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Widman CJ, Ventresca S, Dietrich J, Elmslie G, Smith H, Kaup G, Wesley A, Doenecke M, Williams FE, Schiefer IT, Ellis J, Messer WS. Allosteric modulators of M 1 muscarinic receptors enhance acetylcholine efficacy and decrease locomotor activity and turning behaviors in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14901. [PMID: 38942828 PMCID: PMC11213934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65445-y] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Allosteric modulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) has been identified as a potential strategy for regulating cholinergic signaling in the treatment of various neurological disorders. Most positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of mAChR enhance agonist affinity and potency, while very few PAMs (e.g., amiodarone) selectively enhance G protein coupling efficacy. The key structural features of amiodarone responsible for enhancement of mAChR efficacy were examined in CHO cells expressing M1 receptors. Subsequent incorporation of these structural features into previously identified allosteric modulators of potency (i.e., n-benzyl isatins) generated ligands that demonstrated similar or better enhancement of mAChR efficacy, lower in vivo toxicity, and higher allosteric binding affinity relative to amiodarone. Notable ligands include 8a, c which respectively demonstrated the strongest binding affinity and the most robust enhancement of mAChR efficacy as calculated from an allosteric operational model. Amiodarone derivatives and hybrid ligands were additionally screened in wildtype zebrafish (Danio rerio) to provide preliminary in vivo toxicity data as well as to observe effects on locomotor and turning behaviors relative to other mAChR PAMs. Several compounds, including 8a, c, reduced locomotor activity and increased measures of turning behaviors in zebrafish, suggesting that allosteric modulation of muscarinic receptor efficacy might be useful in the treatment of repetitive behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey J Widman
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Sestina Ventresca
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Jillian Dietrich
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Gwendolynne Elmslie
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Penn State University, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Hazel Smith
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Gina Kaup
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Aaron Wesley
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Madeline Doenecke
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Frederick E Williams
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Isaac T Schiefer
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
- Center for Drug Design and Development, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - John Ellis
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Penn State University, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - William S Messer
- Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Mail Stop #1015, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
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Chen Z, Wang X, Zhang S, Han F. Neuroplasticity of children in autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1362288. [PMID: 38726381 PMCID: PMC11079289 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1362288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that encompasses a range of symptoms including difficulties in verbal communication, social interaction, limited interests, and repetitive behaviors. Neuroplasticity refers to the structural and functional changes that occur in the nervous system to adapt and respond to changes in the external environment. In simpler terms, it is the brain's ability to learn and adapt to new environments. However, individuals with ASD exhibit abnormal neuroplasticity, which impacts information processing, sensory processing, and social cognition, leading to the manifestation of corresponding symptoms. This paper aims to review the current research progress on ASD neuroplasticity, focusing on genetics, environment, neural pathways, neuroinflammation, and immunity. The findings will provide a theoretical foundation and insights for intervention and treatment in pediatric fields related to ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilin Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Experiment Center of Medical Innovation, The First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Si Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Han
- Department of Pediatrics, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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Patel C, Patel R, Maturkar V, Jain NS. Central cholinergic transmission affects the compulsive-like behavior of mice in marble-burying test. Brain Res 2024; 1825:148713. [PMID: 38097126 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148713] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The presence of the cholinergic system in the brain areas implicated in the precipitation of obsessive-compulsive behavior (OCB) has been reported but the exact role of the central cholinergic system therein is still unexplored. Therefore, the current study assessed the effect of cholinergic analogs on central administration on the marble-burying behavior (MBB) of mice, a behavior correlated with OCB. The result reveals that the enhancement of central cholinergic transmission in mice achieved by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of acetylcholine (0.01 µg) (Subeffective: 0.1 and 0.5 µg), cholinesterase inhibitor, neostigmine (0.1, 0.3, 0.5 µg/mouse) and neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, nicotine (0.1, 2 µg/mouse) significantly attenuated the number of marbles buried by mice in MBB test without affecting basal locomotor activity. Similarly, central injection of mAChR antagonist, atropine (0.1, 0.5, 5 µg/mouse), nAChR antagonist, mecamylamine (0.1, 0.5, 3 µg/mouse) per se also reduced the MBB in mice, indicative of anti-OCB like effect of all the tested cholinergic mAChR or nAChR agonist and antagonist. Surprisingly, i.c.v. injection of acetylcholine (0.01 µg), and neostigmine (0.1 µg) failed to elicit an anti-OCB-like effect in mice pre-treated (i.c.v.) with atropine (0.1 µg), or mecamylamine (0.1 µg). Thus, the findings of the present investigationdelineate the role of central cholinergic transmission in the compulsive-like behavior of mice probably via mAChR or nAChR stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhatrapal Patel
- Department of Pharmacy, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Koni, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Richa Patel
- Department of Pharmacy, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Koni, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Vaibhav Maturkar
- Department of Pharmacy, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Koni, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Nishant Sudhir Jain
- Department of Pharmacy, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Koni, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India.
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Widman CJ, Ventresca S, Dietrich J, Elmslie G, Smith H, Kaup G, Wesley A, Doenecke M, Williams FE, Schiefer IT, Ellis J, Messer WS. Hybrid Allosteric Modulators of M1 Muscarinic Receptors Enhance Acetylcholine Efficacy and Decrease Locomotor Activity and Turning Behaviors in Zebrafish. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3901189. [PMID: 38410427 PMCID: PMC10896388 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3901189/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Allosteric modulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) has been identified as a potential strategy for regulating cholinergic signaling in the treatment of various neurological disorders. Most positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of mAChR enhance agonist affinity and potency, while very few PAMs selectively enhance G-protein coupling efficacy (e.g., amiodarone). The key structural features of amiodarone responsible for enhancement of mAChR efficacy were examined in CHO cells expressing M1 receptors. Subsequent incorporation of these structural features into previously identified allosteric modulators of potency (i.e., n-benzyl isatins) generated hybrid ligands that demonstrated similar or better enhancement of mAChR efficacy, lower in vivo toxicity, and higher allosteric binding affinity relative to amiodarone. Notable hybrid ligands include 8a and 8b which respectively demonstrated the strongest binding affinity and the most robust enhancement of mAChR efficacy as calculated from an allosteric operational model. Amiodarone derivatives and hybrid ligands were additionally screened in wildtype zebrafish (Danio rerio) to provide preliminary in vivo toxicity data as well as to observe effects on locomotor and turning behaviors relative to other mAChR PAMs. Several compounds, including 8a and 8c, reduced locomotor activity and increased measures of turning behaviors in zebrafish, suggesting that allosteric modulation of muscarinic receptor efficacy might be useful in the treatment of repetitive behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Teneqexhi P, Khalid A, Nisbett KE, Job GA, Messer WS, Ragozzino ME. The Partial M 1 Muscarinic Cholinergic Receptor Agonist, CDD-0102A, Differentially Modulates Glutamate Efflux in Striatal Subregions during Stereotyped Motor Behavior in the BTBR Mouse Model of Autism. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:2699-2709. [PMID: 37434313 PMCID: PMC10401636 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00260] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mouse displays elevated repetitive motor behaviors. Treatment with the partial M1 muscarinic receptor agonist, CDD-0102A, attenuates stereotyped motor behaviors in BTBR mice. The present experiment investigated whether CDD-0102A modifies changes in striatal glutamate concentrations during stereotyped motor behavior in BTBR and B6 mice. Using glutamate biosensors, change in striatal glutamate efflux was measured during bouts of digging and grooming behavior with a 1 s time resolution. Mice displayed both decreases and increases in glutamate efflux during such behaviors. Magnitude of changes in glutamate efflux (decreases and increases) from dorsomedial and dorsolateral striatum were significantly greater in BTBR mice compared to those of B6 mice. In BTBR mice, CDD-0102A (1.2 mg/kg) administered 30 min prior to testing significantly reduced the magnitude change in glutamate decreases and increases from the dorsolateral striatum and decreased grooming behavior. Conversely, CDD-0102A treatment in B6 mice potentiated glutamate decreases and increases in the dorsolateral striatum and elevated grooming behavior. The findings suggest that activation of M1 muscarinic receptors modifies glutamate transmission in the dorsolateral striatum and self-grooming behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Teneqexhi
- Department
of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, 1007 West Harrison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Alina Khalid
- Department
of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, 1007 West Harrison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Khalin E. Nisbett
- Department
of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, 1007 West Harrison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
- Graduate
Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois
Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Greeshma A. Job
- Department
of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, 1007 West Harrison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - William S. Messer
- Departments
of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and Medicinal and Biological
Chemistry, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606, United States
| | - Michael E. Ragozzino
- Department
of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, 1007 West Harrison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
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Arakawa H, Higuchi Y, Ozawa A. Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus circuit-dependently regulates social behavior, which malfunctions in BTBR mouse model of autism. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2621359. [PMID: 36909537 PMCID: PMC10002846 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2621359/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) a neuropeptide synthesized in the hypothalamic nuclei has a variety of function including socio-emotional processes in mammals. While the neural circuits and signaling pathways in central OXT converge in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), we illuminate specific function of discrete PVN OXT circuits, which connect to the medial amygdala (MeA) and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BnST) in mouse models. The OXTPVN→BnST projections are innervated from entire portions of the PVN, while those OXTPVN→MeA projections are asymmetrically innervated from the posterior portion of the PVN. Compared with OXT neurons in B6 wild type mice, BTBR mice that are recognized as a behavior-based autism model exhibited defect in the OXTPVN→BnST projection. We demonstrate that chemogenetic activation of OXTPVN→MeA circuit enhances anxiety-like behavior and facilitates social approach behavior, while activation of OXTPVN→BnST circuit suppresses anxiety-like behavior along with inhibiting social approach. This chemogenetic manipulation on the OXTPVN→BnST circuit proves ineffective in BTBR mice. Accordingly, chemogenetic activation of OXTPVN neurons that stimulate both OXT circuits induces OXT receptor expressions in both MeA and BnST as with those by social encounter in B6 mice. The induction of OXT receptor genes in the BnST was not observed in BTBR mice. These data support the hypothesis that OXT circuits serve as a regulator for OXT signaling in PVN to control socio-emotional approach/avoidance behavior, and a defect of OXTPVN→BnST circuit contributes to autism-like social phenotypes in BTBR mice.
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Alvarez BD, Morales CA, Oliver BL, Cavazos C, Amodeo LR, Amodeo DA. Impairments in operant probabilistic reversal learning in BTBR T+tf/J male and female mice. Behav Brain Res 2023; 437:114111. [PMID: 36100009 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents with two core symptoms, impairments in social communication and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRBs). RRBs are commonly linked to a lack of behavioral flexibility, having a significant negative impact on daily functioning for ASD individuals and their caregivers. Commonly utilized tests of behavioral flexibility employ a traditional deterministic reward approach where choices are either correct or incorrect throughout testing. The incorporation of an 80 %/20 % probabilistic reversal learning paradigm allows for the examination of flexible behavior in the face of variable outcomes, a more ecologically relevant approach. In this task, one specific choice is reinforced on 80 % of trials and the opposite or incorrect choice is reinforced on 20% of trials. Upon successful discrimination learning, the reward contingencies are switched so that the correct choice is now reinforced 20% of trials and the incorrect choice reinforced 80 % of trials, making it the new optimal choice. This translational task has been previously validated in ASD individuals and animal models of ASD, including the BTBR T + tf/J strain. Our lab and others have demonstrated that male BTBR T + tf/J mice have higher expression of lower order RRBs and display deficits in spatial probabilistic reversal learning tasks using a T-maze apparatus. Instead, female BTBR mice do not express the same lower order RRBs and results are mixed on whether females demonstrate similar probabilistic reversal learning deficits in a T-maze. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the validity of using operant chambers to examine BTBR mouse performance on an 80 %/20 % probabilistic reversal learning task and to also examine the sex-specific differences in reversal learning performance in both mouse strains. Results show that BTBR mice, irrespective of sex, were impaired on the reversal learning, requiring more days and trials to reach reversal criterion compared to C57BL/6J mice. These results parallel previous strain findings in the spatial dependent T-maze task in male mice. Further error analysis showed that the impaired behavioral flexibility was due to elevated regressive errors and lose-shift probabilities. BTBR mice have more difficulty maintaining new choice patterns compared to C57BL/6J mice, which supports findings utilizing a spatial T-maze task. Together, these findings further support the use of the BTBR mouse as preclinical models of ASD due to their validity as an ASD model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan D Alvarez
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA 92407, United States
| | - Cheyenne A Morales
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA 92407, United States
| | - Brandon L Oliver
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA 92407, United States
| | - Cassandra Cavazos
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA 92407, United States
| | - Leslie R Amodeo
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA 92407, United States.
| | - Dionisio A Amodeo
- Department of Psychology, California State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA 92407, United States
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Schmitt LM, Arzuaga AL, Dapore A, Duncan J, Patel M, Larson JR, Erickson CA, Sweeney JA, Ragozzino ME. Parallel learning and cognitive flexibility impairments between Fmr1 knockout mice and individuals with fragile X syndrome. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 16:1074682. [PMID: 36688132 PMCID: PMC9849779 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1074682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a monogenic condition that leads to intellectual disability along with behavioral and learning difficulties. Among behavioral and learning difficulties, cognitive flexibility impairments are among the most commonly reported in FXS, which significantly impacts daily living. Despite the extensive use of the Fmr1 knockout (KO) mouse to understand molecular, synaptic and behavioral alterations related to FXS, there has been limited development of translational paradigms to understand cognitive flexibility that can be employed in both animal models and individuals with FXS to facilitate treatment development. Methods To begin addressing this limitation, a parallel set of studies were carried out that investigated probabilistic reversal learning along with other behavioral and cognitive tests in individuals with FXS and Fmr1 KO mice. Fifty-five adolescents and adults with FXS (67% male) and 34 age- and sex-matched typically developing controls (62% male) completed an initial probabilistic learning training task and a probabilistic reversal learning task. Results In males with FXS, both initial probabilistic learning and reversal learning deficits were found. However, in females with FXS, we only observed reversal learning deficits. Reversal learning deficits related to more severe psychiatric features in females with FXS, whereas increased sensitivity to negative feedback (lose:shift errors) unexpectedly appear to be adaptive in males with FXS. Male Fmr1 KO mice exhibited both an initial probabilistic learning and reversal learning deficit compared to that of wildtype (WT) mice. Female Fmr1 KO mice were selectively impaired on probabilistic reversal learning. In a prepotent response inhibition test, both male and female Fmr1 KO mice were impaired in learning to choose a non-preferred spatial location to receive a food reward compared to that of WT mice. Neither male nor female Fmr1 KO mice exhibited a change in anxiety compared to that of WT mice. Discussion Together, our findings demonstrate strikingly similar sex-dependent learning disturbances across individuals with FXS and Fmr1 KO mice. This suggests the promise of using analogous paradigms of cognitive flexibility across species that may speed treatment development to improve lives of individuals with FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M. Schmitt
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Anna L. Arzuaga
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ashley Dapore
- Department of Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jason Duncan
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Maya Patel
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - John R. Larson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Craig A. Erickson
- Department of Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - John A. Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Michael E. Ragozzino
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States,*Correspondence: Michael E. Ragozzino,
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