J, Manion MTC, Zhang W, Glasper ER, Wang KH. Comparative anatomical analysis of dopamine systems in Mus musculus and Peromyscus californicus. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:2219-2227. [PMID: 35501609 PMCID: PMC11115318 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02497-8] [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: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine plays important roles in motivational and social behaviors in mammals, and it has been implicated in several human neurological and psychiatric disorders. Rodents are used extensively as experimental models to study dopamine function in health and disease. However, interspecies differences of dopamine systems remain incompletely characterized. Here, we assessed whether the commonly referenced anatomical organization of dopamine systems in Mus musculus differs from another rodent species, Peromyscus californicus, which exhibits unique social behaviors such as biparental care. We applied tyrosine hydroxylase immunofluorescence labeling and high-throughput microscopy to establish whole-brain maps of dopamine systems in P. californicus. By comparing these maps to those from M. musculus, we identified unexpected anatomical similarity and difference between these two species. A sex difference in dopamine neurons at the anteroventral periventricular nucleus of hypothalamus, which has been implicated in regulating the maternal behaviors of the uniparental M. musculus, is similarly present in the biparental P. californicus. In contrast, major interspecies differences from M. musculus are found in the ventral midbrain and striatum of P. californicus, including the expansion of midbrain dopamine neurons into the ventral substantia nigra and the presence of an internal capsule-like white matter tract that demarcates a dorsomedial area from the rest of the striatum. These features identified in P. californicus resemble the anatomical organization of the primate brain more closely compared to those in M. musculus. Our findings suggest that P. californicus is a unique model organism for studying the evolution of dopamine systems in mammals and the disorders of dopamine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Buck
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
- Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Matthew T C Manion
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Erica R Glasper
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43235, USA
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA.
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Areal LB, Blakely RD. Neurobehavioral changes arising from early life dopamine signaling perturbations. Neurochem Int 2020; 137:104747. [PMID: 32325191 PMCID: PMC7261509 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) signaling is critical to the modulation of multiple brain functions including locomotion, reinforcement, attention and cognition. The literature provides strong evidence that altered DA availability and actions can impact normal neurodevelopment, with both early and enduring consequences on anatomy, physiology and behavior. An appreciation for the developmental contributions of DA signaling to brain development is needed to guide efforts to preclude and remedy neurobehavioral disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, addiction, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder, each of which exhibits links to DA via genetic, cellular and/or pharmacological findings. In this review, we highlight research pursued in preclinical models that use genetic and pharmacological approaches to manipulate DA signaling at sensitive developmental stages, leading to changes at molecular, circuit and/or behavioral levels. We discuss how these alterations can be aligned with traits displayed by neuropsychiatric diseases. Lastly, we review human studies that evaluate contributions of developmental perturbations of DA systems to increased risk for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena B Areal
- Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Randy D Blakely
- Department of Biomedical Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA; Brain Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA.
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Lan YL, Li S, Lou JC, Ma XC, Zhang B. The potential roles of dopamine in traumatic brain injury: a preclinical and clinical update. Am J Transl Res 2019; 11:2616-2631. [PMID: 31217842 PMCID: PMC6556629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability, particularly among the young and the elderly. Several therapeutic options have been investigated, including drug interventions or combinational therapies. Although many drugs have shown promising results in the preclinical stage, all have failed in large clinical trials. Targeting the dopamine system is a novel TBI approach that provides benefits to functional outcomes. TBI could damage the dopaminergic system. Alterations in dopamine levels can impact cellular dysfunction and central nervous system (CNS) inflammation. Experimental evidence suggests that dopamine should be considered a first-line treatment to protect cerebral autoregulation and promote cerebral outcomes in TBI. Furthermore, investigation of dopamine-related genetic factors in relation to injury severity could also be of great significance for promoting TBI treatment. Importantly, various clinical lines of evidence have indicated that many dopamine agonists are beneficial when administered following injury in TBI patients. However, side effects of dopamine treatment prevent their use in TBI treatment, and there is a need for ongoing large, prospective, double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with these medications by the use of standardized criteria and outcomes to fully understand their effectiveness in this patient group. Here, we review the roles of dopamine in TBI and discuss the role that dopaminergic therapies have in neuroprotective strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Long Lan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical UniversityDalian, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen People’s HospitalShenzhen, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical UniversityDalian, China
- Department of Physiology, Dalian Medical UniversityDalian, China
| | - Shao Li
- Department of Physiology, Dalian Medical UniversityDalian, China
| | - Jia-Cheng Lou
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical UniversityDalian, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen People’s HospitalShenzhen, China
| | - Xiao-Chi Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical UniversityDalian, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical UniversityDalian, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen People’s HospitalShenzhen, China
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Ye Y, Liu Q, Zhang W, Mastwal S, Wang KH. Developmental Exposure to Psychostimulant Primes Activity-dependent Gene Induction in Frontal Cortex. Dev Neurobiol 2018; 79:96-108. [PMID: 30548567 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Perinatal neurodevelopment involves extensive formation of neural connections and onset of activity-dependent gene expression for synaptic function and plasticity. Exposure to psychostimulants at this stage imposes significant risks for developing cognitive and affective disorders later in life. However, how developmental exposure to psychostimulants may induce long-lasting molecular changes relevant to neural circuit function remains incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the impacts of psychostimulant amphetamine on the activity-dependent induction of synaptic adaptor molecule Arc in the frontal cortex of neonatal mice. We found that transient exposure to amphetamine not only amplifies activity-dependent Arc mRNA expression immediately, but also potentiates subsequent induction of Arc mRNA in the absence of amphetamine. This priming effect is associated with a rapid and persistent increase in histone mono-methylation (H3K4me1), a marker for transcriptionally permissive chromatin, at the Arc locus, but not any long-lasting change in the phosphorylation of upstream transcription factor CREB. Furthermore, the increase in H3K4me1 at the Arc locus requires dopamine receptor signaling, and the priming of Arc expression correlates with the dopaminergic innervation pattern in the frontal cortex. Together, our results demonstrate that developmental exposure to psychostimulant amphetamine induces long-lasting chromatin changes and primes activity-dependent Arc gene induction. These findings reveal the molecular targets of psychostimulant during perinatal development that may contribute to long-term psychiatric risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhou Ye
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Qing Liu
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Surjeet Mastwal
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892
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Managò F, Papaleo F. Schizophrenia: What's Arc Got to Do with It? Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:181. [PMID: 28979198 PMCID: PMC5611489 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Human studies of schizophrenia are now reporting a previously unidentified genetic convergence on postsynaptic signaling complexes such as the activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated (Arc) gene. However, because this evidence is still very recent, the neurobiological implication of Arc in schizophrenia is still scattered and unrecognized. Here, we first review current and developing findings connecting Arc in schizophrenia. We then highlight recent and previous findings from preclinical mouse models that elucidate how Arc genetic modifications might recapitulate schizophrenia-relevant behavioral phenotypes following the novel Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework. Building on this, we finally compare and evaluate several lines of evidence demonstrating that Arc genetics can alter both glutamatergic and dopaminergic systems in a very selective way, again consistent with molecular alterations characteristic of schizophrenia. Despite being only initial, accumulating and compelling data are showing that Arc might be one of the primary biological players in schizophrenia. Synaptic plasticity alterations in the genetic architecture of psychiatric disorders might be a rule, not an exception. Thus, we anticipate that additional evidence will soon emerge to clarify the Arc-dependent mechanisms involved in the psychiatric-related dysfunctional behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Managò
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenova, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenova, Italy
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Melnik BC, Schmitz G. Milk's Role as an Epigenetic Regulator in Health and Disease. Diseases 2017; 5:diseases5010012. [PMID: 28933365 PMCID: PMC5456335 DOI: 10.3390/diseases5010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
It is the intention of this review to characterize milk's role as an epigenetic regulator in health and disease. Based on translational research, we identify milk as a major epigenetic modulator of gene expression of the milk recipient. Milk is presented as an epigenetic "doping system" of mammalian development. Milk exosome-derived micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) that target DNA methyltransferases are implicated to play the key role in the upregulation of developmental genes such as FTO, INS, and IGF1. In contrast to miRNA-deficient infant formula, breastfeeding via physiological miRNA transfer provides the appropriate signals for adequate epigenetic programming of the newborn infant. Whereas breastfeeding is restricted to the lactation period, continued consumption of cow's milk results in persistent epigenetic upregulation of genes critically involved in the development of diseases of civilization such as diabesity, neurodegeneration, and cancer. We hypothesize that the same miRNAs that epigenetically increase lactation, upregulate gene expression of the milk recipient via milk-derived miRNAs. It is of critical concern that persistent consumption of pasteurized cow's milk contaminates the human food chain with bovine miRNAs, that are identical to their human analogs. Commercial interest to enhance dairy lactation performance may further increase the epigenetic miRNA burden for the milk consumer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bodo C Melnik
- Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine and Health Theory, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Osnabrück, Am Finkenhügel 7a, D-49076 Osnabrück, Germany.
| | - Gerd Schmitz
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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Mastwal S, Cao V, Wang KH. Genetic Feedback Regulation of Frontal Cortical Neuronal Ensembles Through Activity-Dependent Arc Expression and Dopaminergic Input. Front Neural Circuits 2016; 10:100. [PMID: 27999532 PMCID: PMC5138219 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2016.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mental functions involve coordinated activities of specific neuronal ensembles that are embedded in complex brain circuits. Aberrant neuronal ensemble dynamics is thought to form the neurobiological basis of mental disorders. A major challenge in mental health research is to identify these cellular ensembles and determine what molecular mechanisms constrain their emergence and consolidation during development and learning. Here, we provide a perspective based on recent studies that use activity-dependent gene Arc/Arg3.1 as a cellular marker to identify neuronal ensembles and a molecular probe to modulate circuit functions. These studies have demonstrated that the transcription of Arc is activated in selective groups of frontal cortical neurons in response to specific behavioral tasks. Arc expression regulates the persistent firing of individual neurons and predicts the consolidation of neuronal ensembles during repeated learning. Therefore, the Arc pathway represents a prototypical example of activity-dependent genetic feedback regulation of neuronal ensembles. The activation of this pathway in the frontal cortex starts during early postnatal development and requires dopaminergic (DA) input. Conversely, genetic disruption of Arc leads to a hypoactive mesofrontal dopamine circuit and its related cognitive deficit. This mutual interaction suggests an auto-regulatory mechanism to amplify the impact of neuromodulators and activity-regulated genes during postnatal development. Such a mechanism may contribute to the association of mutations in dopamine and Arc pathways with neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders. As the mesofrontal dopamine circuit shows extensive activity-dependent developmental plasticity, activity-guided modulation of DA projections or Arc ensembles during development may help to repair circuit deficits related to neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surjeet Mastwal
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vania Cao
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Unit on Neural Circuits and Adaptive Behaviors, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health Bethesda, MD, USA
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