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Sheardown E, Mech AM, Petrazzini MEM, Leggieri A, Gidziela A, Hosseinian S, Sealy IM, Torres-Perez JV, Busch-Nentwich EM, Malanchini M, Brennan CH. Translational relevance of forward genetic screens in animal models for the study of psychiatric disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104559. [PMID: 35124155 PMCID: PMC9016269 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders represent a significant burden in our societies. Despite the convincing evidence pointing at gene and gene-environment interaction contributions, the role of genetics in the etiology of psychiatric disease is still poorly understood. Forward genetic screens in animal models have helped elucidate causal links. Here we discuss the application of mutagenesis-based forward genetic approaches in common animal model species: two invertebrates, nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans) and fruit flies (Drosophila sp.); and two vertebrates, zebrafish (Danio rerio) and mice (Mus musculus), in relation to psychiatric disease. We also discuss the use of large scale genomic studies in human populations. Despite the advances using data from human populations, animal models coupled with next-generation sequencing strategies are still needed. Although with its own limitations, zebrafish possess characteristics that make them especially well-suited to forward genetic studies exploring the etiology of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sheardown
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Aleksandra M Mech
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | | | - Adele Leggieri
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Agnieszka Gidziela
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Saeedeh Hosseinian
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Ian M Sealy
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jose V Torres-Perez
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London and Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, 86 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Elisabeth M Busch-Nentwich
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Margherita Malanchini
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK
| | - Caroline H Brennan
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, England, UK.
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2
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Mech AM, Merteroglu M, Sealy IM, Teh MT, White RJ, Havelange W, Brennan CH, Busch-Nentwich EM. Behavioral and Gene Regulatory Responses to Developmental Drug Exposures in Zebrafish. Front Psychiatry 2022; 12:795175. [PMID: 35082702 PMCID: PMC8785235 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.795175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental consequences of prenatal drug exposure have been reported in many human cohorts and animal studies. The long-lasting impact on the offspring-including motor and cognitive impairments, cranial and cardiac anomalies and increased prevalence of ADHD-is a socioeconomic burden worldwide. Identifying the molecular changes leading to developmental consequences could help ameliorate the deficits and limit the impact. In this study, we have used zebrafish, a well-established behavioral and genetic model with conserved drug response and reward pathways, to identify changes in behavior and cellular pathways in response to developmental exposure to amphetamine, nicotine or oxycodone. In the presence of the drug, exposed animals showed altered behavior, consistent with effects seen in mammalian systems, including impaired locomotion and altered habituation to acoustic startle. Differences in responses seen following acute and chronic exposure suggest adaptation to the presence of the drug. Transcriptomic analysis of exposed larvae revealed differential expression of numerous genes and alterations in many pathways, including those related to cell death, immunity and circadian rhythm regulation. Differential expression of circadian rhythm genes did not correlate with behavioral changes in the larvae, however, two of the circadian genes, arntl2 and per2, were also differentially expressed at later stages of development, suggesting a long-lasting impact of developmental exposures on circadian gene expression. The immediate-early genes, egr1, egr4, fosab, and junbb, which are associated with synaptic plasticity, were downregulated by all three drugs and in situ hybridization showed that the expression for all four genes was reduced across all neuroanatomical regions, including brain regions implicated in reward processing, addiction and other psychiatric conditions. We anticipate that these early changes in gene expression in response to drug exposure are likely to contribute to the consequences of prenatal exposure and their discovery might pave the way to therapeutic intervention to ameliorate the long-lasting deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra M. Mech
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Munise Merteroglu
- Department of Medicine, Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ian M. Sealy
- Department of Medicine, Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Muy-Teck Teh
- Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, England, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. White
- Department of Medicine, Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - William Havelange
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline H. Brennan
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elisabeth M. Busch-Nentwich
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Ponzoni L, Melzi G, Marabini L, Martini A, Petrillo G, Teh MT, Torres-Perez JV, Morara S, Gotti C, Braida D, Brennan CH, Sala M. Conservation of mechanisms regulating emotional-like responses on spontaneous nicotine withdrawal in zebrafish and mammals. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 111:110334. [PMID: 33905756 PMCID: PMC8380689 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nicotine withdrawal syndrome is a major clinical problem. Animal models with sufficient predictive validity to support translation of pre-clinical findings to clinical research are lacking. AIMS We evaluated the behavioural and neurochemical alterations in zebrafish induced by short- and long-term nicotine withdrawal. METHODS Zebrafish were exposed to 1 mg/L nicotine for 2 weeks. Dependence was determined using behavioural analysis following mecamylamine-induced withdrawal, and brain nicotinic receptor binding studies. Separate groups of nicotine-exposed and control fish were assessed for anxiety-like behaviours, anhedonia and memory deficits following 2-60 days spontaneous withdrawal. Gene expression analysis using whole brain samples from nicotine-treated and control fish was performed at 7 and 60 days after the last drug exposure. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity in pretectum was also analysed. RESULTS Mecamylamine-precipitated withdrawal nicotine-exposed fish showed increased anxiety-like behaviour as evidenced by increased freezing and decreased exploration. 3H-Epibatidine labeled heteromeric nicotinic acethylcholine receptors (nAChR) significantly increased after 2 weeks of nicotine exposure while 125I-αBungarotoxin labeled homomeric nAChR remained unchanged. Spontaneous nicotine withdrawal elicited anxiety-like behaviour (increased bottom dwelling), reduced motivation in terms of no preference for the enriched side in a place preference test starting from Day 7 after withdrawal and a progressive decrease of memory attention (lowering discrimination index). Behavioural differences were associated with brain gene expression changes: nicotine withdrawn animals showed decreased expression of chrna 4 and chrna7 after 60 days, and of htr2a from 7 to 60 days.The expression of c-Fos was significantly increased at 7 days. Finally, Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity increased in dorsal parvocellular pretectal nucleus, but not in periventricular nucleus of posterior tuberculum nor in optic tectum, at 60 days after withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show that nicotine withdrawal induced anxiety-like behaviour, cognitive alterations, gene expression changes and increase in pretectal TH expression, similar to those observed in humans and rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gloria Melzi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Marabini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Muy-Teck Teh
- Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, England, UK
| | - Jose V Torres-Perez
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Daniela Braida
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine
| | - Caroline H Brennan
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
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Cararo JH, Rico EP. Long-lasting implications of embryonic exposure to alcohol: Insights from zebrafish research. Dev Neurobiol 2021; 82:29-40. [PMID: 34687497 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22855] [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: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The harmful consumption of ethanol is associated with significant health problems and social burdens. This drug activates a complex network of reward mechanisms and habit formation learning that is supposed to contribute to the consumption of increasingly high and frequent amounts, ultimately leading to addiction. In the context of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a consequence of the harmful use of alcohol during pregnancy, which affects the embryonic development of the fetus. FAS can be easily reproduced in zebrafish by exposing the embryos to different concentrations of ethanol in water. In this regard, the aim of the present review is to discuss the late pathological implications in zebrafish exposed to ethanol at the embryonic stage, providing information in the context of human fetal alcoholic spectrum disorders. Experimental FAS in zebrafish is associated with impairments in the metabolic, morphological, neurochemical, behavioral, and cognitive domains. Many of the pathways that are affected by ethanol in zebrafish have at least one ortholog in humans, collaborating with the wider adoption of zebrafish in studies on alcohol disorders. In fact, zebrafish present validities required for the study of these conditions, which contributes to the use of this species in research, in addition to studies with rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Henrique Cararo
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Pacheco Rico
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil
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Lopatynska-Mazurek M, Antolak A, Grochecki P, Gibula-Tarlowska E, Bodzon-Kulakowska A, Listos J, Kedzierska E, Suder P, Silberring J, Kotlinska JH. Rapamycin Improves Spatial Learning Deficits, Vulnerability to Alcohol Addiction and Altered Expression of the GluN2B Subunit of the NMDA Receptor in Adult Rats Exposed to Ethanol during the Neonatal Period. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050650. [PMID: 33924998 PMCID: PMC8147055 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ethanol exposure during pregnancy alters the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in the fetal brain. Hence, in adult rats exposed to ethanol during the neonatal period, we investigated the influence of rapamycin, an mTOR Complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitor, on deficits in spatial memory and reversal learning in the Barnes maze task, as well as the ethanol-induced rewarding effects (1.0 or 1.5 g/kg) using the conditioning place preference (CPP) paradigm. Rapamycin (3 and 10 mg/kg) was given before intragastric ethanol (5 g/kg/day) administration at postnatal day (PND)4–9 (an equivalent to the third trimester of human pregnancy). Spatial memory/reversal learning and rewarding ethanol effect were evaluated in adult (PND60–70) rats. Additionally, the impact of rapamycin pre-treatment on the expression of the GluN2B subunit of NMDA receptor in the brain was assessed in adult rats. Our results show that neonatal ethanol exposure induced deficits in spatial memory and reversal learning in adulthood, but the reversal learning outcome may have been due to spatial learning impairments rather than cognitive flexibility impairments. Furthermore, in adulthood the ethanol treated rats were also more sensitive to the rewarding effect of ethanol than the control group. Rapamycin prevented the neonatal effect of ethanol and normalized the GluN2B down-regulation in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, as well as normalized this subunit’s up-regulation in the striatum of adult rats. Our results suggest that rapamycin and related drugs may hold promise as a preventive therapy for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata Lopatynska-Mazurek
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Anna Antolak
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Sciences and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (A.A.); (A.B.-K.); (P.S.); (J.S.)
| | - Pawel Grochecki
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Ewa Gibula-Tarlowska
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Anna Bodzon-Kulakowska
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Sciences and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (A.A.); (A.B.-K.); (P.S.); (J.S.)
| | - Joanna Listos
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Ewa Kedzierska
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Piotr Suder
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Sciences and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (A.A.); (A.B.-K.); (P.S.); (J.S.)
| | - Jerzy Silberring
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Sciences and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (A.A.); (A.B.-K.); (P.S.); (J.S.)
| | - Jolanta H. Kotlinska
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-81-4487255
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Schaidhauer FG, Caetano HA, da Silva GP, da Silva RS. Contributions of Zebrafish Studies on the Behavioural Consequences of Early Alcohol Exposure: A Systematic Review. Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 20:579-593. [PMID: 33913405 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x19666210428114317] [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] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The consequences of mild to severe exposure to alcohol during brain development is still a matter of debate and scientific investigation. The long-term behavioural effects of ethanol exposure have been related to impaired social skills and cognition. Zebrafish have become a suitable animal model to investigate the effects of early ethanol exposure because it is very feasible to promote drug delivery during early development. OBJECTIVE The goal of the current report is to review existing behavioural studies addressing the impact of early alcohol exposure using zebrafish to determine whether these models resemble the behavioural effects of early alcohol exposure in humans. METHODS A comprehensive search of biomedical databases was performed using the operation order: "ZEBRAFISH AND BEHAV* AND (ETHANOL OR ALCOHOL)". The eligibility of studies was determined using the PICOS strategy, contemplating the population as zebrafish, intervention as exposure to ethanol, comparison with a non-exposed control animal, and outcomes as behavioural parameters. RESULTS The systematic search returned 29 scientific articles as eligible. The zebrafish is presented as a versatile animal model that is useful to study FASD short and long-term behaviour impairments, such as anxiety, impaired sociability, aggressiveness, learning problems, memory impairment, seizure susceptibility, sleep disorders, motivational problems, and addiction. CONCLUSION This systematic review serves to further promote the use of zebrafish as a model system to study the pathophysiological and behavioural consequences of early alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia Gheller Schaidhauer
- Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Higor Arruda Caetano
- Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Pietro da Silva
- Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rosane Souza da Silva
- Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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7
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Pinheiro-da-Silva J, Araujo-Silva H, Luchiari AC. Does early ethanol exposure increase seeking-like behavior in zebrafish? Int J Dev Neurosci 2021; 81:416-427. [PMID: 33837569 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10112] [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] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the most common cause of birth defects. The severe variations are in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) but the most frequent cases are alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), which is of a difficult diagnosis. ARND characteristics include impaired social behavior, anxiety and depression prevalence, cognitive deficits, and an increased chance for drug addiction. Here, we aimed to test whether early alcohol exposure leads to later alcohol preference. We hypothesize that early alcohol exposure increases the reinforcing effects on later experiences, raising the chance of addiction in adult life. Lately, the zebrafish has been a valuable model on alcohol research, allowing embryonic exposure and the study of the ontogenetic effects. For this, embryos were exposed to three different alcohol treatments: 0.0%, 0.25% and 0.5%, for 2 hr, at 24-hr post-fertilization. Then we evaluated the effects of embryonic alcohol exposure on conditioned place preference in two developmental stage: fry (10 days post-fertilization (dpf)) and young (90 dpf) zebrafish. Results show that control fish presented alcohol associative learning, which means, changes in place preference due to alcohol exposure, at both ontogenetic phases. However, zebrafish exposed to 0.25 and 0.5% alcohol during embryogenesis did not show conditioning response at any evaluated stage. These results suggest perception and cognitive deficits due to embryonic alcohol exposure that can alter alcohol responsiveness throughout a lifetime. Although low alcohol doses do not provoke malformation, it has been shown to induce several neurological and behavioral changes that are termed as Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders. These results may contribute to future investigations on how embryonic exposure affects the neurocircuitry related to perception and associative learning processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heloysa Araujo-Silva
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Luchiari
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
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8
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Cleal M, Fontana BD, Double M, Mezabrovschi R, Parcell L, Redhead E, Parker MO. Dopaminergic modulation of working memory and cognitive flexibility in a zebrafish model of aging-related cognitive decline. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 102:1-16. [PMID: 33676049 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Healthy aging is associated with a decline in memory and executive function, which have both been linked with aberrant dopaminergic signaling. We examined the relationship between cognitive performance and dopamine function of young and aging zebrafish (Danio rerio). We revealed age-related decreases in working memory and cognitive flexibility in the Free-Movement Pattern (FMP) Y-maze. An increase in drd5 gene expression in aging adults coincided with a decrease in cognitive performance. Treatment with a D1/D5 receptor agonist (SKF-38393, 35 µM) 30 minutes prior to behavioral assessment resulted in improved working memory in aging zebrafish, but no effect in younger adults. However, an "overdosing" effect caused by agonist treatment resulted in downregulation of dat expression in 6-month old, treated zebrafish. The translational relevance of these findings was tested in humans by analyzing exploratory behavior in young-adult, 18-35-year olds, and aged adults, 70+ year olds, in a virtual FMP Y-maze. Our findings revealed similar age-related decline in working memory. Thus, strongly supporting zebrafish as a translational model of aging and cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Cleal
- Brain and Behaviour Lab, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK.
| | - Barbara D Fontana
- Brain and Behaviour Lab, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK
| | - Molly Double
- Brain and Behaviour Lab, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK
| | - Roxana Mezabrovschi
- Brain and Behaviour Lab, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK
| | - Leah Parcell
- Brain and Behaviour Lab, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK
| | | | - Matthew O Parker
- Brain and Behaviour Lab, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA.
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9
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Ponzoni L, Teh MT, Torres-Perez JV, Brennan CH, Braida D, Sala M. Increased Response to 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Reward and Altered Gene Expression in Zebrafish During Short- and Long-Term Nicotine Withdrawal. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 58:1650-1663. [PMID: 33236326 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02225-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
An interactive effect between nicotine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has been reported but the mechanism underlying such interaction is not completely understood. This study used zebrafish to explore gene expression changes associated with altered sensitivity to the rewarding effects of MDMA following 2-week exposure to nicotine and 2-60 days of nicotine withdrawal. Reward responses to MDMA were assessed using a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm and gene expression was evaluated using quantitative real-time PCR of mRNA from whole brain samples from drug-treated and control adult zebrafish. Zebrafish pre-exposed for 2 weeks to nicotine showed increased conditioned place preference in response to low-dose, 0.1 mg/kg, MDMA compared to un-exposed fish at 2, 7, 30 and 60 days withdrawal. Pre-exposure to nicotine for 2 weeks induced a significant increase of c-Fos and vasopressin receptor expression but a decrease of D3 dopaminergic and oxytocin receptor expression at 2 days of withdrawal. C-Fos mRNA increased also at 7, 30, 60 days of withdrawal. Nicotine pre-exposed zebrafish submitted to MDMA-induced CPP showed an increase in expression of p35 at day 2, α4 at day 30, vasopressin at day 7 and D3 dopaminergic receptor at day 7, 30 and 60. These gene alterations could account for the altered sensitivity to the rewarding effects of MDMA in nicotine pre-exposed fish, suggesting that zebrafish have an altered ability to modulate behaviour as a function of reward during nicotine withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Ponzoni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Muy-Teck Teh
- Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, England, UK
| | - Jose V Torres-Perez
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Caroline H Brennan
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Daniela Braida
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Mariaelvina Sala
- Neuroscience Institute, CNR, Via Vanvitelli 32, 20129, Milan, Italy.
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García-González J, Brock AJ, Parker MO, Riley RJ, Joliffe D, Sudwarts A, Teh MT, Busch-Nentwich EM, Stemple DL, Martineau AR, Kaprio J, Palviainen T, Kuan V, Walton RT, Brennan CH. Identification of slit3 as a locus affecting nicotine preference in zebrafish and human smoking behaviour. eLife 2020; 9:e51295. [PMID: 32209227 PMCID: PMC7096180 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
To facilitate smoking genetics research we determined whether a screen of mutagenized zebrafish for nicotine preference could predict loci affecting smoking behaviour. From 30 screened F3 sibling groups, where each was derived from an individual ethyl-nitrosurea mutagenized F0 fish, two showed increased or decreased nicotine preference. Out of 25 inactivating mutations carried by the F3 fish, one in the slit3 gene segregated with increased nicotine preference in heterozygous individuals. Focussed SNP analysis of the human SLIT3 locus in cohorts from UK (n=863) and Finland (n=1715) identified two variants associated with cigarette consumption and likelihood of cessation. Characterisation of slit3 mutant larvae and adult fish revealed decreased sensitivity to the dopaminergic and serotonergic antagonist amisulpride, known to affect startle reflex that is correlated with addiction in humans, and increased htr1aa mRNA expression in mutant larvae. No effect on neuronal pathfinding was detected. These findings reveal a role for SLIT3 in development of pathways affecting responses to nicotine in zebrafish and smoking in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit García-González
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Alistair J Brock
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Matthew O Parker
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of PortsmouthPortsmouthUnited Kingdom
| | - Riva J Riley
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - David Joliffe
- Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Blizard InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Ari Sudwarts
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Muy-Teck Teh
- Centre for Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and DentistryLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Elisabeth M Busch-Nentwich
- Wellcome Trust Sanger InstituteCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Adrian R Martineau
- Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Blizard InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Jaakko Kaprio
- Institute for Molecular Medicine FIMM, HiLIFEHelsinkiFinland
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | | | - Valerie Kuan
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Robert T Walton
- Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Blizard InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Caroline H Brennan
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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11
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Cantacorps L, Montagud-Romero S, Luján MÁ, Valverde O. Prenatal and postnatal alcohol exposure increases vulnerability to cocaine addiction in adult mice. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 177:1090-1105. [PMID: 31705540 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Alcohol exposure in utero may lead to a wide range of long-lasting morphological and behavioural deficiencies known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), associated with a higher risk of later developing neuropsychiatric disorders. However, little is known about the long-term consequences of cocaine use and abuse in individuals with FASD. This study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal binge alcohol drinking during prenatal and postnatal periods on cocaine reward-related behaviours in adult offspring. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Pregnant C57BL/6 female mice were exposed to an experimental protocol of binge alcohol consumption (drinking-in-the-dark test) from gestation to weaning. Male offspring were subsequently left undisturbed until reaching adulthood and were tested for cocaine-induced motivational responses (conditioned place preference, behavioural sensitization and operant self-administration). Protein expression of dopamine- and glutamate-related molecules was assessed following cocaine-induced reinstatement. KEY RESULTS The results show that prenatal and postnatal alcohol exposure enhanced the preference for the cocaine-paired chamber in the conditioned place preference test. Furthermore, early alcohol-exposed mice displayed attenuated cocaine-induced behavioural sensitization but also higher cocaine self-administration. Furthermore, alterations in glutamatergic excitability (GluA1/GluA2 ratio) and ΔFosB expression were found in the prefrontal cortex and the striatum of alcohol-exposed mice after cocaine-primed reinstatement. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Our findings demonstrate that maternal binge-like alcohol consumption during gestation and lactation alters sensitivity to the reinforcing effects of cocaine in adult offspring mice. Together, such data suggest that prenatal and postnatal alcohol exposure may underlie an enhanced susceptibility of alcohol-exposed offspring to develop drug addiction later in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lídia Cantacorps
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sandra Montagud-Romero
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Luján
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 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
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12
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Fernandes Y, Rampersad M, Jones EM, Eberhart JK. Social deficits following embryonic ethanol exposure arise in post-larval zebrafish. Addict Biol 2019; 24:898-907. [PMID: 30178621 PMCID: PMC6629526 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [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: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure is the leading cause of birth defects, collectively termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). In the United States and Canada, 1 in 100 children will be born with FASD. Some of the most commonly debilitating defects of FASD are in social behavior. Zebrafish are highly social animals, and embryonic ethanol exposure from 24 to 26 hours post-fertilization disrupts this social (shoaling) response in adult zebrafish. Recent findings have suggested that social behaviors are present in zebrafish larvae as young as 3 weeks, but how they relate to adult shoaling is unclear. We tested the same ethanol-exposed zebrafish for social impairments at 3 weeks then again at 16 weeks. At both ages, live conspecifics were used to elicit a social response. We did not find alcohol-induced differences in behavior in 3-week-old fish when they were able to see conspecifics. We do find evidence that control zebrafish are able to use nonvisual stimuli to detect conspecifics, and this behavior is disrupted in the alcohol-exposed fish. As adults, these fish displayed a significant decrease in social behavior when conspecifics are visible. This surprising finding demonstrates that the adult and larval social behaviors are, at least partly, separable. Future work will investigate the nature of these nonvisual cues and how the neurocircuitry differs between the larval and adult social behaviors.
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13
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Maternal overnutrition programs hedonic and metabolic phenotypes across generations through sperm tsRNAs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:10547-10556. [PMID: 31061112 PMCID: PMC6534971 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1820810116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a major public health issue worldwide. Easy accessibility of junk food is considered a major contributor to the current obesity epidemic. Thus, the impact of maternal overnutrition in determining disease susceptibility in offspring has received wide attention. It has also been shown that the effects of maternal overnutrition are not limited to the immediate offspring but can also be transmitted to successive generations. Among different epigenetic marks, sperm small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) have recently been reported as a direct mediator of acquired traits to the progeny following postnatal trauma or paternal diet. Here, we investigate whether sperm sncRNAs contributes to the transmission of metabolic and hedonic phenotypes across generations following maternal overnutrition. There is a growing body of evidence linking maternal overnutrition to obesity and psychopathology that can be conserved across multiple generations. Recently, we demonstrated in a maternal high-fat diet (HFD; MHFD) mouse model that MHFD induced enhanced hedonic behaviors and obesogenic phenotypes that were conserved across three generations via the paternal lineage, which was independent of sperm methylome changes. Here, we show that sperm tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) partly contribute to the transmission of such phenotypes. We observe increased expression of sperm tsRNAs in the F1 male offspring born to HFD-exposed dams. Microinjection of sperm tsRNAs from the F1-HFD male into normal zygotes reproduces obesogenic phenotypes and addictive-like behaviors, such as increased preference of palatable foods and enhanced sensitivity to drugs of abuse in the resultant offspring. The expression of several of the differentially expressed sperm tsRNAs predicted targets such as CHRNA2 and GRIN3A, which have been implicated in addiction pathology, are altered in the mesolimbic reward brain regions of the F1-HFD father and the resultant HFD-tsRNA offspring. Together, our findings demonstrate that sperm tsRNA is a potential vector that contributes to the transmission of MHFD-induced addictive-like behaviors and obesogenic phenotypes across generations, thereby emphasizing its role in diverse pathological outcomes.
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14
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Abnormal repetitive behaviors in zebrafish and their relevance to human brain disorders. Behav Brain Res 2019; 367:101-110. [PMID: 30926483 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.03.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal repetitive behaviors (ARBs) are a prominent symptom of numerous human brain disorders and are commonly seen in rodent models as well. While rodent studies of ARBs continue to dominate the field, mounting evidence suggests that zebrafish (Danio rerio) also display ARB-like phenotypes and may therefore be a novel model organism for ARB research. In addition to clear practical research advantages as a model species, zebrafish share high genetic and physiological homology to humans and rodents, including multiple ARB-related genes and robust behaviors relevant to ARB. Here, we discuss a wide spectrum of stereotypic repetitive behaviors in zebrafish, data on their genetic and pharmacological modulation, and the overall translational relevance of fish ARBs to modeling human brain disorders. Overall, the zebrafish is rapidly emerging as a new promising model to study ARBs and their underlying mechanisms.
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15
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Bao W, Volgin AD, Alpyshov ET, Friend AJ, Strekalova TV, de Abreu MS, Collins C, Amstislavskaya TG, Demin KA, Kalueff AV. Opioid Neurobiology, Neurogenetics and Neuropharmacology in Zebrafish. Neuroscience 2019; 404:218-232. [PMID: 30710667 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.01.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Despite the high prevalence of medicinal use and abuse of opioids, their neurobiology and mechanisms of action are not fully understood. Experimental (animal) models are critical for improving our understanding of opioid effects in vivo. As zebrafish (Danio rerio) are increasingly utilized as a powerful model organism in neuroscience research, mounting evidence suggests these fish as a useful tool to study opioid neurobiology. Here, we discuss the zebrafish opioid system with specific focus on opioid gene expression, existing genetic models, as well as its pharmacological and developmental regulation. As many human brain diseases involve pain and aberrant reward, we also summarize zebrafish models relevant to opioid regulation of pain and addiction, including evidence of functional interplay between the opioid system and central dopaminergic and other neurotransmitter mechanisms. Additionally, we critically evaluate the limitations of zebrafish models for translational opioid research and emphasize their developing utility for improving our understanding of evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of pain-related, addictive, affective and other behaviors, as well as for fostering opioid-related drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wandong Bao
- School of Pharmacy and School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Andrey D Volgin
- Military Medical Academy, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Erik T Alpyshov
- School of Pharmacy and School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ashton J Friend
- Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, New Orleans, LA, USA; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Tatyana V Strekalova
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology and Department of Normal Physiology, Moscow, Russia; Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands; Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Murilo S de Abreu
- The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium, New Orleans, LA, USA; Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
| | - Christopher Collins
- ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, LA, USA; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Tamara G Amstislavskaya
- Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Konstantin A Demin
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy and School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia; Granov Russian Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Pesochny, Russia; Scientific Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia; ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, LA, USA; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium, New Orleans, LA, USA.
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16
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Cleal M, Parker MO. Moderate developmental alcohol exposure reduces repetitive alternation in a zebrafish model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2018; 70:1-9. [PMID: 30201482 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The damaging effects of alcohol on a developing fetus are well known and cause a range of conditions known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). High levels of alcohol exposure lead to physical deformity and severe cognitive deficits, but more moderate exposure leads to a range of subtle cognitive effects such as reduced social behavior, higher propensity to develop addictions, and reduced spatial working memory. Previous studies have demonstrated that following exposure to relatively low levels of ethanol during early brain development (equivalent in humans to moderate exposure) zebrafish display a range of social and behavioral differences. Here, our aim was to test the hypothesis that moderate developmental ethanol exposure would affect aspects of learning and memory in zebrafish. In order to do this, we exposed zebrafish embryos to 20 mM [0.12% v/v] ethanol from 2 to 9 dpf to model the effects of moderate prenatal ethanol (MPE) exposure. At 3 months old, adult fish were tested for appetitive and aversive learning, and for spatial alternation in a novel unconditioned y-maze protocol. We found that MPE did not affect appetitive or aversive learning, but exposed-fish showed a robust reduction in repetitive alternations in the y-maze when compared to age matched controls. This study confirms that moderate levels of ethanol exposure to developing embryos have subtle effects on spatial working memory in adulthood. Our data thus suggest that zebrafish may be a promising model system for studying the effects of alcohol on learning and decision-making, but also for developing treatments and interventions to reduce the negative effects of prenatal alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Cleal
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Portsmouth, UK
| | - Matthew O Parker
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Portsmouth, UK.
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17
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-ninth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2016 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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18
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Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Zebrafish in the analysis of the milder and more prevalent form of the disease. Behav Brain Res 2017; 352:125-132. [PMID: 28988969 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) represent a large unmet medical need. Exposure of the developing human embryo to alcohol can lead to life-long suffering. Despite the well documented deleterious effects of alcohol on the developing fetus, pregnant women continue to drink alcohol, and FASD remains the leading cause of preventable mental retardation and other behavioral abnormalities. Particularly prevalent are the milder forms of the disease cluster, representing children who do not show obvious physical signs and who may be undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. To develop treatment and diagnostic tools, researchers have turned to animal models. The zebrafish is becoming one of the leading biomedical research organisms that may facilitate discovery of the biological mechanisms underlying this disease and the identification of biomarkers that may be used for diagnosis. Here we review the latest advances of this field, mostly focussing on the discoveries made in our own laboratory and others with zebrafish employed to analyze the effects of moderate to low level of exposure to alcohol. We argue that the zebrafish represents unique advantages, and adding information obtained with this species to the mix of other animal models will significantly increase translational relevance of animal biomedical research for the analysis of human FASD.
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19
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Brock AJ, Goody SMG, Mead AN, Sudwarts A, Parker MO, Brennan CH. Assessing the Value of the Zebrafish Conditioned Place Preference Model for Predicting Human Abuse Potential. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2017; 363:66-79. [PMID: 28790193 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.117.242628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory agencies recommend that centrally active drugs are tested for abuse potential before approval. Standard preclinical assessments are conducted in rats or non-human primates (NHPs). This study evaluated the ability of the zebrafish conditioned place preference (CPP) model to predict human abuse outcomes. Twenty-seven compounds from a variety of pharmacological classes were tested in zebrafish CPP, categorized as positive or negative, and analyzed using standard diagnostic tests of binary classification to determine the likelihood that zebrafish correctly predict robust positive signals in human subjective effects studies (+HSE) and/or Drug Enforcement Administration drug scheduling. Results were then compared with those generated for rat self-administration and CPP, as well as NHP self-administration, using this same set of compounds. The findings reveal that zebrafish concordance and sensitivity values were not significantly different from chance for both +HSE and scheduling. Although significant improvements in specificity and negative predictive values were observed for zebrafish relative to +HSE, specificity without sensitivity provides limited predictive value. Moreover, assessments in zebrafish provided no added value for predicting scheduling. By contrast, rat and NHP models generally possessed significantly improved concordance, sensitivity, and positive predictive values for both clinical measures. Although there may be predictive value with compounds from specific pharmacological classes (e.g., µ-opioid receptor agonists, psychostimulants) for zebrafish CPP, altogether these data highlight that using the current methodology, the zebrafish CPP model does not add value to the preclinical assessment of abuse potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Brock
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom (A.J.B., A.S., C.H.B.); Global Safety Pharmacology, Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut (S.M.G.G., A.N.M.); and School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom (M.O.P.)
| | - S M G Goody
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom (A.J.B., A.S., C.H.B.); Global Safety Pharmacology, Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut (S.M.G.G., A.N.M.); and School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom (M.O.P.)
| | - A N Mead
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom (A.J.B., A.S., C.H.B.); Global Safety Pharmacology, Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut (S.M.G.G., A.N.M.); and School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom (M.O.P.)
| | - A Sudwarts
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom (A.J.B., A.S., C.H.B.); Global Safety Pharmacology, Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut (S.M.G.G., A.N.M.); and School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom (M.O.P.)
| | - M O Parker
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom (A.J.B., A.S., C.H.B.); Global Safety Pharmacology, Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut (S.M.G.G., A.N.M.); and School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom (M.O.P.)
| | - C H Brennan
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom (A.J.B., A.S., C.H.B.); Global Safety Pharmacology, Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut (S.M.G.G., A.N.M.); and School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom (M.O.P.)
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20
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Meshalkina DA, Kizlyk MN, Kysil EV, Collier AD, Echevarria DJ, Abreu MS, Barcellos LJ, Song C, Kalueff AV. Understanding zebrafish cognition. Behav Processes 2017; 141:229-241. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2016.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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21
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Sterling ME, Chang GQ, Karatayev O, Chang SY, Leibowitz SF. Effects of embryonic ethanol exposure at low doses on neuronal development, voluntary ethanol consumption and related behaviors in larval and adult zebrafish: Role of hypothalamic orexigenic peptides. Behav Brain Res 2016; 304:125-38. [PMID: 26778786 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Revised: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic exposure to ethanol is known to affect neurochemical systems in rodents and increase alcohol drinking and related behaviors in humans and rodents. With zebrafish emerging as a powerful tool for uncovering neural mechanisms of numerous diseases and exhibiting similarities to rodents, the present report building on our rat studies examined in zebrafish the effects of embryonic ethanol exposure on hypothalamic neurogenesis, expression of orexigenic neuropeptides, and voluntary ethanol consumption and locomotor behaviors in larval and adult zebrafish, and also effects of central neuropeptide injections on these behaviors affected by ethanol. At 24h post-fertilization, zebrafish embryos were exposed for 2h to ethanol, at low concentrations of 0.25% and 0.5%, in the tank water. Embryonic ethanol compared to control dose-dependently increased hypothalamic neurogenesis and the proliferation and expression of the orexigenic peptides, galanin (GAL) and orexin (OX), in the anterior hypothalamus. These changes in hypothalamic peptide neurons were accompanied by an increase in voluntary consumption of 10% ethanol-gelatin and in novelty-induced locomotor and exploratory behavior in adult zebrafish and locomotor activity in larvae. After intracerebroventricular injection, these peptides compared to vehicle had specific effects on these behaviors altered by ethanol, with GAL stimulating consumption of 10% ethanol-gelatin more than plain gelatin food and OX stimulating novelty-induced locomotor behavior while increasing intake of food and ethanol equally. These results, similar to those obtained in rats, suggest that the ethanol-induced increase in genesis and expression of these hypothalamic peptide neurons contribute to the behavioral changes induced by embryonic exposure to ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Sterling
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - G-Q Chang
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - O Karatayev
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - S Y Chang
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - S F Leibowitz
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States.
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22
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Bailey JM, Oliveri AN, Levin ED. Pharmacological analyses of learning and memory in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 139 Pt B:103-11. [PMID: 25792292 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have become valuable as a complementary model in behavioral pharmacology, opening a new avenue for understanding the relationships between drug action and behavior. This species offers a useful intermediate approach bridging the gap between in vitro studies and traditional mammalian models. Zebrafish offer great advantages of economy compared to their rodent counterparts, their complex brains and behavioral repertoire offer great translational potential relative to in vitro models. The development and validation of a variety of tests to measure behavior, including cognition, in zebrafish have set the stage for the use of this animal for behavioral pharmacology studies. This has led to research into the basic mechanisms of cognitive function as well as screening for potential cognition-improving drug therapies, among other lines of research. As with all models, zebrafish have limitations, which span pharmacokinetic challenges to difficulties quantifying behavior. The use, efficacy and limitations associated with a zebrafish model of cognitive function are discussed in this review, within the context of behavioral pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan M Bailey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Anthony N Oliveri
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Edward D Levin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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23
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Fernandes Y, Rampersad M, Gerlai R. Embryonic alcohol exposure impairs the dopaminergic system and social behavioral responses in adult zebrafish. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 18:pyu089. [PMID: 25568285 PMCID: PMC4438539 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyu089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 10/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The zebrafish is a powerful neurobehavioral genetics tool with which complex human brain disorders including alcohol abuse and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders may be modeled and investigated. Zebrafish innately form social groups called shoals. Previously, it has been demonstrated that a single bath exposure (24 hours postfertilization) to low doses of alcohol (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1% vol/vol) for a short duration (2 hours) leads to impaired group forming, or shoaling, in adult zebrafish. METHODS In the current study, we immersed zebrafish eggs in a low concentration of alcohol (0.5% or 1% vol/vol) for 2 hours at 24 hours postfertilization and let the fish grow and reach adulthood. In addition to quantifying the behavioral response of the adult fish to an animated shoal, we also measured the amount of dopamine and its metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid from whole brain extracts of these fish using high-pressure liquid chromatograph. RESULTS Here we confirm that embryonic alcohol exposure makes adult zebrafish increase their distance from the shoal stimulus in a dose-dependent manner. We also show that the shoal stimulus increases the amount of dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the brain of control zebrafish but not in fish previously exposed to alcohol during their embryonic development. CONCLUSIONS We speculate that one of the mechanisms that may explain the embryonic alcohol-induced impaired shoaling response in zebrafish is dysfunction of reward mechanisms subserved by the dopaminergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robert Gerlai
- Department of Psychology (Mr Fernandes, Ms Rampersad, and Dr Gerlai), and Department of Cell and System Biology (Dr Gerlai), University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada.
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