1
|
Leung ECH, Jain P, Michealson MA, Choi H, Ellsworth-Kopkowski A, Valenzuela CF. Recent breakthroughs in understanding the cerebellum's role in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Alcohol 2024; 119:37-71. [PMID: 38097146 PMCID: PMC11166889 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.12.003] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to alcohol during fetal development can lead to structural and functional abnormalities in the cerebellum, a brain region responsible for motor coordination, balance, and specific cognitive functions. In this systematic review, we comprehensively analyze a vast body of research conducted on vertebrate animals and humans over the past 13 years. We identified studies through PubMed and screened them following PRISMA guidelines. Data extraction and quality analysis were conducted using Covidence systematic review software. A total of 108 studies met our inclusion criteria, with the majority (79 studies) involving vertebrate animal models and 29 studies focusing on human subjects. Animal models included zebrafish, mice, rats, sheep, and non-human primates, investigating the impact of ethanol on cerebellar structure, gene/protein expression, physiology, and cerebellar-dependent behaviors. Additionally, some animal studies explored potential therapeutic interventions against ethanol-induced cerebellar damage. The human studies predominantly adopted cohort designs, exploring the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on cerebellar structure and function. Certain human studies delved into innovative cerebellar-based diagnostic approaches for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The collective findings from these studies clearly indicate that the cerebellum is involved in various neurophysiological deficits associated with FASD, emphasizing the importance of evaluating both cerebellar structure and function in the diagnostic process for this condition. Moreover, this review sheds light into potential therapeutic strategies that can mitigate prenatal alcohol exposure-induced cerebellar damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric C H Leung
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Priyanka Jain
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Marisa A Michealson
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Hyesun Choi
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Alexis Ellsworth-Kopkowski
- Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Olivares-Costa M, Fabio MC, De la Fuente-Ortega E, Haeger PA, Pautassi R. New therapeutics for the prevention or amelioration of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: a narrative review of the preclinical literature. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2024:1-22. [PMID: 39023419 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2024.2361442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Background: Ethanol consumption during pregnancy induces enduring detrimental effects in the offspring, manifesting as a spectrum of symptoms collectively termed as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Presently, there is a scarcity of treatments for FASD.Objectives: To analyze current literature, emphasizing evidence derived from preclinical models, that could potentially inform therapeutic interventions for FASD.Methods: A narrative review was conducted focusing on four prospective treatments: nutritional supplements, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and environmental enrichment. The review also highlights innovative therapeutic strategies applied during early (e.g. folate administration, postnatal days 4-9) or late (e.g. NOX2 inhibitors given after weaning) postnatal stages that resulted in significant improvements in behavioral responses during adolescence (a critical period marked by the emergence of mental health issues in humans).Results: Our findings underscore the value of treatments centered around nutritional supplementation or environmental enrichment, aimed at mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation, implying shared mechanisms in FASD pathogenesis. Moreover, the review spotlights emerging evidence pertaining to the involvement of novel molecular components with potential pharmacological targets (such as NOX2, MCP1/CCR2, PPARJ, and PDE1).Conclusions: Preclinical studies have identified oxidative imbalance and neuroinflammation as relevant pathological mechanisms induced by prenatal ethanol exposure. The relevance of these mechanisms, which exhibit positive feedback loop mechanisms, appear to peak during early development and decreases in adulthood. These findings provide a framework for the future development of therapeutic avenues in the development of specific clinical treatments for FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Olivares-Costa
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - María Carolina Fabio
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Erwin De la Fuente-Ortega
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Paola A Haeger
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Neuroepigenetics and Plasticity (EpiNeuro), Santiago, Chile
| | - Ricardo Pautassi
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Coquimbo, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Acuña AM, Park C, Leyrer-Jackson JM, Olive MF. Promising immunomodulators for management of substance and alcohol use disorders. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2024; 25:867-884. [PMID: 38803314 PMCID: PMC11216154 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2360653] [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: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The neuroimmune system has emerged as a novel target for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs), with immunomodulation producing encouraging therapeutic benefits in both preclinical and clinical settings. AREAS COVERED In this review, we describe the mechanism of action and immune response to methamphetamine, opioids, cocaine, and alcohol. We then discuss off-label use of immunomodulators as adjunctive therapeutics in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, demonstrating their potential efficacy in affective and behavioral disorders. We then discuss in detail the mechanism of action and recent findings regarding the use of ibudilast, minocycline, probenecid, dexmedetomidine, pioglitazone, and cannabidiol to treat (SUDs). These immunomodulators are currently being investigated in clinical trials described herein, specifically for their potential to decrease substance use, withdrawal severity, central and peripheral inflammation, comorbid neuropsychiatric disorder symptomology, as well as their ability to improve cognitive outcomes. EXPERT OPINION We argue that although mixed, findings from recent preclinical and clinical studies underscore the potential benefit of immunomodulation in the treatment of the behavioral, cognitive, and inflammatory processes that underlie compulsive substance use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Acuña
- Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology Area, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Connor Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Jonna M. Leyrer-Jackson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - M. Foster Olive
- Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology Area, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Król M, Skowron P, Skowron K, Gil K. The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders-An Overview of Experimental Models, Therapeutic Strategies, and Future Research Directions. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:531. [PMID: 38790526 PMCID: PMC11120554 DOI: 10.3390/children11050531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Since the establishment of a clear link between maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and certain birth defects, the research into the treatment of FASD has become increasingly sophisticated. The field has begun to explore the possibility of intervening at different levels, and animal studies have provided valuable insights into the pathophysiology of the disease, forming the basis for implementing potential therapies with increasingly precise mechanisms. The recent reports suggest that compounds that reduce the severity of neurodevelopmental deficits, including glial cell function and myelination, and/or target oxidative stress and inflammation may be effective in treating FASD. Our goal in writing this article was to analyze and synthesize current experimental therapeutic interventions for FASD, elucidating their potential mechanisms of action, translational relevance, and implications for clinical application. This review exclusively focuses on animal models and the interventions used in these models to outline the current direction of research. We conclude that given the complexity of the underlying mechanisms, a multifactorial approach combining nutritional supplementation, pharmacotherapy, and behavioral techniques tailored to the stage and severity of the disease may be a promising avenue for further research in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Król
- Department of Pathophysiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Czysta St. 18, 31-121 Krakow, Poland; (M.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Paweł Skowron
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Wroclaw Medical University, T. Chalubinskiego St. 10, 50-368 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Kamil Skowron
- Department of Pathophysiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Czysta St. 18, 31-121 Krakow, Poland; (M.K.); (K.S.)
| | - Krzysztof Gil
- Department of Pathophysiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Czysta St. 18, 31-121 Krakow, Poland; (M.K.); (K.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cealie MY, Douglas JC, Swan HK, Vonkaenel ED, McCall MN, Drew PD, Majewska AK. Developmental Ethanol Exposure Impacts Purkinje Cells but Not Microglia in the Young Adult Cerebellum. Cells 2024; 13:386. [PMID: 38474350 PMCID: PMC10930603 DOI: 10.3390/cells13050386] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) caused by developmental ethanol exposure lead to cerebellar impairments, including motor problems, decreased cerebellar weight, and cell death. Alterations in the sole output of the cerebellar cortex, Purkinje cells, and central nervous system immune cells, microglia, have been reported in animal models of FASD. To determine how developmental ethanol exposure affects adult cerebellar microglia and Purkinje cells, we used a human third-trimester binge exposure model in which mice received ethanol or saline from postnatal (P) days 4-9. In adolescence, cerebellar cranial windows were implanted and mice were aged to young adulthood for examination of microglia and Purkinje cells in vivo with two-photon imaging or in fixed tissue. Ethanol had no effect on microglia density, morphology, dynamics, or injury response. However, Purkinje cell linear frequency was reduced by ethanol. Microglia-Purkinje cell interactions in the Purkinje Cell Layer were altered in females compared to males. Overall, developmental ethanol exposure had few effects on cerebellar microglia in young adulthood and Purkinje cells appeared to be more susceptible to its effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- MaKenna Y. Cealie
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14620, USA;
| | - James C. Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; (J.C.D.); (P.D.D.)
| | - Hannah K. Swan
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14620, USA; (H.K.S.); (M.N.M.)
| | - Erik D. Vonkaenel
- Earth and Biological Systems Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA;
| | - Matthew N. McCall
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14620, USA; (H.K.S.); (M.N.M.)
| | - Paul D. Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; (J.C.D.); (P.D.D.)
| | - Ania K. Majewska
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14620, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Padilla-Valdez MM, Díaz-Iñiguez MI, Ortuño-Sahagún D, Rojas-Mayorquín AE. Neuroinflammation in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and related novel therapeutic approaches. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:166854. [PMID: 37611676 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166854] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term to describe the neurological effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). It has been extensively characterized that PAE causes cell proliferation disruption, heterotopias, and malformations in various brain regions and there is increasing evidence that neuroinflammation is responsible for some of these neurotoxic effects. Despite evidence of its importance, neuroinflammation is not usually considered at diagnosis or treatment for FASD. Here, we discuss the literature regarding anti- inflammatory drugs and nutraceuticals, which hold promise for future therapeutical interventions in these disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mayra Madeleine Padilla-Valdez
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Guadalajara 45200, Mexico; Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas (IICB), Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, C.P 44340 Guadalajara, JAL, Mexico
| | - María Isabel Díaz-Iñiguez
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Guadalajara 45200, Mexico; Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas (IICB), Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, C.P 44340 Guadalajara, JAL, Mexico
| | - Daniel Ortuño-Sahagún
- Laboratorio de Neuroinmunobiología Molecular, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas (IICB), Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, C.P 44340 Guadalajara, JAL, Mexico.
| | - Argelia Esperanza Rojas-Mayorquín
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Guadalajara 45200, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kokhan VS, Anokhin PK, Proskuryakova TV, Shokhonova VA, Ageldinov RA, Shamakina IY. Interleukin-1β and TNF-α are elevated in the amygdala of adult rats prenatally exposed to ethanol. BIOMEDITSINSKAIA KHIMIIA 2023; 69:300-306. [PMID: 37937432 DOI: 10.18097/pbmc20236905300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Affective disorders, including anxiety and depression, developed in adult offspring of the mothers who consumed alcohol during pregnancy could be associated with an imbalance in neuroimmune factors in the amygdala (corpus amygdaloideum) resulted in impaired emotional stimulus processing. The aim of this study was to compare the content of cytokines TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-10, and IL-17 in the amygdala of adult female rats exposed to alcohol in utero and control rats. Cytokine levels were evaluated using a multiplex immunoassay system; mRNA expression was investigated using a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay. Prenatal alcohol exposure led to the increase in the content of TNF-α and IL-1β without significant changes in the mRNA expression level. Our data suggest that ethanol exposure to the fetus during pregnancy can result in long-term alterations in the content of the key neuroinflammatory factors in the amygdala, which in turn can be a risk factor for affective disorders in the adulthood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V S Kokhan
- National Scientific Center for Narcology - Branch of the V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - P K Anokhin
- National Scientific Center for Narcology - Branch of the V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - T V Proskuryakova
- National Scientific Center for Narcology - Branch of the V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - V A Shokhonova
- National Scientific Center for Narcology - Branch of the V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - R A Ageldinov
- Scientific Center of Biomedical Technologies of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, Svetlye gory, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - I Yu Shamakina
- National Scientific Center for Narcology - Branch of the V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mukherjee S, Tarale P, Sarkar DK. Neuroimmune Interactions in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Potential Therapeutic Targets and Intervention Strategies. Cells 2023; 12:2323. [PMID: 37759545 PMCID: PMC10528917 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a set of abnormalities caused by prenatal exposure to ethanol and are characterized by developmental defects in the brain that lead to various overt and non-overt physiological abnormalities. Growing evidence suggests that in utero alcohol exposure induces functional and structural abnormalities in gliogenesis and neuron-glia interactions, suggesting a possible role of glial cell pathologies in the development of FASD. However, the molecular mechanisms of neuron-glia interactions that lead to the development of FASD are not clearly understood. In this review, we discuss glial cell pathologies with a particular emphasis on microglia, primary resident immune cells in the brain. Additionally, we examine the involvement of several neuroimmune molecules released by glial cells, their signaling pathways, and epigenetic mechanisms responsible for FASD-related alteration in brain functions. Growing evidence suggests that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in the communication between cells via transporting bioactive cargo from one cell to the other. This review emphasizes the role of EVs in the context of neuron-glia interactions during prenatal alcohol exposure. Finally, some potential applications involving nutritional, pharmacological, cell-based, and exosome-based therapies in the treatment of FASD are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sayani Mukherjee
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1573, USA; (S.M.); (P.T.)
- Hormone Laboratory Research Group, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Jonas Lies vei 91B, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Prashant Tarale
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1573, USA; (S.M.); (P.T.)
| | - Dipak K. Sarkar
- The Endocrine Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1573, USA; (S.M.); (P.T.)
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Garcia-Baos A, Pastor A, Gallego-Landin I, de la Torre R, Sanz F, Valverde O. The role of PPAR-γ in memory deficits induced by prenatal and lactation alcohol exposure in mice. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3373-3383. [PMID: 37491462 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02191-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Patients diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) show persistent cognitive disabilities, including memory deficits. However, the neurobiological substrates underlying these deficits remain unclear. Here, we show that prenatal and lactation alcohol exposure (PLAE) in mice induces FASD-like memory impairments. This is accompanied by a reduction of N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) in the hippocampus specifically in a childhood-like period (at post-natal day (PD) 25). To determine their role in memory deficits, two pharmacological approaches were performed during this specific period of early life. Thus, memory performance was tested after the repeated administration (from PD25 to PD34) of: i) URB597, to increase NAEs, with GW9662, a PPAR-γ antagonist; ii) pioglitazone, a PPAR-γ agonist. We observed that URB597 suppresses PLAE-induced memory deficits through a PPAR-γ dependent mechanism, since its effects are prevented by GW9662. Direct PPAR-γ activation, using pioglitazone, also ameliorates memory impairments. Lastly, to further investigate the region and cellular specificity, we demonstrate that an early overexpression of PPAR-γ, by means of a viral vector, in hippocampal astrocytes mitigates memory deficits induced by PLAE. Together, our data reveal that disruptions of PPAR-γ signaling during neurodevelopment contribute to PLAE-induced memory dysfunction. In turn, PPAR-γ activation during a childhood-like period is a promising therapeutic approach for memory deficits in the context of early alcohol exposure. Thus, these findings contribute to the gaining insight into the mechanisms that might underlie memory impairments in FASD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alba Garcia-Baos
- Neurobiology of Behavior Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoni Pastor
- Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ines Gallego-Landin
- Neurobiology of Behavior Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael de la Torre
- Neurobiology of Behavior Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ferran Sanz
- Research Program on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behavior Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
- Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ruffaner-Hanson CD, Fernandez-Oropeza AK, Sun MS, Caldwell KK, Allan AM, Savage DD, Valenzuela CF, Noor S, Milligan ED. Prenatal alcohol exposure alters mRNA expression for stress peptides, glucocorticoid receptor function and immune factors in acutely stressed neonatal brain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1203557. [PMID: 37425005 PMCID: PMC10326286 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1203557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The amygdala, hippocampus and hypothalamus are critical stress regulatory areas that undergo functional maturation for stress responding initially established during gestational and early postnatal brain development. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a consequence of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), results in cognitive, mood and behavioral disorders. Prenatal alcohol exposure negatively impacts components of the brain stress response system, including stress-associated brain neuropeptides and glucocorticoid receptors in the amygdala, hippocampus and hypothalamus. While PAE generates a unique brain cytokine expression pattern, little is known about the role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and related proinflammatory signaling factors, as well as anti-inflammatory cytokines in PAE brain stress-responsive regions. We hypothesized that PAE sensitizes the early brain stress response system resulting in dysregulated neuroendocrine and neuroimmune activation. Methods A single, 4-h exposure of maternal separation stress in male and female postnatal day 10 (PND10) C57Bl/6 offspring was utilized. Offspring were from either prenatal control exposure (saccharin) or a limited access (4 h) drinking-in-the-dark model of PAE. Immediately after stress on PND10, the hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus were collected, and mRNA expression was analyzed for stress-associated factors (CRH and AVP), glucocorticoid receptor signaling regulators (GAS5, FKBP51 and FKBP52), astrocyte and microglial activation, and factors associated with TLR4 activation including proinflammatory interleukin-1β (IL-1β), along with additional pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Select protein expression analysis of CRH, FKBP and factors associated with the TLR4 signaling cascade from male and female amygdala was conducted. Results The female amygdala revealed increased mRNA expression in stress-associated factors, glucocorticoid receptor signaling regulators and all of the factors critical in the TLR4 activation cascade, while the hypothalamus revealed blunted mRNA expression of all of these factors in PAE following stress. Conversely, far fewer mRNA changes were observed in males, notably in the hippocampus and hypothalamus, but not the amygdala. Statistically significant increases in CRH protein, and a strong trend in increased IL-1β were observed in male offspring with PAE independent of stressor exposure. Conclusion Prenatal alcohol exposure creates stress-related factors and TLR-4 neuroimmune pathway sensitization observed predominantly in females, that is unmasked in early postnatal life by a stress challenge.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Erin D. Milligan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Noor S, Pritha AN, Pasmay AA, Sanchez JE, Sanchez JJ, Fernandez-Oropeza AK, Sun MS, Dell’Orco M, Davies S, Savage DD, Mellios N, Milligan ED. Prenatal alcohol exposure dysregulates spinal and circulating immune cell circular RNA expression in adult female rats with chronic sciatic neuropathy. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1180308. [PMID: 37360167 PMCID: PMC10288115 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1180308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is associated with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) that results in a continuum of central nervous system (CNS) deficits. Emerging evidence from both preclinical and clinical studies indicate that the biological vulnerability to chronic CNS disease in FASD populations is driven by aberrant neuroimmune actions. Our prior studies suggest that, following minor nerve injury, prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a risk factor for developing adult-onset chronic pathological touch sensitivity or allodynia. Allodynia in PAE rats occurs concurrently with heightened proinflammatory peripheral and spinal glial-immune activation. However, minor nerve-injured control rats remain non-allodynic, and corresponding proinflammatory factors are unaltered. A comprehensive molecular understanding of the mechanism(s) that underlie PAE-induced proinflammatory bias during adulthood remains elusive. Non-coding circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as novel modulators of gene expression. Here, we hypothesized that PAE induces dysregulation of circRNAs that are linked to immune function under basal and nerve-injured conditions during adulthood. Utilizing a microarray platform, we carried out the first systematic profiling of circRNAs in adult PAE rats, prior to and after minor nerve injury. The results demonstrate a unique circRNA profile in adult PAE rats without injury; 18 circRNAs in blood and 32 spinal circRNAs were differentially regulated. Following minor nerve injury, more than 100 differentially regulated spinal circRNAs were observed in allodynic PAE rats. Bioinformatic analysis identified that the parental genes of these circRNAs are linked to the NF-κB complex, a central transcription factor for pain-relevant proinflammatory cytokines. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to measure levels of selected circRNAs and linear mRNA isoforms. We have validated that circVopp1 was significantly downregulated in blood leukocytes in PAE rats, concurrent with downregulation of Vopp1 mRNA levels. Spinal circVopp1 levels were upregulated in PAE rats, regardless of nerve injury. Additionally, PAE downregulated levels of circItch and circRps6ka3, which are linked to immune regulation. These results demonstrate that PAE exerts long-lasting dysregulation of circRNA expression in blood leukocytes and the spinal cord. Moreover, the spinal circRNA expression profile following peripheral nerve injury is differentially modulated by PAE, potentially contributing to PAE-induced neuroimmune dysregulation.
Collapse
|
12
|
Cealie MY, Douglas JC, Le LHD, Vonkaenel ED, McCall MN, Drew PD, Majewska AK. Developmental ethanol exposure has minimal impact on cerebellar microglial dynamics, morphology, and interactions with Purkinje cells during adolescence. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1176581. [PMID: 37214408 PMCID: PMC10198441 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1176581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the most common cause of non-heritable, preventable mental disability, occurring in almost 5% of births in the United States. FASD lead to physical, behavioral, and cognitive impairments, including deficits related to the cerebellum. There is no known cure for FASD and their mechanisms remain poorly understood. To better understand these mechanisms, we examined the cerebellum on a cellular level by studying microglia, the principal immune cells of the central nervous system, and Purkinje cells, the sole output of the cerebellum. Both cell types have been shown to be affected in models of FASD, with increased cell death, immune activation of microglia, and altered firing in Purkinje cells. While ethanol administered in adulthood can acutely depress the dynamics of the microglial process arbor, it is unknown how developmental ethanol exposure impacts microglia dynamics and their interactions with Purkinje cells in the long term. Methods To address this question, we used a mouse model of human 3rd trimester exposure, whereby L7cre/Ai9+/-/Cx3cr1G/+ mice (with fluorescently labeled microglia and Purkinje cells) of both sexes were subcutaneously treated with a binge-level dose of ethanol (5.0 g/kg/day) or saline from postnatal days 4-9. Cranial windows were implanted in adolescent mice above the cerebellum to examine the long-term effects of developmental ethanol exposure on cerebellar microglia and Purkinje cell interactions using in vivo two-photon imaging. Results We found that cerebellar microglia dynamics and morphology were not affected after developmental ethanol exposure. Microglia dynamics were also largely unaltered with respect to how they interact with Purkinje cells, although subtle changes in these interactions were observed in females in the molecular layer of the cerebellum. Discussion This work suggests that there are limited in vivo long-term effects of ethanol exposure on microglia morphology, dynamics, and neuronal interactions, so other avenues of research may be important in elucidating the mechanisms of FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- MaKenna Y. Cealie
- Majewska Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - James C. Douglas
- Drew Laboratory, Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Linh H. D. Le
- Majewska Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Erik D. Vonkaenel
- McCall Laboratory, Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Matthew N. McCall
- McCall Laboratory, Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Paul D. Drew
- Drew Laboratory, Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Ania K. Majewska
- Majewska Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Walter KR, Ricketts DK, Presswood BH, Smith SM, Mooney SM. Prenatal alcohol exposure causes persistent microglial activation and age- and sex- specific effects on cognition and metabolic outcomes in an Alzheimer's Disease mouse model. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2023; 49:302-320. [PMID: 36194703 PMCID: PMC11040461 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2119571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) causes behavioral deficits and increases risk of metabolic diseases. Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that has a higher risk in adults with metabolic diseases. Both present with persistent neuroinflammation.Objectives: We tested whether PAE exacerbates AD-related cognitive decline in a mouse model (3xTg-AD; presenilin/amyloid precursor protein/tau), and assessed associations among cognition, metabolic impairment, and microglial reactivity.Methods: Alcohol-exposed (ALC) pregnant 3xTg-AD mice received 3 g/kg alcohol from embryonic day 8.5-17.5. We evaluated recognition memory and associative memory (fear conditioning) in 8-10 males and females per group at 3 months of age (3mo), 7mo, and 11mo, then assessed glucose tolerance, body composition, and hippocampal microglial activation at 12mo.Results: ALC females had higher body weights than controls from 5mo (p < .0001). Controls showed improved recognition memory at 11mo compared with 3mo (p = .007); this was not seen in ALC mice. Older animals froze more during fear conditioning than younger, and ALC mice were hyper-responsive to the fear-related cue (p = .017). Fasting blood glucose was lower in ALC males and higher in ALC females than controls. Positive associations occurred between glucose and fear-related context (p = .04) and adiposity and fear-related cue (p = .0002) in ALC animals. Hippocampal microglial activation was higher in ALC than controls (p < .0001); this trended to correlate with recognition memory.Conclusions: ALC animals showed age-related cognitive impairments that did not interact with AD risk but did correlate with metabolic dysfunction and somewhat with microglial activation. Thus, metabolic disorders may be a therapeutic target for people with FASDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen R. Walter
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081, USA
| | - Dane K. Ricketts
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081, USA
| | - Brandon H. Presswood
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081, USA
| | - Susan M. Smith
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081, USA
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081, USA
| | - Sandra M. Mooney
- UNC Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081, USA
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis NC 28081, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Niedzwiedz-Massey VM, Douglas JC, Rafferty T, Johnson JW, Holloway KN, Berquist MD, Kane CJ, Drew PD. Effects of chronic and binge ethanol administration on mouse cerebellar and hippocampal neuroinflammation. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2023; 49:345-358. [PMID: 36345683 PMCID: PMC10615135 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2128361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background: Hippocampal and cerebellar neuropathology occurs in individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUD), resulting in impaired cognitive and motor function.Objectives: Evaluate the effects of ethanol on the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules, as well as the effects of the anti-inflammatory PPAR-γ agonist pioglitazone in suppressing ethanol-induced neuroinflammation.Methods: Adult male and female mice were treated chronically with ethanol for just under a month followed by a single acute binge dose of ethanol. Animals were provided liquid diet in the absence of ethanol (Control; n = 18, 9 M/9F), liquid diet containing ethanol (ethanol; n = 22, 11 M/11F), or liquid diet containing ethanol plus gavage administration of 30.0 mg/kg pioglitazone (ethanol + pioglitazone; n = 20, 10 M/10F). The hippocampus and cerebellum were isolated 24 h following the binge dose of ethanol, mRNA was isolated, and pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules were quantified by qRT-PCR.Results: Ethanol significantly (p < .05) increased the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules IL-1β, TNF-α, CCL2, and COX2; increased the expression of inflammasome-related molecules NLRP3 and Casp1 but decreased IL-18; and altered the expression of anti-inflammatory molecules including TGFβR1 in the hippocampus and cerebellum, though some differences were observed between males and females and the two brain regions. The anti-inflammatory pioglitazone inhibited ethanol-induced alterations in the expression of most, but not all, inflammation-related molecules.Conclusion: Chronic plus binge administration of ethanol induced the expression of inflammatory molecules in adult mice and pioglitazone suppressed ethanol-induced neuroinflammation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M. Niedzwiedz-Massey
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - James C. Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Tonya Rafferty
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Jennifer W. Johnson
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Kalee N. Holloway
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Michael D. Berquist
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Cynthia J.M. Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Paul D. Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Holloway KN, Douglas JC, Rafferty TM, Majewska AK, Kane CJM, Drew PD. Ethanol-induced cerebellar transcriptomic changes in a postnatal model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Focus on disease onset. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1154637. [PMID: 37008214 PMCID: PMC10062483 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1154637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders caused by ethanol exposure in utero, which can result in neurocognitive and behavioral impairments, growth defects, and craniofacial anomalies. FASD affects up to 1-5% of school-aged children in the United States, and there is currently no cure. The underlying mechanisms involved in ethanol teratogenesis remain elusive and need greater understanding to develop and implement effective therapies. Using a third trimester human equivalent postnatal mouse model of FASD, we evaluate the transcriptomic changes induced by ethanol exposure in the cerebellum on P5 and P6, after only 1 or 2 days of ethanol exposure, with the goal of shedding light on the transcriptomic changes induced early during the onset and development of FASD. We have highlighted key pathways and cellular functions altered by ethanol exposure, which include pathways related to immune function and cytokine signaling as well as the cell cycle. Additionally, we found that ethanol exposure resulted in an increase in transcripts associated with a neurodegenerative microglia phenotype, and acute- and pan-injury reactive astrocyte phenotypes. Mixed effects on oligodendrocyte lineage cell associated transcripts and cell cycle associated transcripts were observed. These studies help to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that may be involved with the onset of FASD and provide further insights that may aid in identifying novel targets for interventions and therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kalee N. Holloway
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - James C. Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Tonya M. Rafferty
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Ania K. Majewska
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Cynthia J. M. Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Paul D. Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Holloway KN, Pinson MR, Douglas JC, Rafferty TM, Kane CJM, Miranda RC, Drew PD. Cerebellar Transcriptomic Analysis in a Chronic plus Binge Mouse Model of Alcohol Use Disorder Demonstrates Ethanol-Induced Neuroinflammation and Altered Glial Gene Expression. Cells 2023; 12:745. [PMID: 36899881 PMCID: PMC10000476 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050745] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the most common preventable mental health disorders and can result in pathology within the CNS, including the cerebellum. Cerebellar alcohol exposure during adulthood has been associated with disruptions in proper cerebellar function. However, the mechanisms regulating ethanol-induced cerebellar neuropathology are not well understood. High-throughput next generation sequencing was performed to compare control versus ethanol-treated adult C57BL/6J mice in a chronic plus binge model of AUD. Mice were euthanized, cerebella were microdissected, and RNA was isolated and submitted for RNA-sequencing. Down-stream transcriptomic analyses revealed significant changes in gene expression and global biological pathways in control versus ethanol-treated mice that included pathogen-influenced signaling pathways and cellular immune response pathways. Microglial-associated genes showed a decrease in homeostasis-associated transcripts and an increase in transcripts associated with chronic neurodegenerative diseases, while astrocyte-associated genes showed an increase in transcripts associated with acute injury. Oligodendrocyte lineage cell genes showed a decrease in transcripts associated with both immature progenitors as well as myelinating oligodendrocytes. These data provide new insight into the mechanisms by which ethanol induces cerebellar neuropathology and alterations to the immune response in AUD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kalee N. Holloway
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; (K.N.H.); (J.C.D.); (T.M.R.); (C.J.M.K.)
| | - Marisa R. Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, USA; (M.R.P.); (R.C.M.)
| | - James C. Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; (K.N.H.); (J.C.D.); (T.M.R.); (C.J.M.K.)
| | - Tonya M. Rafferty
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; (K.N.H.); (J.C.D.); (T.M.R.); (C.J.M.K.)
| | - Cynthia J. M. Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; (K.N.H.); (J.C.D.); (T.M.R.); (C.J.M.K.)
| | - Rajesh C. Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, USA; (M.R.P.); (R.C.M.)
| | - Paul D. Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA; (K.N.H.); (J.C.D.); (T.M.R.); (C.J.M.K.)
- Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Baker JA, Bodnar TS, Breit KR, Weinberg J, Thomas JD. Choline Supplementation Alters Hippocampal Cytokine Levels in Adolescence and Adulthood in an Animal Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Cells 2023; 12:546. [PMID: 36831213 PMCID: PMC9953782 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol (ethanol) exposure during pregnancy can adversely affect development, with long-lasting consequences that include neuroimmune, cognitive, and behavioral dysfunction. Alcohol-induced alterations in cytokine levels in the hippocampus may contribute to abnormal cognitive and behavioral outcomes in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Nutritional intervention with the essential nutrient choline can improve hippocampal-dependent behavioral impairments and may also influence neuroimmune function. Thus, we examined the effects of choline supplementation on hippocampal cytokine levels in adolescent and adult rats exposed to alcohol early in development. From postnatal day (PD) 4-9 (third trimester-equivalent), Sprague-Dawley rat pups received ethanol (5.25 g/kg/day) or sham intubations and were treated with choline chloride (100 mg/kg/day) or saline from PD 10-30; hippocampi were collected at PD 35 or PD 60. Age-specific ethanol-induced increases in interferon gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and keratinocyte chemoattractant/human growth-regulated oncogene (KC/GRO) were identified in adulthood, but not adolescence, whereas persistent ethanol-induced increases of interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were present at both ages. Interestingly, choline supplementation reduced age-related changes in interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-5 (IL-5) as well as mitigating the long-lasting increase in IFN-γ in ethanol-exposed adults. Moreover, choline influenced inflammatory tone by modulating ratios of pro- to -anti-inflammatory cytokines. These results suggest that ethanol-induced changes in hippocampal cytokine levels are more evident during adulthood than adolescence, and that choline can mitigate some effects of ethanol exposure on long-lasting inflammatory tone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Baker
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Tamara S. Bodnar
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Kristen R. Breit
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
- Department of Psychology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Jennifer D. Thomas
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Anand SK, Ahmad MH, Sahu MR, Subba R, Mondal AC. Detrimental Effects of Alcohol-Induced Inflammation on Brain Health: From Neurogenesis to Neurodegeneration. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2022:10.1007/s10571-022-01308-2. [DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01308-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
19
|
Banji OJ, Banji D, Makeen HA, Alqahtani SS, Alshahrani S. Neuroinflammation: The Role of Anthocyanins as Neuroprotectants. Curr Neuropharmacol 2022; 20:2156-2174. [PMID: 35043761 PMCID: PMC9886846 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220119140835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is a trigger for several neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. Exposure to noxious external stimuli induces homeostatic disturbances resulting in morphological changes in microglia, their activation, and elaboration of pro-inflammatory mediators. This leads to neuroinflammation with the progressive loss of neurons. Nutraceuticals such as anthocyanins are a class of brightly colored bioactive compounds present in fruits and vegetables with purported health benefits. They interfere with the activation of several signaling cascades that have a prominent role in preventing neuroinflammation. More importantly, anthocyanins can cross the blood-brain barrier and are safe. Hence, the current review focuses on the bioavailability of anthocyanins, clinical and in vitro evidence on their role in impeding the activation of transcription factors, modulating the immune milieu within the central nervous system, preventing the activation of microglia, and averting neuroinflammation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Otilia J.F. Banji
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA; ,Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA; Tel: 966-557942761; E-mail:
| | - David Banji
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA
| | - Hafiz A. Makeen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA;
| | - Saad S. Alqahtani
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA;
| | - Saeed Alshahrani
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Choline Supplementation Modifies the Effects of Developmental Alcohol Exposure on Immune Responses in Adult Rats. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14142868. [PMID: 35889826 PMCID: PMC9316525 DOI: 10.3390/nu14142868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure can disrupt the development of numerous systems, including the immune system. Indeed, alterations in cytokine levels may contribute to the neuropathological, behavioral, and cognitive problems, and other adverse outcomes observed in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Importantly, supplementation with the essential nutrient choline can improve performance in hippocampal-dependent behaviors; thus, the present study examined the effects of choline on plasma and hippocampal cytokines in adult rats exposed to ethanol in early development. From postnatal day (PD) 4–9 (third trimester equivalent), pups received ethanol (5.25 g/kg/day) or Sham intubations. Subjects were treated with choline chloride (100 mg/kg/day) or saline from PD10–30. On PD60, plasma and hippocampal tissue was collected before and after an immune challenge (lipopolysaccharide (LPS); 50 ug/kg). Prior to the immune challenge, ethanol-exposed subjects showed an overall increase in hippocampal pro-inflammatory cytokines, an effect mitigated by choline supplementation. In contrast, in the plasma, choline reduced LPS-related increases in pro-inflammatory markers, particularly in ethanol-exposed subjects. Thus, early choline supplementation may modify both brain and peripheral inflammation. These results suggest that early choline can mitigate some long-term effects of ethanol exposure on hippocampal inflammation, which may contribute to improved hippocampal function, and could also influence peripheral immune responses that may impact overall health.
Collapse
|
21
|
Carpita B, Migli L, Chiarantini I, Battaglini S, Montalbano C, Carmassi C, Cremone IM, Dell’Osso L. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12060792. [PMID: 35741677 PMCID: PMC9221419 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12060792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a group of conditions associated with the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and characterized by somatic and neuropsychological alterations. On the other hand, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by a multifaceted neurobehavioral syndrome. Since alcohol can affect every stage of brain development, some authors hypothesized that in utero alcohol exposure might be linked to an increased risk of ASD in subjects with genetic vulnerability. The present review aimed to summarize the available literature on the possible association between FASD and ASD, also focusing on the reported clinical overlaps and on the possible shared pathogenic mechanisms. Studies in this field have stressed similarities and differences between the two conditions, leading to controversial results. The available literature also highlighted that both the disorders are often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed, stressing the need to broaden the perspective, paying specific attention to milder presentations and sub-syndromic traits.
Collapse
|
22
|
Fibroblast growth factor 2: Role in prenatal alcohol-induced stimulation of hypothalamic peptide neurons. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 116:110536. [PMID: 35176416 PMCID: PMC8920779 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) increases alcohol consumption and risk for alcohol use disorder. This phenomenon in rodents is suggested to involve a stimulatory effect of PAE, in female more than male offspring, on neurogenesis and density of neurons expressing neuropeptides in lateral hypothalamus (LH), including melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), known to promote alcohol intake. With evidence suggesting a role for fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and its receptor FGFR1 in stimulating neurogenesis and alcohol drinking, we investigated here whether the FGF2-FGFR1 system is involved in the PAE-induced increase in MCH neurons, in postnatal offspring of pregnant rats given ethanol orally (embryonic day 10-15) at a low-moderate (2 g/kg/day) or high (5 g/kg/day) dose. Our results demonstrate that PAE at the low-moderate but not high dose stimulates FGF2 and FGFR1 gene expression and increases the density of MCH neurons co-expressing FGF2, only in females, but FGFR1 in both sexes. PAE induces this effect in the dorsal but not ventral area of the LH. Further analysis of FGF2 and FGFR1 transcripts within individual MCH neurons reveals an intracellular, sex-dependent effect, with PAE increasing FGF2 transcripts positively related to FGFR1 in the nucleus as well as cytoplasm of females but transcripts only in the cytoplasm of males. Peripheral injection of FGF2 itself (80 μg/kg, s.c.) in pregnant rats mimics these effects of PAE. Together, these results support the involvement of the FGF2-FGFR1 system in mediating the PAE-induced, sex dependent increase in density of MCH neurons, possibly contributing to increased alcohol consumption in the offspring.
Collapse
|
23
|
Mooney SM, Petrenko CL, Hamre KM, Brigman J. Proceedings of the 2021 annual meeting of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group. Alcohol 2022; 102:23-33. [PMID: 35597423 PMCID: PMC10084849 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The 2021 meeting of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group (FASDSG) was titled "Role of Parental Experiences in Offspring Outcomes". The theme was reflected in the presentations of two keynote speakers: Edward Levin, Ph.D., who spoke about the role of paternal exposures in offspring development, and Catherine Monk, Ph.D., who spoke about the effects of maternal exposures and maternal mental health on offspring development. The conference included updates from three government agencies, short presentations by junior and senior investigators showcasing late-breaking FASD research, a report on international efforts to streamline FASD classifications for research, a presentation of observations from adults with FASD, a short film of people with FASDs describing their experiences, and a poster session. The conference was capped by awarding the 2021 Henry Rosett award for career-long contributions to the field to Cynthia J.M. Kane, Ph.D.
Collapse
|
24
|
The maternal-placental-fetal interface: Adaptations of the HPA axis and immune mediators following maternal stress and prenatal alcohol exposure. Exp Neurol 2022; 355:114121. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
25
|
Lin X, Meng X, Song Z, Lin J. Peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor γ and psoriasis, molecular and cellular biochemistry. Mol Cell Biochem 2022; 477:1905-1920. [PMID: 35348980 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04417-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The pathophysiology of psoriasis is complex and has not been completely elucidated. Better understanding of the pathogenesis may contribute to further improvement of our therapeutic strategies controlling psoriasis. Emerging evidence points to a causative relationship between altered activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and psoriasis. The present review focuses on deeper understanding of the possible role of PPARγ in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and the potential of PPARγ agonist to improve the treatment of psoriasis. PPARγ is decreased in psoriasis. PPARγ possibly has effects on the multiple aspects of the pathogenesis of psoriasis, including abnormal lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, immune cells, pro-inflammatory cytokines, keratinocytes, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, microRNAs and nuclear factor kappa B. As defective activation of PPARγ is involved in psoriasis development, PPARγ agonists may be promising agents for treatment of psoriasis. Pioglitazone appears an effective and safe option in the treatment of patients with psoriasis, but there are still concerns about its potential side effects. Research effort has recently been undertaken to explore the PPARγ-activating potential of natural products. Among them some have been studied clinically or preclinically for treatment of psoriasis with promising results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiran Lin
- Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Lu, Dalian, 116011, China.
| | - Xianmin Meng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Axia Women's Health, 450 Cresson BLVD, Oaks, PA, 19456, USA
| | - Zhiqi Song
- Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Lu, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Jingrong Lin
- Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Lu, Dalian, 116011, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Lussier AA, Bodnar TS, Weinberg J. Intersection of Epigenetic and Immune Alterations: Implications for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Mental Health. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:788630. [PMID: 34924946 PMCID: PMC8680672 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.788630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure can impact virtually all body systems, resulting in a host of structural, neurocognitive, and behavioral abnormalities. Among the adverse impacts associated with prenatal alcohol exposure are alterations in immune function, including an increased incidence of infections and alterations in immune/neuroimmune parameters that last throughout the life-course. Epigenetic patterns are also highly sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure, with widespread alcohol-related alterations to epigenetic profiles, including changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and miRNA expression. Importantly, epigenetic programs are crucial for immune system development, impacting key processes such as immune cell fate, differentiation, and activation. In addition to their role in development, epigenetic mechanisms are emerging as attractive candidates for the biological embedding of environmental factors on immune function and as mediators between early-life exposures and long-term health. Here, following an overview of the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on immune function and epigenetic patterns, we discuss the potential role for epigenetic mechanisms in reprogramming of immune function and the consequences for health and development. We highlight a range of both clinical and animal studies to provide insights into the array of immune genes impacted by alcohol-related epigenetic reprogramming. Finally, we discuss potential consequences of alcohol-related reprogramming of immune/neuroimmune functions and their effects on the increased susceptibility to mental health disorders. Overall, the collective findings from animal models and clinical studies highlight a compelling relationship between the immune system and epigenetic pathways. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying the long-term and multisystem effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, laying the groundwork for possible novel interventions and therapeutic strategies to treat individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre A Lussier
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Tamara S Bodnar
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Carloni E, Ramos A, Hayes LN. Developmental Stressors Induce Innate Immune Memory in Microglia and Contribute to Disease Risk. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13035. [PMID: 34884841 PMCID: PMC8657756 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222313035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Many types of stressors have an impact on brain development, function, and disease susceptibility including immune stressors, psychosocial stressors, and exposure to drugs of abuse. We propose that these diverse developmental stressors may utilize a common mechanism that underlies impaired cognitive function and neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, and mood disorders that can develop in later life as a result of developmental stressors. While these stressors are directed at critical developmental windows, their impacts are long-lasting. Immune activation is a shared pathophysiology across several different developmental stressors and may thus be a targetable treatment to mitigate the later behavioral deficits. In this review, we explore different types of prenatal and perinatal stressors and their contribution to disease risk and underlying molecular mechanisms. We highlight the impact of developmental stressors on microglia biology because of their early infiltration into the brain, their critical role in brain development and function, and their long-lived status in the brain throughout life. Furthermore, we introduce innate immune memory as a potential underlying mechanism for developmental stressors' impact on disease. Finally, we highlight the molecular and epigenetic reprogramming that is known to underlie innate immune memory and explain how similar molecular mechanisms may be at work for cells to retain a long-term perturbation after exposure to developmental stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Carloni
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA;
| | - Adriana Ramos
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Lindsay N. Hayes
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Reguilón MD, Ferrer-Pérez C, Manzanedo C, Miñarro J, Rodríguez-Arias M. Ethanol intake in male mice exposed to social defeat: Environmental enrichment potentiates resilience. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100413. [PMID: 34815986 PMCID: PMC8591477 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Large preclinical evidence shows that exposure to social defeat (SD) increases vulnerability to drug abuse, increasing the consumption of ethanol. However, not all subjects are equally affected by the changes induced by stress. Previous reports have evidenced that the resilient phenotype to depressive-like behaviors after SD is associated with the resistant phenotype to cocaine-increased rewarding effects and the smaller neuroinflammatory response. The aim of the present study was to further clarify whether the resilient profile to depressive-like behavior also predicts a protection against the increase in ethanol intake induced by SD. The neuroinflammatory profile was studied after the end of the oral ethanol self-administration (SA) procedure, measuring levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and the chemokine CX3CL1 or fractalkine in the striatum and prefrontal cortex. Previous studies have shown that environmental enrichment (EE) is an effective mechanism to dimish the detrimental effects of social stress. In a second study, we aimed to evaluate if EE housing before exposure to SD could potentiate resilience. Our results showed that mice with a phenotype susceptible to SD-induced depressive-like behaviors showed increased ethanol consumption and increased neuroinflammatory signaling. In contrast, despite the lack of effect on depressive-like behaviors, defeated mice previously housed under EE conditions did not show an increase in ethanol SA or an increase in immune response. To sum up, the resilient phenotype to SD develops at different levels, such as depressive-like behaviors, ethanol consumption and the neuroinflammatory response. Our results also point to the protective role of EE in potentiating resilience to SD effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina D Reguilón
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carmen Ferrer-Pérez
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, C/ Ciudad Escolar s/n, 44003, Teruel, Spain
| | - Carmen Manzanedo
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - José Miñarro
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Rodríguez-Arias
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Niedzwiedz-Massey VM, Douglas JC, Rafferty T, Kane CJ, Drew PD. Ethanol effects on cerebellar myelination in a postnatal mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Alcohol 2021; 96:43-53. [PMID: 34358666 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2021.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are alarmingly common, result in significant personal and societal loss, and there are no effective treatments for these disorders. Cerebellar neuropathology is common in FASD and can cause impaired cognitive and motor function. The current study evaluates the effects of ethanol on oligodendrocyte-lineage cells, as well as molecules that modulate oligodendrocyte differentiation and function in the cerebellum in a postnatal mouse model of FASD. Neonatal mice were treated with ethanol from P4-P9 (postnatal day), the cerebellum was isolated at P10, and mRNAs encoding oligodendrocyte-associated molecules were quantitated by qRT-PCR. Our studies demonstrated that ethanol significantly reduced the expression of markers for multiple stages of oligodendrocyte maturation, including oligodendrocyte precursor cells, pre-myelinating oligodendrocytes, and mature myelinating oligodendrocytes. Additionally, we determined that ethanol significantly decreased the expression of molecules that play critical roles in oligodendrocyte differentiation. Interestingly, we also observed that ethanol significantly reduced the expression of myelin-associated inhibitors, which may act as a compensatory mechanism to ethanol toxicity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ethanol alters the expression of a variety of molecules important in oligodendrocyte function and myelination. Collectively, our studies increase our understanding of specific mechanisms by which ethanol modulates myelination in the developing cerebellum, and potentially identify novel targets for FASD therapy.
Collapse
|
30
|
Bake S, Pinson MR, Pandey S, Chambers JP, Mota R, Fairchild AE, Miranda RC, Sohrabji F. Prenatal alcohol-induced sex differences in immune, metabolic and neurobehavioral outcomes in adult rats. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 98:86-100. [PMID: 34390803 PMCID: PMC8591773 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.08.207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in neurobehavioral anomalies, that may be exacerbated by co-occurring metabolic and immune system deficits. To test the hypothesis that the peripheral inflammation in adult PAE offspring is linked to poor glucose metabolism and neurocognitive deficits, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to ethanol vapor or ambient air during the latter half of gestation. We assessed, in adult offspring of both sexes, performance on a battery of neurocognitive behaviors, glucose tolerance, circulating and splenic immune cells by flow-cytometry, and circulating and tissue (liver, mesenteric adipose, and spleen) cytokines by multiplexed assays. PAE reduced both the ratio of spleen to body weight and splenic regulatory T-cell (Treg) numbers. PAE males, but not females exhibited an increase in circulating monocytes. Overall, PAE males exhibited a suppression of cytokine levels, while PAE females exhibited elevated cytokines in mesenteric adipose tissue (IL-6 and IL1α) and liver (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-13, IL-18, IL-12p70, and MCP-1), along with increased glucose intolerance. Behavioral analysis also showed sex-dependent PAE effects. PAE-males exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior while PAE-females showed decreased social interaction. PAE offspring of both sexes exhibited impaired recognition of novel objects. Multilinear regression modeling to predict the association between peripheral immune status, glucose intolerance and behavioral outcomes, showed that in PAE offspring, higher levels of adipose leptin and liver TNF- α predicted higher circulating glucose levels. Lower liver IL-1 α and higher plasma fractalkine predicted more time spent in the center of an open-field with sex being an additional predictor. Higher circulating and splenic Tregs predicted better social interaction in the PAE-offspring. Collectively, our data show that peripheral immune status is a persistent, sex-dependent predictor of glucose intolerance and neurobehavioral function in adult PAE offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shameena Bake
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Marisa R Pinson
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Sivani Pandey
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Joanna P Chambers
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Roxanna Mota
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Ashlyn E Fairchild
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA.
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Silva-Gotay A, Davis J, Tavares ER, Richardson HN. Alcohol drinking during early adolescence activates microglial cells and increases frontolimbic Interleukin-1 beta and Toll-like receptor 4 gene expression, with heightened sensitivity in male rats compared to females. Neuropharmacology 2021; 197:108698. [PMID: 34252404 PMCID: PMC8552486 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent drinking is risky because neural circuits in the frontal lobes are undergoing maturational processes important for cognitive function and behavioral control in adulthood. Previous studies have shown that myelinated axons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are particularly sensitive to alcohol drinking, especially in males. Pro-inflammatory mediators like toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and interleukin-1 beta (IL1b) have been implicated in alcohol induced-inflammation and demyelination; thus, herein we test the hypothesis that voluntary alcohol drinking early in adolescence elicits a pro-inflammatory state that is more pronounced in the brain of males compared to females. Adolescent male and female Wistar rats self-administered sweetened alcohol or sweetened water from postnatal days 28-42 and separate sets of brains were processed for 1) immunolabeling for ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 to analyze microglial cell morphology, or 2) qPCR analysis of gene expression of pro-inflammatory mediators. Binge drinking alcohol activated microglia in the mPFC and hippocampus of both males and females, suggesting that voluntary alcohol exposure initiates an inflammatory response. Il1b mRNA was upregulated in the mPFC of both sexes. Conversely, Tlr4 mRNA levels were elevated after drinking only in males, which could explain more robust effects of alcohol on myelin in this region in developing males compared to females. Il1b mRNA changes were not observed in the hippocampus, but alcohol elevated Tlr4 mRNA in both sexes, highlighting regional specificity in inflammatory responses to alcohol. Overall, these findings give insight into potential mechanisms by which low-to-moderate voluntary alcohol intake impacts the developing brain. This article is part of the special Issue on 'Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Silva-Gotay
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Jillian Davis
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University
of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Elizabeth R. Tavares
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University
of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Heather N. Richardson
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University
of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Niedzwiedz-Massey VM, Douglas JC, Rafferty T, Wight PA, Kane CJM, Drew PD. Ethanol modulation of hippocampal neuroinflammation, myelination, and neurodevelopment in a postnatal mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2021; 87:107015. [PMID: 34256161 PMCID: PMC8440486 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are alarmingly common and result in significant personal and societal loss. Neuropathology of the hippocampus is common in FASD leading to aberrant cognitive function. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of ethanol on the expression of a targeted set of molecules involved in neuroinflammation, myelination, neurotransmission, and neuron function in the developing hippocampus in a postnatal model of FASD. Mice were treated with ethanol from P4-P9, hippocampi were isolated 24 h after the final treatment at P10, and mRNA levels were quantitated by qRT-PCR. We evaluated the effects of ethanol on both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory molecules in the hippocampus and identified novel mechanisms by which ethanol induces neuroinflammation. We further demonstrated that ethanol decreased expression of molecules associated with mature oligodendrocytes and greatly diminished expression of a lacZ reporter driven by the first half of the myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) gene (PLP1). In addition, ethanol caused a decrease in genes expressed in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Together, these studies suggest ethanol may modulate pathogenesis in the developing hippocampus through effects on cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage, resulting in altered oligodendrogenesis and myelination. We also observed differential expression of molecules important in synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and neurotransmission. Collectively, the molecules evaluated in these studies may play a role in ethanol-induced pathology in the developing hippocampus and contribute to cognitive impairment associated with FASD. A better understanding of these molecules and their effects on the developing hippocampus may lead to novel treatment strategies for FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M Niedzwiedz-Massey
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - James C Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Tonya Rafferty
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Patricia A Wight
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Cynthia J M Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Paul D Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
García-Baos A, Puig-Reyne X, García-Algar Ó, Valverde O. Cannabidiol attenuates cognitive deficits and neuroinflammation induced by early alcohol exposure in a mice model. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 141:111813. [PMID: 34126352 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the umbrella term used to describe the physical and mental disabilities induced by alcohol exposure during development. Early alcohol exposure induces cognitive impairments resulting from damage to the central nervous system (CNS). The neuroinflammatory response accompanied by neurodegenerative mechanisms contribute to those detrimental alterations. Cannabidiol (CBD) has recently emerged as an anti-inflammatory drug that might be useful to treat several neuropsychiatric disorders. In our study, we assessed the effects of CBD on long-lasting cognitive deficits induced by early alcohol exposure. Furthermore, we analysed long-term pro-inflammatory and apoptotic markers within the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. To model alcohol binge drinking during gestational and lactation periods, we used pregnant C57BL/6 female mice with time-limited access to 20% v/v alcohol solution. Following the prenatal and lactation alcohol exposure (PLAE), we treated the male and female offspring with CBD from post-natal day (PD) 25 until PD34, and we evaluated their cognitive performance at PD60. Our results showed that CBD treatment during peri-adolescence period ameliorates cognitive deficits observed in our FASD-like mouse model, without sex differences. Moreover, CBD restores the PLAE-induced increased levels of TNFα and IL-6 in the hippocampus. Thus, our study provides new insights for CBD as a therapeutic agent to counteract cognitive impairments and neuroinflammation caused by early alcohol exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alba García-Baos
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Puig-Reyne
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Óscar García-Algar
- Neonatology Unit, ICGON, IDIBAPS, Hospital Clínic-Maternitat, BCNatal, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Neuroscience Research Programme, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Chung DD, Pinson MR, Bhenderu LS, Lai MS, Patel RA, Miranda RC. Toxic and Teratogenic Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Fetal Development, Adolescence, and Adulthood. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168785. [PMID: 34445488 PMCID: PMC8395909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can have immediate and long-lasting toxic and teratogenic effects on an individual’s development and health. As a toxicant, alcohol can lead to a variety of physical and neurological anomalies in the fetus that can lead to behavioral and other impairments which may last a lifetime. Recent studies have focused on identifying mechanisms that mediate the immediate teratogenic effects of alcohol on fetal development and mechanisms that facilitate the persistent toxic effects of alcohol on health and predisposition to disease later in life. This review focuses on the contribution of epigenetic modifications and intercellular transporters like extracellular vesicles to the toxicity of PAE and to immediate and long-term consequences on an individual’s health and risk of disease.
Collapse
|
35
|
Delahaye-Duriez A, Dufour A, Bokobza C, Gressens P, Van Steenwinckel J. Targeting Microglial Disturbances to Protect the Brain From Neurodevelopmental Disorders Associated With Prematurity. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2021; 80:634-648. [PMID: 34363661 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlab049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglial activation during critical phases of brain development can result in short- and long-term consequences for neurological and psychiatric health. Several studies in humans and rodents have shown that microglial activation, leading to a transition from the homeostatic state toward a proinflammatory phenotype, has adverse effects on the developing brain and neurodevelopmental disorders. Targeting proinflammatory microglia may be an effective strategy for protecting the brain and attenuating neurodevelopmental disorders induced by inflammation. In this review we focus on the role of inflammation and the activation of immature microglia (pre-microglia) soon after birth in prematurity-associated neurodevelopmental disorders, and the specific features of pre-microglia during development. We also highlight the relevance of immunomodulatory strategies for regulating activated microglia in a rodent model of perinatal brain injury. An original neuroprotective approach involving a nanoparticle-based therapy and targeting microglia, with the aim of improving myelination and protecting the developing brain, is also addressed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrée Delahaye-Duriez
- From the NeuroDiderot, UMR 1141, Inserm, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,UFR SMBH, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Bobigny, France.,Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Jean Verdier, Service d'Histologie-Embryologie-Cytogénétique, Bondy, France
| | - Adrien Dufour
- From the NeuroDiderot, UMR 1141, Inserm, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Cindy Bokobza
- From the NeuroDiderot, UMR 1141, Inserm, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Gressens
- From the NeuroDiderot, UMR 1141, Inserm, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Victor S, Chew A, Falconer S. Pro12Ala polymorphism of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma 2 may be associated with adverse neurodevelopment in European preterm babies. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e2256. [PMID: 34152086 PMCID: PMC8413715 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prematurity is the leading cause of death and disability in children under 5 years of age. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of the biological processes involved in preterm brain injury may help develop novel neuroprotective treatment strategies. A growing body of evidence suggest that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) signaling is associated with inhibited brain development in preterm babies. The Ala allele of the Pro12Ala polymorphism of PPARγ2 decreases receptor binding affinity and consequently induces a reduction of PPARγ signaling. METHODS In this study, we carried out a preliminary analysis of existing datasets to test the hypothesis that reduced transactivation capacity of PPARγ in the presence of the Ala variant of PPARγ2 may be associated with adverse neurodevelopment in preterm babies. The association between PPAR-γ2 Pro12Ala polymorphism and neurodevelopment at 18-24 months of age was assessed in two groups of European infants, 155 born before 33 weeks' gestation and 180 born later than 36 weeks' gestation using a linear regression model. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-3rd edition was administered to assess neurodevelopment at 18-24 months of age. RESULTS We observed the Ala allele of the Pro12Ala polymorphism in 25% preterm infants and 20% term infants. The Ala allele of PPARγ2 was significantly associated with adverse cognitive (p = .019), language (p = .03), and motor development (p = 0.036) at 18-24 months of age after taking into consideration the duration of ventilation, gender, and index of multiple deprivation scores, but without correction for potential shared ancestry. There was no association between the PPAR-γ2 Pro12Ala polymorphism and neurodevelopment in term infants. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary data suggest that PPARγ signaling in the presence of the Ala variant of PPARγ2 may be associated with adverse neurodevelopment in preterm infants suggesting that further studies are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suresh Victor
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and HealthCentre for the Developing BrainSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging SciencesKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Andrew Chew
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and HealthCentre for the Developing BrainSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging SciencesKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Shona Falconer
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and HealthCentre for the Developing BrainSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging SciencesKing's College LondonLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Lowery RL, Cealie MY, Lamantia CE, Mendes MS, Drew PD, Majewska AK. Microglia and astrocytes show limited, acute alterations in morphology and protein expression following a single developmental alcohol exposure. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:2008-2025. [PMID: 33606320 PMCID: PMC8349862 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the most common cause of nonheritable, preventable mental disability and are characterized by cognitive, behavioral, and physical impairments. FASD occurs in almost 5% of births in the United States, but despite this prevalence there is no known cure, largely because the biological mechanisms that translate alcohol exposure to neuropathology are not well understood. While the effects of early ethanol exposure on neuronal survival and circuitry have received more attention, glia, the cells most closely tied to initiating and propagating inflammatory events, could be an important target for alcohol in the developing brain. Inflammation is known to alter developmental trajectories, but it has recently been shown that even small changes in both astrocytes and microglia in the absence of full-blown inflammatory signaling can alter brain function long-term. Here, we studied the acute response of astrocytes and microglia to a single exposure to ethanol in development across sexes in a mouse model of human third trimester exposure, in order to understand how these cells may transition from their normal developmental path to a different program that leads to FASD neuropathology. We found that although a single ethanol exposure delivered subcutaneously on postnatal day 4 did not cause large changes in microglial morphology or the expression of AldH1L1 and GFAP in the cortex and hippocampus, subtle effects were observed. These findings suggest that even a single, early ethanol exposure can induce mild acute alterations in glia that could contribute to developmental deficits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Lowery
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - MaKenna Y. Cealie
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Cassandra E. Lamantia
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Monique S. Mendes
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Paul D. Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA,Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Ania K. Majewska
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Wong EL, Strohm A, Atlas J, Lamantia C, Majewska AK. Dynamics of microglia and dendritic spines in early adolescent cortex after developmental alcohol exposure. Dev Neurobiol 2021; 81:786-804. [PMID: 34228891 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder patients suffer from many cognitive disabilities. These include impaired auditory, visual, and tactile sensory information processing, making it more difficult for these patients to learn to navigate social scenarios. Rodent studies have shown that alcohol exposure during the brain growth spurt (BGS) can lead to acute neuronal apoptosis and an immunological response by microglia in the somatosensory cortex. Since microglia have critical physiological functions, including the support of excitatory synapse remodeling via interactions with dendritic spines, we sought to understand whether BGS alcohol exposure has long-term effects on microglial or dendritic spine dynamics. Using in vivo two-photon microscopy in 4-5 week old mice, we evaluated microglial functions such as process motility, the response to tissue injury, and the dynamics of physical interactions between microglial processes and dendritic spines. We also investigated potential differences in the morphology, density, or dynamics of dendritic spines in layer I/II primary sensory cortex of control and BGS alcohol exposed mice. We found that microglial process motility and contact with dendritic spines were not altered after BGS alcohol exposure. While the response of microglial processes toward tissue injury was not significantly altered by prior alcohol exposure, there was a trend suggesting that alcohol early in life may prime microglia to respond more quickly to secondary injury. Spine density, morphology, stability, and remodeling over time were not perturbed after BGS alcohol exposure. We demonstrate that after BGS alcohol exposure, the physiological functions of microglia and excitatory neurons remain intact in early adolescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elissa L Wong
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, US.,Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, US
| | - Alexandra Strohm
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, US
| | - Jason Atlas
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, US
| | - Cassandra Lamantia
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, US
| | - Ania K Majewska
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, US.,Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, US
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Pinson MR, Holloway KN, Douglas JC, Kane CJM, Miranda RC, Drew PD. Divergent and overlapping hippocampal and cerebellar transcriptome responses following developmental ethanol exposure during the secondary neurogenic period. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1408-1423. [PMID: 34060105 PMCID: PMC8312515 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background The developing hippocampus and cerebellum, unique among brain regions, exhibit a secondary surge in neurogenesis during the third trimester of pregnancy. Ethanol (EtOH) exposure during this period is results in a loss of tissue volume and associated neurobehavioral deficits. However, mechanisms that link EtOH exposure to teratology in these regions are not well understood. We therefore analyzed transcriptomic adaptations to EtOH exposure to identify mechanistic linkages. Methods Hippocampi and cerebella were microdissected at postnatal day (P)10, from control C57BL/6J mouse pups, and pups treated with 4 g/kg of EtOH from P4 to P9. RNA was isolated and RNA‐seq analysis was performed. We compared gene expression in EtOH‐ and vehicle‐treated control neonates and performed biological pathway‐overrepresentation analysis. Results While EtOH exposure resulted in the general induction of genes associated with the S‐phase of mitosis in both cerebellum and hippocampus, overall there was little overlap in differentially regulated genes and associated biological pathways between these regions. In cerebellum, EtOH additionally induced gene expression associated with the G2/M‐phases of the cell cycle and sonic hedgehog signaling, while in hippocampus, EtOH‐induced the pathways for ribosome biogenesis and protein translation. Moreover, EtOH inhibited the transcriptomic identities associated with inhibitory interneuron subpopulations in the hippocampus, while in the cerebellum there was a more pronounced inhibition of transcripts across multiple oligodendrocyte maturation stages. Conclusions These data indicate that during the delayed neurogenic period, EtOH may stimulate the cell cycle, but it otherwise results in widely divergent molecular effects in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Moreover, these data provide evidence for region‐ and cell‐type‐specific vulnerability, which may contribute to the pathogenic effects of developmental EtOH exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marisa R Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Kalee N Holloway
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - James C Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Cynthia J M Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Paul D Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Saha PS, Kim Sawtelle KR, Bamberg BN, Arrick DM, Watt MJ, Scholl JL, Zheng H, Mayhan WG. Rosiglitazone restores nitric oxide synthase-dependent reactivity of cerebral arterioles in rats exposed to prenatal alcohol. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1359-1369. [PMID: 34120346 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to alcohol leads to a greater incidence of many cardiovascular-related diseases, presumably via a mechanism that may involve increased oxidative stress. An agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ; rosiglitazone) has been shown to suppress alcohol-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. The goal of this study was to determine whether acute and chronic treatment with rosiglitazone could restore or prevent impaired nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-dependent responses of cerebral arterioles in male and female adult (14-16 weeks old) rats exposed to alcohol in utero. METHODS We fed Sprague-Dawley dams a liquid diet with or without 3% ethanol for the duration of their pregnancy (21-23 days). In the first series of studies, we examined the reactivity of cerebral arterioles to eNOS- (ADP), nNOS-dependent (NMDA), and NOS-independent agonists in male and female adult rats before and during acute (1 hour) topical application of rosiglitazone (1 µM). In a second series of studies, we examined the influence of chronic treatment with rosiglitazone (3 mg/kg/day in drinking water for 2-3 weeks) on the responses of cerebral arterioles in male and female adult rats exposed to alcohol in utero. RESULTS We found that in utero exposure to alcohol similarly reduced responses of cerebral arterioles to ADP and NMDA, but not to nitroglycerin in male and female adult rats. In addition, acute treatment of the male and female adult rats with rosiglitazone similarly restored this impairment in cerebral vascular function to that observed in controls. We also found that chronic treatment with rosiglitazone prevented impaired vascular function in male and female adult rats that were exposed to alcohol in utero. CONCLUSIONS PPARγ activation may be an effective and relevant treatment to reverse or prevent cerebral vascular abnormalities associated with prenatal exposure to alcohol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Partha S Saha
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
| | - Kirsten R Kim Sawtelle
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
| | - Brittany N Bamberg
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
| | - Denise M Arrick
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
| | - Michael J Watt
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jamie L Scholl
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
| | - Hong Zheng
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
| | - William G Mayhan
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Salem NA, Mahnke AH, Konganti K, Hillhouse AE, Miranda RC. Cell-type and fetal-sex-specific targets of prenatal alcohol exposure in developing mouse cerebral cortex. iScience 2021; 24:102439. [PMID: 33997709 PMCID: PMC8105653 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) results in cerebral cortical dysgenesis. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on murine fetal cerebral cortical cells from six timed pregnancies, to decipher persistent cell- and sex-specific effects of an episode of PAE during early neurogenesis. We found, in an analysis of 38 distinct neural subpopulations across 8 lineage subtypes, that PAE altered neural maturation and cell cycle and disrupted gene co-expression networks. Whereas most differentially regulated genes were inhibited, particularly in females, PAE also induced sex-independent neural expression of fetal hemoglobin, a presumptive epigenetic stress adaptation. PAE inhibited Bcl11a, Htt, Ctnnb1, and other upstream regulators of differentially expressed genes and inhibited several autism-linked genes, suggesting that neurodevelopmental disorders share underlying mechanisms. PAE females exhibited neural loss of X-inactivation, with correlated activation of autosomal genes and evidence for spliceosome dysfunction. Thus, episodic PAE persistently alters the developing neural transcriptome, contributing to sex- and cell-type-specific teratology. The neurogenic murine fetal cortex contains about 33 distinct cell subtypes Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) resulted in sex-specific alterations in developmental trajectory and cell cycle PAE females exhibited neural loss of X-inactivation and spliceosomal dysfunction PAE induced sex-independent neural expression of fetal hemoglobin gene transcripts
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nihal A. Salem
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Medical Research and Education Building, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3260, USA
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Amanda H. Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Medical Research and Education Building, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3260, USA
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Kranti Konganti
- Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Andrew E. Hillhouse
- Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Rajesh C. Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Medical Research and Education Building, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3260, USA
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
- Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Stopponi S, Fotio Y, Cifani C, Li H, Haass-Koffler CL, Cannella N, Demopulos G, Gaitanaris G, Ciccocioppo R. Andrographis paniculata and Its Main Bioactive Ingredient Andrographolide Decrease Alcohol Drinking and Seeking in Rats Through Activation of Nuclear PPARγ Pathway. Alcohol Alcohol 2021; 56:240-249. [PMID: 33401299 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agaa136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Andrographis paniculata is an annual herbaceous plant which belongs to the Acanthaceae family. Extracts from this plant have shown hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic properties, at least in part, through activation of the nuclear receptor Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-gamma (PPAR γ). Recent evidence has demonstrated that activation of PPARγ reduces alcohol drinking and seeking in Marchigian Sardinian (msP) alcohol-preferring rats. METHODS The present study evaluated whether A. paniculata reduces alcohol drinking and relapse in msP rats by activating PPARγ. RESULTS Oral administration of an A. paniculata dried extract (0, 15, 150 mg/kg) lowered voluntary alcohol consumption in a dose-dependent manner and achieved ~65% reduction at the dose of 450 mg/kg. Water and food consumption were not affected by the treatment. Administration of Andrographolide (5 and 10 mg/kg), the main active component of A. paniculata, also reduced alcohol drinking. This effect was suppressed by the selective PPARγ antagonist GW9662. Subsequently, we showed that oral administration of A. paniculata (0, 150, 450 mg/kg) prevented yohimbine- but not cues-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking. CONCLUSIONS Results point to A. paniculata-mediated PPARγactivation as a possible therapeutic strategy to treat alcohol use disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serena Stopponi
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Yannick Fotio
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, 807 Health Science Road, 92617 Irvine, USA
| | - Carlo Cifani
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Hongwu Li
- College of Chemical Engineering, Changchun University of Technology, 2055 Yan An Road, Chao Yang District, 130021 Changchun, China
| | - Carolina L Haass-Koffler
- Center Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department Psychiatry and Human Behavior Department Behavioral and Social Sciences Brow University 121 S. Main Street, Providence, RI 02931, USA
| | - Nazzareno Cannella
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Gregory Demopulos
- Center Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department Psychiatry and Human Behavior Department Behavioral and Social Sciences Brow University 121 S. Main Street, Providence, RI 02931, USA
| | - George Gaitanaris
- Center Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department Psychiatry and Human Behavior Department Behavioral and Social Sciences Brow University 121 S. Main Street, Providence, RI 02931, USA.,Omeros Corporation, 201 Elliot Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Kane CJM, Douglas JC, Rafferty T, Johnson JW, Niedzwiedz-Massey VM, Phelan KD, Majewska AK, Drew PD. Ethanol modulation of cerebellar neuroinflammation in a postnatal mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1986-2007. [PMID: 33533128 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are alarmingly common, result in significant personal and societal loss, and there is no effective treatment for these disorders. Cerebellar neuropathology is common in FASD and causes aberrant cognitive and motor function. Ethanol-induced neuroinflammation is believed to contribute to neuropathological sequelae of FASD, and was previously demonstrated in the cerebellum in animal models of FASD. We now demonstrate neuroinflammation persists in the cerebellum several days following cessation of ethanol treatment in an early postnatal mouse model, with meaningful implications for timing of therapeutic intervention in FASD. We also demonstrate by Sholl analysis that ethanol decreases ramification of microglia cell processes in cells located near the Purkinje cell layer but not those near the external granule cell layer. Ethanol did not alter the expression of anti-inflammatory molecules or molecules that constitute NLRP1 and NLRP3 inflammasomes. Interestingly, ethanol decreased the expression of IL-23a (P19) and IL-12Rβ1 suggesting that ethanol may suppress IL-12 and IL-23 signaling. Fractalkine-fractalkine receptor (CX3CL1-CX3CR1) signaling is believed to suppress microglial activation and our demonstration that ethanol decreases CX3CL1 expression suggests that ethanol modulation of CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling may contribute to cerebellar neuroinflammation and neuropathology. We demonstrate ethanol alters the expression of specific molecules in the cerebellum understudied in FASD, but crucial for immune responses. Ethanol increases the expression of NOX-2 and NGP and decreases the expression of RAG1, NOS1, CD59a, S1PR5, PTPN22, GPR37, and Serpinb1b. These molecules represent a new horizon as potential targets for development of FASD therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia J M Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, Biomedical Research Center II, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - James C Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, Biomedical Research Center II, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Tonya Rafferty
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, Biomedical Research Center II, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Jennifer W Johnson
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, Biomedical Research Center II, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Victoria M Niedzwiedz-Massey
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, Biomedical Research Center II, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Kevin D Phelan
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, Biomedical Research Center II, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Ania Katarzyna Majewska
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Paul D Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, Biomedical Research Center II, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Critical role of TLR4 in uncovering the increased rewarding effects of cocaine and ethanol induced by social defeat in male mice. Neuropharmacology 2020; 182:108368. [PMID: 33132187 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance use disorders and social stress are currently associated with changes in the immune system response by which they induce a proinflammatory state in neurons and glial cells that eventually modulates the reward system. AIMS The aim of the present work was to assess the role of the immune TLR4 (Toll-like receptors 4) and its signaling response in the increased contextual reinforcing effects of cocaine and reinforcing effects of ethanol (EtOH) induced by social defeat (SD) stress. METHODS Adult male C57BL/6 J wild-type (WT) mice and mice deficient in TLR4 (TLR4-KO) were assigned to experimental groups according to stress condition (exploration or SD). Three weeks after the last SD, conditioned place preference (CPP) was induced by a subthreshold cocaine dose (1 mg/kg), while another set underwent EtOH 6% operant self-administration (SA). Several inflammatory molecules were analyzed in the hippocampus and the striatum. RESULTS SD induced higher vulnerability to the conditioned rewarding effects of cocaine only in defeated WT mice. Similarly, defeated WT mice exhibited higher 6% EtOH consumption, an effect that was not observed in the defeated TLR4-KO group. However, the motivation to obtain the drug was observed in both genotypes of defeated animals. Notably, a significant upregulation of the protein proinflammatory markers NFkBp-p65, IL-1β, IL-17 A and COX-2 were observed only in the defeated WT mice, but not in their defeated TLR4-KO counterparts. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that TLR4 receptors mediate the neuroinflammatory response underlying the increase in the rewarding effects of cocaine and EtOH induced by social stress.
Collapse
|
45
|
Kane CJM, Drew PD. Neuroinflammatory contribution of microglia and astrocytes in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:1973-1985. [PMID: 32959429 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol exposure to the fetus during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). These disorders vary in severity, can affect multiple organ systems, and can lead to lifelong disabilities. Damage to the central nervous system (CNS) is common in FASD, and can result in altered behavior and cognition. The incidence of FASD is alarmingly high, resulting in significant personal and societal costs. There are no cures for FASD. Alcohol can directly alter the function of neurons in the developing CNS. In addition, ethanol can alter the function of CNS glial cells including microglia and astrocytes which normally maintain homeostasis in the CNS. These glial cells can function as resident immune cells in the CNS to protect against pathogens and other insults. However, activation of glia can also damage CNS cells and lead to aberrant CNS function. Ethanol exposure to the developing brain can result in the activation of glia and neuroinflammation, which may contribute to the pathology associated with FASD. This suggests that anti-inflammatory agents may be effective in the treatment of FASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia J M Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Paul D Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Alcohol as an early life stressor: Epigenetics, metabolic, neuroendocrine and neurobehavioral implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:654-668. [PMID: 32976915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol exposure during gestation is an early life stressor that profoundly dysregulates structure and functions of the embryonal nervous system, altering the cognitive and behavioral development. Such dysregulation is also achieved by epigenetic mechanisms, which, altering the chromatin structure, redraw the entire pattern of gene expression. In parallel, an oxidative stress response at the cellular level and a global upregulation of neuroendocrine stress response, regulated by the HPA axis, exist and persist in adulthood. This neurobehavioral framework matches those observed in other psychiatric diseases such as mood diseases, depression, autism; those early life stressing events, although probably triggered by specific and different epigenetic mechanisms, give rise to largely overlapping neurobehavioral phenotypes. An early diagnosis of prenatal alcohol exposure, using reliable markers of ethanol intake, together with a deeper understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms, some of them reversible by their nature, can offer a temporal "window" of intervention. Supplementing a mother's diet with protective and antioxidant substances in addition to supportive psychological therapies can protect newborns from being affected.
Collapse
|
47
|
He J, Huang Y, Liu H, Sun X, Wu J, Zhang Z, Liu L, Zhou C, Jiang S, Huang Z, Zhong J, Guo Z, Jiang L, Cheng C. Bexarotene promotes microglia/macrophages - Specific brain - Derived Neurotrophic factor expression and axon sprouting after traumatic brain injury. Exp Neurol 2020; 334:113462. [PMID: 32916173 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been regarded as one of the leading cause of injury-related death and disability. White matter injury after TBI is characterized by axon damage and demyelination, resulting in neural network impairment and neurological deficit. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) can promote white matter repair. The activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) has been reported to promote microglia/macrophages towards anti-inflammatory state and therefore to promote axon regeneration. Bexarotene, an agonist of retinoid X receptor (RXR), can activate RXR/PPARγ heterodimers. The aim of the present study was to identify the effect of bexarotene on BDNF in microglia/macrophages and axon sprouting after TBI in mice. Bexarotene was administered intraperitoneally in C57BL/6 mice undergoing controlled cortical impact (CCI). PPARγ dependency was determined by intraperitoneal administration of a PPARγ antagonist T0070907. We found that bexarotene promoted axon regeneration indicated by increased growth associated protein 43 (GAP43) expression, myelin basic protein (MBP) expression, and biotinylated dextran amine (BDA)+ axon sprouting. Bexarotene also increased microglia/macrophages-specific brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression after TBI. In addition, bexarotene reduced the number of pro-inflammatory microglia/macrophages while increased the number of anti-inflammatory microglia/macrophages after TBI. Moreover, bexaortene inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. In addition, bexarotene treatment improved neurological scores and cognitive function of CCI-injured mice. These effects of bexarotene were partially abolished by T0070907. In conclusion, bexarotene promotes axon sprouting, increases microglia/macrophages-specific BDNF expression, and induces microglia/macrophages from a pro-inflammatory state towards an anti-inflammatory one after TBI at least partially in a PPARγ-dependent manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junchi He
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yike Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Army Medical Center (Daping Hospital), Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Han Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaochuan Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingchuan Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhaosi Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Liu Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chao Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shaoqiu Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhijian Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jianjun Zhong
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zongduo Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chongjie Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Gursky ZH, Johansson JR, Klintsova AY. Postnatal alcohol exposure and adolescent exercise have opposite effects on cerebellar microglia in rat. Int J Dev Neurosci 2020; 80:558-571. [PMID: 32681672 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental alcohol exposure results in altered neuroimmune function in both humans and rodents. Given the critical role for the principle neuroimmune cell, microglia, in maintaining synaptic form and function, microglial dysfunction in the cerebellum may be an important mechanism underlying the aberrant cerebellar connectivity observed in rodent models of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Using an established rodent model of alcohol exposure during human third-trimester fetal development, we examine the cerebellum of male and female Long Evans rats to determine the impact of early postnatal alcohol exposure on cerebellar microglia, and the potential therapeutic effects of an adolescent intervention consisting of voluntary exercise (running). All cerebelli were examined at postnatal day 42 (i.e., late adolescence), and microglia were labeled with Iba1, a microglia-specific protein. Early postnatal alcohol exposure caused an increase in microglial density throughout cerebellum and a reduction in cerebellar volume, and a reduction in the proportion of fully ramified (often called "resting state") microglia selective to lobules 1-4. In contrast, adolescent exercise decreased microglial density throughout cerebellum and increased cerebellar volume, while activating microglia (as indicated by increases in amoeboid microglia, and reductions in fully and partially ramified microglia) selectively in lobules 1-4. These results suggest that adolescent exercise may be a suitable intervention to ameliorate alcohol-induced neuroimmune dysfunction as it alters microglia density and cerebellar volume in opposite to the effects of developmental alcohol exposure. Importantly, exercise intervention can be flexibly implemented well after the time window of vulnerability to alcohol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary H Gursky
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Julia R Johansson
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Anna Y Klintsova
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Abstract
The pervasive and devastating nature of substance use disorders underlies the need for the continued development of novel pharmacotherapies. We now know that glia play a much greater role in neuronal processes than once believed. The various types of glial cells (e.g., astrocytes, microglial, oligodendrocytes) participate in numerous functions that are crucial to healthy central nervous system function. Drugs of abuse have been shown to interact with glia in ways that directly contribute to the pharmacodynamic effects responsible for their abuse potential. Through their effect upon glia, drugs of abuse also alter brain function resulting in behavioral changes associated with substance use disorders. Therefore, drug-induced changes in glia and inflammation within the central nervous system (neuroinflammation) have been investigated to treat various aspects of drug abuse and dependence. This article presents a brief overview of the effects of each of the major classes of addictive drugs on glia. Next, the paper reviews the pre-clinical and clinical studies assessing the effects that glial modulators have on abuse-related behavioral effects, such as pleasure, withdrawal, and motivation. There is a strong body of pre-clinical literature demonstrating the general effectiveness of several glia-modulating drugs in models of reward and relapse. Clinical studies have also yielded promising results, though not as robust. There is still much to disentangle regarding the integration between addictive drugs and glial cells. Improved understanding of the relationship between glia and the pathophysiology of drug abuse should allow for more precise exploration in the development and testing of glial-directed treatments for substance use disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jermaine D. Jones
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Noor S, Sanchez JJ, Sun MS, Pervin Z, Sanchez JE, Havard MA, Epler LT, Nysus MV, Norenberg JP, Wagner CR, Davies S, Wagner JL, Savage DD, Jantzie LL, Mellios N, Milligan ED. The LFA-1 antagonist BIRT377 reverses neuropathic pain in prenatal alcohol-exposed female rats via actions on peripheral and central neuroimmune function in discrete pain-relevant tissue regions. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 87:339-358. [PMID: 31918004 PMCID: PMC7316595 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous reports show that moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) poses a risk factor for developing neuropathic pain following adult-onset peripheral nerve injury in male rats. Recently, evidence suggests that immune-related mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain in females are different compared to males despite the fact that both sexes develop neuropathy of similar magnitude and duration following chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Data suggest that the actions of peripheral T cells play a greater role in mediating neuropathy in females. The goal of the current study is to identify specificity of immune cell and cytokine changes between PAE and non-PAE neuropathic females by utilizing a well-characterized rodent model of sciatic nerve damage, in an effort to unmask unique signatures of immune-related factors underlying the risk of neuropathy from PAE. Cytokines typically associated with myeloid cell actions such as interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-6, IL-4 and IL-10 as well as the neutrophil chemoattractant CXCL1, are examined. In addition, transcription factors and cytokines associated with various differentiated T cell subtypes are examined (anti-inflammatory FOXP3, proinflammatory IL-17A, IL-21, ROR-γt, interferon (IFN)-γ and T-bet). Lymphocyte function associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) is an adhesion molecule expressed on peripheral immune cells including T cells, and regulates T cell activation and extravasation into inflamed tissue regions. A potential therapeutic approach was explored with the goal of controlling proinflammatory responses in neuroanatomical regions critical for CCI-induced allodynia by blocking LFA-1 actions using BIRT377. The data show profound development of hindpaw allodynia in adult non-PAE control females following standard CCI, but not following minor CCI, while minor CCI generated allodynia in PAE females. The data also show substantial increases in T cell-associated proinflammatory cytokine mRNA and proteins, along with evidence of augmented myeloid/glial activation (mRNA) and induction of myeloid/glial-related proinflammatory cytokines, CCL2, IL-1β and TNF in discrete regions along the pain pathway (damaged sciatic nerve, dorsal root ganglia; DRG, and spinal cord). Interestingly, the characteristic anti-inflammatory IL-10 protein response to nerve damage is blunted in neuropathic PAE females. Moreover, T cell profiles are predominantly proinflammatory in neuropathic Sac and PAE females, augmented levels of Th17-specific proinflammatory cytokines IL-17A and IL-21, as well as the Th1-specific factor, T-bet, are observed. Similarly, the expression of RORγt, a critical transcription factor for Th17 cells, is detected in the spinal cord of neuropathic females. Blocking peripheral LFA-1 actions with intravenous (i.v.) BIRT377 reverses allodynia in Sac and PAE rats, dampens myeloid (IL-1β, TNF, CXCL1)- and T cell-associated proinflammatory factors (IL-17A and RORγt) and spinal glial activation. Moreover, i.v. BIRT377 treatment reverses the blunted IL-10 response to CCI observed only in neuropathic PAE rats and elevates FOXP3 in pain-reversed Sac rats. Unexpectedly, intrathecal BIRT377 treatment is unable to alter allodynia in either Sac or PAE neuropathic females. Together, these data provide evidence that: 1) fully differentiated proinflammatory Th17 cells recruited at the sciatic nerve, DRGs and lumbar spinal cord may interact with the local environment to shape the immune responses underlying neuropathy in female rats, and, 2) PAE primes peripheral and spinal immune responses in adult females. PAE is a risk factor in females for developing peripheral neuropathy after minor nerve injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shahani Noor
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
| | - Joshua J. Sanchez
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Melody S. Sun
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131,USA
| | - Zinia Pervin
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
| | - Jacob E. Sanchez
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131,USA
| | - Mara A. Havard
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 8713,USA
| | - Lauren T. Epler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-001, USA
| | - Monique V. Nysus
- Department of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, New Mexico Center for Isotopes in Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131,USA
| | - Jeffrey P. Norenberg
- Department of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, New Mexico Center for Isotopes in Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131,USA
| | - Carston R. Wagner
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy, MN 55455, USA
| | - Suzy Davies
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
| | - Jennifer L Wagner
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
| | - Daniel D. Savage
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131,USA
| | - Lauren L. Jantzie
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205-2196, USA
| | - Nikolaos Mellios
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
| | - Erin. D. Milligan
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131,USA
| |
Collapse
|